INTRODUCTION. 
xm 
other Royal Donations., though not of such 
extent as those just mentioned, must not 
however be here altogether omitted: such are 
a collection of Natural and Artificial Curiosities 
from the N. W. Coast of America, brought 
home in 1796 , by Mr. Menzies; and several 
single books of great value and utility. 
Lastly, our army in Egypt having acquired, 
by the capitulation of Alexandria in 1801, 
many articles of Egyptian antiquities, which 
had been selected and shipped with a view 
of being transported to France ; these acquisi¬ 
tions were sent to England in 1802, and were 
immediately ordered by his Majesty to be placed 
in the British Museum. 
The number of antiquities contained in the Mu¬ 
seum was originally so inconsiderable as scarcely 
to deserve any particular notice ; but this deficien¬ 
cy was amply supplied when, in the year 1772 , the 
admirable collection of Sir William Hamilton, 
K. B. was added to the Repository. Sir William 
Hamilton having, during a long residence at Na¬ 
ples as his Majesty’s Envoy, had many favourable 
opportunities of acquiring a great number of arti¬ 
cles of Greek and Roman antiquity, particularly 
the largest store then known of ancient vases, 
usually. 
South Sea 
Curiosities . 
Egyptian 
Antiquities, 
Parliament. 
The Hamilton 
nian Collection . 
