The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-17


auspices done the highest honor 10 American science
aud considered most valuable contributions TO the stock
among the creditabIe publications Of the and
highly interesting Of the progress OF science and
very great among the avans Of the old World They
we're shown wherever went, and the Communications
excellence OF these works both in matter and form,
deeply gratifying TO The last time had an opportunity
Of seeing them in the University Library az Athens
The librarian pointed them out 70 me- and expressed he
greatest anxiety TO complete the set or two volumes OF
which wanting. ] have memorandum somewhere
which will forward to YOU
promised gentleman with whom became acquainted
my voyage England, that would write to inquire
whether II possible to purchase an entire set He was de-
rous OF adding them TO his library VIII obge me by
0'''s fNN''''' O. G. FELTON,
Professor Agassiz-well known to the literary and SCI
enfc wordhas recently written letter upon this sub
jeet in which he says
Every scientific in the country has been watching
with intense interest the proceedings Of the Smithsonian In
sution since its foundation, satisfied all must be,
that upon its prosperity the progress OF science IN America
depends IN a very great
1.-THE controversies which have lately carried
speeding the Of the Institution have increased
the soctude of it's friends, with regard to its future pros
pec degree which hardly be realized by those who
Immediately connected with the great Of sci
The science may in their views about
the best of advancing science, according to the pro
they have themselves made its prosecution but there
is standard Of appreciation which cannot fail to guide
rightly those who would form candid opinion about it'll
the life OF those who have most extensively contributed
in enargng the boundaries Of knowledge. There two
individuals who may without qualification be considered
the most prominent scientific of the nineteenth century
Cuver aud Humboldt. BY what have they given
such powerful impulse to science How have they sue
ceedcd not only in increasing the amount OF knowledge
of their age, but also in founding branches Of sci
ence 1t by their publications and by aiding in the
publications Of others by making large collections of spec
and other scientific apparatus, and by the
emulation of large libraries Humboldt never owned
book not copy Of his rorks, know from his
lips. He was too poor, he said to me, to
copy of them, and all the works he receives constantly
from his scientific friends and admirers distributed by
living the continent Of Europe who not indebted to
him for recommendation in the proper quarters for
ssance in the publication of their works. MENTION
particularly these details about Humboldt because he is
happily still among the living and his testimony may be ask
ed in matter of such deep Importance to the real
Of science But the same equally true Of tn part Cuver
constantly turned towards increasing the collections of the
Jdin DIES Ptahes and supporting the publication Of original
researches giving himself the example untiring
activity in publishing his In this connection ought
not to omit mentioning circumstance to which the United
States the legacy of Smhson, which happen accident
ally know and which much to the point in reference to
the controversy concerning the Of the smithso
had left his to the Royal Society of London when
certain scientific papers were offered to that learned body for
shed transactions they refused upon which
he changed his WILL and made his bequest the United
States 1t would be easy to collect London
information upon this occurrence and should appear desi
rab think can put the committee in the way of learning
" what were respecting the best
Of promoting science than this fact
q will deny the great Importance of libraries and
no one has keeny the of scien
ic library than have since have been in the United
value to who really endowed by with the
power Of making original researches and thus increasing
cheney Of Libraries is nowhere deeply felt in America,
application of the funds of the Smithsonian Institution
to the formation library beyond The requirements Of The
daily progress Of would only be- in my humble opn
perversion of the real object of the trust nasmuch
would tend to facilities only to the compare
lively small number students who may have the
and the to visit Washington whenever they need
consult library Such application OF the funds would
indie of
great object which declared by its founder to be to in
Crease and diuse knowledge among men, the full
Moreover American students have just claim upon their
books sanford Affords '''' '''' l'''''' - ~
off am allowed to state in conclusion my personal i'm
preston respecting management of the Institution thus
active operations adopted by the Regents which has led to
the publication equal scientific value,
any productions of the kind issued by learned ocie
ties anywhere. The distribution Of the Smithsonian oonti
knowledge already carried the of the In
stituon to all parts the civilized world and conveyed
with them such evidence OF the intellectual activity OF Amer
could hardly be obtained BY applying large part the
sources of the Institution to other purposes"
Mr. Chairman with the following letter from Professor
BENJAMIN Perce shall yield the floor satisfied to submit
the question: whether the Smithsonian Institution is being
properly managed to the Judgment of Congress aud the
scientific world;
all men, none be sensible of the value Of the
great houses of the wisdom past than they who
obliged them in the development of their
researches The knowledge which has already been given to
the world which is accumulated in the library, stimn
ates and nvgoate the mind for original thought and sup
plies important materials for investigation II is to the
thor what the collection of models in the Patent Office is to
the but nevertheless the increase of knowledge
depends chiefly upon the native vgor Of intellect and its diff
fusion is performed BY the press To the strong mind the
collections of the Vatican golden opportunity richer
than the of California but richer than
the hills streams which abound within every mans sight
not than beneath feet which is writ
ten the history the world than the leaf of the forest
which inscribed the thought of its Creators than the
cloud in the ghtnngs of which the laws and the glory OF
God distinctly revealed the faithful OF the present
generation they upon Mount Sinai.
The valuable contributions knowledge which have al
ready made by the Smithsonian Institution living
proof that vast libraries to the development
of thoughts II will these memoirs with
scientific productions OF the period Europe,
may Them perchance inferior in eruditon, but not in
profoundness and originality OF thought Do believe
that Smhson who himself engaged in chemical nyesti
cations could have intended library by his words, in
tution for the increase and diffusion Of knowledge
II will examine his to the Roy al So
cety OF which he active member, and his eighteen
other contributions TO science will not find of them
natural growth of deeply thinking mind Smhson was
emphaticay maker and not collector OF books and in
scientific circle which he belonged, the ordinary
language would have totally precluded the Interpretation
which of quite different cast of mind have pre-
sumed impose upon his words Expand his argeness of
expression extent include in il all that gener
like his would desire il embrace but let it
cramped and twisted out of shape and forced from
gRa design that il shall wholly fail 70 accomplish the
object Of the muniicent tesator.
Most earnestly then the science and espec
ally of American science, do protest against such gross
perversion of this important vou sir that
the great body Of scientific throughout the country
approve Professor Henrys plan conducting the
Smithsonian Institution and regard faithful exponent
of the almost undivided opinion of scientific and learned
to of and of