Ten Years in Washington or, Inside Life and Scenes in Our National Capital as a Woman Sees Them ... to Which Is Added a Full Account of the Life and Death of President James A. Garfield

CHAPTER XLVII.

Chapter 47149 wordsPublic domain

INSIDE THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION—ITS TREASURES OF ART AND SCIENCE—THE LARGEST COLLECTION IN THE WORLD.

Strange Story of James Smithson—A Good Use of Money—Seeking the Diffusion of Knowledge—Catching a Tear from a Lady’s Cheek—Analysis of the Same Tear—A Brief Tract on Coffee-Making—James Smithson’s Will—Praiseworthy Efforts of Robert Dale Owen—The Bequest Accepted—The Plan of the Institution—Its Intent and Object—The Smithsonian Reservation—The Smithsonian Building—The Museum—Treasures of Art and Science—The Results of Thirty Government Expeditions—The Largest Collection in the World—Valuable Mineral Specimens—All the Vertebrated Animals of North America—Classified Curiosities—The Smithsonian Contributions—Its Advantages and Operations—Results—The Agricultural Bureau—Its Plan and Object—Collecting Valuable Agricultural Facts—Helping the Purchaser of a Farm—The Expenses of the Bureau—The Library—Nature-Printing—In the Museum—The Great California Plank—Vegetable Specimens, 533