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collections. The ordinary visitor, thoroughly well distract&
by the room previously passed through, here almost always
collapsed, and sauntered listlessly along the closely-packed
ranks of birda, monkeys, and animals of every possible shape
and clime. If the attention could be stimulated anew, this wm
done by a few cases containing beautiful birds grouped about
nests in the manner of life. These are, I presume, the
experimental cases referred to by Dr. J. E. Gray in hie.
remarks on Museums;* and I can positively assert that these
few cases were, for popular purposes, actually superior to the
whole of the other vast collections in the room. The fact of
course is that the contents of the British Museum have been
brought together for the highest scientific ends, and it is a
merely incidental purpose which they serve in affording a show
for young or old people who have nothing else to do but wander
through the store-rooms. The delectation of loungers and
youngsters is no more the purpose of a great national Museum
than the laison d'itre of the Royal Mint is to instruct visitors
in mechanical processes, or the 6nal end of the House of
Commons is to interest the occupants of the gallories. I
ought to add that, although the preceding remarke on the
evil educational effect of vast collections are founded entirely
on my own observation and experience, they are entirely borne
out by the opinions of Dr. Gray, of Dr. Gunther, and of several
witnesses who gave evidence before the Commission on Scientific
Instruction.
I venture to submit that on psychological and educational
grounds the arrangement of diverse collections in a long series
of continuous galleries, worst exemplified at South Kensington,
but also unfortunately to be found in the older galleries of the
British Museum, is a complete mistake. Every collection ought
to form a definite congruous whole, which can be visited, studied,
and remembered with a certain unity of impression. If a great
Museum like the British Museum contains many departments,
there ought to be as many distinct buildings, each adapted to
ita epecia,l purpose, BO aa to exhibit a distinct and appropriate
British Awocietion, Bath Meeting, 1 W; " Address to the Section
d Boteny and Zoology," Trans. sf S d h , pp 76-80,