25 [ 1 ] 



BurlnGj the last year, the lihrary has continued to increase by donation, 

 by receipts under the copy-right hiw, by exchanges for the publications 

 of the Institution, and by purchase. It now numbers, in all, nearly ten 

 thousand separate articles, and bids fair, from the same sources, to become 

 a very valuable collection. 



Though one half of the annual interest is to be expended on the library 

 mid the museum, the portion of the income, which can be devoted to tho 

 former will, in my opinion, never be sufficient without extraneous aid, to 

 collect and support a miscellaneous library of the first class. Indeed, all 

 the income would scarcely suffice for this purpose. Still, by means of 

 exchanges, donations and purchases, a library of great value may be col- 

 lected and sustained, and this, with the constantly increasing library of 

 Congress, the libraries of the Departments, and that of Georgetown Col- 

 lege, will furnish a collection of books, not unworthy of the capital of 

 this nation. 



From the report of Professor .Jewett, it will be seen that a Gallery of 

 Art has been commenced, and that it is already in posession of a valuable 

 collection of engravings. 



In this connection, I may mention that at the List annual meeting of 

 the board, a letter was presented from the Hon. Abbott Lawrence, inform- 

 ing the Regents that a portrait of Smithson had been offered through him 

 for sale to the Institution. This portrait, which was in the possession of 

 the widow of John Fitall, a servant of Smithson, mentioned in his will, 

 was purchased for thirty guineas, and is now in the Gallery of Art. It 

 represents the founder of this Institution, in the costume of a student of 

 Oxford, and was })robably painted when he was not more than twenty 

 years of age. There is, also in possession of the Institution, a medal- 

 lion of Smithson, in copper, taken in after life. It is from this, that the 

 head on the title page of the Smithsonian ])ublications has been copied. 



LECTURES. 



During the jiast session of Congress, a series of popular lectures has 

 been given to the citizens of this place and strangers, in the lecture room 

 of the Smithsonian building. These lectures were delivered by gentle- 

 men distinguished for their standing, and for their attainments in litera- 

 ture and science, who were invited for this purpose. The interest in thesu 

 lectures has been sustained to a wonderful degree. They have been 

 ftttendcd from the first by large audiences, and the results thus far, indi- 

 cate that considerable good Uiay be derived from the diffusion of knowledge 

 in this way, in a central position like Washington, where persons from 

 every part of the Union are found. Although the lectures appear to 

 the public one of the most prominent objects of the Institution, and 

 although they are attended with much trouble and considerable exi)ense, 

 they really form the least important feature of the ])lan adopted. So 

 long however, as there is a ])rospect of (ioing good by means of them, 

 it is due to the city in which the Institution is located, that they should 

 be continued. 



Much complaint has been made on account of the size of the lecturta 

 room. It is certainly too small to accommodate all who have wished to 

 attend. We have, however, endeavored, in several instances, to obviato 

 this difficulty, by procuring a repetition of the lectures; but this plan is 



