THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 125 



temperament, as well as in scientific tastes. In one respect, how- 

 ever, they must have differed. Shy and reserved as Cavendish was 

 among his fellow men, he literally fled from the gaze of a woman. 

 So far did he carry this that Lord Burlington notes of him, "he 

 would never see a female servant, and if an unfortunate maid ever 

 shewed herself, she was immediately dismissed." One can hardly, 

 therefore, fancy him, even under the most urgent stimulus of ana- 

 lytic zeal, snatching the falling tear from a lady's cheek. 



In another respect, also, Smithson would appear to have differed 

 &om his illustrious friend, if his American biographer may be relied 

 upon. " He was," says the notice appended to the' Guide Book 

 already referred to, " of a sensitive, retiring disposition ; was never 

 married; but appeared ambitious of making a name for himself." 

 This, however, I suspect is a mere inference, and is not borne out by 

 the terms of his will, which primarily destined his property to any 

 collateral, and even illegitimate surviving relation, and accompanied 

 the ultimate bequest to the United States with no ostentatious obli- 

 gations, beyond the mere determination of the name of the establish- 

 maent to be founded at Washington as the " Smithsonian Institution." 

 To the pecuniary trust he did, indeed, add certain gifts of a more 

 personal character. His American executors not only acquired by 

 Ms will the ample funds left at his death, but also received in trust 

 Ms whole personal effects ; and among the latter were books, papers, 

 scientific apparatus, and minerals, all illustrating his tastes, and fur- 

 aishing important contributions towards a better knowledge of the 

 man. The Institution is, or at least, was, in possession of two like- 

 nesses of Smithson : one a portrait of him while a youth, in his 

 academics as an Oxford undergraduate ; the other a medallion 

 profile, from which the engraving has been executed which is 

 attached to all the Smithsonian " Contributions to Knowledge." 

 The first was procured from the widow of his servant, John Pitall, 

 and the latter passed directly, along with his other personal effects, 

 to the United States. 



In the annual report of the Board of Eegents for 1857, the fol- 

 lowing information is communicated with reference to Smithson's 

 personal effects: — " The bequest of James Smithson included all his 

 personal effects, and these were obtained by the Hon. Richard Eush, 

 the agent of the American G-overnment, through whom the legacy 

 was procured. They were delivered by him to the Secretary of State 

 and afterwards deposited in the museum of the Patent Office, where 



