(seq. 1)

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 inves-
tigation, 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, re-
questing 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 can-
not render us important aid; and from the liberal spirit of our countrymen, we trust we shall receive a cordial co-opera-
tion and support.

Accurate statements of the progress of our national improvements, of our resources and our wants; results of ac-
tual 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 com-
prehended in our design, and have annexed to each some short observations on the best mode of procuring or pre-
serving such specimens as may be interesting. Let us entreat you not to suppose any articles you may obtain, particu-
larly in Natural History, too unimportant to be preserved, or to imagine that because you may not have leisure or op-
portunity 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-ope-
ration 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 col-
lecting.
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 subli-
mate, 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.