Among the academies established for the cultivation of particular departments of knowledge, are the following: 1. LANGUAGES. The Academia della Crusca, or Academia Furfuratorum, was founded at Florence in 1582, chiefly for the purpose of promoting the purity of the Italian language; whence its somewhat fantastic designation—crusca signifying chaff or bran. It first drew attention by its attacks on Tasso. Its principal service has been the compilation of an excellent dictionary, and the publication of cor rect editions of the older Italian poets. A new edition of this dictionary is at present in preparation, but from the slow rate of its progress it is calculated that ninny centuries must elapse before its completion. For an account of the Academie Franfaise, instituted In 1629, as a private society. see INSTITUT.—The Royal Spanish A. was founded at Mad rid in 1714, by the duke of Escalona, for the cultivation and improvement of the national language, in which it has done good service, particularly by the coinpilatidn of a Spanish dictionary. A similar institution was founded at St. Petersburg in 1783, and afterwards united to the Imperial A. At Stockholm, a similar academy was established in 1786; and at Pesth (for the cultivation of the Magyar language) in 1830.-2. AIIMEOLOGY. At the head of antiquarian institutions stands the Academie des Inscriptions. founded at Paris in 1663, by Colbert. See INSTITUT. For the elucidation of northern languages and antiquities, an academy was founded in 1710 at tipsala, in Sweden: a similar fnstitu lion was established at Cortona, in Italy. in 1727. Both have issued valuable works. The A. of Herculaneum was founded at Naples in 1755, by the marquis of Tanucci, for the elucidation of lIpreulatican and Pompeimi antiquiti&s. Its publications, commencing in 1775, bear the title of Antichitd di Ercoletno. An academy for the investigation of Tuscan antiquities was established at Florence in 1807; and at Paris, in 1803, a Celtic A. for the elucidation of the language, history, and antiquities of the Celts, especially in France. This society changed its name, in 1814, to Societe des Antiguaires de France. 3. HISTORY. The Royal A. of Portuguese History was founded at Lisbon, in 1720, by .John V. At Madrid, in 1730, a learned association was formed for the elucidation of Spanish history. It was constituted an academy in 1738, by Philip V. It has pub
lishcd editions of Mariana, Sepulveda, Solis, and the ancient Castilian chronicles, some of which had never before been printed. A historical academy has existed for some time at Tubingen.-4. MEDICINE. The Academia Natterts Curiosorum was established at Vienna, in 1652, by the physician Bauschius, for the investigation of remarkable phenomena in the animal; vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. In honor of Leopold I., who patronized it liberally, it took the additional name of and, since 1808, has had its chief seat at Bonn. Its valuable memoirs have appeared at irregular intervals under the title of _Miscellanea, Ephemerides, and Acta. The Academie de Medi cine of Paris was founded in 1890, for the prosecution of researches into all matters con nected with the public health, such as epidemics, etc. The Surgical A. of Paris (whose functions have partly descended to the preceding) was founded in 1731. It was dis solved during the troubles of the first revolution. The Vienna A. of Surgery, estab lished in 1783, is, properly speaking, a college.-5. FINE ARTS. The academies of painting and sculpture of St. Petersburg (connected with the Imperial A.) and Paris arc institutions for the education of pupils. The French Acadeni•k des Beaux Arts is a branch of the Institut (q.v.). The Royal A. of Arts in London was founded in 1768, for the promotion of the arts of design, painting, sculpture, etc. The number of academicians is 40. Connected with it is a school, with professors selected from among the acade micians. The annual exhibition of the academy is open to all artists of merit. The Royal Scottish A. of painting, sculpture, and architecture, was founded at Edinburgh in 1826, and received a royal charter in 1838. The number of academicians is 30; the gen eral plan of the institution is similar to that of the London A. Similar to these also is the Royal Bibernian.A„ incorporated at Dublin in 1803. Numerous academies of the fine arts have been established in Italy—at Rome, Milan, Turin, Florence, Mantua, and Modena; as also at Madrid, Vienna, and Stockholm.
Many learned societies differ from academies only in name; such as the Royal Society of London, the British Association, the Washington Smithsonian Institution, etc., etc. Sec SOCIETIES. .