Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-12-10
REPORTED FuR TUE start
LECTURE ON THE SMITHSONIAN IN.
STITUTE

| " 'o"'ioSuay lliSht, the accompany
ing lecture was delivered by ProltSsoI
Henry at the Smithsonian Institute. Tn,
subject being the Smithsonian Tnstitut,
itself, and the objects for which it wa,
founded. The lecture was delivered al
the request of the Metropolitan Mechan.
les institute, to which association The
Professor paid a wcll-mcrited compli.
ment.
The lecturer commenced his subject
by stating that he would endeavor to
give All answer to the three FOLLOWING
questions, VIZ Who was James Smith
son, and what was his character and nur.
suits? What was his be1ueSt, and What
were its objects! What plan has been
adopted for carrying out the intention Of
the tcStator, and what fruits has this
plan produced
Smlthson claimed to be Of noble de-
scent, and in his Will declares himself 10
be the son Of Hugh, first Duke Of Nor,b-
umberiand, and of Elizabeth, niece Of
Charles the proud, Duke Of Somerset
lie was educated at Oxford, and paid par
ucular attention to the study Of the DIV
seal sciences; was reputed to be the best
chemist In the University, and was ore
OF the first to adopt the method Of minnie
analysis. As an example of his cynert-
ness, it is mentioned that on one ocra-
sion he caught a tear as it was triclling
down the face Of a lady, lost half. exam
med the remainder, and discovered in il
several salts. lie made about thirty scicn-
tItIc communications to different socie
ties, principally on chemistry, mineralo-
fBh was~ founded on these branches.
though, from his writings, he appears 10
have studied and reflected upon almost
every department of knowledge. He
was Of sensitive, retiring disposition
passed most of his life on tie Continent
was never married appeared ambitious
OF making a name for himself either by
his own researches or by founding an in
stitutlon-dcclareSin in writing that though
tie best blood Of England flows in his
veins, this ayailS him not, for his name
would lie in the memory of men when the
titles Of the Northrum bcYlandS and the
PcrcieS are extinct or forgotten. He was
a c0smOpollte in his views, and declares
that the man OF science has no cojtntrv-
the world is his country, and all men his
cOuntrymcn. He purp0Scd at one time
to leave his money to the Royal Society
of London for the promotion of science.
but on account of a misunderstanding
with the council of the Society, he changed
his mind, and left it to his nephew: and.
iii case Of the death of this relative, to
the United States of America To found the
Smithsonian Institution.
In arTwcr to the second question, the
lecturer stated that the whole amount OF
money brought TO this country by the
Hon. Mr.. Rush, who was appointed to
prosecute the claim before the English
Court of Chancery, was S5I5, 100, and
beside this, $50 600 was left in England.
as the principal of an annuity given to
the mother Of the nephew of SmithSon--
that this sum would also come to the
Institution at the death Of this person
1t may be stated III this place (Sald the
lecturer) that the principal remains per
petually in the Treasury of the United
States, and that nothing but the intcrcsr
can be expended, and that besides tn,
original sum, and after all that has beer
devoted to the building, the grounds, an,
all other operations, there were on hand.
at the date of the last report, S2US 600 o
accumulated interest. OF this sum.
S5S, 900 were to be appropriated to fur.
nishing the building, and the remainder
to be added to the principal. The funds
had therefore been carefully husbanded.
The bequest, in the language of the
testator, was to found, at Washington
an establishment under the name of the
Smithsonian Institution, for the increase
and diffusion of knowledge among men.
According to this, the Government Of the
United States is merely a trustee. The
bequest is for the benefit of mankind, anC
any plan which would not recognize this
provision of the will, would be illibera
and unjust. The Institution must beal
and perpetuate the name of its founder
and hence its operations ought to be KEEP
distinct from those of the Government
and all the good which results from tn,
expenditure1of the fund, should be ac
credited to the name of SmthSon. tn,
object Of the bequest is twofold: first, t
increase; and, second, to diffuse know
ledge among men. These two objects
are entirely distinct, and ought not to b'
confounded with one another The frs
to enlarge the existing stock Of knowledge
by the addition ofnew truth, and the Secon,
to disseminate knowledge thus enlarge,
among men. The distinction is generally
recognised by men ofscience, andin Europ
different classes of scientific and other soci
eties are founded upon it. Again: the will
makes no norestriction in favor of any partic
ular kind Of knowledge, and hence al
branches are entitled to areofattention
The question then occurs, by what plal
can these seyeralrequisitions of the will b
fulfilled! There are two-frst: numbe
of men may be appointed by the Institu
ton to make researches in the ditferen
branches of science and accounts of thel
discoveries be sent to all parts ofthe world
but this plan is not compatible with tn
hmited income of the Institution ant