The times., 1897-12-24
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

Through the courtesv of MF. :. +. Lang
ley. secretury OF the Smithsonian Institu-
tiou, we have received a splendid volume.
Handsomely Illustrated and worthy Illus
tratlon OF the printers ART II is entitled
THE Smithsonian Institution. 5f6l $50,
The Histur s. or its First Half Century: edited
by Gc,uee Brown Goude. City of Wash
ington. 1851" 1t is a noble work relating
to the history ard achievements Of an
endowment VIM, IN hasionr more t. advance
American scientific attainmeE. and, i'll
its Influence, To forward the development
of American resources and opportunities,
than an y other single force in our national
HE during the years OF its activity
The work under REVIEW is monument To-
the memory o! its distinguished editor, Dr.
G oode who, to tue grief of thu scientific
circles of America and Europe, passed TO
Ills reward some time acu in the prime
of Hfe.s and When those who admi,ed ant
loved him believed that Vet ne had many
years before him III which To complete
the pLtnotir and seif-abneg 4ting career.
which MS hcnoTable To hiII ard emineu,Iy
useful 10 his country.
The book tcgins, appropriately, with
a life sketch Of James Smithson, foundGi
of the Institution. The circumstances
of the birth of this man, whose memory
should be rcvered by all Americans, are
detailed. That they involved a lifelong
sadness IL him ana clouded tie satisfaction
which otherwise, must have been derived
from the exercise Of such clear and IL
Illuminated intellect, is plain. We shall
not review the evidences presented, which
are highly Interesting. but merely quote
the genesis of James .SmithSun as stated
by himself in his VIII iii which he describes
himself as ''son to Hugh. first duke of
Northumher riand and Elizabeth, hei'ess
Of the HuHgerfurds Of Stutlley, and nieaa
to Charles. the proud Duke of Somerset.
Smithson was an oxford man uf credit
and reno in lis college lays, and, iur-
ing his residence at Pembroke, gave evi
denCe of high ability in the departm ents
of chemistry and geology. Artrrward, he
became distinguished as traveller investi
gator, and writer in connection with these
sciences. He suffered the pains OF poor
health resided mostly on the continent.
Born in 1855, he died at Genos, Italy, on
June 27. 1929. On the 26th day OF DC
tobeT. 1925, he made will. providing
that in case his nephew aud heir, who was
to enjoy life tenancy OF the estate, should
lie vii hout issue, the whole property
should be devised Ito the United states
of America. to found at Washington. Indef
the name of the Smithsonian Institution
an establishment for the increase and |
of knowledge among men,
Once, in a letter, James Smithson wrote:
MY name shaI live in the memory of
man WREN the titles of the Mort humber
lands and the rercys are extinct and for
gotten Surely, he builded with wisdom
in promotion of this aspiration when he |
made tie bequest, which, when accepted |
by the United states Government, formeil |
the initial step in the creation Of an i'll |
stitution whose position has been nj. |
together exceptional" The will and wishes
Of the benefactor ''have been carried out |
by those Immediately administering them |
with constant ScrupuIous thought of t he !
intent Of tie founder and the activities |
IF the Institution have been divided into |
Two great distinct. but parallel pat ms, the |
increase ana diffusion of knowledge |
DR.. Goode wrote; what has been done |
n these two paths, the reader may partly |
gather from this yolume-in the former,
from the various articles, by contem-
porary mcI. of science, describing its |
activities in research and original con
lributtnns to the Increase of human knowi- |
edge; iii the latter, in numerous ways
among other;, from the description of the |
work of one of its bureaus, that OF the /
Exe'Ia nges where it may 5e /
more Immediately seen how universal IS /
the scope of the action Of the institu-
ton which, III accordance with its motto
Per Orhem. is not limited TO the country
1f it's adoption, but belongs to the world. |
there being outside Of the United States, at |
the time 1 write, more than 1900 CORE
spondents, scattered through every portiJn |
IF the globe
After many differences of opinion as to |
iow the Smitosonian bequest should be ad-
nnistered in the TwcD ty-ninth Congress
1S45-1Sf7), bill Incorporating the |
institution. praCticaliyin its Iresent form, |
vas passed under the leadership of the |
distinguished radical thinker, Robert Dale |
Owen OF Indiana: but much of the credit |
Of our national acceptance of TIE bencfice |
is due to John Quincy Adams. then
Member OF the House.
The volume is enriched with a mass of |
matter interesting to students Of merica 1 |
history and science. Biographical notes |
of the various regents are given, including |
,uchnames as Louis A gassiZ. William Black I
house Aston fson of the first John Jacob |
Astor) Chester Alan Arthur, Alexander |
Dallas Bache. George Bancroft. John {. |
Lewis Cass. Salmon 2 Chase, |
Rufus Choate, DR.. James d. Dana, George NJ |
Dallas. jefferson Davis. Stephen A Douglas,