Page images
PDF
EPUB

Oct. 22, to Apr. 25, 1766. For this interval, embracing 3 years, no minutes are known to exist; but six members were elected in the interval, whose names first appear as present on the minutes of Apr. 25, 1766. Between Sep. 3 and Oct. 22, 1762, both dates inclusive, there were six meetings and two attempts at meetings. With the exception of these, no meetings are recorded from Oct. 16, 1761, to April 25, 1766, a period of 4 years.

1762. November 1. Franklin arrived in Philadelphia.

1764. November 7. Franklin left Philadelphia on his second mission to England. 1 Sparks, 287. Arrived Dec. 9. 7 Sparks, 281. He was consequently back two years.

1765. May 20. "I sometimes visit the worthy remains of the ancient Junto, for whom I have a high esteem, but alas the political, polemical divisions have in some measure contributed to lessen that harmony we there formerly enjoyed." Hugh Roberts to Franklin. Franklin papers, in the possession of the Society.

July 7. "I wish you would continue to meet the Junto, notwithstanding that some effects of our public political misunderstandings may sometimes appear there. It is now perhaps one of the oldest clubs, as I think it was formerly one of the best, in the King's dominions. It wants but about two years of forty since it was established. We loved and still love one

another; we are grown gray together, and yet it is too early to part. Let us sit till the evening of life is spent. The last hours are always the most joyous. When we can stay no longer, it is time enough then to bid each other good night, separate, and go quietly to bed." 7 Sparks, 300.

1766. Feb. 27. "Remember me affectionately to the Junto." Franklin to H. Roberts, 7 Sparks, 308.

March 1. "The Junto fainted last summer in the hot weather, and has not yet revived; your presence might reanimate it without which I apprehend it will never recover." P. Syng to Franklin. Franklin's papers in the possession of the Society.

April 25. This is the date of the first meeting recorded, after the long chasm in the minutes. The minutes of this date are preceded by a new draught of the Laws, which were adopted, (except the name "Junto," which was under advisement for alteration) on the 30th of May 1766. The new name "The American Society for promoting and propagating Useful Knowledge, held in Philadelphia," was not adopted until the 13th of December following. The new draught of the Laws was evidently at first written out with a blank, to receive the new name when decided on, which will be found inserted in a different hand-writing in the draught.

1768. January 1. C. Thomson read his Proposal for enlarging the Society, about nine pages in the minute book. In the proposal is this sentence: "By some

happy genius magnetism may be reduced to certain laws, in the same manner as electricity now is by the unwearied diligence and sagacity of the ingenious Doctor Franklin."

February 8. "We have existed for some years as a Society for the promotion of natural knowledge" etc. Extract from the answer of the American Society to the American Philosophical Society, in relation to a union. Junto Minute book, Part 2, p. 79. This answer was never sent. See p. 81.

February 12. "His Excellency William Franklin, Esq., being now the only member of the ancient Society who has not signed the rules in this book" etc. Junto Minute Book, Part 2, p. 82.

February 19. Franklin elected a member of the

American Society. p. 87. .

November 4. Franklin Elected President of the American Society. p. 132.

November 6. Date of C. Thomson's letter to Franklin, stating that the American Society was begun in 1750, and informing him of his election as President of it.

1769. January 11th. William Coleman died. Extract from the family register, furnished by Coleman Fisher, Esq.

June 7th. "I long Meditated a Revival of our American Philosophical Society, and at length I thought I saw my way clear in doing it, but the old party le[a]ven split us for a Time. We are now united,

and, with your Presence, may make a Figure, but, till that happy Event, I fear much will not be done." Dr. Thomas Bond to Franklin. 1 Sparks, 578. [Also Franklin Papers in A.P.S. II. 179.]

1773. January 22. "Nor can we entertain a doubt of the like encouragement on all necessary occasions, when we have the happiness to behold the first person in the administration of this government now sitting as our patron."* Extract from the Rev. Dr. Wm. Smith's Oration before the A. P. S. delivered on the above date, page 11.

1775. May 5. Franklin arrived in Philadelphia after his second mission to England. Absent more than 10 years. 1 Sparks, 391.

1776. October 26. Sailed for France, and arrived in 30 days in Quiberon Bay. 1 Sparks, 417.

1782. May 21. "And gradually established many necessary institutions, among which was this Philosophical Society, so early as in '43, when the plan was formed and published, the members chosen, and an invitation given to all ingenious persons to cooperate and correspond with them on the laudable occasion." Extract from Dr. Thomas Bond's Oration before the A. P. S. delivered on the above date, page 2.

1785. June 24. "Philip Syng, the only other surviving member here, of the old Junto, labours under infirmities, keeps much at home, where I can seldom go

*The Honorable Richard Penn, Esq., Governor of the Province.''

to visit him." H. Roberts to Franklin. Hazard's

Register, XV, 184.

September 14. Franklin arrived in Philadelphia, after an absence in France of nearly nine years. 1 Sparks, 591.

1791. March 1. The Franklin Junto, "after having subsisted forty years, . . . . . became at last the foundation of the American Philosophical Society, now assembled to pay the debt of gratitude to his memory. A book containing many of the questions, discussed by the Junto, was, on the formation of the American Philosophical Society, delivered into my hands, for the purpose of being digested, and in due time published among the transactions of that body." Rev. Dr. William Smith's Eulogium on Franklin, delivered on the above date, page 13.

[The foregoing Report was received by the Society and its consideration deferred to the Stated Meeting of November 5th 1841, when the resolution appended to the Report was adopted

Mr. Du Ponceau stated that it was his wish to revise his Paper on the early history of the Society, and to withdraw it for that purpose.

Dr. Isaac Hays offered the following resolution:Resolved, That Mr. Du Ponceau be permitted to withdraw his papers from the Archives of the Society for the purpose of revision. Adopted.

From the Minutes].

« PreviousContinue »