It is evident that the ultimate destination of the bust had not been fixed upon up to the 7th of March, when Mr. Smirke addressed the following letter to Panizzi:—
“In the public corridor leading to the New Reading-Room will be a wide, handsome folding door, over this, there is a piece of blank wall which will form the termination of the vista on approaching the Great Room; I want to put some object there that the eye might dwell on with pleasure as you advance along the corridor. What do you think of a circular niche over the door with a Bust of the Queen in it? Minerva’s head might do—but the Queen’s would be more in accordance with the spirit of the times!”
A curious incident, with happier details than the great cause of Hosking v. Panizzi, must not be omitted from the history of the New Reading-Room. It will be remembered that, in 1823, the Duke of Modena had executed a well known effigy of Panizzi; and it happened, in after years, that this so-styled “Duchino” potentate’s friend and ally, Austria (who would fain have dealt with the great Carbonaro in a more effective manner), struck with honest admiration of his genius, as displayed in the New Reading-Room, after failing to obtain actual possession of his head, judged it expedient to take what advantage she could of that head’s cerebral development. Accordingly, on the completion of Panizzi’s work, she instructed her Ambassador in this country (Count Apponyi) to apply for information as to the plans, construction, &c., &c., of the New Room in the British Museum, with a view to adapting them to the projected New Library of the University of Vienna. The following correspondence contains an even more valuable tribute to Panizzi’s reputation than the honour already paid to him by his adopted country:—
“Londres, le 9 Juin, 1857.
“Monsieur le Comte,
L’admiration universelle qu’a excité la construction et l’organisation de la nouvelle salle de lecture du Musée Britannique à Londres a fait naître au Ministère de l’Instruction Publique en Autriche le désir de connaître plus à fond tout ce qui se rapporte à l’établissement de cette salle dans le bût d’en tirer avantage pour la bibliothèque[bibliothèque] de l’Université de Vienne qui va être nouvellement construite.
J’ai été en conséquence chargé, M. le Comte, d’avoir recours à l’obligeante intervention de V. E., à l’effet d’obtenir, de la manière la plus détaillée qu’il sera possible, les plans, et descriptions relativement à la construction et aux arrangements intérieurs de la dite salle, dont la perfection est digne de servir de modèle à tous les établissements de ce genre.
J’espère qu’en vue du but que se propose le Gouvernement Impérial, celui de S.M.B. ne se refusera pas à la demande que, par l’entremise de V. E., je me permets de lui adresser.
Veuillez, &c., &c.,
Apponyi.”