MUSEUM OF ARTS AND MANUFACTURES.
THE-title is new to most of our readers, who have never heard and perhaps never thought of such an institution at home.
Strange, that in a manufacturing country like England, there should be no depository, as in France, for the inventions and im-
frovements of its mechanics, which the nation might point out to oreigners as the great source of its wealth. We have a museum+ but it is appropriated to the products of nature, the spoils of savage tribes, and the works of the civilized nations of antiquity. We are'also, thanks to jobbery, to be treated with a spick-and-span new architectural toy, to be furnished forth with the collection of pictures—mostly- by painters of other countries—which the nation has. set' up, something in the spirit-of the connoisseur to whom "some dmmon whispered—'have a taste.'" On the site of this intended long strip of building, and in the grooms attics- of the alirMews, an institution for exhibiting models of new inventions and'specimens of manufactures first saw the light, a year or two ago. It was christened " the National Repository ;" but was soon turned out of doors, like a foundling as it was, though the late Lord DOVER stood godfather to it. From its cradle in the stable- loft, it has been transferred to a more roomy nursery in Leicester Square • where it cart- stretch- its limbs a little, and is moreover tended: competent nurses. As yet, however, the bantling. is but a puny scion of such a vigorous stock as the mechanical genius of. England ; and wears the aspect of a charity brat, clad in a motley garb of trade and .puffery,_and "supported by voluntary contributions."
• How the Government should blush to see, such a beginning-of an institution that ought to be the pride and glory of the nation! But the Legislature hitherto has done little else than cater for pri- vate interests, and alternately thwart and truckle to the Minister of the day; and the Executive has had quite enough to do to raise revenue, and. keep in office, without troubling itself about such su- perfluities-as these. " Our glorious Constitution" has been thought sufficient for the nation to boast of; or if not, there is "the Na- Venal Debt.- Why does not the "Society for the Encouragement of Arts and Manufactures" take an active share in such an insti- tution ? Is that too, like most other corporations, maintained solely for its own benefit? Then there is the " National Gallery of Frac- tient Science," in Adelaide Street, which - has a similar object in view. Why not combine their forces, and make one grand dis- play worthy et' the lofty epithet " national," which else sounds Me humbug? We "despise not the slay of small beginnings;" nor would, we in any way discourage the formation of an institution like this, though it were a private speculatian: but we would fain see it, omen. in its infancy, free from the appearance of an advertising show-room for- the wares of traders,—especially if this were the cause- of any real inventors withholding their models or specimens of iinproved workmanship. In:visiting such an exhilition.asithis with a view to estimate its interest .and.utility, we should look at its contents with the eye-of a stranger.- What- would a foreigner say, if. he were to see many articles .such as he had seen in the shopswindows, ticketed and catalogued with the,names of the sel- lers? He would think he had come to a bazaar, instead of-a in, tional museum. .The object: of am. institution like this is: ta pre. sentan epitome-of the perfection of our manufactures, and of the hovel inventions of our countrymen. The names of the inventors and manufacturers might be added.; though. this is a.secondary object. But what. have.the names of mere retail-shopkeepers to do with them. However, as the difficulty of procuring specimens is lessened by publicity, we dare say this objection will. be ob, viated.
We cannot attempt to .describe the_ multifarious contents of the museum; which will afford a morning's pleasant occupation to the visitor. Suffice it to say, that here may be seen models. of steam- engines and machines for making paper and woollen cloth; fire- escapes and fire-engines; life-preservers and water-filterers; wash- ing and mowing-machines; patent hinges and locks; improved tags and pins; glass beads and gunsbarrels, and needles and steel pens, in the various stages of manufacture. Specimens of British blonde lace and merinos, carpets and gauze silk stockings; . figured tiles for paving and slates for roofing; compressed bricks- for walls and compressed hoards for floors ; perforated zinc and painted glass; a self-supporting- ladder and a self-opening and shutting gate; natural productions cast in metal, and antique- busts carved in miniature by a machine ; a chair made of the horns of oxen, and fire-screens of sealing-wax; models of new churches; and improved hives for bees. Moreover; the- visitor may recline upon- Dr. Austorr's hydrostatic bed, like a cherub upon the clouds; and listen to the swelling sounds of the seraphine, and the fairy tones of the musical glasses, which he may fancy to be the music of the spheres: Ample information is given respecting all the articles exhibited by one or other of the intelligent managers.
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