95 



voluminous, our friend was a frequent contributor of elegant and ju- 

 dicious essays to the leading journals of the times. He was also the 

 author of several highly finished performances, in the character of 

 orations and reviews. Of these, it is sufficient to mention his ad- 

 dresses before the Chester County Cabinet of Natural Science — the 

 Alumni of Williams College — the Chester County Horticultural So- 

 ciety — the Society of the Sons of New England in Philadelphia — 

 and his glowing tribute to the memory of Peter CoUinson. His re- 

 searches, in procuring authentic materials for his discourses, were in- 

 defatigable ; his literary taste was refined almost to fastidiousness; 

 and hence his style is terse, chaste, and polished. It may be safely 

 predicated of him, as a writer — nihil tetigit quod non ornavit. 



The minutes of the Board of Officers and Council of the So- 

 ciety at their late meeting were read. 



Mr. Peale made a communication on the subject of Coinage, 

 embracing a variety of facts and observations, particularly in 

 relation to the processes of preparing and reproducing dies for 

 monetary and medalic purposes; and, in connection therewith, 

 exhibited electrotype and other copies of coins and medals. 



He said, that the observations he was about to offer to the attention 

 of the Society were selected from his notes, upon numismatic opera- 

 tions, and were the result of many years of experience, and had been 

 used, at various times, and on various occasions, whilst an officer of 

 the government, in the department to which they refer. 



He further observed, that the enthusiasm which had always been 

 an impelling principle whilst endeavouring to fulfil his duties, might 

 have made him overvalue the matter, and that in now asking the at- 

 tention of the Society, he was committing a similar error; in which 

 case he could ask the indulgence due, and so often granted, under 

 like circumstances. 



It cannot be doubted, that the coinage of a country, of high rank 

 in the scale of nations, should bear evidence on its face, in the first 

 place, of the condition and progress both of the fine, and mechanic 

 arts, within its borders ; and to insure, in the second place, the great- 

 est degree of security against fraudulent imitations, or counterfeiting, 

 which desirable object can best be secured by the employment of the 

 highest grade of artistic talent in the design of the device, and its ex- 

 ecution throughout, to the finished coin as issued from the muit. 



A brief notice of die-sinking, and the reproduction of dies for 



