The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1873-04-23

bic from the sales of land belonging TO
the Commonwealth, in the Back Bay.
The sum Of S7l.ls5 was also raised by
private subscription among the citizens
Of Boston. g for the purpose Of erecting
freproof building in Cambridge suitable
to receive, TO protect, and to exhibit ad-
vantageously and freely to all corners,
the collection Of objects IN natural sci
ence brought together by Prot. Louis
Agassir. with s1ch additions as may here
after Be made to it.
The PRESENT BUILDING.
In June. 1859. Harvard College decided
to the Museum piece of land about FIVE
acres in extent. as the site of the future
building. From time to time Prof Agas-
SIX has been in the habit of discussing
with Henry Greenough, Of Cambridge,
the plan and requirements for his ideal
structure: and now that the land was
secured. Greenough and George Smell,
Boston architect, volunteered their serv-
ices to prepare plans and estimates for its
erection. When eompleted-but that was
3 SPACIOUS dream of the future-the Mu-
scum was to consist of main building
ss4 feet in length by 60 in width. with
two wings 9o5 feet in length BY 81 feet
in width: but as the present object was
to meet the immediate requirements Of
the collection. ii was decided thst the first
portion built should be only two-Gfths of
the north wing. The cornerstone was
laid with appropriate ceremonies on the
4th Of June. 1859 In October of the
same year. the Professor presented to the
/ Trustees the valuable collections he had
made since 1852, and in December the
building was so far advanced that he be
can to remove into it his treasures In
Nav, 1850, on its completion, it was found
to be 50 well fitted for the purpose intend
ed. that Professor Agassiz, fresh from an
examination of the principal museums of
Europe, declared that, so far as it went,
/ he would not alter It in any respect, if he
could do so by wish. The reports of
the next two years contain little beyond
accounts of additions to the collections.
In 1852. the Legislature of Massachusetts
granted $4,000 for the publication of an
Illustrated catalogue of the Museum. The
famous Thayer Expedition to Brazil sig
nalized the years 1865 and 1866, and add
ed an incaleulable wealth of new specimens
to the collection. This increase, and the
development of that system of instruction
which Is one of the most valuable features
of the institution, caused the want of
space, and also of an inadequate income,
I to be more and more sensibly felt.
In 1867 Professor Agassiz complained
in his report, that the General usefulness
of the Museum was crippled by the limit
I ed room allotted to the public exhibition
of specimens. He explained that in order
to heighten the scientific importance of
the institution he had resisted the tempta-
ton of making it attractive to the many
BY the display of snowy specimens; but
he now thought it was time that some
thing should be done to crafty the public
curiosity and exhibit the wealth of the
collection TO those BY whose aid it has
been acquired Nothing of this desirable
result could be achieved until the north
wing should be fully completed In re-
Spouse to this appeal the Legislature, in
1865, voted 5000 a year, for three
years to the Museum, on condition that
a similar sum should be raised each year,
by subscription, among private individ-
uals willing to promote the cause of
science. Professor Agassiz expressed his
appreciation of the aid so generously
voted by the State in most eloquent re-
port must quote for you one brief pas
sage in which he set forth, with charac-
teristic enthusiasm, the religion of science !:
IF mistake not, the great object of
our museums should be exhibit the whole
animal kingdom as a manifestation of the
Supreme Intellect. Scientific investigation
in our day should be inspired by pur-
pose as animating to the general sympa-
thy as was the religious zeal which built
the Cathedral of Cologne or the Basilica
Of St. Peters The time is past when
men expressed their deepest convictions
by these wonderful and beautiful religious
edifces, but 1t is my hope to see, with the
progress Of intellectual culture, a strue-
ture arise among Us which may be a
temple of the revelations written in the
maternal universe. If this be so, our
buildings for such an object can never be
too comprehensive, for they are 10 en-
brace the infinite work Of Infinite Wisdom
They can never be too costly, so far as
cost secures permanence and solidity, for
they are to contain the most instructive
documents of Omnipotenee"
wAST OF ROOM FOR SUITABLE DISPLAY.
In the report for 1869 he celebrated the
completion of the museums first decade.
The building, which, at its erection ten
years before, he had thought would be