1768 Benjamin Franklin ; Claude N. le Cat 99 



examined at length before the House of Commons in the 

 previous year and his examination, which was published 

 without the name of either printer or publisher, had greatly 

 enchanced his reputation. In an appreciative article in 

 the Gentleman's Magazine for July it was said that " the 

 questions in general are put with great subtilty and judg- 

 ment, and they are answered with such deep and familiar 

 knowledge of the subject, such precision and perspicuity, 

 such temper and yet such spirit, as do the greatest honour 

 to Dr. Franklin and justify the general opinion of his char- 

 acter and abilities.'' 



Few foreigners were entertained at the Club in this year. 

 Count Verri appeared in January ; Count Sarsfield in June. 

 In August Dr. Maty brought " Mr. Le Cat/' possibly the 

 noted French surgeon, who had made himself famous with 

 his pen as well as with his surgical implements, and 

 was now in his sixty-seventh year. He died next year. 

 John Obadiah Justamond, probably of French extraction 

 but long established in London as a surgeon, was likewise 

 a guest. He had published translations into English 

 of various French works. A series of his own papers was 

 issued after his death with the title of " Surgical Tracts." 

 He became F.R.S. in 1775. 



1768. This year opened auspiciously at the Club. The 

 Earl of Morton had never been more assiduous in his attend- 

 ance at the dinners. Out of twenty-one meetings from 

 I2th November 1767 to 2ist March 1768 he had only been 

 absent from two. He often invited two guests, mainly 

 men of distinction, and continued to " compliment " the 

 Club, as Josiah Colebrooke would say, with the choicest fruits 

 from his hot-houses. At the General Meeting in July he 

 was again unanimously re-elected President, and though 

 absent on that occasion he was in his place at the next 

 dinner. The last time that he presided was on 6th October. 

 He died on the i2th of that month. 



The Annual General Meeting for 1768 was held on 28th 

 July and was attended by twelve members, James Burrow 

 taking the Chair. The Treasurer's statement showed that 



