45 Geo. Ill, 
Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer (by His 
Majesty's Command) acquainted the House, 
that His Majesty, having been informed of 
the contents of the said Petition, recom- 
mends it to the consideration of the House. 
Then the said Petition was brought up, and 
read ; setting forth, that, by the munificence 
of Parliament, the Sloanian and Harleian Col- 
lections of Books, Manuscripts, Records, Coins, 
Medals, Gems, and other rare and valuable 
Articles of Science and Literature, have been 
heretofore purchased at the public Expence, 
and placed as an Addition to the Cottonian 
Library, under the care and management of 
the Trustees of the British Museum ; and that 
the Collection of Etruscan, Grecian and Roman 
Antiquities, belonging to the late Sir William 
Hamilton^ was afterwards purchased by Par- 
liament in like manner, and vested in the 
same Trustees, to be placed in the same ge- 
neral Repository; and that many large and 
valuable Benefactions of Books, Coins, Medals, 
and Specimens of Natural History, have since 
been received; from time to time, so as nearly 
to occupy the whole of the building assigned 
for those purposes ; that when His Majesty 
was graciously pleased to direct that the 
