The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 



By EDWARD J. NOLAN, M.D. 



As for the Corruptions and Moths of History, which are Epitomes, 

 the use of them deserveth to be banished as all men of sound judgment 

 have confessed. Bacon, "Advancement of Learning." 



ALTHOUGH at the beginning of the nineteenth century Phila- 

 delphia was acknowledged to be the center of scientific, if not 

 of literary culture in America, there were not many societies 

 in the city devoted to scientific research. The American Philosoph- 

 ical Society had, indeed, established for itself an honorable position 

 in the learned world, but membership was scarcely aspired to by 

 those who had no right in any sense to consider themselves philos- 

 ophers. The "Botanical Society, held at Philadelphia," had been 

 founded in 1806, the name being changed the following year to the 

 "Philadelphia Linna3an Society." It had a brief and uneventful 

 existence and is at present remembered from the publication of an 

 essay by Benjamin Smith Barton, entitled "Discourse on some 

 Principal Desiderata in Natural History." 



There were but few who cared anything about the natural 

 sciences, and these had to contend with many difficulties. Neither 

 cabinets to awaken curiosity nor libraries to satisfy it were in exist- 

 ence. There were two or three collections of minerals belong- 

 ing to gentlemen who had brought them from Europe, but they were 

 not accessible to the public. 



A few young men in the city were, however, interested in the 

 study of nature. They were all engaged during the day in making 

 a living, and they must have found that occasional gossip in places 

 of resort available to those of their social condition would not help 

 them much in the search for exact knowledge. 



After one of these accidental meetings early in 1812, John 

 Speakman suggested to his friend Jacob Gilliams that if their 

 associates could come together at stated times where they would be 

 free from interruption and could compare notes as to what they 

 supposed they knew, they would secure more pleasure and profit 

 than by desultory talk. Gilliams agreed with him, and before they 



