( 4S6 ) 

 NOTES ON CHAPTER XXIII. 



American Philosophical Society, p. 259. 



JL HE following brief notices respecting the rise and progress 

 of this institution, and its situation in 1803, are extracted from 

 a private letter, addressed to the author by a member of the 

 association. 



" In the year 1743 a society was formed in Philadelphia, 

 taking the name of The American Philosophical Society. Its 

 most early and active members were, Benjamin Franklin, 

 Dr. Thomas Bond, Rev. Dr. Francis Alison, Rev. John 

 Ewing, Rev. Dr. William Smith, and Mr. David Rit- 

 tenhouse. 



" In the year 1766 another society was formed, under the 

 name of The American Society for promoting and propa- 

 gating useful Knowledge in Philadelphia. Among its most 

 active members appear to have been Messrs. Charles 

 Thompson, Edmund Physick, Isaac Paschall, Owen 

 Biddle, Moses Bartram, and Isaac Bartram. 



" The chief business of the former of these societies seems 

 to have been the making and receiving of communications 

 on various philosophical subjects; and of the latter, the pro- 

 posing and discussing of questions on a great variety of sub- 

 jects, chiefly philosophical and political: and among these it 

 is impossible not to discern strong symptoms of that spirit of 

 freedom which was soon to discover itself in the American 

 revolution. 



" In the beginning of the year 1769 these two societies 

 united, under the name of The American Philosophical So- 

 ciety, held at Philadelphia, for promoting useful Knowledge. 

 The elder branch, at the time of the union, contained 144 

 members, including 80 corresponding members; and the 

 younger branch contained 128 members. Several gentlemen, 

 however, were at this time members of both. 



" The society was incorporated, by an act of the Legislature 

 of Pennsylvania, in the year 1780. Aided by the munifi- 

 cence of the State, and liberal donations of individuals, they 

 have now erected, on a lot of ground in the State-House 

 square, a commodious, and not inelegant building, where 

 they keep their museum and library, and hold their meetings. 



