re is westward," and in the course of time, as wealth and
taste increases, sale will be sought here, as now in England, for many
works of the highest art. It is also to be hoped that some public
benefactors will rise to our assistance. After the foundation of the
institution, it may be extended according to the taste and wants of the
country; professorships may be added, and the rarest works purchased.
When the country can and will afford it, no price should be regarded too
great for a perfect masterpiece of art, as a model in a national
collection. To begin, the Gallery should contain,

1st. A complete library of all standard works on Art, historical and
illustrative, in every language.

2d. A collection of the masterpieces of engraving; these should be
mounted on linen, numbered, bound, described and criticised.

3d. A complete collection of casts of medals and antique gems, where the
originals cannot be obtained. There are about 70,000 antique medals of
high importance to art. (See Numismatics, vol. iii., p. 269, of this work.) These casts could easily be obtained through our
diplomatic agents; they should be taken in Plaster of Paris or Sulphur,
double--i.e., the reverse and obverse,--classified, catalogued,
described, and arranged in cases covered with plate glass, for their
preservation.

4th. A collection of plaster casts of all the best works of sculpture,
particularly of the antique. Correct casts of the Elgin marbles are sold
by the British Museum at a very reasonable price, and in this case
would doubtless be presented to the institution.

5th. A collection of Paintings. This is the most difficult part of the
project, yet practicable. Masterpieces of the art only should be
admitted, but historical authenticity disregarded. The works of the
great masters have been so closely imitated, that there are no certain
marks of authenticity, where the history of the picture cannot be
traced. (See Spooner's Dictionary of Painters, etc., Introduction, and
Table of Imitators.) Half the pictures in foreign collections cannot be
authenticated, and many of those which are, are not the best productions
of the master, nor worthy of the places they occupy. (See Mrs. Jameson's
Hand-Book to the Public Galleries in and near London; also the
Catalogues of the various Public Galleries of Europe.) Therefore,
instead of paying 5,000 or 10,000 guineas for an authenticated piece by
a certain master, as is sometimes done in Europe, c