VIEW 



OF THE 



PROGRESS AND PRESENT STATE 



OF 



THE Royal Academy of Sciences having 

 honored me with so distinguished a mark of its con- 

 fidence, as to appoint me its President during the 

 last six months, I have only to regret, that, unac- 

 customed to such an office, I should not have 

 been able to do that justice to its choice, which 

 I have ardently wished; but I have always 

 flattered myself with the hope, that the Academy, 

 aware of my good intentions, would overlook 

 what was wanting in my abilities ; and that hope 

 has not deceived me. On giving up this day the 

 situation, which I have held, to a Gentleman*, 

 who, by his age, experience, a,nd learning, is so 



* W. af Hisinger, 



