HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 727 



following years for this valuable service were Messrs. J. P. Jewett & 

 Co., of Boston ; George P. Putnam, of New York ; Lippincott, Granibo 

 & Co., of Philadelphia; John Pussell, of Charleston; and H. W. 

 Derby, of Cincinnati. To these names should be added in 1852 and 

 following- years those of Messrs. Jewett, Proctor, and Worthingtou, of 

 Cleveland ; Dr. George Engelmann, and John Halsall, of Saint Louis ; 

 and B. M. ISTorman, of New Orleans. 



As an incidental but striking illustration of the interest awakened 

 in the international exchange at that early day may be mentioned, 

 among the numerous literary gifts to the Institution, a rare and curious 

 collection of manuscripts of very varied character, sufficiently described 

 in the following letter of presentation : 



"Avenue Lodge, Brixton Hills, near London, 



"October 28, 1852. 

 " Prof. Joseph Henry : 



"Sir : I have the pleasure of offering for your acceptance for the use 

 of the Smithsonian Institution a collection of documents formed for 

 the purpose of illustrating the history of prices between the years 1050 

 and 1750. The collection, regarded as a collection, is, I believe, unique 

 in its kind, although many manuscripts of the same description are to 

 be found dispersed amongst the vast stores of the British Museum and 

 other libraries in this country. It consists of about seven thousand 

 original papers bound in fifty-four volumes, including bills, accounts, 

 and inventories respecting commercial and domestic articles of nearly 

 every description. 



"It will afford me great pleasure if the allocation of these papers at 

 Washington prove of use at any time to the literary inquiries of your 

 great nation. Without incurring the imputation of falling into the ordi- 

 nary error made by collectors in attaching a fictitious value to relics 

 which have necessarily required the expenditure of considerable time 

 and exertion to bring together, it may, perhaps, be allowed me to 

 entertain a hope that these fragments of an earlier age, now con- 

 fided to your care, may be hereafter regarded of importance in the 

 list of materials which will some day assist in producing a history 

 of social progress. 



" Mr. Henry Stevens, F. S. A., the agent to the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion in England, has kindly undertaken to forward the collection to 

 you on an early opportunity. 



" I feel sure you will excuse the liberty I am taking in addressing you 

 on this subject; and I have the honor to be, sir, 



"Your obedient, faithful servant, 

 "J. O. Halliwell." 



