( vi ) . 



deliberation. The term " Philosophical"' was chosen not 

 to denote, as it generally does, in the present day, the un- 

 bounded field of speculative thought, which embraces the 

 possible as well as the actual of existence, but to be used 

 in its restricted sense to indicate those branches of know- 

 ledge that relate to the positive facts and laws of the phy- 

 sical and moral universe. The second term, " Washington," 

 was selected to denote the fact that the Society is a local 

 establishment; that it arrogates to itself nothing on account 

 of its position at the national capital ; makes no claim to any 

 connection with the government, nor to being, in any re- 

 spect, a special representative of the science of the country. 

 The importance of such a society must be evident to all 

 who are acquainted with the history of science. It is 

 mainly thr-ough the influence exerted and the assistance 

 rendered by such associations that science is advanced and 

 its results given to the world. Man is a sympathetic 

 being, and no incentive to mental exertion is more powerful 

 than that which springs from a desire for the approbation 

 of his fellow men : besides this, frequent interchange of 

 ideas and appreciative encouragement are almost essential 

 to the successful prosecution of labors requiring profound 

 thought and continued mental exertion. Hence, it is im- 

 portant that those engaged in similar pursuits should have 

 opportunities for frequent meetings at stated periods ; this 

 is more particularly the case with the cultivators of abstract 

 science, who find but comparatively few fully capable of 

 appreciating the value of their labors, even in a community 

 how much soever enlightened it may be on general subjects. 

 The students of history, of literature, of politics, and of art 

 find everywhere men who can enter in some degree into their 

 pursuits, and who can appreciate their merits and derive 



