268 WRITINGS OF JOSEPH HENRY. [1847 



DETAILS OF THE PLAN FOR DIFFUSING KNOWLEDGE. 



I. By the publication of a series of reports, giving an account of 

 the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from 

 year to year in all branches of knowledge not strictly profes- 

 sional. 



1. These reports will diffuse a kind of knowledge generally 

 interesting, but which at present is inaccessible to the public. 

 Some of the reports may be published annually, others at 

 longer intervals, as the income of the Institution or the 

 changes in the branches of knowledge may indicate. 



2. The reports are to be prepared by collaborators eminent 

 in the dififerent branches of knowledge. 



3. Each collaborator to be furnished with the journals and 

 publications, domestic and foreign, necessary to the compila- 

 tion of his report; to be paid a certain sum for his labors, 

 and to be named on the title-page of the report. 



4. The reports to be published in separate parts so that 

 persons interested in a particular branch can procure the 

 parts relating to it without purchasing the whole. 



5. These reports may be presented to Congress for partial 

 distribution, the remaining copies to be given to literary and 

 scientific institutions, and sold to individuals for a moderate 

 price.* 



II. By the Publication of separate treatises on subjects of gen- 

 eral interest. 



1. These treatises may occasionally consist of valuable 

 memoirs, translated from foreign languages, or of articles 



*The following are some of the subjects which may be embraced in the 

 reports : 



I. Physical Class. — 1. Physics, including astronomy, natural philos- 

 ophy, chemistry and meteorology. 2. Natural history, including botany, 

 zoology, geology, «fec. 3. Agriculture. 4. Application of science to arts. 



II. Moral and Political Class. — 5. Ethnology, including particular 

 history, comparative philology, antiquities, &c. 6. Statistics and political 

 economy. 7. Mental and moral philosophy. 8. A survey of the political 

 events of the world; penal reform, &c. 



III. Literature AND THE Fine Arts. — 9. Modern literature. 10. The 

 fine arts and their application to the useful arts. 11. Bibliography. 12. 

 Obituary notices of distinguished individuals. 



