THE BEGINNINGS OF AMERICAN ASTRONOMY. 



BY EDWARD S. HOLDEN. 



[Edward Singleton Holden, astronomer; born in St. Louis November 5, 1846; 

 graduated from Washington university, 1866; graduated from West Point, 1870; 

 engineer United States army, 1870-73; professor mathematics United States navy, 

 1873-81 ; director Washburn observatory, 1881-85; president University of CaUfornia, 

 1883-88; director Lick Observatory, 1888-98; librarian United States military 

 academy since 1901; author. Bastion System of Fortification; Index Catalogue of 

 Nebula?; Life of Sir William Herschel; Writings of Sir William Herschel; Astronomy; 

 Briefer Astronomy; Mountain Observations; Earth and Sky; Elementary Astronomy; 

 Family of the Sun; and other astronomical books.] 



It is impossible, even in the briefest sketch, not to em- 

 phasize the debt of American science and learning to the in- 

 telligent interest and patronage of our early presidents — 

 Washington, John Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John 

 Quincy Adams. The powerful impetus given by them and 

 through them has shaped the liberal policy of our govern- 

 ments, national and state, toward education and toward 

 science. Sir Lyon Playfair, in his address to the British asso- 

 ciation for the advance of science (1885) has recognized this 

 influence in the truest and most graceful way. He said: ''In 

 the United kingdom we are just beginning to understand the 

 wisdom of Washington's farewell address to his countrymen 

 (1796) when he said: 'Promote then, as an object of primary 

 importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowl- 

 edge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives 

 force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion 

 should be enlightened.' " 



Until the revolution (1776) American science was but 

 English science transplanted, and it looked to the royal society 

 of London as its censor and patron. Winthrop, Franklin, 

 and Rittenhouse were, more or less, English astronomers. 

 Franklin was the sturdiest American of the three. As early 

 as 1743 he suggested the formation of the American Philo- 

 sophical society of Philadelphia. John Adams founded the 

 American academy of arts and sciences in Boston in 1780. 

 These two societies, together with Harvard college (founded in 



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