[Vol. 1.] COLUMBIA, (8. C.) TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 3, IB16. [no. mgmm . , ? ruiiLUiicp wr.r.Kir 11Y THOMAS W. LOUIIAIN. 7VI-W of .Subtcription.?'ChKO tfcillura jht annum, pay able in iulv.\ncc....K<> paper to l>c il.scontauif*C!jaont iniartion. Ixtter* to the Alitor must Im.'i>i*I|mU),or \he pottage will ho charged to the writer. SCIENTIFIC. rilOM TtIB ANALSCm M All A XIN K. The rapidly improving taste for literature antl science, oml the consequent efforts to cultivate them in our country, arc among tho most grati fying indications of ilk general advancement in whatever e&n give strength, felicity, nntl true glory to a lotion. An evidence of that taftfo am) those eflbrtft U aftbrded by tho increase of our literary and philosophical societies. These establishments, arising irom the love of learn ing become themselves a new cause for promot ing it, and Increase the source from which they spring. They answer besides te\era! other use-, (ul uuda^reeajdo imrnosee. /.They ofler rwfWWtf r?1nxrtndnni professional men; they provide congenial company and iiftcresting conversa tion for persons wlio arc devoted to study j and they enable those who aspire to advance tho pcicnccs and extend the hounds of human know* ledge, to conduct their enquiries with greater facility and make their experiments upon n lar ger scale. The National Institute of France and the London Institution, arc illustrious ex amples of what may he accomplished by means of such establishments. From the rich materi als for observation which those societies provid ed, aiul thb clusters of genius they collected to gether, have emanated some of the noblest in ventions snd discoveries which have ever bene fited or delig! ted the world; inventions which enable man to subdue, restrain, or render sub-! servient to bis own tine, tho most dangerous and apparently the most uncontrollable powers ofi nature ; discoveries which dc\eloc and explain ' the wonderful mechanism of the movements of 9he celestial bodies ; discoveries at which even their authors look back with astonishment, and the contemplation of which almost induces or dinary men to doubt of their own mortality, and claim kindrfd with a divine nature. >Ve xhouhl not be surprised that, such institutions have boon made the object of fooIi?h ridicule ; nor should we be deterred from the attempt to emulate them because their proceedings are sometimes aped and burlesqued by ignorant and j presuming people, who having nothing else to do, give themselves some scientific nickname, and meet to talk of the weather, and make lu dicrously solemn fuces at each other. ! We hsvw been led to those reflections Uy tho re-perusal of Mr. Klliott's ndmi.ahto address to the Philosophical Society of South-Carolina.? It was briefly noticed in our number for Februa ry last, but we are persuaded that most of our roadcr* will bo gratified to have it entire; for although it was delivered so long ago as'the rnoiUh of \ngust, IBM, we apprchouu it is yet but little Kiiovyit beyond the statu in which' ii was first published. The correct, enlarged ami liberal scientific views ) the practical good sense, the unaffected modesty, (not always cha racteristic of philosophy] antl the excellent style of writing which it exfiioitft, do honor not oiily to the author, but to the society in which he pre sides, and the community by which ft is pa tronised. It would, we think, be desirable that all the addresses and other communications made to such societies should be first trinted in separate pamphletsj from which selections should lie made in due time of such as were worthy of be ing; preserved in their proceedings. A printed paper is more easily examined, and more justly appreciated than tbr best written manuscript. Public opinion would aid those who were ell trusted to make selections, and friendly criti cism might enable the authors of the chosen production to correct anil improve them. The records of these societies might thus be kept clear from the rubbish j an nrticlc. of which a very large proportion has b#en sometimes ad mitted into the works of very learned bodies. We should regret exceedingly to find anv thing like this kind hound up along with Mr. Elliott's discourse. If the Society of South-Carolina will exclude from their philosophical compila tions whatever is not worthy of being placed beside that production, they may not indeed publish often, but their volume*) will rank a mongthc mo-rt distinguished records of science. .7*1 Jthltr ti /o the Library ami Vhllomniltieal Hue M it ?f South-Carat hut, hu Stephen lAlintt. /isi/. I'rini'lent of the Society. j Oentlemcn?In obedicncc to (ho appointment ?if flu1 xoriety, I rise to address yon ? ami little us I may have merited the honor you have con toiroil upon inn, I should feel Htill mere unwor thy if 1 permitted the calls irf huniness. or pri \nto avocation#, to excuno. me from the perform ance of any duty you may impose upon me, however imperfectly the execution may answer vour expectations or my own wiahes. In associating to prosecute and encourage li toiary and philosophical ptirniiit^, you have ni ton a testimony ol your reaped for urionre, and of your desire to render an important norvicc to your country t of your wish to promote re searches whicli give'dignity to individual repu tation, aud are eminently calculated to advance public welfare, to multiply national resources, ai d to elevate national character. In the pros edition of thin Jesign let ??* add /.eal to know ledge, autl perseverance to enterpii/.e. * In the early dawn of science in modern Ku rope, literary and scientific societies began to Hvuri+h, anif with tho in*:roa*fin^ d ?y they have continued to multiply. Men of science have been every whero eager to encourage their for mation } nations have sometime* considered them an ornament and a benefit. Their uses are important and diversified. Not designed to form theories, to establish or support particular I systems, either in science or in art; it has be?n their more humble pfovince to collect the soat tercdand faded rays of philosophic light, to re cord detached and isolated facts, to encourage the pursuit and investigation of truth, to givo*o science popularity, to uraw the human mind, if possible, from the trivial and often unworthy tnf quirks of momentary interest'or passion, and to afford the friends of cultivators of literatufe and philosophy some point of union and of cori cert. It Is not easy, now, to determine how much these lASOciations have aided the improve men of civilized society, or added by their la bors and research** to the mass of human know* ledge. Their task has been to collect tlic stone, tlio mortar, and the block. with which the fu ture architect may rear his edifice, and likejito wftrkmen of. the quarry, although their ituwT* kMHlabtfrctmQ^jp unnoticed or hidden iu- the linished structure, yet, have they, nevertheless, essentiully contributed to its sofidity or magni ficence. in Europe, where the pursuit of science has long been n cherished anu a fashionable occupa tion, and where the number of literary and sci entific men hns become so great as almost crowd nnd jostle on the road, societies have been form ed to promote the study of each distill'' ?aneh of knowledge ; but with us it has been ..omed advisable to unite in one society all who should be willing to associate in our labors ; while by arranging onr memlters into different Iclasses, and assigning to each clans distinct and deter minate object*, each ititlividunl will find hiHwelf co-operating with associates, having common views and occupations. On this occasion, it will not, perhaps, he an in appropriate theme to rccal to your remembrance, and to present to public view, the threat objects of our association, und after parsing briefly in review the arrangements of the. society, alter faintly delineating their uxtcnt and magnitude, to offer some general observations on their olti-| inate importance and value. I feel that this sketch will be drawn w ith a weak and nn*tcad\ hand. To lew ha* it been given to view the ex tended field of science w ith strong and distinct' vision, to portray each M>parate compartment in' colors at once luminous and true i nor w ill time permit me to do more than merely to point out the extent ami im|M>rtaucc of our pursuits, their influence on individual character, and on na tional prosperity. The objects to which the society hn? deemed it advisable to diroct the nttontioii iif lu mem bers. Imve been distributed into the following classes : 1. Mai he matics and Mechanical Philosophy. The mathematics lurm one of (tie groat foun <)atioii!i of science ; ill their tirHt elements an attainment of indispeufcilde necessity to society, in their higher branches* distinguished lor the sublimity ol' their views, ami the extent ami ? tility of their application. This Bciencc is pe culiarly the science of truth, no doubt lianas upon its nroccjffleg, no uncertainty attends its result. Whatever relates to number* to pro |tuition, to magnitude, it exclusively compre hends. All the branchca of mechaiuca! plillo sophy, mechanic*, optics, hydrodynamics, astro numy, arc hut illustrations of its principles (it the wonderful diversity in which they are appli cable to matter when in motion or at rest. Armed with its intelligence, man reduces to j system the extended movements of the uni verse, reduces to order the crraitic march I es of the planets, brings to measurement their I distances, thci magnitude, their destiny, their velocity ; explains their apparent irregularities and eccentricities, calculates ami determines! the all-pervading power of gravitation, num'? rs the stars in the hrmatneut.aml metes out the li> mits of the constellation*. Tho mathematics give to geography its preci sion, and of course all its value ; they |mint out to the mariner his track on tlie pathless ocean, to the traveller his road through the untrodden w ilderness, to the miner his rout in bin sublet* raneuu journey. Many of the arts of civil, na val and hydraulic, fortification, surveying,navi gation, de'jiend exclusively on their assistance, and most of the machinery tliat gives to man such stupendous power is formed and guided by their principles. Without their aid, society it self, like some neglected column, or tnwor, like Palmyra, or Hubyi on, wuuihl moulder into ruin. In the iuvc ligation of mathematical and geo metrical truths, some of the most profound and sublime efforts of the human intellect have been displayed. Yet, after all tlint has been accom plished, this science is not exhausted ; even in that field which has been explored by the great minds of a Kuclid,an Archimedes, a i'opernicus. a Kepler, a Leibnitz., a Newton, a Killer, a l our orchards still more pe^nieiou* th-w in our } '**??! per*