1898.] l^ 



Dr. D. G. Brinton moved " that the Society would prefer to 

 have all its collections displayed by such other educational 

 institutions of Philadelphia as would offer the greatest security 

 and usefulness of said collections." 



Dr. Brinton read the following letter from the Department 

 of Archaeology of the University of Pennsylvania, requesting 

 the deposit of the Keating-Poinsett collection : 



Philadelphia, January, 1893. 

 To Daniel G. Brinton, M.D., 



Secretary of the Philosophicil Society : 



Sir : — The Board of Managers of the Department of Archaeology and 

 Palaeontology of the University of Pennsylvania, understanding that the 

 Philosophical Society is holding under consideration the disposal of a col- 

 lection of objects of archaeological and ethnological interest, known to 

 the public as the "Poinsett Collection," has instructed me to place before 

 your Society a request that the above named collection be deposited at 

 the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania. 



In so doing, I wish respectfully to submit to your Society the following 

 facts : 



The Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology of the University was 

 founded for the precise purpose of advancing, in this city, the sciences, 

 the names of which appear in its title, and already possesses large and val- 

 uable collections, illustrative of the development of man and civilization. 



It, moreover, disposes of the services of a competent staff of special 

 scholars, fully qualified to scientifically classify, properly label, and 

 thoroughly "work up" such collections, and to display them to the very 

 best advantage for the use of students. 



An isolated collection, containing specimens of the arts and industries 

 of man, as founded upon a few disconnected points — such as the one now 

 at the disposal of the Philosophical Society — however valuable it may be, 

 is practically of very limited use to science. But made to fill an important 

 place in a large ethnological series — where the story it tells forms an in- 

 teresting chapter of scientific research in the history of mankind — it 

 becomes of priceless value to scholars, and is a link in the long chain of 

 human evolution. 



In respectfully submitting the above to the consideration of the Philo- 

 sophical Society, the Department of Archaeology and Palaeontology of 

 the University of Pennsylvania pledges itself — if its earnest request be 

 granted — to give the collection the very best accommodation ; to provide 

 suitable cases ; to display, classify and label it with the most conscientious 

 care, and to spare no pains to insure its preservation, and to make it of 

 the highest possible value to scholars and to the general public. 

 I remain respectfully yours, 



Sara Y. Stevenson, Secretary pro tern. 



