of the Smithsonian Institution. 313 
ant Secretary, acting as rian. 
The collections of the a as far as possib. 
‘ ighest interest ; 
ut the portion of the income of the a, which can be de- 
voted to the increase and maintenance of the museum, will be 
too small to warrant any attempt towards an indiscriminate col- 
lection. It is hoped that in due time other means may be found 
of establishing and supporting a general collection of objects 
of nature and art at the seat of the general go vernment, with 
funds not derived from the Smithsonian bequest. or the pres- 
plication of the funds, first, to such collections as will tend to ) fa- 
cilitate the study 0 of the memoirs which may be published we 
Contributions, and to establish their correctness; secondly, 
and 
such as models of buildings, &c. ; and, thirdly, to the formation 
of a collection of instruments of physical research, which will 
be required both in the illustration of new physical truths, and 
in the scientific investigations undertaken by the institution. 
uch popular interest may be awakened in favor of the insti- 
tatini at Washington, by throwing the rooms of the building 
open, on stated evenings during the session of Congress, for liter- 
ary and. scientific assemblies, ‘after the manner of the “weekly 
meetings of the Royal Institution in London. At these meet- 
ings, without the formality of a regular lecture, new truths in 
science may be. illustrated, and new objects of art exhibit ; 
Hesries these, courses of lectures may be given on particular sub-- 
jects by the officers. a the institution, or by distinguished indi- 
viduals i invited for t | 
Commencement of the operations of the Institution —1 was 
authorized, in connexion with the Committee on tion, 
to commence the publication of. the Smithsonian Contributions 
to Knowledge, one eceive any memoir which might be pre- 
sented on any subjec t, provided it was found, on examination, to 
furnish an interesting addition to the sum oe _ knowledge, 
Szconp Senses, Vol. VI, No. 18.—Nov., 1848. 
