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a Museum or Cabinet of Curiosities belonging to the Society, which is kept in a very large room, in a brick building, belonging to Col. Pickman, near the centre of the town. In this museum are deposited the books, charts, journals, maps and natural and artificial curiosities belonging to the Society; and which are principally the donations of its members. Among others there is a very good collection of shells, of birds of rare plumage, of beautiful insects, and of medals and coins; a great variety of the utensils and weapons of war used by various savage tribes or natives of the islands in the South Seas, and on the north west coast of America, the coast of Sumatra, and other islands in the Indian seas. There are also several dresses and costumes of the East Indians, the Chinese, Japanese and other nations; some good pictures and engravings, and several ships built and rigged in the most exact and perfect manner as models of real ships. The Museum is open every day in the year, except Sundays, and is accessible to all persons without any expense. The only requisite necessary is an introduction by some member of the Society.

The Salem Athenæum.-This institution was incorporated by the Legislature, by an act passed the sixth day of March, 1810, Previous to this time there were two publick libraries in Salem, one called the Philosophical Library, which was established in June 1781, and the other the social Library, which was incorporated by an act passed the 7th of February 1797. Both of these libraries are now united in the Athenæum. The officers, who are chosen annually in May, are a President, nine Directors (of whom the President is one,) a Treasurer, a Clerk and a Librarian. The venerable Doct. E. A. Holyoke was first elected President, and still continues to preside over the Institution. The Library consists at present of between four and five thousand volumes, which are deposited in two rooms in the brick building belonging to the Essex Fire and Marine Insurance Company, near the centre of the town. These rooms are open every day, except Sundays, from nine o'clock in the morning till sunset, and are used as reading rooms. Any stranger is at liberty to have the use of the rooms for reading upon being introduced by a member. The members are also allowed to take from the library two folios, or two quartos, or four volumes of any smaller size at a time, for the use of themselves and their families at their own houses. There are many very valuable works belonging to the Library upon all branches of science, of classical and polite literature, and of the various arts. Among others is a complete series of the English Philosophical Transactions from the beginning, the Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des Sciences, des arts et des métiers. The Transactions of

the Royal Academies of Sciences of Paris, of Lisbon, of Berlin, of Edinburgh, and of Ireland, the Annual Register from the beginning, the Biographia Britannica, the Universal History ancient and modern, the Encyclopedia Britannica, Rees's Cyclopedia, Fabricii Bibliotheca Græca, Stephani Thesaurus Linguæ Græcæ, Facciolatì Lexicon totius Latinitatis, the Critical Review, the Monthly Review, the Eclectick Review, the Edinburgh Review, the Quarterly Review, the Monthly Magazine, the Philosophical Magazine, the European Magazine, and the principal periodical works of the present day.

Magnetizing power of the violet rays. Professor Moricchini, of Rome, has discovered, that the violet rays of the prismatick spectrum have a strong magnetizing power. The Marquis Ridolfi has succeeded in magnetizing needles, by passing over them, for a period of not less than thirty minutes, the violet rays of the spectrum through the medium of a condensing lens; after which process, they possess all the energy and the properties of needles magnetized in the common way with a loadstone. Their homonomous poles repel, and their heteronomous poles attract each other. When made to vibrate on a pivot, their points turn constantly to the north, and their heads to the south. We know not, that any important results have as yet followed from this discovery, but it adds greatly to the wonders of magnetism, and may perhaps hereafter serve to throw some light on a subject, which has hitherto been involved in such profound mystery.

Library of Harvard University.-About fifteen hundred books have lately been received from Germany for the library of Harvard University. Since our last notice of donations to the library a number of valuable presents have been made, viz.

From David Sears, Esq.-French books, 141 volumes, elegantly bound, including all the works of Marmontel, Condillac, Mably, Berquin, D'Arnaud, &c.

From Francis Vergnies, M. D.-The following very valuable Botanical works-Herbarium Amboinense, 6 volumes. fol. with 696 plates-Hortus Cliftornianus a Linnæo, fol. plates. Description des Plantes de l'Amérique par Plumier, fol. plates.-Historia Naturalis Brasiliæ, fol. 1648. plates-Selectarum Stirpuim Americanarum a Jacquin, fol. plates-Observationes Botanica a Jacquin, fol. plates.

From J. S. C. F. Frey.-Copies of his different publications, viz. his edition of Vanderhooght's Hebrew Bible, 2 vols. 8vo.; his Hebrew, Latin, and English Dictionary, 2 vols. 8vo. ; and his Hebrew grammar, 8vo.

From John Taylor, M. D. (of the Hon. East India Company's Bombay Medical Establishment) Lilauati; or a Treatise on Arithmetick and Geometry. By Bhuscura Acharya; translated from the original Sanscrit. By John Taylor, M. D. 4to. Bombay, 1816.

From Mr. Francis W. P. Greenwood.-Malone's Inquiry into the authenticity of the Papers attributed to Shakspeare, (by W. H. Ireland,) 8vo. Bolingbroke's Remarks on the History of England, 8vo.

From Hon. Dudley A. Tyng.-The thirteenth volume of Massachusetts Reports. Mr. Tyng has regularly presented all the preceding volumes.

From Benjamin Vaughan, Esq.-Arati Diosemea ; notis et collatione scriptorum illustravit, Thomas Forster, F. L. S. 8vo. London, 1815.

From Thomas Forster, F. L. S.-Forster on Atmospherick Phenomena. 8vo.

From J. F. Dana, M. D. Humboldt's Personal Narrative. 8vo. From John G. Coffin, M. D. Brera on Worms; translated by John G. Coffin, M. D. 8vo. Cummings & Hilliard; Boston, 1817. From Professor Willard.-Diplomata et Statuta Regalis Societatis Londini. 4to.-Petit's Hebrew Grammar. Professor Willard's Hebrew Grammar.

From Mr. Sparks,Tutor of Harvard University.-Robert Adams' Narrative. London. 4to. 1816.-The last volume of the North American Review.

From Hon. Charles Jackson.-Six volumes of Law Books.

From the Royal Society and from the Horticultural Society of London. The last numbers of their Transactions, respectively. From Messrs. Wells & Lilly, Boston. 14 volumes of Works, published by them.

From Mr. John Eliot, Boston.-35 volumes of Works published by himself, and other Works.

From Messrs. West & Richardson, Boston.-Wanostrocht's French Grammar, published by them. 12mo.

From William Hilliard, Esq.-Several Works published by

him.

From Jesse Torry, jun. Physician.-A Portraiture of Domestick Slavery in the United States. 8vo. The Intellectual Torch Pamphlet-both works of the donor.

The Proprietors of the University Reading Room are indebted to H. Niles, Esq. for the present of Niles' Weekly Register; to Nathan Hale, Esq. for the Boston Weekly Messenger; and to A. G. Tannatt, Esq. for the Nantucket Weekly Messenger. They have likewise received the last volume of the Portico, given in exchange for the North American Review; and also the Port Folio. Various Pamphlets and small Books, not mentioned above, have been received from different gentlemen for the Library and Reading Room.

List of American Books published in the United States during the last two months.

Biography.

Life of Patrick Henry, by William Wirt, Esq. 8vo. $4,50, Philadelphia.

Memoirs of William Sampson, with a Sketch of the History of Ireland, second edition, 82, 50, Baltimore.

Repository of the Lives and Portraits of distinguished Americans, by Joseph Delaplaine, Vol. I. Part II. 4to $4, Philadelphia.

History.

History of the United States, by David Ramsay, second edition, vol. 1. This volume is designed to form a part of an Universal History, prepared for the press by Dr. Ramsay in his life time, and to be published for the benefit of his family if a sufficient subscription shall be obtained, in 9 or 12 volumes; $3,33 per vol. Researches relative to the Aborigines of America, by James M'Culloch jr. M. D. $1.

Geography and Topography.

The Ohio Gazetteer, by John Kilborn, 3d edition, 621 cts. Baltimore.

A New Map and Plan of the City of New York, with a plan of the City in 1726, New York.

A Gazetteer of the State of New Hampshire, by Eliphalet Merrill, and Phinehas Merrill, 8vo, $1,191, Exeter.

A map of the Bounty Lands in the Illinois Territory, $1. Washington.

The Navigator, containing Directions for navigating the Missisippi, Ohio, Monongahela and Allegany Rivers, with Maps.

A Geographical Description of Louisiana, by William Darby, 2d edition improved, Philadelphia.

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Natural History.

Letters from the Hon. David Humphreys, F. R. S. to Sir Joseph Banks, on the Sea Serpent seen in Gloucester Harbour 12mo, 50 cts. New York.

A Manual of Botany for the Northern States, compiled for the Members of the Botanick Class in Williams College, 12mo, 75 cts. Albany.

American Medical Botany No. 1, by Jacob Bigelow, M. D. Rumford Professor, and Lecturer in Materia Medica in Harvard University, royal 8vo, with ten coloured plates, $3,50, Boston.

Report of a Committee of the Linnæan Society of New England relative to the Sea Serpent seen near Cape Ann, 8vo. 621⁄2 cts. Boston.

Vegetable Materia Medica of the United States, No. 2. By W. P. C. Barton, M. D. Professor of Botany in the University of Pennsylvania, 4to, with 6 coloured plates, $3, Philadelphia.

Letters to Ladies, detailing important Information concerning themselves and infants. By Thomas Ewell, M. D. $2. Georgetown.

Medicine.

Discourses on the elements of Therapeuticks. By N. Chapman, M. D. Vol. I. 8vo $4. Philadelphia.

American Modern Practice of Physic, by James Thacher, M. D. A. A. S. 8vo. $4. Boston.

Physical observations on the Topography and Diseases of Louisiana. By Jacob Heustis, M. D. $1,25. Philadelphia.

Transactions of the Physico-Medical Society of New York, 8vo. $3, New York.

An Essay on the Yellow Fever of 1817, by J. L. F. W. Shecut, 37 cts. Charleston.

Orfila's Toxicology, or Treatise on Poisons, abridged and partly translated, by Joseph G. Nancrede, M. D. Philadelphia.

Law.

Reports of cases in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, by Hon. Jasper Yates, 8vo. $7. Philadelphia.

Laws of the United States to March 3, 1815, under authority of the act of Congress of April 18, 1814. Vol. 5 and last. 8vo, Washington.

Reports of cases argued and determined in the Circuit Court of the United States for the first Circuit. Vol. 2. By John Gallison; Counsellor at Law, 8vo, pp. 596. $5,50. Boston.

Laws of the United States, passed at the 1st and 2d sessions of the 14th congress. $2. Georgetown.

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Reports of cases argued and adjudged in the Supreme Court of the United States. Vol. 2. By Wharton, 8vo. $6,50.

Divinity.

A Brief Outline of the History of the Bible and Bible Societies, in a sermon. By Thomas Warner, A. M.

A Sermon on the Idolatry of the Hindoos, By Samuel Nott, late Missionary at Bombay.

An Examination of the Doctrine of Predestination, by Nathan Bangs, 50 cents, New York.

A Vindication of some of the most important doctrines of the Vol. VII. No. 2.

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