REPORT OF MR. ARCHER.
99
Good Taste; but these double awards were nearly all disallowed by the supreme direction; and when the absurdity of the position thus created* became apparent, then it was gazetted that all the medals had equal value. Thus, to a very large extent, the work of the juries was superseded, and that which remained was made ridiculous in the extreme; for what could be more absurd than to give to tw T o exhibitors of first and third class merit prizes of equal value ? These mistakes mostly arose from a desire to have entire control over everything connected with the Exhibition, even to the deliberations of the jury, or judges as they wo'uld be more properly called; and from want of firmness to adhere, against pressure, to even- the good points in the regulations. They caused great dissatisfaction, and we may fairly hope that they will be corrected in any future exhibition.
THOMAS C. ARCHER, F.R.S.E., E.S.A.S., E.B.S.E.,
Director of the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art, President of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, Corresponding Member of the Ministry of Crown Domains, Russia, $c., §c.