8 PROGRAMME OF OUGANIZATION. 



and of tlic support of the establislimeut necessarily eounected with it. 

 There should also be but few individuals permanently supported by the 

 Institution. 



12. The plan and dimensions of the building should be determined by 

 the plan of the organization, and not the converse. 



13. It should be recollected that mankind in general are to be bene- 

 fited by the bequest, and that, therefore, all unnecessary expenditure 

 on local objects would be a i^erversion of the trust. 



14. Besides the foregoing considerations, deduced immediately from 

 the will of Smithson, regard must be had to certain requirements of the 

 act of Congress establishiug the Institution. These are, a library, a 

 museum, and a gallery of art, with a building on a liberal scale to con- 

 tain them. 



SECTION I. 



Plan of organization of the Institution in accordance icitli the foregoing 

 deductions from the ivill of Smithson. 



To INCREASE KNOWLEDGE. It IS propOSed — 



1. To stimulate men of talent to make original researches, by offering 

 suitable rewards for memoirs containing new truths ; and, 



2. To appropriate annually a portion of the income for particular re- 

 searches, under the direction of suitable persons. 



To DIFFUSE KNOWLEDGE. It is propOSCd — 



1. To publish a series of periodical rei^orts on the progress of the dif- 

 ferent branches of knowledge; and, 



2. To publish occasionally separate treatises on subjects of general 

 interest. 



DETAILS OF THE PLAN TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE. 

 I. JBy stimulating researches. 



1. Facilities afforded for the production of original memoirs on all 

 branches of knowledge. 



2. The memoirs thus obtained to be published in a series of volumes, 

 in a quarto form, and entitled Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge. 



3. No memoir on subjects of physical science to be accepted for pub- 

 lication which does not furnish a i^ositive addition to human knowledge, 

 resting on original research ; and all unverified speculations to be re- 

 jected. 



4. Each memoir presented to the Institution to be submitted for 

 examination to a commission of persons of reputation for learning in the 

 branch to which the memoir pertains ; and to be accepted for publica- 

 tion only in case the report of this commission is favorable. 



5. The commission to be chosen by the officers of the Institution, and 

 the name of the author, as far as practicable, concealed, unless a favor- 

 able decision is made. 



6. The volumes of the memoirs to be exchanged for the transactions 

 of literary and scientific societies, and copies to be given to all the col- 

 leges and principal libraries in this country. One part of the remain- 

 ing copies may be offered for sale, and the other carefully preserved, 

 to form complete sets of the work, to supply the demand from new insti- 

 tutions. 



7. An abstract, or popular account, of the contents of these memoirs 



