[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sia,—The sweeping condemnation of
provincial museums contained in Mr. Bassett Digby's article published in your issue of the 17th inst. calls for some notice. I venture to think that Mr. Digby has drawn his conclusions from a limited knowledge of those institutions. As late Secretary of the Circulating Collections of the Victoria and Albert. Museum, in which capacity I became personally acquainted with practically all the provincial museums of the kingdom, may I say that Mr. Digby's strictures apply at the present time to only a small number of them ; and that his sugges- tions for improvements have long since been the usual practice ?
Provincial museums suffer many disadvantages, including lack of sufficient . funds and exhibits, whilst those in the metropolis are surfeited with examples. The British Museum at Bloomsbury, for instance, is, on these grounds, now asking for streets of new buildings. It is to be hoped that in the near future the Government will review the position of the whole country in regard to its museum service, and they may find that the most simple, just, and economical way of relieving the congestion in our national museums would be to transfer some of the ever accumulating objects to the less fortunate museums in the provinces.
In the meantime perhaps Mr. Digby will indicate what
niaReums he has in mind rather than leave on record a general
indictment that does not lend itself readily to refutation.
Hon. Editor Museums Journal. While Lodge, high Wycombe.
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