DISCOURSE OF W. B. TAYLOR. 279 



The income of this professorship was more than double the salary of 

 the Smithsonian Secretaryship. The position, tempting as it might 

 have been under different circumstances, was however declined. 

 Henry felt that to leave his present post before his cherished policy 

 was fairly settled and established, would be most probably to abandon 

 nearly all the results of the experiment : and having set before him- 

 self the one great object of directing the resources of the Smithsonian 

 Institution as far as possible to the advancement of science, in con- 

 formity with the undoubted intention of its founder, (and as the 

 execution therefore of a sacred trust,) he resolutely put aside every 

 inducement that might divert him from the fulfillment of his task. * 



Of the half a dozen objects of attention specified in the 5th section 

 of the organizing Act, (the various inspiration of different partisans,) 

 not one directly tended to further the primary requirements of the 

 Will : even the Laboratory being avowedly introduced simply 

 as a utilitarian workshop for mining and agricultural analyses. 

 Regarded as methods of diffusing existing knowledge they were 

 obviously local and limited in their range : and as compared with 

 the instrumentality of the Press, were certainly very inefficient for 

 spreading the benefits of the endowment among men. f 



Henry with a rare courage dared maintain against most powerful 

 influence, that the interests specifically designated must all be 

 subordinated to the fundamental requirement, the promotion of 



*Some six years later, a somewhat similar temptation was presented. In 1853, 

 on the resignation of President Carnahan of the College of New Jersey at Prince- 

 ton, an effort was made to induce the return of Professor Henry to his academic 

 seat, by a movement to obtain for him the Presidency of the College. Such a 

 token of affectionate remembrance could not but be grateful and touching to his 

 feelings; but a sense of obligation was upon him, not to be laid aside. He had 

 undertaken a work and a responsibility which must not be left to the hazard of 

 failure. He declined the proffered honor with thanks; and warmly recommended 

 Dr. Maclean to the vacant position : who thereupon was duly elected. (Maclean's 

 Hist, of College of New Jersey, vol. ii. p. 336.) 



f'The objects specified in the Act of Congress evidently do not come up to the 

 idea of the testator as deduced from a critical examination of his will. A library, 

 a museum, a gallery of arts, though important in themselves, are local in their 

 influence. I have from the beginning advocated this opinion on all occasions, and 

 shall continue to advocate it whenever a suitable opportunity occurs." (Smith- 

 sonian Report for 1853, p. 122 (of Senate edit.) p. 117 (of H. Rep. edit.) The superficial 

 pretext was not wanting on the part of some, that the words " increase and diffu- 

 sion" were not to be taken too literally, but to be considered as the tautology of 

 legal equivalents, applicable to the development of the individual mind; since 

 school-boys (if not the pundits) were evidently capable of an "increase" of 

 knowledge. 



