THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 145 



ITI. Literature and the Fine Arts. 



9. Modern Literature. 



10. The Fine Arts, and their application to the Useful Arts. 



11. Bibliography. 



12. Obituary notices of distinguished individuals. 



Another branch of the plan for the diffusion of knowledge contem- 

 plates the offer of premiums for the best essays on given subjects. 



The publications of the Institution, of whatever form, are proposed 

 to be presented to all the colleges, and to the principal libraries and 

 scientific institutions throughout the country, and to be exchanged for 

 the transactions of all scientific and literary societies throughout the 

 world ; thus laying the foundation of a valuable library. An adequate 

 number are to be preserved to supply the future demand of new insti- 

 tutions, and the remainder are to be placed on sale at a price so low 

 as to render them generally accessible. 



For carrying out the plan thus sketched for increasing and diffusing 

 knowledge, the Regents propose to appropriate one half of the income 

 of their fund. The remainder is to be expended in the formation and 

 maintenance of a library, a collection of instruments of research in all 

 branches of experimental science, and a museum. 



This partition of the income of the fund is stated to be " a compro- 

 mise between the two modes of increasing and diffusing knowledge." 

 A library is one of the objects contemplated in the act of Congress 

 establishing the Board for the management of the trust. It is requisite 

 for carrying out the plan above proposed. At the same time, it will be 

 observed that the distribution, by exchange, of the publications, which 

 that scheme of operations will call into existence, will rapidly provide 

 the Institution, without further expense, with the class of works, often of 

 a costly character, which are most directly inportant as the means of 

 advancing and diffusing positive knowledge. It is accordingly in these 

 that the Secretary proposes to lay the foundations of the library, form- 

 ing, 1. A complete collection of the transactions and proceedings of all 

 the learned societies in the world ; and, 2. A similar collection of all 

 the current periodical publications, and other works necessary in pre- 

 paring the contemplated periodical reports. 



In the next place, it is proposed to procure by preference those books 

 which are not found in the other public libraries of the United States ; 

 regarding the want of them as one of more urgency to be supplied than 

 that of a symmetrical and proportionate collection of books in all the 

 departments of science. Such a library as the plan proposes may be 

 fairly regarded as an important instrument for the increase and diffusion 

 of knowledge. 



The collection of scientific apparatus and instruments of research is 

 no less needful in the furtherance of the above mentioned plan, which, 

 as it proposes to aid individuals in the prosecution of important re- 

 searches, may often do so most effectually by the loan of the instru- 

 ments required for a particular investigation. They will also be needed, 

 especially at Washington, for carrying out, under the most advantageous 

 circumstances, the various experimental investigations in Physics al- 

 io 



