34 Biographical Memoir of 
In 1812 the management of the Museum underwent a com- 
plete revision. The great increase in all the departments 
of Natural History now called for a much larger sum of 
money for its actual support than any of the authorities were 
willing to grant. 
Professor Jameson earnestly appealed to the Crown 
for a grant of money for the support of the Museum. After 
a great deal of anxiety of mind and toil, he succeeded in 
obtaining £100 per annum, for expenses incurred in its 
preservation, and for the purchasing of specimens. At 
this period he shewed that the collection consisted of 2290 
specimens of quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles, insects, and 
shells, and about 19,000 specimens of minerals and rocks, 
the whole of which had been accumulated by his unceasing 
energy, and an outlay of heavy private expenses. 
In 1819 the famous Dufresne collection was purchased at 
the recommendation of Professor Jameson. He ascertained 
that M. Dufresne was anxious to dispose of it to the Kdin- 
burgh University. Both the Emperor of Austria and the 
Kmperor of Russia offered a much larger sum for it than that 
proposed by Jameson, but still Dufresne gave Edinburgh the 
preference. The labour and anxiety Jameson had in unpack- 
ing and arranging this collection for public exhibition was 
great. When this magnificent collection was arranged, 
Jameson, at the recommendation of the Town-Council and 
Professors, opened the great halls of the New Museum to 
the public, on each visitor paying two shillings and six- 
pence admission money. This experiment, which met with 
much opposition at first, turned out well, as Jameson soon 
became able by this means to keep the Museum open to 
the public, and to carry on the whole establishment in an 
efficient style, without incurring public debt. 
In 1826 Jameson reported that he had filled with objects 
of Natural History the great halls and galleries of the West 
Museum, and five galleries of the East Museum. : 
In July 1834 the Town-Council reduced the fee of admis- 
sion to one shilling, with the view of increasing the income. 
Jameson, guided by his long and unwearied experience, | 
stanchly opposed this measure, but it was carried against 
him. The experiment, however, did not meet with that success 
