NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 89 



Colden. I here publish this paper from the copy originally transmitted to Lieutenant 

 Governor Colden, by the celebrated American botanist, John Bartram. In this commu- 

 nication Franklin makes mention of himself as the writer of the proposal; and it ii 

 highly probable that the first idea of the institution originated with him. In a subse- 

 quent letter of Dr. Franklin, dated New- York, April 5, 1744, addressed to Dr. Colden, 

 and published in the American Medical and Philosophical Register, vol. 2. Franklin states, 

 that " so far as it relates to Philadelphia, the society is formed, and has had several meet- 

 ings to mutual satisfaction." Among the members at that time we find Thomas Godfrey, 

 the mathematician, William Parsons, the geographer, John Bartram, botanist, James 

 Alexander, Esq. of New-York, and Thomas Hopkinson, as president of the society. 

 About this period Dr. Colden became an active and most useful associate in this con- 

 federacy for the promotion of useful knowledge in British America. 



" A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge among the British Plantations in 



America. 



The English are possessed of a long tract of continent, from Nova Scotia to Georgia, 

 extending north and south through different climates, having different soils, producing 

 different plants, mines, and minerals, and capable of different improvements, manufac- 

 tures, &c. 



The first drudgery of settling new colonies, which confines the attention of people to 

 mere necessaries, is now pretty well over ; and there are many in every province in 

 circumstances that set them at ease, and afford leisure to cultivate the finer arts, and 

 improve the common stock of knowledge. To such of these who are men of speculation, 

 many hints must from time to time arise, many observations occur, which, if well ex- 

 amined, pursued, and improved, might produce discoveries to the advantage of some or 

 all of the British plantations, or to the benefit of mankind in general. 



But as, from the extent of the country, such persons are widely separated, and seldom 

 can see and converse, or be acquainted with each other, so that many useful particulars 

 remain uncommunicated, die with the discoverers, and are lost to mankind ; it is, to 

 remedy this inconvenience for the future, proposed, 



That one society be formed of virtuosi, or ingenious men, residing in the several 

 colonies, to be called The American Philosophical Society; who are to maintain a con- 

 stant correspondence. 



14 



