272 Scientific Reviews. 
eminent is not constantly in the mouths of scientific men? Why 
do we find Dr. Fleming (in his Preface to ‘ British Animals’) 
singling out for neglect a collection so near his own hearth? We 
certainly see the figure of this building on the frent of Wilson’s Il- 
lustrations of Zoology ; but is this the only work which so redoubt- 
ed a collection can produce? We see, too, a similar engraving on 
the cover of the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal ; but we in 
vain turn over its pages of translations in search of any ‘ descrip- 
tions of new or rare animals,’ which this collection may contain.” 
The truth is, discriminating readers, and we will tell it to you in 
plain terms, that the doors of the Edinburgh College Museum are 
sealed against the admission of all those who wish to employ the 
materials therein contained for the purpose of publication ; and 
why ? because the Professor, as he stated to the commissioners we 
believe, considers that “ he has a right to a censorship over every 
publication that is connected with the College Museum, as the 
descriptions may be inaccurate, and (proh vanitas!) his cha- 
racter may thereby be injuriously affected ;’ or, as on another 
occasion he excused himself from compliance with the request of a 
gentleman for permission to make drawings of some specimens, be- 
cause “ he had previously given unlimited permission to Mr. James 
Wilson for that purpose, and it consequently could not be accorded 
to another.” We will tell you that we have great doubts whether 
Dr. Fleming himself has free admission. We will tell you that 
the only use which is made of that Museum, is as a decoy to 
the class of Natural History, to which it is made entirely sub- 
servient, or as “a sight” for the people, at half-a-crown a head, 
a tax which even those liberal men who have contributed to the col- 
lection are obliged to pay! * We will tell you, finally, that there 
may be other motives, which we do not seek to penetrate, for de- 
terring scientific men from entering a Museum where the teeth of 
a horse grace the jaws of a dugong, and where the painted pelvis 
of a cow adorns the skeleton of a fossil elk. 
* It is necessary for an individual who wishes to obtain admission to the Mu- 
seum, either to pay 2s. 6d. for every visit, or to become a pupil of the class of 
Natural History, (the Professor of which chair, our distant readers must remem- 
ber, is also Keeper of the Museum.) Two courses of lectures, at L.4, 5s. each, 
make a pupil perpetual to the class, and every successive year, by the payment of 
- L.1, 1s. the Museum ticket may be renewed. By this means free admission is 
obtained twice a-week to a room where the delighted pupil may sate his eyes 
with gazing, but no other organ must be employed. Some mistaken people say 
that science cannot be turned to pecuniary account! Others, again, equally in 
error, believe that money is omnipotent! But though we have made ourselves 
perpetual to the class of Natural History,—though of the L.8, 10s. which we 
have had great pleasure in contributing to the support of a chair which might be 
made of the greatest service toe science, one-half was paid, without reluctance, 
merely to see one specimen, the blank and forbidding door still opposes its im- 
passable front against our attempts at ingress. We might have been born with 
teeth in our mouth, a very monster come to devour all knowledge in the world, 
such care is taken to obstruct our innocent and unpretending studies. 
