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of the meetings of this club, of founding a library, similar, in 

 many of its features, to those which had a fe^Y years previous 

 been formed in Philadelphia, under the auspices of Franklin ; 

 at Newport, by the generosity of Redwood, and at two or three 

 other places. 



The following call of a meeting is the first notice that we 

 have on record :■ — 



Whereas it has been proposed to set on foot subscriptions for 

 founding and endowing in the town of Salem a handsome Library of 

 valuable books, we, whose names are underwritten, apprehending the 

 same may be of very considerable use and benefit under proper regula- 

 tions, do hereby declare ourselves severally willing to afford our 

 respective assistance ; provided the terms of subscription shall be 

 agreeable, to which end we agree and engage to meet at the house of 

 Mrs. Hannah Prat, next Monday evening, being the last of this instant, 

 at 6 o'clock, there to discuss and determine upon the properest and 

 best methods of effecting so desirable a purpose. 



B. PicKMAN, Eben Putnam, 



Ich'd Plaisted, S. Higginson, 



Tho's Barnard, Wm. Pynchon, 



s. curwen, e. a. holyoke, 



Nath. Kopes, W". Walter. 

 TiMO. Orne, 



The meeting was held at Mrs. Prat's ; a public house, on the 

 corner of Essex and Washington streets, where the store of 

 Messrs. Ives & Smith is now situated. The following subscrip- 

 tion paper was then drawn up and signed : — 



Salem, March 31, 1760. 



We, the subscribers, sensible of the publick advantage of having a 

 well chosen Library in this Town, agree to form ourselves into a 

 society for that purpose, and hereby promise to pay to Stephen Hig- 

 ginson, Esq., the sums set against our names respectively, either in 

 Cash, Bills of Exchange or Books, agreeable to the Society at the 

 sterling Cost and charges, the money and Bills to be laid out in Books 

 in London conformably to a list agreed on by the Society. The whole 

 to remain deposited forever in some Koom in this Town provided by the 

 Society for this purpose, to the sole use of ourselves. Heirs or Assigns, 

 in the manner following, viz : That each five guineas shall entitle the 

 subscriber to be or to make one Proprietor and member and also to 



