SPANISH AND PonTuouusr, ACADEMIES. The Royal Spanish was establisned at Madrid in 1714. It was projected by the duke d'Escalona, and having received the approbation 01 the king, it was taken under his royal protection. It consisted at first ol eight mem bers, including the duke, who was mane president, or director, and a secretary ; to whom 14 others were af terwards added. its device is a crucible upon the lire, with this motto, Limbla Fya y da Lsjdcodor ; It barites, fixes, and gives boghtness, The object of the academy is to cultivate and improve the national language ; and, for this purpose, it was recommended to diem, in the royal declaration, to compose a dictionary, in which the words and phrases, used by the best Spanish writers, might be distinguished from such as were low, bar barous, or obsolete. The academy was to have its own printer ; but it was not permitted to put any thing to press without an order ol the comicil. The academi cians, too, had all the privileges and immunities enjoy ed by the domestic officers in the king's service, and in the royal palace. There is also at Madrid a Royal Aca demy of History, and an Academy of Painting, establish ed in 1752.
The Royal of Portuguese History at Lisbon was instituted in 1720, by king John V. It consists of a director, four censors, a secretary, and 50 members, to each of whom is assigned sonic portion of the civil or ecclesiastical history of the nation, which he may compose either in Portuguese or in Latin. The mem bers, who reside in the country, are obliged to make ex tracts out of all the registers, &c. in the places where they live, and to collect whatever may serve to illustrate the history of the kingdom. A medal was struck by the academy in honour of their founder ; on the front of which was his with this inscription, Joannes P. Lusitanorum Rex ; and, on the reverse, the same prince is represented standing, and raising History, almost prostrate before him, with this inscription, Histo•ia re surges. Underneath are the following words ; Regia .elcade»2ia Historic Lusitani,e Institutavi Jdus Decembris MDCCXX.
The Roy(/' .elcademy of Sciences at Lisbon, was found ed in 1779 by the duke de Lafoens, uncle to the queen. The sovereign is the immediate patron, and the founder is president. It is divided into three classes, that of na
tural science, mathematics, and national literature. It is composed of 60 members ; of these, 24 are regular and ordinary ; of the rest, a few foreigners, and some of high rank in the nation, are honorary ; some are veteran members, and a considerable number are extra-cor respondents. They have an allowance from govern ment, which has enabled them to establish an observa tory, a museum, a library, and a printing-ollice. There are several Iolumes of its transactions, the first of which was oublished at Lisbon in 1797.
Rossi ix ACADEMIES. When many of the nations of Europe Were enlarging, by their discoveries, the boundaries of knowledge, the Russians were still in a state of comparative harthitite. Peter the Great during his travels in 1717, having OzeiNed Co; beneficial cr• fects of literary institutions in promoting civilization, resols ed to establish an academy in his own capital. With this view, he consulted the most eminent scholar., about the regulations which it might he proper to adopt. But after hat ing completed the p.an, his death, in 1725, prevented him from seeing it put in execution. His successor, Catharine, who was well acquainted ti itli his Niews, finished what he had so auspiciously begun, and established on the plan of the academy of Paris, one of the most celebrated scientific institutions in Europe, un der the title of The Royal of Sciences at Peters burgh. Its first public meeting was held on the 27th December 1723, in presence of the duke of Holstein, and a great number 031 persons of distinction.
On the 1st of August 1726, Catharine attended the Aca demy ; when professor Bulfinger delivered an oration upon the advantages derived from the lo.adstone and the needle for the discovery of the longitude. The empress settled a fund of 4982/. per alum, for the support of the academy, and fifteen members, eminent for their learning talents, were admitted, under the title of professors in the different branches of literature and science, with sala ries appointed to them from the public fund. The most eminent of these professors were Nicholas and Daniel Bernoulli, the two De Lisles, Bulfinger, and Wolf.