RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE INSTITUTE. 8T 



■given to the articles themselves by their scientific arrangement 

 and artistic grouping in the theaters, castles and palaces selec- 

 ted for their exhibition. 



It is true that the Society of Arts in London offered prizes for 

 specimens of certain enumerated articles of British manufacture, 

 and exhibited the products which were offered in competition, 

 nearly a hundred years ago ; and we believe that the Franklin 

 ■Institute of Philadelphia, a short, time previous to the holding of 

 the first fair of this Institute did the same thing; but neither of 

 these institutions entertained or contemplated any project on 

 such a comprehensive scale as to challenge the whole industrial 

 enterprize of their respective nations. 



For the part which it has taken in this particular mode of 

 fostering and encouraging American industry, the American In- 

 stitute deserves the gratitude of the inventors and mechanics of 

 the United States. 



These annual exhibitions for some years after their establish- 

 ment were quite successful and the results were entirely satis- 

 factory. But it was found that it would not do to place too 

 much reliance upon this single popular branch of its operations. 

 Mr. Wakeman, the corresponding secretary, in one of his annual 

 reports, "congratulated the Institute that the establishment of 

 the library and other means had been successful in regaining 

 public favor; that before these means were resorted to the exhi- 

 bitions had reached their maximum, their novelty had ceased 

 and there were palpable symptoms of their decline, and it was 

 evident that something more was required to be done to give 

 new life to the Institute." Mr. Wakeman proceeded to show 

 that the means referred to as adopted by the Institute had 

 restored public confidence, and that in three years after the 

 establishment of a repository, &c., the fairs themselves instead 

 of being in a manner stationary, a single one brought forth contri- 

 butors with articles for exhibition in number and quantity more 

 than three such fairs as preceded." 



To the Fairs, then, were added a Repository and a Scientific 

 Library. It appears that the Fairs could not have been sustained 

 without the adoption of these other means. The Repository 

 gave local interest to the Institute ; the Library gave to it dig- 

 nity and stability ; and the Fairs, partaking of the general char- 

 acter of the institution under whose auspices they were held, 

 were restored to their former popularity and usefulness.. 



