992 LETTERS ON PROGRAMME OF ORGANIZATION. 



From Josiah L. Pickard. 



Platteville Academy, 

 Platteville, Wis., 31arch 13, 1849. 

 The Programme, contained in the report, meets our 

 hearty approval ; and I am authorized by the board of trus- 

 tees of this institution, by a resolution passed at their last 

 meeting, (a copy of which you will please lind below,) to 

 assure you of all assistance in our power to render, for the 

 furtherance of the noble objects contemplated by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. 



IProm S. A. Bronson. 



Kenyon College, 

 Gambier, Ohio, 3Iarch 15, 1849. 

 With your Programme I am highly gratified, and shall 

 be happy to further your objects in any way that I am able. 

 In pursuance with this, I would now suggest the propriety, 

 if it falls in with your plan, and you are prepared to ask it, 

 to call upon H. L. Thrall, M. D., professor of chemistry in 

 this institution, to furnish a report upon the present state of 

 the knowledge of electricity, and its relation to light, heat, 

 gravitation, &c., &c.; in short, of the axial forces of matter, 

 I think he would make a report that would not only tend 

 to diffuse knowledge, but to increase it upon this interesting 

 topic. 



From John Williams. 



Trinity College, 

 Hartford, Conn., March 20, 1849. 

 It must be quite superfluous for me to even express ap- 

 probation of a plan so wisely matured and digested as that 

 contained in the Programme ; and it would be more than 

 superfluous to suggest any improvements. If I might, how- 

 ever, venture in a word, I would express the hope that a 

 good deal of attention will be devoted to the publishing 

 of works bearing on our history. There are many such 

 works which will see the light in no other way. 



From D, N. Sheldon. 



Watervillb College, 

 Water ville. Me., 3Iarch 24, 1849. 

 I have taken some time to consider the subject, and now 

 say in a single sentence, and in a general way only, (fori 

 there is no time to go into details,) that the plan of organi- 



