PROPOSED APPLICATIONS OF SMITHSON'S BEQUEST. 951 



phical fact that all subjects of human thought relate to one 

 great system of truth. To restrict, therefore, the operations 

 of the institution to a single science or art, would do injustice 

 to the character of the donor, as well as to the cause of gen- 

 eral knowledge. If preference is to be given to any branches 

 of research, it should be to the higher and apparently more 

 abstract ; to the discovery of new principles rather than of 

 isolated facts. And this is true even in a practical point of 

 view. Agriculture would have forever remained an empir- 

 ical art, had it not been for the light shed upon it by the 

 atomic theory of chemistry ; and incomparably more is to 

 be expected as to its future advancement from the perfec- 

 tion of the microscope than from improvements in the 

 ordinary instruments of husbandry. 



The plan of increasing and diffusing knowledge, pre- 

 sented in the first section of the programme, will be found 

 in strict accordance with the several propositions deduced 

 from the will of Smithson, and given in the introduction. 

 It embraces, as a leading feature, the design of interesting 

 the greatest number of individuals in the operations of the 

 institution, and of spreading its influence as widely as pos- 

 sible. It forms an active organization, exciting all to make 

 original researches who are gifted with the necessary power, 

 and difiusing a kind of knowledge, now only accessible to 

 the few, among all those who are willing to receive it. In 

 this country, though many excel in the application of 

 science to the practical arts of life, few devote themselves 

 to the continued labor and patient thought necessary to the 

 discovery and development of new truths. The principal 

 cause of this want of attention to original research, is the 

 want, not of proper means, but of proper encouragement. 

 The publication of original memoirs and periodical reports, 

 as contemplated by the programme, will act as a powerful 

 stimulus on the latent talent of our country, by placing in 

 bold relief the real laborers in the field of original research, 

 while it will afford the best materials for the use of those 

 engaged in the diffusion of knowledge. 



The advantages which wdll accrue from the plan of pub- 

 lishing the volumes of the Smithsonian Contributions to 

 Knowledge, are various. In the first place, it will serve to 

 render the name of the founder favorably known wher- 

 ever literature and science are cultivated, and to keep it 

 in continual remembrance with, each succeeding volume, 

 as long as knowledge is valued. A single new truth, 

 first given to the world through these volumes, will for- 

 ever stamp their character as a work of reference. The 



