50 A NOTICE OF THE 



It was determined that the founders, seven in number, should 

 constitute a " Committee and Board of Regulations, Management, 

 and Direction." 



It was decided, at a meeting of the same day, that the origin 

 of the Institution should date from the 21st of March, A. D. 

 1812, or the 37th year of the United States, and its anniver- 

 sary should be on that day. Thursday was fixed for the meet- 

 ings of the Board of Management, and Saturday for the general 

 session of the Society. 



The formation of a society, devoted to the cultivation of na- 

 tural knowledge, from which the discussion of national, religious, 

 and political questions should be excluded, had been a subject 

 of public conversation for three months, and "many men of 

 scientific acquirements and apparent zeal" had been consulted, and 

 probably invited to join in the enterprise. But up to this date 

 (March 21) only six had formally met together, and they found 

 in their small number, little to encourage them to proceed. They 

 were aware of the difficulties and dangers to which they were 

 exposed ; but they bravely determined to push forward. " We 

 cannot dissemble to ourselves," say the founders at this time, 

 " that unless we take on ourselves, among our very small num- 

 ber, a responsibility, as to character and expenses, that may and 

 must be considerable ; and, unless we make very extraordinary, 

 zealous, determined, and persevering exertions, the Institution 

 must die in the nutshell, before it can germinate and take root : 

 in fine, that unless we be faithful and honorable to each other, 

 and zealous for the interests of science ; liberally devote much 

 time, much industry, much labor, much attention, and any sum 

 of money that may be requisite, such an establishment as the 

 one Ave desire may never take place, or not for ages, in this com- 

 munity ; a society of generous, good-willing emulation for the 

 acquirement, increase, simplification, and diffusion of natural 

 knowledge." 



About the first of April, a small room was rented on the second 

 floor of a house on the east side of North Second Street, near 

 Race, No. 121. The ground-floor was occupied as a milliner's 



In this small room the nucleus of the present Museum and 

 Library first appeared. Mr. Speakman and Dr. Mann presented 

 books ; Mr. Parmantier presented an herbarium collected in the 

 environs of Paris; Dr. Barnes presented a few shells and insects: 



