19 
permitted him to study His modes of operation, and rewards his 
industry in this line by giving him powers and instruments which affect 
in the highest degree his- material welfare. It was the recognition of 
the importance of original science that rendered France a few years 
ago the center of civiHzation of the world. The celebrated Museum, 
called the Garden of Plants, was not a museum, as it were, of dead 
specimens for the gratiacation of ordinary curiosity, but the theatre of 
the labors of a Cuvier, a St. Hilaire, and of the many distinguished 
men which have rendered the scientific annals of that country 
immortal. 
Germany owes her ascendency at the present day not only to the 
general education of her people, but to the means which she has provi- 
ded for the discovery of new truths. 
England is becoming awakened to the importance of the same 
object, and a portion of the immense income of her universities is 
novr devoted to the support of original investigators. 
With the hope that you will excuse the plainness of some of my 
remarks, and attribute them to my ardor for the adTancement ot 
knowledge, and a desire to stimulate the inhabitants of this city to 
efforts in the line in which I am most interested, rather than to a ten- 
dency to indulge in depreciation or cynical criticism, I must close my 
address and throw myself upon your indulgence for having involunta- 
rily, fls it were, exceeded the limit of my time. 
At the conclusion of Professor Henry's address, the Superintend- 
ent of the Museum read the following list of articles in the box to be 
placed in the corner stone : 
1- Reports and Circulars of the Museum. 
2. Reports of the Dep't of Public Parks for 1S70, 1871 and 1872. 
3. Manual of the State Legislative. 
4. Congressional Directory. 
