32 



bible were in manuscript, and, though some of us may have a poor 

 opinion of cards, it was nevertheless to the first printinj^ of cards 

 that the first printed specimens of the Scriptures were due. He then 

 described the invention of cards with their various characters for the 

 amusement of a French king. These were at first painted, but after- 

 wards, as their use became common, the idea was conceived of print- 

 ing them from blocks of wood. From this suggestion, detached 

 verses and extracts from the bible were put forth, on yellow paper, in 

 a similar manner, and in this fragmentaiy way we have the first 

 printed specimens of the bible. This edition before us was printed in 

 Geneva for the use of the English exiles banished there. Christopher 

 Barker was made the sole printer of it. He thus became very rich 

 and was made a Baronet. Mr. Atwood also spoke of the exquisite and 

 clear printing which these ancient books reveal, many of them not 

 being surpassed by the best printing of the present day. 



Mr. Alpiieus Hyatt had again sought for polyzoa with but small 

 success. He had found one interesting animal upon a piece of sea- 

 weed, which he exhibited in a small phial. It was one of the Tubulif- 

 era, a compound animal, originally a single cell; by a budding and 

 branching growth it gains at last a common body, out of which and 

 upon which many animals grow having an individual life. He de- 

 scTibed the minute anatomy of these animals, calling especial atten- 

 tion to the recently proven fact of the branching of the nervous 

 system from the common origin, through the common body to all the 

 members of the composite animal. 



Mr. F. W. Putnam exhibited a specimen of stone with a tuft of 

 hair attached, which had been sent in for explanation ; and called upon 

 Mr. E. S. Morse to explain it. Mr. Morse then described the process 

 by which the muscle adheres to the rocks by throwing out minute 

 hairs which it spins itself. These brown hairs on the specimen be- 

 fore us, though haying the appearance of being human are not human, 

 but are really formed in this way. 



On motion of Mr. Charles Davis of Beverly, it was 



Voted, That the thanks of the Essex Institute be tendered to the 

 committee of the First Parish Church and the committee of the Uni- 

 versalist Church, for the use of their respective houses of worship for 

 our meetings this day. Also to Norman Story, Ed. Lander, Leavitt 

 Burnham, John S. Burnham, Dr. Hall, Daniel W. Bartlett, Grover 

 Dodge, Horace Burnham, Leonard Burnham, Caleb Burnham and 

 others for attentions and hospitalities shown us this day. 



Saturday, July 18, 1808. — Special Meeting. 

 The President in the chair. 

 A Special Meeting was held this day, in Plummer Hall, at 3 p.m., to 

 listen to the reading of a memoir, prepared by Hon. Charles W. 



