Reflections on Dr. Swift's Letter to Harley (1712) and The British Academy (1712)

by Mr. Oldmixon; Arthur Maynwaring

	THE BRITISH ACADEMY: BEING A New-Erected SOCIETY FOR THE Advancement of Wit and Learning: WITH Some few Observations upon it.
	——Hæ Tibi erunt Artes: Pacisq; imponere Morem. Virgil.
	LONDON: Printed in the Year MDCCXII.
	Price Two-pence.

THE

British Academy, &c.

SUCH is our Case at present, that if we have a Mind to be agreeably entertain’d with the State of our own Affairs, we must look into Foreign Papers, rather than into those that are publish’d here by Authority; and therefore I often read the Dutch Prints with the same Eagerness and Pleasure, as the French at Paris read the Post Boy. If we have no good News for Our selves here, we may sometimes find some from Holland; and what is good, is so rare, that I had rather have it from any Place, than not at all. I was so delighted with the following Paragraph in the Amsterdam Gazette of the 20th of May 1712. N.S. that I cou’d not help transcribing, and turning it into English, that such Comfortable Tidings to Men of Obscure Merit, might be convey’d all over the Nation. And I shall endeavour to prove, that the Design there mention’d, is much likelier to succeed in England, than ever it was in France.

The Words of the Dutch Gazette are as follows,[D] in the Article from London.

Il s’est formé ici depuis peu une Societé pour recompenser & encourager le Mérite, par report aux beaux Arts. Elle doit être composée de 21 Membres, dont il y en a déja 19 d’Arretez savoir les Ducs de Beaufort & d’Ormond; les Comites d’Arran & d’Orrery: les Lords Duplin, Gendre du Grand Tresorier; Harley, Fils dudit Tresorier; Lansdowne, Secretaire des Guerres; Masham & Bathurst: les Chevalier Windham: Messieurs St. Jean, Secretaire d’Etat: Harcourt Fils du Garde des Seaux; Raymond Solliciteur-General; les Colonels Hill & Desney; Swif, Docteur en Theologie; Prior Arbuthnott, Medicin de la Reine; & Friend, Medicin du Duc d’Ormond. Ces Messieurs, qui ont reservé de Nommer les Deux autre, Membres lors qu’ils le jugeront à propos, s’assemblant tous les Jeudis, & ont déja fait des gratifications à quelques Auteurs dont les ouvrages ont été goûtez, & recommandé d’autres aux Ministres d’Etat pour avoir quelque Etablissement.

There has been lately form’d here a Society to Reward and Encourage Merit, with respect to the Liberal Arts and Sciences. It is to be composed of 21 Members, of which Number there are already 19 chosen: That is to say, The Dukes of Beaufort and Ormond; the Earls of Arran and Orrory; the Lords Duplin, Son-in-Law of the Great Treasurer; Harley, Son of the said Treasurer; Lansdown, Secretary of War; Masham and Bathurst; Sir W. Windham; Mr. St. John, Secretary of State; Harcourt, Son of the Lord Keeper; and Raymond, Sollicitor-General: The Colonels Hill and Desney; Swift, Doctor of Divinity; Prior, Arbuthnott the Queen’s Physician; and Friend, Physician to the Duke of Ormond. These Gentlemen who have deferr’d naming the other Two Members till such time as they think fit, do now assemble every Thursday, and have already given Rewards to some Authors, whose Works have been approved of, and have recommended Others to the Ministers of State, that they may have some Establishment.

This Fact being thus fairly related, the Reader is desired to observe, That it was in the Year 1629, under the single Ministry of Cardinal Richlieu, when a Society of such great Wits was first form’d at Paris; which was soon after establish’d, by an Edict of the King, with the Style and Title of the French Academy. And it is left to be determin’d by all Judicious Readers, whether this British Seminary of Wit and Learning is not a Copy of that Renown’d Society in France; and whether the Design and Model of it has not been approved of there, since our happy Correspondence with that Ingenious Nation.

The French Society consisted only at their first Meeting, of Seven or Eight Men of Letters, who met together to talk about their Books and Writings: And it was some time before Monsieur Servien, Secretary of State, and other Persons, distinguish’d by their Condition, as well as by their Merit, were added to the Company. But here we see the British Society, at the very first Formation of it, is compos’d of no less than Two Dukes, not only capable of Rewarding, but of Judging, as well as of Writing: And likewise of Two Earls; Five Lords; One Knight; One Secretary of State; Two Colonels of Foot, and One Squire: Not to mention the Lawyer; the Doctors; the Religious Priest; and the Poet. What therefore may we not expect from the future Progress of this Society, which sets out with so much greater Lustre, than that of its Original at Paris; so famous now all over Europe.

The Great End and Business of the French Academy, was to correct and refine their Language, as may be seen at large in the History of that Academy, written by Monsieur Pelisson: And we have already a Proposal, publish’d the 17th of May 1712, for Correcting, Improving, and Ascertaining the English Tongue, in a Letter to the most Honourable Robert Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain: By Jonathan Swift, D.D.