A private gentleman, in arranging his expenditure, may say—I allot so much for my kitchen, so much for my cellar, so much for the education of my children, so much for my garden, so much for my shooting, hunting, &c., &c., and each of his servants must be satisfied with what they get. But what sort of life would he lead, and how long would he remain out of the Queen’s Bench, if his gardeners wrote letters in the _Times_ to complain that he starved his garden, and that his hot-houses were in a disgraceful state; if his governess persuaded Roebuck to bring the state of his daughters’ education before the House, and if his huntsman inserted articles in the _Sporting Magazine_ in the style of Junius, displaying the scandalous defects in the management of his stables. Yet, with regard to luxuries, such as science and art, the Nation is practically in the same condition as a private individual. It must measure its expenditure by its means, and not, as in the case of the army and navy, consider its necessities first and its means afterwards. Yet the representative of each Department of Science and Art insists on having the largest possible building, in the best possible site, and each Department finds successively supporters and champions in Parliament. I have no wish to volunteer advice where it is not asked; if the Government think they can settle the question themselves, I have no wish to interfere. My only fear is that they may find it more difficult, on coming to close quarters, than it appears at a distance. If the Government refer it to the Trustees for their opinion, I shall be quite ready to take part in any Committee which may be appointed to consider and investigate the subject. At present I don’t think the facts are well ascertained, nor do we know what are the precise objects which we should seek to obtain. I see, for example, a great difference between keeping a great exhibition of stuffed animals, &c., for all the nursery-maids and children to look at, and keeping a collection of Natural History for the use of men of science—like the Anatomical Collection at Surgeons’ Hall in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. I think that Lord John concurs generally in the view that I have expressed, as to the removal of the Natural History Collections. There is much to be said in favour of the constitution of a governing body like the Museum Trustees. A body of scientific men might expect and demand too much; they would violate Talleyrand’s caution about excess of zeal. On the other hand, it is desirable to relieve the executive Government from direct responsibility in such a matter.