PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. CXXI 
very much to the interest of the community if this should now become 
a work of the community, and not the mere work of the few. They 
knew that some unworthy motives had been ascribed to some of 
those who had got up the Museum, and it had been said that they 
should have foreseen all those difficulties that had come upon them. 
He thought with regard to remarks of that kind the less notice taken 
of them the better. They came from those who surely could not 
realise the changes that cannot but take place where a matter is a 
mere individual thing. But when they saw that a community— 
a community went on for ever with people rising to take the place 
of those gone before—took an interest in anything, then it was right 
and proper that the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Council should 
also take an interest in a matter such as this. The expense of the 
upkeep would be infinitesimal, and was not worth speaking about. 
They saw all around them municipalities helping to provide for the 
benefit of the community in a variety of ways. In regard to the 
question of education, they knew that it was prognosticated that they 
would be ruined, and that it would be a matter of great trouble and 
expense; but they had not been ruined, and municipalities who had 
taken up those matters had gone on and prospered. Such failures 
were only prognosticated by some pessimistic people. He thought 
it was quite right that such an educational institution as their Museum 
should be handed over to the community. He could corroborate 
what Professor Clowes said about the Nottingham Museum. There 
was no doubt that the Nottingham Museum was a remarkable instance 
of the great beneficial effects which result from the municipality 
taking charge of such institutions. He need not do more than 
mention the name of Sir William Flower as one of the best authorities 
to judge of the extreme value of such work. He did not believe 
the members of this institution would in any way oppose the pro¬ 
posal made. It would be handed over in splendid condition, and 
if the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council, in their wisdom, 
could see their way, he hoped they would accept it on behalf of 
the citizens. If they did so, he was sure their praise would be in 
the mouth of every intelligent citizen. He had great pleasure in 
seconding the resolution proposed. 
Mr. Brown, R.N., said he quite agreed with the desirableness of 
handing over the institution to the town authorities, with the excep¬ 
tion of the Lecture-Room and Library; but, seeing they were such 
a handsome set of buildings, and such a handsome scientific 
collection, he thought that they might allow them the use of these 
rooms rent free. 
The President said that was just one of the points they discussed 
at the Council, and he might say that the conclusion they came to 
was that so long as they paid the rent they would feel more inde¬ 
pendent, and feel that they could not be put out so easily as they 
would be if they did not pay any rent; but they hoped that the 
Council would not charge an exorbitant rent. With regard to what 
Sir Robert Pullar said as to the condition of the buildings when 
handed over, he ought, perhaps, to have mentioned that they would 
be handed over entirely free of debt. Not a penny would be 
