But, synchronous with the narrowing of membership in the Royal Society, was the rise of other learned bodies, for it began to be recog nized that one society could not embrace so many sciences.

During the reign of Queen Anne, Swift had undertaken to establish an English Academy on the lines of the French Academy. It was to have devoted itself to the English language and was to have been a part of the Royal Society. Pope, Prior, and Congreve were also in the project, but the death of the Queen put an end to the whole.

A number of important societies were organized during the eighteenth century. Among them were the Society of Antiquaries (London, 1707), which some enthusiasts trace to Archbishop Parker in 1572; the Royal Society of Dublin (1731); the Medical Society (1752); Royal Society of Edinburgh (1783); Linnæan Society (London, 1788)-this was the first instance of the establishment of a distinct scientific association under royal charter; and the Royal Institution of Great Britain (London, 1800).

From this time the increase of learned societies was more rapid, and there are now societies in the United Kingdom for almost every branch of science, letters, learning, and art. The Geological Society (1807) and the Royal Geographical Society (1830) have done much toward stimulating many of the important discoveries of the century. Those engaged in antiquarian and archæological research have displayed great vigor. The societies devoted to the exploration of Palestine have met with signal results, and others have been of particular value, such as the Royal Astronomical Society (1820); Statistical Society (1834); the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland (1823), which has branches in Bombay, Madras, and Hongkong; the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal (Calcutta, 1784); the British Association for the Advancement of Science (1831); and the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science (1857), etc. The last of these societies embraced at first the five departments-jurisprudence, education, punishment and reformation, public health and social economy; a sixth relating to trade and international law was added in 1860.

Such is a brief survey of the rise and progress of learned societies in England and on the Continent. When we turn to America, it will be found, in the first place, that we have followed English rather than continental forms in naming institutions of this class societies rather than academies. In America the term "academy" is used as a rule to indicate an institution for secondary education. It is also applied to naval and military schools, such as the Military Academy at West Point and the Naval Academy at Annapolis. In this respect also it follows English precedent. In the second place, unlike many English and continental institutions, American societies are, for the most part, independent of government. Most of them are private organizations and are supported by fees of members and by endowments from private A few institutions, like the American Historical Association,

sources.

the National Academy of Sciences, and the Smithsonian Institution, have a connection, more or less direct, with the Federal Government.

Other institutions again, are under control of the State governments, are a part of the State machinery, and receive aid from the public treasury. This is the case with the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and the Historical Society of Nebraska.

The first American learned society originated from A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge among the British Plantations, which was issued by Dr. Franklin in 1743. There was at that time small opportunity for anyone to acquire information in the American Colonies. Franklin says that when he established himself in Philadelphia in 1723 there was not a good bookseller's shop in any of the Colonies to the southward of Boston. There was but one printer in New York and two in Philadelphia, and both of these were poorly qualified for their work. They were stationers, but they sold only paper, almanacs, ballads, a few common schoolbooks, etc. Those who wished to purchase books, had to send to England for them.

When Franklin found himself fairly well established in Philadelphia as a printer, his interest in philosophy and literature led him to combine with certain associates to form a debating society. This society was called The Junto. It met on Friday evening.

The rules that I drew up required that every member in his turn should produce one or more queries on any point of morals, politics, or natural philosophy, to be discussed by the company; and once in three months produce and read an essay of his own writing on any subject he pleased. Our debates were to be under the direction of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of truth, without fondness for dispute or desire of victory. (Autobiography, Sparks's edition, vol. 1, p. 81.) This club, he says, continued almost 40 years—

and was the best school of philosophy, morality, and politics that then existed in the province; for our queries, which were read the week preceding their discussion, put us upon reading with attention on the several subjects, that we might speak more to the purpose; and here, too, we acquired better habits of conversation (pp. 82-83).

Franklin, as the leader of The Junto, brought about the establishment of a small library by it. This library, he says, was "the mother of all the North American subscription libraries." Franklin continues:

We had left the alehouse where we first met and hired a room to hold our club in. I proposed that we should all of us bring our books to that room, where they would not only be ready to consult in our conferences, but become a common benefit, each of us being at liberty to borrow such as he wished to read at home. This was accordingly done, and for some time contented us.

Finding the advantage of this little collection, I proposed to render the benefit from the books more common by commencing a public subscription library. I drew a sketch of the plan and rules that would be necessary, and got a skillful conveyancer, Mr. Charles Brockden, to put the whole in form of articles of agreement to be subscribed, by which each subscriber engaged to pay a certain sum down for the first purchase of the books, and an annual contribution for increasing them. So few were the readers at that time in Philadelphia, and the majority of us so poor, that I was not able with great industry to find more than 50 persons, mostly young trades

id having the advantage of a good growing library, should ter of the society; that in Philadelphia there should always t seven members, a physician-a botanist, a mathematician, a a mechanician, a geographer, and a general natural philosohe president, secretary, and treasurer were to have their offices -0. It was proposed that the members meet once a month or it their own expense to communicate to each other their obserand experiments, to receive, read, and consider such letters, ications, or queries as shall be sent from distant members; to he dispersing of copies of such communications as are valuable r distant members, in order to procure their sentiments there

he subject of the correspondence be all new discovered plants, herbs, trees, eir virtues, uses, etc.; methods of propagating them, and making such as ul but particular to some plantations more general; improvement of vegenices, or ciders, wines, etc.; new methods of curing or preventing disease; v discovered fossils in different countries, as mines, minerals, and quarries; nd useful improvements in any branch of mathematics; new discoveries in stry, such as improvements in distillation, brewing, and assaying of ores; new anical inventions for saving labor, as mills and carriages, and for raising and eying of water, draining of meadows, etc.; all new arts, trades, and manufacthat may be proposed or thought of; surveys, maps, and charts of particular rs of the seacoasts or inland countries; course and junction of rivers and great is, situation of lakes and mountains, nature of the soil, and productions; new thods of improving the breed of useful animals; introducing other sorts from eign countries; new improvements in planting, gardening, and clearing land, d all philosophical experiments that let light into the nature of things, tend to crease the power of man over matter, and multiply the conveniences or pleasures life.

That a correspondence, already begun by some intended members, shall be kept up y this society with the Royal Society of London, and with the Dublin Society.

It was proposed also that everything of value communicated to the secretary of the society should be sent in abstract quarterly to all of the members; that such communications should be forwarded post free; that the fees should be 1 piece of eight per annum.

That at the end of every year collections be made and printed of such experiments, discoveries, and improvements as may be thought of public advantage, and that every member have a copy sent him.

That the business and duty of the secretary be to receive all letters intended for the society and lay them before the president and members at their meetings; to abstract, correct, and methodize such papers as require it, and as he shall be directed to do by the president, after they have been considered, debated, and digested in the society; to enter copies thereof in the society's books and make out copies for disubers; to answer their letters by direction of the president and keep record terial transactions of the society.

in Franklin, the writer of this proposal, offers himself to serve the society secretary till they shall be provided with one more capable. (Works, edition, Vol. VI, 14-17.)

suggestions of Franklin were not carried into execution immely. The next reference we find to the proposed society is in a ED 94-95

men, willing to pay down for this purpose 40 shillings each and 10 shillings per annum. With this little fund we began. The books were imported. The library was opened one day in the week for lending them to the subscribers on their promissory notes to pay double the value if not duly returned. The institution soon manifested its utility, was imitated by other towns and in other provinces. The libraries were augmented by donations; reading became fashionable, and our people, having no public amusements to divert their attention from study, became better acquainted with books, and in a few years were observed by strangers to be better instructed and more intelligent than people of the same rank generally are in other countries (pp. 98-99).

The instrument inaugurating this new library movement was signed July 1, 1731. It gave place to the charter of incorporation, which was obtained from the proprietaries of Pennsylvania in 1742.

Our club, The Junto, was found so useful, and afforded such satisfaction to the members, that some were desirous of introducing their friends, which could not well be done without exceeding what we had settled as a convenient number, viz, 12. I was one of those who were against any addition to our number, but instead of it made in writing a proposal that every member separately should endeavor to form a subordinate club, with the same rules respecting queries, etc., and without informing them of the connection with The Junto. The advantages proposed were the improvement of so many more young citizens by the use of our institutions; our better acquainance with the general sentiment of the inhabitants on any occasion, as the Junto member might prepare what queries we should desire, and was to report to The Junto what passed at his separate club; the promotion of our particular interests in business by more extensive recommendation, and the increase of our influence in public affairs, and our power of doing good by spreading through the several clubs the sentiments of The Junto. The project was approved, and every member undertook to form his club, but they did not all succeed. Five or six only were completed, which were called by different names, as the Vine, the Union, the Band. They were useful to themselves, and afforded us a good deal of amusement, information, and instruction, besides answering, in some considerable degree, our views of influencing the public on particular occasions (pp. 129–130).

Franklin was now growing in prominence and influence, and in 1743 published A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge among the British Plantations in America. This proposal is dated at Philadelphia, May 14, 1743.

Franklin begins his "proposal" with a review of the size of the English possessions in America, their differences in soil, climate, productions, etc. The drudgery of the first planting was now pretty well over, and there were men of leisure in every province.

To such of these who are men of speculation many hints must from time to time arise, many observations occur, which, if well examined, pursued, and improved, might produce discoveries to the advantage of some or all of the British plantations, or to the benefit of mankind in general.

But as, from the extent of the country, such persons are widely separated and seldom can see and converse or be acquainted with each other, so that many useful particulars remain uncommunicated, die with the discoverers, and are lost to mankind, it is to remedy this inconvenience for the future proposed that one society be formed of virtuosi or ingenious men residing in the several Colonies, to be called The American Philosophical Society, who are to maintain a constant correspondence. It was suggested that Philadelphia, being near the center of the