416 Miscellanies. 



history of unsuccessful patents and of inventions not patented, in or- 

 der to prevent the time and labor so frequently lost by inventing that 

 a second time which has been long ago invented, thrown aside as 

 useless, and forgotten. A complete set of Harper's Family and 

 Classical Library, 99 vols. 18mo. was received, a joint donation 

 from Geo. Bruce, Esq. President of the Institute, and the Messrs. 

 Harper &£ Brothers. 



Oct. 18. — -James J. Mapes, Esq. gave a lecture on the origin and 

 progress of Phrenology. The Cor. Sec. read a letter from Mr. 

 Ouidinot, of Pottsville, Pa. accompanied with a box of fossils, he. 

 illustrative of the coal formation of that neighborhood, for which 

 thanks were recorded. 



Oct. 25. — L. D. Chapin, Esq. read an essay on the geology of 

 some parts of Virginia, especially in the vicinity of the Natural 

 Bridge, in which he gave some new measurements made by himself. 

 A suite of minerals was presented by Dr. Feuchtwanger. 



JVov. 8. — Dr. R. Cbandall gave a lecture on Assimilation, ac- 

 companied by valuable practical remarks on dietetics. 



JYov. 15. — Thos. Ewbank, Esq. gave a lecture on the history of 

 Syphons, in which he exhibited a number of new ones invented by 

 himself. Mr. Chapin exhibited some remarkable specimens of wood 

 from the city of Hartford, Conn, with the marks of edged tools upon 

 them, and specimens of leaves, all of which were excavated about 

 40 feet below the surface. 



JVov. 22. — 'The President gave a lecture on the history of Print- 

 ing, illustrated with a great variety of specimens of the various fash- 

 ions of letters and work from the origin of the art down to the pre- 

 sent time, which from the request of many members, will be repeat- 

 ed on the 8ih of December. 



JVov. 29. — The exercises of the evening were opened by remarks 

 from Dr. Gale on the materials generally used for building in diffe- 

 rent countries, with the effect of climate, and especially its agency 

 in decomposing or disintegrating the materials used. After which 

 James Frost, Esq. made some appropriate remarks on the compar- 

 ative methods of building in England and in the United States. 

 The Cor. Sec. of the Institute announced that the associate course 

 of lectures would be opened by the President on the 8th of Decem- 

 ber, and presented a list of the names of the gentlemen who will 

 lecture, as follows : 



