The success which has attended the evening exhibition of
the Royal Scottish Academy is no argument that equal
popularity would result from such a measure in London
In Edinburgh there are no evening entertainments to
which the working class can resort in Winter, and to
them the opening of the Exhibition at a trifling charge is a
boon of which they gladly avail themselves. Here this ele=
=ment of success is wanting, and a successful result
must be derived from other considerations
To fix the price of admission at sixpence would raise
the standard of respectability, but would not probably meet
the views of the Memorialists while it may be fairly
assumed that it would diminish the attendance in
the morning. An admission charge of sixpence repre-
=sents a respectability sufficient to induce large numbers
to take advantage of the reduction, but the reduction
is not sufficient to attract the class who are especially
invited Were the price 3^s or at the most 4^s “Respec=
=tability” would hesitate to mingle with the crowd, the
standard of which would necessarily be lowered by the
mere extended area over which it spread. I believe
that in a pecuniary point of view the advantage would
be on the side of a 3^s admission
I think that a greater distinction should be made
between the one shilling and the lower priced catalogue than
merely the quality of the paper. The sale of Catalogues in the
last six weeks of an exhibition season may average from
2000 to 3000 copies, but as it is probable that many
parties would defer their visit and purchase of Catalogues
till the reduction commenced that number might reach
upwards of 5000. The present Catalogue costs about
5..^s _ printed on inferior paper it would be about 3½
and 2½ if the Index were omitted. The adoption of
a smaller size would prevent mistakes which

might occur in delivery or sale while the cost of
production would not exceed 2^s or 2½. Indeed a
Catalogue could be produced at a less charge than 2^s
per copy so as to yield a good profit if sold for 3^s.
Fourpence would be a fair charge for the 4^to size
considering the quantity of matter _ I shall have
more faith in the success of the experiment if the
cost of admission and Catalogue together does not
exceed 6^s or 8^s.
I think that the Exhibition should be open
every evening during the six weeks, and that
Saturday evening would probably prove the most
productive
The admission should, if practicable be by
turnstile as we must depend upon strangers
in the pay and check places. There are dif-
=ficulties in connection with such a mode of
entrance that may be insurmountable if so
Metal tickets should be substituted for cards
as the late hour would not allow of cards being
counted when the return is made each night
It takes upwards of an hour to count the present
cards on an average days attendance, but metal
checks could be counted as rapidly as money and
last a very long time
Henry Eyre
January 24.^th 1862

money taken - cheque taken. Catalogue seller £1.1 & 15/
each
same men - one guinea per week - for day
attendance & 15/ for night.
Umbrella man. 15/ per day _ 10/ per night
Catalogue seller _ 1 guinea, day, night 10/
Porter _ 15/ day. 10/ night.

Hours . day that at 5 . re-open at 7
till 10.

sweeping between 5 . & 7 & early in morning
night exhib. 6 weeks . whole Exh. 12 weeks
night do. at latter part of Exhib.
Catalogues entire but inferior paper.
(2^y. specimen)
2 shill^g. for 3. 6^o. for 1.
cat. 3^d.. season tickets 2/ night
day - 5
Police 1 gns per beacon
 

1/4^th part of guin, or more, by night exhib.
If opened early ^{in exhibition} it would interfere in day
some portions (Mr. J. thinks) left out of the
inferior catalogue. Superior cat. not sold at all
till Eve^g. Exh^n. open.

N.G. lighted only on Saturday & for two hours only.