30 



additional number of servants which that circum- 

 stance would render necessary, and many other 

 reasons, seem decidedly to militate against the 

 adoption of this proposal. 



In conclusion, the Principal Librarian begs to 

 observe that in his opinion the time is come 

 when the question of space requires the full and 

 mature consideration of the Trustees, not merely 

 with the view of providing for the immediate 

 wants of any particular collection, but for the 

 purpose of devising some comprehensive plan, by 

 which the want of space might be provided 

 against for the general advantage of the Institu- 

 tion, and in a manner worthy of it. To do this 

 the limitation or extension not merely of the 

 other collections, but of the natural history col- 

 lections also, and not only with reference to each 

 other, but with reference to the whole Museum, 

 must be eventually considered. Supposing that, 

 as Mr. Forshall said in 1848, the Trustees do 

 not think it their province to determine on the 

 policy of incurring a large expenditure in the 

 purchase of ground, they might possibly think it 

 right to learn the views of the Government be- 

 fore assuming that such expenditure would or 

 would not be sanctioned, and they would then 

 act accordingly. 



A. Panizzi. 



