A DISCOÜRSE, &C. S 



lil common vvith other human Institutions the 

 Batavian Society has been subject to many 

 changes ^nd vicissitudes ; but it is to the ca- 

 lamitous effects of a war vvhich has desolated 

 the finest countries in Europe^ and which extend- 

 cd its baneful influence to this distant Isle, that 

 we are principally to atlribute its decline. Cüt 

 oïï froin all com-nunication with the Mother- 

 €ountrj, and distracted by internal jealonsiesand 

 disputes, Science drooped, and this Society, 

 which at one time maintained so distiniriiished a 

 character,, almost ceased to be known. 



The Batavian Society has, I believe^ thehonor 

 of being the ürst Institution of a Literary na- 

 ture established by Eiiropeans in the East — ^ 

 Previousto its establishment^ Wr. Radermacher, 

 a gentleman of distinguished talents and a zeal- 

 ous promoter of the Christian Religion, and of 

 Science, with a few friends at Batavia^, conceiv- 

 ed the idea of assembling together a number of 

 persons of eons^ideration and ability, with the 

 view of encouraging the Arts and Sciences in this 

 Capital and i\\e other Indian Establishments 

 then dependant on Holland. They considered 

 that in India as in Europe^ where for tvvo een- 

 turies the reformation in letters preceded that 

 ia religion^ a taste for the Arts and SeienccH niiist; 



