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The lois of four patrons, fo truly noble, 

 fo good, fo great, and every way fo highly 

 accomplifhed, in the fmall fpace of three or 

 four years, was an event that greatly humbled 

 me. I imagined, that, after fo great a lofs to 

 arts and fciences in general, and to myfelf in 

 particular, all endeavours to excel in any branch 

 of knowledge would be fruidefs, and of little 

 avail to its author, for want of fliining patterns 

 to infpire the rifmg generation ; and I thought 

 of difcontinuing any farther progrefs in natural 

 hiftory : but I find, that the national fpirit for 

 the promotion of learning and arts, in the 

 eftablifhment of that immenfe fund of fcience, 

 the Britifli Muleum, has, in fome meafure, re- 

 vived the paiïion for learning and ufeful know- 

 ledge ; and I hope thefe feeds, fown by public 

 authority, cheriflied and prot;e6led by a Prince 

 diftinguifhed for virtue and learning, will take 

 root, fpring up, and yield a plentiful har- 

 veft. 



The Britiih Mufeum reminds me of a brief 

 catalogue of the natural and artificial fubjeds 



con- 



V 



