47 



APPENDIX II. 



(Title-page.) A Short Account of the Institution and Views of 

 the LITERARY and PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY of MAN- 

 CHESTER. [1783 ?] 



The numerous societies for the promotion of Literature and 

 Philosophy, which have been formed in different parts of Europe, 

 in the course of the last and present centuries, have been not only 

 the means of diffusing knowledge more extensively, but have 

 contributed to produce a greater number of important discoveries, 

 than have been effected in any other equal space of time. 



The progress that has been made in Physics and the Belles 

 Lettres, owes its rapidity, if not its origin, to the encouragement 

 which these societies have given to such pursuits, and to the 

 emulation which has been excited between different academical 

 bodies, as well as among the individual members of each institu- 

 tion. The collecting and publishing the more important com- 

 munications which have been delivered to them, have saved from 

 oblivion many very valuable discoveries, or improvements in arts, 

 and much useful information in the various branches of science. 

 These their modest authors might have been tempted to suppress, 

 but for the respectable sanction of societies of men of the first 

 eminence and learning in their respective countries, and the easy 

 mode of publishing which their volumes of Transactions afford. 



Though in France, societies for these purposes have been insti- 

 tuted in several of the Provinces ; in England, they have been almost 

 confined to the Capital ; and however great have been the advan- 

 tages resulting from the researches of the learned bodies who are 

 incorporated in London, it seems probable, that the great end of 

 their institutions, the promotion of arts and sciences, may be more 

 widely extended by the forming of Societies, with similar views, in 

 the principal towns in this kingdom. 



Men, however great their learning, often become indolent, and 

 unambitious to improve in knowledge, for want of associating with 

 others of similar talents and acquirements. Having few oppor- 



