I02 Alevioria! of George Bro2V7i Goode. 



that, at the seat of Government of this great nation, there existed fewer means than 

 in any other city of the Union of prosecuting those studies, which, while they 

 impart dignity and enjoyment to existence, lead to the most useful practical results. 

 They believed it to be their duty to arouse the attention of Government to these 

 deficiencies, and, at all events, to address themselves to the task of supplying them, 

 as far as could be done by their individual and combined exertions. For these pur- 

 poses they have formed an association and applied themselves to collect specimens 

 of geology and mineralogy, and other objects of natural history, and, for the short 

 period of its existence, the efforts of the Institution have been eminently successful. 

 They have entered into correspondence with other learned societies, and have been 

 encouraged to proceed by their approbation, and profited by their generous coopera- 

 tion. They have invited the assistance of their fellow-citizens in the most distant 

 States and Territories, and hope, by their aid, to collect documents and facts illus- 

 trative of the early history of our country, specimens of its geology and of its min- 

 eral and vegetable productions, and, if not to preserve the animals and plants 

 themselves, which are passing away before the progress of settlement and cultiva- 

 tion, at least to perpetuate their forms, and the memory of their existence. They 

 hope to be able to illustrate these subjects and others connected with them by a 

 series of gratuitous lectures, and entertain a confident expectation that numbers, 

 whose duties compel them annually to assemble here, will view with interest collec- 

 tions of the natural productions of America, drawn from every State and Territory 

 in the Union, and, becoming sensible of their utility, will contribute on their return 

 to swell their amount, and to spread throughout the country a taste for literary and 

 scientific pursuits. 



In another place in the discourses of Mr. Poinsett, we find avowals of 

 plans and ambitious aspirations for the future of the National Musetnn 

 which would satisfy the most ambitious of its supporters of to-day. He 

 spoke thus : 



Specimens of natural history are rapidly accumulating. The exploring expedition 

 has already sent home a large collection, which remains packed away in boxes in a 

 room belonging to the Philadelphia Museum, generously loaned by the company for 

 that purpose; and we may anticipate from the ability and well-known zeal of the 

 naturalists who accompanied it by order of Government that the sqiiadron itself, 

 shortly expected, will return richly freighted with objects of natural history. I can 

 not believe that after all the labor, pains, and expense incurred in procuring them, 

 these specimens are not to be brought to Washington, to be arranged and exhibited 

 here. A geological survey of the Territory of Iowa was made a few months since, by 

 order of the Government, and numerous valuable specimens collected by Mr. Owen. 

 Mr. Nicolet has brought with him interesting collections made in the country he 

 visited, and Doctor King, of Missouri, lately sent to the lead region on business con- 

 nected with the ordnance office, while there collected specimens of minerals which 

 are likewise destined for Washington. The ordnance officers who have lately returned 

 from Kurope, have brought with them numerous specimens of the iron ores used in 

 the foundries there, and measures have been taken to procure, as objects of compari- 

 son, those of the United States. 



Several ilidividuals have transmitted donations to the Institution, while others have 

 deposited their collections with us, from a desire to have them preserved, and, at the 

 same time, to benefit science. We have reason to believe that this will be extensively 

 done as soon as the Institution is firmly established. There are many of oiu" country- 

 men who, like Sir Hans Sloane, the founder of the British Museum, look forward with 

 regret to the sale and dispersion of their collections, made at great cost and pains, 

 and desiring to have them preserved entire, would deposit them with an institution 

 which will be as stable as the Government that protects it. 



