interest in many of Franklin's enterprises, and his activities in furtherance of the College and Academy as finally framed and launched six years later, made him a conspicuous figure in the circle of which Franklin was the centre.
This same year witnessed the suggestion by Franklin, in his paper dated 14 May, 1743, entitled A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge among the British Plantations in America, of the American Philosophical Society, which seems to have very soon thereafter come into existence; "Benjamin Franklin, the writer of this proposal, offers himself to serve the Society as their secretary, till they shall be provided with one more capable." On 5 April, 1744, he writes to Cadwalader Colden, "that the society, so far as it relates to Philadelphia, is actually formed, and has had several meetings to mutual satisfaction."[1] The vicissitudes of this society, whose vigour lessened during Franklin's long absences abroad, need only to be referred to here in connection with its reorganization in January, 1769, when Dr. Franklin was chosen President, although then absent in London, to which office he was annually elected until his death. In writing about his first proposal for an academy in 1743, he said,[2]
I had on the whole, abundant reason to be satisfied with my being established in Pennsylvania. There were, however, two things that I
- ↑ Bigelow, ii. 1.Duyckinck, i. 575.
He continues: "the members are
Dr Thomas Bond, as Physician
Mr John Bartram, as Botanist
Mr Thomas Godfrey, as Mathematician
Mr Samuel Rhoads, as Mechanician
Mr William Parsons, as Geographer
Dr Phineas Bond, as General Nat. Philosopher
Mr Thomas Hopkinson, President
Mr William Coleman, Treasurer
B. F——, Secretary, To whom the following members have since been added, viz: Mr Alexander, of New York; Mr Morris, Chief Justice of the Jerseys; Mr Home, Secretary of do; Mr John Coxe of Trenton; and Mr Martyn, of the same place. Mr Nicholls tells me of several other gentlemen of this city that incline to encourage the thing; and there are a number of others, in Virginia, Maryland, and the New England colonies, we expect to join us as soon as they are acquainted that the Society has begun to form itself." - ↑ Bigelow, i. 212.
