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valuable library. Liberal donations of objects of interest in great variety, 

 illustrating many of the most important departments of science, flowed 

 in from private citizens and corporations, both at home and abroad, 

 with such generous profusion, that its Museum began to be one of the 

 most attractive features of our city. After a few years of such encourag- 

 ing prosperity, the building in which the Library and Museum of the 

 Academy were contained, on Myrtle street, near Seventh, was unfortu- 

 nately destroyed by fire, and these valuable collections perished in the 

 flames.* This misfortune coupled with the knowledge that the loss was 

 not even covered by any cash value of insurance, together with the fact 

 that the still more sad and desolating calamity of civil war had just swept 

 through the land, cast such discouragement upon its members, that for 

 several years little effort was made to restore its prosperity. The rapid 

 increase of membership and the lively interest which have recently marked 

 the history of the Academy give, however, good reason for its friends to 

 hope that it will soon rank among the most useful, attractive and credi- 

 table institutions in the country. 



Your Constitution declares that the Academy shall embrace the depart- 

 ments of Zoology, Botany, Geology, Mineralogy, Palaeontology, Ento- 

 mology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Meteorology, Comparative 

 Anatomy, and Physiology. By the liberal provisions of your Charter, 

 the scope of your investigations may be extended to such other branches 

 of science as the members controlling the Institution may deem proper. 



It will be seen, therefore, that the fields from whence are to be culled the 

 treasures with which your records and museum are to be enriched, may 

 really embrace the entire universe. 



The majority of mankind, even of those possessing more than mediocrity 

 of intellect, are so constantly occupied with the daily industrial and com- 

 mercial pursuits of life, that they know but little of what Science is accom- 

 plishing at the present day. They are still less aware of the great aggre- 

 gate of patient labor that has been performed by those who have chiefly 

 contributed to her advancement; and, I regret to add, that they have but 

 a faint idea of the immense benefits that flow to the human race as a result 

 of scientific investigation and discovery. 



Could a correct appreciation of the great mental improvement and 

 physical amelioration that have come to man through the aid of Science 

 be but once established in the popular mind, your Academy would not 

 lack public encouragement; it would be promptly and liberally endowed 

 by the State of Missouri herself ; the greatest interest in its success would 

 be felt by our people at home, for it would be recognized as one of the 

 most certain means of elevating and improving the condition of the human 

 race. No institution in Missouri more richly deserves the patronage of 

 the State, because no other one can be made more capable of increasing 

 the intelligence of the people, and of directing them how to reap the 

 largest degree of benefit from the immense fields of wealth so profusely 

 spread out around them. 



*The entire Library and a small portion of the Cabinet only were saved. 



