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staff ceased as soon as Mr. Fagan was promoted to the 

 care of Prints and Drawings, and did not revive until a 

 junior Fagan was ready to take it. Mr. Fagan, junior, has 

 recently obtained the post ; but he is said to be destined 

 for the Department of Prints and Drawings, as soon as 

 his brother has been promoted to some better place. Of 

 course, there would be no very great harm in this, if these 

 young men were men of ability and promise. The 

 Museum officials will say so much, but the elder is in a 

 Department where his only accomplishment (his native 

 tongue) is useless, and where his inability to write English 

 is of little consequence, until he gets higher. The younger 

 meanwhile exhibits no likelihood of surpassing his elder 

 brother in any respect. Now if this offspring (by adop- 

 tion) of Signor Panizzi is to be thus cared for, getting new 

 places made to order from time to time for his benefit, 

 what reward ought to be given to such men as Mr. George 

 Smith, the great decipherer and interpreter of the buried 

 learning and legends of the ancient Assyrians ? At pre- 

 sent this gentleman has, I believe, the munificient sum of 

 /200 a year! Will the English public approve of this 

 distribution of their wealth ? Besides, what guarantee have 

 you against the irruption of an army of adopted sons ? The 

 paternity of adoption has no natural restraints, and fancy 

 England having to provide for a whole quiver full of Fagans. 



Again a contrast : While Mr. Jones does his best to force 

 upon Mr. Reid an assistant keeper in the person of Mr. 

 Fagan, senior, the Geological Department is without an 

 assistant keeper, and sadly in want of one. The whole 

 work is really done by Mr. Woodward, senior assistant. 

 He has begged for the creation of the post of assistant 

 keeper, and has been refused. There is no geological 

 Fagan to be provided for. 



