in the United States of America. 65 



raise by voluntary subscription, an amount equal to the sum 

 apportioned. The funds thus raised are distributed in pre- 

 miums. Within one year after the passing of the act, twenty- 

 six of the county societies were formed and in active opera- 

 tion. A central board of agriculture was organized, composed 

 of deputies from the different county societies, and charged 

 with the general superintendence of the whole. A further sum 

 of 1000 dollars per ann. was granted to them by the state for the 

 purpose of distributing seeds, &c. and publishing their Trans- 

 actions, of which two volumes have already appeared. 



21. Literary and Philosophical Society of New Jersey. 

 Princeton, New Jersey. Instituted 1825. The declared ob- 

 jects of this society, as set forth in the Discourse, recently de- 

 lived at its first annual meeting by the Rev. Dr. Miller, are 

 " the promotion of useful knowledge, and the friendly and 

 profitable intercourse of the literary and scientific gentlemen 

 of New Jersey." 



22. American Philosophical Society. Philadelphia. Insti- 

 tuted 1769. The earliest in point of date established in North 

 America. It is highly creditable to this city that two scientific 

 societies should have previously existed there for many years*. 

 The Transactions of this society consist of two series ; the first 

 comprised in five volumes, the second in two, the last of which 

 has just appeared. The early papers of Prof. Barton, of Mr. 

 Jefferson on the great fossil Megalonyx, the geological papers 



* To those who are curious in the early history of philosophical inquiry 

 in this country, the following translation from a German traveller may be 

 interesting. " This society is indebted for its establishment to the un- 

 wearied efforts of Dr. Franklin. For more than twenty-years previous, he 

 had established a private society composed of his particular friends. As 

 many crept in, however, who had little pretensions to learning, but were 

 proud of parading among learned men, the society declined. Hence, in 

 1769, a new association was set on foot, without including all the former 

 members. Those who were excluded, from a spirit of revenge established 

 an opposition society, and elected every one, and of course some few good 

 ones. After a lime, however, for the good of science, it was deemed ad- 

 visable to unite the two societies, but this did not allay the spirit of party. 

 Many unworthy persons crept in, to the great displeasure of the elder mem- 

 bers. These unfortunate occurrences did not, however, materially impede 

 the advancement of science. In the year 1771, appeared the first volume 

 of the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, in quarto, con- 

 taining many papers relative to Natural History. The war has hitherto 

 prevented the appearance of many papers that are now ready for fhe press. 

 Congress, however, although still inter arma, and with its very existence 

 still precarious, has cast a favourable look upon the muscE silentes, and has 

 vouchsafed to give to this philosophical society, solidity and increased ac- 

 tivity. ' Reise durch einige der mittlern und sudlichen vereinigten Nor- 

 damerikanischen Staaten.' " Von Johann. D. Schoepf. Erlangen. 1788. 



Vol. 68. No. 339. July 1826. I of 



