Natio)uiI Scientific (Did Rdiicalioiial liislitiilioiis. 269 



together \\ithan account of Arnold's collections, the collection I had seen in lunope, 

 the compliments I had heard in I'-rance upon the Philosophical vSociety of Phila- 

 delphia, and concluded with proposing that the future legislature of IMassachnsetts 

 should institute an Academy of Arts and vSciences. 



The doctor at first hesitated; thought it would be diflicult to find members who 

 would attend to it; but the principal objection was that it would injure Harvard 

 College by setting up a rival to it that might draw the attention and affections of the 

 public in some degree from it. To this I answere<l, first, that there were certainly 

 men of learning enough that might compose a society sufficiently numerous; and 

 secondly, tliat instead of being a rival to the university it would be an honor and an 

 advantage to it. That the president and principal professors would, no doubt, be 

 always members of it; and the meetings might be ordered, wholly or in part, at the 

 college and in that room. The doctor at length appeared better satisfied, and I 

 entreated him to propagate the idea and the plan as far and as soon as his discretion 

 would justif}-. The doctor did accordingly diffuse the project so judicioush^ and 

 effectually that the first legislature mider the new constitution adopted and estab- 

 lished it by law. Afterwards, when attending the convention for forming the con- 

 stitution, I mentioned the subject to several of the members, and when I was 

 appointed by the subcommittee to make a draft of a project of a constitution to be 

 laid before the convention, m}' mind and heart was so full of this subject that I 

 inserted the provision for the encouragement of literature in chapter 5, section 2. 

 I was. somewhat apprehensi\e that criticism and objections would be made to the 

 section, and particularly that the "natural history" and the "good humor" would 

 be stricken out; but the whole was received very kindly, and passed the convention 

 unanimously, without amendment.' 



Massachusetts, and the friend of Washington and I'ranklin, and a member of the 

 Ro3-al Society. He held the presidency from 17S0 until his death in 1790. His 

 descendant, the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, was chosen to deliver the oration at the 

 centennial anniversary of the organization of the society. 



' The provision in the vState constitution of which Mr. Adams speaks, was the 

 following: 



The encouragement of literature, etc. Wisdom and knowledge, as well as virtue 

 diffused generally among the body of the people, being necessar}- for the preservation 

 of their rights and liberties, and as these depend on spreading the opportunities and 

 advantages of education in the various parts of the country, and among the different 

 orders of the people, it shall be the duty of legislators and magistrates in all future 

 periods of the Commonwealth, to cheri.sh the interests of literature and the .sciences, 

 and all seminaries of them, especially the university at Cambridge, public schools, 

 and grammar schools in the towns, to encourage private societies and public in.sti- 

 tutions, rewards and immunities for the promotion of agriculture, arts, .sciences, 

 conmierce, trades, manufactures, anda natural hi.story of the country; to countenance 

 and inculcate the principles of humanity and general benevolence, public and private 

 charity, industry and frugality, honest}- and punctuality in their dealings, sincerity, 

 good humor, and all .social affections and generous .sentiments among the people. 



This feature of the constitution of Ma.s.sachu.setts, [writes Mr. Adams's biog- 

 rapher,] is peculiar, and in one .sense original with Mr. Adams. The recognition 

 of the obligation of a State to promote a higher and more extend*;d policy than is 

 embraced in the protection of the temporal interests and political rights of the indi- 

 vidual, however understood among enlightened minds, had not at that time been 

 formally made a part of the organic law. Those claiLses since in.serted in other State 

 con.stitutions, w-hich, with more or le.ss of fidlness, acknowledged the .same principle, 

 are all manifestly taken from this source. 



