rom the South Pacific Ocean, brought by Capt. Cook. In the
left corner is the mourning dress of an Otaheitean lady, in
which taste and barbarity are curiously blended. Opposite
are the rich cloaks and helmets of feathers from the
Sandwich Islands.

The visitor next enters the manuscript department, the first
room of which is small, and appropriated chiefly to the
collections of Sir Hans Sloane. The next room is completely
filled with Sir Robert Harley's manuscripts, afterwards Earl
of Oxford, one of the most curious of which is a volume of
royal letters, from 1437 to the time of Charles I.. The next
and last room of the manuscript department is appropriated
to the ancient royal library of manuscripts, and Sir Robert
Cotton's, with a few-later donations. On the table, in the
middle of the room, is the famous Magna Charta of King John;
it is written on a large roll of parchment, and was much
damaged in the year 1738, when the Cotton library took fire
at Westminster, but a part of the broad seal is yet annexed.

We next reach the great saloon, which is finely ornamented
with fresco paintings by Baptiste. Here are a variety of
Roman remains, such as dice, tickets for the Roman theatres,
mirrors, seals for the wine casks, lamps, &c. and a
beautiful bronze head of Homer, which was found near
Constantinople.

The mineral room is the next object of attention. Here are
fossils of a thousand kinds, and precious stones, of various
colours and splendours, composing a collection of
astonishing beauty and magnificence.

Next follows the bird room; and the last apartment contains
animals in spirits, in endless variety. And here the usual
exhibition of the house closes.

~15~~ Issuing from the portals of the Museum, "Apropos," said Dashall,
"we are in the vicinity of Russell-square, the residence of my
stock-broker; I have business of a few moments continuance to transact
with him--let us proceed to his residence."

A lackey, whose habiliment, neat but not gaudy, indicated the
unostentatious disposition of his master,, answered the summons of the
knocker: "Mr. C. was gone to his office at the Royal Exchange."

"The gentleman who occupies this mansion," observed Dashall to his
friend, as they retired from the door, "illustrates by his success in
life, the truth of the maxim so fr