ried in dirt, have been cleaned under the direction of the managers, so as to produce a pleasing effect, by Mr. Stowers, an ingenious artist, of Charterhouse-square.

Gresham College.

This college was founded and endowed by Sir Thomas Gresham for professors of seven liberal sciences, viz. Divinity, Law, Physic, Astronomy, Geometry, Music, and Rhetoric. The lectures are given gratis, twice a day, in a room over the Royal Exchange, during the terms: but they are ill attended.

British Mineralogical Society.

This society was formed in the year 1799, for the express purpose of analizing, gratuitously, such of our native minerals as may be sent to the society by mine owners, or other persons interested in the enquiry. It is required that the specimen sent to the society be of four pounds weight, and in as few pieces as possible, accompanied by a paper stating the provincial name of the specimen, the name of the parish and county where found, the depth of the mine or quarry where procured, the general extent and bearing of the vein or stratum towards the points of the compass, and the mode of procuring them, whether by blasting, by the pick-axe, &c. The society also will examine, free of expence, all specimens of earths and soils, with a view of determining the nature and proportion of their different contents, for the promotion of the agricultural interests of these kingdoms.

No person can be admitted a member of this society who is not able and willing to undertake a chymical analysis of a mineral substance. The society meets on every other Thursday. Mr. Pepys, of the Poultry, is the secretary.

The British Museum.

This grand national depository of antiquities, books, and natural curiosities, is placed in the noble house, formerly the Duke of Montague's, in Great Russel. street, Bloomsbury.

It was established by act of parliament, in 1753, in consequence of the will of Sir Hans Sloane, who left his museum to the nation, on condition that parliament paid 20,000l. to his executors, and pur chased a house sufficiently commodious for it. The parliament acted with great liberality on this occasion; several other valuable collections were united to this of Sir Hans Sloane's, and the whole establishment completed for the sum of 85,0007. which was raised by way of lottery.

At the institution of this great treasury of learning, it was proposed that a competent part of 18007. the annual sum granted by parliament for the support of the house, should be appropriated for the purchase of the new books; but the salaries neces sary for the officers, together with the contingent expences, which it was impossible to ascertain with any exactness at first, have always exceeded the allowance; so that the trustees have been obliged to make an application to parliament to defray the necessary charges.

The house itself is a stately edifice, in the French style of Louis XIV. and is, perhaps, better calcu lated for its present purpose than for a private resi dence. As a museum, its whole economy is conducted by the best regulations.

We shall now carry our readers through the va、 rious departments, just as they are exhibited to the public. On entering the gate of the Museum, the first objects which catch the attention, are two large sheds, defending from the inclemency of the seasons, a collection of Egyptian monuments, the whole of which were taken from the French at

Alexandria in the last war. The most curious of these, perhaps, is the large sa cophagus, beneath the shed to the left, which has been lately ascer tained as the exterior coffin of Alexander the Great, used at his last interment. It is a beautiful remain of variegated marble, covered with hieroglyphics, and is, no doubt, of higher antiquity than the time of Alexander. Here also are two statues of Roman workmanship, taken with the rest, supposed to be those of Marcus Aurelius and Severus; they are ancient, but evidently of provincial sculpture.

Leaving these, you enter the great hall, the most curious articles in which are two Egyptian monuments of black marble, standing upright. They are covered with hieroglyphics, and belonged to the mausoleum of Cleopatra, which stood nigh Alexandria, and were sent from Egypt by Mr. Wortley Montague. Behind that, on the right, is a ram's head, of very curious workmanship, from Thebes.

From the hall the visitor is carried through an iron gateway, to the great stair-case, opposite the bottom of which is preserved a model in mahogany, exhibiting the method used by Mr. Milne in constructing the works of the bridge at Black. friar's; and, beneath it are some valuable fragments from the giant's causeway, in Ireland. On one side the stair-case is a valuable collection of inscriptions, with a few basso relievos, chiefly Greek and Roman. The stair-case itself is usually, but wrongly, stated to have been painted by La Fosse. The landscape on the wall is by Rousseau. In the middle are two or three ancient altars, and at the top, an exquisite model of a first rate ship of

war.

The first room the visitor is shewn is devoted to antiquities, chiefly Egyptian and Etruscan. Over a door-way in this room, is a fine portrait of Sir

William Hamilton, by whom a great part of its contents were presented; it was painted in the prime of life by Sir Joshua Reynolds. A stand in the first window is filled with reliques of ancient Egypt, among which are numerous small representations of mummies, used as patterns for those who choose and could afford to be embalmed at their decease. The stands in the two next win dows are filled with small bronzes from Hercula neum and Pompeii, many of which are very beautiful. The larger case in the middle of the room is filled with similar remains; the smaller one has a beautiful model, in cork, of the Temple of the Sybyl, at Tivoli, and the presses round are filled with vases, and other curious specimens, for the most part of Etruscan workmanship.

The second apartment is devoted chiefly to works of art, beginning with Mexican curiosities. The corners opposite the light are occupied by two Egyptian mummies, richly painted; they were both brought from the catacombs of Sakkara, near Grand Cairo. Over one is a model of Laocon and his sons; over the other the model of a Chinese junk. In the centre of the room a glass-stand contains some very beautiful miniatures; among them, Sir Thomas More, King Charles the First, and Protector Cromwell, with his watch by the side of it, together with a variety of ingenious specimens of cuttings in paper. Beneath this stand is a curious model of a Persee burial-ground. In the presses round the room, are innumerable specimens of art, and among them many of Raphael's China; above which, the walls are decorated with a va riety of implements of war from different quarters of the globe.

The third room contains a rich collection of cu riosities from the South Pacific Ocean, brought by Captain Cook. In the left corner is the mourning fress of an Otaheitean lady, in which taste and

barbarity are singularly blended; and opposite are the rich cloaks and helmets of feathers from the Sandwich Islands. Among these last is one which, in elegance of form, vies even with the Grecian helmets. Over the fire-place are the Cava bowls, and, above them, battoons, and other weapons of war. The next objects of attention are the idols of the different islands, presenting, in their hideous rudeness, a singular contrast with many of the works of art formed by the same people; near these are the drums, and other instruments of music. In the door-way leading from the room, is a small glasscase, containing a breast-plate from the Friendly Islands, contrasted with another from the breast of an Egyptian nummy, and exhibiting a singular coincidence.

We now enter the manuscript department, the first room of which is small, appropriated to the manuscript collections of Sir Hans Sloane and Dr. Birch. Over the door-way is a portrait of Thomas Britton, the celebrated musical small-coal man. The next room is completely filled with Sir Robert Harley's manuscripts, afterwards Earl of Oxford; one of the most curious of these is a volume of royal letters from 1437, to the time of Charles the First. Round the walls, above the presses, are a variety of portraits, the chief of which have their names attached; one of the best is Rubens, by himself. The adjoining apartment is chiefly devoted to the same collection. But on one side, the manuscript collections of Sir William Mus. grave and Mr. Cole, have been of late years deposited. Here, also, are preserved three manuscript volumes, containing many of the forgeries of the unhappy Chatterton, with his first letter to Horace Walpole. The next and last room of the manuscript department, is appropriated to the ancient royal library of manuscripts, and Sir Robert Cotton's, together with a few later donations. On