PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 293 



prove more than "the jrift of an elephant."* In his first Report, 

 he ventured to say: " It is hoped that in due time, other means 

 may be found of establishing and supporting a general collection 

 of objects of nature and art at the seat of the general government, 

 with funds not derived from the Smithsonian bequest. "f In his 

 third annual Report he remarked : " The formation of a Museum 

 of objects of nature and of art requires much caution. With a 

 given income to bo appropriated to the purpose, a time must 

 come when the cost of keeping the objects will just equal the 

 amount of the appropriation : after this no further increase can 

 take place. Also, the tendency of an Institution of this kind 

 unless guarded against, will be to expend its funds on a hetero- 

 geneous collection of ol)jects of mere curiosity." Justly jealous 

 of any dependence of the Institution, designed as a monument to 

 its founder, upon the varying favors or caprices of a political 

 government, or of any confusion between the National Museum, 

 and its own special collections for scientific study rather than for 

 popular display, he added: "If the Regents accept this Mu- 

 seum, it must be merged in the Smithsonian collections. It 

 could not be the intention of Congress that an Institution founded 

 by the liberality of a foreigner, and to which he has affixed his 

 own name, should be charged with the keeping of a separate 

 Museum, the property of the United States. . . The small 

 portion of our funds which can be devoted to a museum may be 

 better employed in collecting new objects, such as have not yet 

 beeo studied, than in preserving those from which the harvest of 

 discovery has already been fully gathered." Nor was he reconciled 

 to the gift by the suggestion that a suitable appropriation would 

 be granted by the National Government, for the expense of its 

 custody. " This would be equally objectionable ; since it would 

 annually bring the Institution before Congress as a supplicant 

 for government; patronage. "J 



In his Report for 1851, he forcibly stated in regard to the 

 requirements of a general Museum, that "the whole income de- 

 voted to this object would be entirely inadequate :" and he 

 strongly urged a National establishment of the Museum on a 

 basis and a scale which should be an honor and a benefit to the 

 people and their Capital city. " Though the formation of a 

 general collection is neither within the means nor the province 

 of the Institution, it is an object which ought to engage the at- 



* His friend Prof. Silliman in a letter dated December 4th, 1847, wrote : 

 ■' If it is within tlie views of the Government to bestow the National 

 Museum upon tlie Smitlisonian Institution, the very bequest would seem 

 to draw after it an obligation to furnish the requisite accommodations 

 witliout taxinjr the Smithsonian funds : otherwise the gift might be de- 

 trimental instead of beneficial." 



t Smilhonian Report, 1847, p. 139, (Sen. ed.), p. 132, (II. Rep. ed.) 

 i Smit/isonian Report for 1-49, pp. ISl, 182, (of Senate ed.) pp. 173, 

 174, (of H. Rep. ed.) 



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