have given pledge. A large, well-selected garden and orchard for planting an Ergastulum for mechanic fancies, and a laboratory chemical for those philosophers that by themselves would culture their understandings, are in our design, for the students to spend their times of recreation in; for readings or notions only are but husky provender."

But these designs were nearly two centuries in advance of the aspirations of the corporators of either English or American colleges. In Harvard College a regular Professorship of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy was first instituted in 1727. The Professorship of Chemistry, and the first laboratory, were established in 1783. The site of a Botanic Garden was purchased by citizens of Boston in 1807, although the corporation, in 1784, applied to the Legislature for help in this direction to enable the College to accept the offer of the King of France "to furnish such garden with every species of seeds and plants, which might be requested, from his Royal Garden, at his expense." In 1805 the Professorship of Natural History was founded by the subscription of $30,000 of a few citizens of Boston. In 1816 the Rumford Professorship of the Sciences as applied to the Arts, was endowed out of a bequest of Benjamin Thompson, of Woburn, Mass., (better known as Count Rumford of Bavaria,) "in order to teach by regular courses of academic and public lectures, accompanied with proper experiments, the utility of the physical and mathematical sciences for the improvement of the useful arts, and the extension of the industry, prosperity, happiness and well-being of society." In 1839 an Astronomical Observatory was commenced by a subscription of John Quincy Adams and others, and in 1848 munificently endowed by Edward B. Phillips, in the sum of $100,000. In 1820 the Professorship of Mineralogy and Geology was established, and the cabinet of specimens began to assume magnitude and value. In 1846 the building of the Lawrence Scientific School was erected by Abbot Lawrence, who also endowed the Professorship of Civil Engineering and Geology, to a total amount, with his son's donation, of $150,000. In 1859 the Museum of Comparative Zoology was established on the basis of an endowment of $50,000 by William Gray, and $100,000 by the State, and of subscriptions in the sum of $71,125 by individuals, and the consecration of the genius and enthusiasm of Louis Agassiz to its inauguration, the value of which no amount of money can represent, and which has since secured over $200,000 in money, and more than that in collections for the institution. In 1862, Samuel Hooper of Boston, gave $50,000 to establish a School of Mines. In addition to the professorships and endowments of purely scientific instruction above specified, should be added the bequest of Benjamin Bussey in 1841, which is now about to become available to the college, and one-half of which, (estimated at $300,000,) must be directed to a Manual Labor School. Although the recognition of science and its application to industry, and the increase of the agencies and resources of instruction in Harvard College have been slow, and mainly within the last twenty-five years, the institution is now manned and equipped to do its work in the most thorough and comprehensive manner.

In 1823 the Natural History Society of Boston was incorporated, and for its building, collections, and endowments, has received from the State and City, and from individuals, at least $400,000.

In 1835, John Lowell, a native of Boston, provided, by his testamentary bequest written in Egypt, for the delivery of courses of public lectures in Boston, for

the reasons and objects, among others, specified as follows: "As the prosperity of my native land, New England, which is sterile and unproductive, must depend, first, on the moral qualities, and second, on the intelligence and information of its inhabitants, I am desirous of contributing toward this second object also; and I wish courses of lectures to be established on physics and chemistry, with their application to the arts; also on botany, zoölogy, geology, and mineralogy, connected with their particular utility to man." On this foundation, besides the annual delivery of extended courses of lectures by the most eminent men of science in this country and in Europe, a permanent School of Design and Drawing has been established; and special lectures are now delivered every year in connection with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

But any survey of the means of original investigation, or of special study in any department of science, would be imperfect which should not include the University Library at Cambridge, with its 104,000 volumes, the Boston Athenæum, with its 90,000 volumes, and the Boston City Library, with its 130,000 volumes, all of which, with their buildings and special endowments, cannot represent less than one million of dollars.

In view of these noble institutions and munificent endowments, and more than these, the rich experience and splendid attainments of the Professors already engaged in the work of scientific investigation and instruction in Cambridge and Boston, we can better appreciate, and sympathize with the recommendations of Gov. Andrew in his message to the Legislature, in January, 1863, on the disposition of the National land-grant. After having referred to the danger of dividing the grant among several institutions, he calls attention to the number of expert professors required in the various departments of applied science, and then goes on to say:

"If our Commonwealth is to retain her wonted place in noble works, we must seize, at the earliest opportunity, upon as many men of this character as may be found in the country, and at once organize our institution, to be a model for other States that may avail themselves of the grant from Congress. Not only a laudable State pride demands this, but the highest considerations of patriotism and philanthropy demand it.

The Act of Congress does not make provision sufficient for an Agricultural School of the highest class in each State. Nor would it be possible now to find, disconnected from our colleges and universities, as many men of high talent, and otherwise competent, as would be required to fill the chairs of one such school. But Massachusetts already has, in the projected Bussey Institution, an agricultural school, founded, though not yet in operation, with a large endowment, connected also with Harvard College and the Lawrence Scientific School. She can therefore, by securing the grant from Congress, combining with the Institute of Technology and the Zoological Museum, and working in harmony with the college, secure also for the agricultural student for whom she thus provides, not only the benefits of the national appropriation, but of the Bussey Institution and the means and instrumentalities of the Institute of Technology, as well as those accumulated at Cambridge. The benefits to our State, and to our country, and to mankind, which can be obtained by this cooperation, are of the highest character, and can be obtained in no other way. The details of the connection of the Bussey Institution with the Scientific School and the College, are not yet fully wrought out; but I apprehend that little difficulty would be found in connecting it also with the grant from Congress, if the gentlemen who may be intrusted by the State with the work, will approach it with the perception of the absolute necessity for husbanding our materials, both men and money, and concentrating all our efforts upon making an institution worthy of our age and of our people. Its summit must reach the highest level of modern science, and its heads must be those whom men

will recognize as capable of planning a great work, and of working out a great plan.

The fifth chapter of the Constitution of Massachusetts, ceieprates the wisdom of our ancestors, who "so early as the year 1636, laid the foundation of Harvard College, in which University many persons of great eminence have, by the blessing of God, been initiated in those Arts and Sciences which qualify them for public employments both in Church and State," reciting that "the encouragement of arts and sciences, and all good literature, tends to the honor of God, the advantage of the Christian religion, and the great benefit of this, and the other United States of America." And it declares that it shall be the duty of Legislatures and Magistrates, in all future periods of this Commonwealth, to cherish the interests of literature and the sciences, and all seminaries of them; especially the University at Cambridge, public schools, and grammar schools in the towns; to encourage private societies, and public institutions, rewards and immunities for the promotion of agriculture, arts, sciences. commerce, trades, manufactures and a natural history of the country."

I venture the opinion that the advantages presented by the various institutions which now cluster around the college, may be so combined with other institutions as to realize more fully in actual experiment the true idea of a University. I cannot doubt that the people of the Commonwealth have a right to those benefits; the prevention of all the waste of means, the weakening of resources, the repetitions of professorships, libraries, apparatus and other material, consequent on scattering instead of concentration. Model farms, and experimental culture in all the varieties of soil our lands present, as the wise and expert may hereafter advise, and also branches or subordinate schools, are not to be discouraged. Neither are the schools and colleges for academic study already provided or contemplated, nor any gifts or grants thereto, to be less favored in the future. Nor does unity of plan and co-operation in method, of necessity imply confinement of all the departments of an institution to one place. The object should be to centralize and economise means and power, while distributing and popularizing education and its fruits.

But, in order to fulfil the highest functions of a University adapted to the wants and development of modern society, to an intellectual and free people, its professorships, libraries and apparatus should be so combined and distributed as to include to faculties of Divinity, of Law, of Medicine, of Military instruction, of Letters and Natural Science, all of them, organized and represented in their highest perfection. The faculty of Divinity should have, as its basis, a strong corps of scholars versed in Hebrew literature and history, in ecclesiastic history, and in dogmatic theology, admitting as professors members of every church competent to teach. The teaching of the law school should include the civil law, comparative jurisprudence, political economy and diplomacy. The faculty of letters should combine the deepest scholars in ancient literature, including Sanscrit, and the other Oriental languages, as well as Greek and Latin; and in the antiquities proper, history in all its ramifications, the modern languages and their literature, philosophy in all its branches with its history. For the faculties of medicine and of natural sciences, should be combined mathematicians, astronomers, physicists, chemists, mineralogists, botanists, zoologists, geologists, devoting themselves chiefly to the scientific pursuit of their study; and also men distinguished for their eminence in the application of the sciences to the useful arts, civil engineers, architects, mining engineers, military engineers, and agriculturists.

That we should continue to build on the foundation our fathers laid, endeav oring to make actual in the life of our society their ideal, I religiously believe. Let us plan to concentrate here the "gladsome light" of universal science. Let learning be illustrated by her most brilliant luminaries, and let the claims of every science be vindicated by its bravest champion. Two-thirds of an amount equal to the sum we annually, and wisely, expend in public and private instruction, would found professorships and furnish the fund which would give to Massachusetts a University worthy the dream of the fathers, the history of the State, and the capacity of her people."

After much discussion in the Legislature and the public press, the policy of concentration so eloquently set forth by Gov. Andrew, was rejected.

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY,

BOSTON.

HISTORY.

In the years 1858-9 a number of gentlemen residing in and near Boston, interested in science and the practical and fine arts, conceived the idea of bringing into close proximity in one or more buildings to be erected for the purpose, the Museums and Collections of the Natural History Society, the Horticultural Society, and others that might be formed illustrating the industrial and fine arts, so as by their union and co-operation to constitute a Comprehensive Museum, or Conservatory of Arts and Sciences." With this view, after organizing as a "Committee of Associated Institutions," they petitioned the Legisla ture to allot to their use a portion of the newly-made land on the Back-Bay, on which to erect buildings suitable to their purpose.

The idea of establishing a School of Applied Science in connection with the proposed Museum, had not as yet been entertained. This was first suggested in

a Memorial prepared by Prof. William B. Rogers, the present President of the Institute, and adopted by the above-named Committee, of which Hon. Marshall P. Wilder was the Chairman, and Dr. Samuel Kneeland the Secretary. In this memorial, which was submitted to the Legislature in the winter of 1860, reference is made to the expected early establishment of a Comprehensive Polytechnic College," furnishing "a complete system of industrial education supplementary to the general training of other institutions, and fitted to equip its students with every scientific and technical principle applicable to the industrial pursuits of the age."

This, like the previous effort, failed to secure the favor of the Legislature, but it attracted attention to the importance of practical education, and opened the way for the more definite scheme of organization, which was soon after framed by Prof. Rogers, in the form of a Report setting forth the "Objects and Plan of an Institute of Technology, including a Society of Arts, a Museum of Arts, and a School of Industrial Science." This Report was adopted by the Committee of Associated Institutions, of which Prof. Rogers was now Chairman, in the Autumn of 1860, and furnished the frame-work on which the Institute has since been moulded.

The extensive circulation of the "Objects and Plan," accompanied by an appeal to the public for co-operation and support, led in January, 1861, to a preliminary and informal organization of the Institute, which was soon followed by an application to the Legislature for a charter, and for a grant of land on the Back-Bay for its accommodation and that of the Society of Natural History. This petition was favorably answered April 10th, 1861, when the Institute was incorporated, and the land allotted on which now stand the building of the Institute and that of the Society of Natural History, of the market value of $200,000.

The Institute was formally organized on the 8th of April, 1862, by the acceptance of the charter, the adoption of by-laws, and the appointment of William B. Rogers, President; John A. Lowell, Jacob Bigelow, Marshall P. Wilder and John Chase, Vice Presidents; and Charles H. Dalton, Treasurer. Its first meeting as a Society of Arts, was held December 17, 1862, at which time the late Dr. Thomas H. Webb was appointed Secretary. Since then, this Department of the Institute has continued to meet twice a month during the season, affording opportunities, which are eagerly availed of, for the exhibition of new inventions, and the discussion of questions in practical science and the arts. The members of the Institute number between three and four hundred, who are also members of the Society of Arts.

I. SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL.

The Scientific School of the Institute was opened in February, 1864, with a class of 15 students, in temporary accommodations in Mercantile Hall, Summer street, where also the Society of Arts held its meetings. In the autumn of 1866, when the School and other Departments of the Institute were transferred to the new building on the extension of Boylston street, the number of pupils had increased to 140, and the class of 1867-8, amounts to 170 students.

On the organization of the Institute, in 1862, through the liberality of gentlemen interested in the undertaking, a sum (about $50,000) was raised for commencing operations. Since then, large contributions have been received by legacies; from Dr. William Walker of Rhode Island, ($200,000,) Ralph Huntingdon, ($50,000,) William P. Mason, ($20,000,) and James Hayward, ($20,000,) of Boston, and from Nathaniel Thayer, ($25,000,) besides subscriptions in sums of $5,000 and less, amounting to about $60.000. A further important addition has been made to the funds of the school by the act of the Legislature assigning to the Institute three-tenths of the share of Massachusetts in the National land-grant appropriated to instruction in agriculture and the mechanic arts, netting the Institute $60,000; making about $480,000 which have been contributed to the Institute since its foundation.

The building of the Institute, one of the most spacious and elegant in Boston, includes commodious laboratories, lecture-rooms and rooms for drawing, as well as the Hall of the Society of Arts, offices for the Faculty and other officers, and a spacious hall for public occasions.

OBJECTS OF THE SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL.

The objects of the School of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are: To provide a full course of scientific studies and practical exercises for students seeking to qualify themselves for the professions of the Mechanical Engineer, Civil Engineer, Practical Chemist, Engineer of Mines, and Builder and Architect:

To furnish a general education, founded upon the Mathematical, Physical, and Natural Sciences, English and other Modern Languages, and Mental and Politi

cal Science:

To provide courses of Evening Instruction in the main branches of knowledge above referred to, for persons of either sex who are unable to devote themselves to study during the day, but who desire to avail themselves of systematic evening lessons or lectures.