* 
INTRODUCTION. XV 
An opportunity having presented itself, in the Tht^Townidm 
year 1805, of acquiring a large and exquisite 
collection of Greek and Roman statues, busts, 
and other sculptured marbles, formed by Charles 
Townley, of Townley, in the county of Lancas- 
ter, Esq. at a great expense, daring a course of 
many years, and by frequent journies to Italy, 
Parliament, with a liberality well becoming so 
great a nation, cheerfully granted the sum of 
^20,000 (at which it was estimated by persons 
well acquainted with the value of such articles), 
and ordered it, in like manner, to be preserved 
in this Repository. 
The original building being, by no means, opentoStu- 
sufficiently spacious for the reception of this and Artists!* 
the Egyptian collections, Parliament has, from 
time to time, voted sufficient supplies for the 
purpose of erecting an additional edifice, which 
is now completed ; and a magnificent collection 
of ancient sculpture is, at length, opened for 
the inspection of strangers, as well as for the 
improvement of artists, an advantage which the 
students in the fine arts have never before enjoyed 
in this country. 
Parliament, ever ready to avail itself of every The La^down 
opportunity for extending the utility of this In- Manuicri P ts - 
stitution^ 
