Literary and Scientific Associations. 257 



Louis XIV. prompted by the suggestion, and as- 

 sisted by the counsels of his minister, M. Colbert. 

 But the eighteenth century is pre-eminently re- 

 markable for multiplying these associations; for a 

 great increase in the number of their publications; 

 and for their unexampled activity and usefulness 

 in the cause of science. By far the greater num- 

 ber of the societies for promoting useful knowledge 

 which now exist in the world, were formed dur- 

 ing the period under consideration. Among these 

 the most important and useful are the Imperial 

 Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburgh; the Royal 

 Academies of Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, and 

 Lisbon; the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the 

 Royal Irish Academy of Dublin. Besides these, 

 a multitude of others have arisen, under different 

 names, for various purposes, and at different pe- 

 riods of the century, in Great-Britain, France, 

 Italy, Germany, and almost every literary country 

 of Europe. Perhaps in no part of the world have 

 institutions of this kind been so much multiplied 

 as in Italy; and next to her, in the number and 

 activity of similar associations, we may estimate 

 France. • In the former there is scarcely a town 

 of any importance without an academy or lite- 

 rary association ; and in the latter they are very 

 numerous. 



In addition to the societies formed for promot- 

 ing general literature and science, the eighteenth 

 century is distinguished by the formation of many 

 other associations, for promoting some particular 

 art or branch of science. There were instituted, 

 during this period, academies of Painting, of Sculp- 

 ture, of Music, of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres, 

 of Law, of Medicine, of Arts and Manufactures y 

 of Agriculture, &c. and, indeed, for cultivating 

 almost every particular department of human 

 art and knowledge. 



VOL. II. ,r 



