sift TIfOMAS SiTAMFORD RAFFLES. 25 
ed with ilie liistory of its natural productions, may 
not here be misplaced, particularly iis we are obliged 
for it to thv ad'iress of tt» Pres^iilent upon bis first 
instalment in office after its re-establisbment. Fre- 
Tious to tbe eat^iblihluneat of tbe Bataviau Society, 
Mr Kadermaciier, a gentlfraan of distinguisfieil ta- 
lenlSj and a zealous promoter of tbe Cbristian reSi- 
giun and of science, with a fesv frienda of Batavia, 
conceived tb« ideu of assembling togetber a number 
of persons of consideraLiuri and abdity, witb tbe view 
of encouraging ttie art?* and scrience!* in tbi;* capital, 
and the otber Indian eatalilishments tben dependent 
on Holland. They considered tbat in India, as in 
Europe, wiiere for two centuries tbe reformation in 
letters preceded tliat in religion, a taste for tbe arts 
and sciences must be introduced previously to tbe 
general adoption of the Christian religion in tbe East ; 
bat tbey were aware of the difficulties to be en- 
countered, under tbe circumstances in wbich tbe 
colonies of Hoi land were tben placed, and a con- 
siderable [>eriod elapsed before the design wan. car- 
ried into effect. 
At length, in tbe year 1777, when Mr Kader- 
macber and bis fatber-indaw, the Governor-General 
de Klerk, were newly elecled directors (tf the Haer- 
lom ^society, a programme appeared, which contained 
the plan of extending tbe branches of tbat Society 
to the Indies. The distance and extent of tbe 
Dutch colonial possessions in tbe East did not, how- 
ever, admit of this plan bein^ realized ; but tbe idea 
