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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXVIII. No. 9S5 



establishment of chemical laboratories by 

 the universities, and the widespread influ- 

 ence of Liebig, Mitseherlieh and Wohler, in 

 chemistry, and of Schleiden and Schwann 

 in botany and zoology, determined for all 

 time the place of the German university in 

 science. Schleiden 's cell theory of plant 

 structure and growth was the source of a 

 long series of discoveries, which established 

 the supremacy of Germany in physiology.^" 



In spite of the unfavorable conditions 

 already mentioned, four great academies 

 have nevertheless arisen in Germany, those 

 of Berlin, Munich, Leipzig and Gottingen. 

 Among these, partly because of the leader- 

 ship of Prussia in the German empire and 

 partly from other causes, the Berlin Acad- 

 emy stands foremost. Founded in 1700 as 

 the Societas Regia Scientariiom, through 

 the influence of Leibnitz and in accordance 

 with his plans, it has contributed in the 

 highest degree to the advancement of Ger- 

 man scholarship. Its present designation 

 as "Akademie der Wissensehaf ten " indi- 

 cates the broad scope of its activities. The 

 fifty regular members are divided into two 

 classes, each of which consists of two sec- 

 tions, presided over by a permanent secre- 

 tary. The first class comprises the sections 

 of physics and mathematics, the second 

 those of philosophy and history. The secre- 

 taries preside in turn at the meetings of the 

 separate classes, and at the general meet- 

 ings, which are held monthly. Each mem- 

 ber receives an annual stipend of 900 

 marks, while the secretaries are paid larger 

 salaries. There are also two positions 

 carrying. salaries of 12,000 marks each, 

 filled by the astronomer and the chemist of 

 the academy, and a dozen similar pensions 

 which may be distributed at discretion. 



In the early days of its history, the 

 Berlin Academy devoted most of its 



29 See Merz's "History of European Thought," 

 Vol. a, Chap, 2. 



resources to the establishment and main- 

 tenance of research laboratories and mu- 

 seums. Its headquarters were originally 

 in the Berlin Observatory, which was con- 

 ducted under the direction of the Academy, 

 and it also brought together an anatomical 

 collection, a mineralogical museum, and a 

 zoological garden. Furthermore, the chem- 

 ist of the Academy conducted his researches 

 in a chemical laboratory provided for the 

 purpose.^" In 1809, when the University of 

 Berlin was established to compensate for 

 the loss of Halle by the treaty of Tilsit, 

 these functions of the Academy were trans- 

 ferred to the university and have since re- 

 mained under its direction. In an inter- 

 esting and important manuscript by Wil- 

 helm von Humboldt, entitled "Ueber die 

 innere und aussere Organization der wissen- 

 sehaf tlichen hoheren Anstalten in Berlin," 

 his ideas on the relationship between the 

 academy and the newly organized univer- 

 sity are fully set forth. Schleiermacher had 

 defined the university as a group of stu- 

 dents, the academy as a group of investi- 

 gators : the former concerned with the 

 diffusion of knowledge, and the stimulation 

 of scientific research, the latter with the 

 development of scientific problems them- 

 selves. Humboldt believed the main dis- 

 tinction between the two bodies to lie in 

 their form and their relationships rather 

 than in their work. The university always 

 remains in close relationship with practical 

 life and the necessities of the state, since it 

 is engaged in the practical task of educating 

 the youth of the nation, while the academy 

 is concerned solely with knowledge. 



When only the function of teaching and dis- 

 seminating knowledge is assigned to the univer- 

 sity and its promotion to the academy, injustice 

 is manifestly done the former.si 



30 See Harnack 's great ' ' Geschichte der Ber- 

 liner Akademie der Wissensehaf ten. ' ' 



31 Paulsen, ' ' The German Universities, ' ' trans, 

 by Thilly and Elwang, p. 53. 



