THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 229 



United Stales where such means will have a tendency to affect more 

 minds and do more good than in the city of Washington. Persons 

 from all parts of the country assemble here during the sessions of Con- 

 gress. It was supposed, at first, that the interest in these lectures 

 would soon die away ; but the experience of three years has indicated 

 no tendency of this kind. This is in part owing to the constant influx 

 of strangers and change of inhabitants. Besides this, there is in this 

 city, in proportion to the whole number of inhabitants, a large number 

 of intelligent persons, with moderate salaries, who gladly avail them- 

 selves of the means of improvement offered by the gratuitous lectures 

 of the Institution. 



As an evidence of the high appreciation of the advantages which 

 these lectures afford the citizens of Washington, I may mention that 

 the corporation of the city has ordered, since the last meeting of the 

 board, a bridge to be constructed over the canal at Tenth street, for 

 the special accommodation of those who attend the evening instruction 

 given at the Institution. This bridge, with a well-drained and well- 

 lighted paih across the public grounds, will afford a direct and comfort- 

 able approach to the building from a central point on Pennsylvania 

 avenue. 



In my last Report I mentioned the fact that much complaint had been 

 made through the public papers on account of the size of the lecture- 

 room. It was the original intention of the Regents to construct a lec- 

 ture-room in the main building, though, according to the plan proposed, 

 the number of persons it would hold would scarcely have been greater 

 than that now accommodated. This plan, however, was thought to 

 be unsafe, because it was not proposed to make the interior fire-proof ; 

 but since an opposite course has been resolved upon, a large lecture- 

 room may with safety be constructed in the main building, and the 

 present lecture-room, having temporarily served the purpose, may be 

 applied to other uses. 



The proper construction of a lecture-room is, however, a problem of 

 great difficulty, which in the present instance will be much enhanced 

 by the form and pecuharities of the building. It must be well adapted 

 to sight, to sound, to ventilation, and warming. A room might be con- 

 structed which would seat five thousand persons ; but we know of none 

 such, i-n every part of which an ordinary speaker can be distinctl}^ 

 heard. Too much must, therefore, not be expected with reference to 

 the nev/ lecture-room, though every endeavor will be made to render 

 it as perfect as the conditions to which it is unavoidably subjected will 

 allow. 



The selection of the lecturers, and the arrangement of the courses, 

 have been found, in some cases, an unpleasant and perplexing dut3^ 

 The gentlemen invited, as a general rule, have been men of high stand- 

 ing, and have been chosen on account of their reputation and moral 

 worth, rather than with reference to their proficiency in the art of rhe- 

 toric. It is not the aim of the Institution in these lectures merely to 

 please the ear, but to impart important truths which may be valued 

 for their own sake. 



Many applications have been made for the use of the lecture-room 

 of the Institution for pay lectures and exhibitions of a private character ; 



