2 
ditional building, rendered still more indispensable by the 
purchase of the Townley Marbles in 1805. A Gallery ade¬ 
quate to the reception of both was completed in 1807; 
after which, although the Trustees meditated, and had plans 
drawn for new buildings, none were undertaken till 1823, 
when, upon the donation from his Majesty King George 
IV. of the Library collected by King George III., the 
Government ordered drawings to be prepared for the erec¬ 
tion of an entire new* Museum, a portion of one wing of 
which was to be occupied by the recently acquired Library. 
This wing, on the Eastern side of the then Museum Garden, 
was finished in 1828; and the Northern, and a part of the 
Western compartment of a projected Square have been 
since completed. The principal floor of the Northern por¬ 
tion is devoted to the general Library, removed from the 
former House : that of the Western, both below and above, 
to ancient Sculpture and Antiquities generally. A part 
of the low’er floor of the Eastern wing is devoted to the 
Library of Manuscripts. The upper floors, both of the 
Eastern and Northern sides of the square, contain the Col¬ 
lections of Natural History The new Southern Front of 
the Museum is at present in progress. The last remain of 
the original Building was removed in 1845. 
