INTRODUCTION. 
xix 
readily availed themselves of the opportunity, 
and purchased the whole for the sum of £ 460. 
Many additions were afterwards made by pur¬ 
chase and donation : and the aggregate soon 
formed, not indeed a complete, but as extensive 
and curious a .collection as any perhaps at that 
time extant. 
In the year 1798, a favourable opportunity 
presented itself for supplying the deficiency in the 
Mineralogical part of the Repository. Charles 
Hatchett, now of Roehampton, Esq., having, 
during his travels in various parts of Europe, 
formed a large and well chosen collection of Mi¬ 
nerals of every class, which the Trustees learnt 
that he was not unwilling to part with on reason¬ 
able terms, they accordingly made him an offer, 
and the agreement was concluded for the sum of 
£lOO ; and all that was valuable of the Sloanean 
Collection having been incorporated with this 
ample accession, the whole, with the addition of 
what Mr. Cracherode’s bequest has since sup¬ 
plied, may be said to form, if not a splendid, 
at least a very copious and useful mineralogical 
collection. 
All those who are conversant with Oriental 
Literature, must be well acquainted with the 
distin- 
Hatchett’s 
Minerals. 
HalhecTs 
Oriental MSSj 
