XIV 
INTRODUCTION. 
known of ancient vases, usually, though erro- 
noiisly, called Etruscan, caused the whole col¬ 
lection to be brought to England ; and having 
afforded an opportunity to a Committee of the 
House of Commons to inspect the same, and to 
satisfy themselves as to its real value and impor¬ 
tance, the House, upon the report of this com¬ 
mittee, voted the sum of <^£’8,400 to Sir William 
Hamilton for the purchase thereof, in order to its 
being deposited in the Museum for the use of the 
public. It w'ill be needless to point out to those, 
who, being conversant with the arts, may have 
opportunities of inspecting this addition, how 
much it has contributed, and will, no doubt, still 
contribute, to the improvement of the national 
taste ; the contrast between the present and the 
former style, in all our manufactures in which the 
finer acts are concerned, being too obvious to be 
here particularly insisted upon. The Public is also 
largely indebted to Sir William Hamilton for ma¬ 
ny liberal and repeated donations which he has, 
from time to time, conferred on the Museum, 
not only in addition to the above collection of 
antiquities, but also in abundance of articles of 
natural history, particularly of the volcanic pro¬ 
ductions of Mount Vesuvius, of which he has, 
perhaps, been the most careful observer since the 
days of Pliny. 
