144 



tion of the Eastern Railroad Company. The library was 

 afterwards removed to the Central Building, Central street, 

 where it continued till the formation of the Athenaeum. 



From the year 1775 to 1784 no meetings were held, and the 

 interest which was before manifested in the success of the libra- 

 ry was paralysed by the unsettled state of the country during 

 the Revolution. At the restoration of peace, the attention of 

 the proprietors was again directed to the state of the library ; 

 all fines, forfeitures, &c., that had been incurred during the 

 a,bovementioned period, were cancelled, and it was determined 

 to begin anew ; a fresh impulse, thus imparted, rendered its 

 further progress successful. In 1797, an act of incorporation 

 was obtained. In 1809 a catalogue was printed. 



The same causes, which for several years paralysed the pro- 

 gress of the Social Library, were instrumental in calling into 

 ■existence another Library of great value to the scientific gen- 

 tlemen in this vicinity. Early in the year 1781, the vessel, on 

 board of which a part of the Library of the celebrated Dr. 

 Richard Kirwan was shipped for transportation across the Irish 

 channel, was captured by an American privateer. These books 

 were brought into Beverly and sold. A company of gentlemen, 

 consisting of Rev. M. Cutler, LL.D., of Hamilton ; Rev. J. 

 Willard, D.D., LL.D., and Joshua Fisher, M.D., of Beverly; 

 Rev. T. Barnard, D.D., Rev. John Prince, LL.D., E. A. Hol- 

 yoke, M.D., LL.D., &c., — became the purchasers, and thus was 

 laid the foundation of the Philosophical Library. An offer 

 of remuneration was afterwards made to Dr. Kirwan, who gen- 

 erously declined it, expressing his satisfaction that his valuable 

 library had found so useful a destination. 



The books were kept in the librarian's house. Rev. Joseph 

 Willard was the first librarian, until his removal to Cambridge, 

 to enter upon the duties of the Presidency of Harvard Univer- 

 sity, when Rev. J. Prince was appointed to succeed him, and 

 continued in office until the formation of the Athenaeum. 



The Salem Athen^um was incorporated in March, 1810. 

 Notice for a call of the first meeting was signed by E. A. 

 Holyoke, William Orne, Nathaniel Silsbee and Samuel Put- 



