61 



been a member? It is true that Mr. Du Ponceau 

 suggests that Franklin was considered rather as the 

 founder and patron of the Club, than as one of its 

 active members; but granting this, would not the 

 Society-Junto be anxious, nevertheless, to recognize 

 him as a member, if he were such, and record him 

 as absent in England, as they did his son. Again, 

 Mr. Du Ponceau remarks in the same page (18), The 

 Club " would probably have been dissolved, like so 

 many others, if Franklin had not exerted himself 

 by his presence while here, and by his correspondence 

 while abroad, to keep it alive. " The Committee 

 would here inquire how far the above surmises tally 

 with the supposition, just before expressed by Mr. 

 Du Ponceau, that Franklin, inasmuch as he was 

 never mentioned on the minutes of the Society-Junto, 

 was considered rather as the founder and patron of 

 the Club than as an active member! 



But, in tracing the progress of the Society-Junto, 

 a new objection arises to the supposition that Frank- 

 lin was one of its early members. This Junto, under 

 the changed name of "The American Society for 

 promoting and propagating Useful Knowledge, held 

 in Philadelphia, " which was adopted on the 13th of 

 Dec. 1766, elected Franklin one of its members, on 

 the 19th of February 1768. The name was again 

 changed in September 1768, the new title given be- 

 ing "The American Society held at Philadelphia for 

 promoting Useful Knowledge, " which name it con- 



