42 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. n. 



British Museum, ' he explored with me,' the 

 Professor continues, ' every vault and dark recess 

 which had been, or could be, allotted to the non- 

 exhibited specimens of the natural history, those, 

 viz., which it was my aim to utilise and bring to 

 light. He gave the same attention to the series 

 selected for exhibition in the public galleries, and 

 appreciated the inadequacy of the arrangements 

 to that end. He listened to my statements of 

 facts, to the grounds of provision of annual ratios 

 of increase, to the reasons for providing space 

 therefor, to my views of the aims of such ex- 

 hibitions, and to the proposed extended applica- 

 tions and elucidations of the collections. Mr. 

 Gladstone tested every averment, and elicited 

 the grounds of every suggestion, with a tact 

 and insight that contrasted strongly with the 

 questionings in the committee-room, where too 

 often vague interrogations met with answers to 

 match. 



' Conformably with Mr. Gladstone's convictions, 

 he, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, moved, May 

 12, 1862, for " leave to bring in a bill for removal 

 of portions of the Trustees' Collections in the 

 British Museum." 



' On May 19, when the bill was to be read a 

 second time, a new, unexpected, and formidable 

 antagonist arose. Mr. Disraeli early got the 

 attention of the House to a speech, warning hon. 

 members of the " progressive increase of expendi- 



