216 



LETTER ON THE SMITHSONION INSTITUTION. 



[1855 



in direct vision botli eyes are used, witliout the straining of any one of 

 tlic muscles around tliem, and witliout spherical or chromatic aberra- 

 tion, or the interposition of a dense medium. 



As I am an entire stranger, and at the same time am desirous of 

 having these statements malie their full impression on your mind, it is 

 proper for me to say that I was formerly for several years a pupil of 

 professor Olmsted of Yale College, New Haven, and have since been 

 admitted to his special friendship ; and that I was associated for some 

 time in observations with young IVIason, whose early death you have 

 spoken of as a loss to the astronomical world. And though, no doubt, 

 many persons have more accurate habits of observation than myself, a 

 practice of fifteen years has done much to train my eye for researches 

 lilie these. 



You will also bear in mind the great dryness of our atmosphere, 

 indicated by the register, as well as our great elevation. Capt. Jacob, 

 (Proceedings of the Edinb. Royal Society, vol. ii. No. 36,) in speaking 

 of the extinction of light in the atmosphere, says : "The loss of light 

 in passing from the zenith through a homogeneous atmosphere of 5-2 

 miles will be -303. I was much astonished at first discovering that the 

 air had so great absorbent powers, and many ideas are suggested by 

 the fact." 



My letter is already becoming tedious, but I will venture to trespass 

 on your patience further, by naming a few test-objects, which would 

 enable you the better to compare the advantages of our position with 

 your own. 



1. S Cephei. This I have looked at repeatedly with my naked eye, 

 and though I cannot be sure that I have seen it double, I put it down, 

 in astronomical language, as "strongly suspected." 



2. The two small stars in the neighborhood of the pole-star, and in 

 the general direction, of y Cephei (thus . •.) are seen distinctly, 



p 

 and almost every night, as a single point of light. 



3. 4 and 5 e Lyros are very beautiful and well defined. When lying 

 on my back, the view of these stars, as they have passed near the 

 zenith, has been very similar to that I have often had of Castor in a 

 good telescope. There being no dew here, it is almost the universal 

 custom for the people to sleep upon the terraced roofs, which gives 

 them an opportunity, if so disposed, to gaze upon the blue vault above 

 them. 



4. a Librae is seen as two stars in any ordinary state of the 

 atmosphere, as readily as a Capricorni would be in America. 



5. Slizar and Alcor in Ursa Major. On looking at these any favor- 

 able night, two faint stars, which must be telescopic in England, are 



/ -80 \ 

 distinctly seen. They appear something like this I " ' / ' 



As I am absorbed in other and pressing labors, which allow me to 

 devote only an occasional thought to astronomical pursuits, and as, 

 besides, I am not furnished with any first rate instruments, allow me 

 to suggest the gi'eat desirableness of some experienced observer's 

 coming here to avail himself of this magnificent climate. One who 

 should spend even a limited period in Oroomiah, might safely promise 

 himself a good, and perhaps a very rich, hai-vest of astronomical 

 discovery. 



The averages of the meteorological register for August, alluded to 

 above, were as follows : 



Letter on tUe Smithsonion lustitutiou. 



Barometer reduced 



Sunrise. 

 24-246 



2 p. M. 



24-247 



10 p. M. 



24-235. 



General average 24-242 



Barometer highest 24-417 



lowest -097 



Difiference -320 



Fahrenheit' s Thermometer. 



Sunrise. 2 p. M. 10 p. m. 



670.4 790.45 710.37 



General average of the three ob- 

 servations, 72° -44. 



Hygrometer — wet bnlb. 

 Sunrise. 2 p. m. 10 p. M. 



64°-82 60°-43 5o°-37 



General average from the above, 

 56°-87 



Average difference of Hygrometer and Thermometer, 15°. 87. 



" at 2 p. M., 19°-02. 

 Greatest change of Thermometer in 24 hours, 18°. 



N. B. The daily observations differ but little from the weekly 

 average. One day follows another with great uniformity. 



BY PROFESSOK AGASSIZ. 



Addressed to the Honourable Charles W. Upham. 



Dear Sir, — Every scientific man in this country has been watching 

 with intense interest the proceedings of the Smithsonian Institution 

 ever since its foundation, satisfied, as all must be, that upon its pros- 

 perity the progress of science in America in a very great measure 

 depends. The controversies which have been lately carried on respect- 

 ing the management of the Institution have increased the solicitude 

 of its friends with regard to its future prospects in a degree which can 

 hardly be realized by those who are not immediately connected ivith 

 the cause of science. 



As a foreigner, who has enjoyed but for a few years tlie privilege of 

 adding his small share to support the powerful impulse which scientific 

 investigations have lately received from those who are the native repre- 

 sentatives of science in America, I have thus far abstained from taking 

 any part in this discussion, for fear of being charged with meddling 

 with matters in which I have no concern. There is, however, one fea- 

 ture of the institution itself, which may, I trust, justify the step I 

 have taken in addresing you upon this subject as the chairman of the 

 committee elected by the House of Representatives to investigate the 

 proceedings of that establishment. 



With the exception of a few indirect allusions, I do not see that any 

 reference is made in the discussion now going on to the indisputable 

 fact that the Smithsonian Institution is not an American institution. It 

 was originated by the liberality of a high-minded English gentleman, 

 intrusting his fortune to the United States to found in Washington an 

 institution to increase and diffuse knowledge among men. America, in 

 accepting the trust, has obtained the exclusive management of the most 

 important and the most richly endowed scientific institution in the 

 world : but it is at the same time responsible to the scientific world at 

 large for the successful prosecution of the object of the trust, which is 

 to increase and diffuse knowledge among men. 



Were it not for this universal character of the institution, I would 

 not think it becoming in me to offer any suggestion with regard to it. 

 As it is, I feel a double interest in its prosperity — in the first place, as 

 an institution designed to foster the progress of science at large, and 

 without reference to nationalities or local interests, and next, as more 

 immediately connected with the advancement of science in the coruitry 

 of my adoption. 



The votaries of science may differ in their views about the best means 

 of advancing science, according to the progress they have themselves 

 made in its prosecution ; but there is one standard of appreciation 

 which cannot fail to guide rightly those who would form a candid 

 opinion about it. I mean the lives of those who have most extensively 

 contributed in enlarging the boundaries of knowledge. 



There are two individuals who may, without qualification, be con- 

 sidered the most prominent scientific men of the nineteenth century — 

 Cuvier and Humboldt. By what means have they given such powerful 

 impulse to science ? How have they succeeded not only in increasing 

 the amount of knowledge of their age, but also in founding new 

 branches of science ? It is by their own publications and by aiding 

 in the publications of others ; by making large collections of specimens 

 and other scientific apparatus, and not by the accumulation of large 

 libraries. Humboldt never owned a book, not even a copy of his oinn 

 works, as I know from his own lips. "He was too poor," he once said 

 to me, " to secure a copy of them ;" and all the works he receives 

 constantly from his scientific friends are distributed by him to needy 

 students. 



Again, there is hardly a scientific man living on the continent of 

 Europe, who is not indebted to him for some recommendations in the 

 proper quarter for assistance in the publication of their works. I 

 mention more particularly these details about Humboldt, because he 

 is happily still among the living, and his testimony may be asked in a 

 matter of such deep importance to the real progress of science. But 

 the same is equally true of the part Cuvier took in his day in promoting 

 science. All his efforts were constantly turned towards increasing the 

 collection of the Jardin des Planies, and supporting the publication of 

 original researches, giving himself the example of the most untiring 

 activity in publishing his own. 



In this connection, I ought not to omit mentioning a circumstance to 

 which the United States owes the legacy of Smithson, which I happen 



