These papers consist chiefly of essays presented by the members, with such titles as "Ambition," "On Avarice," "State of Literature in the United States," and "Consequences of the French Revolution." Also included are several letters, including one from Benjamin Say, Jr.

The commission of the Institut de France was charged with offering a prize on linguistics, under the will of Count Volney. Formerly, this essay was thought to have been by Baron Nicolas Massias (1764-1848), who won the Volney prize in 1828. However, the note that the volume was shipped from New York precludes that.

This collection includes correspondence to and from Boskovic; a travel journal in Europe; and a large number of manuscripts on astronomy, hydrography, hydro-mechanics, mathematics, geometry, mechanics, and optics; and a volume of poetry.