1847] WRITINGS OF JOSEPH HENRY. 277 



ical consequence that if the supposition were true that light 

 consisted of waves of an setherial medium, then two rays of 

 light like two waves of water under certain conditions should 

 annihilate each other, and darkness be produced. The ex- 

 periment was tried, and the anticipated result was obtained. 

 It is this exact agreement of the deduction with the actual 

 result of experience that constitutes the verification of an 

 hypothesis, and which alone entitles it to the name of a 

 theory, and to a place in the transactions of a scientific in- 

 stitution. It must be recollected that it is much easier to 

 speculate than to investigate, and that very few of all the 

 hypotheses imagined are capable of standing the test of 

 scientific verification. 



As it is not our intention to interfere with the proceedings 

 of other institutions, but to co-operate with them so far as 

 our respective operations are compatible, communications 

 may be referred to learned societies for inspection, and ab- 

 stracts of them given to the world through the bulletins of 

 these societies ; while the details of the memoirs and their 

 expensive illustrations are published in the volumes of the 

 Smithsonian Contributions. The ofiicers of several learned 

 societies in this country have expressed a willingness to co- 

 operate in this way. 



Since original research is the most direct way of increas- 

 ing knowledge, it can scarcely be doubted that a part of the 

 income of the bequest should be appropriated to this pur- 

 pose, provided suitable persons can be found, and their 

 labors be directed to proper objects. The number however 

 of those who are capable of discovering scientific principles 

 is comparatively small ; like the poet, they are " born, not 

 made," and, like him, must be left to choose their own sub- 

 ject, and wait the fitting time of inspiration. In case a 

 person of this class has fallen on a vein of discovery, and is 

 pursuing it with success, the better plan will be to grant 

 him a small sum of money to carry on his investigations, 

 provided they are considered worthy of assistance by com- 

 petent judges. This will have the double effect of encour- 

 aging him in the pursuit, and of facilitating his progress. 

 The Institution however need not depend upon cases of 



