24 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 



hand over the collections to the trust-charge of the ' Trustees of the 

 Indian Museum.' 



This transfer of our collections to an institution, where they are 

 certain to be fully cared for and properly exhibited, is, I believe, the 

 most important change which has affected the Asiatic Society for the 

 last half century. It was not, until after much deliberation, that the 

 Asiatic Society of Bengal ever commenced the formation of a Museum. 

 There were strong and weighty reasons urged against the advisability 

 of that course, derived from the experience of several associations 

 elsewhere. The unavoidable increase in the cost of maintaining such 

 collections was urged ; the inability of any limited Society to meet 

 this, or even to provide accommodation for such collections if formed ; 

 the terrible waste and destruction of objects of Natural History in 

 this climate ; all these difficulties were considered. And in the face 

 of all, it was still determined to commence a Museum. In the 

 wisdom of that determination, under the circumstances, I entirely 

 concur. There was at that time in this city no collection whatever 

 available for the students. Individuals who were interested in special 

 branches of enquiry, had provided themselves, at great cost, with 

 series such as were required for their own immediate researches. But 

 these were, of course, not accessible to the public, or to other students. 

 Now, for the success of this Society, it was absolutely essential that 

 such collections should exist, and most wisely, therefore, did the 

 members devote their energies to the formation of a Museum. For 

 years, unaided by public contributions, steady progress was made. 

 But the truth of the warnings they had received soon made itself 

 manifest. So long since as 1837, — a whole generation since, — it was 

 seriously discussed whether the attempt should not be abandoned. 

 In the following year, it was agreed that either the Museum should 

 be given up, or the publications of the Society. An earnest appeal 

 was then made to the Government of the day for aid. A grant of 

 200 Rupees per month was sanctioned, and the collections were 

 saved. At various times subsequently the amount of the grant was 

 increased, and effort after effort was made to bring the collections into 

 better order and arrangement. The Society made constant sacrifices 

 to obtain proper means for their exhibition and preservation. But the 

 demands still increased. Mr. Blyth was appointed Curator towards 



