RECORDS OF MEETINGS. 693 



versary of its two thousandth meeting, the members then assembled 

 may be able to feel that its traditions of fruitful work in the cause of 

 science and the arts have been faithfully preserved and its field of 

 useful service to humanity has been much enlarged. 



The Corresponding Secretary, Professor Edwin H. Hall, was 

 next called upon to report recent correspondence of the Acad- 

 emy ; but on account of the commemorative character of the 

 meeting, he excused himself from the current correspondence, 

 and instead, presented to the meeting three letters received by 

 the Academy one hundred and thirty years ago. These letters 

 follow : 



Jamaica Plain July 8*^ 1780. 



Sir, 



Permit me, as a Friend to all Establishments which have a Tendency 

 to promote useful Knowledge, to congratulate you upon the Institution 

 of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences ; and to add my warm- 

 est Wishes for the Success of so laudable a Design. 



As it will doubtless be a Part of the Society's Plan to form a Museum 

 of the natural Productions of the Country, as well as to investigate 

 the Properties of each, and the Uses to which it may be applied, I beg 

 Leave to send you a Piece of the Asbestos, and some Pyrites, both 

 Natives of Pennsylvania. The former I received from the ingenious 

 David Rittenhouse, Esquire, who informed me he had used some of the 

 Filaments of it (soon after it was taken out of the Earth) as Wick for 

 a Lamp ; but having been long exposed to the Air, it now wears the 

 Appearance of the Petrefaction. Even in this State it is fissile, and 

 may be easily split length-wise. 



The Pyrites I collected at Lancaster, where they are found in great 

 Plenty : they contain Sulphur ; and, notwithstanding the Regularity 

 and Polish of some of them, are in their natural State. 



My employment under Congress, as Surveyor General of the Post 

 Officies and Roads in the Eastern District, frequently affords me Op- 

 portunities of collecting Specimens of various Kinds ; and should these 

 now sent prove acceptable, I shall take the Liberty, from Time to 

 Time, of adding others as they occur. 



I have the Honor to be, Sir 



Your most obedient and very hum' Serv^ 



Eben Hazard 



