14 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



and other sciontilu- and literary materials have been distributed to 

 every rejiion of the earth, it has acquired a reputation at least as far- 

 reaching as that of any other institution of learning in the world. 



It is therefore representative of what is deemed in other lands the 

 chief glory of this nation, for whatever may be thought in other coun- 

 tries of American art and literature, or of American institutions 

 generally, the science of America is everywhere accepted as sound, 

 vigorous, and progressive. 



In the scientific journals of Great Britain and other European coun- 

 tries the reader tinds most appreciative reviews of the scientific publi- 

 cations of the Smithsonian, the Museum, the Bureau Of Ethnology, the 

 Cleological Survey, the Dei^artmeiit of Agriculture, and the Fish Com- 

 mission, and they are (constantly holding up the Government of the 

 United States as an example of what governments should do for the 

 support of their scientific institutions. 



It is surely a legitimate source of pride to Americans that their work 

 in science should be so thoroughly appreciated by other nations, and it 

 is important that the reputation should be maintained. Nothing can 

 be more in consonance with the spirit of our Government, or more in 

 accord with the injunction of Washington in his Farewell Address, 

 admiringly quoted by Sir Lyon Playfair in his address as president of 

 I he Uritish Association for the Advancement of Science: 



Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the 

 (jeneral diffusion of Imoicledge. 



In 'proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public 

 opinion, it should be enlightened. 



No one has yet explained, except by conjecture, why James Smithson 

 selected the United States as the seat of his foundation. He had no 

 acquaintances in America, nor does he appear to have had any books 

 relating to Anierica, except two. Khees quotes from one of these 

 ("Travels through North America," by Isaac Weld, secretary of the 

 Royal Society) a paragraph concerning Washington, then a small town 

 of 5,00(1 inhabitants, in which it is predicted that " the Federal city, as 

 soon as luivigation is perfected, will increase most rapidly," and that, 

 at a future day, if the afltairs of the United States go on as prosper- 

 ously as they have done, it will become the grand emporium of the 

 West and rival in magnitude and splendor the cities of the Old World. 



inspired by a belief in the future greatness of the new nation, 

 realizing that while the needs of England were well met by existing 

 organizations, such as would not be likely to spring up for many years 

 in a new, poor, and growing country, he founded in the new England 

 an institution of learning, the civilizing power of which has been of 

 n.calcula])le value. Who can attempt to say what the condition of the 

 I nited States would have been to-day without this bequest? 



Well did President .John Quincy Adams say: 



Of all the foundations of establishments for pious or charitable uses 



