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the same time, to benefit science. We have reason to 

 believe that this will be extensively done as soon as the 

 Institution is firmly established. There are many of 

 our countrymen who, like Sir Hans Sloan, the founder 

 of the British museum, look forward with regret to the 

 sale and dispersion of their collections, made at great 

 cost and pains, and desiring to have them preserved 

 entire, would deposit them with an institution which 

 will be as stable as the Government that protects it. 

 For these purposes, and especially if it be intrusted, as 

 we hope it will be, with the specimens of natural his- 

 tory collected by the exploring squadron, it will be ne- 

 cessary that measures should be early adopted to have 

 erected on a suitable site, on the public ground, a plain 

 fire proof building, to contain them, where the increas- 

 ing and valuable collections may be displayed, and be 

 examined by the scientific inquirer, and where he may 

 resort for evidence to support his theories or to correct 

 his views. We hope that this further contribution to 

 science will not be withheld. The expeditions them- 

 selves have received the favorable notice of every civi- 

 lized nation, and were fitted out in obedience to the will 

 of the people, who would not desire to see the fruits of 

 so much toil and danger perish for want of this trifling 

 additional expense. We cherish the hope that they will 

 form the foundation of a National Museum, and con- 

 tribute to spread the light of science over our land. 



My colleagues have already exhibited so much zeal 

 and industry, that they require no exhortation from me 

 to persevere in their efforts to promote the objects of 

 our Institution, and in their contributions to the union 

 and progress of the arts and sciences. Constituted as 

 this Society is, few of its members can bestow their 



