422 



The Museum, Gazette 



it — as Mr. Toynbee, the pioneer of " local museums" under- 

 stood it — as one which receives nothing but what has been 

 collected within a radius of five miles from the Parish Church, 

 or at any rate, within some definite area. Our critic writes of 

 York and Chester that they have "strictly local museums 

 of the greatest value and importance." We are familiar with 

 the very excellent general museums of the cities named, but 

 never heard that either place had also a "strictly local one." 

 At Geneva there is a large and well-arranged local museum — 

 local that is to Switzerland — but it is quite new and is addi- 

 tional to a splendid general one. No doubt some other large 

 cities have strictly local collections, but we suspect that they 

 are invariably supplementary to general ones. They certainly 

 must be so in York and Chester, if they exist at all; we cannot 

 help suspecting, however, that our critic either does not 

 recognise any difference between local and general, or that 

 he is drawing upon his imagination as regards these places. 



Lord Thring has just died at the age of 88. He was the 

 brother of the distinguished headmaster of Uppingham, and 

 they were the sons of parents who attained respectively the 

 ages of 90 and 101. Such facts suggest the question as to 

 how far family longevity may be regarded as conducive to 

 social progress. Lord Thring is estimated by the Times as 

 "one of the greatest and most influential legislators of his 

 time. ... A public servant of rare capacity, indefatig- 

 able industry, and disinterested devotion to the public 

 service." He was an intimate friend of Mr. Gladstone, 

 another example of the conjunction of ability with longevity. 

 We may also note that Lord Goschen, who has died at the 

 age of 76, was the grandson of a distinguished man who lived 

 in vigorous and active life to the same age. 



The question suggested in the above paragraph must be 

 dealt with broadly. It is not one which can be decided by 

 the citation of individual facts. Are communities in which 

 longevity prevails more distinguished by intellectual achieve- 



