433 
in 1635. The Royal Academy of: 
Sciences, in 1666. Lontenclle was 
secretary to this academy forty-two 
years. ‘Fhe Institute of France was 
established in 1795, 
After noticing the Royal Spanish 
Academy, instituted in 1713, and the 
Athenzeum, in .1820,:a brief view of the 
chiet literary institutions of this coun- 
try was given. The universities ob- 
tained only a passing notice ; the Royal 
Seciety, the Royal Academy of Paint- 
ing, and the Society of Arts, were also 
briefly mentioned ; but our Jnstitutions, 
emphatically so called, demanded and 
ebtained more minute detail. 
Circulating libraries and book-socic- 
ties were of English invention ; of the 
former, the first was opened by one 
Batho, in the Strand, in 1740; and, of 
the latter, the first was instituted at 
Leicester in 1743, and existed, till 
lately, under the name ef the Blue Bell 
Society. 
The literary institutions of Liverpool 
required particular notice, not only as 
there the first, improvement in our lite- 
rary sucietics was made, but as that 
town itself contains, at the present mo- 
ment, societies, and chiefly the Royal 
Liverpool Institution, which are de- 
serving our peculiar regard. The 
Athenzeum was established in the year 
1798. It unites a good library with a 
coflee-room, and affords admission to 
five hundred young men to read the 
books. The Lyccum was established 
in 1802. The books of this institution 
circulate among the members, which 
is not the case with the books of the 
Atheneum. The Royal Liverpool 
Institution, established in 1817, has 
more the character of-a university than 
a literary academy. It has professors 
in the different sciences, and schools 
for the classics and the mathematics, 
with masters to cach. 
Of the tour institutions of the me- 
tropolis, the Royal Institution, the 
London Institution, and the Russel 
Institution, were concisely, but cor- 
rectly noticed; but..on the Surrey 
Institution, as it is about to close, Mr. 
Jennings expatiated more at large, 
naming its peculiar advantages, and 
the scientific and literary “leetures 
which. have, from time. to time, been 
given here by. some of the first men of 
the age, 
The Royal Society of Literature, and 
the Schools of Arts, at Glasgow, and 
Edinburgh, were then briefly men- 
Proceedings of Public Societies. 
[Dec. 1, 
tioned; and also, in a couplnchies 
way, the institutions of America. 
The following is the peroration:— 
“ On a review of what has been said, 
and of the extraordinary progress of 
literature, and the march of events 
during the last fifty years in the eivi- 
lized world, it is obvious that a power 
is in operation in society, of which, 
although known to our forefathers, the 
extent and force could neither be cal- 
culated nor forescen.. That power is 
Knowledge; to attempt to impede the 
progress of which is not only useless, 
but erroneously mischievous. I can 
have no doubt that many of the evils 
which society has endured for some 
years past, and is still enduring, arise 
from the attempts, unwise as futile, to 
prevent the rushing of these mighty 
waters. Men should remember that 
we are progressive beings ; that what 
suits one period of society is often 
totally unfit for another, add a new 
one; that at certain periods manis more 
rapidly progressive than at others ; that 
the period of the last fifty years has 
been one of rapid progression, which 
has led to a new and extraordinary 
era; and that true wisdom, instead of 
attempting to retain, or to restore the 
old order of things, will be employed 
in arranging the new, so as to make it 
most beneficial for the general goods 
That, instead of opposing the rolling 
torrent, we must go along with it; and, 
though we may, indeed, regulate ifs 
impctuosity, we cannot, nor ought we, 
to attempt to stop its course.’ ; 
— 
EXTRACT of the REPORT On ROADS, 
BRIDGES, and CANALS, read in the 
AMERICAN SENATE, MARCH 23, 1822. 
From a view of the documents, it 
will be perceived, (say the committee,) 
that the number of miles of turnpike- 
roads contemplated by ,the , various 
charters of the companies which have 
received letters patent, is 2521; of 
which there have been completed 
1807 ; of these roads, about 1250 miles 
are of solid stone, having on their sur- 
face no angle greater thap 4k or & 
degrees, even in crossing the highest 
mountains. ; : 
‘Dollars, 
The amount of capital subscribed 
towards these improvements by 
individuals (including the sub- 3" 
scriptions of a few banks,) and. : 
which has been paid, or is ex- 
pected to be paid, is aaa 
The 
