302 FOTHERGILL AND PENNSYLVANIA CHAP. 



his mind " from early years, and his character was based 

 on principles unflinchingly held. He visited England in 

 1748, bringing an introduction to Fothergill, with whom 

 he contracted a lifelong friendship. Pemberton was a 

 member of the Assembly during the troublous days before 

 the resignation of the Friends, and again in -1764 for 

 several terms. " I avoid mixing with the multitude," he 

 writes to Fothergill in 1776, " in their discussion of political 

 points, thinking it safest to remain unbiased in my 

 judgment, and endeavouring to pursue the general good, 

 as far as I am capable, and may be assisted by wisdom 

 superior to my own." It was his aim to establish the 

 liberties of the people on the purest basis the principles 

 of the Gospel of Peace. There is an anecdote of his 

 faithful payment in 1758 of a sum equal to $8000, ransom 

 money for a ship and cargo captured by the French in 

 time of war, and returned by them to Philadelphia on the 

 strength of a Quaker's promise. The act was censured 

 by his fellow-merchants. James Pemberton was a man 

 of restrained habits and even temper, and used his large 

 means for philanthropic ends. He was an overseer for 

 fifty years of the William Penn Charter School, and lived 

 on, full of years and honour, into the nineteenth century, 

 dying in 1809. A third son, John Pemberton, was well 

 known as a minister among Friends and thrice visited 

 Europe : his life has been published. 



Another valued correspondent of FothergilTs in Phila- 

 delphia was William Logan. The Logans, cousins to the 

 Pembertons, belonged to the aristocracy of the province, 

 both in talent and in wealth. James Logan, already 

 mentioned, a man of trained and powerful intellect, was 

 the famous secretary to William Penn, and long outlived 

 his chief : the Loganian Library, his bequest to the 

 citizens of Philadelphia, attests his culture and his 

 scholarship, and his beautiful old colonial mansion of 

 Stenton stands yet in Germantown. He made scientific 

 experiments on the maize plant, demonstrating that the. 

 pollen was conveyed to the ovary, and was the effective 

 agent in producing seed. These were communicated to 



