48 
THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 
cautiously, with such changes, from time to time, as experience 
may dictate.” 
Among the subjects which Secretary Henry enumerates as ap- 
propriate to be embraced in the publications of the Institution, 
for diffusing knowledge, are “the fine arts and their application 
to the useful arts.” 
“The second section of the programme,” in the words of 
Secretary Henry, “gives, so far as they have been made out, the 
details of the part of the plan of organization directed by the 
act of Congress establishing the institution. The two plans, 
namely, that of publication and original research, and that of 
collections of objects of nature and art, are not incompatible, 
and may be carried on harmoniously with each other. The 
only effect which they will have on one another is that of limit- 
ing the operation of each, on account of the funds given to the 
other. Still, with a judicious application, and an economical 
expenditure of the income, and particularly by rigidly observing 
the plan of finance, suggested by Dr. Bache, in the construction 
of the building, much good may be effected in each of the two 
branches of the institution. . . . 
“The collections of the institution, as far as possible, should 
consist of such articles as are not elsewhere to be found in this 
country, so that the visitors at Washington may see new 
objects, and the spirit of the plan be kept up, of interesting the 
greatest possible number of individuals. A perfect collection 
of all objects of nature and of art, if such could be obtained and 
deposited in one place, would form a museum of the highest in- 
terest; but the portion of the income of the bequest which can 
be devoted to the increase and maintenance of the museum will 
be too small to warrant any attempt toward an indiscriminate 
collection. It is hoped that in due time other means may be 
found of establishing and supporting a general collection of 
objects of nature and art at the seat of the general government, 
with funds not derived from the Smithsonian bequest. For the 
present, it should be the object of the institution to confine the 
application of the funds, first, to such collections as will tend 
to facilitate the study of the memoirs which may be published 
in the Contributions, and to establish their correctness; 
secondly to the purchase of such objects as are not general!)' 
