42 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



extensive collection, the support and preservation of which,. however 

 interesting to the bibliographer, are not in accordance with the gen- 

 eral objects of the Smithsonian Institution, although as the means of 

 securing evidence of title they are in strict conformity with the 

 design of the Patent Office. 



Few, comparatively, of the books which were received by the In- 

 stitution under the operation of the copyright law were of any 

 scientific value, and by far the greater number, consisting of ele- 

 mentary school books and publications designed especially for children, 

 were entirely foreign to the plan of the library, and yet they have cost 

 the Institution for postage, certificates, entries, care, &c, several thou- 

 sand dollars. It now becomes a matter of consideration as to their 

 disposition, and petitions have been received from the Washington 

 Library and that of the Young Men's Christian Association, of this 

 city, that they may be placed in their charge. Without expressing 

 any opinion as to the propriety of complying with these requests, I 

 beg to submit these propositions to the Board. 



The operation of the former law of copyright illustrates the neces- 

 sity of caution, on the part of the Institution, in receiving miscel- 

 laneous donations into a special collection without careful discrimi- 

 nation, particularly if the gift is coupled with the condition that 

 the articles are to be perpetually preserved. Without care in 

 this respect a large amount of trash must inevitably accumulate, 

 which will interfere with the extension of the collection in the 

 desired direction. 



Among the special donations to the library are a series of expensive 

 illustrated works from the Duke of Northumberland, privately printed 

 by him as materials for the history of the county which bears his 

 name. They include a survey of the Roman wall which was built across 

 the north of England, a description of coins of the Roman families, 

 some of which were found in that locality, and an account of some 

 ancient castles which possess historical interest. 



Another portion of the great work of Lepsius on Egypt has been 

 presented by the King of Prussia, and valuable donations in the way 

 of completing our transactions have been received from different 

 societies. 



The purchases for the library have been principally in the way of 

 completing such transactions and of supplying such additional series 

 as we have failed to obtain through our exchanges. 



