40 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 
operations. A conscientious endeavor, however, has been made to 
harmonize the whole scheme, by establishing a special library, con- 
sisting of the transactions of learned societies and systematic works on 
all branches of science, together with a limited museum of type speci- 
mens, principally of the products of the American continent. And, 
on the whole, it may be pronounced that, notwithstanding the inaus- 
picious circumstances which attended the commencement of the In- 
stitution, as before stated, and the difficulties with which it has’ had 
to contend from time to time, the results it has produced have been 
such as to commend it to the public generally throughout our own 
country, and to make it favorably known to the cultivators of science 
wherever found. It has identified itself with the history of almost 
every branch of knowledge which receives attention at the present 
day, and its transactions and proceedings are constantly referred to 
as authoritative on all subjects to which they pertain. With no desire 
to exaggerate its importance or advantages, the fact may be satisfac- 
torily cited that the recognition of its services in behalf of science 
exists in the contemporary works of all languages, that its publications 
are found wherever letters are cultivated, and its specimens in all 
the principal museums of the world. If it was the desire of the 
founder to perpetuate the memory of his liberality, that desire has 
been thus fully gratified; nor is the memorial of his enlightened and 
comprehensive benevolence limited as to place or time, since it is 
everywhere renewed with the yearly dissemination of the publica- 
tions which bear his name. 
The following brief sketch of the labors of the Institution up to the 
present time will not only serve to show what it has done, but also 
to illustrate the capability of the plan of active operations for pro- 
ducing important results in the way of increasing and diffusing know- 
ledge among men. 
ACTIVE OPERATIONS. 
Publications.—The Smithsonian Institution has established three 
classes of publications, in which are contained the articles hereafter 
to be mentioned. These are as follows: 
1. A quarto series, entitled ‘‘Smithsonian Contributions to Know- 
ledge,’’ issued in volumes, each embracing one or more separate 
articles. Of these the fourteenth is nearly through the press. 
2. An octavo series, entitled ‘‘Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collec- 
tions,’’ which in the aggregate make six large volumes. 
