8 14 The Smithsonian Institution 



and the Bureau of Ethnology, of Langley in establishing 

 the Astrophysical Observatory and the National Zoological 

 Park, and in advancing the art of aero -navigation, deserves 

 the highest praise. 



No attempt has been made in this chapter to give the 

 details of the Smithsonian management, but only to indi- 

 cate the impressions it has produced upon the mind of one who 

 has had no official connection with the establishment. Con- 

 stant intercourse with the collaborators, in Washington and 

 in distant parts of the country, as well as in foreign lands, has 

 never revealed one word of censorious criticism respecting 

 the spirit which has governed the administrations of Henry, 

 Baird, and Langley. Cooperation, the fundamental idea that 

 has here been discussed, may be mechanical and formal, gov- 

 erned by petty regulations and accompanied by ceremo- 

 nious exactions. But that is not the kind of cooperation to 

 which this record has called attention. On the other hand, 

 it has not been the cooperation of a spendthrift, throwing 

 away the opportunities of usefulness and influence. In con- 

 clusion, the Smithsonian has been never ready to take up, 

 and has always been ready to give up, those undertakings 

 which other institutions and individuals might be disposed 

 to assume and sustain with efficiency. Second, it has lent 

 encouragement to thousands of workers whose work would 

 have failed without a moderate amount of pecuniary assist- 

 ance. Third, it has always been ready to enlarge its domain 

 and sustain the burden of fresh responsibilities when it has 

 appeared to be the wish of Congress or of the scientific men 

 of the country that it should do so. 



