a librarian. The shareholders are now about ninety in number. The library contains about 650 volumes, the greater number of which are the ancient and modern reports of adjudged cases.

The American Philosophical Society,

Was founded in 1743, principally by the exertions of Dr. Franklin. In 1766, another institution, for the same objects, was formed, called "The American Society for promoting useful Knowledge ;" and these two societies were united, in 1769, under the title of "The American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia for promoting useful Knowledge." About the year 1785, the society erected, for their accommodation, a large and commodious building, on a part of the State-House square, granted to them by the legislature of Pennsylvania.

The library of the society consists of about 6000 volumes, of which a scientific catalogue has been recently printed, and is exceedingly valuable. The collection of the Transactions of foreign Academies is undoubtedly the most complete in this country.

The society have also a collection of objects of natural history, consisting principally of minerals and fossil remains. The meetings of the society are held on the first and third Fridays of every month, from October to May, both inclusive; and on the third Friday of the other four months. On the other Friday evenings, the rooms are opened for the purpose of reading and conversation, and strangers are introduced.*

The society have published seven volumes of Transactions in quarto, and have an eighth now in the press: the two last belong to a new series.

The main object of this institution is the cultivation of the exact sciences. It was thought important, however, to extend its views to history, moral science, and general literature;

Dr. Wistar, the late president of the society, was in the habit, for some years, of having conversation parties at his house, on every Saturday evening, where members of the society, strangers, and other gentiemen attached to scientific and literary pursuits, were invited. Since his death, these meetings have been continued, under the name of " Wistar parties, by a small number of members, who hold them at their houses in succession. Although these are in fact private parties, yet they form so prominent a feature in the literary society of Philadelphia, that we have thought it would not be improper to mention them in this place.

and a branch of the society, under the name of a standing committee, was formed for this purpose in 1815. This committee has been actively and successfully engaged in the collection of historical documents, principally those relating to the United States. They published, in 1819, a separate volume of transactions, in octavo.

In 1786, John Hyacynth de Magellan, of London, presented the Society with funds for the establishment of an annual premium, to be awarded by the society to "the author of the best discovery or most useful invention relating to navigation, astronomy, or natural philosophy, mere natural history only excepted." The premium consists of an oval plate of standard gold, with suitable devices engraved on it.

These funds having been so managed as to produce an annual surplus, the society determined to offer extra Magellanic premiums, upon views more extended than were originally contemplated by the donor. They accordingly offer this premium to the author of the most useful invention, improvement, discovery, or communication, in any department of science or the useful arts. The premium consists of a gold medal, of the value of not less than twenty nor more than forty-five dollars, or of the same sum in money, at the option of the candidate. Several premiums, both from the original and the surplus fund, have been awarded by the society.

The presidents of the society have been, Benjamin Franklin, David Rittenhouse, Thomas Jefferson, Caspar Wistar, and Robert Patterson.

The officers of the society are elected annually, except twelve counsellors, who are elected for three years, one-third of whom vacate their seats annually.

Officers for 1824-President, Robert Patterson; Vice-Presidents, William Tilghman, P. S. Duponceau, and Zaccheus Collins; Secretaries, R. M. Patterson, Robert Walsh, Jun'r., George Ord, and W. H. Keating; Treasurer and Librarian, John Vaughan.

Historical and Literary Committee, or Historical SocietyChairman, William Tilghman; Corresponding Secretary, Peter S. Duponceau; Recording Secretary, John Vaughan.

The Academy of Natural Sciences,

Was formed in 1812, and incorporated in 1817. Without pretension or public encouragement, it has added largely to

the stock of science, and gradually acquired a high and welldeserved reputation.

The officers are, a president, two vice-presidents, a corresponding secretary, a recording secretary, a treasurer, a librarian, four curators, and three auditors. Each member pays an initiation fee of ten dollars, and a quarterly contribution of three dollars.

The library contains about 5000 volumes, among which is the most valuable and extensive collection of works on natural history in the United States. A very large and valuable herbarium, and collections of shells, fossils, mineral and geological specimens, birds, quadrupeds, &c. compose the cabinet. A great number of the most valuable of the works in this collection, have been bestowed by its munificent benefactor, William Maclure.

In 1817, the Academy commenced the periodical publication of some of the valuable papers read before it. Under the unassuming title of "The Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences," three volumes have appeared, the contents of which are honourable to the scientific men of Philadelphia.

The officers for 1824 are-President, William Maclure; Vice-Presidents, Zaccheus Collins and George Ord; Corresponding Secretary, Reuben Haines; Recording Secretary, William H. Keating; Curators, Thomas Say, C. A. Lesueur, J. P. Wetherill, and Isaac Hays; Treasurer, Jacob Gilliams; Auditors, W. S. Warder, J. M. Brewer, and R. E. Griffith; Librarian, Jacob Pierce.

The Philadelphia Museum.

This institution was commenced in the year 1784, with the donation of a paddle fish, from the Ohio river, by a gentleman still residing here; from that time to the present, the whole of the intellectual and pecuniary resources of Charles Willson Peale have been devoted, with unceasing ardour, to the accomplishment of the design of conveying instruction and amusement to his fellow citizens, and of advancing the interests of religion and morality, by the arrangement and display of the works of nature and art. The doors of the Museum have been ever closed against the profligate and the indecent; it has been preserved, with scrupulous fidelity, as a place where the virtuous and refined of society could meet,

to enjoy such pleasures as can be tasted by the virtuous and refined alone. In 1802, a grant of the use of the upper rooms of the State-House was made by the legislature to the Museum. Mr. Peale was enabled, by this proof of the enlightened liberality of government, to increase and extend his collection, as well as to arrange and classify its numerous objects, in a manner worthy of their stations in the great scale of nature.

The system of Linnæus has been adhered to in the arrangement of the mammalia and birds; the numbers of each are given in the latter part of this sketch: that of Cleaveland in mineralogy, the cabinets for the display of which contain about 1700 specimens, some of which are very beautiful. Lamarck's system has been the guide in conchology, the cabinets of which contain more than 1000 specimens. The corals, &c. are arranged according to this system, and are also numerous.

The Museum, besides the above departments, contains a large collection of fossil reliquiæ of this country and of Europe, at the head of which is the mammoth, so remarkable for its great size and perfect preservation: a few bones of this skeleton were found in a morass, by persons employed in digging for marl, in Ulster county, New-York, and were purchased by the present proprietor, with the right of digging for the remainder, which was successfully accomplished, with great labour and expense, and by the most determined assiduity.

An already numerous cabinet of fish, is continually increas ing, among the most remarkable of the specimens in which, is one of the genus raga, or ray, commonly called the "devil fish," which has been lately added to the collection; it measures twelve feet in length by fifteen in breadth, and weighed upwards of two thousand pounds.

Cabinets of reptiles, insects, comparative anatomy, &c., and a numerous collection of miscellaneous articles, of works of art, implements, dresses, arms, antiquities, &c., from every part of the globe, occupy different situations in the rooms.

A most valuable collection of original portraits, two hundred in number, forms a part of this institution, consisting principally of the officers and diplomatic characters of the revolution, painted by C. W. Peale: they are much enhanced in value from the circumstance of their having been painted

during that stormy period. A number of the portraits are of the professors of the National Institute of France, painted by Rembrandt Peale in Europe, in 1812. There are also thirtyeight pictures, landscapes, still life, and historical, and a full length portrait of the founder of the institution, painted by himself, in the eighty-second year of his age. Connected with the Museum is a laboratory, containing a considerable number of instruments for the performance of experiments in chemistry and natural philosophy, popular lectures on which subjects are delivered in the Museum several evenings in the week.

There are four professors appointed by the trustees of the Museum, who lecture in natural history, mineralogy, comparative anatomy, and physiology, adding thereby very much to the utility of the institution, by the diffusion of useful and pleasing knowledge.

To ensure the permanency of the Museum, an act of incorporation was passed by the legislature of this state in 1822, which places it under the direction of trustees, who are appointed by the stockholders annually. This act locates the Museum in the city of Philadelphia, and prevents any of its articles from being removed or alienated on any account.

The Philadelphia Museum at present contains 250 quadrupeds, 1100 birds, 3450 insects, and additions are constantly making to these and the other departments, by the liberality of the public, and the exertions of the officers of the institution.

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,

Was founded in the year 1805, by the voluntary association and contributions of a number of the citizens of Philadelphia; and received a charter from the legislature of the state in March, 1806. The objects of this institution are not confined to providing an elegant and rational recreation for the public; nor to that improvement of the public taste which must result from the collection and exhibition of the most celebrated works of art in statuary, painting, architecture, and engraving. It is also a school for the young artists of our country, where their genius is fostered, and their knowledge and taste cultivated, by placing at their disposal the finest models of antiquity, particularly in statuary and architectural drawings. From a small beginning, the Academy has now become fully