CHAPTER II. THE ROYAL MANCHESTER INSTITUTION claims in its design to rank, if not at the head, certainly second in the list of the literary and scientific associations of Manchester.* It had its public origin in a general meeting of the inhabitants, held in the Exchange Room on Wednesday the 1st. October, 1823, Dr. Davenport Hulme in the chair, "to take into consideration the suggestion of an Establishment in Manchester for the encouragement of the Fine Arts." The first resolution of that meeting defined the objects for which the Society was formed to be-the establishment of a collection of the best models that can be obtained, in painting and sculpture, the opening a channel through which the works of meritorious artists may be brought before the public, and the encouragement of literary and scientific pursuits by facilitating the delivery of popular courses of public lectures. Such briefly was the basis of "the Manchester Institution for the Promotion of Literature, Science, and the Arts." Other resolutions of the same meeting fixed the qualification of members and the mode of government. The management of the Institution was vested in a President and twelve Vice-Presidents, and the current direction was confided to a Council of twenty-four, to be annually chosen at the general meeting of Govornors-the President to be capable of serving only twelve months, three Vice-Presidents to be changed every year, and those six members of the Council who have been least punctual in their attendance during the past to be ineligible for the ensuing year. The Governors, however, were authorized to make any change in the regulations which might be found necessary, provided it had the sanction of threefourths of the Governors present at each of two meetings duly convened within an interval of one month. At the time of its formation the Institution set sail with modest pretensions, the intention being to purchase premises in Kingstreet, (then occupied by Mr. Howe) to model them to the purposes of the Society, and, if possible, to strengthen it in its infancy by a junction with the Natural History Society, as to which the meeting expressed "their hone that arrangements in every respect satisfactory to its members may be made for the accommodation of its valuable collections in the apartments of the house purchased for the Institution, [i. e. in King-street] and that the two Societies may ever be distinguished by a cordial and zealous co-operation for the furtherance of their common object." Other resolutions were passed by this meeting, one of which conveyed its "warmest thanks" to Mr. G. W. Wood "for the unwearied exertions and great ability which he had displayed in promoting the formation of the institution." The crowning point of the proceedings was the election of a Committee to carry the design into operation, five members being Some notice of the Literary and Philosophical Society will be found in connexion with the memoir of its President, Dr. Dalton. qualified to act. The gentlemen were-Sir Oswald Mosley, Bart., F. Dukinfield Astley, Esq., J. D. Hulme, M. D., Edward Holme, M. D., William Henry, M. D., E. J. Lloyd, Esq., Mr. Thomas Hardman, Mr. Edward Loyd, Mr. Robt. Hindley, Mr. William Garnett, Mr. G. F. Bury, Mr. David Holt, Mr. G. W. Wood, Mr. H. H. Birley, Mr. Robert Christie, Mr. John Kirkman, Mr. William Brigham, Mr. J. A. Ransome, Mr. W. Townend, Mr. Jon. Dawson, Mr. Thos. Ainsworth, Mr. Francis Phillips, Mr. James Beardoe, Mr. Joseph Birley, Mr. James Hibbert, Mr. William Cririe, Mr. John Touchet, Mr. Robert H. Greg.— Unfortunately, the success of the projected Institution was so great as to overturn the sober views of some leading members of the Council. No sooner were the hundred pounds of contributions converted into thousands, and the single thousands swollen into tens, than some members of the Committee (for it appears that on this question there was a "difference of opinion") abandoned the original plan, warmly advocating the erection of a new and expensive structure, "combining elegance with utility," "which would reflect honor on the public spirit and good taste of the founders, and be considered more accordant with the wealth and consequence of the town of Manchester." A strong appeal for authority to erect a new building was successfully made to the general body of Governors, who, with an available fund of only £11,500, authorized the Committee actively to prepare for the erection of a building as to which they reported that "any sum less than £15,000 would be totally insufficient." That point conceded, another step was attempted, and the Council brought forward for adoption, as the best of four architectural plans, the model of an erection (by Mr. Barry, of London) which would cost from £18,000 to £20,000. To warrant this expenditure the Committee acknowledged that there must be a further accession to the funds of from £8,000 to 10,000, the subscription amounting to only £21,600, whereas £32,000 would be required if the Governors adhered to their excellent intention of devoting one-fourth their capital as a permanent fund to the useful purposes of the Institution. In 1825 this sum of £32,000 was subscribed; £28,177 were actually paid into the bank. The King's special patronage of the Institution had also been obtained through the mediation of Mr. Secretary Peel. Still, however, a portion of the Committee clung cautiously to the maxim festina lente, and whilst one section of their body were zealous to break ground at once, others thought that "it was desirable to know in detail what would be the absolute cost of the whole structure, before the plans were begun to be acted upon." The latter section were defeated, and tenders for parts of the work were forthwith publicly required. Land had been purchased in Mosley-street at a net outlay of £3,225; other small sums had been expended, and there then remained in hand, deducting £7,044 as a permanent fund, the sum of £13,083 available for a building which was to cost £20,000. In addition to this amount there were promised (but not paid) subscriptions to the extent of £4,000, of which £3,000, when received, would be applicable to the building, making a conjectural total of £16,083 for that object. Still therefore, under the most favorable circumstances, there was a deficiency of £4,000, and the season was one the least probable to produce a change for the better, the town having recently been visited by and being scarcely recovered from that terrible commercial panic which carried desolation on its wings. The Committee, however, buoyant and sanguine, clung to their expensive designs-proclaimed the "great pain and regret" with which they should abandon them-urged as an argument in their favor the patronage they had obtained "in the highest quarter"-and anticipated that as there was nothing in the "splendid model" of a £20,000 building "inconsistent with the rank which Manchester holds among the cities of the world," so was there "nothing in the plan beyond what the resources of the town could easily accomplish." The expensive scheme was sanctioned by the Governors, and its first-fruit was the imposition, within six months, of an annual charge of one guinea upon the Hereditary Governors resident within a prescribed distance of the town, (or the payment in lieu of twenty pounds) in addition to their forty guinea subscription. The outlay of twenty-one thousand pounds upon the building was by this to be completely covered. "A permanent income (they said) will thus be obtained equal to the income derivable from the permanent fund, which may then be advanced on mortgage of the building, and made available towards the cost of erection." This step was taken, and the works proceeded. In December, 1830, the Committee announced the state of their funds:-£22,365 11s. 13d. had been expended on the building alone; the total incomings had been £31,687 5s. 74d., of which there remained a balance in hand of £5,884 3s. 8d.-At the close of 1831 the outlay in land and buildings* amounted to £26,070 12s. 24d., and there was an ominous reduction in the "balance in hand." On the 8th. January, 1834, a circular to each Governor conveyed, in the following statement of account, a tolerably decisive notification that the whole £32,000 had been absorbed. Present Annual Income from Hereditary and Annual Governors... £480 18 0 Permanent Annual Expenses estimated on the average of the last three years: Chief Rents. 113 10 0 Poor, Church and Highway Rates, and Land Tax..... 72 17 9 Insurance on £5,000 13 15 0 Balance, applicable for Casual Expenses, Lectures, &c..... 29 7 3 The Institution has now, therefore, no assured means of carrying out the legitimate designs of its founders. The permanent annual charges very nearly swallow its annual income, and its only other sources of revenue consist in those vacant parts of the edifice whence perhaps a fluctuating rental may be obtained, and the proceeds of the exhibitions, which vary from four to six hundred pounds per annum. This money, however, was designed originally to be expended in enriching the interior of the edifice with works of art. The permanent fund has almost disappeared, and no efficient substitute for it seems likely to arise. The balance sheet at the close of the year 1835-6 stated the * Since that time the following additional amounts have been expended on the building : 1832...... .....£853 16 10 1834........ £1662 1 0 Making a total outlay for the land and edifice of about thirty-one thousand pounds. Instead of three, as originally, the Institution now comprises four classes of members.-1. The Hereditary Governors, consisting of those who paid forty guineas before a certain date, and of those who subsequently have consented to pay an annual subscription of one guinea. The shares of the latter have been made transferable, and another additional privilege, in requital for the annual payment, is that of being allowed to take to the lectures and exhibitions such visitors in their families as do not reside within twelve miles of the town. Both classes have the right of admission for their own families, which embrace, besi'es the wife or husband, daughters and other female relatives, sons and brothers unmarried and under twenty-four years of age, so long as they are permanently resident.-2. Life Governors, contributors of 25 prior to the 17th. May, 1827, and of 42 subsequently.-3. Annual Governors, subscribers of £3 3s. per annum in advance. These two classes are placed on an equality, each having free admission to the exhibitions for himself and family, and admission for himself and two of his family to the lectures.-4. A class of not exceeding fifty persons, to whom, on payment of £2 2s. per annum in advance, the Council have power to grant personal admission to the lectures and exhibitions. With the exception of the last class, who are admissible by the Council, the election of Governors is by ballot at the annual meeting, a majority of three-fourths being requisite for the admission of candidates, who must be recommended by three members of Council, or six Hereditary or Life Governors. The interior of the Institution is already adorned with a considerable number of works of art, but for the reasons already specified it is as yet by no means rich in such acquisitions, none of its means having been applied in that channel. NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.-The Manchester Museum, in Peterstreet, has long been celebrated for the extent and beauty of its collection of birds. At the old building, in King-street, want of space precluded the possibility of their being displayed in an adequate manner; but since the Society has taken possession of its new Hall, in Peter-street, a systematic classification has been commenced, which in time, it is hoped, will be extended to every part of the collection. The present Museum consists of three stories, the central portion of which is occupied by an entrance-hall that rises to the summit of the building and is lighted from above by a large dome-light. On a level with the first and second floors, galleries run round the central hall, the lower of which is devoted to quadrupeds, and the upper to birds. On each side of the hall, which may be conceived to represent the body of the building, spacious wings are erected, cach of which on the ground floor is occupied by one large apartment, and in the upper stories by two smaller ones. The ground floor of the left wing is set apart for Geology and Mineralogy. The Mineralogical department was one *It is said to be in contemplation materially to alter some of the existing arrangements of the Museam. of the first in the Museum to assume a character of importance. A valuable collection of minerals was purchased that happened to be on sale soon after the formation of the Society-and this collection has since been enriched by the addition of a series of volcanic minerals from the district of Auvergne, which was presented to the Museum by Mr. Stanley, of Alderley-and by that of a second of the same nature from the Lipary islands, which was presented by Mr. E. P. Thompson, of Manchester. In the Geological collection the most interesting fossils are those lately obtained from the Ardwick limestone. These organic remains identify the Ardwick limestone with similar formations in Yorkshire and Shropshire-a circumstance which renders it highly probable that the coalfieids, which are now surmounted by this identical deposit, constituted originally but portions of one great carboniferous formation, extending continuously from the heart of the West Riding to the centre of Shropshire. The ground floor of the right wing is occupied by the foreign Fish, foreign Crustacea, and foreign Shells. The fish and crustacea can, in their present state, only be regarded as an indication of more extensive collections that are to be formed hereafter. The same remark does not apply, however, to the collection of shells, which is both large in numerical amount and rich in valuable specimens. The collection of Quadrupeds, which, as we before observed, is placed in the lower gallery, is good as far as it goes, but inconsiderable if we compare it with the whole race of mammiferous animals. On the first floor of the left wing, we find, in the ante-room, a beautiful collection of South American Fruits, which cannot fail to present to the horticulturist of our Northern climate many points of intense interest. In the adjoining room, which is called the Mummy room, are to be seen an Egyptian Mummy, in excellent preservationthe Skeleton of an Elephant-trophies of the Burmese War-Grecian relicsand a number of curiosities imported from the South Seas. The corresponding portion of the right wing is occupied for the present by the foreign Insects. The upper gallery is allotted to the foreign Birds, in the arrangement of which Cuvier's classification has been exclusively followed. A great number of specimens, however, will be found in the collection, which are not named by Cuvier-all such specimens are either left unnamed, or have the names affixed which have been assigned to them by other ornithologists. The number and beauty of the birds of the hawk tribe that are here brought together cannot but be noticed by every visitor-but what constitutes the greatest charm of this part of the collection is the exquisite tact displayed in the stuffing and mounting of the birds--an excellence for which the Museum is wholly indebted to the Sub. curator, Mr. Timothy Harrop. The upper story of the left wing is appropriated to the purposes of business, being taken up by the Council-room and the private room of the Curator. The corresponding apartments of the right wing are devoted to the British portion of the collection, which consists of the British Birds, the British Insects, and the British Shells. These are the only branches of the Zoology of Great Britain that have hitherto received an especial consideration in the Museum. The number of the British birds has of late been very materially augmented by the collection of the late James Newton, Esq., which was presented to the Museum after his death. This collection has recently been incorporated with the British birds previously in the possession of the Society; and they altogether now form a group which for the beauty of the individual specimens is unequalled in Great Britain. What gives greater interest to this part of the collection is the fact, that many of the rarer birds |