874 PROPOSED APPLICATIONS OF SMITHSON'S BEQUEST. 



mirrors of a kaleidoscope, which transpose pieces of straw,, 

 and fragments of broken glass, into forms of beauty and 

 symmetrical shapes. 



And thus it comes to pass, that the course of events has 

 entailed on us a system of education of a most heterogeneous 

 character. I do not now speak of professional education,, 

 but limit these remarks strictly to what is done in our Col- 

 leges and Universities; for in common with most of the 

 schools of Europe, we there give instruction in only four 

 departments. 1st. Ancient Languages. 2d. Intellectual 

 Science. 3d. Mathematics; and 4th. Physics which last 

 are inseparably allied. I need hardly say, that I exscind, 

 for obvious reasons, all incidental courses of instruction 

 which are instituted from secondary or interested motives. 

 A professorship of Poetry is ludicrous; no man expects a 

 professor of belles-lettres to write with elegance his mother 

 tongue; and every one know r s that the only effective pro- 

 fessor of history is a good library. 



Should Congress, in its wisdom, ever see fit to found in 

 the City of Washington a National University a rival to 

 the old universities of Europe it would give me pleasure 

 to hear that all these subjects, even such as I have com- 

 mented on, w r ere taught there; but the funds given for the 

 establishment of the Smithsonian Institute will not bear 

 such an expansion. Those subjects alone must be taught 

 which come within the intention of the donor, and others 

 introduced only as specific means are provided for them. 

 Let us then try to ascertain what is meant by the " diffusion 

 of knowledge among men." 



An Arabian merchant, who lived at Surat, and exchanged 

 the gold dust and ivory which he brought from Africa for 

 the silk shawls and gums of India, had amassed a consider- 

 able fortune by his traffic. He had an only son, whom he- 

 desired to bring up to his own business. When the boy 

 came to be six years of age, his father called a meeting of 

 his kinsfolk and friends, to consult with them as to the 

 course of his son's education. Among the rest there came 

 a certain Mufti, who spoke, with an oracular voice, as fol- 

 lows: "My friend, thou sayest it is thy intention to make 

 thy son a trader now hear my advice. It is well known 

 that the profession of a merchant requires great quickness 

 of counsel, great promptitude of action, and an unflinching 

 integrity. Our fathers, for some centuries past, have fixed 

 on a preparatory course of instruction, well calculated to 

 produce these results. We their children are living wit- 

 nesses of the correctness of their judgment. It is well 



