Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli

Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli =
Royal Academy of Sciences and Humanities of Naples

Founding of the Society

Year Authority / Notes

1780 According to both Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.128 and Nicolini (1974), p.27, the founding of this society was authorized by a sovereign resolution of 1778, June 22. But it was not actually established and inaugurated by King Ferdinando IV di Borbone until 1780, July 5 (Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.128 and Nicolini (1974), p.29).
According to Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.130 the meetings ceased in 1787. But see comments below of Nicolini giving a cessation date of 1788.
Nicolini (1974), pp.27-38 describes a polemical battle between the Academy and the abbot Ferdinando Galiani [the nephew of Celestino Galiani, the founder in 1732 of an earlier Neapolitan academy, the Accademia delle Scienze that had ceased by 1744]. Nicolini (1974), p.38 concludes by noting that, after all that conflict, with a newly elected and ambitious secretary general, the Academy finally decided in 1788 to publish its first (and only) volume of Atti. Then, exhausted by the enormous exertion required, the Academy fell into a slumber so deep that historians declared it dead and buried the same year as the death of its opponent, Galiani (1787).
The Società Nazionale di Scienze, Lettere e Arti in Napoli website does not refer to the Reale Accademia di Scienze e Belle Lettere as a direct antecedent of the Società, but rather an indirect antecedent. It is interesting to note, however, that the major publication of the latter was continued by a publication of the former society (under its second name), according to a record in the Bib. Naz. Napoli cat.. More specifically, the record indicates that Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli : dalla Fondazione sino all'Anno MDCCLXXXVII (1780 - 1787) was continued by Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze, Sezione della Societa Reale Borbonica, a publication of the Società Reale Borbonica di Napoli, which was in fact the second name of the Società Nazionale di Scienze, Lettere e Arti in Napoli. There was clearly a close connection between the two bodies, if not a direct ancestral one.
It is interesting that Di Battista (2000), p.263 indicates that another society, the Reale Istituto d'Incoraggiamento di Napoli was founded in 1806, in part, to take up the inheritance of the then extinct eighteenth century Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli.
There were a few other scholarly societies founded in Naples prior to the founding of the Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli:

Accademia Palatina (f.1698) [According to Nicolini (1974), p.13, this Academy was founded on 1698, May 20. He indicates (pp.7-8) that it was variously designated Reale, Palatina, di Palazzo Reale and del duca di Medinaceli. Maylender (1926-1930), v.4, p.386 refers to it as the Accademia del Real Palazzo - Napoli and the Accademia del Medina Celi, indicating that it was founded in 1698 by Don Luigi Zerda, duca di Medina Celi; on p.398 he notes that there is no mention of its existence past 1705.]
Accademia delle Scienze (f.1732) [According to Nicolini (1974), pp.17-20, this was a private academy founded in 1732 by Celestino Galiani; it was particularly active from 1732-1737; with the departure of Galiani for Rome in 1737, it languished and gradually ceased to meet; with his return in 1741 it came back to life for a few years, but by 1744, during the war of the Austrian succession, it appears to have ceased completely.]
Reale Accademia Ercolanense (f.1755)
But none of them appear to be a direct ancestor to the Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli; indeed the Reale Accademia Ercolanense was in existence throughout the entire life of the Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli.
More historical information on the Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli is found in Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, pp.128-130 and Nicolini (1974), pp.27-38.

Seat of the Society

City Authority / Notes

Naples
Italy This location is supported by the name of the Academy.

Name of the Society

Dates Name Authority

1780, July 5 - 1788 Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.128 and Nicolini (1974), pp.27 & 29 both give this founding date and name; Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.p.130 gives an end date of 1787; Nicolini (1974), p.38 gives an end date of 1788.

Journals of the Society

Years Full Journal Title Abbrev. Indexed
1780 - 1787
(published in one volume in 1788)

A Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli : dalla Fondazione sino all'Anno MDCCLXXXVII.
A record in the Bib. Naz. Napoli cat. indicates that this title was continued by Atti della Reale Accademia delle scienze, sezione della Societa reale borbonica [a publication of the Società Reale Borbonica di Napoli.]
[Harvard Univ Cat.; Bib. Naz. Napoli cat.; Scudder #1933a] Att. Accad. Napoli
[Pogg., v.2, col.739 cites 1787.]
Atti dell' Accademia di Napoli
[Reuss, v.2, p.28 cites A.1787. p.235.]
Atti dell'Accad. di Napoli
[Reuss, v.4, p.50 cites A.1787. p.xxxix.]
Atti della Accad. di Napoli
[Reuss, v.4, p.348 cites A.1787. p.169.]
Atti della Accademia di Napoli
[Reuss, v.7, p.33 cites A.1787. pp.119, 139, 157.] Pogg.
Reuss

Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli = Royal Academy of Sciences and Humanities of Naples
Founding of the Society
Year	Authority / Notes
1780	According to both Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.128 and Nicolini (1974), p.27, the founding of this society was authorized by a sovereign resolution of 1778, June 22. But it was not actually established and inaugurated by King Ferdinando IV di Borbone until 1780, July 5 (Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.128 and Nicolini (1974), p.29). According to Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.130 the meetings ceased in 1787. But see comments below of Nicolini giving a cessation date of 1788. Nicolini (1974), pp.27-38 describes a polemical battle between the Academy and the abbot Ferdinando Galiani [the nephew of Celestino Galiani, the founder in 1732 of an earlier Neapolitan academy, the Accademia delle Scienze that had ceased by 1744]. Nicolini (1974), p.38 concludes by noting that, after all that conflict, with a newly elected and ambitious secretary general, the Academy finally decided in 1788 to publish its first (and only) volume of *Atti. Then, exhausted by the enormous exertion required, the Academy fell into a slumber so deep that historians declared it dead and buried the same year as the death of its opponent, Galiani (1787). The Società Nazionale di Scienze, Lettere e Arti in Napoli website does not* refer to the Reale Accademia di Scienze e Belle Lettere as a direct antecedent of the Società, but rather an indirect antecedent. It is interesting to note, however, that the major publication of the latter was continued by a publication of the former society (under its second name), according to a record in the Bib. Naz. Napoli cat.. More specifically, the record indicates that *Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli : dalla Fondazione sino all'Anno MDCCLXXXVII* (1780 - 1787) was continued by *Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze, Sezione della Societa Reale Borbonica, a publication of the Società Reale Borbonica di Napoli, which was in fact the second name of the Società Nazionale di Scienze, Lettere e Arti in Napoli. There was clearly a close connection between the two bodies, if not a direct ancestral one. It is interesting that Di Battista (2000), p.263 indicates that another society, the Reale Istituto d'Incoraggiamento di Napoli* was founded in 1806, in part, to take up the inheritance of the then extinct eighteenth century Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli. There were a few other scholarly societies founded in Naples prior to the founding of the Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli: Accademia Palatina (f.1698) [According to Nicolini (1974), p.13, this Academy was founded on 1698, May 20. He indicates (pp.7-8) that it was variously designated Reale, Palatina, di Palazzo Reale and del duca di Medinaceli. Maylender (1926-1930), v.4, p.386 refers to it as the Accademia del Real Palazzo - Napoli and the Accademia del Medina Celi, indicating that it was founded in 1698 by Don Luigi Zerda, duca di Medina Celi; on p.398 he notes that there is no mention of its existence past 1705.] Accademia delle Scienze (f.1732) [According to Nicolini (1974), pp.17-20, this was a private academy founded in 1732 by Celestino Galiani; it was particularly active from 1732-1737; with the departure of Galiani for Rome in 1737, it languished and gradually ceased to meet; with his return in 1741 it came back to life for a few years, but by 1744, during the war of the Austrian succession, it appears to have ceased completely.] Reale Accademia Ercolanense (f.1755) But none of them appear to be a direct ancestor to the Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli; indeed the Reale Accademia Ercolanense was in existence throughout the entire life of the Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli. More historical information on the Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli is found in Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, pp.128-130 and Nicolini (1974), pp.27-38.
Seat of the Society
City	Authority / Notes
Naples Italy	This location is supported by the name of the Academy.
Name of the Society
Dates	Name	Authority
1780, July 5 - 1788	*Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli*	Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.128 and Nicolini (1974), pp.27 & 29 both give this founding date and name; Maylender (1926-1930), v.5, p.p.130 gives an end date of 1787; Nicolini (1974), p.38 gives an end date of 1788.

Journals of the Society
Years	Full Journal Title	Abbrev.	Indexed
1780 - 1787 (published in one volume in 1788) A	*Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze e Belle-Lettere di Napoli : dalla Fondazione sino all'Anno MDCCLXXXVII.* A record in the Bib. Naz. Napoli cat. indicates that this title was continued by *Atti della Reale Accademia delle scienze, sezione della Societa reale borbonica* [a publication of the Società Reale Borbonica di Napoli.] [Harvard Univ Cat.; Bib. Naz. Napoli cat.; Scudder #1933a]	*Att. Accad. Napoli* [Pogg., v.2, col.739 cites 1787.] *Atti dell' Accademia di Napoli* [Reuss, v.2, p.28 cites A.1787. p.235.] *Atti dell'Accad. di Napoli* [Reuss, v.4, p.50 cites A.1787. p.xxxix.] *Atti della Accad. di Napoli* [Reuss, v.4, p.348 cites A.1787. p.169.] *Atti della Accademia di Napoli* [Reuss, v.7, p.33 cites A.1787. pp.119, 139, 157.]	*Pogg.* *Reuss*