e nearest realization of Bacon's ideal, however, is in the
Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, which was founded in 1666 under
the administration of Colbert, during the reign of Louis XIV. This
institution not only recognized independent members, but had besides
twenty pensionnaires who received salaries from the government. In
this way a select body of scientists were enabled to pursue their
investigations without being obliged to "give thought to the morrow"
for their sustenance. In return they were to furnish the meetings with
scientific memoirs, and once a year give an account of the work they
were engaged upon. Thus a certain number of the brightest minds
were encouraged to devote their entire time to scientific research,
"delivered alike from the temptations of wealth or the embarrassments of
poverty." That such a plan works well is amply attested by the results
emanating from the French academy. Pensionnaires in various branches of
science, however, either paid by the state or by learned societies, are
no longer confined to France.

Among the other early scientific societies was the Imperial Academy
of Sciences at St. Petersburg, projected by Peter the Great, and
established by his widow, Catharine I., in 1725; and also the Royal
Swedish Academy, incorporated in 1781, and counting among its early
members such men as the celebrated Linnaeus. But after the first impulse
had resulted in a few learned societies, their manifest advantage was
so evident that additional numbers increased rapidly, until at present
almost every branch of every science is represented by more or less
important bodies; and these are, individually and collectively, adding
to knowledge and stimulating interest in the many fields of science,
thus vindicating Lord Bacon's asseverations that knowledge could be
satisfactorily promulgated in this manner.

X. THE SUCCESSORS OF GALILEO IN PHYSICAL SCIENCE

We have now to witness the diversified efforts of a company of men who,
working for the most part independently, greatly added to the data of
the physical sciences--such men as Boyle, Huygens, Von Gericke, and
Hooke. It will be found that the studies of these men covered the whole
field of physical sciences as then understood--the field of so-called
natural philosophy. We shall best treat these successors of Galileo
and precursors of Newton somewhat biographically, pointing out the
correspondences and differences between their various accom