Elliott, Stephen, 1771-1830. Stephen Elliott papers, 1791- approximately 1947. Broadsides, lists, and bills, approximately 1814-1829. gra00020. Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Botany Libraries, Harvard University.

Sir, A number of the Citizens of this State have recently formed a Society under the title of the Literary and Philosophical Society of South-Carolina. Their wishes are to promote Literary and Philosophical investigation, to encourage the improvement of the Arts and Sciences, and to obtain and diffuse whatever information can reflect light on the Civil, Political, or Natural History of our own Country. We have been instructed by the Society to address a Circular Letter to all persons whom we may believe able and willing to promote our views, requesting their co-operation in the interesting objects of our pursuit. We have taken the liberty of addressing this Letter to you, and will thank you not only to aid us with your own observations or discoveries, but to forward our purposes by communicating its contents to all within the circle of your aquaintance, whom you may suppose able to render us assistance. It is only by the union of many that such institutions can be rendered valuable. They are formed to concentrate the diffused and detached fragments of human knowledge, to collect the information which the modesty or indolence of individuals might otherwise permit to perish in silence.

The objects embraced by the Society are indicated by the Classess into which it has been deemed adviseable to distribute its members. They are as follow: 1. Mathematics, and Mechanical Philosophy. 2. Chemistry, including Electricity, Galvanism, and Mineralogy. 3. Zoology, and Botany. 4. Anatomy, Surgery, Physiology, and Medicine. 5. Agriculture and Rural Economy. 6. Manufactures, Commerce, and Internal Navigation. 7. History, Geography, Topography, and Antiquities. 8. Belles Lettres, including Languages ancient and modern, and Education public and private. 9. Fine Arts.

On the value of these objects — on their national and individual importance, it is unneccessary to expatiate. They include almost every enquiry interesting to man—all that can give wealth, power or character to a nation.—From the great variety of researches comprehended in the arrangements of the Society, there are few men of science who cannot render us important aid; and from the liberal spirit of our countrymen, we trust we shall receive a cordial co-operation and support.

Accurate statements of the progress of our national improvements, of our resources and our wants; results of actual and careful experiments in Science and Art; researches into the Civil and Natural History of our Country, its topography, its topography, its mineralogy, its botany, the present condition of its navigable streams, its agriculture and rural economy; accounts of discoveries or improvements in any of the departments of science included in our pursuits we will gladly, and from the communications which may be made us we expect from time to time to publish such as may be most interesting from their novelty or valuable from their application to the wants of conveniences of Society.

One of the designs which the Society is most anxious to accomplish, is the establishment of a MUSEUM in this City for the purpose of collecting and exhibiting, for the public instruction and amusement, all such objects as are most interesting, curious or useful in nature or in art. We beg leave to request your aid in this enterprise.

To enable you the more easily to promote our views, we take the liberty to point out the objects which are comprehended in our design, and have annexed to each some short observations on the best mode of procuring or preserving such specimens as may be interesting. Let us entreat you not to suppose any articles you may obtain, particularly in Natural History, too unimportant to be preserved, or to imagine that because you may not have leisure or opportunity to do much, the little you may perform will not be acceptable. If every intelligent citizen of our country would only procure one good specimen of our native productions, we should possess a valuble collection. If every inhabitant of this State, who had visited foreign countries since the establishment of our Independence, had brought home only one specimen of Nature or Art peculiar to each Country he had visited, and these articles had been de posited in some place appropriated for their reception, we should already have had a Museum which would have done honor to our Country. Let us now commence. This Society offers a place where Natural or Artificial Curiosities may be deposited; it will employ a part of its funds to collect and preserve them, and it requests the assistance and co-operation of every Friend of Science, and of every person who may have an opportunity of promoting its valuble and interesting views.

The objects embraced by a Museum are too numerous to be distinctly mentioned; we shall briefly notice under general heads, those which can readily be obtained by every Traveller who may disposed to take the trouble of collecting. 1 — Quadrapeds and Birds. The skins of these animals should be taken off very carefully and should be cut as little as possible. The horny appendages, claws, feet and bills of Birds, nest, eggs, &c. should be preserved, and as much bone as possible well cleansed from flesh. The skin should be powdered with arsenick and carefully put up Tobacco, Camphor, or Spirits of Turpentine, may be put in the box or drawer in which they are kept. 2.— Fish and Amphibious Animals Of the larger species of these animals the skins can be easily preserved. The smaller can be put in spirits and will keep without difficulty. The colours of fish, however, cannot be well retained by any process which has yet been discovered. 3.— Insects. These should be secured with pins in close boxes, and sprinkled with arsenick or corrosive sublimate, and the sides of the box occasionally washed with spirits of turpentine. Nearly all of the insect tribes except the Lepidopterae (Butterflies, Moths, &c.) can be preserved in spirits without injury. 4.— Crustaceous animals. Crabs, Lobsters, Sea-Urchins, &c. These should be preserved entire if possible, not merely the Backs or Claws. They can also be preserved in spirits, or they may be dried in the air in some shaded place. Sometimes theyare cleansed by exposure to small ants, which in a short time will consume the flesh more nicely than the most expert operator can extract it; but if exposed too long to the depredations of these of these insects they at least eat the ligaments which connect the different parts of the shell together and destroy it.

5 —Shells. These beautiful objects are found in every sea, and more sparingly diffused over every land. The best specimens are those which are taken with their inhabitants alive. The animal can easily be extracted with a fork after having been dipt for about a minute in boiling water. The highly polished and the thorny species should be wrapt up in tow or cotton. In collecting the bivalved shells, such as oysters, clams, &c. it is always desireable that both valves or shells should be preserved, and they are always preferred when united.

6 —Zoophytes and Lythophytes. These comprehend the various marine productions commonly known under the name of Corals, Madrepores, Sea Fans, Sea Feathers, &c. They abound in many parts of the ocean, particularly on the coral reefs in tropical regions. The different species or varieties form beautiful specimens for a Museum, and can easily be collected and preserved.

7 —Seeds and Plants Seeds, and even dried specimens of plants will always be acceptable, particularly of those plants which are useful in the Arts, for Medicine, or Food. These abound in every country and can always be obtained. They afford individuals an easy means of rendering important services to their country, and sometimes of diffusing unexpected and incalculable advantages.

8.—Minerals Specimens of Earths, Ores and Rocks are always interesting. They should be carefully wrapped up in paper or cotton, and the place whence they were taken accurately noted down. Where a specimen contains crystals, care should be taken to preserve the edges and points of the crystals unbroken. As almost every country contains some minerals peculiar to itself, these are always rare and valuable in other countries, and can generally be procured without difficulty.

9.— Fossil Shells, Bones, &c. These are very generally diffused over the surface of the globe, and in some countries are very abundant. In obtaining specimens of these it is desireable to know not only the particular spot where they were discovered, but the nature of the rock in which they were imbedded, whether flint, slate, sand-stone, lime-stone, gypsum, &c. The elevation also of the strata above the level of the ocean ought to be noted, and the appearance of the surrounding country, whether mountainous, hilly, or level.

10 — Works of Art. These are too numerous and too diversified to be enumerated or classed. Whatever may serve to illustrate the ancient or present state of the arts; or to explain the history, geography, or mythology of nations; whatever may assist in exploring the antiquities of our country; every thing in short which has relation to nature or man, in their present or past condition, will be highly acceptable.

In presenting to your view so extensive a field for exertion, it is not with the design of making too heavy a claim on your time or attention, but rather to show in how many different modes and how easily you can render us assistance. It was a practice with some illiterate nations to rear their monumental piles by causing all those who held the memory of a deceased person in veneration to cast one stone upon his grave. We should ask no greater favor for this establishment, than that every individual, even in this State, who professes a respect and veneration for Science and Literature, should pay the tribute of one offering in testimony of his respect. Our institution is intended solely for public usefulness, it has not personal objects, no individual advantages to gratify, and it must merit, if it does not receive the patronage of our country. Let us entreat that your exertions may he used in its behalf, and that it may remain a monument, not of disappointed hopes, but of the zeal with which every institution calculated to promote Literature and Science, is cherished and fostered by a free people.

Micali. Italia avante il dominio de Romani-Firenze. 1810. 4 vol. 8º att. fol.

Bergier. Histoire des grands de l'Empire Romain. Bruxelles, 1728 ou 1736. 2 vol. 4º

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Buffon Robertson II Aristotle Melancthon Erasmus Gortius Charles II James II William III George I.II.III Archimedes Hunter Bennet Addison II Milton Bacon III Demosthenes Cicero Locke Gov. Dorigan Sir Wm. Temple Hippocrates Fourcroi Clessy Bard Jones Middleton Colden Gaine

[column 2] Smith II Burke Pitt Elder Coke Medici Robin Hume Charles 5 Lewis 14 Napoleon Sprat Cowley Franklin Pike Stodderd Macomb Morton Purchas's pilgrim Herodotus Thucydides Elliot Talleyrand Linnaeus Pennant Van der Kemp Milton Mitchell Barton

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