26 



the ground -floor, thought that use might be 

 made of a large space — which is now appa- 

 rently thrown away— namely the space between 

 the new Library and the walls of the main 

 building which surround it.'' The Principal Li- 

 brarian suggested to the Trustees the expediency 

 of covering over that space with skylights, and 

 making it available for Antiquities, and the 

 suggestion was favourably received. But, on 

 further consideration, the Principal Librarian 

 is obliged to confess that the objections to this 

 suggestion are stronger than he at first deemed 

 them to be, and that the proposal ought not 

 to be entertained. The air of this inner 

 quadrangle would never be changed, the sur- 

 rounding basement rooms would lose a large 

 supply of light which they can ill spare, there 

 would be no external approach to the new Read- 

 ing Room and Libraries, and the atmosphere in 

 the space covered over, as suggested, would be 

 almost unfit to breathe, especially when a large 

 number of visitors passed through it in sum- 

 mer. 



7. ^^Are there sites contiguous to the Museum 

 which may he purchased hy the Trustees for the 

 purpose of enlarging the Museum Buildings " 



8. What would the probable expense be of 

 purchasing f^' 



» Plan II., 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 78, 79. 



