28 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF THE 



delphia, for the education of youth, a project which, 

 however, was carried afterwards into full execution 

 and became the foundation of our University, but that 

 he was more successful in the year following, in pro- 

 posing and establishing a "Philosophical Society." 21 

 His success at that time was only temporary, but the 

 tree that he planted, after languishing for more than 

 a quarter of a century and being apparently dead, 

 suddenly revived and, by its union with the old 

 Junto, became one of the columns of our edifice. 



The first thing that Franklin did to effect that 

 noble .purpose, was to issue a "Proposal for promot- 

 ing useful knowledge among the British plantations 

 in America. ' ' It was in the form of a circular letter, 

 which the author put to his different correspondents. 

 In that letter, after noticing the vast extent of the 

 country, its various productions, and the improve- 

 ments, manufactures, etc., of which it was susceptible, 

 he observes "that the first drudgery of settling new 

 colonies was then pretty well over, and there were 

 many in every province, in circumstances that set 

 them at ease, and afforded them license to cultivate 

 the finer arts, and improve the common stock of 

 knowledge. To such of those as were men of specu- 

 lation, he addressed his plan which was: "That one 

 Society should be formed of virtuosi or ingenious 

 men, residing in the several colonies, to be established 

 in the City of Philadelphia, as the most central place, 



21 1 Sparks' " Franklin," 144. 



