988 LETTERS ON PROGRAMME OF ORGANIZATION. 



leading and controlling principles of organization and oper, 

 xition embodied in the Programme, omitting details thai 

 simply elucidate their practical execution. 



There are, however, two practical suggestions that ar 

 Worthy of being particularized. One is, that the Institu : 

 tion should aim to produce results which cannot be produced 

 by the existing institutions of the country. The other, that, 

 as in proportion to the wide field of knowledge to be eulti^ 

 rated, the funds are small, economy should be consulted in 

 the construction of the buildings ; and not only the first cost 

 of the buildings be considered, but the expense of keeping 

 them in repair, and of the support of the establishmeijj 

 necessarily connected with them. Moreover, that there 

 .should be but few individuals supported by the Institution. 



Two officers only are named as demanded by the ]> 

 wants of the Institution. The Secretary, who is general 

 superintendent of the literary and scientific operations, and 

 editor of its publications, and the Assistant Secretary, who 

 is acting librarian, and joint editor of the publications of 

 the Institution. These officers are also expected, occasion^ 

 ally, to illustrate new discoveries in science, and exhibit new 

 objects of art, by lectures during the session of Congr 



It is certainly gratifying to fee] assured that the splendid 

 bequest of Smithson is not to be exhausted in costlv build- 

 ings, like the irreat public le-tey of a late A inerieanVit ixen. 

 It is well, also, that the trust is not to be in a measure per- 

 verted to local purposes, by confining its resources to tho 

 establishment of a national library. The plan of rendering 

 it the seat and .centre of vital energy and activiiv to the 

 science and literature of a youthful republic, an i-vcr pul- 

 sating heart, distributing life and strength throughout tho 

 body politic of letters, prompting, sustaining, and iruiding- 

 every department of intellectual exertion here, and thus 

 effecting an influence upon mankind at larirc, is not oidv 

 more accordant with the intentions ,,f the -philanthropic 

 testator, but is in itself a nobler enterprise. As an expo- 

 nent of universal science for our whole eountrv; as the 

 headquarters of bibliographical information ; and' as a reg- 

 ister of the progress of knowledge, where the latest achieve- 

 ments of the human mind may be found in mercantile 

 phrase " posted up" for convenient reference, and tho 

 farthest footsteps of the last traveller in the paths of learn- 

 ing duly noted for the benefit of subsequent adventurers, 

 the Smithsonian Institution may equally fulfill the design 

 of its founder. 



It is true that its operations will sometimes be carried into 



