FRANKLIN'S PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 431 



at the homes of the members and in the city taverns to discuss scientific 

 or 'philosophical' questions — what becomes of all the water that flows 

 into the Mediterranean Sea, whether 'elementary fire' and the electric 

 fluid were the same thing and other ponderous problems calculated to 

 engage the interest of the rising generation in the eighteenth century. 



It Avas in 1743 that Franklin, then a man of thirty-seven with 

 several successes to his credit, announced to his friends his plans for 

 a larger Junto. It was to be a national society 'for promoting useful 

 knowledge among the British Plantations in America.' It was to have 

 a president, a secretary and a treasurer who should live in Philadelphia, 

 since this city was assumed to be more centrally located than any other 

 in America. In Philadelphia, too, there should be always resident 

 seven members, a physician, a botanist, a mathematician, a chemist, a 

 mechanician, a geographer and a general natural philosopher. Into 

 these various departments it was conceived at the time that all learning 

 or philosophy could be brought, and Franklin proffered his own services 

 as the Society's secretary. The body was to receive members from every 

 part of the colonies, and they were 'to maintain constant correspond- 

 ence' with each other, to the end that whatever useful information one 

 might secure might be passed on to the others and in this way be made 

 the common property of the people. 



The founders, however, seemed not to be able to make the Society 

 thrive. The colonies still contained too few who were interested in 

 the propagation of useful knowledge and after a brief period of activity 

 the members were obliged to suspend their meetings. It was not until 

 1767 that there were signs of awakening life, when many men of 

 prominence in Philadelphia and its neighborhood were elected to mem- 

 bership. In the meantime, a rival society had become quite active, and 

 negotiations for union were begun. A basis of agreement having been 

 reached, in January, 1769, the two societies officially christened 'the 

 American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia for promoting 

 useful knowledge,' the cumbrous title which the body still retains, met 

 together for the first time. Dr. Franklin was made the president of the 

 consolidated societies, while he was still absent in England; and thus, 

 twenty-six years after he had originated the idea, a period that had 

 been full of progress and change for him, as well as for the American 

 colonies, he lived to see his early hopes realized in a scientific society 

 whose fame was soon to spread over the whole civilized world. 



Although abroad almost constantly he remained president of the 

 American philosophers until his death. He occupied the chair for the 

 first time in 1775, but returned to Europe almost immediately to be 

 absent for another period of nine years. Wherever he wandered, how- 

 ever, he was always mindful of his obligations to the Society which 

 each year reelected him to its chief office. His personal triumphs as 



