8 CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE ACADEMY. 



"What led to it, and the remarkable events of the war which preceded and followed 

 it, have been already related in the course of this history. 



" It was not to be expected that our ancestors, involved as they were in a civil 

 war, could give any attention to literature and the sciences ; but, superior to their 

 distresses, and animated by the generous principles which Hberty and independency 

 inspire, they instituted the excellent society called ' The American Academy of 

 Arts and Sciences.' 



" This society formed itself on the plan of the philosophical societies in Europe, 

 adopting such rules and principles of conduct as were best suited to answer the end 

 of its institution. Among others they laid it down as a fundamental principle, that 

 as true physics must be founded on experiments, so all their inquiries should, as far 

 as possible, be carried on and directed by them. This method was strongly recom- 

 mended by Sir Francis Bacon, ' a genius born to embrace the whole compass of 

 science, and justly styled the first great reformer of philosophy.' It was adopted 

 by succeeding philosophers, and peculiarly by the iunnortal Newton, Avhose system 

 of philosophy, founded on the laws of nature, will for that reason be as durable as 

 nature itself. 



" Taking these great characters for their guide, and influenced by their illustrious 

 example, they proceeded on fact and observation, and did not admit of any reason- 

 ings or deductions but such as clearly resulted from them. This has been the 

 uniform practice of the society, whose members from time to time, having been 

 chosen from men of every country, from every class and profession, without any 

 other distinction than was dictated by the dignity of their characters, by their 

 morality, good sense and professional abilities, — Ave find in the printed transactions 

 of the society the best compositions on every subject within the line of their depart- 

 ment. We find in those transactions new facts, new observations and discoveries ; 

 or old ones placed in a new light, and new deductions made from them. 



" They have particularly attended to such subjects as respected the growth, popu- 

 lation, and improvement of their country : ua Avhich they have so happily succeeded 

 that we now see agriculture, manufactures, navigation and commerce in a high 

 degree of cultivation; and all of them making swift advances in improvement as 

 population increases. In short they have, agreeably to the declared end of their 

 institution, ' cultivated every art and science which might tend to advance the 

 interest and honor of their country, the dignity and happiness of a free, independent, 

 and virtuous people.' " 



All these were the words of our first President a hundred years ago. This was 



