66 
of his services in this connection, it will be well to revert to 
previous efforts in the same direction, and I will take the 
liberty of making use, without apology, of a summary of 
this history, which I prepared a few years since for another 
purpose. 
The claims which science —and especially those depart- 
ments of scientific inquiry which cannot be prosecuted 
without the aid of implements inaccessible to most private 
men — may legitimately make upon a civilized community, if 
not, indeed, upon its government, are too patent to most 
thoughtful men, for the want of any proper observatory in 
the United States thirty years ago not to have been a source 
of regret, and an occasion for effort to those interested in the 
intellectual development of our nation. When we consider 
that not only had England and France led the way, and, for 
centuries, practically acknowledged the title of the eldest of 
sciences to national encouragement and support, but that 
searcely a principality or petty duchy existed on all the con- 
tinent of Europe so insignificant, or so poor, that it did not 
support an astronomical observatory, we cannot but feel 
astonishment at the unwillingness manifested” by the then 
inant school of legislators to promote astronomical re- 
search by providing some means at the national expense- 
It was, to be sure, not as a system of wise economy an 
large policy like that to which this Academy probably owes 
_ its origin, and on which its claims to national support might 
be entitled to acknowledgement ; nor even to that still largeT 
and more comprehensive statesmanship, which recognizes in 
the promotion of scientific research a sure and efficient 
mode of developing the partion resources, both intellectual 
: te Sohonriesinl shes th foundation and support of an obser- 
_ Wator se A expense was urged. But it was 
insite on aby its p sikeoonien on the ground that the impor 
