154 BIOGEAPHICAL MEMOIR OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



Smitbsou had bequeathed his fortune to the Eoyal Society of London, 

 an institution expressly for the furtherance of scientific research ; and 

 that he changed, as we may say, the trusteeshij) for a purely personal 

 reason. Henry took his stand on the broad and simple terms of the 

 bequest, "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." 



And he never — 



NarroAYod liis miud, 

 And to locality gave what was meant for mankind. 



He proposed only one restriction, of obvious wisdom and necessity, 

 that, in view of the limited means of the Institution, it ought not to un- 

 dertake anything which could be done, and well done, by other exist- 

 ing instrumentalities. So, as occasion arose, he lightened its load and 

 saved its energies by giving over to other agencies some of its cherished 

 work — meteorology, for instance, in which a most popular bureau now 

 usefully expends many times more than the whole Smithsonian income. 



He has in these last years signified his desire to go still further in 

 this direction, and to have the Institution relieved from the charge 

 of the ISTational Museum, now of imperial dimensions and importance. 

 His reasons were summed up in few words in his last report, along with 

 his synopsis of the appropriate functions of the Institution, which he 

 prays may not be merged in or overshadowed by any establishment of 

 the Governmeiit, but may stand "free to the unobstructed observation 

 of the whole world, keeping in perpetual remembrance the will of its 

 founder." Its true functions he declares are: 



" First. To enlarge the bounds of human thought by assisting men of 

 science to make original investigations in all branches of knowledge ; to 

 publish these, and to present copies to all the i^rincipal libraries of the 

 world. Second. To institute investigations in various branches of 

 science, and explorations for the collection of specimens in natural his- 

 tory and ethnology, to be distributed to nuisenms and other establish- 

 ments. Third. To diffuse knowledge by carrying on an extended inter- 

 national series of exchanges by which the accounts of all the original 

 researches in science, the educational progress, and the general advance 

 of civilization in the Kew World are exchanged for similar works of the 

 Old World." 



The plan which our late Secretary originated lias commended itself to 

 the judgment of successive Boards of Eegents, and, we may be permit- 

 ted to add, is now approved wherever it is known and understood. 



Professor Henry took his full share of the various honorable duties 

 to which such men are called. He was in his turn President of the 

 American Association for the Advancement of Science, in the year 1849 j 



