400 MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



6. The will makes no restriction in favor of any particular kind 

 of knowledge; hence all branches are -entitled to a share of atten- 

 tion. 



7. Knowledge can be increased by different methods of facilita- 

 ting and promoting the discovery of new truths ; and can be most 

 extensively diffused among men by means of the press. 



8. To effect the greatest amount of good, the organization should 

 be such as to enable the Institution to produce results, in the way of 

 increasing and diffusing knowledge, which cannot be produced either 

 at all or so efficiently by the existing institutions in our country. 



9. The organization should also be such as can be adopted provi- 

 sionally; can be easily reduced to practice, receive modifications, or 

 be abandoned, in whole or in part, without a sacrifice of the funds. 



1 0. In order to compensate, in some measure, for the loss of time 

 occasioned by the delay of eight years in establishing the Institution, 

 a considerable portion of the interest which has accrued should be 

 added to the principal. 



11. In proportion to the wide field of knowledge to be cultivated, 

 the funds are small. Economy should therefore be consulted in 

 the construction of the building; and not only the first cost of the 

 edifice should be considered, but also the continual expense of keep- 

 ing it in repair, and of the support of the establishment necessarily 

 connected with it. There should also be but few individuals per- 

 manently supported by the Institution. 



12. The plan and dimensions of the building should be deter- 

 mined by the plan of the organization, and not the converse. 



1 3. It should be recollected that mankind in general are to be 

 benefitted by the bequest, and that therefore all unnecessary expen- 

 diture on local objects would be a perversion of the trust. 



14. Besides the foregoing considerations, deduced immediately 

 from the will of Smithson, regard must be had to certain require- 



. ments of the act of Congress establishing the Institution. These 

 are, a library, a museum, and a gallery of art, with a building on 

 a liberal scale to contain them. ( 



SECTION I. 



Plan of Organization of the Institution in accordance with the 

 foregoing deductions from the Will of Smithson. 



To INCREASE KNOWLEDGE. It is proposed 1. To stimulate 

 men of talent to make original researches, by offering suitable 

 rewards for memoirs containing new truths; and, 2. To appro- 

 priate annually a portion of the income for particular researches, 

 under the direction of suitable persons. 



