12 
cation of the atmosphere, and hence familliarly termed “ the 
lungs of the city.” Mr. Eli K. Price tells us, in his admirable 
report on the subject, that “ The advertisement annexed to the 
‘ List of first purchasers’ contains these words : ‘ In the centre of 
the city is a square of ten acres ; at each angle are to be houses for 
public affairs, as a meeting house, assembly or state-house, mar¬ 
ket-house, school-house, and several other buildings for public 
concerns. There are also in each quarter of the city a square of 
eight acres, to be of like uses as the Moorfields in London.’ City 
Ordinances of 1851, page 408 ; Return of Surveys in the City 
Survey department, 1st Book, p. 136, No. of surveys 416. This 
plan was made in 1683. 1 Wharton’s reports 469, 475.” 
But if the occupancy of the Penn squares shall be finally denied, 
it is the present intention of the existing Board that no time 
shall be lost in securing the most elligible site procurable with 
our means for the new edifice, the erection of which will be then 
postponed only until the condition of the building-fund shall 
warrant its ommencement. The duration of such postponement 
will be measured in a manner by the promptness with which our 
generous and public spirited fellow citizens, to many of whom 
the Academy is greatly indebted, shall increase the building 
fund until it shall be ample enough to purchase a site and also to 
erect upon it the edifice required. 
The whole is submitted. 
W. S. W. Ruschenberger, 
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Building-Fund. 
