MANUAL OF THE ALBANY INSTITUTE. 



The origin of the Albany Institute dates back, 

 through other organizations of which it is the legitimate 

 successor, to the year 1791. 



'*The Society, instituted in the State of New York, 

 for the Promotion of Agriculture, Arts and Manu- 

 factures" was formed in February, 1791, at the city of 

 New York, then the seat of government of this state, 

 and was incorporated by the Legislature, March 12th, 

 1793. Of this body, Robert Robert Livingston (well 

 known as one of the committee appointed to draft the 

 Declaration of Independence, first Chancellor of the 

 Court of Chancery of the State of New York, Minister 

 Plenipotentiary to France, etc.), was designated in the 

 act of incorporation as the first president, and so re- 

 mained until the year 1804, when the act expired by its 

 own limitation. In eight years, this Society published 

 a quarto volume of Transactions, in four succes- 

 sive parts, and also an octavo edition of same.^ The 

 society was then reincorporated under the title of " The 

 Society for the Promotion of Useful Arts," by an act of 

 the Legislature, passed April 2, 1801, which also consti- 

 tuted Mr. Livingston its first president. Of the labors 

 of this Society, it is enough to say that three octavo 



^ Society, instituted in the state of New York, for the promotion of 

 agriculture, arts and manufactures. Transactions of the : part i, ii, 

 III, IV. Published by order of the society. 



New York, 1792, 1794 ; Albany, 1798, 1799, pp. xv, 122, xlv, 230, 

 xli, 129, vi, 178. In 1 vol. 4to. 



The same. The second edition revised. Albany, 1801, pp. 418, 8vo. 



Some articles found in the first edition are omitted in the second. 



