134 LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



could be satisfied was out of the question, and his aversion to 

 engaging in anything which would lead to controversy was so 

 great that he would hardly have accepted had it not been for the 

 urgent solicitation of Professor Bache. The latter pointed out to 

 him that the proper administration of Smithson's munificent 

 bequest was at stake, and that he, Henry, was the only man 

 available to whom all parties could turn with the assurance that 

 the Institution would be carried through its difficulties. This 

 was an appeal which he could not understand; he therefore deter- 

 mined at least to make the attempt, and entered upon his duties 

 with the assurance from the college authorities that, should he 

 fail, his position at Princeton would always be open to him, and 

 his friends ever ready to welcome him back. 



After two or three years the divergent views respecting the proper 

 direction to be given to the activities of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion gradually began to aggregate themselves into two groups, 

 and thus to assume a partisan aspect. Many of the projects which, 

 during the eight years of discussion, had found supporters, were 

 entirely given up, such, for instance, as the agricultural college, 

 i great observatory, the instruction of women and the establish- 

 ment of a school of science. But the act of Congress provided, as 

 already stated, for a library, a museum, a gallery of art, and courses 

 of lectures. Henry, while yielding to the necessity imposed upon 

 the Institution of complying with the law directing the establish- 

 ment of these accessories, was in the main opposed on principle 

 to their permanent support by the Institution. The position he 

 took was that as Smithson was a scientific investigator, the terms 

 of his endowment should be construed in accordance with the in- 

 terpretation which he himself would have put upon his words. 

 The increase of knowledge would mean the discovery of new 

 truths of any sort, especially the truths of Nature. The only way 

 in which an extended diffusion of knowledge among men at large 

 could be effected was by publication. 



The departments of exploration, research, and publication were 

 therefore those to which Henry was most inclined to devote the 

 energies of the Institution. While he made no factious opposition 



