JAMES SMITHSON AND HIS BEQUEST. 19 



of fertility of invention and of original research. Pure abstract science 

 had many illustrious votaries, and the practical application of its truths 

 gave to the world many of the great inventions by means of which civiliza- 

 tion has made such immense and rapid progress. 



Not only were individual eftbrts for the welfare of humanity made, 

 but a spirit of association was developed and numerous organizations 

 formed, having for their object the promotion of science, education, and 

 philanthropy. The few existing societies also became inspired with 

 new life and vigor. The "Royal Society of London" entered upon its 

 most brilliant epoch and became the fountain and center of intellectual 

 progress. "The Royal Institution of Great Britain," chiefly indebted 

 for its origin to an American, was founded in 1800, "for diffusing the 

 knowledge and facilitating the general introduction of useful mechanical 

 inventions and improvements and for teaching by courses of philosoph- 

 ical lectures and experiments the apphcation of science to the common 

 purposes of life." A glance at the names of a few of the great organi- 

 zations instituted in different parts of the world at the close of the last 

 and beginning of the present century will show the remarkable scien- 

 tific activity of that period and the direction of thought towards the 

 establishment of permanent institutions : 



1782. Royal Irish Academy. 1812. Royal Academy of Sciences 

 1784. Royal Asiatic Society. of Berlin (reorganized). 



1788. Liunean Society. 1816. The French Academy of Sci- 

 1788. Soci6t6 Philomatique. ences (reorganized). 



1795. Soci6t6 Philotechnlquo. 1818. Academy of Natural Sciences, 



1799. Academy of Sciences, Lisbon. Philadelphia. 



1800. Royal Institution of Great 1819. Philosophical Society, Cam- 



Britain, bridge. 



1805. Soci6t6 Anthropologique, 1820. Royal Astronomical Society. 



Paris. 1821. Soci6t6 Imp6riale de G6ogra- 



1807. Geological Society of London. phie, Paris. 



1808. Royal Institute of the Low 1822. Soci6t6 Asiatique, Paris. 



Countries. 1825. Soci6t6 Royale des Antiquai- 



1812. Literary and Philosophical res du Nord, Copenhagen. 



Society, Liverpool. 1820. Zoological Society, London. 



Tlie remarkable advances made in science at this epoch were thus 

 alluded to by Arago in his eulogy on Thomas Young : 



" In a short space of time the Academy has lost from the list of its 

 members, Ilcrschcl, whoso bold ideas on the structure of the universe 

 have acquired every year more of probability; Piazzi, who, on the first 

 day of the present century, presented our solar systcim with a new planet j 

 Watt, who, if not the inventor of the steam-engine, was at least the 

 creator of so many admirable contrivances by the aid of which the little 

 instrument of Papin has become the most ingenious, the most useful, the 

 most powerful means of applying industry j Volta, who has been immor- 



