The doings of the Academy, as far as we are able to judge from the circulars, have been confined to the proposal of a premium of not less than $400 and a gold medal for the best written history of the United States, to serve as a class-book for academies and schools; of a premium of $200 and a gold medal for a small volume of original reading lessons for common schools; of a gold medal to be presented on behalf of the society to Mr Charles Botta, of Italy, in acknowledgment of his history of the American Revolution; and of a premium of $400 and a gold medal for a popular treatise on natural philosophy or useful science.' It should be added, that in the last circular, it is stated that the more elaborate dissertations are reserved for the first regular volume of transactions, for which a few interesting papers are yet expected in time.' It is also stated in the second circular, that the Rev. J. M. Mason, D. D. late provost of Columbia College, is chairman of a committee to collect throughout the United States a list of alleged Americanisms.

With these premises, an extensive correspondence has been carried on, as it appears, of an unofficial kind, between the corresponding secretary and various members, selections from which are given in the third circular. The first remark

which occurs to us on the subject of this academy, is, that it is eminently entitled to the name bestowed by Louis XVIII on one of his chambers of deputies, of the undiscoverable. We have bestowed some attention on the subject, with the design of rendering the institution whatever aid we could, if in no other way, at least, by making the public acquainted with the Academy's proceedings, through the medium of our pages. We have been unable, however, to obtain any idea of what the Academy is designed to be. By a literary and scientific academy, we understand an association of learned men, in some great city, who at their meetings communicate to each other the fruits of their studies, in the form of memoirs, which are afterwards generally published; and who associate with their body, under the name of corresponding or honorary members, distinguished intellectual characters in other places. This, however, does not appear to describe the new American academy, for, with the exception of a small list of resident members, the very great majority of officers and members are non-residents. This circumstance does not, it is true, create a total obstacle to assembling; a member may travel from

Baltimore, Philadelphia, or Boston to New York; though not very advantageously from New Orleans, Lexington, and Brunswick, at which several places, high functionaries of the Academy reside. Nor does it appear that any system of deputation is projected, by which nonresident members shall meet at stated periods in some capital. It seems then to us, that the first great requisite to a society, viz. associating, fails. The members are not to meet each other: and in consequence can render each other no service, in capacity of being fellow members, or in other words, the academy will do no good. If it be replied to this, that the active portion of the academy is intended to consist of the resident members at New York, and that the nonresident members are merely associated in the usual complimentary way, we rejoin first, that this does not appear to be the fact. The president, two of the three vice presidents, and all the eleven counsellors are nonresidents. If these offices mean any thing, the active portion of the society is not at New York; if they do not mean any thing, why have them? But on examining the contents of the circulars, we find a still further proof, that the academy is not intended to be a local academy, with nonresident associates. The subject of offering a premium for a text-book of natural philosophy and useful science having been stated, page 10th of the second circular, it is added, this preamble and resolution are proposed for consideration, and the opinions of members are requested concerning their modification or adoption.' Yet we perceive no possible way, in which opinions are to be collected throughout the union, but by a correspondence; and how any thing like literary stimulus and excitement can be expected to grow out of so cumbrous an organization, we cannot imagine. Again, on the same page of the second circular, we read,

At the last meeting of the Society, the following was proposed for consideration,

Resolved, That a gold medal be presented, in behalf of this Society, to Signior CHARLES BOTTA, of Italy, author of the History of the American Revolution; and that the Hon. William Tilghman, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, Langdon Cheves, Esq. President of the Bank of the United States, and Robert Walsh, jun. Esq. be requested to procure and transmit the same.

The reason offered for this procedure is, that it is just, creditable and politic to take an honorable notice of the man, who in New Series, No. 10.

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a foreign country and a foreign language, has, by a work of much merit, contributed to make our character more known and respected.'

Here we have an important procedure proposed as just, creditable, and politic, and to be conducted by three most respectable gentlemen. To whom is it proposed to be adopted or rejected? We presume to the academy at large, who are to express their opinions, through the medium of correspondence. But we find in another copy of the same circular, a sort of second edition, though containing nearly the same matter, that the committee above named have approved the resolution and accepted the appointment.' Here we are somewhat embarrassed. In both copies of the circular, it is said the medal for Mr Botta is proposed for consideration, but in one of the copies, it is immediately added, that the committee have approved the resolution and accepted the appointment. The difficulty is a little increased, by the consideration that the committee are all nonresidents. Now we ask merely for information, on the comparison of these premises, who is competent to propose measures for consideration? Who to consider and adopt them? By whom was this medal considered and adopted, between the publication of the first and second editions. of the second circular, and what is to be understood by a resolution which was but proposed for the academy's consideration, being approved by the committee only nominated in the resolution, and when thus approved, the committee then accepting the appointment to a trust created by the resolution, of which their own previous approbation is the only sanction we can find. We beg not to be understood to express an objection to the measure in question: it is a matter of entire indifference. We wish merely to authorize our remark, that the academy has no organization, or that it is impossible to discover what it is.

To a literary society, on a reasonable and practical plan, we should certainly be very friendly. Did the men of science and letters of New-York see fit to associate themselves into an institution of this kind, (though we think that it would be far better to employ their efforts, under the auspices of the respectable institutions, which already exist in that city,) did they give the world, in the form of published memoirs, or in the proposal of premiums, or any other mode of academical operation, the proof of their earnestness and zeal, we are quite

sure that they would carry with them the good wishes of all friends of American literature, and of none more sincerely than ourselves. How much could be effected would depend altogether on the qualification and zeal of the members, and on what was effected would depend the estimation, in which the compliment of honorary membership would be held in other parts of this country and in Europe. But we feel little doubt that this is all that can reasonably be attempted, and we regard the entire failure of the American academy, after three years' experiment, even to propose an organized modus operandi, as satisfactory demonstration of the impossibility of the thing. It will be said, perhaps, that the most respectable gentlemen in the country have given it their sanction, and we shall be pointed to the extracts and selections from their letters in the circular of the corresponding secretary. But to what have they given their sanction? We say there is nothing to sanction. There is no academy; there is no where an organized literary body, with a distinct mode of operation, which body so operating these gentleman have sanctioned. It is a matter of course, that if a gentleman receives a polite letter, telling him that he is chosen a member of the American Academy of Language and Belles Lettres, of which the secretary of state is president, and the judges of the supreme court are vice-presidents,' that he will write as polite an answer, saying he accepts the honor. We cannot but observe, however, the discretion with which some of these acceptances are expressed. Mr Mason of Portsmouth judiciously observes, that it is obvious that the usefulness of such an association must depend wholly on the talents, literary acquirements, and consequent public influence of the individuals who compose it. Without knowing who the individuals are, that are expected or intended to contribute to the association, I can form no definite opinion of the probability of its final success and usefulness.' We would add, that it is not merely the talents and literary acquirements of the nominal members of the academy, that will determine its respectability, but the degree, to which the organization of the academy will call their talents and acquirements into activity. The printed list of members comprises no small proportion of the respectability of our country. Great value would be attached to the opinion of almost any individual upon it, upon any subject, on which it should be expressed. And yet who knows of any influence of the American

Academy of Language and Belles Lettres over public opinion. We venture to say not half our readers ever heard of it. The letter of Mr Jay is also characterized by a discretion almost of that species, which in lighter matters is called sliness. 'I perceive that the prudence of proceeding circumspectly has not escaped their attention, and care will doubtless be taken, that the publications, made by their direction and desire, be such as shall comport with the style and design of the academy.' The letters, from which the foregoing extracts are made, and all the others, express abundant good wishes for the success of the institution. In these, however, it is in vain to pretend that their respectable writers bestow any specific sanction on any existing organization; for, as we have repeated, no such organization exists.

It might seem invidious to engage in the criticism of the materials which make up the circulars. The letters of most of the gentlemen, we presume not to have been intended for publication; those of the corresponding secretary, which make up the greater portion of the pamphlets, appear to have been designed for that purpose. They are a series of essays on the community of language with England, on popular education, on national sentiment, and various other topics; and they appear to be written by the motu proprio of the secretary, without any specific injunction of the society. Some of them are quite long, and appear to have been composed in an uncommonly zealous construction of the duties of a corresponding secretary. They contain many just remarks, but we must confess we do not regard them as very well written, nor calculated to impress the literary public in general, particularly abroad, with a very high idea of the institution. They are by no means free from grammatical errors, and are vague and wordy. When the world, moreover, shall hear this institution ask, 'If the little territory of Achaia, with scarcely any other advantage than merely being free, could so exalt the Athenian name, what ought the world to demand from this wide-spread country, with all its resources?' it will be apt to conclude, that although an academy of language and belles lettres, it is not one of history or geography.

We hope that no invidious construction will be put on any of our remarks or their general design. To every rational effort to promote the literary improvement of our country, none would contribute more heartily than we. Were the operations