Regency Hot Spots: British Museum

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Height 11 Inches From a very ancient Vase in the British Museum Published by H Moses Oct 1.181
ุจุงู„ Height 1n Inches From a very ancient Vase in the British Museum Published by H Moses Oct 1.18
H From a Patera in the British Museum Published by H Moses Oct 1.18ฮฑ Moses,ย H.ย (1814).ย A Collection of Antique Vases, Altars, Paterae, Tripods, Candelabra Sarcophagi, Etc. from Various Museums and Collections, Engraved on 170 Plates.ย United Kingdom:ย Henry G. Bohn.

The British Museum This grand national collection of antiquities books and natural curiosities is placed in the house formerly belonging to the Duke of Montagu 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 to the nation his museum which he declared in that instrument had cost him upwards ot 50,000 l on condition that parliament paid 20,000 l to his executors and purchased a house sufficiently commodious
for it This proposal was readily adopted several valuable collections were united to that of Sir Hans and the whole establishment completed for the sum 85,000 l which was raised by way of lottery The additions to the Sloanean Museum comprise The Cottonian Library given by Sir Robert Cotton the public Major Edwards's Library of printed Books The Harleian collection of Manuscripts Sir William Hamilton's invaluable collection of Vases The Townleian collection of antique Marbles The Manuscripts of the late Marquess of Lansdowne The Elgin Marbles from Athens Dr Burney's Classical Library and various other col lections George II gave the whole of the library of printed books and manuscripts which had been gradually collected by our kings from Henry VII to William III George III gave a numerous collection of pamphlets published in the interval between 1640 and 1660 That Sovereign also contributed the two finest Mummies in Europe a sum of money arising from lottery tickets which belonged to his royal predecessors amounting to 1,123 a complete set of the Journals of the Lords and Commons a collection of natural and artificial curiosities sent to him in 1796 by Mr Menzies from the north west coast of America and several single books of great value and utility In 1803 the government deposited in this building many Egyptian antiquities which were acquired from the French by the capitulation of Alexandria in 1802 In 1824 a most valuable and extensive Library formed under the direction of the late king was presented to the museum by his present majesty and will be removed from Buckingham House where it has hitherto been kept as soon as the building now in progress at the Museum is completed The collection of printed books in this Museum is in a state of great and rapid enlargement in consequence of an act of parliament that was passed in the year 1815 under which eleven copies of every new work are constrained to
be delivered within one month after the same are de manded to the following institutions viz the British Museum Sion College the Bodleian Library at Oxford the Public Library at Cambridge the University Library and the Library of the Faculty of Advocates at Edin burgh the University Libraries at Glasgow St Andrews and Aberdeen in Scotland Trinity College Library and the King's Inn Library at Dublin The copy for the Museum must be of the best paper on which the work is printed The act under which this gratuitous delivery of eleven copies of every work is imperatively required pro fesses to be made for the Encouragement of Learning but it should rather have been described as passed for benefiting affluent establishments at the expense of the author and the publisher The trustees of the Museum have also added at dif ferent times Greenwood's collection of stuffed birds The valuable collection of ancient law books and Ma nuscripts of F Hargrave Esq Hatchet's cabinet of minerals Halhed's oriental manuscripts Tyssen's collection of Saxon coins Editions of several of the Greek and Roman classics with Dr Bentley's manuscript notes The Greville collection of minerals To the private donations may be added Dr Birch's li brary left by will of the learned doctor together with an annual sum of 5221 18s towards the funds for ever a col lection of fossils by Gustavus Brander Esq a select library of classics by Thomas Tyrwhitt Esq a collection of printed and manuscript books of Sir William Musgrave and a most magnificent collection of printed books prints coins medals minerals shells gems & c which by the It is full time that this grievous extortionate and unjust act should be abrogated for it is inconsistent with the principles o English legislation and the freedom and independence of the fair trader it is also oppressive to the author and therefore demands an immediate and impartial re examination by the powers that gave it existence and vested it with all its arbitrary provisions BRITISH MUSEUM 289
munificence of the late Rev CM Cracherode was be queathed to the public To these and some other benefactions may be that of Sir Joseph Banks of curiosities from the Seas and of Icelandic books and many valuable books other presents from the Emperors Francis I and II from the Empress Maria Theresa from Catherine II Russia and their Majesties Charles III of Spain and Fre deric V of Denmark the library and collection of coins be longing to his late Majesty by his present Majesty from Boards of Admiralty and of Longitude and from the East India Company as well as others from the various literary societies of London Edinburgh Oxford Cambridge Leyden the Royal and Imperial Academies of Brussels Lisbon & c The present house is built in the French style the architect was Peter Puget who was sent from Paris by Ralph first Duke of Montagu for the sole purpose of constructing it As a Museum its whole economy is under excellent regulations for which see the Synopsis published by the trustees On entering the gate of the museum a spacious quadr angle presents itself with an Ionic colonnade on the south side and the main building on the north which measures 216 feet in length and 57 in height to the top of the cornice Considerable additions have been made to the buildings of the British Museum within the present century In 1804 an edifice was erected from the designs of Mr G Saunders to the north west of the old house for the re ception of the Townley Marbles & c Attached to this structure is a temporary building by Mr R Smirke in which the Elgin Marbles & c are at present exhibited The same architect is engaged in the erection of a new Museum in the garden to the north of that now standing It will when finished surround a quadrangular court The east wing now building is about 500 feet in length it will include a gallery 300 feet long 40 feet wide and 30 high intended to receive the library recently given by his Majesty Over this will be a suite of apartments for pictures and adjoining the King's Library there is
to be a hall to contain the manuscripts now belonging to the Museum to the south of this will be large and com modious reading rooms The generous donation of Sir George Beaumont Bart of his valuable collection of pic tures is proposed to be arranged in these apartments The Ground Floor of the present building consists of six teen rooms and contains the library of printed books but strangers are not admitted to those apartments The decorations of the staircase are not uninteresting The ceiling was painted by Charles de la Fosse who painted the interior of the dome of the Invalids at Paris It repre sents Phรฆton petitioning Apollo for leave to drive his chariot The landscape and architectural decorations were executed by James Rousseau In the Hall is the statue of Shakspeare by Roubiliac which formerly adorned Garrick's Villa at Hampton and also a very curious piece of antiquity found at the bottom of the Ganges brought from the East Indies surrounded by sculptured figures in alto relievo of dancing girls minstrels & c On the landing places are preserved the skins of the white bear and musk ox brought from the North Seas a male and female cameleopard or giraffe a sta tue of Mrs Damer in white marble and a bust of Sir Jo seph Banks in bronze Upper Floor The contents of the First Room are very miscellaneous In the cases are arranged a variety of implements of war and other articles from the west coast of North America and from the South Sea Islands the dresses of the Esquimaux & c brought by Captains Ross and Parry and various large mineral specimens On the tables in the windows are various manufactured mineralogical objects including numerous specimens of lavas and other volcanic productions and in the centre of the room is the general collection of fossil univalve shells Among the articles first mentioned is a rich collection of curiosities from the South Pacific Ocean brought to Eng land by Captain Cook In the mourning dress of an Ota
study or inspection Here with the aid of the Synopsis the philosopher or lover of nature may find amusement for many successive days or weeks The dome of this saloon merits notice It was painted by the before mentioned La Fosse and represents the birth of Minerva the garlands of flowers are by John Baptist Monoyer and the archi tectural decorations by Rousseau To enumerate the natural curiosities of this saloon would alone fill a volume Among them are numerous fragments of Meteoric stones The Eighth Room contains the general collection of shells mollusca amongst which are many very cu rious species part of the valuable donation of Mr Crache rode and several recent additions from private persons and purchases from the Tankerville aud other collections Amongst others will be found the paper nautilus which first taught man to sail the oyster of the Nile Etheria & c & c of the products of shells as gloves from the beard of the pinna and pearls amongst which are scarce pink red and artificial Chinese pearls of the wormshell annilides of barnacles cirripedes and of corals and zoophytes all these are arranged red in the natural method and named for study Round the room are some fo reign birds and near the windows are some birds nests and eggs and also the celebrated foot of the Dodo which with the head at Oxford are the only remains of that curious bird at present known The Ninth Room is devoted to organic remains It con tains specimens of the Kirk dale Cave fossils the imbedded human skeleton from Guadaloupe the immense English lizard from Lyme Regis stags horns from Ireland and a collection of fossil zoophytes crabs sea eggs sea lilies rushes fruit from Sheppy and other fossil vegetables The Tenth Room contains part of an interesting collec tion of English minerals arranged according to their counties The Eleventh Room is one of the most general interest in the building It contains in its upper cases and between the window the general collection of quadrupeds amongst
which are several exceedingly interesting sorts as the ourang outang chimpanza a new sort of zebra the jerboa the duck billed platypus & c The collection of British birds cre placed under the quadrupeds and in the centre of the room are some Arctic birds brought by Captains Ross and Parry and some given by the Hudson's Bay Company and a table exhibiting the general arrangement of insects Gallery of Antiquities This department is very ex tensive and almost invaluable The sculptures and other antiquities are deposited in a suite of rooms built pur posely for them after the designs of Mr Saunders The principal articles of this magnificent assemblage belonged to the collection of the late Charles Townley Esq whose bust is placed over the door fronting the entrance to the First room This apartment is devoted to the bas so relievos in terra cotta deemed the finest in Europe The Second is a circular room from which there is a view of the whole suite of apartments with a fine disco bolus or ancient quoit player at the extremity This room is devoted to Greek and Roman scu sculptures among which is a fine candelabrum some exquisite busts and beautiful statues particularly a Venus found in the mari time baths of Claudius at Ostia The Third and Fourth Rooms are also filled with Greek and Roman sculptures including many fine basso relievos In the former is the celebrated Apotheosis of Homer for merly the chief ornament of the Vatican The Fifth has a very fine collection of Roman sepulchral antiquities and some remains of a fine mosaic pavement discovered a few years ago in digging the foundations for the new buildings at the Bank of England which was presented to the Museum by the Directors of that opu Jent institution The Sixth Room contains Greek and Roman sculptures of various kinds The Seventh Ro man antiquities tiquities and the Eighth which is on the left Egyptian antiquities among the latter are two mummies with their coffins presented by the late King a manu script on papyrus taken from a mummy and an in numerable quantity of smaller articles of great antiquity and curiosity The Ninth Room contains Egyptian sculptures among
which is the celebrated sarcophagus commonly called the tomb of Alexander the Great with many other antique curiosities especially the head of Memnon and other spe cimens collected by Mr Salt and Belzoni and the cele brated Rosetta Stone The Tenth Room has many Greek and Roman sculptures of singular beauty The Eleventh Room is devoted to ancient and modern coins and medals arranged in geographical order but can only be seen by special permission The basis of this collec tion was formed by the cabinets of Sir Robert Cotton and Sir Hans Sloane but it has been greatly enlarged by dona tions and purchases it includes the munificent bequest made by the Rev CM Cracherode In the centre of an ante room at the head of the great stairs is placed the celebrated Barberini Vase which was for more than two centuries the principal ornament of the Barberini Palace at Rome but which having been pur chased of Sir William Hamilton by the Duchess of Portland about forty years since is now generally known as the Portland vase This is of glass except the figures in re lief which are of a kind of opaque white enamel This vase was found within a marble sarcophagus in a sepul chral chamber beneath the eminence called Monte del Grano about two miles and a half from Rome Here is also a fine collection of gems seals and bricks from Babylon The Twelfth Room contains the collection of the late Sir William Hamilton consisting of penates or household gods bronze vessels utensils & c specimens of antient glass necklaces bullรฆ fragments of relievos and antient armour tripods knives paterรฆ lamps seals weights sculpture in ivory bracelets bits spurs and antient paintings from Herculaneum Babylonian bricks and an unrivalled collection of Greek vases the greater part of which were found in the sepulchres of Magna Grรฆcia In the Thirteenth Room is deposited the extensive and valuable collection of prints and drawings the most im portant part of which was bequeathed by the Rev CM Cracherode The contents of this room can
be seen only by a few persons at a tlme by particular mission The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Rooms contain the Phiga lian marbles and the Elgin collection which includes up wards of 300 pieces of most beautiful sculpture but very few are perfect The two Reading Rooms of the Museum are kept from ten till four o clock every day in the week Saturdays and Sundays and one week at Christmas Easter and Whitsuntide and on Thanksgiving and Fast Days One of the librarians constantly attends during the hours Persons desirous of admission to these rooms are to send their applications in writing to the principal librarian who will lay the same before the trustees All the open parts of the Museum may be seen Monday Wednesday and Friday except in Christmas Easter and Whitsun weeks and in the months of August and September between the hours of ten and four the visitor being required to enter his or her name and place of abode in a book kept for the purpose and no other application or form is now requisite Scientific students and artists are admitted to study on the private days by espe cial permission Britton,ย J.ย (1826).ย The Original Picture of London: Enlarged and Improved, Being a Correct Guide for the Stranger, as Well as for the Inhabitant, to the Metropolis of the British Empire, Together with a Description of the Environs.ย United Kingdom:ย Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green.

The North Prospect of Mountague House JamesSimonc1715

Naturally, the British Museum has its own comprehensive history on its website (https://www.britishmuseum.org) where it explains until the 1830s, visitors had to apply for tickets for access and that was used as a means to restrict visitors to well-heeled visitors who were then given private tours by the museum Trustees and curators (History | British Museum).ย  Our 1826 suggests the shift to a more public access may have shifted slightly earlier than the 1830s, but nonetheless through the majority of the Regency it would have been largely accessed by VIPs.ย  Here is an 1820 description of the rules for admission:

I Regulations for general Admission into the British Museum The Museum is open for public and general inspection from ten till four o clock on the Monday Wednesday and Friday in every week except in the Christmas Eas ter and Whitsun weeks on thanksgiving and fast days and during the months of August and September Persons who wish to see the Museum will apply on one of those days in the anti room of the house be tween the hours of ten and two where they will be re quired to inscribe their names and places of abode in a book to be kept for that purpose upon which they will be shewn into the apartments as soon as the first rooms are sufficiently cleared for their admission No children apparently under ten years of age will be admitted No money to be given to the attendants or servants 2 Directions respecting the Reading room of the British Museum The reading room of the Museum is open from ten till four every day except on Saturdays and Sundays and for one week at Christmas Easter and Whitsuntide also on thanksgiving and fast days Persons desirous of admission are to send in their ap plications in writing specifying their Christian and sur names rank or profession and places of abode to the principal librarian who will lay the same before the

a metro next general meeting or committee of the trustees But as it might be dangerous in so populous might polis as London to admit perfect strangers it is ex pected that every person who applies should produce recommendation from a trustee or an officer of the house Applications defective in this respect will not be attended to a In all cases which require such despatch as that time cannot be allowed for making an application to the trustees the principal librarian or in his absence the senior under librarian in residence is empowered to grant a temporary leave till the next general meeting or committee Permission will in general be granted for six months and at the expiration of this term fresh application is to be made for a renewal No reader except in particular cases at the discre tion of the principal librarian will be entitled to more than two volumes at a time but they may be changed as often as he may require Readers will be allowed to take one or more extracts from any printed book or manuscript but no whole or greater part of a manuscript is to be transcribed with out a particular leave from the trustees The tran scribers are not to lay the paper on which they write on any part of the book or manuscript they are using nor are any tracings allowed without particular permis sion of the trustees No person is on any pretence whatever to write on any part of a printed book or manuscript belonging to the Museum but if any one should observe a defect in such book or manuscript he is requested to signify the same to the officer in waiting who will make proper use of the information It may be sufficient merely to suggest that silence is absolutely requisite in a place dedicated to the purpose of study Leigh,ย S.ย (1820).ย Leigh’s New Picture of London: Or, A View of the Political, Religious, Medical, Literary, Municipal, Commercial, and Moral State of the British Metropolis, ….ย United Kingdom:ย S. Leigh.

And here is an overview from 1802:

proper application The 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 the condition that parlia ment paid 20,000 to his executors and purchased a house large enough to deposit it in 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 85,000 l which was raised by way of lottery The Museum contains the following collections added at different times 1 Sir Hans Sloane's
2 The Cottonian Library of which a new Cata logue has been recently published agreeable to a late act of parliament 3 The Harleian Manuscripts 4 Major Edwards's Library 5 The Royal Library of Books and Manuscripts collected by the Kings of England and given by George II 6 Sir William Hamilton's Etruscan Grecian and Roman Antiquities 7 The Curiosities collected in Cooke's Voyages round the World 8 Mr Garrick's Collection of Plays 9 Modern Books being one copy of all those en tered at Stationers hall 10 Sundry benefactions from Mr Wortley Monta gue Mr Hollis Dr Gifford Mr Lethuelier & c & c & c Considered in respect to the subjects the contents of the Museum may be divided into Manuscripts Medals and Coins Antiquities Natural Productions Artificial Productions And Printed Books The great stair case of the Museum is magnificently painted by La Fosse and on the walls is a landscape by Rousseau The saloon where the visitors wait is finely ornamented with fresco paintings by Baptist and on the ceiling or dome is an assembly of the Gods representing Jupiter casting his thunder bolts at Phรฆton and the other gods agitated by various passions On the table is a fine model of Laรถcoรถn and his two sons As it is impossible to convey to the reader an ade quate idea of the infinite number of remarkable and valuable articles we shall enumerate in the several de partments some of the most popular and striking cu 185
riosities and then add plain instructions instructions by means the Museum itself itself may be inspected The whole of the Cottonian MSS are highly inte resting but the original Magna Charta which Sir Ro bert rescued by accident from the shears of a taylor will most probably arrest the attention of every Eng lishman In the rooms containing the Harleian MSS are some curious Turkish books a series of medals of English and French Kings and Sir Hans collection of twenty thousand medals preserved small cabinets The rooms containing Egyptian Etruscan and Ro man antiquities as well as the American idols deserve particular attention All the articles from Pompeii and Herculaneum will be viewed with reverence by the lovers of antiquities The utensils instruments and clothing of distant na tions convey a clearer conception of the people make and use them than can ever be obtained from descriptions Of the collection of natural curiosities quadrupeds birds fishes minerals fossils & c we can only speak in unqualified praise A bare catalogue would fill many volumes Among the printed books the most interesting those of Natural History Voyages and History the first editions the Chinese books and some scarce works relative to the History of England Persons who are desirous of seeing the Museum must enter their names and address and the time at which they wish to see it in a book kept by the porter and upon calling again on a future day they will be supplied with printed tickets free of expence as all fees are positively prohibited The tickets only serve for the particular day and hour specified and if not called for the day before are forfeited vely prohibite The Museum is kept open every day in the week
except Saturday and the weeks which follow Christ mas day Easter and Whitsunday The hours are from nine till three except on Monday and Friday during the months of May June July and August when the hours are only from four till eight in the af ternoon The spectators are allowed three hours for viewing the whole that is an hour for each of the three de partments One hour for the manuscripts and medals one for the natural and artificial productions and one for the printed books Catalogues are deposited in each room but no book must be taken down except by the officer attending who will also restore it to its place Children are not admitted Literary characters or any person who wishes to make use of the Museum for purposes of study and re ference may obtain permission by applying to the trustees or the standing committee A room is ap pointed for their accommodation in which during the regular hours they may have the use of any manu script or printed book subject to certain regulations Feltham,ย J.ย (1802).ย The Picture of London, for 1803: Being a Correct Guide to All the Curiosities, Amusements, Exhibitions, Public Establishments, and Remarkable Objects, in and Near London; with a Collection of Appropriate Tables. For the Use of Strangers, Foreigners, and All Persons who are Not Intimately Acquainted with British Metropolis.ย United Kingdom:ย Lewis & Company.

Britton,ย J.,ย Pugin,ย A.ย (1825).ย Illustrations of the public buildings of London: with historical and descriptive accounts of each edifice ….ย London:ย J. Taylor.

The collections were obviously added to with the spoils from success against Napoleon, particularly many Egyptian artifacts the French campaign in the Battle of the Nile. This included the famous Rosetta Stone.

The Rosetta Stone on display in the British Museum in 1874

The museum also underwent significantt changes as by 1802, there were already talks of expansion of the site. Old Mantagu House would be demolished with work beginning on the King’s Library Gallery in 1823.

By the Victorian era, the museum would continue to expand both in size and collections, with the first excavation taking place in 1840 with Charles Fellows’ Xanthos expedition.

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