We shall now give a plan of the whole Museum, with the contents of each room, and the order in which they are shewn, &c.
Having giving in at the porter’s lodge mark’d g in the plan No. 1. your name, addition, and place of abode, you have notice given what day and hour to attend, and a ticket given you. By shewing this you are admitted, and entering the hall (i) you ascend a magnificent stair-case, nobly painted by La Fosse. The subject of the ceiling, Phaeton requesting Apollo to permit him to drive his chariot for a day. On the inside walls a landskip, by Rousseau: this brings you into the vestibule(I No. 2) the ceiling represents the fall of Phaeton; in this is a mummy and some other antiquities. The saloon D is a most magnificent room, the ceiling and side walls painted by the abovementioned painter La Fosse, the landskips by Rousseau, and the flowers by the celebrated Baptist.
You are then admitted into the room E, which contains the Cottonian and royal manuscripts, in about 750 volumes. F and G contain the Harleian manuscripts, in about 7620 volumes; and M the Harleian charters in number about 16000. O is the room of medals, which are upwards of 22000 in number. L has Sir Hans Sloane’s manuscripts, and K contains the antiquities.
This brings you again into the vestibule, and passing thro’ the saloon, you enter the room C, which contains minerals and fossils, B shells, A vegetables and insects, H animals in spirits, and N artificial curiosities.
You now descend the small stair-case adjoining, and passing thro’ the room (n), in which is the magnetic apparatus given by Dr. Knight, you come to the rooms (h a) which contain the royal libraries, collected by the Kings and Queens of England from Henry VII. to Charles II. Then you enter the rooms b c d e f and g, which contain the library of Sir Hans Sloane, consisting of not less than 40000 volumes. From hence you enter into (m), which is a withdrawing room for the Trustees, then into (l), which contains Major Edwards’s library, consisting of about 3000 volumes, and lastly enter the room (k), that contains a part of the King’s library, which in the whole consists of about 12000 volumes.
The wings marked (o o) are the apartments of the officers, and (p p) is the colonade.
No. 1.
First State Story.
No. 2.
Second State Story.
R. Benning sculp.