ment of science for the time being, shall be the Curator and scientific head of the Museum, subject to the control and regulation of the Faculty of the Museum herein before mentioned, in whom the power to determine the use of the Museum for scientific and educational purposes, either by general regulations or by specific orders, is ultimately vested; and the compensation paid to such Curator as Professor in the Lawrence Scientific School shall be regarded as full compensation for instructions given and services rendered in the Museum, until further provision is made therefor. 7. It shall be the duty of such Curator, under the like direction and control of the Faculty of the Museum aforesaid, when funds shall have been appropriated and placed at the disposal of the said Faculty by either of the Corporations for the purpose, to make purchases of such articles as shall be necessary and suitable for the increase of said Museum in any of its departments, and to direct all necessary expenses for the transportation and other charges incident to their acquisition, and all necessary expenses for vessels and materials incident to the preservation and exhibition of such articles, and to have the entire charge and control of the classification and scientific arrangement of them. 8. Whenever it shall become necessary to employ any assistant or assistants to the Curator aforesaid, for the preparation, arrangement, classification, or scientific or educational use of the collections in the Museum, and any funds for the compensation of such assistants shall have been appropriated by either Corporation, and placed at the disposal of the Faculty of the Museum for that purpose, such assistants shall be appointed and employed by the Faculty, or under their direction, in such manner as they shall prescribe. 9. It shall be the duty of the Curator, under the control and direction of the Faculty of the Museum, to fix suitable times, and also suitable places within the Museum, to give lectures and instruction to regular classes of students under his care, to classes of teachers of the Public schools, and to classes of pupils in the Normal schools, in the Commonwealth, and to such special class of students and persons desirous of availing themselves of his instructions and of the advantages of the Museum, as he may receive or invite for those purposes. 10. No person officially connected with the Museum shall be permitted to make any private collection, or to trade in specimens of Natural History, except for the Museum. 11. Whenever the office of Director of the Museum established by the Trustees, and that of Curator of the Museum as herein before defined, shall be held by different persons, the Faculty of the Museum shall, subject to these articles, and such other articles as may be adopted by both Corporations as hereinafter provided, define the relative duties of the incumbents, and superintend their execution. 12. These Rules and Regulations mutually agreed on and adopted by the parties shall not be repealed or altered, except by a formal agreement between the parties, or by a concurrent vote passed by each Corporation specifying such repeal or alteration, and entered upon the records of both said Corporations. In testimony whereof, the said parties have hereto affixed their respective seals, under the hands of their respective Presidents, on the day and in the year first above written. The building for the Museum was erected at Cambridge, upon land given by the College, and the inauguration took place on the 13th November, 1860. In October, 1859, Professor Agassiz made a donation to the Museum, of his large collections. These collections had been gathered at a cost of ten thousand dollars, excluding all estimates of time and travelling expenses. Numerous and valuable additions have also been made by scientific and public spirited persons in this and other countries; and the Museum already ranks as the ninth or tenth in the world, if measured by the extent of its collections, and it is probably the first, if judged by the system of arrangement that has been adopted. An extract from the report of Prof. Agassiz, for 1860, shows the increase of the Museum, and the nature of the advantages which are derived from it : "During the past year not less than 91,000 specimens, representing 10,884 species, have been added to the Museum, and this number is probably to be increased when the packages only partially examined shall have received the proper attention. This is certainly a great result, the importance of which may be appreciated if I state that less than a century ago, when Linnæus published the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturæ, the whole number of animals then known by him from all parts of the world did not amount to 8,000. "Considered as an educational institution the Museum has yielded all that could be expected of it. Since the day of the inauguration, when it was opened to the public, we have had large numbers of visitors, and I confess I have been surprised to see how large a portion of them are evidently examining the specimens with interest and intelligence, and not vaguely gazing at the cases. I have often wished on this account that it were possible on certain days at least, to direct the attention of visitors to the most instructive part of the collection and to give them some guidance and information. The want of a systematic catalogue for this purpose begins to be heavily felt. But what cannot be done for casual visitors is done for the regular students who attend the course of lectures delivered in the Museum. These lectures are of two kinds, those for the students of the Zoological department of the Scientific School, and those open to the under-graduates of Harvard College and to teachers of the State. It is very gratifying to me to be able to report that the latter class of hearers has been unexpectedly large, an average of one hundred and twenty teachers of both sexes having been present at the course on Geology, just concluded. "The other part of my instruction is given exclusively to the students of the Scientific School, who devote themselves especially to the study of Natural History. The attendance is of course limited in numbers, fourteen students having been present during the past year. But the usefulness of the establishment is undoubtedly extending in the right direction. As evidence of this I would only mention the fact that professors from other colleges annually attend our courses." It is a gratifying circumstance that so many teachers have attended the lectures of Professor Agassiz, and it is to be hoped that this institution, for which we are indebted so largely to his personal services and sacrifices, may be the means of "spreading the opportunities and advantages of education in the various parts of the country, and among the different orders of the people." [From the General Statutes.] OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES. TOWN AND CITY LIBRARIES. ies may estab SECT. 8. Each town and city may establish and maintain Towns and cita public library therein, with or without branches, for the use lish libraries. of the inhabitants thereof, and provide suitable rooms therefor, 1851, 305, § 1. under such regulations for its government as may from time to time be prescribed by the inhabitants of the town, or the city council. -may appropriate money and receive devises, &c., for that purpose. 1859, 25. SECT. 9. Any town or city may appropriate money for suitable buildings or rooms, and for the foundation of such library a sum not exceeding one dollar for each of its ratable 1851, 305,2,3. polls in the year next preceding that in which such appropriation is made; may also appropriate annually, for the maintenance and increase thereof, a sum not exceeding fifty cents for each of its ratable polls in the year next preceding that in which such appropriation is made, and may receive, hold, and manage, any devise bequest, or donation, for the establishment, increase, or maintenance, of a public library within the same. In the year 1851 the legislature authorized the establishment of free public libraries at the public expense. There were at that time, as far as known, but seven such libraries in the Commonwealth, while now we have returns from forty-five public libraries, containing 201,706 volumes, and receiving annual additions of not less than 22,000 volumes. From these libraries more than 500,000 volumes are annually taken. There are also libraries from which no returns have been received. When it is considered that these libraries are in addition to numerous private libraries, to those of the colleges, of professional schools, to those supported by the professions, and by societies and clubs of various sorts, we may safely make the most favorable inferences touching the character of our people in this particular. It is also the uniform testimony of booksellers and publishers that the taste of the people has been materially improved within ten years, and that the proportion of frivolous and pernicious works published is perceptibly less than formerly. These are cheering indications, and justify the wisdom of the high school and the library as parts of our system of education. The power to read is a great power, and when we provide for its universal development, how important is it to furnish proper nutriment, by the establishment of public libraries? The following table is prepared from returns made in July last : |