JAMES SMITHSON AND HIS BEQUEST. O 



trymen." This fact is exemplified by the life of Smithsou — born in Eng- 

 land, spending most of his time in France and Germany, buried in Italy, 

 and leaving his name and fortune to the United States of America. 



Desiring to bring to the practical test of actual experiment every 

 thing that came to his notice, ho fitted up and carried with him a porta- 

 ble laboratory. He collected also a cabinet of minerals composed of 

 thousands of minute specimens, including all the rarest gems, so that 

 immediate comparison could be made of a novel or undetermined speci- 

 men, with an accurately arranged and labeled collection. With minute 

 balances, his weights scarcely exceeding a gram, and with articles so 

 delicate as to be scarcely visible, he made the most accivrate and satis- 

 factory determinations. With a few pieces, not exceeding half a cubic 

 inch in size, of tabasheer, a substance found in the hollow of bamboo 

 eaues, he made over two hundred and fifty difiereut experiments. * 



The value which Smithsou placed on such minute researches is inci- 

 dentally shown by a remark in his paper on "fluorine." He says, 

 " there may be persons who, measuring the importance of the subject 

 by the magnitude of the object, will cast a supercilious look on this dis- 

 cussion ; but the particle and the planet are subject to the same laws, and 

 what is learned of the one will be known of the other." 



Smithsou's ardor for knowledge and his zeal as a collector of new and 

 rare minerals exposed him sometimes to hardship and privation. An 

 interesting account of one of his journeys is given in his private journal. 



In 1784, in company with Mr. Thornton, Mons. Faujas de St. Fond, 

 the (celebrated geologist of France, the Italian Count Andrioni, and 

 oMu'is, ho made a lour through Now Castle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dum- 

 barton, Tarbet, luverary, Oban, Arran, and the island of Staffa. 



As stated iti Mr. Smithson's journal, the party had arrived at a house 

 on the coast of Mull, opposite the island, and the journal continues : 



" Mr. Turtusk got ine a separate boat ; set off about half-i>ast eleven 

 o'clock in the morning, on Friday, the 24tli of September, for Staffa. 

 Some wind, the sea a little rough; wind increased, sea ran very high; 

 rowed round some part of the island, but found it impossible to go be- 

 fore Fingal's cave ; was obliged to return ; landed on Staffa with diifi- 

 culty ; sailors press to go oft' again immediately ; am unwilling to de- 

 part without having thoroughly examined the island. Resolve to stay 

 all night. Mr. INIaclaire stays with me; the other party which was 

 there had already come to the very same determination ; all crammed 

 into one bad hut, though nine of ourselves besides the family ; supped 

 upon eggs, potatoes, and millc ; lay upon hay, in a kind of barn." (The 

 Ijarty, be it remembered, embraced two English gentlemen, one French 

 savant, one Italian count.) 



" 25th. Got up early, sea ran very high, wind extremely strong — no 

 boat could put off. Breakfasted on boiled potatoes and milk ; dined 

 upon the same ; only got a few very bad fish ; supped on potatoes and 



Sco Appendix. Note 4. 



