140 ADDITIONAL DATA. 



possession of any of the papers &c. which belong to it., 

 I think I saw them all some years ago in my Father's 

 possession and have no doubt but that they are so still. 

 I question whether any of the persons who met to 

 revive it were ever Members, except Dr. Bond and S. 

 Ehoads; & I think before they attempted to revive it 

 they should have summoned a Meeting of all the old 

 Members, & consulted them on the occasion. If they 

 refused to join in the Measure then the others might 

 have endeavored to form a new Society either upon 

 the old plan or some other. But I fancy their scheme 

 in calling this a Eevival of the old Society is to induce 

 my Father to countenance it, or by making use of his 

 Name to engage his Friends & Connections. How- 

 ever, you may rely that the Bait won't take with me r 

 & I am very happy to find that it has not with you." 

 Franklin Papers in A. P. S., Vol. 47, page 43. 



CADWALADEK EVANS TO BENJAMIN FEANKLIN. 



PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 27, 1769. 



. . . "I have not attended the meetings of our So- 

 ciety for ten months past because I must have been a 

 solemn witness to transactions inconsistent with my 

 Judgment or perpetually engaged in party disputa- 

 tions; both of which were irksome to me. . . . When 

 Dr. Bond proposed to me the plan of the last Society, 

 with Smith and Ewing for Secretaries, I told him 

 I could not join them, because I considered ye objects 

 or purposes of the institution were inquiries after 



