Warsaw Society of Friends of Learning

Though the Society was founded in 1800, its traditions harked back to the Thursday dinners that had been held in the final decades of the 18th century by Poland's last king, Stanisław August Poniatowski.

[4] The Society flourished in the Duchy of Warsaw and Congress Poland, but was eventually dissolved by the Russian authorities in the aftermath of the failed November Uprising of 1830–31, when many Polish cultural organizations were delegalized as part of the repressions.

[5] The Society gathered Polish scientists, academics, writers and their sponsors throughout partitioned Poland;[5] many of whom met twice in month in Warsaw for discussions.

[8] While some Society members studied the history of Poland (Joachim Lelewel) or the Polish language (Samuel Linde), others implement new inventions and spread ideas of the Industrial Revolution.

Staszic was responsible for substantial improvements in mining, Tadeusz Czacki worked at regulating rivers, and others applied engineering or medicine.