the system which made
the lectures and exercises of such a nature that no deviation from the
established routine could be thought of was pernicious. But he showed
that if any teacher had the temerity to turn from the traditional paths,
the daring pioneer was likely to find insurmountable obstacles placed
in the way of his advancement. The studies were "imprisoned" within
the limits of a certain set of authors, and originality in thought or
teaching was to be neither contemplated nor tolerated.

The words of Bacon, given in strong and unsparing terms of censure and
condemnation, but nevertheless with perfect justification, soon bore
fruit. As early as the year 1645 a small company of scientists had been
in the habit of meeting at some place in London to discuss philosophical
and scientific subjects for mental advancement. In 1648, owing to
the political disturbances of the time, some of the members of these
meetings removed to Oxford, among them Boyle, Wallis, and Wren, where
the meetings were continued, as were also the meetings of those left in
London. In 1662, however, when the political situation bad become
more settled, these two bodies of men were united under a charter
from Charles II., and Bacon's ideas were practically expressed in that
learned body, the Royal Society of London. And it matters little that in
some respects Bacon's views were not followed in the practical workings
of the society, or that the division of labor in the early stages was
somewhat different than at present. The aim of the society has always
been one for the advancement of learning; and if Bacon himself could
look over its records, he would surely have little fault to find with
the aid it has given in carrying out his ideas for the promulgation of
useful knowledge.

Ten years after the charter was granted to the Royal Society of London,
Lord Bacon's words took practical effect in Germany, with the result
that the Academia Naturae Curiosorum was founded, under the leadership
of Professor J. C. Sturm. The early labors of this society were devoted
to a repetition of the most notable experiments of the time, and the
work of the embryo society was published in two volumes, in 1672 and
1685 respectively, which were practically text-books of the physics of
the period. It was not until 1700 that Frederick I. founded the Royal
Academy of Sciences at Berlin, after the elaborate plan of Leibnitz, who
was himself the first president.

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