16 THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



mediately in front of the lecture room ; the library is at the west end ; the natural 

 history department, chemical laboratory, exchange, and publication rooms, at the 

 east end of the building. 



In the room used by the " Regents" and the "Establishment" as a hall for their 

 meetings, are now deposited the personal effects of James Smithson. Here may be 

 seen his trunks, umbrella, walking-cane, sword, plume, riding-whip, a set of silver 

 plate, a miniature chemical laboratory which he used when travelling, thermome- 

 ters, snuff box, scales, candlesticks, &c. 



Hanging in this room is an original painting by Bergham, a rural scene, 

 the property of Smithson, a marble head of St. Cecilia, by Thorwalsden, &c. 



There are also likenesses of Chief Justice Taney, Chancellor of the Institution, 

 Hon. Richard Rush, of Pennsylvania, and Senator Pearce, of Maryland, distin- 

 guished alike for their devotion to the interests of the Institution, of which they 

 have been Regents from its organization, and for their valuable public services. 



Jfye JLS 



This portion of the establishment has been well filled by purchase, donation, 

 the copyright law, and exchange. It now contains 25,000 very valuable vol- 

 umes, and is rapidly becoming of much value in its special sphere of usefulness. 

 In relation to it, the Secretary, in his report for 1855, says : 



" It is the present intention of the Regents to render the Smithsonian Library 

 the most extensive and perfect collection of transactions and scientific works in 

 this country, and this it will be enabled to accomplish by means of its exchanges, 

 which will furnish it with all the current journals and publications of societies, 

 while the separate series may be completed in due time as opportunity and means 

 may offer. The Institution has already more complete sets of transactions of 

 learned societies than are to be found in the oldest libraries in the United States, 

 and on this point we speak on the authority of one of the first bibliographers of 

 the day. This plan is in strict accordance with the general policy of the Institution, 

 viz : to spend its funds on objects which cannot as well be accomplished by other 

 means, and has commended itself to those who are able to appreciate its merits, 

 and who are acquainted with the multiplicity of demands made upon the limited 

 income of the Smithsonian fund. In a letter, after a visit to Washington, the 

 bibliographer before alluded to remarks : ' My previous opinions as to the judicious- 

 ness of the system pursued by the Smithsonian Institution, in every respect, were 

 more than confirmed. I hope you will not change in the least. Your exchanges 

 will give you the most important of all the modern scientific publications, and 

 the older ones can be added as you find them necessary. The Library, I think ; 

 should be confined strictly to works of science/ ' 



Besides books, the Library contains engravings, maps, music, and other articles 

 connected with the art of printing. The collection of engravings and works upon 



