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and other institutions, &c., will receive the mental treasures of the 

 Old World, it is exceedingly important and advisable that the sys- 

 tem of domestic exchanges should be fostered and rendered efficient. 

 The subject is, indeed, a vast and interesting one. The benefits to 

 flow from the judicious operation of that system, extending, like 

 the circulation of the blood in the human body, throughout the land, 

 will be felt and made abundant in every section of the country. 

 There is no public or private institution in the United States which 

 makes it a part of its business to make collections in history, belles 

 lettres, the fine arts, the exact sciences, agriculture, geology, mine- 

 ralogy, astronomy, &c., that will not gain by adopting and carry- 

 ing into effect a system of Exchanges with the National Institute. 

 In return for the duplicates which that association may thus receive 

 at different times, it will be enabled, from the size, value, and abun- 

 dance of its own collections, to make a return in some article of 

 interest which the person or persons so sending will be very much 

 gratified to get in hand. It is an ascertained fact, that there are 

 articles of rare value and interest, lying concealed and idle in the 

 hands of individuals, which, if once transmitted to an institution 

 where they might be brought to light and properly exhibited and 

 taken care of, would aid much in the diffusion of general informa- 

 tion, and afford much gratification to the public. Already has the 

 Institute called upon persons possessing such articles, and invited 

 them to transmit the same for the use of its cabinets, and I am 

 happy to say the appeal has met with a prompt and flattering re- 

 sponse. But much remains undone. It is absolutely necessary that 

 some well-conceived and well-ordered plan should be adopted, 

 whereby public institutions and private persons shall be sure of re- 

 ceiving equivalents and being honorably mentioned for their liber- 

 ality. This can be best effected by making Washington the head- 

 quarters of Domestic Exchanges, and the National Institute the 

 agent and receiver. 



If the appeal which has been just made to the public, and that 

 which is soon to go before Congress, produce the fruit which we all 

 desire and anticipate, then will that association have it in its power 

 to defray all the expenses attendant upon the operation of the 

 system, and to provide a proper and convenient place for a public 

 exhibition of the specimens and articles which it may receive in 

 exchange for those which can be spared from its collections. 



