THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 93 



lections, by donations, exchanges, and the receipt of specimens from 

 special explorations aided by the Institution, that very small, if any, 

 annual appropriations are required for it. But the expense of the care 

 and exhibition of an increasing collection swells from year to year, 

 while the Smithsonian funds are not so increased. The great object of 

 the museum should be to furnish to men of science, eminent in their 

 several departments, the means of advancing knowledge in these de- 

 partments, by submitting specimens of new objects to their examination. 

 If the expenditure could be borne, it would scarcely be desuable to in- 

 crease the number of officers connected vyith the museum, so that the 

 various branches of natural history might be fully represented, but con- 

 sidering the limited funds of the Smitljsonian Institution, such an idea 

 is not to be entertained. 



On the contrar}^, the collections made should, in general, at all events, 

 be referred tor examination and description to the men most eminent in 

 the country, and the results should be published in a manner worthy 

 of their labors, by the Institution. 



A larger but still a moderate appropriation for the library, varying 

 as circumstances may require, should be annually made. It may be 

 desirable, occasionally, to make larger investments in books, as when a 

 library of special value and peculiar suitableness may be in the market, 

 and within th'^ means of the Institution. But this should be left to the 

 discretion and sound judgment of the Regents at the time. 



It is not believed to be advisable to accumulate in the Smithsonian 

 Institution great masses of books, without reference to their peculiar 

 character and value. What we want, and what the act of Congress 

 contemplates, is not a collection of every thing which learned dulness 

 and literary fijlly as well as real wisdom and sound science have put 

 into print, a vast and unwieldly repertory, in whicli the trash as well 

 as the precious may be found, but a library of valuable books pertain- 

 ing to all departments of human knowledge. The exchanges will gra- 

 dually furnish us with much that answers to this description, and mod- 

 erate appropriations will supply, quite as rapidly as necessary, whatever 

 besides may bo requisite to constitute a valuable library of research in 

 all departments of human knowledge. The library now consists of 

 12,005 volumes, besides 8,095 pamphlets and parts of volumes, and 

 1,874 map*, and 1,431 engravings. 



In his report, to the Secretary, of January, 1853, Professor Jewett 

 stated that the library had nearly doubled in size during the year 1852, 

 and that its greatest increase had been by exchanges. He said " they 

 may be cc^nsidered as the first fjuits of a system of scientific and lite- 

 rary exchange, established and sustained by the Institution. They 

 show, also, that the benefits derivable fiom its connexion with the 

 system of active operations had not been over estimated. 



"A considerable portion of the money expended in ]:)ublications re- 

 turns in th(> shape of books for the library. These again are constantly 

 increasing the efficiency and interest of the publications. The value 

 of the books received, by exchange, cannot be estimated by their num- 

 ber, or even their nominal price. 



" They are works of the first importance to the scientific student, 



