694 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



Boston, Nov^ 6^1^ 1780. 

 HoNOUEED Sir, 



As I find my Name inserted among the names of the Memhers of 

 the New Academy erected among us ; and I perceive your Honour to 

 be the chosen President of it ; I think it my Duty to inform you, and 

 so the Academy, that I esteem it honorary to be reckoned worthy to 

 be placed as a Member among you. 



I am too far advanced in Life to attend the Meetings of the Acad- 

 emy. And although I dare not form the Wish, O mihi ^^raeteritas 

 re/erat ut Jupiter Annos ! yet I must own that, if I was thirty or 

 forty years younger, it would have been a much greater Satisfaction to 

 me to have been numbered among you. 



However I am heartily willing and strongly desirous, as far as it 

 may be in my Power, to promote the Design, and support the Credit, 

 Reputation and usefulness, of the Society. 



And, in order to show my Good-will and Respect in the Body I 

 have hastily collected the Methods and Rules, that have been proposed 

 to be observed and followed by two foreign Academies ; and have 

 added a Proposal or two of my own. 



And, if the Academy, over which I trust you will worthily preside, 

 should think it worth the while to ask me to employ my Thoughts or 

 use my Pen, on any Subject that may be subservient towards a Fur- 

 therance of the Arts and Sciences ; I shall endeavour, as old as I am, 

 by the Divine Will and Assistance to comply with the Requisition 

 from them. 



One of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, it was I think M^ Fronte- 

 nelle, called the Same Une Corpse des Esprits, A Body of Spirits, or 

 Geniuses : I wish from my Heart, that our Academy may prove and 

 continue to be, such a Body, to their own Honour and the Enlighten- 

 ing and Rejoicing of Others. 



I wish you Honoured Sir, and all the Brethren of our Academy, the 

 Presence and Blessing of Heaven in all your Projections and Endeav- 

 ours to promote useful Sciences, as well as at the same Time Religion 

 and Virtue ; and am, with great Respect, 



Your most humble and obedient Servant 

 Samuel Mather. 



P. S. I found your Honours Name among the fi.rst Members of the 

 French Academy : But he spelt it Baudoin : Which seems to be the 

 right way of Spelling it. He was a learned Man. 



