The Smithsonian Publications 489 



ation of a plan ; it being proposed that the Institution procure 

 "original papers containing positive additions to the sum of 

 human knowledge ; and that these, together with other suit- 

 able papers, be published in 'Transactions of the Institution,' 

 to be entitled 'Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge,' and 

 to be issued periodically or occasionally, in quarto form, as 

 materials may be obtained." 



These " Contributions to Knowledge " combine the two 

 features of the Smithson bequest : they both increase and dif- 

 fuse knowledge. The program of organization, submitted 

 by Professor Henry in 1847, ma y still be said to guide the 

 issuing of these volumes. It was proposed to stimulate re- 

 search by offering rewards for original memoirs on all sub- 

 jects of investigation : 



"i. The memoirs thus obtained to be published in a series 

 of volumes, in a quarto form, and entitled ' Smithsonian Con- 

 tributions to Knowledge.' 



" 2. No memoir on subjects of physical science, to be ac- 

 cepted for publication which does not furnish a positive ad- 

 dition to human knowledge, resting on original research ; 

 and all unverified speculations to be rejected. 



"3. Each memoir presented to the Institution to be sub- 

 mitted for examination to a commission of persons of repu- 

 tation for learning in the branch to which the memoir 

 pertains, and to be accepted for publication only in case 

 the report of this commission is favorable. 



"4. The commission to be chosen by the officers of the In- 

 stitution, and the name of the author, as far as practicable, 

 concealed, unless a favorable decision be made. 



" 5. The volumes of the memoirs to be exchanged for the 

 transactions of literary and scientific societies, and copies to 

 be given to all the colleges and principal libraries in this 

 country. One part of the remaining copies may be offered 

 for sale and the other carefully preserved to form complete 

 sets of the work to supply the demand from new institutions. 

 32 



