HISTOEY OF THE SMITHSOXIAX EXCHANGES. 



By George H. BoEnMEK. 



INTKODUCTORY SKETCH OF EARLY EFFORTS IN INTERNATIOXAL 



FXCUAliGE. 



Before giving an account of the system of literary and scientific ex- 

 changes, organized and first carried into effect by the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution in 1850, it may be appropriate, for indicating more clearly its 

 precise character and importance, to briefly notice pre%'ious attempts 

 in a similar direction. One of the earliest of such nndcrtaldugs is thus 

 set forth in a history of the Royal Library of France: 



"In 1094 the Royal Library of France exchanged its duplicate vol- 

 umes for new books printed in foreign countries. This kind of trade, 

 authorized by the si)ecial order of the King (Louis XIY) and continued 

 for several years, could not fail to supply the library with a very con- 

 siderable accession of valuable books, especially froia England and 

 Germany. In 1G97 one hundred and forty-nine Chinese books were 

 received, in return for which the King gave a selection from all Lis 

 engravings." {Essai liisiorique sur la Bibliotheque clu lioi.) 



In our own country the American riiilosophical Society, founded at 

 Philadelphia in 1743, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 

 founded at Boston in 17S0, commenced about the beginning of the present 

 century a system of international exchange of their proceedings and 

 transactions witli those of foreign scientific societies. 



In 18;32 M. Lichtenthaler, director of the Royal Library of Munich 

 (Bavaria), in a letter dated Jaunary22 of that year, addressed to J\L Alex- 

 andre Yattemiire, of Paris, referring to a conversation ])reviously held 

 between them, recalls the large number of duplicates in the ilunich 

 Library, and asks: "Would it not be possible, with your connections at 

 Paris, to interest the Bureau of Fine Arts in adopting an exchange with 

 our library?" This letter appears to have given .Mr. Yattemare the im- 

 pulse to enter upon the execution of a favorite project — the establish- 

 mi'ut of a system of library exchanges. lie secured the approval of 

 his plans, and in a measur*? promise of coo])erati(>n on the part of tin; 

 King of Prussia (letter of Count Charles Briehl, director-general of the 

 museum) and of the King of Denmark (letter of the scientist, Mr. Ilank). 

 At the court of St. Petersburg he was introduced by a letter of King 



Frederjck "William lY, of Prussia, to his sister, the Empress of Russia. 



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