Troy Lyceum.— Carlisle Mineral. 173 
12. Troy Lyceum. 
In November, 1818, “a few citizens of Troy who had 
attended Mr. Eaton’s lectures on Botany and Geology,” 
associated for mutual improvement in the various depart- 
ments of natural history, and for the purpose of forming 
collections of specimens. ‘This institution has been recent- 
ly incorporated by the Legislature of New-York, and a 
lectureship created in it, which is now filled by Mr. Eaton. 
We understand that a considerable cabinet is already col- 
lected, and that many of the members of the institution are 
very active. 
_ Established in a flourishing and opulent town, patronized 
by some of its most respectable and influential inhabitants, 
and having a very advantageous local position, it is believed 
that the Troy Lyceum, co-operating with the elder sister 
Lyceum of New-York, and with other similar institutions 
in our principal cities, will add to the stock of American 
science and do us honour.* 
13. Fibrous Sulphat of Barytes from Carlisle, thirty-four 
miles west of Albany. 
This Carlisle mineral was supposed by many to be sul- 
phat of strontian. From my first seeing it, in July, 1818, 
I expressed the opinion that it was fibrous sulphat of ba- 
rytes, (especially after finding its specific gravity to be 
4-50,) of which variety I had a foreign specimen : and this 
opinion I confirmed by analysis in December following. 
Soon after, Dr. Torrey, of New-York, obtained the same 
result ; and some months later, Prof. MacNeven.t I under- 
* A communication containing extracis from the minutes of the Troy 
Lyceum, dated January 25th, 1819, was received, and would have been 
published, had it not been soon ascertained that one prominent subject of 
the communication, the fibrous mineral from Carlisle, was in controversy. 
My own opinion as to the nature of that mineral had been made up, before 
the receipt of the communication, and being different from that expressed 
therein, was duly transmitted to the Lyceum. . Having received no intima- 
tion since, as to the ultimate opinion of that body, f have kept the commu- 
nication on file. 
It will be seen in a subsequent article, that the nature of the Carlisle 
mineral is now fully ascertained, aud that I have extracted some facts re-. 
lating to it and to other subjects from ine Prov communication—Eais. 
+ Or his pupils under his direction. 
