THE GENESIS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



By Georgk Brown Goodk, 

 Assistant Secretary, Smithsonian Institution, in charge of the U. S. National 



Museum. 



When, in 1826, James Smithson bequeathed his estate to the United 

 States of America "to found at Washington, under the name of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, an estabhshment for the increase and diffusion 

 of knowledge among men," he placed at the disposal of our nation two 

 valuable collections — one of books and one of minerals. 



In the schedule of Smithson 's personal effects, as brought to America 

 in 1838, occurs the following entry : 



Two large boxes filled with specimens of minerals and manuscript treatises, 

 apparently in the testator's handwriting, on varioiis philosophical subjects, particu- 

 larly chemistry and mineralogy. Eight cases and one trunk filled with the like. 



This collection and the books and pamphlets mentioned in the same 

 schedule formed the beginnings, respectively, of the Smithsonian library 

 and the Smithsonian museum. The minerals constituted, so far as the 

 writer has been able to learn, the first scientific cabinet owned by the 

 Government of the United States. Their destruction in the Smithsonian 

 fire of 1865 was a serious loss. Our only knowledge of their character 

 is derived from the report of a committee of the National Institution, 

 which in 1841 reported upon it as follows : ' 



Among the effects of the late Mr. Smithson, is a Cabinet which, so far as it has 

 been examined, proves to consist of a choice and beautiful collection of Minerals, 

 comprising, probably, eight or ten thousand specimens. The specimens, though 

 generally small, are extremely perfect, and constitute a very complete Geological 

 and Mineralogical series • embracing the finest varieties of crystallization ; rendered 

 more valuable by accompanying figures and descriptions by Mr. Smithson, and in 



'Proceedings of the National Institution, July, 1841, 2d Bull., p. 95. Francis 

 Markoe, jr., secretary of the National Institution, in a letter written to the Amer- 

 ican Philosophical Society in 1841, described as a part of this cabinet "a superb 

 collection, and very large, of precious stones and exquisite crystallized minerals 

 . . . decidedly the richest and rarest collection in the country." 



For a catalogue in general terms see Alfred Hunter, Popular Catalogue of the 

 Extraordinary Curiosities in the National Institute, etc., published in 1855, and 

 William J. Rhees, Account of the Smithsonian Institution, etc., 1859. 



85 



