LETTERS ON PROGRAMME OF ORGANIZATION. 985 



As you have invited suggestions, I would respectfully 

 ubmit whether natural theology and the evidences of 

 Christianity might not be included in the second class of 

 mbjects to be embraced in the reports. These are not so 

 >trictly professional as to forbid their admission to a share 

 n the labors of an Institution established " for the increase 

 tnd diffusion of knowledge among men." Lord Brougham, 

 who has written a treatise on the former, has denned " the 

 3lace and the claims of natural theology among the various 

 >ranches of human knowledge " (Dedication to his Dis- 

 course on Natural Theology.) And Addison, Soams, 

 Jenyns, and Erskine, without any professional sympathies, 

 lave considered the evidences of Christianity a legitimate 

 iubject of historical and philosophical inquiry. Might not 

 these subjects, then, be added to your list without impinging 

 upon the liberal and catholic character of your Institution ? 



From the American Antiquarian Society. 



WORCESTER, MASS., January 31, 1849. 



The Publishing Committee of the American Antiquarian 

 .Society, to whom was referred the "Programme for the 

 Organization of the Smithsonian Institution," beg leave to 

 report as follows : 



The joint letter of the Secretary and Assistant Secretary 

 'of the Institution, which accompanied the copy of the Pro- 

 gramme forwarded to this Society, contains the following 

 : request : 



" Should the Programme meet with your approbation, 

 ! we beg leave to request that you will favor us with a written 

 expression of your approval ; that you will furnish us with 

 any suggestions relative to the subject which may be deemed 

 of importance, and give us your co-operation in cases where 

 it may be required." 



Although the plan of organization proposed for consider- 

 ation has "now been so long before the public, sustained and 

 sanctioned by able men and learned associations most com- 

 petent to judge of its merits, as to render further testimony 

 of little importance, the Antiquarian Socisty are happy to 

 avail themselves of the opportunity to express their interest 

 in the purposes of the Smithsonian Institution, their confi- 

 dence in the gentlemen to whom the management of its 

 concerns has been intrusted, and their cordial desire to co- 

 operate in whatsoever manner the objects of their own 

 establishment may render practicable. 



