60 EEPOET OF THE COMMITTEE 



The Committee will first inquire why Franklin is 

 not mentioned as a member. This objection to the 

 supposition that Franklin was a member .of the 

 Society-Junto, is examined by Mr. Du Ponceau. He 

 says, p. 17, Franklin "was in England, and it was 

 unknown when he should return. He was probably 

 more considered at that time as the founder and 

 patron of that Club (for such in fact it was) than 

 as one of its active members. " Again, he remarks, 

 (page 18) "as his representative as it were, we 

 find his son William Franklin in this list of members, 

 though he does not appear to have been a very con- 

 stant attendant. He went often to the country, 

 probably to New Jersey, of which he was appointed 

 Governor about the time when this volume ends." 



In judging of the probability of these explanations, 

 it must be borne in mind that Franklin arrived in 

 England, accompanied by his son, in July 1757, and 

 returned with him on the 1st of Nov. 1762, after an 

 absence of more than five years. If the explanation 

 of Mr. Du Ponceau be admitted, it will go to show 

 that while Franklin, though a member, is omitted 

 to be mentioned on the minutes, because he was 

 absent in England, his son is at the same time 

 recognized as a member, and his absence from the 

 meetings, recorded twenty-one times. Is it con- 

 ceivable that the father would not be noticed at all 

 on the minutes, and the son so frequently, under 

 circumstances so similar for both, if the father had 



