erature. We are indebted especially to the last work-the "Daily Bible Illustrations" of Dr. Kitto, for the following remarks:

melodious notes to him, without some attempts at imitation. But hitherto, probably, all their attempts had been vocal, until Jubal discovered It seems clear to us (says Dr. Kitto) that the that instruments might be contrived to give vent antediluvians, commencing with the knowledge to musical sounds of greater compass and power. imparted to Adam before his fall, and acquired We may conceive that he had many anxious by him subsequently, did make high improve- thoughts, many abortive trials, until perseverance ments in the arts, and attained to a state of con- conquered, as it always does, and he had brought siderable civilization. If this be true, there is his "harp and organ" to perfection. The harp consequently no foundation for the notion of was something of that sort which we call a lyre, man's gradual progress from the savage to the and the form and character of which is better civilized condition. Indeed, how any one who known to us from sculptures, paintings, and mebelieves in the sacred origin of the book of Gen- dals, as well as poetical descriptions, than from esis can take that view, is inconceivable. Ac- actual knowledge, the instrument being virtually cording to that account, the various nations of extinct. And let not "the organ" of Jubal the world are descended from the men who sur- perplex us with large ideas of pipes, and keys, vived the deluge, and who were certainly not an and bellows. It was nothing more than a simuncivilized family. They built a large and capa-ple "mouth organ' '-a bundle of reeds-a Pancious vessel, and their doing this implies the dean pipe, that is, such a pipe as the god Pan is possession of tools suited to so great a work; they seen to blow, in ancient sculptures, and such as were also skilled in agriculture; and Noah be- is often enough to this day witnessed in our took himself to the culture of the ground as soon street exhibitions. as he quitted the ark; the successful management of so many diverse animals that were committed to his care in the ark, implies much knowledge of cattle. All this we know; and, knowing this, it is not too much to suppose that the various members of this family possessed all the arts which existed before the deluge, and of which we now give some notice. Indeed, there is evidence of this in the great undertakings of their descendants, previous to their dispersion into nations and languages.

The son of Lamech by Zillah supported well the renown of his family for discoveries in the arts. His name was Tubal-Cain. He was "an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron." For "brass" read "copper;" brass being a fac titious metal of certainly much later invention. Was, then, the use of metals wholly unknown in the eight or nine centuries of not savage life which had passed since Adam received his be ing? Perhaps not. It is hard to conceive that extensive agricultural operations could have One of the sons of Lamech by Adah was Ja- been carried on, that cities could have been bal. He, we are told, "was the father of such built, or the useful and elegant arts brought into as dwell in tents, and such as have cattle." This use, without this knowledge. We might indeed is a very important fact. It shows that man had conceive that the use of iron was of this late, or existed thirteen centuries upon the earth before even later, origin. That metal is hard to find, the nomade life, to which a large proportion of and difficult to bring into that condition which mankind have since been addicted, received its fits it for use. It is usually the last of the metals origin. There had been shepherds before, and to be brought into man's service; and nations sheep had before been kept; but it was not until which have possessed all the other metals have the time of Jabal that pasturage was organized wanted that. This is not the case with copper. into a distinct form of social existence. The It is often found on or near the surface in its care of man was by him extended to larger ani- metallic shape; it is soft and easily wrought; mals than sheep; and they were taught to cast and nations, whose instruments were only of this off the restraints which the habit of living in metal, have been known to execute great works, towns and villages imposed, and to betake them- and to have attained an advanced state of civiliselves wholly to the pastures, dwelling in porta-zation. All antiquity, indeed, vouches for the ble habitations, and removing from place to place for the convenience of pasturage. This is a mode of life frequently brought under our notice in the Scriptures, being essentially that of the patriarchs whose history occupies the greater portion of the book of Genesis.

Jabal had a brother named Jubal, and "he was the father of all such as handle the harp and the organ." Had, then, the world been for above a thousand years without music, till Jubal appeared? Perhaps not. Man could scarcely, for so long a time, have been without some efforts to produce musical sounds; and the birds could scarcely for so many ages have poured forth their

remotely ancient, but not earliest, discovery of iron; but all antiquity also affirms that, although iron was known, the difficulty of the first operations in rendering it available greatly restricted its use, and a large number of implements, utensils, and weapons, which we should expect to be of iron wherever that metal was known, are found to have been nevertheless of copper. On the other hand, it must be admitted that the ancients, being obliged to rely so much upon copper, labored diligently in overcoming the inconvenience which its natural softness could not but occasion. By certain amalgamations and manipulations, they seem to have succeeded in impart

were deposited in the Mint of the United States, and afterwards converted into American eagles. By a special clause in the act accepting the bequest, a pledge was made to carry out the intention of the testator.

The whole amount brought by Mr. Rush, was $515,169. Besides this, $25,000 were left in England, as the principal of an annuity to the mother of the nephew of James Smithson. This money at her death, and she is now aged, will come to the Institution. Besides the original bequest, Congress allowed interest on the sum from the time it was paid into the treasury till 1846, which amounted to $242,000. This last sum was appropriated by Congress for the erection of buildings. The original fund is now in the treasury of the United States, and never to be expended. There were on hand, at the last meeting of the Regents, after all the expenditures, $208,000 of surplus interest. Of this sum, $58,000 is to be applied to the building during the present and next year, leaving, according to the original plan, $150,000 of interThe building is to be completed so as to be fire proof.

est.

The object of the will of Mr. S. can only be learned by a careful perusal of the words. They are as follows: "In case of the death of my nephew without issue, I bequeath the whole of my property to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institute, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." The inference from the language is, that the U. States is merely a trustee to carry out the design of diffusing knowledge among men, including mankind in general. The Institution is not a national establishment, but the establishment of an individual, and one which will perpetuate his He intended it as a monument to him

name. self.

The objects of the Institution are two-fold-to increase knowledge and to diffuse it among men. These two objects are entirely distinct, and ought not to be confounded. The Royal Society of London, for example, is for the increase of knowledge only. So the French Academy of Science, also, is for the same object; and that of Berlin. Colleges and schools generally are for the diffusion of knowledge. The man who makes a discovery, increases knowledge; he who teaches it or lectures upon it, diffuses it. There are few institutions in this country for the increase of knowledge, and there is, therefore, special need for the Smithsonian Institute. No particular kind of knowledge is specified in the will, but knowledge in its widest sense is intended. Knowledge may be regarded, first, with reference to its increase; second, its diffusion, and thirdly, its application to useful purposes. The principal object of the Smithsonian Institute is to increase knowledge, leaving others to diffuse it.

The plan adopted by the officers of the Institution for increasing knowledge has been, not to employ in the Institution itself a number of persons making original investigations, but to employ persons everywhere who are already engaged in making investigations. Thus persons engaged in scientific pursuits are requested to send in the results of their investigations to the Smithsonian Institute, where they are examined first by the officers, and then by a commission of learned men; and on the decision of the commission they are accepted or rejected. In this way many persons are engaged, not only in the United States, but in other countries.

It may be said, that this is a slow method of advancing knowledge: but no publisher would encourage or bring forth some of the works which the Institution encourages and publishes, because he would be deterred by the first expense. Every discoverer is in advance of his age, and needs means to go on sometimes. Our countryman, Dr. Bowditch, spent twenty years of his life on the Celestial Mechanics of La Place. After he had finished it, he assembled his family, and told them that it would cost one third of his fortune to print it; and he asked them, as his heirs, whether he should go on and print it. The answer was worthy of the heirs of such a father. They said, "Go on." His wife ever after pointed to the work, and said, "Here is our carriage.”

The diffusion of the knowledge obtained by the Institution, is accomplished by sending a copy of every work published, to every first-class library on the face of the earth. All the Colleges and Philosophical Societies in the United States receive one. Thus the intention of Mr. Smithson is carried out to the very letter. One effect of this diffusion has been, that copies of important works are sent from abroad to the Institution in return; and some of the oldest societies abroad have not only sent to the Institution copies of their current volumes, but back numbers as far as possible. The works of the Institute are in great demand; and even this week a request has been made by letter for a copy for Van Dieman's Land, for a new society in that part of the world.

He then went on to show what the Institution has done, first, on the subject of Ethnology. An important work on this subject has been published, commencing with the results of the labors of Messrs. Davis and Squire, in their examination of the mounds in the valley of the Mississippi. They opened upwards of two hundred of these mounds. No publisher would publish the work they had prepared, in consequence of getting up the plates for illustrations.

The skulls found in these mounds, show that they belong to a race of people different from the Indians of North America; and it would appear that these ancient people were expelled by the Indians.

Another volume is to be made with reference

to the mounds in Wisconsin, which are very interesting in their character. The surveyor employed to measure one in Wisconsin, found, on making his plot, that he had on his paper, the figure of a strange animal; and it is thought that most of those in Wisconsin, represent some animals. map is to be prepared by the Institution, to show the location of all these important mounds. If history helps to teach what the future may be, these investigations go further back than any history of this country, and help to explain what has been, as well as any history, so far as they can be understood.

Another volume is taken up with the language of the Dacotah Indians. This is the product of a number of missionaries, who were engaged eighteen years in studying the language of that tribe. Astronomy, too, has been advanced by means of the aid given by this institution. The orbit of the planet Neptune was determined by Mr. Walker, through such aid. About two thousand dollars were paid for that purpose. Prof. Gillis, also, has been aided in his investigation of the distances of the planets, who has been absent in foreign countries for this purpose. Physical Geography also has been much advanced by the aid given by the institution, as well as the science of Geology. Statistics relating to Railways and Canals, which would otherwise be lost, are also preserved here.

of north, and in the English Channel it points twenty-four degrees west.

To investigate this subject, a building has been erected, with a cellar, on the grounds of the Institute, with double walls upon the sides below the surface of the ground, and also under the bottom, so as to keep the room dry by allowing a current of air to circulate all around it. In this building are three very important instruments. The first is a magnetic bar suspended by silk threads, which points north and south, and under the bar is fastened a little mirror, before which a gas-light is constantly burning. This light is thrown through a dark screen upon the mirror, and from the mirror it is reflected upon a cylinder about a foot in diameter, upon which a piece of paper is placed, which is rendered sensitive to the light, on the photographic principle; and as this cylinder revolves, carrying the paper with it, the ray of light travels backward and forward, and in this way the needle is made to record its own vibrations; and the clock which turns the cylinder tells the time when each vibration was made.

Another instrument records the dip of the needle, and a third shows the strength of the magnet. The results thus obtained, showing the changes constantly occurring at this place, can be compared with those observed at any other place, and at any time, and thus the cause of science be advanced.

After referring to the plan of Professor Jewett for stereotyping the catalogues of libraries, the lecture, which was duly appreciated by an attentive audience, was closed.

SAVE THE DEAD LEAVES.

Botany also has been aided by contributions made by explorers, who have been encouraged by this Institution, and who have examined plants in Texas, New Mexico, California, and Oregon. The most interesting volume on this subject is one on the Algae, or Sea-Weeds of North America, by Dr. Harvey, of Dublin, who was invited to this country to lecture before the Lowell Institute, of Boston, for the purpose of giving him an opportunity to study this subject. He made a comIf every horticulturalist would reflect for a plete collection of all the algae of our coast, and contain not only the vegetable matter, but the moment on the nature of fallen leaves, which he devoted four years of his life to the work, and earthy salts, lime, potash, &c., needed for next gives the whole to the world, provided the Smith- year's growth-and that, too, exactly in the prosonian Institute will publish it. Without this aid portion required by the very tree and plant from it would not have been published. Dr. Harvey which they fall; nay, more, if they would conis now on his way to Australia, and is to return sider that in this way, by the decomposition of by way of our North-west coast, and then he will these very fallen leaves, that nature enriches the furnish materials for another volume. soil, year after year, in her great forests, it would Meteorology also has received much attention, scarcely be possible for such a reflecting hortiand been aided by the Institution. Many persons culturalist to allow these leaves to be swept away throughout the country are making observations by every wind that blows, and finally lost alon the subject, which are to be sent to the Insti- together. A wise horticulturalist will diligently tation for examination and comparison. The pro- collect, from week to week, the leaves which fall map, showing the state of the weather at a parti- soil about the roots, where they will decay and enand course of storms is to be indicated by a under each tree, and by digging them under the

gress

the

e progress of the changes. The subject of the best possible food for that tree.

In certain vine

is a very important subject, because, as it is well condition by simply burying at their roots every known, the magnet varies in different places, and leaf and branch that is pruned off such vines, or at the same place at different times. Thus, in falls from them at the end of the season.-HortiCalifornia, the needle points sixteen degrees east culturalist,

terrestrial magnet, is to be investigated also. This yards in France, the vines are kept in the highest

ANOTHER NEW PLANET.

promote the advancement of science. If this institution had been in operation when Dr. Bowditch completed his translation of the "Mechanique Celeste," with his numerous annotations, illustrating its many difficult passages, there would probably have been no necessity of casting upon his moderate estate the expense of its publication. Although about sixteen years have elapsed since the last volume of that work was printed, if the voice of the Editor of the Review could reach the regents of the institution, he would respectfully suggest the expediency of an inquiry whether some volumes of the translation may not remain in possession of the family of Dr. Bowditch, which might be purchased and distributed at the expense of the institution.

Mr. Hind, the Astronomer of Mr. Bishop's private observatory, London, and, as we believe, since the death of Lieutenant Stratford, Superintendant of the English Nautical Almanac, in a letter to the London Times, says: "At 6h. 50m. on Tuesday, I discovered a new planet in the constellation Taurus, about 2 deg. south of the ecliptic. It is rather brighter than stars of the ninth magnitude. This planet is the Ninth (?) which I have discovered since the commencement of a systematie search in 1846, and raises the number of that extraordinary group of worlds between Mars and Jupiter to twenty-seven." The enormous labor which has been performed by Mr. Hind, in the systematic search, will be better appreciated when it is understood that not one of the nine planets discovered by him, in Within the passing year, the Seventh Annual London, is ever visible to the naked eye, or even Report of the Board of Regents has been published, at all without the aid of a good telescope.-Bos-containing a detailed account of the operations of ton Traveller.

FRIENDS' REVIEW. PHILADELPHIA, TWELFTH MONTH 31, 1853.

the institution for the preceding year, with notices of the various objects to which the attention of the officers is directed.

Recent communications from England contain information that Amelia Opie, so well known for her writings, has been removed to the land from which no traveller returns.

The London Friend of this month contains the following notice:

An interesting notice of the establishment and progress of the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington, is introduced into the present number. The motives of the Testator, to whose ample bequest this institution is owing, as described by Professor Henry, are too nearly allied to those which actuated the builders of the noted Accounts have been received of our friends fabric on the plain of Shinar, to command our un-James Backhouse and Lindley M. Hoag, up to qualified approbation. Ambition to leave a name the date of Tenth month 26th, when they were to posterity, does not supply the humble Christian boat on another visit up the Bakken Fjord, &c. again at Stavanger, but were about setting out by with a motive for action. In more passages than They were both in good health. Since landing in one in the sermon on the mount, we find it plainly Norway, they had attended or held 147 meetings. intimated, that for those who perform their acts, In several remote places they have met with serious-minded persons, who appear to be very though good in themselves, to be seen of men, near to Friends in principle. În reviewing their applause of men is their reward. labors, James Backhouse writes: "We feel that we are poor earthen vessels; but the Lord has condescended to make use of us, to the awakencloser to himself, to his own praise and glory; and ing of not a few, and to the gathering of others he has favored us with a large sense of his goodness, mercy and love, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour."

the

Very different, however, in its practical result is the ambition of James Smithson from that which has actuated many of the great ones of mankind, who, as Cowper remarks,

"Toiled much to earn a monumental pile, That may record the mischiefs they have done." It is presumable that this institution will constitute a more lasting memorial to the memory of its founder, than any erected by the Percys of Northumberland from the time of Hotspur to the battle of Brandywine. The facilities afforded by this institution, to the printing and circulation of scientific works, especially of such as are not likely to remunerate a publisher, must essentially

*It is, I believe, an established fact, that one of the Percy family fell at the battle of Brandywine, (in 1777,) near Birmingham meeting house. I had it from a man who was on the battle ground at the time, and knew the spot where he was buried.

THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.-It appears from the following extract, that this barbarous act is not in good odor in the South:

law. It was a stupid blunder on the part of SouthThe South has gained nothing but a loss by this ern statesmen. The value of the Slave lost is eaten up if capture follows, while hatred to the institution abroad and opposition to it at home are increased by its hard features, and the barbarous enforcement of them.-Charleston (S. C.) Mercury.

On this the Albany Evening Journal remarks: We have endured all sorts of reproach and obloquy for speaking of the "hard features" of this