THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 85 



bnilcUnG; and the salaries of the officers ; yet nohodv wouhl have listened 

 to such a proposition, or consented that tlie United States sliould take 

 to itself and for its own use the money which they accepted as a trust 

 for '^the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.' 



''This is the construction which the Regents have given to the acts 

 of Congress, and, in the opinion of the committee, it is the true one ; 

 and, acting under it, they have erected a commodious huilding, given, 

 their attention to all the branches of science mentioned in the law, to 

 the full extent of the means afforded by the fund of the Institution, 

 and have been forming a library of choice and valuable books, amount- 

 ing already to more than fifteen thousand volumes. The books are, 

 for the most part, precisely of the character calculated to carry out the 

 intentions of the donor of the fund and of the act of Congress. They 

 are chiefly composed of works published by or under the auspices of 

 the numerous institutions of Europe which are engaged in scientific 

 pursuits, giving an accountof their respective researches and of new dis- 

 coveries whenever they are made. These works are sent to the ' Smith- 

 sonian Institution,' in return for the publications of this Institution, 

 which are transmitted to the learned societies and establishments abroad. 

 The library thus formed, and the means by which it is accomplished, 

 are peculiarly calculated to attain the object for which the munificent 

 legacy was given in trust to the United States. The publication of 

 the results of scientific researches made by the Institution is calculated 

 to stimulate American genius, and at the same time enable it to bring 

 before the public the fruits of its labors. And the transmission of 

 these publications to the learned societies in Europe, and receiving in 

 return the fruits of similar researches made by them, gives to each the 

 benefit of the 'increase of knowledge' which either may obtain, and 

 at the same time diffuses it throughout the civilized world. The 

 library thus formed will contain books suitable to the present state of 

 scientific knowledge, and will keep pace with its advance ; and it ig 

 certainly far superior to a vast collection of expensive works, most of 

 which may be found in any public library, and manv of which are mere 

 objects of curiosity or amusement, and seldom, if ever, opened by any 

 one engaged in the pursuits of science. 



"These operations appear to have been carried out by the Re- 

 gents, under the immediate superintendence of Prof. Henry, with 

 zeal, energy, and discretion, and with the strictest regard to economy 

 in the expenditure of the funds. Nor does there seem to be any other 

 mode which Congress could prescribe or the Regents adopt which 

 would better fulfil the high trust which the United States have un- 

 dertaken to perform. No fixed and immutable plan prescribed by law 

 or adopted by the Regents would attain the objects of the trust. ^ It 

 was evidently the intention of the donor that it should be carried into 

 execution by an institution or establishment, as it is termed in his 

 will. Congress has created one, and given it ample powers, but di- 

 recting its attention particularly to the objects enumerated in the 

 law ; and it is the duty of that Institution to avail itself of the lights 

 of experience, and to change its plan of operations when they are 

 convinced that a different one will better accomplish the objects of the 

 trust. The Regents have done so, and wisely, for the reasons above 



