88 KEPOKT OF THE COMMITTEE 



twelve. To keep up this number, it would have been 

 necessary, in all probability, to elect much younger 

 men than those that remained of the original body. 

 Instead, therefore, of bringing in younger men, they 

 may have induced twelve, in whom they reposed con- 

 fidence, to form a similar association and with the 

 same name; for, if the original Club looked forward 

 to its extinction, and kept its existence to a certain 

 extent secret, it would rather desire than otherwise 

 that the new association should take its name. The 

 probability of the view here presented, is strength- 

 ened by the fact that several of the members of the 

 Society-Junto were sons of members of the Franklin- 

 Junto, as William Franklin, Philip Syng, Jr., and 

 George Eoberts. 



Thus it is perceived that, adopting either of the 

 suppositions suggested, the two associations would 

 have had the same name and organization, and the 

 simultaneous existence of a second Junto would have 

 indicated neither opposition nor insult to the Frank- 

 lin-Junto. 



Towards the close of his paper, Mr. Du Ponceau 

 speaks of the, two parties, aristocratic and popular, 

 into which the inhabitants of Pennsylvania were 

 divided in 1768, and for some years previously, and 

 correctly remarks that the artistocratic .party made 

 up the principal part of the Philosophical Society; 

 while the American Society was composed of members 

 from the popular party. Setting out from this gen- 



