186 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



think it no more than just to express their satisfaction, that the control 

 of the infant establishment has been placed in the hands of a Board 

 of Regents of the highest intelligence, respectability, and weight of 

 character ; and in the wise selection made of the officers, on whom 

 the active executive duties of the institution will devolve, the com- 

 mittee perceive a satisfactory pledge, as far as they are concerned. 



" Professor Henry's Programme commences with ' general con- 

 siderations, which should serve as a guide in adopting the plan of 

 organization.' He points out the nature of the bequest, as made to 

 the United States for the purpose of founding at Washington, under 

 the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the in- 

 crease and diffiasion of knowledge among men. The bequest is, ac- 

 cordingly, for the benefit of mankind. The government of the United 

 States is but a trustee to carry out this noble design. Even the people 

 of the United States are interested only so far as they constitute one 

 of the great families of the human race. 



" The objects of the Institution are twofold ; 1st, the increase, and 

 2d, the diffusion, of knowledge, — objects which, although frequently 

 in a vague way confounded with each other (inasmuch as it often 

 happens that knowledge is diffused by the same acts which increase 

 it), are nevertheless logically distinct, and require to be separately 

 regarded. No particular kind of knowledge is specified by the founder 

 as entitled to the preference ; all branches are entitled to a share of 

 attention ; and the order and degree in which they are cultivated must 

 be decided by a wise regard to means and circumstances. Knowledge 

 may be increased by various modes of encouraging and facilitating the 

 discovery of new truths ; it is diffused chiefly, though not exclusive- 

 ly, through the instrumentality of the press. The organization should 

 be such as to produce results not within the province of the existing 

 institutions of the country. It was, for instance, evidently not the 

 design of the liberal founder to establish a collegiate institution, or a 

 place of education ; nor would it be wise to appropriate his bequest 

 for such an object, already sufficiently attained by the ordinary re- 

 sources of public and private liberality. Considering the novelty of 

 the undertaking, it would be manifestly unwise to stake too much on 

 the success of the first efforts. The organization should be such as to 

 admit of changes and modifications under the light of experience. As 

 several years have elapsed since the fund came into the possession of 

 the United States, it seems no more than equitable that a considerable 



