XVI 
INTRODUCTION. 
Greville's 
Minerals , 
stitution, has recently accepted an offer, made by 
the executors of the late Marquis of Lansdown, 
for the purchase of his valuable collection of ma¬ 
nuscripts, and to add it to the several copious 
libraries of the same nature already in the Mu¬ 
seum. The vote, for this purpose, passed in the 
year 180/; and the sum granted, according to 
the best valuation that could be made, amounted 
to j£4, 925. Its merit, very similar to that of the 
Cottonian Library, consists chiefly in original and 
authentic documents relating to the history of 
England, particularly during the reigns of the 
Tudors ; besides a number of Collectanea of a 
miscellaneous nature, made by several eminent 
statesmen and learned antiquaries. 
An opportunity having presented itself in the 
course of the year 1810, of acquiring the 
extensive Collection of Minerals formed by the 
late Right Hon. Charles Greville, the Trustees, 
in a Petition to the House of Commons, recom¬ 
mended the purchase thereof, for the use of the 
public. A committee was accordingly appointed, 
who, having deliberated on the subject, and 
• taken the depositions of the most eminent Mine¬ 
ralogists they had the means of consulting, re¬ 
ported the opinion of these referees as follows : 
“ That they considered the entire Collection to be 
“ equal 
