In 1832 seven interested geologists and six affiliated societies, of which the Academy of Natural Sciences was one, banded together to form a society, the chief purpose of which was to promote the establishment of a State Geological Survey of Pennsylvania. Most of the geologists were members of the Academy of Natural Sciences and Richard Harlan acted as curator, member of the committee to prepare a statement for the State legislature, and later became the corresponding secretary. The Geological Society apparently ceased to exist about 1835 but during the few years of its activity one volume of Transactions was published, which included a list of the members and the officers of the young Society. The collections of mineral and geological specimens were intended to be deposited in existing cabinets at various places throughout the State. Many of them are today among historic collections at the Academy. The two documents in this collection were both signed by Dr. Renard for the Société Imperiale des Naturalistes de Moscou, and announced the shipment of its bulletins to the address of the Geological Society.

The letters were found with the official correspondence of the Academy.