efforts for the advancement of knowledge; and like a band of brothers to join in forming the Society which I have now the honor of addressing. Some are of opinion, that the "American" Society which I call thus for shortness' sake, and to distinguish it from the other which I shall call the "Philosophical," was no other than the celebrated Junto, established by the illustrious Franklin in 1727, and of which he gives so interesting an account in his autobiography, while others think that it was a different Association, of uncertain origin, but more recent than that of the other Society.

Among those who entertain the latter opinion, or rather who have doubts upon the subject, are men whose sentiments are entitled to the highest respect, men of profound learning and established reputation, justly deserved, to whom I should not have alluded, if one of them had not expressed his doubts in a work destined to go to posterity.1

It is not my intention to give to this sketch a polemical character, but in treating this subject historically, I shall be obliged to give the reasons which have produced in my mind the fullest convictions that the "American" Society was no other than the Junto established by Franklin, which, when it was united to the "Philosophical" Society, had only changed its name, extended its views, and increased the number of its members, without ceasing to be a continuation of the original association.

11 Sparks' "Franklin," 578.

1 a

The contrary opinion, or rather doubt, is of recent date. Ever since I had the honor to be a member of this Society, I felt a great interest in its history; I had frequent conversations with men who took a part in its formation, and particularly with the venerable Bishop White, whose loss we still deplore, and who was a member of the "American" Society. He loved to talk upon the subject. He informed me of many details respecting the union of the two Societies, which are not to be found in their records, some of which I have given in this sketch, that the memory of them may be preserved; but neither he, nor any body else at that time doubted of the "American" Society having been a continuation of the Junto, which, extending its views and desirous of enlarging its sphere of action, thought proper to modify its rules and to adopt a new name; this fact, until a very late period, was admitted by all.

To this traditional testimony we may add that of Franklin himself, to show that the Junto continued in existence until the time of its union with the "Philosophical" Society. While absent in Europe on public business, he never lost sight of his favorite Club, as he called it; in his letters to his friend Hugh Roberts, which Mr. Sparks has preserved for us, he never fails to mention it with affection, as will appear from the following extracts:

On the 16th of July 1753, he writes: "My respects to Mrs. Roberts, and all our old friends of the Junto.2

la Mr. Du Ponceau was elected a member July 15, 1791. 27 Sparks' "Franklin,” 77.

On the 16th of September 1758" I do not quite like your absenting yourself from the good old Club, the Junto. I exhort you, therefore, to return to your duty.

993

On the 26th February 1761-"You tell me you sometimes visit the ancient Junto. I wish you would do it oftener. Since we have held that Club till we have grown gray together, let us hold it out to the end. ''4

On the 7th of July, 1765-"I wish you would continue to meet the Junto, notwithstanding that some effects of our 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.''5

And lastly, 27th Feb. 1766-"Remember me affectionately to the Junto.""

It may be asked, perhaps, whether the Society which was joined to the "Philosophical," and then bore the name of the "American" Society, was really the old Junto mentioned in the above extracts. This objection can be easily answered. By the articles of union agreed upon between the two Societies, on the 20th of December 1768, it is stipulated

Art. 7: "That the books and all the curiosities, etc. of the former Societies, be deposited in the Cabinet

or elsewhere, as the United Society shall direct."" In consequence of this agreement, the Minutes of the two Societies were deposited in the Cabinet of the United Society, where they now are, and it appears from the Minutes of the American Society, that on the 2nd of September 1762, it was still called "The Junto.''8 The Minutes from 1762 to 1766 are missing. In 1766, the Society changed its name, but was still in fact the Junto.

There was no other Association in Philadelphia, that bore that name. In the year 1736 (as Franklin relates in his autobiography) the Junto wanted to increase the number of its members, which was limited to twelve. Franklin dissuaded them from it, by persuading them that it would be better for each member to form a limited Club, unconnected with them, but pursuing the same objects. Five or six of those Clubs, he says, were completed. They were called the Vine, the Union, the Band, etc., but none of them assumed the name of the Junto." What became of them afterwards does not appear. probable that they had not a long existence. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the Society, which in 1766 assumed the name of the "American," was Franklin's old Junto of 1727, and no other. It is hardly credible that while the old Junto existed,

7 See the minutes of the two societies.

See the minutes.

1 Sparks' "Franklin," 129.

It is

another Society should have adopted the same name; It would have been contrary to all the rules of delicacy and mutual respect.

Dr. Smith in his Eulogium of Franklin says that the Junto "became at last the foundation of the American Philosophical Society, now assembled to pay the last tribute to his memory.

If there would still be any doubt upon this point, we have the testimony of Dr. William Smith, which is conclusive. Dr. Smith was a member of the "Philosophical" Society (not that which had before been the Junto) and was the Secretary at the time of the Union in the year 1768. He was very active in promoting the Union of the two associations, and must have known their respective origin. In 1792, he pronounced an Eulogium of Franklin before our Society, which was printed and is in our Library. that Eulogium he says: "For the purpose of aiding and increasing the materials of information, one of the first Societies formed by Franklin was in the year 1728,10 about the 22nd [year] of his age, and was

In

9a I do not know whether in my quotation I have added the part underlined. It ought to be inserted. Nor do I remember whether I have said that Smith, at the time of the Union, was Secretary to the Society opposed to the Junto. That is material. [Note added by Mr. Du Ponceau.]

10 We are informed by Dr. Franklin, that the Junto was established in the autumn of 1727, but many writers date its establishment in the following year. Thus our Society is said to have begun in 1769, though the two Societies were united in December preceding.