Mis. No. 48. 13 



der the direction of the Smithsonian Institution. They will be mentioned 

 under the next head. 



In a few cases, memoirs have been presented which, thoucrh exhibiting 

 research and considerable originahty, are not of a character to Avarran"t 

 their adoption as parts of onr volumes of Contributions to positive knowl- 

 edge. The rule given in the programme has been rigidly adhered to, 

 viz: to decline accepting any paper on physical science which consists 

 merely of an unverified hypothesis, however ingenious and plausible such 

 an hypothesis may be. A law of nature is not susceptible of- a logical 

 demonstration, like that of a proposition of geometry, but is proved by its 

 fitness to explain old, and to predict new, phenomena. The verification 

 of an hypothesis, as we have stated in the last report, consists in deducin* 

 consequences from it, and ascertaining by a direct appeal to observation or 

 experiment, the truth or falsity of these deductions. Any paper, theref)re, 

 on material science which does not contain original experiments and ob- 

 servations cannot be admitted as a part of the Contributions to Knowledge. 

 T.'he rule we have adopted is in accordance with the practice of gautious 

 investigators. The law of universal gravitation existed for several years 

 in the mind of Newton as a well conditioned hypothesis, before it was given 

 to the world as a verified and established theory. Besides this, the rules 

 of logic which are employed in discussing the questions of ordinary life 

 are not applicable to the precision of scientific inquiry. The materials in 

 this case, to borrow an expression of an author of celebrity, " must be 

 weighed in the scale of the assayer, and not like the mixed commodities 

 of the market, on the weightbridge of common opinion and general 

 usage." 



It has been objected to our publishing original memoirs, that in so 

 doing we are merely performing the duties of a learned society. I'he 

 answer is,' that the learned societies in this country have not the 

 means, except in a veiy limited degree, of publishing memoirs which 

 require expensive illustrations, much less of assisting to defray the cost 

 of the investigations by which the results have been obtained. 'J'he 

 real workingmen in the line of original research hail this part of the 

 plan as a new era in the history of American science. The assistance 

 which the Fiistitution will thus render to original research, will occupy 

 the place of the governmental patronage of other countries, and will enable 

 true* genius, wherever found, to place its productions before the world, 

 free of cost, and in a manner most favorable for securing due attention and 

 proper appreciation. 



From our experience thus far, I am convinced that circumscribed as is 

 the class of memoirs accepted by the Institution, we shall have no want of 

 materials to fill at least one quarto volume a year. There has been in our 

 country within the last few years a remarkable increase in the attention 

 given to original research, not only in material science, but in every 

 branch of knowledge susceptible of increase. And this is evinced by 

 the character and variety of the papers which have been presented for pub- 

 lication. The wide difference between the increase of knowledge and 

 its diffusion is beginning to be seen and appreciated, and the time is not 

 far distant when we shall be as distinguished for our additions to science 

 as for its diffusion and application. The revolutions of Europe are not 

 only sending to our shores the choicest specimens of art, but also 

 men of reputation and skill in scientific investigation. -Besides this, the 



