THE 1'IU >>7.LY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



83 



those of Herder, Kant, WullV, Goethe, Schiller, William von Humboldt, 

 to say nothing of scientific treatises which were constantly appearing 

 and indicating the discovery of new fields of knowledge to be explored, 

 it is easy to see that nothing could prevent the incoming of an era in 

 which the largest liberty of thought and entire freedom in investigation 

 would he demanded for every branch of study. If at first the academy 



WlLHELM VON HUMBOLDT. 



was somewhat conservative, it soon became a regulative force in the 

 discoveries to which its members devoted themselves with untiring 

 enthusiasm. 



Herder 's ' Philosophy of History, ' a remarkable work, exerted great 

 influence on German thought as did Wulff's writings on Homer and 

 especially his 'Science of Antiquity.' Schleiermacher's 'Reden' or 

 addresses to the German nobility and the educated classes of the country 

 produced a wonderful moral and religious effect. Niebuhr imparted a 

 new spirit to the study of history through the publication of his 'Ro- 

 man History,' raising it at once to the rank of a science. Schleier- 

 macher, recognized in the academy as the clearest thinker in its mem- 

 bership, impressed himself on wide circles by his translation and study 

 of Plato, his improvement of Kant and his powerful sermons in Trinity 



