[Footnote 3: Reprinted from "The Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Present Position of the Royal Academy in Relation to the Fine Arts." London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1863 (pp. 546-55. Questions 5079-5142). The Commission consisted of Earl Stanhope (_Chairman_), Viscount Hardinge, Lord Elcho, Sir E. W. Head, Mr. William Stirling, Mr. H. D. Seymour, and Mr. Henry Reeve, all of whom, except Mr. Seymour, were present at the above sitting.--ED.] A MUSEUM OR PICTURE GALLERY: ITS FUNCTIONS AND ITS FORMATION.[4] _March 20th, 1880._ MY DEAR ----, 192. If I put off writing the paper you asked me for, till I can do it conveniently, it may hang fire till this time next year. If you will accept a note on the subject now and then, keeping them till there are enough to be worth printing, all practical ends may be enough answered, and much more quickly. The first function of a Museum--(for a little while I shall speak of Art and Natural History as alike cared for in an ideal one)--is to give example of perfect order and perfect elegance, in the true sense of that test word, to the disorderly and rude populace. Everything in its _own_ place, everything looking its best because it is there, nothing crowded, nothing unnecessary, nothing puzzling. Therefore, after a room has been once arranged, there must be no change in it. For new possessions there must be new rooms, and after twenty years' absence--coming back to the room in which one learned one's bird or beast alphabet, we should be able to show our children the old bird on the old perch in the accustomed corner. But--first of all, let the room be beautifully complete, _i.e._ complete enough for its proper business.