PROPOSED APPLICATIONS OF SMITHSON'S BEQUEST. 869 



16. A method of fixing particles on the sappare. 



17. On some compounds of fluorine. 



18. An examination of some Egyptian colors. 



19. Some observations on Mr. Penn's theory, concerning 

 the formation of the Kirkdale cave. 



20. Remarks on a balance. 



The paper on Egyptian colors, contains some curious 

 facts in reference to the pigments used by that ancient peo- 

 ple for staining glass and painting generally. 



His observations on Penn's theory, would be read with 

 some interest they show the author's physico-theological 

 opinions on some contested points. The following are ex- 

 tracts : 



" No observer of the earth can doubt that it has undergone very consid- 

 erable changes. Its strata are everywhere broken and disordered, and in 

 many of them are enclosed the remains of innumerable beings which once 

 had life, and these beings appear to have been strangers to the climates, in 

 which their remains now exist. 



" In a book, held by a large portion of mankind to have been written 

 from divine inspiration, an universal deluge is recorded. It was natural 

 for the believers in this deluge, to refer to its action all or many of the 

 phenomena in question, and the more so as they seemed to find in them 

 a corroboration of the event. 



"Accordingly, this is what was done as soon as any desire to account for 

 these appearances on the earth became felt. The success, however, was not 

 such as to obtain the general assent of the learned, and the attempt fell 

 into neglect and oblivion. 



"Able hands have lately undertaken the revival of this system. Mr. 

 Penn has endeavored to reconcile it with the facts of the Kirkdale cave, 

 which appeared to be strongly inimical to it. 



"Acquainted with Mr. Penn's opinions only from the 'Analysis of the 

 Supplement to the Comparative Estimate,' in the Journal of the Koyal 

 Institution, * * I have hesitated long about communicating the present 

 observations, which presented themselves during the perusal of the above- 

 mentioned slender abstract. 



" I have yielded to a sense of the importance of the subject in more than 

 one respect, and of the uncertainty when I shall acquire ampler informa- 

 tion at more voluminous sources to a conviction that it is in his knowledge, 

 that man has found his greatness and his happiness, the high superiority 

 which he holds over the other animals which inhabit the earth with him, and 

 consequently that no ignorance is probably without loss to him, no error with- 

 out evil and that it is therefore preferable to urge unwarranted doubts, 

 which can only occasion additional light to become elicited, than to risk by 

 silence to let a question settle to rest, while any unsupported assumptions 

 are involved in it." 



I have taken the liberty of italicizing here, to call to your 

 attention how deeply impressed was the mind of this man 

 with the importance of the diffusion of USEFUL PRACTICAL 

 KNOWLEDGE. A few years after, he leaves his whole fortune 

 to carry out the sentiment he here expresses. 



[Here follow extracts, for which see " Writings of James Smithson."] 



* 



I trust I have been able to cast some light on the charac- 



