BRISTOL _street_, Puddle dock. BRITAIN _court_, Water lane, Fleet street. BRITE’S _alley_, St. Swithin’s lane.† BRITISH _court_, Tottenham Court road. BRITISH MUSEUM. Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. (who died 11th Jan. 1753) may not improperly be accounted the founder of the British Museum: for its being established by Parliament was only in consequence of his leaving by will his noble collection of natural history, his large library, and his numerous curiosities, which cost him 50000_l._ to the use of the Public, on condition that the Parliament would pay 20000_l._ to his Executors. And indeed this disposition of Sir Hans was extremely well calculated to answer his generous design; for had he given the whole to the Public, without any payment at all, it could have been of little use, without the assistance of Parliament, to settle a fund for the support of officers, &c. Sir Hans appointed a number of Trustees, on whose application to Parliament an act was passed for the raising 300000_l._ by way of lottery; 200000_l._ thereof to be divided amongst the adventurers, 20000_l._ to be paid to Sir Hans Sloane’s executors, 10000_l._ to purchase Lord Oxford’s manuscripts, 30000_l._ to be vested in the funds for supplying salaries for officers, and other necessary expences, and the residue for providing a general repository, &c. In this act it is also ordered, that Sir Hans Sloane’s collection, the Cottonian library, the Harleian manuscripts, and a collection of books given by the late Major Edwards, should be placed together in the general repository, which was to be called the British Museum: 7000_l._ left by the said Major Edwards, after the decease of Elizabeth Mills, are also given to the British Museum, for the purchasing of manuscripts, books, medals, and other curiosities. [Illustration: _Entrance of the British Museum, from Russel Street._ ] [Illustration: _S. Wale delin._ _Garden Front._ _J. Green sc. Oxon._ ]