6 Memoir of William Maclure. 



watched the rise of a young but promising institution, devoted 

 exclusively to natural history, and numbering among its members 

 whatever our city then possessed of scientific taste and talent. 

 This institution was the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia ; and as its history, from this period, is inseparably con- 

 nected with the life of Mr. Maclure, let us briefly inquire into its 

 origin and progress. 



The Academy was founded in January, 1812, at which period 

 a few gentlemen, at first but seven in number, resolved to meet 

 once in every week for the purpose of conversing on scientific 

 subjects, and thus communicating to each other the results of their 

 reading, observation and reflection. 



Although Mr. Maclure was absent from the city at the initia- 

 tory meeting, he had no sooner returned than his name was en- 

 rolled on the list of members ; and from that hour and with this 

 circumstance the prosperity of the institution commenced. Ar- 

 rangements were soon after entered into for the delivery of courses 

 of lectures, chiefly on chemistry and botany ; and the library and 

 museum were at once replenished with books and specimens from 

 Mr. Maclure's European collections. 



On the 30th of December, 1817, Mr. Maclure was elected Pres- 

 ident of the Academy ; to which oflice of confidence and honor 

 he was annually reelected up to the time of his death, a period of 

 more than twenty-two years. 



Under his auspices the Journal of the Academy (which now 

 numbers eight octavo volumes) was commenced with energy and 

 talent ; and such was his interest in its progress, that a consider- 

 able portion of the first volume was printed in an apartment of 

 his own house. 



Among the most ardent of Mr. Maclure's colleagues at this time 

 was Mr. Thomas Say, a gentleman who united in a remarkable 

 degree the love of science and the social virtues. Enthusiastic 

 in his favorite studies, and possessed of a singular tact for detect- 

 ing the varied relations of organized beings, he early attracted the 

 notice and secured the esteem of Mr. Maclure ; and the friendship 

 which thus grew up between them, continued unaltered by time 

 or circumstance to the end of life. How much the Academy and 

 the cause of natural history owe to the united efforts of these 

 gentlemen, I need not declare ; for not only here, but wherever 

 • their favorite pursuits are loved and cultivated, their names will be 

 inseparably interwoven with the records and the honors of science. 



