Note 11 — INTRODUCTION.
Reading edition
The year 1772 is also noteworthy as the date of the first Parliamentary grant for the augmentation of the Museum collection. The House of Commons in that year voted a sum of £8410 for the purchase of the valuable museum of antiquities which had been formed by Sir William Hamilton (1730-1803), British Ambassador at Naples, 1764-1800. The vases formed the most important section, but the collection also contained several sculptures in the round and in relief.11 On the other hand a square altar with reliefs12 was presented by Sir W. Hamilton in 1776, and perhaps also a head of Heracles.13 A colossal foot of Apollo14 was given in 1784.