78 
MEMOIR OF JOHN HUNTER. 
mises of tlie College of Surgeons, in which the 
museum was eventually deposited, were not ready 
for its reception, it was not removed thither till the 
year 1800, and many years elapsed before it was 
in a state for exhibition. At the first transfer of 
the Collection, Sir Everard, wlio was then also ap- 
pointed principal keeper of the Museum, ordered 
the manuscripts to be removed to his private dwell- 
ing, alleging they were not properly arranged, nor 
in a fit state for public inspection. No sooner was 
the museum suitably accommodated, than it became 
an object with the Trustees appointed by Govern- 
ment, to have a descriptive catalogue prepared, the 
materials of which were to be found in the ma- 
nuscripts in Sir Everard's possession. The Trustees 
accordingly intimated their desires to Sir Everard, 
who for a long while evaded compliance, under a va- 
riety of pretexts, notwithstanding that for years the 
Trustees never met without dispatching an additional 
and more urgent demand. After having been long 
principal keeper, Sir Everard himself became a Trus- 
tee ; hut all the efforts of his colleagues, many of 
whom were his intimate fripnds, to procure the ma- 
nuscripts, continued to be wholly abortive, till at last 
Sir Everard with his own hand secretly, but most 
deliberately, committed nearly the whole of them to 
the flames, and reduced them to ashes. 
The motives which prompted to this most unworthy 
deed are soon told. Besides being the brother-in-lavV 
and pupil of Mr Hunter, to whom in a great degree 
