1839.] Asiatic Society. 1063 



Minute by Dr. Grant, Apothecary to the Honorable Company. 

 I regret that I cannot concur in the whole of this report. Agreeing with much of the 

 general principle that pervades it, I dissent from its application to our peculiar cir- 

 cumstances. The report closes with a well merited expression of the desirableness of 

 securing, if possible, the services of a zealous, able, industrious and disinterested natu- 

 ralist upon the spot, and yet purposes to fetter him with rules, which I fear might 

 damp his ardour and circumscribe his usefulness, without any commensurate benefit 

 to the institution, or perhaps alienate him altogether from a situation which he is 

 well qualified to adorn. 



The report proposes the consideration of the subject entirely on abstract principles, 

 without reference to individual fitness here, or convenience of availing ourselves of 

 such at once ; but sincerely believing, as I do, that the readiest practicable plan is to 

 avail ourselves of the intellectual means at hand, rather than incur the delay of wait- 

 ing for remote and uncertain materials, I am averse to the adoption of rules which I 

 fear may deprive us of Dr. M'Clelland's services. 



The three suggestions contained in the opening paragraph of the report appear to me 

 objectionable, for the reasons to be stated as I proceed. 1st. I would not tie down 

 Dr. M'Clelland (supposing him ready to undertake the office of Curator) to two 

 hours daily in the Museum. Though it is not unlikely that at an average Dr. 

 M'Clelland would devote so much time to the duties of the Museum, — yet I conceive 

 that the precise locality of duties bearing in the Museum, is of less importance than 

 their being essentially well produced and looked after, not merely in the Museum, but 

 out of it; since Dr. M'Clelland might labour very usefully for the Museum in his own 

 house, without a scrupulous and inconvenient measuring of time within the walls of the 

 Museum; and if left to himself might occasionally extend to more even than two hours. 

 2nd. Monthly reports for some time to come would almost entirely be confined to me- 

 chanical arrangement. Quarterly or half yearly reports, I conceive, would answer every 

 useful purpose, and give less trouble. Let the Committee of Papers be a Committee of 

 Management, and by frequent visits to the Museum obviate any tendency to inaction on 

 the part of the Curator. 3rd. The non-removal under any circumstances of articles 

 from the Museum, would impose a tantalizing restriction. A Museum, especially in In- 

 dia, is not the most favourable place for making minute observations, or recording results 

 and circumstances. There may be several articles that the Curator would like oc- 

 casionally to carry home, to examine quietly in the privacy of his own study; and I 

 should be sorry to cramp any Curator's convenience by depriving him of this indulgence. 

 To insist upon it, would be like the rule that holds in some libraries, that books should 

 be looked at, only on the premises. That rule may be a very proper one in Europe, 

 but I do not think it at present applicable here. Apply the same rule to nu- 

 mismatology, and it would be found very prejudicial. Had it been strictly acted upon 

 in that branch, I question whether Dr. Wilson and Mr. J. Prinsep (the latter 

 especially) would have effected such splendid results. Neither would I pay our Cura- 

 tor the bad compliment of implying, by such a restriction, that he would not take proper 

 care of specimens. Instead of this, I would permit him to carry away what specimens 

 he required, for a reasonable time ; the vacant space being occupied with a card or half 

 sheet of paper, bearing the number and character of the article, and the date at which 

 it was borrowed, with the words, "taken by Curator." 



