790 EXAMINATION OF PROFESSOR HENRY 



wards scientific matters ? — Yes, including ethnology. The 

 Institution is making great collections in everything relating 

 to the ancient inhabitants of the country. During the last 

 year many mounds have been opened, and their contents 

 described and brought to the Institution, and casts have 

 been made of them for distribution. In languages, the In- 

 stitution has published a volume on the Yoruba language of 

 Africa, from the investigation of an American missionary. 

 It has published a work upon the language of the Dakota 

 Indians by another missionary, and it has collected one hun- 

 dred and fifty different Indian vocabularies, which are now 

 in the hands of persons to be elaborated. 



1489. Still it may be said that the predominant activity 

 of the Institution at present is in the direction of physical 

 science ? — Yes, and in the direction of natural history. 



1490. Indeed it is mainly in the direction of natural science 

 at present ? — Yes. 



1491. But still we may regard that as a sort of accident ; 

 that is to say, that hereafter the predominant activity of the 

 Institution might be directed towards philology, or to history, 

 or to other branches of human knowledge, without in anyway 

 violating either the words or the spirit of the bequest ? — To 

 anything that is susceptible of a definite increase. A num- 

 ber of papers have been presented to the Institution on 

 philosophy, but the answer is, what are the evidences that 

 they are true ? and the rule adopted is to publish no unveri- 

 fied speculations. The author is allowed to give his hy- 

 potheses, because of course it is considered that all advance 

 in science is by antecedent probabilities or antecedent hy- 

 potheses. An hypothesis which is of value must produce 

 fruit, and when it so produces fruit it is then ready to be 

 published by the Institution. 



1492. May I ask if such a work as Kant's Critique were 

 offered to the Smithsonian Institution, would they publish 

 it ?— I think not. 



1493. On what ground ? — The indefiniteness of the sub- 

 ject. 



1494. Supposing such a work as Mill's Logic were offered,, 

 would they publish it ? — I think not. 



1495. In fact, practically, philosophy is excluded ? — Yes ; 

 not by any rule of the Institution, but by the nature of the 

 subject. 



1496. Supposing a work on philosophy were presented, 

 it would come to you officially, as Secretary, would it not ? 

 —Yes. 



1497. Are you, as Secretary, bound to lay it before the 



