xxii Centennial Antiiversary 



force of the Academy. That, and its successors, the New Eng- 

 lander, and the Yale Review, were always mainlj conducted by 

 our members. The Spectator and the New Englander both culti- 

 vated political as well as theological science, and spoke on most of 

 the subjects which from time to time commanded public attention. 

 The Review has confined itself mainly to matters of politics and 

 economics. 



The last of the regular series of annual orations was delivered 

 by Professor A. M. Fisher, in 1818. In 1819, the annual meet- 

 ing, instead of taking place at the State House, was held at the 

 residence of President Day, and in 1820, the day of it falling in 

 the College vacation, when the Secretary was absent from town, 

 none was called. 



The Academy was now" fast becoming a mere local literary 

 society, and, if the truth must be told, but a languishing one at 

 that. Its meetings were often without a <|uorum, and it seemed to 

 have lost its life and spring. As a feeder to the American Jour- 

 nal of Science, it served a useful purpose ; as a center of social 

 intercourse it served another : but neither was the appropriate 

 function of an academy of arts and sciences. That must not only 

 do something : it must publish its doings, or die. 



In 1833, an earnest effort was made to place it upon a better 

 foundation, by dividing up the field which it sought to cover into 

 distinct departments, and confiding each to a standing committee 

 for regular inquiry and report. Early in 1831 such committees 

 were appointed, and their arrangement was as follows : 



On Mathematics and Natural Philosophy : Professor Olmstead, 

 chairman. 



On Chemistry and the kindred sciences, including Mineralogy 

 and Geology : Professor Silliman, chairman. 



On Botany and Zoology : Mr. C. M. Shepard, chairman. 



On Medical Science : Professor Charles Hubbard, chairman. 



On Intellectual Science : President Day, chairman. 



On Law and Political Science : Judge Daggett, chairman. 



On Theological Science (inclding Sacred Literature, Ecclesiasti- 

 cal History, Natural and Revealed Religion, Homiletics, Litur- 

 gies, Canon Law) : Rev. Dr. James Murdock, chairman. 



On Historical Science (including History, Geography, Chronol- 

 ogy, Antiquities and Statistics) : Dr. Noah Webster, chairman. 



