__NOTOC__ The Salem Philosophical Library (1781–1810) or Philosophical Library Company was a proprietary library in

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...

. Men affiliated with the library included: Tho. Bancroft, Thomas Barnard,

William Bentley William Bentley (June 22, 1759, Boston, Massachusetts – December 29, 1819, Salem, Massachusetts) was an American Unitarian minister, scholar, columnist, and diarist. He was a polymath who possessed the second best library in the United States ...

, Joseph Blaney,

Nathaniel Bowditch Nathaniel Bowditch (March 26, 1773 – March 16, 1838) was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book '' The New American Practical Navi ...

Manasseh Cutler Manasseh Cutler (May 13, 1742 – July 28, 1823) was an American clergyman involved in the American Revolutionary War. He was influential in the passage of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and wrote the section prohibiting slavery in the No ...

, Nathan Dane, Joshua Fisher,

Edward Augustus Holyoke Edward Augustus Holyoke (August 1, 1728 – March 31, 1829) was an American educator and physician. Biography Edward Augustus was born in Marblehead, Province of Massachusetts Bay, on August 1, 1728. His father was the Reverend Edward Holyoke ...

, Joseph Mc'keen, B. Lynde Oliver, Joseph Orne, William Prescott, Samuel Page, Joshua Plummer, John Prince, Nathan Read, John D. Treadwell, Ichabod Tucker, and

Joseph Willard Joseph Willard (December 29, 1738 – September 25, 1804) was an American Congregational clergyman and academic. He was president of Harvard from 1781 until 1804. Biography Joseph Willard was born December 29, 1738, in Biddeford, York County ...

. "The Library was kept at the house of Rev. Joseph Willard of

Beverly Beverly or Beverley may refer to: Places Australia *Beverley, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide *Beverley, Western Australia, a town *Shire of Beverley, Western Australia Canada *Beverly, Alberta, a town that amalgamated with the City of Ed ...

, till ... December, 1781. ... His successor was Rev. Dr. Prince, who had the volumes at his mansion" in Salem. "By 1810, many of the members of the alemSocial Library also belonged to the Philosophical Library, and the two bodies were merged to create the

Salem Athenaeum The Salem Athenaeum, founded in 1810, is one of the oldest membership libraries in the United States. The Athenaeum is located at 337 Essex Street in Salem, Massachusetts in the McIntire Historic District. History The Salem Athenaeum was founded ...

." "The Philosophical Library had as nucleus the valuable private library of Dr.

Richard Kirwan Richard Kirwan, LL.D, FRS, FRSE MRIA (1 August 1733 – 22 June 1812) was an Irish geologist and chemist. He was one of the last supporters of the theory of phlogiston. Kirwan was active in the fields of chemistry, meteorology, and geolog ...

of Dublin, captured with the cargo of the British ship '

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmos ...

' by the ship 'Pilgrim' belonging to John and Andrew

Cabot Cabot may refer to: Businesses * Cabot Corporation, an American chemicals company * Cabot Creamery, an American dairy cooperative Fictional characters * Alexandra Cabot, in the ''Law & Order'' universe * Leigh Cabot, from Stephen King's 1983 no ...

of Beverly." "The Rev. John Prince was desired to attend the auction and make the purchase. Accordingly on the 12th of April, 1781, the said books, consisting of the greater part of the Philosophical Transactions of the French Academy, the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, r ...

of London, and the Society of Berlin; ... the works of Sir

Robert Boyle Robert Boyle (; 25 January 1627 – 31 December 1691) was an Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, alchemist and inventor. Boyle is largely regarded today as the first modern chemist, and therefore one of the founders of ...

compleat ... — making in all 116 volumes."

Titles in the Library

* ''Transactions'' of the Royal Society of London * ''Transactions'' of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

* ''Transactions'' of the

Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier learned society and one its leading cultural i ...

* ''Memoires de l'

Academie Royale des Sciences The French Academy of Sciences (French: ''Académie des sciences'') is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. It was at ...

'', 1661–1699, Paris, 14 vols. * ''Histoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences'', 1699–1761, 63 vols. * ''Memoires of the French Institute'' * ''Miscellanea Berolinensia'' * Tilloch's ''

Philosophical Magazine The ''Philosophical Magazine'' is one of the oldest scientific journals published in English. It was established by Alexander Tilloch in 1798;John Burnett"Tilloch, Alexander (1759–1825)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford Unive ...

'' * ''Repertory of Arts and Manufactures'' * Bernoullii ''Opera'', 9 vols. * Boyles' ''Works'' *

Maclaurin Maclaurin or MacLaurin is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Colin Maclaurin (1698–1746), Scottish mathematician * Normand MacLaurin (1835–1914), Australian politician and university administrator * Henry Normand MacLaurin ( ...

's ''Fluxions'' * ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The ( Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various ...

'' * Buffon's ''Histoire Naturelle'', 15 vols.

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Phillips Library
Peabody Essex Museum. Salem Athenaeum Records, 1760-1889 (contains records of the Philosophical Library, 1781-1810) 1781 establishments in Massachusetts 1810 disestablishments in the United States Libraries in Essex County, Massachusetts History of Salem, Massachusetts Subscription libraries in the United States

Titles in the Library

Further reading

See also

References

External links