78 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



recruit for themselves at the same time and elected 

 members indiscriminately, so as by a majority (among 

 which it was hoped a few good names might have been 

 fished in) to get the start of the new society. After 

 some time it was found that in behoof of the sciences it 

 would be better to form a union, and so it happened ; 

 but the spirit of party once aroused was not to be 

 checked immediately by a majority of votes useless 

 members again got in, and several of the older mem- 

 bers felt injured and resigned. Notwithstanding these 

 unavoidable circumstances the progress of the worthy 

 undertaking was happily not stopped. In the year 1771 

 appeared the first volume * of the Transactions of the 

 American Society, in quarto, containing several pieces 

 on the subject of natural history. Of many other 

 papers ready for the press, nothing has so far appeared, 

 the war having prevented ; but the Congress, still inter 

 arma and of an undetermined sovereignty, did not 

 neglect to cast a glance at these musas silentes, and by 

 a solemn act was pleased to give the society confirma- 

 tion and new life.f 



The President is Dr. Benjamin Franklin, but the 



* The second volume of the Transactions of this Society 

 appeared in 1786. 



t Extract from a communication from Philadelphia, 1787 

 " Another society has recently been established here, which 

 concerns itself with political enquiries. Its objects will be the 

 elucidation of the science of government and the furtherance 

 of human happiness. This society is regulated on the norm 

 of the European philosophical societies ; its papers and con- 

 tributions will be published annually so as to preserve many 

 valuable works which otherwise would be lost in the public 

 prints. The honorable Dr. Franklin is President of this 

 society." 



