399 515 519 THE GIANT. STANZAS. BY CHARLES MACKIE....... 376 WHITTLING. A YANKEE PORTRAIT. By Rev. J. PIER- THE MOTHER'S TRIAL. By SEBA SMITH. Illustrated 448 THE GREEK CHURCH.. WOMEN AND CRIME.. PONT.. 217 414 WOMEN VOTING........ 417 WILLIAM RODERICK LAWRENCE.. 417 WOMEN AND THE TIMES.. 526 520 WOMANLY PERCEPTION.. 529 THE PHILOSOPHY OF SALUTATION.. 404 YOUNG AMERICA... .......... 193 THE CITY OF WASHINGTON..... No. VI. THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. seems, had a stronger faith in the stability and permanence of the free institutions of our Republic than in the Governments and institutions of the Old World, and, therefore, when he determined to devote his princely fortune to establish an institution "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men," he chose the city of Washington as the locality, and appointed the Government of the United States as trustee to carry out his wishes. The Smithsonian Institution is now firmly established, in successful operation, holding a AMONG the many magnificent public build- lectual establishments in the world, but differhigh rank among the first scientific and intelings and Governmental establishments in the ing in some respects from all of them. It is an city of Washington, perhaps none excites honorable and imperishable monument to the greater interest or attracts a larger share of at- memory of its founder, an ornament to the tention from visitors at the national capital country, and a rich bequest to the world. To than the Smithsonian Institution. And yet this make our readers better acquainted with the is not stictly a Government establishment, but history and objects of this noble Institution, a splendid monument of individual munificence and its successful progress thus far under the and noble philanthropy, toward which the Gov-auspices of those who have so faithfully labored erament of the United States stands in the rela- to carry out the expressed wishes of its founder, tion of perpetual trustee. The founder, an En- is the object of this article. glish gentleman of liberal culture, scientific attainments, and broad philanthropic views, it VOL IV-1. THE TESTATOR. James Smithson was a native of England, a 1 THE BEQUEST. The whole amount of cash received from the bequest was $515,169; and, beside this, $25,000 was left in England as the principal of an annuity to the mother of the nephew of Smithson. This sum will also come to the Institution. The Government of the United States accepted the bequest, or in other words, accepted the office of trustee, and the Hon. Richard Rush, of Pennsylvania, was charged with the duty of prosecuting the claim. He remained in attendance on the English courts until the money was awarded to him. He brought it over in sovereigns, deposited it in the Mint of the United States, where it was recoined into American eagles, thus becoming a part of the currency of the country. decendant of the Duke of Northumberland;, his money to the Royal Society of London, for was educated at Oxford, under the name of the promotion of science, but on account of a James Lewis Macie. After leaving the Univer- misunderstanding with the council of the Sosity he took that of Smithson, the family name ciety he changed his mind, and left it to his of the Northumberlands. He does not appear nephew, and in case of the death of this relato have had any fixed home in England, but tive, to the United States of America to found traveled much on the continent, occasionally the Institution which now bears his name. staying a year or two in Paris, Berlin, Florence, etc. He died at Genoa in 1828, at an advanced age. He is said by Sir Davies Gilbert, President of the Royal Society, to have rivaled the most expert chemists in elegant analysis; and, as an instance of his skill, it is mentioned that, happening to observe a tear gliding down a lady's cheek, he endeavored to catch it on a crystal vessel; that half of the drop escaped, but having preserved the other half he submitted it to close analysis, and discovered in it several salts. He contributed a number of valuable papers to the Royal Society, and also to the Annals of Philosophy, on chemistry, mineralogy, and geology. His scientific reputation was founded on these branches, though from his writings he appears to have studied and reflected upon almost every department of knowledge. He was of a sensitive, retiring disposition; was never married-appeared ambitious of making a name for himself, either by his own researches or by founding an institution for the promotion of science. He declared, in writing, that though the best blood of England flowed in his veins, this availed him not, for his name would live in the memory of men when the titles of the Northumberlands and Percies were extinct or forgotten. He was cosmopolitan in his views, and affirmed that the man of science is of no country-the world is his country, and all men his countrymen. He proposed at one time to leave At the time of the passing of the act establishing the Institution, in 1846, the sum of $242,000 had accrued in interest, and this the Regents were authorized to expend on a building. But, instead of appropriating this sum immediately to this purpose, they put it at interest, and deferred the completion of the building for several years, until $150,000 should be accumulated, the income of which might defray the expense of keeping the building, and the greater portion of the income of the original bequest be devoted to the objects for which it was designed. This policy has been rigidly adhered to, and the result is that, besides the original sum, and after all that has this the Government of the United States is merely a trustee. The bequest is for the benefit of mankind, and any plan which does not recognize this provision of the will would be illiberal and unjust. The Institution must bear and perpetuate the name of its founder, and hence its operations are kept distinct from those of the General Government, and all the good which results from the expenditure of the funds is accredited to the name of Smithson. income should be devoted to the delivery of WHAT HAS BEEN DONE. As an evidence of the above assertion, the following facts are given in a late report of the Regents to Congress : It will be observed that the object of the bequest is twofold-first, to increase, and, second, to diffuse, knowledge among men. These two objects are entirely separate and distinct, and to view the case understandingly the one must not be confounded with the other. The first is to enlarge the existing stock of knowledge by the addition of new truths, and the second, to disseminate knowledge thus enlarged among men. This distinction is readily acknowledged by men of science, and in Europe different classes of scientific and other societies are founded upon it. The will makes no restriction in favor of any particular kind of knowledge, and hence all branches are entitled to a share of attention. Smithson was well aware that knowledge should not be viewed as existing in isolated parts, but as a whole, each portion of which throws light on all the others; and that the tendency of all is to improve the human mind, and to give it new sources of power and enjoyment. A prevalent idea, however, in relation to the will is, that the money "The Institution has promoted astronomy, by was intended exclusively for the diffusion of useful or immediately practical knowledge. the aid furnished the researches which led to among the inhabitants of this country, but it the discovery of the true orbit of the new contains nothing from which such an inference planet Neptune, and the determination of the can be drawn. All knowledge is useful, and perturbations of this planet, and the other the higher the more important. From the an- bodies of the solar system, on account of their nunciation of a single scientific truth may flow mutual attraction. It has also aided the same a hundred inventions, and the more abstract branch of science by furnishing instruments the truth the more important the deductions. and other facilities to the Chilian Expedition, To effect the greatest good the organization of under Lieutenant Gillis, and by preparing and the Institution should be such as to produce re- publishing an ephemeris of Neptune, which has sults which could not be attained by other been adopted by all the astronomers of the means, and inasmuch as the bequest is for men world. It has also published maps, and instrucin general, all merely local expenditures are tions for the observation of eclipses. It has inconsistent with the will. These were the advanced geography, by providing the scientific views of the Secretary, Professor Henry, and traveler with the annual lists of occultations have been constantly advocated by him. They of the principal stars by the moon, for the dewere not entertained, however, by many, and termination of longitude; by the preparation consequently difficulties have been encountered of tables for ascertaining hights with the bain carrying them out. A number of literary rometer; and by the collection and publication men thought that a great library should be of important facts relative to the topography founded at Washington, and all the money ex- of different parts of the country, particularly pended on it. Others considered a museum the of the Valley of the Mississippi. It has estabproper object, and another class thought the 'lished an extended system of meteorology, con |