2 INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 



With every advance made iu science the old material must be 

 re-examined for new facts, and to discover new relations. In this 

 manner all are to go on increasing in value from decade to de- 

 cade with the advance iu human knowledge. In future years the, 

 scientific men of the world must resort to the National Museum at 

 Washington, to pursue or to complete their studies. It was, there- 

 fore, the part of wisdom for the National Legislature to provide 

 means for the preservation of this great collection, and to provide 

 also, for its re-examination and increase. 



These materials are not alone of interest to the scientific speci- 

 alist. They have an interest and value to all intelligent people 

 under whose eyes they fall — a value that depends largely on their 

 orderly arrangement and classification ; so that the great facts and 

 principles of the many sciences represented, may be presented in 

 birds-eye views to inquiring students. 



Such are the functions of the National Museum, and the Insti- 

 tution is destined to exert an ever-increasing influence in the pro- 

 gress of science. 



In order that all possible benefits may accrue from the enterprise 

 it is proposed to establish a series of popular science lectures in this 

 hall. Here, then, are presented the simpler lessons taught by the 

 works of nature. 



It is no easy task to explain the subject-matter of the various 

 branches of science iu such a manner that facts and principles may 

 be easily grasped by those who are not specialists. A clear com- 

 prehension of any scientific subject is always accompauied by a 

 power to clearly present the subject to scholars iu the same depart- 

 ment. A failure to present science to scientific men is fundamental 

 evidence of failure in comprehension. But to present a scientific 

 subject to those who are themselves not specialists or scholars in the 

 specific department in such manner that they will be interested and 

 instructed is no easy task. The man with this power, with this 

 genius, is rare. He must be ready with illustration, apt iu the 

 selection of non-technical words, clear and forcible in his presenta- 

 tion, and especially must he be devoid of that pedantry which loves 

 to revel in a wealth of details and technicalities, and he must so 

 master his subject as to be thoroughly saturated with it. Then 

 every word, every tone, and every gesture, will convey a thought. 



The course is inaugurated this afternoon by a lecture on Scientific 

 and Popular views of Nature Contrasted. 



Since man first inhabited the earth, two methods of thought have 



