JAMES SMITHSON AND HIS BEQUEST. 



161 



of fertility of invention and of original research. Pure abstract science 

 had many illustrious votaries, and the practical application of its truths 

 gave to the world many of the great inventions by means of which civiliza- 

 tion has made such immense and rapid progress. 



jSTot only were individual efforts for the welfare of humanity made, 

 but a spirit of association was developed and numerous organizations 

 formed, having for their object the promotion of science, education, and 

 philanthropy. The few existing societies also became inspired with 

 new life and vigor. The "Royal Society of London" entered upon its 

 most brilliant epoch and became the fountain and center of intellectual 

 progress. "The Royal Institution of Great Britain," chiefly indebted 

 for its origin to an American, was founded in 1800, "for diffusing the. 

 knowledge and facilitating the general introduction of useful mechanical 

 inventions and improvements and for teaching by courses of philosoph- 

 ical lectures and experiments the application of science to the common 

 purposes of life. 1 ' A glance at the names of a lew of the great organi- 

 zations instituted in different parts of the world at the close of the lust 

 and beginning of the present century will show the remarkable scien- 

 tific activity of that period and the direction of thought towards the 

 establishment of permanent institutions : 



1782. Royal Irish Academy. 

 1781. Royal Asiatic Society. 

 1788. Linnean Society. 

 1788. Societe Philomatique. 

 1705. Societe Philotechnique. 

 1709. Academy of Sciences, Lisbon. 

 1800. Royal Institution of Great 



Britain. 

 1>>{)~). Societe Anthropologiqne, 



Paris. 



1807. Geological Society of London. 



1808. Royal Institute of the Low 



Countries. 

 1812. Literary and Philosophical 



1812. Royal Academy of Sciences 

 of Berlin (reorganized ). 



181G. The French Academy of Sci- 

 ences (re< uganized). 



1818. Academy of Natural Sciences, 

 Philadelphia. 



1810. Philosophical Society, Gam- 

 bridge. 



1S20. Royal Astronomical Society. 



1821. Societe Imperiale de Geogra- 



phic, Paris. 



1822. Societe Asiatique, Paris. 

 1825. Societe Royale des Antiquai- 



res dn Xord, ( )openhagen. 

 182G. Zoological Society, Loudon. 



Society, Liverpool. 



The remarkable advances made in science at this epoch were thus 

 alluded to by Arago in his eulogy en Thomas Young: 



" In a short space of time the Academy has lost from the list of its 

 members, Hersehel, whose bold ideas on the structure of the universe 

 have acquired every year more of probability; Piazzi, who, on the first 

 day of the present century, presented our solar system with a new planet; 

 Watt, who, if not the inventor of the steam-engine, was at least the 

 creator of so many admirable contrivances by the aid of which the little 

 instrument of Papin has become the most ingenious, the most useful, the 

 most powerful means of applying industry ; Volta, who has been immor- 

 S. Mis. 51 11 



