168 EEPOET OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE 



Of Franklin s Junto little is known beyond what he 

 tells in his autobiography. It seems to have gone 

 through the usual phases of activity, somnolence, or 

 even suspended animation, and revival. Its member 

 ship was limited to twelve, its proceedings were secret. 

 It still existed in 1765, when Hugh Eoberts writes to 

 Franklin, &quot;I sometimes visit the worthy remains of 

 the ancient Junto. &quot; 



The minutes of the Junto in the Society s possession, 

 the organization which your present Committee be 

 lieve to be Franklin s old club, but which the older 

 Committee claimed to be of separate origin, begin on 

 September 22, 1758, and extend to October 22, 1762. 

 From October 16, 1761, until September 3, 1762, there 

 had been no meetings. On the date last named the fol 

 lowing minute is made: &quot; The members of the Junto 

 desirous of continuing the Society, met this evening, 

 having again agreed with Mr. Caruthers for the room 

 on the same terms on which we had it formerly. Only 

 a few more meetings were held until October 22, 1762, 

 when three members were present and two members 

 were noted as absent. Here ends the first volume of 

 minutes. The next volume of minutes begins April 25, 

 1766, showing nine members of the Junto, three of 

 whom were members at the supposed suspension four 

 years before. The minutes now continue regularly until 

 the union of the two societies. 



In 1760, it is interesting to note, absence and other 

 causes had reduced the membership to six ; and on Feb- 



