XV111 
INTRODUCTION. 
English 
Botany,' 
Prints and 
Drawings. 
the Herbarium of Edward Forster, and other 
collections. 
The Department of Prints and Drawings occupies but a small space 
in the Museum buildin 
generally attractive than 
, but its contents should be perhaps more 
Collections 
in base- 
ments. 
any other of the collections. Original 
drawings of Michael Angelo and of Raphael, and of others of the 
Old Masters, with etchings and engravings of the different schools 
from the earliest period to recent times, are not only of the highest 
value for the study of modern art, but are objects of enjoyment easily 
appreciated by all classes. In addition to accumulations by purchase, 
it includes the collections of Sir William Hamilton, acquired in 1772 ; 
of Mr. Townley, 1805, 1814; of Baron Moll, 1815 ; of Mr. Payne- 
Knight, 1824 ; of Mr. Sheepshanks, presented in 1836 ; of Mr. Hard- 
ing, purchased in 1842 ; of Raphael Morghen, purchased in 1843 ; Sir 
William Gell's drawings, bequeathed by the Honourable Keppel 
Craven; the political prints of Mr. Edward Hawkins, formerly Keeper 
of the Antiquities, purchased in 1867 ; of Mr. Felix Slade, bequeathed 
in 1868 ; and of Mr. John Henderson, bequeathed in 1878. The 
Department has no gallery for the display of its contents, but, in order 
to make them in some degree more generally known, a selection, to 
such an extent as the space allows, is exhibited in the King's Library. 
In addition to the numerous objects belonging to these several 
classes of antiquities and to the different branches of natural history, 
which are displayed in the various galleries open to the inspection 
of visitors, a large number of equal interest and essential to the 
illustration of the subjects they are connected with, are, from 
want of exhibiting space, either placed away in drawers or arranged 
in a very crowded state in the basement. Here are stored rather 
than exhibited very interesting Etruscan monuments, Indian sculp- 
tures, Mexican antiquities, many Boman sepulchral sculptures, 
Greek and other inscriptions in large numbers, and other precious 
remains. The approaching removal of the Natural History collections 
will give the opportunity of bringing out the greater part of these 
antiquities for public inspection ; at present they can hardly be 
examined by individual students. In these obscure vaults are de- 
posited also the first casts taken from many of the finest of the 
sculptures, in themselves quite a museum of antiquities, and capable 
of being made available as models for art students if placed in suitable 
galleries. 
In concluding this short general view of the gradual formation of 
the different collections, it may be held excusable to point out that 
they are exhibited not as mere objects of passing interest, but as means 
of direct instruction in art, archaeology, and natural science. It would 
seem, however, that this truth is far from being generally recognized. 
Where are the teachers and their classes who, it might be expected, 
would daily be found before the beautiful frieze of the Parthenon — 
Educational the sculptured histories of Assyria — the relics of a remote age 
usee of the recovered from the Egyptian tombs — the many objects of antiquities 
Museum. 0 f & \\ countries appealing to the attention — the revelation of 
