61 



of the difficulties were now surmounted in the machines already con- 

 structed or in process of construction. He then spoke of a machine 

 for registering the expressions of the human voice ; forty wires were 

 to be suspended before the speaker, each correspondent to one of the 

 forty sounds of the voice, and attuned to different key-notes. Each 

 different sound uttered would produce a vibration upon one of these 

 wires, striking its " fundamental note," and would produce no effect 

 upon the other wires. The effect would be communicated by electricity 

 to a machine for setting types, thus the remarks of a speaker would 

 be transferred immediately from speech to type. 



The hour having now arrived for adjournment in order to reach 

 the return train seasonably, there was no time for further addresses, 

 a fact much regretted, as there were several eloquent gentlemen pres- 

 ent who would have made remarks had time permitted. 



The resolutions offered by Mr. Rantoul were seconded by Gen. H. 

 K. Oliver, and unanimously adopted. 



Mr. Charles Davis, of Beverly, offered the following, which was 

 adopted : 



Resolved, That the thanks of the Essex Institute are due to the 

 proprietors of the First Congregational Society, and the First Baptist 

 Society, for the use of their house and vestry during the meeting this 

 day ; and also to Thomas P. -Gentlee, John Price, John Lee, A. W. Jew- 

 ett, William Russ, Nehemiah Marshall, Walter V. Crafts, David Kim- 

 ball, Nathan P. Meldrum, John Little, Thomas W. Slade, Claudius B. 

 Hoyt, and Abraham Goldsmith, for their assistance and attentions to 

 the members and friends of the Institute present with us this day. 



THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1866. Adjourned Quarterly Meeting. 

 Rev. G. D. WILDES in the chair. 



The proposed amendment to the Constitution was read for the 

 second time. 



The Superintendent submitted the following amendment to the 

 By-Laws. 



Chapter III. DEPARTMENTS. Paragraphs one and two to be so 

 amended by the addition of the sections of Archaeology, Protozoa, and 

 Microscopy, as to read as follows : 



The HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT shall be divided into four sections : 

 1, Archaeology; 2, Ethnology; 3, Manuscripts; 4, Fine, Arts. 



The NATURAL HISTORY DEPARTMENT into eleven sections: 1, 

 Geology ; 2, Mineralogy ; 3, Palaeontology ; 4, Botany ; 5, Comparative 

 Anatomy; G, Vertebral a ; 1, Articulata; 8,Mollusca; 9, Radiata; 10, 

 Protozoa; 11, Microscopy. 



Dr. A. S. Packard, jr., was elected a Curator of Articulata and 

 Radiata. 



