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knowledge, and that he was fully impressed with the important philosoph- 

 ical fact, that all subjects of human thought relate to one great system ot 

 truth. To restrict, therefore, the operations of the institution to a single 

 science or art, would do injustice to the character of the donor, as well as 

 to the cause of general knowledge. If preference is to be given to any 

 branches of research, it should be to the higher, and apparemly more ab- 

 stract^ to the discovery of new principles, rather than of isolated focts. And 

 this is true even in a practical point of view. Agriculture would have tor- 

 ever remained an empirical art, had it not been for the light shed upon it 

 by the atomic theory of chemistry; and incomparably more is to be ex- 

 pected as to its future advancement from the perfection of the microscope, 

 than from improvements in the ordinary instruments of husbandry. 



The plan of increasing and dilfusing knowledge, presented in the first 

 section of the programme, will be found in strict accordance Avith the sev- 

 eral propositions deduced from the will of Smithson, and given in the in- 

 troduction. It embraces, as a leading feature, the design ot' interesting 

 the greatest number of individuals in the operations of tlie institution, 

 and of spreading its influence as widely as possible. It forms an active 

 organization, exciting all to make original researches who are gifted with 

 the necessary power, and diffusing a kind of knowledge, now only ac- 

 cessible to the few, among all those who are willing to receive it. In 

 this country, though many excel in the application of science to the prac- 

 tical arts of life, tew devote themselves to the continued labor and patient 

 thought necessary to the discovery and development of new truths. The 

 principal cause of this want of attention to original research, is the want, 

 not of proper means, but of proper encouragement. 'J'he publication of 

 original memoirs and periodical reports, as contemplated by the programme, 

 will act as a powerful stimulus on the latent talent of our country, by pla- 

 ' cing ni bold relief the real laborers in the field of original research, while 

 it will afford the best materials for the use of those engaged in the diffu- 

 sion of knowledge. 



The advantages which will accrue from the plan of publishing the vol- 

 umes of the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, are various. In the 

 first place, it will serve to render the name of the founder favorably known 

 wherever literature and science are cultivated, and to keep it in continual 

 remembrance with each succeedmg volume, as long as knowledge is val- 

 ued. A single new truth, first given to the world through these volumes, 

 will forever stamp their character as a work of reference. The contribu- 

 tions will thus form the most befitting monument to perpetuate the name 

 of one whose hfe was devoted to the increase of knowledge, and whose 

 ruling passion, strong in death, prompted the noble bequest intended to 

 facilitate the labors of others in the same pursuit. 



Again, the publication of a series of volumes of original memoirs will 

 afford to the institution the most ready means of entering into friendly 

 relations and correspondence with all the learned societies in the world, 

 and of enriching its library with their current transactions and procecdaigs. 

 But perhaps the most important efiect of the plan will be that of giving to 

 the world many valuable memoirs, which, on account of the expense of the 

 illustrations, could not be otherwise published. Every one who adds 

 new and important truths to the existing stock of knowledge, must be 

 of necessity, to a certain degree, in advance of his age. lience the 

 number of readers and purchasers of a work is generally in the inverse 



