S&SWM PR papers L550

[Museum attendance]

London Institution | Finsbury Circus E.C. | 16 15 Oct 88

Sir,

You are reported in Nature (27 Sept) to have advocated the establishment of an anthropological museum. I do not altogether know from what facts you would draw encouragement but it occurs to me as possible you may be unaware of the present tendency at South Kensington.

In addition to the enclosed which you may observe deals with total attendance [newspaper letter saying attendance at the SKM had declined from The Kensington News of 13.10.1888] there was in St James's Gazette.

Some correspondents on the continuously decreasing evening attendance

But I fancy the case is better brought out by grouping the years into periods of five years each. This is one overleaf, of course from official statistics.

For my own part I do not quite see how any one could from this history draw argument for another educational establishment in London

I am your ob serv
Horatio Neale

X how do I imply that this has been done

Lieut Gen Pitt Rivers F.R.S.

'57 was an incomplete year & is therefore omitted.

Transcribed by AP May 2011 as part of the Rethinking Pitt-Rivers project.