THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 129 



much discussion, and which, therefore, requires particular explanation : 

 I allude to that which excludes from the contributions all papers con- 

 sisting merely of unverified speculations on subjects of physical science. 

 The object of this proposition is to obviate the endless difficulties which 

 would occur in rejecting papers of an unphilosophical character ; and 

 though it may in some cases exclude an interesting communication, yet 

 the strict observance of it will be found of so much practical importance 

 that it cannot be dispensed with. It has been supposed, from the adoption 

 of this proposition, that we are disposed to undervalue abstract specula- 

 tions : on the contrary, we know that all the advances in true science — 

 namely, a knowledge of the laws of phenomena — are made by provision- 

 ally adopting w ell conditioned hypotheses, the product of the imagination, 

 and subsequently verifying them by an appeal to experiment and observa- 

 tion. Every new hypothesis of scientific value must not only furnish an ex- 

 act explanation of known facts, but must also enable us to predict, in kind 

 and quantity, the phenomena which will be exhibited under any given 

 combination of circumstances. Thus, in the case of the undulatory 

 hypothesis of light, it was inferred, as a logical consequence, that if the 

 supposition were true that light consisted of waves of an ethereal me- 

 dium, then two rays of light, like two waves of water under certain 

 conditions, should annihilate each other, and darkness be produced. 

 The experiment was tried, and the anticipated result was obtained. It 

 is this exact agreement of the deduction with the actual result of ex- 

 perience that constitutes the verification of an hypothesis, and which 

 alone entitles it to the name of a theory, and to a place in the transac- 

 tions of a scientific institution. It must be recollected that it is much 

 easier to speculate than to investigate, and that very few of all the hy- 

 potheses imagined are capable of standing the test of scientific verifi- 

 cation. 



For the practical working of the plan for obtaining the character of a 

 memoir, and the precaution taken before it is accepted for publication, 

 I would refer to the correspondence, given in a subsequent part of this 

 report, relative to the memoir now in process of publication by the In- 

 stitution. As it is not our intention to interfere with the proceedings of 

 other institutions, but to co-operate with them, so far as our respective 

 operations are compatible, communications may be referred to learned 

 societies for inspection, as in the case of the above mentioned memoir, 

 and abstracts of them given to the world through the bulletins of these 

 societies, while the details of the memoirs and their expensive illustra- 

 tions are published in the volumes of the Smithsonian Contributions. 

 The officers of several learned societies in this country have expressed 

 a willingness to co-operate in this way. 



Since original research is the most direct way of increasing know- 

 ledge, it can scarcely be doubted that a part of the income of the be- 

 quest should be appropriated to this purpose, provided suitable persons 

 can be found, and their labors be directed to proper objects. The 

 number, however, of those who are capable of discovering scientific 

 principles, is comparatively small ; like the poet, they are " born, not 

 made ;" and, like him, must be left to choose their own subject, and 

 wait the fitting time of inspiration. In case a person of this class has 

 fallen on a vein of discoveiy, and is pursuing it with success, the better 

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