THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 159 



this, the rules of logic which are employed in discussing the questions 

 of ordinary life are not applicable to the precision of scientific inquiry. 

 The materials in this case, to borrow an expression of an author of 

 celebrity, " must be weighed in the scale of the assayer, and not, like 

 the mixed commodities of the market, on the weiglit-bridge of common 

 opinion and general usage." 



It has been objected to our publishing original memoirs, that in so 

 doing we are merely performing the duties of a learned society. The 

 answer is, that the learned societies in this country have not the 

 means, except in a very limited degree, of publishing memoirs which 

 require expensive illustrations, much less of assisting to defray the cost 

 of the investigations by which the results have been obtained. The 

 real workingmen in the line of original research hail this part of the 

 plan as a new era in the history of American science. The assistance 

 which the Institution will thus render to original research will occupy 

 the place of the governmental patronage of other countries, and will 

 enable true genius, wherever found, to place its productions betbre the 

 world free of cost, and in a manner most favorable for securing due 

 attention and proper appreciation. 



From our experience thus far, I am convinced that, circumscribed as is 

 the class of memoirs accepted by the Institution, we shall have no want 

 of materials to fill at least one quarto volume a 3^ear. There has been 

 in our country within the last few years a remarkable increase in the 

 attention given to original research, not only in material science, but 

 in every branch of knowledge susceptible of addition. And this is 

 evinced by the character and variety of the papers which have been 

 presented tor publication. The wide difference between the increase 

 of knowledge aird its diffusion, is beginning to be seen and appreciated, 

 and the time is not far distant when we shall be as distinguished for 

 our additions to science as for its diffusion and application. The re- 

 volutions of Europe are not only sending to our shores the choicest 

 specimens of art, but also men of reputation and sldll in scientific 

 investigation. Besides this, the present state of France is attended with 

 such an interruption of the ordinary means of scientific publication, 

 that the manuscript volumes on natural history of one of the most dis- 

 tinguished professors of the Jardin des Plantes are offered to us for 

 publication in the Smithsonian Contributions for no remuneration, save 

 a few copies for distribution among friends. Were the Institution fully 

 in operation I should not hesitate, in accordance with the liberality 

 which should characterize an estabhshment founded on the bequest of 

 a foreigner, to recommend the adoption of these memoirs for publica- 

 tion at the expense of the Institution, and perhaps we might now dis- 

 tribute them through several of our volumes and finish the publication 

 of them in the course of a few 3^ ears. 



Original researches. 



The second part of the plan consists in instituting original researches, 

 the results of which are to be published, with the other memoirs, in the 

 volumes of the Smithsonian Contributions. Under this head may be 

 first mentioned the publication of" the tables ordered at the last meeting 



