xxvi Centennial Anniversary 



listened to a paper or a talk on a given subject which was after- 

 wards discussed by all in turn. 



Of this President "Woolsey, Professor Larned, Dr. Bacon, Pro- 

 fessor Gibbs, Professor Twining, Henry White, Rev. Henry GL 

 Ludlow and Dr. Henry A. Tomlinson were the original members, 

 and in a smaller circle and with the freedom which greater inti- 

 macy gives, after what took the place of an ordinary meal could 

 enjoy the pleasures of literary conversation. 



The weakening of the Academy which followed the abandon- 

 ment of the supper was soon manifested in another way. 



A library of some value had been accumulated, partly by gift 

 or exchange and partly b} 7 purchase, during its first half century. 

 In 1847 the whole of it was sold to Yale College. 



The Connecticut Historical Society of Hartford had been 

 incorporated in 1825. Here was another organization formed 

 to accomplish what had been originally one of the cherished 

 objects of the Academy, and towards which its early members 

 had made such important contribution. In 1847, at the same 

 time when the library was disposed of, it was voted to deposit 

 with this Society, as a loan, all the statistical accounts of Connec- 

 ticut towns which remained in manuscript in its archives. These 

 covered with more .or less completeness, twenty-five towns.* 



Subsequently, in 1859, when the Historical Society was about 

 to publish a volume of its transactions, the Academy contributed 

 a sixth of the entire cost. 



The change of policy manifested by the steps taken in 1817 

 which I have mentioned was followed in 1848 by a vote to sus- 

 pend the collection of the annual dues. 



The Academy had thus in some measure settled its estate ; but 

 it was by no means dead. The meetings were still often of 

 decided interest, and served at least to diffuse intelligence of what 



* The list of the statistics thus turned over to the Connecticut Historical Soci- 

 ety includes those for the following towns : Bethlehem, Bolton, Canterbury. 

 Cheshire, Cornwall, Coventry, East Windsor, Farmington (Wintonbury parish), 

 Franklin, Haddam, Goshen, Lebanon, Lisbon, Pornfret, Preston (North Society), 

 Ridgefield, Stratford, Tolland, Union, Wallingford, Washington, Watertown, 

 Willington, Windham, Winchester. Certain statistics as to New London remain 

 in the archives of the Academy. 



