THE PRUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 7 5 



in the work of the academy. If the French element regretted its loss 

 of power in the academy, it made the best of it and continued to con- 

 tribute to its publications. Ceasing to be minister in 1791, Hertzberg 

 continued to work for the academy until his death. In some of his 

 political views he was a liberal, and in papers read at the regular 

 sessions of the academy, and afterwards printed, he did not hesitate 

 to compare the advantages and disadvantages of monarchical and re- 

 publican forms of government. After the French Eevolution it is 

 not strange that kings and their sympathizers became suspicious of 

 his opinions. Subsequent to his death, during the remainder of the 

 king's life the academy did very little. In this reign only three volumes 

 of 'Memoires' were published. In 1795 the French language was 

 again made the medium of discussion in the academy. It was voted also 

 that for five years no new members should be received. Alexander von 

 Humboldt characterized.it as 'a hospital in which the sick slept better 

 than the well. ' For the indifference of the German members there is little 

 excuse. They were silent when they ought to have spoken, cowardly 

 when they should have been brave. Greatly indebted to Hertzberg for 

 the influence he had exerted in the days of his power on behalf of the 

 academy, its members took no notice of his death, nor made any refer- 

 ence to him in official publications. It sank so low as to countersign an 

 order of the cabinet against Kant, and ceased to be a center for free 

 thought and free speech. It seemed to be more at home in exercising 

 the duties of censorship than in increasing and diffusing knowledge. It 

 is not strange that men who sympathized with Mendelssohn united with 

 him in organizing the Philosophical Society, which soon became a center 

 for the new thought and life of the time, where men who cared to 

 discuss questions of the day could meet in safety. From 1783 to 1798 

 this society filled a great place in the Prussian capital. 



Under Frederick William III. the academy was managed by the 

 Humboldts and JNTiebuhr. At the beginning of his reign the new king 

 was supposed to be in favor of progress and freedom in thought and 

 speech. But after his first year on the throne he became a reactionary, 

 and was not unwilling to exercise his prerogative as censor. He wished 

 the academy to confine itself to studies and investigations which would 

 be of use to the nation. Neither he nor any of his ministers would aid 

 it on other conditions. The cultus minister desired its assistance in 

 improving the public schools. There were protests against the old rules 

 introduced by Hertzberg. An order of April 9, 1798, cut deep into the 

 life and privileges of the academy. The presidential office was left 

 vacant. Only such work as was of immediate advantage to the people 

 was approved. Borgstede was put into the academy by the king, as 

 his representative and to look after its interests. Fortunately he had 

 a real desire for the growth of the academy and did what he could for 



