INTRODUCTORY DISCOURSE. 21 



earth ; it is, as the poets describe their bouse of fame, a city where all the 

 noises and busiuess in the world do meet, and therefore this honour is 

 justly due to it, to be the constant pHice-of residence for that knowledge 

 which is to be made up of the reports and intelligence of all countries."* 



The Royal-Society of London, for the improving of natural knowledge, 

 ihe first institution of this kind,) was established about the year 1663. 

 Butler, the author of Hudibras, wrote a satire against it entitled ' Thr 

 elephant in the moon." Sprat, the historian of the society, feeling too 

 acutely the shafts of ridicule, attempted in a singular way to propitiate the 

 hostile wits. " To gain their good will," said he, *' I must acquaint them 

 that the family of Railleurs is said to be derived from the same original 

 with the philosophers. The founder of philosophy is confessed by all to 

 be Socrates, and he also was the famous author of all irony. They ought, 

 therefore, to be tender in this matter, wherein the honour of their com- 

 mon parent i> concerned. "f Cowley, on the other hand, wrote a com- 

 plimentary address to the society. 



The satire of Butler has sunk into oblivion, while the society which it 

 assailed has established a reputation and usefulness that cannot be sub- 

 verted or denied. From its origin to the end of the eighteenth century 

 (as appears from dr. Thompson's history of the Royal-Society from its 

 institution to the end of the eighteenth century) it has published 4,166 

 memoirs on natural history, anatomy, surgery, medicine, mathematics, 

 mechanical philosophy, chymistry, and miscellaneous subjects ; the 

 greatest number of which is on astronomy, medicine, and chynmtry. 

 The institution of this society was soon followed by that of the Royal 

 Academy of Sciences at Paris, and similar associations have been since 

 formed in almost all the important cities of Europe. 



The first society of the kind in this country was the American-Philo- 

 sophical-Society, held at Philadelphia, for promoting useful knowledge, 

 which was founded in 1769 ; its principal promoter was dr. Franklin :((J) 

 it has pLubl ; shed six volumes of transactions. The American Academy 

 of Arts and Sciences was incorporated in Massachusetts in 1 730 ; and the 

 Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences was established in 1799. 

 All these institutions have given to the world several useful and interesting 

 memoirs. The United States Military Philosophical Society was founded 

 at West Point, i'.i this state, in 1802, by colonel Williams, chief of the 

 Co^>s of Engineers, and Military Academy. The whole corps of engi- 

 neers were the original members ; and its number has been increased by 

 the admission of others from different parts of the United States. This 

 attempt to diffuse science has been attended with remarkable success, and 

 was worthy of the gentleman who inherits the investigating mind as well 

 as the blood of dr. Franklin. The travels and discor erics of Pike, the 



* Sprat's History of the Royal Society. f Ibid. 



