AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 109 



Already a beginning lias been made at Harvard of a great col 

 lection, a fragment of this scheme; — but something much larger 

 in the way of eifort is necessary to realize the want of the time. 



There exists in the country no extensive museum of materials 

 and products of the arts, and manufactures, and of machines. 

 In Vienna, imperial munificence has endowed such an establish- 

 ment, and it has been growing from year to year, but is still defi- 

 cient in the full development of the plan. The Conservatory of 

 Arts and Trades of Paris was an admirable beginning of such a 

 museum. You may pass through series of models of machines, 

 from the merest beginnings to the perfection of the present day, 

 from the rude pumping engine of Savery to the perfect marine 

 steam engine, — from the egg watch of Nuremburgh to the modern 

 chronometer. Our government is doing something towards such 

 a record of daily improvements, by preserving the models of the 

 Patent ofiice, and the present enlightened Commissioner is using 

 his efforts to give space for their display. 



The Franklin Institute had a collection derived from the volun- 

 tary contributions of depositors at the annual exhibitions. 



A great collection, such as the best minds connected with the 

 arts of our country could organize, should be gathered by a Uni- 

 versity, and be the means of teaching the youth and improving 

 the mature man in knowledge, of the national progress of the 

 world, and the present condition of its workshops. Taking the 

 exhibition of Sydenham Palace as a basis, we should rear upon it 

 a superstructure adapted to the wants of the United States. 



The Cooper Union. 

 The stranger visiting New- York, and admiring its structures 

 raised by public and private munificence for public uses, sees 

 inscribed in bold relief on one of them — To Arts and Science — 

 Union. Yes, joined in the designs of the Founder of all art and 

 science, they are not in this earthly temple divided. Without 

 science the arts have flourished as handicrafts; with science, they 

 have risen to control powers of the earth and beyond the earth. 

 Tubal Cain, toiling as he fastened his copper spear-head in the 

 smithy fire, and Henry Burden, as he lightly touched the spring 

 which furnished steam to mould, and bend, and twist the iron 



