1872-82 'SHUT THEM WINDOWS' 235 



could, and added : "If any of you gentlemen will 

 pay me the cost of publication, you are quite 

 welcome to the proceeds." The Board was satis- 

 fied, and bowed me out. I was not quite so 

 satisfied, especially when I thought of my wasted 

 morning, so, turning to the Commissioners, I 

 proceeded to describe the unhealthy state of the 

 churchyard, and observed : "Gentlemen, are you 

 aware of the fact that this room must be full of 

 the most deadly germs ? I may add that I should 

 be sorry to answer for the health of any of you, 

 especially as you have been sitting here all the 

 morning with those windows open." With that 

 Parthian shot I retired, and as I left the 

 room I heard one of the Commissioners shout, 

 "Shut them windows!" I think I paid them 

 out.' 



On April 25, 1878, Professor Owen wrote to 

 Mr. C. T. Newton with reference to a letter from 

 the Duke of Somerset, suggesting the opening of 

 the galleries of the British Museum on all days of 

 the week. Owen intimates that, as the removal 

 of the natural history portions of the collection is 

 taking place, the reduction rather than the in- 

 crease of hours of admission for the public is to 

 be desired. But he adds : 'His Grace will be 

 gratified to learn that arrangements in the 

 Museum of Natural History were suggested in 

 the original plan (February 10, 1859), and have 

 been carried out in the building, to allow of daily 



