EVELYN paid his first visit in charming company. It was made in December, 1686. He thus tells of it in his journal: ‘I carried the Countess of SUNDERLAND to see the rarities of one Mr. CHARLTON, in the Middle Temple, who showed us such a collection as I had never seen in all my travels abroad—either of private gentlemen, or of princes. It consisted of miniatures, drawings, shells, insects, medals, ... minerals; all being very perfect and rare of their kind; especially his books of birds, fishes, flowers, and shells, drawn and miniatured to the life. He told us that one book stood him in three hundred pounds. [Sidenote: _Diary_, &c., vol. ii, p. 260. (Edit. of 1854.)] It was painted by that excellent workman whom the late GASTON, Duke of Orleans, employed.[45] This gentleman’s whole collection, gathered by himself [while] travelling over most parts of Europe, is estimated at eight thousand pounds. He appeared to be a modest and obliging person.’ EVELYN records two other visits, which he made at subsequent times. It is obvious that during almost the whole period which elapsed between COURTEN’S return to England and his death, his museum was a place of frequent and fashionable resort; notwithstanding the warning which its owner had received as to the perils of a ‘public station,’ under his peculiar circumstances. To the celebrated diarist himself, his visits seem to have suggested a very natural thought of the public value of such an institution, to be maintained by and for the country at large. And he was very far from keeping the idea to himself. EVELYN lived to a more than ordinary term of years, but not long enough to see his idea carried into act. He had, however, helped to prepare the way. His incidental statement about the estimated money value of the COURTEN Museum does not invalidate a foregoing remark in this chapter. The estimate can hardly have been founded upon better ground than mere conjecture. But it is curious to note the near approach of the guess of 1686 to another guess, on the same small point, made nine years later. THORESBY’S visit occurred in May, 1695. He records it thus: ‘Walked to Mr. CHARLTON’S chambers at the Temple, who very courteously showed me his Museum, which is perhaps the most noble collection of natural and artificial curiosities, of ancient and modern coins and medals, that any private person in the world enjoys. It is said to have cost him seven or eight thousand pounds sterling.... [Sidenote: Thoresby, _Diary_, 1695, May 24, vol. i, p. 299.] I spent the greatest part of my time amongst the coins; for though the British and Saxon be not very extraordinary, yet his [collection of] the silver coins of the Emperors and Consuls is very noble. He has also a costly collection of medals of eminent persons in Church and State, and of domestic and foreign Reformers. But, before I was half satisfied, an unfortunate visit from the Countess of PEMBROKE and other ladies from Court prevented further queries.’