Penfyfoania, Philadelphia. *7 



brary, which was firft begun in the year 1742, 

 on a publick-fpirited plan, formed and put in ex- 

 fecution by the learned Mr. Franklin. For he 

 perfuaded firft the moft fubftantial people in 

 town to pay forty (hillings at the outfet, and af- 

 terwards annually ten (hillings, all in Penfyhania 

 currency, towards pur chafing all kinds ofufeful 

 books. The fubfcribers are intitled to make ufe of 

 the books. Other people are likewife at liberty to 

 borrow them for a certain time, but muft leave 

 a pledge, and pay eight-pence a week for a folio 

 volume, fix-pence for a quarto, and four-pence 

 for all others of a fmaller fize. As foon as the 

 time, allowed a perfon for the perufal cf the vo- 

 lume, is elapfed, it muft be returned, or he is 

 fined. The money arifing in this manner is em* 

 ployed for the falary of the librarian, and for pur- 

 chafing new books. There is already a fine col- 

 ledlion of excellent works, mcft of them Engliflj, 

 many French and Latin, but few in any other 

 language. The fubfcribers were fo kind to me, as 

 to order the librarian, during my ftay here, to 

 lend me every book, which I ihould want, with- 

 out requiring any payment. The library was 

 open every Saturday from four to eight o'clock in 

 the afternoon. Befides the books, feveral mathe- 

 matical and phyfical inftruments, and a large 

 collection of natural curiofities, were to be feen in 

 it. Several little libraries were founded in the 

 town on the fame footing or nearly with this. 



The Court Houfe ftands in the middle of Mar- 

 ket-Jireet, to the weft of the market ; it is a fine 

 building, with a little tower in which there is a 

 bell. Below and round about this building the 

 market is properly kept every week. 



D 2 THE 



