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AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

THERE is nothing which has contributed so much to the rapid progress which Philosophy has made since the revival of letters in Modern Europe, as the exertions of those numerous scientific societies and academies, which have successively been formed in most European countries. Italy, in which polite literature and the arts first made their appearance, has the honour of having given origin to these meritorious associations. England was not slow in imitating the example of the Italian States. The Royal Society was established for the express purpose of advancing experimental philosophy, and is beyond dispute the most magnificent and liberal establishment of the kind which has ever been formed. Its foundation was laid during the time of the civil wars, and was owing to the accidental association of several learned men, who took no part in the disturbances which agitated Great Britain.

About the year 1645, several ingenious men,* who resided in London, and Origin of the were interested in the progress of mathematics and natural philosophy, agreed Royal Society to meet once a week to discourse upon subjects connected with these sciences.† The meetings were held sometimes in Dr. Goddard's lodgings, in Wood-street, because he kept in his house an operator for grinding glasses for telescopes; sometimes in Cheapside, and sometimes in Gresham College. In the years 1648 and 1649, several of the gentlemen who attended these meetings being appointed to situations in the University of Oxford, they instituted a similar Society in that city, in conjunction with several eminent men already established there. Among the primitive members of this Oxonian Society, we find the following celebrated names: Dr. Wilkins, Dr. Wallis, Dr. Goddard, Dr. Seth Ward, Dr. Bathurst, Dr. William Petty, Dr. Willis. The meetings were for some time held in Dr. Petty's lodgings; and, when that gentleman went to Ire

* The most remarkable of these men were, Dr. John Wilkins, Dr. Wallis, Dr. Goddard, Dr. Ent, Dr. Glisson, Dr. Merret, Mr. Foster, and Mr. Haake, a German, who first suggested these weekly meetings. Birch's Hist. of the Royal Society, Vol. I. p. 1.

Wallis's Account of his own Life. Preface to Mr. Hearne's edition of Langtoft's Chronicie Vol. I. p. 161.

B

land in 1652, the Society met first in Dr. Wilkins' apartments, and afterwards in those of Mr. Boyle.

The greatest part of these Oxford gentlemen coming to London in 1659, held their meetings twice a week at Gresham College; on Wednesday, after the Astronomical Lecture of Mr. Christopher Wren, and on Thursday, when Mr. Lawrence Rooke lectured on Geometry. Here they were joined by several new associates; among others, by Lord Brouncker, William Brereton, Esq., Sir Paul Neile, John Evelyn, Esq., Thomas Henshaw, Esq., Henry Slingesby, Esq., Dr. Timothy Clarke, Dr. Ent, William Balle, Esq., Abraham Hill, Esq., Dr. William Croune. These meetings were continued till the Members were scattered by the disasters of 1659, after the resignation of Richard Cromwell, when their place of meeting was converted into quarters for soldiers. But after the restoration of King Charles II. in 1660, these meetings were revived, and still more numerously attended. On the 28th of November, 1660, a number of gentlemen met in Mr. Rooke's apartment, Gresham College, and agreed to constitute themselves into a Society, for the promotion of all kinds of experimental philosophy. A set of regulations was drawn up, and a weekly contribution of a shilling was collected from each of the Members, in order to defray the expenses of their experimental investigations. At first the number of Members was limited to 55, but it was afterwards extended, and, finally, admission was left open to every proper candidate. A President, a Secretary, and a Register, were elected out of their body, and an Amanuensis and Operator hired to execute the purposes of the Society.

*

Such was the origin of the Royal Society of London, which from its very commencement attracted the attention of all the philosophers in Europe, and which was publicly encouraged by Charles II., and many of the principal EngReceive lish nobility. On the 15th July, 1662, a Royal Chartert was granted by Charles II., constituting them a body corporate, under the name of the Royal Society, appointing Lord Viscount Brouncker the first President, Dr. Wilkins and Mr. Oldenburg, the first Secretaries; William Balle, Esq. Treasurer; and twenty-one of the most respectable Members the first Council. This Council

a charter.

* The following are their names: Lord Viscount Brouncker, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Bruce, Sir Robert Moray, Sir Paul Neile, Dr. Wilkins, Dr. Goddard, Dr. Petty, Mr. Balle, Mr. Rooke, Mr. Wren, and Mr. Hill. Birch's Hist. of the Royal Society, Vol. I. p. 3.

+ This Charter will be found in the Appendix, No. I.

†Their names were as follows :

Lord Viscount Brouncker
Sir Robert Moray
Mr. Robert Boyle
Mr. William Brereton
Sir Kenelm 'Digby
Sir Paul Neile
Sir Gilbert Talbot

Mr. Henry Slingesby
Sir William Petty
Dr. Timothy Clarke
Mr. William Erskine
Dr. John Wilkins
Dr. George Ent

Dr. Jonathan Goddard

Mr. William Balle
Mr. Matthew Wren
Mr. John Evelyn
Mr. Thomas Henshaw
Mr. Dudley Palmer
Mr. Abraham Hill
Mr. Henry Oldenburg

was empowered by the charter to nominate, during a period of two months, what persons they thought proper as Members of the Society.* After the elapse of this period all subsequent elections were to be conducted by the Society in a body, and every candidate, in order to be admitted, required the votes of two thirds of the Members present.

ing.

The Society first held their meetings at Gresham College; but, about the be- Place of meetginning of the year 1667, Mr. Henry Howard, afterwards Duke of Norfolk, made them a present of the Arundel Library, which had been purchased by his grandfather, the Earl of Arundel, during an embassy to Vienna. It had formerly been part of the library of Mathew Corvinus, King of Hungary, erected by him at Buda, in 1485, and after his death, in 1490, it came into the possession of the famous Bilibaldus Pirckeimerus, of Nuremberg, who died in

* In consequence of this power, they declared the following persons Fellows of the Royal Society.

James, Lord Annesley

John Alleyn, Esq.

Elias Asmole, Esq.

John Austen, Esq.

John Aubrey, Esq.

George, Duke of Buckingham

George, Lord Berkeley

Robert, Lord Bruce

Richard Boyle, Esq.

Thomas Baynes, M. D.
Isaac Barrow, B. D.
Peter Balle, M. D.
John Brooks, Esq.

David Bruce, M. D.
George Bate, M. D.
William, Lord Cavendish
Walter Charleton, M. D.
Edward Cotton, D. D.
Daniel Colwall, Esq.
John Clayton, Esq.

Thomas Cox, M. D.

William Croone, M. D.

Francis Glisson, M. D.
John Graunt, Esq.

Christopher, Lord Hatton
Charles Howard, Esq.
William Hoare, M. D.

Sir Robert Harley

Nathaniel Henshaw, M. D.
James Hays, Esq.
William Holder, D. D.
Theodore Haake, Esq.
William Hammond, Esq.
John Hoskyns, Esq.
Robert Hooke, M. A.
Richard Jones, Esq.
Alexander, Earl of Kincardin

Sir Andrew King

John, Lord Lucas

James Long, Esq.
Anthony Lowthe, Esq.
John, Lord Visc. Massareene
Sir Anthony Morgan
Christopher Merret, M. D.

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Henry Powle, Esq.
Thomas Povey, Esq.

Henry Proby, Esq.

Philip Packer, Esq.

William Quatremaire, M. D.
Edward, Earl of Sandwich
Sir James Shaen
Charles Scarburgh, Esq.
Thomas Stanley, Esq.
George Smyth, M. D.
Alexander Stanhope, Esq.
Robert Southwell, Esq.
William Schroter, Esq.
Thomas Sprat, M. A.
Christopher Terne, M. D.
Samuel Tuke, Esq.
Cornelius Vermuyden, Esq.
Sir Cyril Wyche
Sir Peter Wyche
John Wallis, D. D.

Edmond Waller, Esq.
Joseph Williamson, Esq.
Francis Willughby, Esq.
William Winde, Esq.
John Winthrop, Esq.
Thomas Wren, M. D.

Christopher Wren, LL. D.
Edmond Wylde, Esq.
Daniel Whistler, M, D.
Sir Edward Bysshe

Sir John Birkenhead

Mons. Christian Huyghens

Mons. Samuel Sorbiere

i

Favourable

ence.

1530. It contains, besides a good number of printed books, many rare and valuable manuscripts. At the same time, Mr. Howard gave the Society convenient apartments in Arundel House, to which they removed their meetings, because Gresham College had been rendered unfit for that purpose in consequence of the fire of London. In 1673, they were invited back to Gresham College, by a deputation of the Professors and of the Mercer's Company and they were induced to accept the offer because their apparatus and collection of curiosities were deposited there, and because Mr. Hooke, their operator, resided in that building. A grant of Chelsea College had been given them by Charles II., and they formed the project of converting it into a house proper for their meetings. Lord Henry Howard had likewise made them a present of a piece of ground near Arundel House, upon which they resolved to build convenient apartments by subscription. But neither of these designs was put into execution. They at last purchased a very convenient house in Crane Court, Fleetstreet, in which they continued to hold their meetings, till the British Government, about 30 years ago, furnished them with apartments in Somerset House, where their meetings have ever since been held, and their library and apparatus. deposited.

The period of the institution of the Royal Society was peculiarly favourable era for sci- for the objects in view. The spirit of inquiry, at first feeble, which animated some individuals at the time of the revival of learning, had from numerous causes gathered strength and spread itself over Europe. The Greek literary men, who had taken refuge in Italy after the destruction of the Eastern Empire by the Turks, brought with them a knowledge of their own language and some of the finest models of writing that ever have been produced. These books contributed to form the taste and enlighten the understandings of the poets and historians of Italy, whose labours were fortunately appreciated and encouraged by several of the principal men in that comparatively civilized country. The progress of the mathematical sciences in Italy, France, Germany, and England; the introduction of the new method of philosophizing by Lord Bacon; and the happy illustration of that method, by the successful exertions of Galileo and some of his contemporaries and successors, awakened an enthusiastic ardour in the minds of literary men: the vast field of science lay exposed before them, the true path of investigation had been discovered, and all were eager to enter upon it. In that infant period of science every step was a discovery; every judicious experiment led the fortunate philosopher to eminence. But all were conscious of the immense space which was to be explored, of the little progress that could be made by a single individual, and of the necessity of mutual co-operation, and the division of scientific labour. Hence associations for the purpose of experiment were naturally suggested, as the only means of ensuring speedy and complete success. They furnished the money necessary for con

venient apparatus without pressing too severely upon individuals, and enabled the Members to make considerable progress in investigations without dedicating more of their time to such subjects than they could conve

niently spare.

At that period, the diffusion of new discoveries was peculiarly difficult, and was chiefly accomplished by epistolary correspondence between philosophers carried on in the Latin language. From the vast multitude of epistles left by Erasmus, and some other eminent men of the same period, we may form some notion of the great portion of time which must have been taken up in this kind of correspondence. Even after every possible exertion, knowledge could be very imperfectly diffused by such means. Hence another important purpose of these associations was to publish, periodically, all the discoveries which came to their knowledge. It is to these Societies, therefore, that we are indebted for the present facility with which knowledge of every kind is diffused over the world: the memoirs and transactions, and the monthly publications which issue from the press in such numbers in most European countries, render it now an easy matter to make oneself acquainted with every improvement in any branch of science almost as soon as it takes place. Formerly, a philosopher could not well appear before the world, unless he had a complete treatise to publish. But at present, through these periodical channels, every idea and new fact may be easily and advantageously communicated. The experimenter runs but little risk of losing his labour by investigating what has been already ascertained; while, by the multiplicity of co-operators, emulation and industry are more likely to be maintained.

The period of the incorporation of the Royal Society was peculiarly favourable for the progress of science in Britain. The country had for many years before been engrossed in a civil war, in which the energy and abilities of the various partizans were called into the completest action. The parliament, which from its nature and constitution was likely to contain the men of the greatest talents in the nation, had gained the ascendancy, and in their turn had been obliged to yield to the military usurpation of Oliver Cromwell. The Protector by his energy and abilities had crushed all opposition, and had made the country respected and dreaded by the neighbouring states. After his death the kingdom threatened to fall into complete anarchy, when the sudden restoration of King Charles II. healed all divisions, and put an end to revolutionary violence. Then was a favourable time to draw the attention of the rich and the well-informed to the improvement of science, and to direct the effervescence of over-active minds to the advancement of knowledge, instead of political specu

lations.

The number of eminent men who at that period existed in England, and were disposed to associate for these important purposes, was uncommonly great, and

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