THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, PARIS 95 



by M. Eicher on the island of Cayenne; discovery of the celestial 

 luminary which appeared in the zodiac; rules followed in Indian 

 astronomy in the calculation of the movements of the sun and moon; 

 reflections for a Chinese chronology; the island of Taprobane; hypoth- 

 eses and tables of the satellites of Jupiter. In Volume IX. we have 

 the works of de la Hire. They are mathematical in their nature, 

 though they indicate acquaintance with the whole field of science. 

 Volume X. treats of a wide range of subjects. Nearly four pages are 

 occupied with titles alone. These essays indicate the direction scien- 

 tific thought was taking and refer to matters of interest in physics, 

 astronomy, anatomy and physiology. This volume was published in 

 1732 as a volume of extracts and papers from the records of the 

 academy. As early as 1692 the academy had published a volume of 

 its regular proceedings. A second volume appeared the next year. 

 For the general reader Volume X. is undoubtedly the most interesting 

 volume in the series. Many of the papers it contains had been given 

 the public through the Journal des Savans, which was started at about 

 the time the academy was organized. From the volumes in this series 

 the works of Huyghens, Mariotte and Perrault are omitted, as their 

 complete works had been published separately under the auspices of 

 the academy. Volume XI. contains an analysis of new methods of 

 resolving problems of all kinds and degrees to infinity. Though edited 

 by M. Eicher, it is the work of M. Delogny. The authenticity of this 

 series of reports, with the history included in Volumes I. and II., is 

 guaranteed by the signature of M. Fontenelle, perpetual secretary of 

 the academy from 1699 to 1741. Fontenelle was born in 1657 and 

 died in 1757. 



Before speaking more definitely of the work done by the academy 

 prior to its reorganization at the beginning of the eighteenth century, 

 it should be noticed that in this academy we have the earliest example 

 of cooperation in scientific study and of the endowment of research. 



Colbert's plan was to bring men of scientific attainments together, 

 and make it possible for them, at the cost of the king, to devote 

 themselves entirely to work in their special departments. ISTo better 

 plan than that adopted in 1667 could at that time have been conceived. 

 Funds were provided out of the royal treasury for experiment and 

 costly journeys. Sir Isaac Newton was aided by this academy, which 

 not only in this instance, but through its correspondence with other 

 learned bodies, showed its hospitality for learning and its readiness to 

 accept truth no matter from what source it might come. It has often 

 been said that Newton needed a Paris Academy and a Laplace to 

 make his theories popular, not only in France, but in all Europe. His 

 "Fluxions" known as early 1675, were not published till after Des- 

 cartes, in 1684, had given his " Calculus " to the world. These dis- 



