REVIEWS. 
525 
would give interest and value to the collections, which would render it 
most useful for teaching purposes, has, in most instances, been omitted, or 
so treated as to he altogether useless.” 
The Wimbledon committee seem to have resolved that this charge should 
not apply to them : their museum is designated to “ consist solely of such 
objects of interest characteristic of Wimbledon and its neighbourhood as 
may be found within a radius of five miles from the parish church and 
though the district is an ordinary one, the committee are encouraged by 
being reminded that “ the end of a local museum is not the exhibition of 
rare and so-called curious objects; but to develope and foster in the minds 
of all classes of people an interest in the common objects of nature which 
surround them.” On the willingness of the labouring classes to avail 
themselves of such opportunities as may be given them for the study of 
natural history, the present work contains some interesting and gratifying 
remarks. The author, “ when busy among and intimate with many of 
the poor of London, distributed to several families small Wardian cases, 
and though of a very humble character doubtless to the benevolent mind 
of their inventor, not unacceptably still retaining his name. These 
Wardian cases consisted of an old soup-plate containing some mould, a few 
sprigs of lycopodium, or small ferns, and a bell-glass about six inches 
broad and eight high. In these glasses the poor were supplied with a 
constant view all the year round of the purest green leaves and the grace- 
ful forms of the slender stems i searing them. He (the author) will not 
soon forget the delight with which these presents were received, especially 
by the sick and bed-ridden, how affectionately they were watched, how 
they formed the subject of pleasant conversation time after time, and how 
some were to he seen carefully guarded after ten years’ gratification had 
been derived from them. The price of these cases was about one shilling 
each.” 
Many suggestions are given to facilitate the establishment and arrange- 
ment of local museums. The author recommends, as a preliminary measure, 
the holding of a “ chat-meeting,” which he thus describes : “ A chat- 
meeting is a simplification of a soiree or a conversazione. It originated in 
the idea that many parishioners having in their homes interesting objects, 
the examination of which would afford pleasure and instruction to their 
fellow-parishioners, would on certain occasions gladly take these objects to 
a room appointed for the purpose, and display and explain them. Suppose 
half a dozen parishioners to bring objects on a certain evening, each 
parishioner taking a table, and in a quiet chatty way showing and 
describing to his brother parishioners the objects • one exhibitor would not 
interfere with another, and several pleasant chats might go on at the same 
time at different tables: this constitutes a chat-meeting, and with ordinary 
care and scarcely any trouble, a chat-meeting- may be made very agreeable, 
entertaining, and useful.” 
The work concludes with a description of the apparatus needed for the 
collection and examination of natural objects, and a classified list of the more 
useful and recent works on the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. 
We have seldom read a book more exclusively directed to a single good 
purpose than the present. No display of learning is made, no favourite 
