BRITISH MUSEUM—COINS, MEDALS, AND GEMS.
Sin—Among the multitudes who annually flock to our National Museum, how many know that it contains a single coin or medal ?
That many would desire to see them, if aware of their existence, is evident from the fact that half-a-dozen coins cannot be exhibited in a dealer's tray without as many heads constantly round them ; and also, that there are few persons who have not made some little collection of such articles. It is well known that the Medal Room is not very accessible ; and when an entry has been obtained, it is not easy for any one, who is not a foreigner, to view much of its contents. There are doubtless some advantages in any system which has been long continued, though not obvious to every one. Now the public rooms might be supplied with a collection, sufficiently attractive and instructive for ordinary observers, without the slightest disturbance to the old regime. This might be accomplished by making the duplicates available. The Museum frequently obtains entire collections of coins at a time, either by purchase or bequest ; and the consequence is, that there are hundreds upon hundreds of duplicates stowed away as lumber, not awaiting a sale, but altogether as useless as if they had remained in the earth. When a desirable object is offered at the Medal Room, but rejected for want of funds—no un- common occurrence—the officers have not power to exchange one of these serviceless duplicates for it, and thus enrich the collection at the expense of an encumbrance.
There seems to be a natural taste for antiquity among educated people; and possibly the well-known zeal of the French in matters of this kind may be stimulated by the advantages, which they possess to a far greater extent than ourselves, of obtaining access to these things. The gems of the Hamilton and other collections, which formed a very attractive subject in the Gallery of Antiquities of the old building, have been removed from public inspection to a closed room in the new structure. I cannot guess the reason for this deprivation. The restored Portland or Bar- berini vase has shared the same fate ; but as it is private property its removal
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