586 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



such pursuits, and of publishing their results to the worlds 

 and on this account much useful knowledge, for which we 

 ought to have the credit, is published in foi'eign countries^ 

 and inures to the honor and advantage of other nations. 

 Your memorialists, therefore, sincerely believing that many 

 disinterested men throughout our country, who are, by ed- 

 ucation and position, qualified to form an opinion as to 

 what is most usetul for the increase and diffusion of knowl- 

 edge among men, concur in the opinions herein expressed, 

 respectfully ask your honorable body to leave to the Smith- 

 sonian Institution its present efficient constitution and ad- 

 ministration, and to refuse any legislation tending to im- 

 pair its usefulness, by converting it into a library, or other- 

 wise." 



The following interesting 4etter from Mr. Felton, the dis- 

 tinguished professor of languages at Harvard University, 

 will show the estimation in which the institution is held ia 

 Europe : 



Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 30, 1854. 



My Dear Professor: I have but recently returned from Europe, and 

 I now desire to acknowledge the service j'ou did me by your circular letter 

 of introduction to the libraries of the European establishments which are 

 in correspondence with the Smithsonian Institution. Wherever I pre- 

 sented it I was received with great kindness and attention, and had the^ 

 opportunity of seeing whatever was curious, interesting, and valuable in 

 the libraries and collections. 



It gave me pleasure to notice the high estimation' in which the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, under its present management, is held everywhere in 

 Europe. The volumes published under its auspices have done the highest 

 honor to American science, and are considered most valuable contribu- 

 tions to the stock of knowledge among men. They are shown to visitors as 

 among the most creditable publications of the age, and as highly interest- 

 ing illustrations of the progress of science and arts in the United States ; 

 and the eagerness to possess them is very great among the savans of the 

 Old World. They were shown to me wherever I went, and the commend- 

 ations bestowed on the civilization of America, as evinced by the excel- 

 lence of these works, both in matter and form, was deeply gratifying to 

 me. The last time I had an opportunity of seeing them was in the IJni- 

 versit}' Library, at Athens. The librarian pointed them out to me, and 

 expressed the greatest anxiety to complete the set, one or two volumes 6f 

 ■which were wanting. 1 have a memorandum somewhere which I will for- 

 ward to you. 



I promised a gentleman, with whom I became acquainted on my voyage 

 from England, that I would write to inquire whether it is possible to pur- 

 chase an entire set. He was desirous of adding them to his library. Will 

 you oblige me by answering this question at your convenience. 



C. C. FELTON. 



Professor Agassiz — well known to the literary and scien* 

 tific world — has recently written a letter upon this subject,, 

 in which he says : 



"Every scientific man in the country has been watching, with intense 

 interest, the proceedings of the Smithsonian Institution ever since its foun- 



