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ACADIENSIS

if he does not thrill with that pride and confidence which are the joy and the strength of patriotism, and if he does not pass from such a building with a better understanding of his duty as a citizen, and a firmer resolve to use every opportunity to promote the public good.

But the Chateau Ramezay, though unquestionably the finest historical museum in Canada, is by no means unique. Most of the larger cities, and many of the smaller towns of the United States possess them. That in the old State House in Boston, and the charming old museum at Deerfield, Massachusetts, are good types. It is, however, as would be expected, in Europe that such museums are best developed and most highly valued. In Germany, for example, they are very numerous, and are developed to a high degree of historical and educational perfection. Usually they are placed in some historical building, and often the highest architectural skill and great sums of money have been lavished to secure a combination of proper arrangements for the display of the objects with a pleasing architectural effect and a retention of the essential historical features of the structure. The great Germanic Museum in the ancient city of Nuremberg, is one of the best types of what such an institution should be. All such museums show certain common characteristics; they are under the control of a local historical society; they contain collections, well-labelled and well-catalogued, which are partly gifts and partly loans ; they have, connected with them, an historical library ; they are open free to visitors, if not every day, then certain days of each week; they are in charge of experienced custodians who are enthusiasts in such work, and whose desire is to make them as useful as possible to the public. The advantages of such museums are manifest enough. They are, above all, public educators, fostering knowledge of local men and events, thereby stimulating local interest and pride; they are invaluable adjuncts of historical education in the