454 , MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



out of the question, and his aversion to engaging in anything which 

 would lead to controversy was so great that he would hardly have 

 accepted had it not been for the urgent solicitation of Professor 

 Bache. The latter pointed out to him that the proper adminis- 

 tration of Smithson's munificent bequest was at stake, and that 

 he, Henry, was the only man available to whom all parties could 

 turn with the assurance that the Institution would be carried 

 through its difficulties. This was an appeal which he could not 

 withstand ; he therefore determined at least to make the attempt, and 

 entered upon his duties with the assurance from the college authori- 

 ties that, should he fail, his position at Princeton would always be 

 open to him, and the college authorities ever ready to welcome him 

 back. 



After two or three years the divergent views respecting the 

 proper direction to be given to the activities of the Smithsonian 

 Institution gradually began to aggregate themselves into two groups 

 and thus to assume a partisan aspect. Many of the projects which, 

 during the eight years of discussion, had found supporters, were 

 entirely given up, such, for instance, as the agricultural college, a 

 great observatory, the instruction of women, and the establishment 

 of a school of science. The act of Congress provided, as already 

 stated, for a library, a museum, a gallery of art, and courses of 

 lectures. Henry, while yielding to the necessity imposed upon the 

 Institution of complying with the law directing the establishment 

 of these accessories, was in the main opposed on principle to their 

 permanent support by the Institution. The position he took was 

 that as Smithson was a scientific investigator, the terms of his 

 endowment should be construed in accordance with the interpreta- 

 tion which he himself would have put upon his words. The 

 increase of knowledge would mean the discovery of new truths of 

 any sort, especially the truths of nature. The only way in which 

 an extended diffusion of increased knowledge among men at large 

 could be effected was by publication. 



The departments of exploration, research, and publication were 

 therefore those to which Henry was most inclined to devote the 

 energies of the Institution. While he made no factious opposition 

 to the collection of a library, he did not consider it as increas- 



