16 



be even temporarily deposited, still less repaired 

 and displayed : the temporary arrangements above 

 mentioned occasion, of course, considerable ex- 

 pense, which is owing to want of space. 



3. " Whether any limitcition can properit/ be 

 put on any of the collections ; and, if so, 



4. " The amount of accommodation likely to 

 he obtained by such limitation.'^ 



The answer to the second of these questions 

 (No, 4) depends so entirely on the answer to the 

 first (No. 3), that both will be here considered 

 together. 



It seems to the Principal Librarian that, in 

 the case of Antiquities, such a limitation as that 

 contemplated in the question might take place 

 with great advantage to the Museum and to the 

 public. The Principal Librarian assumes that 

 the word " limitation " implies the adoption of a 

 principle affecting not only the future, but the 

 past. The crowding into one Institution many 

 collections, even belonging, generally, to the same 

 class of learning, interferes with the full develop- 

 ment of each of them. A Museum of Mediseval 

 Antiquities, for instance, can be made more com- 

 plete, and be better arranged, if alone, than if 

 it is to share both funds and space with another 

 class of objects of Antiquity. The several collec- 

 tions will be in the way of each other ; and, in the 

 opinion of the Principal Librarian, there is nothing 



