12 
museum, one of the finest provincial museums in England. It had been the 
subject of some contention whether that museum should be opened on Sunday 
or not; and at the last election the question was decisively settled by the re- 
jection of those candidates who voted for the opening on Sunday. He was not 
now saying whether it was right or wrong; he was only illustrating what was 
public opinion; but he held that as long as it was the national sentiment, 
they were bound to respect it. Further, that contest at Nottingham was not 
decided by the Sabbatarians, as they were called, but, as the town clerk in- 
formed him, by the working men of the town, who were apprehensive that if 
they once began the system of opening the museums on the Suriday, some 
other consequences would follow, and by slow degrees the complete day of 
rest, which they all enjoyed, and which nobody, perhaps, required more than 
the members of that House,»would be trenched upon, if it w t quite taken 
away. Indeed, the working classes now enjoyed art morea re; and noth- 
ing had done more to promote that enjoyment than the Saturday half holiday 
which had been instituted in this country in order that they might do so. We 
were the only nation in Europe which had the Saturday half holiday, in addi- 
tion to which there were the Bank holidays, which gave opportunities to those 
classes to visit the national museums, of which they largely availed them- 
selves. It was not museums which the people desired to visit on Sundays, 
but the fields and the country. 'lhey needed open air, enjoyment and pest. 
. ¥, Those who had recently s the rooms of the Royal Academy 
open from six to midnight, and admired the pictures iff a light as clear as 
day, could not byt believe that the British Museum and the National Gallery 
might with gr dvantage and perfect safety be open at night. South Ken- 
sington Museum had been visited in the evening by more than seven millions 
of people. Sunday, asa day of rest, was one of the greatest blessings a nation 
ever enjoyed. He hoped it would long maintain that character. It could only 
do so by mutual concession, each class in turn giving up some even innocent 
practice for the common benefit. Bearing in mind all the facts of the case, 
he held that until the national sentiment was r changed as to make Sun- 
day a day of amusement and recreation, vation of perfect rest, it would 
be the duty of the government not to open these national institutions.” 
The motion to open the museums on Sunday was defeated by a 
vote of 208 to 83, and Mr. Broadhurst’s amendment in favor of open- 
ing them on certain week-evenings, was adopted. 
The London Times’ editorial on this decision, said : 
“The fact remains that the cry for the opening of museums on Sundays 
does not come from the working classes. It is raised on their account,—it is 
raised by their professed friends, but it is not raised by themselves. Itis a 
matter of no small difficulty to induce them to take any interest in the case 
put forward on their behalf. They are suspicious of the proffered boon, and 
are far more ready to lend their names to a petition against it than in support 
of it. They value Sunday as a day of rest, and they wish above all things to 
make quite sure that it shall continue to be this * vs * His working 
days belong to his master; his day of leisure is his own. He has no mind to 
let it go on any pretence, however plausible. While he continues in this 

