PROPOSED APPLICATIONS OF SMITHSON'S BEQUEST. 905 



rational enjoyments? Must we all, and forever, in this 

 glorious field for human improvement, be tied down bj 

 " strict construction " to the groveling, sordid cares of mere 

 pecuniary concerns, or, at most, be indulged with a periodical 

 scramble for the "spoils" of partisan victory? 



In my humble opinion, those who are worthy of the name 

 of freemen — intellectual freemen — should have some other, 

 some loftier object, (by intervals, at least,) than the everlasting 

 consideration of the merits and capabilities of the "almighty 

 dollar;" and while I fully assent to the maxim that unceas- 

 ing vigilance over the conduct of rulers and political leaders 

 is the condition on which we hold our liberties, I neverthe- 

 less believe we may occasionally venture to relax the tension 

 of party strife, and allow our minds a brief indulgence in 

 the more amiable recreations of Literature and Science. 



But I hold it as an unquestionable truth that a National 

 Institution, such as has been suggested, would possess the 

 twofold merit of promoting intellectual advancement and 

 ministering to the improvement of our physical condition. 

 Its location has been judiciously fi^d by the testator at the 

 seat of the General Government — the attractive center of 

 all our national concerns, and enjoyiing a happy medium in 

 reference to climate and geographical position. Let there, 

 then, be established at tlie city of Washington an ample 

 Botanic Garden, adapted to the cultivation of all the interest- 

 ing and valuable species of vegetable creation, so that we 

 may become practically acquainted with all the plants which 

 are useful to man, and ascertain how many, and which of 

 them, are worthy and susceptible of being introduced into 

 the culture of the various districts of our Union. The im- 

 portance of this to agriculture — the great and deservedly 

 prominent interest of our country — must be obvious on the 

 bare suggestion. It would, moreover, insure success, and 

 give an abiding interest to the noble project now in agita- 

 tion of forming a National Society for the promotion of agri- 

 culture. It w^ould afford the ready means for judicious ex- 

 periments in vegetable culture, and aid in sifting all useful 

 facts from the chaffy mass of idle theory, prejudice, and 

 delusion. In short, it may be made the instrument for col- 

 lecting the scattered rays of agricultural knowledge, as it 

 were, to a focus, and thence directing them with a concen- 

 trated light and a genial warmth to every department of 

 that interesting practical science. 



Within the boundaries of this national garden should be 

 an appropriate receptacle, or museum, for the preservation 

 and systematic arrangement of all specimens in Natural 



