WCP769

[1]

The Dell, Grays, Essex

Sept^r. 2^nd. 1872

Dear Lord Walden¹

I am glad you have got good specimens of Barita gymnocephala². It is a very puzzling form, but I have never seen it in the flesh & have only 2 very bad skins, & have therefore not much data for forming an opinion of its affinities. It must however I think be put near Cracticus³, with which it agrees in form of wing, bill, nostrils, & general character of plumage. The skeleton however is needed to settle its affinities. I know nothing whatever of its habits.

[2] As in a former letter you kindly offered to do any thing you could to aid me in regard to the Bethnal Green Museum⁴ I will take this opportunity to say a few words on the subject. Sir Charles Lyell⁵ who is a personal friend of L[or]^d. Ripon,⁶ has interested himself much for me, & shortly after the Government accepted the Museum L^d. Ripon sent for me & we had a short conversation on the subject. He expressed a desire to make the Museum, in part at least, a model typical Museum of Natural History, but did not see how it could be done as he felt sure [3] Government would not grant money for purchase of specimens.

This want of money has led to the Museum being opened as a Miscellaneous Art Collection, and in answer to an application to L^d. Ripon and Mr. Cole⁷ in July last, Sir C. Lyell was informed "that it was not at present intended to appoint any special director to the Bethnal Green Museum."

Now the Site (purchased by a local subscription) was presented to the Government as the — "Site of the East London Museum of Science and Art." The letter from the Promoters & Subscribers which accompanied the ^Title Deeds of the Site expressed strongly [4] their wish that the Museum sh[oul]^d. be "strictly educational", — the term "educational" being explained by a reference to D^r. Hooker's⁸Presidential address at Norwich⁹ & my paper on "Museums for the People".¹⁰ — Natural History too was specially mentioned as one of the chief departments of the Museum.

Now, Miscellaneous "loan collections" and what can be spared from S. Kensington¹¹ cannot form an "Educational museum", which implies careful selection and systematic arrangement of the objects exhibited. Still less can it be said that "Science" is represented in the present museum, or is likely to be if it is to be a mere "little S. Kensington".

[5]¹² Is it not advisable therefore that a petition be got up — both from the Subscribers to the Site fund, & from men of Science, praying that this Museum be made what the Promoters & Subscribers really intended it to be, and what alone is suited to the character of the surrounding population. Sir R. Wallace's¹³Collection may be a "show" to them, but it must be too far removed above all their previous knowledge & tastes to be in any degree either instructive or "educational".

A good additional argument for not letting drop the Nat[ural]. Hist[ory]. department of this Museum [6] is the proximate removal of all the Nat. History from Bloomsbury, while the fact that the love of some branch of Nat. Hist. is very general among the poorest classes & the study or practicable one to many of them (& the only branch of science that is so) points to a good Nat. History Museum as the most powerful elevating and educational agent in such a district.

If you think the matter to be one in which Naturalists [7] & Natural History Societies may properly interfere by way of petition, I will try to draw up one for your approval.

Believe me | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

The Viscount Walden