8 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [March 



Natural Science, is specially fitted to take a practical view of the 

 scientific part of the Library, and to be of service in the organi- 

 zation of a Museum should this be undertaken. 



Such endowments as this of Mr. Peaboly give to the United 

 States an enviable eminence among the nations of the earth, in 

 the promotion of popular culture and scientific progress. They 

 constitute an unniistakeable evidence of the wisdom of the early 

 A.merican colonists in making provision for the general diffusion of 

 education, and they show that in the future this great country is 

 destined to be unrivalled in its means, whether in books, appara- 

 tus, collections, or teachers, for the development of the greatest of 

 all the resources of nations — mind. Already it is outbidding 

 the old world in the market of teaching labour, and of rare and 

 costly specimens and books ; and the growth, side by side, of its 

 wealth and culture, must accelerate this more and more. 



More fortunate than the belligerent Southerners, I found means 

 to extend my peaceful raid into the heart of Washington itself; 

 which, in a scientific sense, is the Smithsonian Institution, and in 

 that of hospitality and kindly greeting, nowhere warmer than in 

 Prof. Henry and his ftimily. Washington seems to have gi-own 

 and thriven on the war, but still presents the old contrast of mas- 

 sive and impressive public buildings with comparatively plain and 

 even mean private residences, a point in which it difi'ers from all 

 the other great cities of America : but the reason readily appears 

 from a consideration of its political circumstances. The Smith- 

 sonian Institution is cosmopolitan in its aims — its object being 

 "the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." This 

 object, as wisely interpreted by Prof Henry, is not to promote local 

 ends, but those in which the world is interested ; not to do that 

 which any one can profitably do, but that which, while important in 

 itself, cannot be done by other means. Thus peculiar in its aims, 

 the Institution has to forego many tempting roads to popularity, yet 

 like other good things it seems to be popular in spite of itself. 

 Practically, as the great current of science on this continent neces- 

 sarily runs much in the channel of discovery in Greologj' and Natural 

 History, the work of the Institution lies much in this direction, 

 and no institute in America has rendered more important aids to 

 the prosecution of Natural Science. Its collections, under the 

 skilful superintendence of Prof. Baird, are a marvel of system and 

 careful arrangement ; and are open to the inspection and study 

 of naturalists from any part of the world ; who are in some cases 



