James Smithson's Library

Painting of a young man in late 1700's attire wearing a graduation cap and gown, sitting outdoors in a chair, holding a book

James Smithson (c.1765-1829), an 18th-century gentleman of science, included his library with his bequest to the United States founding the Smithsonian Institution. The collection consists of 126 titles, primarily scientific monographs and journal articles, but also history and memoirs, political pamphlets, travel books and museum guides, and a few household items such as cookbooks. Relatively few items from the collection have been digitized; those which have are gathered in this digital collection for perusal.  Image: detail of book in Smithson’s hand, from his 1786 portrait, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

Cover of An essay towards a system of mineralogy

An essay towards a system of mineralogy

Cronstedt, Axel Fredrik; Engeström, Gustav von; Mendes da Costa, Emanuel
Printed for Edward and Charles Dilly
1770
Cover of Discours sur les révolutions de la surface du globe

Discours sur les révolutions de la surface du globe

Cuvier, Georges, baron
Chez G. Dufour et Ed. d'Ocagne
1828
Cover of Essays de Iean Rey, docteur en medecine

Essays de Iean Rey, docteur en medecine

Rey, Jean
Par Guillaume Millanges, Imprimeur ordinaire du Roy
1630
Cover of Mémoire sur la montagne de sel gemme de Cardonne en Espagne

Mémoire sur la montagne de sel gemme de Cardonne en Espagne

Cordier, P. L. A.; Société philomathique de Paris.
1816?]
Cover of Mémoire sur les substances minérales dites en masse

Mémoire sur les substances minérales dites en masse

Cordier, P. L. A.
De l'Imprimerie de Mme Ve Courcier
[1815]
Cover of Nouveau système de minéralogie

Nouveau système de minéralogie

Berzelius, Jöns Jakob, friherre
Chez Méquignon-Marvis
1819
Cover of Sketch of a tour into Derbyshire and Yorkshire

Sketch of a tour into Derbyshire and Yorkshire

Bray, William
Printed for B. White
1783
Cover of Sulle cicerchie

Sulle cicerchie

Targioni Tozzetti, Ottaviano
Nella stamperia sulla Piazza de Pitti per Luigi Carlieri
1793
Cover of The art of cookery made plain and easy

The art of cookery made plain and easy

Glasse, Hannah; Mead, Richard
Printed for W. Strahan, J. and F. Rivington, W. Johnston, L. Davis, T. Longman, R. Bladwin, W. Owen,...
1770
Cover of The prodromus to a dissertation concerning solids naturally contained within solids

The prodromus to a dissertation concerning solids naturally contained within solids

Steno, Nicolaus; Oldenburg, Henry
Printed by F. Winter, and are to be sold by Moses Pitt
1671
Cover of Traité des caracteres extérieurs des fossiles

Traité des caracteres extérieurs des fossiles

Werner, Abraham Gottlob,; Guyton de Morveau, Claudine Poullet, baronne.
Chez les Freres Walther
1795
Cover of Travels through the states of North America

Travels through the states of North America v.1 (1807)

Weld, Isaac
Printed for John Stockdale
1807
Cover of Travels through the states of North America

Travels through the states of North America v.2 (1807)

Weld, Isaac
Printed for John Stockdale
1807