ACADEMY. The term Academy is of the same ori gin as Academics, though some are of opinion that it was derived from Cadmus, who first brought letters from Phoenicia to Greece, and who introduced into that savage country the learning and mythology of Egypt.
It is now employed to denote a society of learned men, associated for the purbose of advancing the arts and sci ences, by communicating to the world the discoveries which are made either by its own members, or by other learned individuals.
The first academy of this kind of which we have any account, is that which Charlemagne established, by the advice of his preceptor Alcuin. It was composed of the learned men of the court, at the head of whom was the emperor himself. The object of this institution was to promote a taste for polite literature, and improve the language of the country, which was at that time in a very rude state. As this object could only be attained by a careful study of the compositions of antiqui ty, it was required of each member to give an account of the ancient authors which he had read, and communi cate the remarks he had made upon them ; and so great was their attachment to the ancients, that they are said even to have assumed their names. See A Lc utN.
The exertions of Alcuin were honourable and useful; but they were unable to dispel the darkness of the mid dle ages. The institution died with himself; and the
troubles consequent upon the dissolution of the Carlo vingian monarchy, extinguished the few faint lights that were beginning to irradiate the gloom. During several successive ages, we find no association for the advance ment of learning. The prevalence of the feudal system nourished a spirit inconsistent with literary repose. In dividuals of superior talents now and then appeared, but their discoveries, from the unfavourable circumstances Of the times, perished with themselves. The little know ledge that survived the general Nvreds, eserved in the cells of the monks, for the benefit of future ages.
Every attempt at imp! ovemcnt in Europe had been partial and unsuccessful, till the final overthrow of the Roman empire by the Turks, in 115.1. At that time ;,ev, t ral Greek scholars, driven from their habitat ions, and settled in Italy, where they established sclicoh-, which formed the basis of the numerous mead( mical it stitutions that successively arose in the surroundin countries. In giving an account of these institutions, V. I shall begin with Italy, and then prot.ced to the other countries in which academics have been established.