AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 33 



In that state of things, the high aristocratic party 

 could not see with unconcern that an obscure Club, 

 which till then had been unknown, should assume to 

 form themselves into a learned Society like those 

 which in Europe bore Eoyal titles and were under 

 the patronage of the King, the fountain of all honors, 

 and that they should be so independently of the Gov- 

 ernment which represented the King in the Province. 

 It was carrying the spirit of liberty too far, and they 

 determined to counteract it, as they had not the power 

 directly to forbid it. For that purpose, they could 

 think of nothing better than restoring to life the 

 Society which had been established in 1743, with the 

 participation of the men in power, and they took 

 immediate steps to effect it. 



The few members that remained of that abortive 

 Association, were easily collected, and their design 

 was made known, but whether they thought that 

 would be sufficient to check their antagonists, or from 

 some other cause, they did nothing until the month 

 of November 1767, when they added to their list 

 three new members, and offered membership to a 

 fourth, who refused it. 



The American Society, on their part, took no de- 

 cisive measure during that year, but went on in their 

 usual way; they talked of enlarging their Society, 

 as they expressed it, but did nothing to effect that 

 purpose, except electing a few members. The two 

 parties seemed to lie on their oars, watching each 



