select and encyclopedical. And, undoubtedly, with the resources and the prospects of the Astor Library, this was the right course. In "Theology," its books at the opening amounted to 3752 volumes, including the best editions of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures; numerous versions of them in the principal languages of Europe and the East; most of the Benedictine Editions of the Fathers; the great collections of Councils, and the best English Divines, both early and recent. In "Jurisprudence" it numbered 3107 volumes, and is especially rich in the modern law of Continental Europe, and in British law. The American law department was, for the most part, reserved for future opportunities. In moral and mental "Philosophy," the number of volumes was 1500. In the "Mathematical Sciences," about 5000, including the collections of Halley and Legere. The astronomical section is especially rich. Of works of "Natural History" there were 4249, including the splendid and costly works of Martins, Wallich, Audubon, Gould, Sibthorp, Lambert, and Chenu. In "Chemistry, Physics generally, and the Useful Arts," upwards of 5000 volumes, in addition to 2000 volumes of the Transactions of Scientific Societies ; and in "Fine Arts" 2500 volumes; on the first fifty of which, say the committee, 2975 dollars (£595 sterling) were expended. In the "Medical Sciences" the number of volumes was 1751.

The Historical Department contained, at the opening of the Library, 20,350 volumes, of which 3407 were on the History of America. This part of the collection includes most of the early Spanish writers, early Voyages in all languages, and a long series of histories of the War of Independence, and of works relating thereto. In the class "Politics," the principal contents of the Library, at the same period, consisted of Journals, Debates, and Reports of the British Parliament, and of other European legislatures, and amounted to 2880 volumes.

In the class "Literature," the section of Linguistics seems to be best provided. It contained at the opening 2100 volumes, including the best works on Ægyptology (to use the fashionable phrase) and on the Oriental languages, --some of them of great value and rarity. In the whole it has Grammars and Dictionaries of 104 different languages. In the Literature of Greece and Rome, the Library counted 3100 volumes,—the apparatus criticus included. In that of Italy, 1761, and in that of France, 3101 volumes. Of Spanish and Portuguese literature there were 673; of Dutch, 156; of German, about 1400; and of Scandinavian, 809 volumes. In the Hungarian and Sclavonic languages collectively, the number of volumes was but forty-one. In English literature there were 3400 volumes; 300 of which were exclusively Shakespearian. It need scarcely be added that this enumeration of languages has relation to the class "Literature" only. Of Polygraphic and Miscellaneous works the number of volumes was nearly 5000.

If, then, we group these several statements into a simpler and more comprehensive classification, the broad result may be stated thus:

For the systematic comprehensiveness and the judicious selection which alike characterize this fine Library, New York is eminently indebted to Mr. Cogswell, who made two several journeys to Europe in search of books, visiting every European book-mart of much importance, and who himself inaugurated the Library, in the best possible manner, by presenting to it a series of books, in every section of Bibliography, amounting to nearly 5000 volumes.

Very wisely, the Trustees have determined that the Astor Library shall be a Library for consultation, not for borrowing, although it is by no means certain that "a free library of circulation is a practical impossibility in a city as populous as New York," as Mr. Cogswell seems to think.* Nor is it practicable— ponder it as we may-to perceive why a mere conjecture, expressed thusOne hundred volumes a day is a low average of the daily use," is "a statement with respect to the extent of the use of the library, as exact as the nature of the case will admit ;' or why "it would not be easy to say which department is most consulted," since both difficulties would be instantly removed by the simple expedient of registering the issues, as has long been done in libraries where the issue of five or six hundred volumes a-day is not a "low average," but an ascertained fact. These, however, are little blemishes in what is otherwise a most interesting Report of the first year's working of the Library, and are sure to disappear from future Reports.

Especially interesting is the statement, that "Very few have come to the Library without some manifestly distinct aim. . . . . It is shown by experience that the collection is not too learned for the wants of the public. In the linguistic department it possesses Dictionaries and Grammars, and other means of instruction, in more than a hundred languages and dialects, fourfifths of which have been called for during the first year of its operation. Our mathematical, mechanical, and engineering departments are used by great numbers; . . . . students at a distance have found it a sufficient object to induce them to spend several weeks in New York, to have the use of them. The same remark applies to Natural History. . . . . The books have been carefully used, and the rules of quiet and order invariably observed."

It remains to be added, that the present yearly income is £2483, and the ordinary expenses of maintenance £1142, which leaves £1341 a-year available for the purchase and binding of books.

• Annual Report on the Astor Library (1854).

CHAPTER V.

OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

THE Smithsonian Institution was founded by an Act of the Congress of the United States of America, on the 10th August, 1846, in pursuance of the bequest by James Smithson, of all his property to the United States, in order to the establishment of an institution "at Washington, under the name of the 'Smithsonian Institution'. . . . for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men."

James Lewis Macie (afterwards called Smithson) appears to have been a natural son of Sir Hugh Smithson, Bart., who was created Duke of Northumberland, in 1766 (and shortly afterwards "Vice-Admiral of all America "), after his marriage with the heiress of the Percies. Mrs. Elizabeth Macie, his mother, is said to have been of the Wiltshire family of Hungerford. Little is known of his life, save that he was educated at Oxford, that he cultivated a knowledge of chemistry, was well acquainted with Cavendish, and contributed to the Philosophical Transactions several analytical papers on chemical subjects; that he was proud of his descent, yet keenly sensitive on the score of the "bar sinister" in his escutcheon; ambitious of leaving a name that, to use his own words, "would live in the memory of men when the titles of the Northumberlands and the Percies are extinct or forgotten," yet willing to make his purpose wholly contingent on the birth of no child or children to a nephew who survived him; that he passed most of his life on the Continent, and died at Genoa in 1829, unmarried, leaving a fortune of about £120,000 sterling.

Mr. Smithson is said to have been a man of reserved manners and sensitive feelings; but an anecdote (almost the only one which has survived of him) shows that he must have possessed considerable coolness and strength of nerve, "Happening to observe a tear gliding down a lady's cheek, . . . . he submitted it to reägents, and detected what was then called microcosmic salt, with muriate of soda, and, I think" (Mr. Davies Gilbert, President of the Royal Society, is the narrator), "three or four more saline substances held in solution."

The will of the founder of the Smithsonian Institution, bears date 23rd Oct., 1826. In it he describes himself as "James Smithson, son of Hugh, first Duke of Northumberland, and Elizabeth, heiress of the Hungerfords, of Audley, and niece of Charles the Proud, Duke of Somerset." After bequeathing an annuity to a former servant, he leaves the whole of the income arising from all his property, of what nature soever, to Henry James Hungerford, my nephew, heretofore called Henry James Dickinson, son of my late brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Louis Dickinson," for his life, and then directs that "should the said Henry James Hungerford have a child or children, legitimate or illegitimate," such child or children should inherit the whole of his property of every kind absolutely and for ever. Failing such issue (as proved to be the case), he bequeathed the whole-subject to the annuity already mentioned

"to the United States of America," in the few words cited above, and without further detail of his intentions.

Congress Appropriation for the Smithsonian Li

The Act of Congress, which organized the Institution, created a Board of Regents, directed the construction of a suitable building, empowered the Regents to appoint officers, which "said officers shall be removable by the Board of Regents, whenever in their judgment the interests of the Institution require any of the said officers to be changed;" and enacted that "the said Regents shall make, from the interest of said fund, an appropriation, not exceeding an average of 25,000 dollars annually, for the gradual formation of a Library composed of valuable works pertaining to all departments of human knowledge." Of all remaining monies, "not herein appropriated, or not required for the purposes herein provided," the Regents are directed to make such disposal as they may deem best suited for the promotion of the testator's purpose; and by the 10th section it is enacted that one copy of all books, maps, and prints, for which copyright shall be secured, shall be delivered to the Librarian of the Smithsonian Institution, and one other copy to the Librarian of the Congress Library, for the use of such Libraries respectively.†

brary.

The amount received by Mr. Rush on behalf of the United States was £103,013 sterling. "He brought it over in sovereigns-deposited it in the Mint of the United States, where it was re-coined into American eagles,—thus becoming a part of the currency of the country. This money was afterwards (and unwisely) lent to some of the new States, and a portion of it was lost; but it did not belong to the United States-it was the property of the Smithsonian Institution-and the government was bound in honour to restore it. Congress has acknowledged this by declaring that the money is still in the Treasury of the Union, bearing interest at the rate of six per cent., and annually producing a revenue of about 30,000 dollars (£6000 sterling).” ‡ The plan which was adopted for carrying out the founder's object, proposed, 1. To stimulate men of talent to make original researches, by offering suitable rewards for memoirs containing new truths;

2. To appropriate annually a portion of the income for particular researches ;

3. To publish a series of periodical reports on the progress of the different branches of knowledge;

4. To publish occasionally separate treatises on subjects of general interest;

"The Act of Congress," continues the Programme of Organization, “establishing the Institution contemplated the formation of a Library and Museum; and the Board of Regents, including these objects in the plan, . . . resolved to divide the income into equal parts. One part to be appropriated to . . . . publications and researches; the other ... to the formation of a library and a collection of objects of nature and of art. These two plans are not incompatible with each other."

Copy of the Will, Act, &c., in Appendix to Eighth Annual Report of the Board of Regents, &c. (1854), pp. 107-123.

+ Ibid. (Programme of Organization), pp. 128-133.

Henry (Extract from an Address), p. 121.

On this double basis the expenditure of the Smithsonian bequest was for a short time regulated, being modified, however, by the necessity of providing, first of all, an adequate building for the transaction of business and preservation of the Collections. To this last-named purpose-the erection of a building-no part of the capital fund was appropriated. Interest had accrued to no less an amount than £48,400 sterling. This sum was devoted to the structure; but the trustees determined to keep it invested until a further sum of £30,000 had accrued, in the expectation that the two sums would both cover the entire expenditure on this head, and leave a sufficient balance to be invested as a permanent "fabric-fund" to keep the building in repair. The main structure was completed in 1855, and its total cost was £59,882 (299,414 dollars). The aggregate amount of accumulated interest up to the same date, was about £87,000. So that, in the words of the Ninth Annual Report, “the fund originally bequeathed by Smithson remains undiminished in the Treasury of the United States, and there is now on hand nearly 140,000 dollars (£28,000) to be added to the principal."

At the very outset of the Institution two widely different views as to the relative importance of the several spheres of action, specified in the Act of Congress, and in the Programme of Organization, obtained, as well within the Board of Regents as without it. The one party regarded the formation and efficient maintenance of a great Library, with its subsidiary collections, as beyond all question the most valuable result which the Smithson bequest could yield. Their opponents esteemed the institution and encouragement of scientific researches, on the one hand, and, on the other, the widest possible dissemination of the fruits of such researches, by means of the press, to be far more valuable than any conceivable gathering of books, or of the other appliances of learning. The former alleged that to amass a splendid Library was at once to lay a broad foundation both for the increase and the diffusion of human knowledge, and to secure a tangible and enduring return, visible to all eyes, for the money expended. The latter relied on the vagueness and universality of the testator's few words of direction-" the increase and diffusion of knowledge AMONG MEN,"-as, of themselves, constituting a clear proof that no plan of expenditure, the fruits of which were wholly or chiefly local, could honestly carry out his purpose.

There is so much of undeniable truth in each of these statements, taken singly, and each of them is so far from embodying the whole truth of the question in hand, that a fair distribution of the funds between the two great objects of (1) gathering the tools of knowledge, and (2) of teaching men how rightly to use them, may well appear to be rather the wise solution of a difficult problem than a mere compromise between conflicting opinions. And with a little more of patience and mutual forbearance on the part of those who had to work out the plan, it would, we think, have been found practicable enough. An income of £6000 or £7000 a-year would not, indeed, have always sufficed to carry on simultaneously the formation of a great Library, and the production and diffusion of a series of scientific investigations of a high order. But it required no memory of uncommon retentiveness to call to mind the names of Brown and Peabody, of Bates and Astor; and no logical faculty, unusually acute, to make the right deduction from the reminiscence. A systematic