152 ANNUAL EEPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 34 



have recently read Bacon's New Atlantis afresh and have been 

 thinking about his Solomon's House. We loiow that the rules for 

 the functioning of that House were mistaken because the philosopher 

 drew them up when in the mood of a Lord Chancellor ; but insofar as 

 the philosopher visualized therein an organization of the best intellects 

 bent on gathering knowledge for future practical services, his idea 

 was a great one. When civilization is in danger and society in transi- 

 tion might there not be a House recruited from the best intellects in the 

 country with functions similar {mutatis mutandis) to those of Bacon's 

 fancy ? A House devoid of politics, concerned rather with synthesiz- 

 ing existing knowledge, with a sustained appraisement of the progress 

 of knowledge, and continuous concern with its bearing upon social 

 readjustments. It is not to be pictured as composed of scientific 

 authorities alone. It would be rather an intellectual exchange where 

 thought would go ahead of immediate problems. I believe, perhaps 

 foolishly, that given time I might convince you that the functions of 

 such a House, in such days as ours, might well be real. Here I must 

 leave them to your fancy, well aware that in the minds of many I 

 may by this bare suggestion lose all reputation as a realist ! 



I will now hasten to my final words. Most of us have had a 

 tendency in the past to fear the gift of leisure to the majority. To 

 believe that it may be a great social benefit requires some mental 

 adjustment, and a belief in the educability of the average man or 

 woman. 



But if the political aspirations of the nations should grow sane, 

 and the artificial economic problems of the world be solved, the com- 

 bined and assured gifts of health, plenty, and leisure may prove to be 

 the final justification of applied science. In a community advantaged 

 by these each individual will be free to develop his own innate powers, 

 and, becoming more of an individual, will be less moved by those herd 

 instincts which are always the major danger to the world. 



You may feel that throughout this address I have dwelt exclusively 

 on the material benefits of science to the neglect of its cultural value. 

 I would like to correct this in a single closing sentence. I believe 

 that for those who cultivate it in a right and humble spirit, science 

 is one of the humanities ; no less. 



