10 
ADLER. 
genious devices of not the mere existence of tne neavenly 
bodies, but of their constitution. 
The spirit in which this work is written can be gleaned 
from its "very brief preface : 
“I have written these pages,” he says, “not for the pro- 
fessional reader, but with the hope of reaching a part of that 
educated public on whose support he is so often dependent 
for the means of extending the boundaries of knowledge. 
“It is not generally understood that among us not only tho 
support of the Government, but with scarcely an exception 
every new private benefaction, is devoted to ‘the old’ astron- 
omy, which is relatively munificently endowed already ; 
while that which I have here called ‘the new/ so fruitful in 
results of interest and importance, struggles almost unaided. 
“We are all glad to know that Urania, who was in the 
beginning but a poor Chaldean shepherdess, has long since 
become well-to-do, and dwells now in state. It is far less 
known than it should be that she has a younger sister now 
among us, bearing every mark of her celestial birth, but all 
unendowed and portionless. It is for the reader’s interest in 
the latter that this book is a plea.” 
Of the scientific importance of this book and of the other 
work of Mr. Langley I am naturally dependent for my opin- 
ion upon others, but I may be permitted to say that its 
literary character is unsurpassed — indeed, probably un- 
equaled — by the scientific work of any other in America, 
and deserves to rank among the popular scientific expositions 
of Darwin, Wallace, Huxley, and Tyndall. 
Even prior to this Mr. Langley had been invited to lecture 
at the Royal Institution of Great Britain; his fame was 
growing and recognition was coming to him from many 
sources. 
In the autumn of 1886 Professor Baird, after a personal 
conference with Mr. Langley, wrote him inquiring whether 
he would enter the service of the Smithsonian Institution 
as an Assistant Secretary in charge of Foreign and Domestic 
Exchanges, including the International Service, the Library, 
and the Publications, with the understanding that not more 
than half of his time should be given to the Institution and 
