ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 67 



the amount had been paid off. At that time, Mr. Maclure with 

 his characteristic liberality, presented the Institution with five 

 thousand dollars. The debt was forthwith liquidated, and $2,300 

 placed at interest for the use of the Society. 



The purchase of this property was opposed by some few of the 

 members, who urged that its situation was too remote, and that 

 in winter it would be scarcely accessible to a majority. And Mr. 

 Maclure, when first called upon to contribute towards the purchase, 

 declined on the ground that, though the property was at a moder- 

 ate price, it would never increase in value. He urged that " the 

 community system" must prevail in the course of a few years, 

 and then Philadelphia would be deserted, and those who might 

 live long enough would " see the foxes looking out at the win- 

 dows." But, finding his arguments did not prevail, he subscribed 

 several hundred dollars. 



The Academy met in that hall for the first time on the 9th of 

 May, 1826. The edifice commonly called the " New Jerusalem 

 Church," was forty-four by fifty feet, and surmounted by a dome; 

 the lot of ground on which it stood was ninety-nine by forty- 

 five feet. There is a representation of the old hall on the title 

 page of the sixth volume of the Journal. 



To render the Museum extensively useful, and to diffuse a love 

 of science, the Academy opened it to the public gratuitously in 

 1828 ; and, from that time, it has been visited by citizens and 

 strangers on Tuesday and Friday afternoons throughout the year, 

 tickets of admission being presented by the members to any who 

 may apply for them.* The Legislature of the State, appreciat- 

 ing the liberality and usefulness of the Academy, exempted the 

 Institution from taxation for a period of twenty years from the 

 year 1831. 



Here the collections of the Academy continued to increase? 

 the zeal of the members was unabated. In the year 1837, 

 there was again a demand for increased accommodation, which 

 must be regarded as positive evidence of prosperity. 



On the 22d of April, 1839, the Society purchased the lot at 



* During a considerable period, admission to the Museum was without 

 any restriction whatever on the public days ; but finding that it became a 

 resort for young children, who frequently damaged the cases and collec- 

 tions, it was determined to exclude all who were not provided with tickets, 

 which could always be procured on application to members. 



