XVI 
INTRODUCTION". 
firtville'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 1807 ' l A® sum granted, according to 
the best valuation that could be made, amounted 
to ^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 foljows: 
“ That they considered the entire Collection to be 
“ equal 
