THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 175 



Lectures. 



At the last meeting of the Board an appropriation of five hundred 

 dollars was made to defray the expense of lectures to be given before 

 the Smithsonian Institution, a part of which only is expended. The 

 first course, in accordance with this part of the plan of organization, 

 was by Professor Koeppen, of Denmark, on Modern Athens. These 

 lectures were illustrated by a number of large drawings, for the use of 

 which the Institution is indebted to the Lowell Institute of Boston. A 

 second course was delivered by Dr. Hitchcock, President of Amherst 

 College, on geology, in the lecture-room of the east wing of the Smith- 

 sonian building ; and both courses were attended by large and appar- 

 ently interested audiences. The results of these lectures indicate that 

 much good may be effected in Washington by this means of communi- 

 cating knowledge. No city, perhaps, of the same number of inhabit- 

 ants, contains so many intelligent and well educated persons desirous 

 of obtaining information ; and no point in our country is so favorably 

 situated for the dissemination of opinions, by means of lectures, as the 

 political centre of the American Union. Invitations have been given 

 to a number of distinguished gentlemen in different parts of the United 

 States to favor us with courses of lectures during the present session of 

 Congress, and in almost every case the invitation has been accepted. 

 It is intended to extend these invitations so as to call here in succession 

 all who have distinguished themselves in literature or science. We 

 shall not seek mere popular lecturers, whose chief recommendation is 

 fluency of speech, or powers of rhetorical declamation, but chiefly those 

 who are entitled, from their standing and acquirements, to speak with 

 authority on the subjects of their discourse, and whose character will 

 tend to give due importance to their communications. It is to be re- 

 gretted that the amount of funds which can be devoted to this object is 

 not as great as could be wished. It is hoped, however, that many 

 persons will consider the opportunity of visiting Washington, and the 

 compliment paid by the invitation, as in part a remuneration for the 

 labor and time which their lectures may cost. But in all cases, suffi- 

 cient should be allowed to defray all necessary expenses, and, as soon 

 as the state of the funds will permit, to reward liberally, rather than 

 otherwise, those who are called to assist the Institution in this way. I 

 forbear to publish the names of those who have consented to lecture, 

 lest they should be accidentally prevented from filling their engage- 

 ment, and ttie public thus be disappointed. 



To facilitate the approach to the building, at the time of these lec- 

 tures, the walks were temporarily improved, at a considerable expense 

 to the Institution. It is hoped that the authorities of the city of Wash- 

 ington will cause bridges to be erected across the canal, and walks to 

 be constructed through the public grounds, to facilitate the approach 

 to the building, and that the Institution will not be expected to provide 

 accommodations of this kind. 



