A letter to Benjamin Hawes, Esq., M.P., being strictures on the minutes of evidence taken before the Select Committee on the British Museum; with an appendix, containing heads of inquiry respecting the improvement of the Museum / [Edward Edwards].

  • Edward Edwards
Date:
1836
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to Benjamin Hawes, Esq., M.P., being strictures on the minutes of evidence taken before the Select Committee on the British Museum; with an appendix, containing heads of inquiry respecting the improvement of the Museum / [Edward Edwards]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Minute of the Trustees of the British Museum, dated 18th February, 1804, relative to a Letter from Richard Gough, Esq. • At a Committee, the following Letter from Richard Gough, Esq. to Mr. Beloe was laid before the Committee :— Sir, Desirous to preserve from the fate which too frequently attends such articles, the plates of the Sepulchral Monuments of Great Britain, and others which belong to the different works that I have published, it is my wish to present them to that great national depository, the British Museum; subject, however, to one condition, that myself, my representatives, or any person properly authorized by me or them, may, on such application to the Trustees, in Committee, as they may prescribe, have liberty to call for them, singly or all together, for the republication of any of the works to which they severally belong, or for the accommodation of similar works. Should this proposal meet the approbation of the Trustees, it is my inten¬ tion, at some future period, to offer to their acceptance what I have the vanity to consider as nearly a complete collection of British Topography, in MSS., printed books, drawings, and prints,—on this condition, that it may be preserved altogether in a room, or on the side or sides of a room, on the first floor; and, as many of the articles are accompanied with loose papers, notes, &c., that they may be exempted from the usual rule of being carried into the Reading-Room, but perused in the apartment of the Principal Li¬ brarian, who shall determine on the propriety of making or publishing ex¬ tracts from the MSS. I am, &c. (Signed) R. G. Ordered, that Mr. Beloe acquaint Mr. Gough that the Trustees have thought proper to comply with his request. Was this such an answer as ought to have been returned to Mr. Gough ? Is “ a complete collection of British topography- in MSS., drawings, printed books and prints,” so worthless, as that an offer to present it deserves no answer ? The valuable collections of Mr. Francis Douce, recently de¬ ceased, were also bequeathed to the Bodleian Lihrari/. [1475.] I believe Mr. Francis Douce had also a valuable collection of manuscripts ?—A collection of books, manuscripts, coins, &c. [1476.] Was he not at one time keeper of the manuscripts in the Mu¬ seum ?—Yes. [1477-] Why did he resign ?—I cannot tell you, except that it was his pleasure so to do.
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