1817.) Scientific Intelligence. All 
time my collection will have risen to such a grandeur as may satisfy 
my ardent desire, that in the bosom of this country I may repose the 
most select and noble mineralogical products known in the world. 
An event has taken place in France which may shortly deprive its 
capital of its finest private collection (that of the Marquis de 
Drée’s), and of which the Parisians had just reason to be proud. 
To replace it, upon my own terms, with mine, which is well known 
on the Continent to be infinitely superior, and to unite my fate with 
that my dearest pursuit, under the highest sanction in France, would 
cost me but the writing of aletter. Much more than this 1 might 
expect from the munificence of the Emperor Alexander, whose 
pride it is to advance the sciences in his empire, and to whom my 
late uncle was sufficiently known, were I to yield to a similar im- 
pulse, which is often kindled by the remembrance of the years I 
passed in Russia. Why, then, should I not be entitled to the im- 
partiality of the mineralogists in this country? More I do not 
claim ; and were it only for the policy to secure some day to Great 
Britain so fine a national property, the collectors and scientific 
men should rather rejoice to forward views which are truly those of 
‘the love of the science, and not of interest. 
I have the honour to be, Sir, 
Your most humble and obedient servant, 
Henry Hevurayp. 
P.S. I just learn from M. Brochant de Villiers (whom you did 
not mention as one of the new members of the French Academy 
for the mineralogical department) that all possible influence is used 
to preserve to France the collection of the Marquis de Drée; and 
the Savans have petitioned the King accordingly. 
XII. Correction of a Mistake in Mr. Donovan’s Essay on Galvanism. 
(To Dr. Thomson.) 
SIR, 
I beg the favour of correcting, through the medium of the 
Annals of Philosophy, an error in my Essay on Galvanism recently 
published, which entirely destroys the sense and force of the expe- 
riment, and which heretofore escaped my attention. The passage 
beginning at p. 277, line 26, rans thus: “ the other wire was in- 
serted into a disc of copper, in a similar manner.” It should be 
read, ‘* the other wire was inserted into a dise of cork, in a similar 
manner.” 
IT hope that such readers of your Annals as have copies will take 
the trouble to correct the error. 
I am, Sir, with respect, &c. 
Dublin, March 13, 1817. M. Donovan, 
XII. An Anthelion observed at Tottenham. By L. Howard, Esq. 
On the 19th ult. J had an opportunity of observing that very rare 
phenomenon the Anthelion, It was formed on the perpendicular 
