The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian

摘要

Ever since his bequest to the United States, and the later destruction of his papers and mineral collection by fire in 1865, James Smithson has been perceived as a somewhat elusive and enigmatic figure. Heather Ewing makes no claim that her study solves the many questions surrounding Smithson's life and the provisions of his will.