COMMUNICATION OF J. FRANCIS FISHEE. 149 



which he so fondly refers. For the present I leave 

 it, only hereafter referring to it to show that it did 

 not terminate by a union with the American Philo- 

 sophical Society. 



I believe there is no difference of opinion as to the 

 origin of the Society of 1743 of which Benjamin 

 Franklin was certainly the projector as may be seen 

 by his Proposals dated May 14, 1743. 



This was to be not merely a Club like the Junto, 

 but truly a Philosophical Society on as extensive a 

 scale as the state of the Country would admit of, to 

 consist only of men who had some pretention to 

 scientific attainments, & to embrace as many as pos- 

 sible of such in all parts of America. Each mem- 

 ber, as may be seen in the list given by Franklin in 

 his letter to D r Colden, selected his own department 

 or committee. Their meetings were to be monthly, or 

 oftener, for the sake of receiving letters & communi- 

 cations, witnessing, experiments &c. They were to 

 publish a Quarterly Bulletin of Proceedings, and at 

 the end of the year collections of such experiments, 

 discoveries and improvements as may be thought of 

 public advantage. In fact, this is really the Model 

 and Germ of our Society. To it we must look back as 

 to our earliest progenitor and, when May 1843 arrives, 

 can properly celebrate our Centennial Anniversary. 



The first President of this Society was Thomas 

 Hopkinson, Franklin being Secretary. How long it 



