41 8 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



4 



For political reasons, probably, there was no regular correspondence 

 until 1697. Meanwhile Leibniz had interested many scholars in his 

 project, among them Count von Dunckelmann, in whose parlors scien- 

 tific meetings had been held in Berlin for ten years. Jabloniski, a 

 Bohemian by birth, court preacher in Berlin, a man of great knowledge 

 and natural ability, was one of the most efficient aids which Leibniz 

 had in bringing the academy into existence. Much had been said 

 about establishing an observatory in the Prussian capital. The wife 

 of the elector exerted all her influence in favor of it as early as 1697. 

 From this time on the clearly formed plans for an academy with 

 which the observatory should be connected were carefully discussed. 

 In a letter to the Princess Charlotte, dated December 19, 1697, Leibniz 

 writes that he has been invited to Berlin, 'the cradle of the arts and 

 sciences,' where 'Solomon and the Queen of Sheba are.' While on a 

 long visit in Hannover during the summer of 1698 the princess had 

 opportunity to discuss with Leibniz, unhindered, their plans for an 

 academy and scientific institute in Berlin. Jabloniski was sent to 

 Hannover by the elector to see Leibniz and returned to Berlin greatly 

 impressed with his ability, and urged the elector to invite him to the 

 city. This was done through the Princess Charlotte. For more than 

 a year little progress in founding the academy was made, though the 

 leading scholars of Berlin desired it. Means for its support were 

 wanting. Aid came from an unexpected source. Professor Erhard 

 Weigel, of Jena, was anxious to correct the calendar, and Leibniz at 

 once saw that if this corrected calendar were made a monopoly the cost 

 of an academy could be paid out of the profits on its sale. Messrs. 

 Eabener, Curveau and Jabloniski memorialized the elector, the mo- 

 nopoly was granted and an order for the formation of an academy, with 

 which the observatory was united, was issued on the day the memorial 

 was presented. Leibniz, who had recently been made a member of the 

 French Academy, was appointed its president. On January 18, 1701, 

 Prussia became a kingdom and the elector a king. 



The academy began its life under favorable circumstances. Al- 

 though the means of support were inadequate, the ideas of the men 

 who formed it were large and comprehensive. The plans then made, 

 visionary as they seemed to some, have since been fully realized. Coun- 

 cilor Albinus, Chauvin, Dr. Jaegewitz, Naudi, the mathematician, 

 Chief Engineer Baer, Privy Councilors Eabener and Cuneau, and 

 Jabloniski, the court preacher, made up the eight who with Leibniz 

 formed it. They were all imbued with the spirit and the ideas of the 

 president. The academy was to be a place where the study of physics, 

 chemistry, astronomy, geometry, mechanics, optics, algebra and similar 

 useful subjects should be furthered. Not all of these branches of study 

 were to be pushed at once, no one of them until men eminent in each 



