1

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educated at Glafgow) has been long accustomed to teach the latter, and Mr. Grew the former; and I think their pupils make great progrefs. Mr. Alifon has the care of the Latin and Greek fchool, but as he has now three good affiftants †, he can very well afford fome hours every day for the inftruction of those who are engaged in higher ftudies. The mathematical fchool is pretty well furnished with inftruments. The English library is a good one; and we have belonging to it a middling apparatus for experimental philofophy, and purpose speedily to complete it. The Loganian library, one of the best collections in America, will shortly be opened; fo that neither books nor inftruments will be

* Mr. Theophilus Grew, afterwards profeffor of mathematics in the college.

†Thofe affiftants were at that time Mr. Charles Thomson, late secretary of congrefs, Mr. Paul Jackfon, and Mr. Jacob Duche.

wanting;

234

wanting; and as we are determined always to give good falaries, we have rea fon to believe we may have always an opportunity of choofing good mafters; upon which, indeed, the fuccefs of the whole depends. We are obliged to you for your kind offers in this refpect, and when you are fettled in England, we may occafionally make use of your friendship and judgment.—

If it suits your conveniency to vifit Philadelphia before your return to Eu rope, I shall be extremely glad to fee and converse with you here, as well as to correfpond with you

after

your fettlement in England; for an acquaintance and communication with men of learn

ing, virtue, and public fpirit, is one of
my greatest enjoyments.

I do not know whether you ever hap pened to see the first propofals I made for erecting this academy. I fend them inclosed. They had (however imperfect)

the

the defired fuccefs, being followed by a subscription of four thousand pounds, towards carrying them into execution. And as we are fond of receiving advice, and are daily improving by experience, I am in hopes we fhall, in a few years, fee a perfect inftitution.

I am very respectfully, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

Mr. W. Smith, Long-Ifland.

Sir,

Philad. May 3d, 1753

Mr. Peters has just now been with me, and we have compared notes on your new piece. We find nothing in the fcheme of education, however excellent, but what is, in our opinion, very practicable. The great difficulty will be to find the Aratus, and other fuitable persons, to carry

* The name given to the principal or head of the ideal college, the fyftem of education in which hath nevertheless

carry it into execution; but fuch may be had if proper encouragement be given. We have both received great pleasure in the perufal of it. For my part, I know not when I have read a piece that has more affected me-fo noble and juft are the fentiments, fo

warm and animated the language; yet

friends your

may

be of

as cenfure from more ufe, as well as more agreeable to you than praife, I ought to mention, that I wish you had omitted not only the quotation from the Review*, which you are now justly diffatisfied with, but those

nevertheless been nearly realized, or followed as a model, in the college and academy of Philadelphia, and fome other American feminaries, for many years past.

*The quotation alluded to (from the London Monthly Review for 1749), was judged to reflect too feverely on the discipline and government of the English univerfities of Oxford and Cambridge, and was expunged from the following editions of this work.

expreffions

expreffions of refentment against your adverfaries, in pages 65 and 79. In such cases, the nobleft victory is obtained by neglect, and by fhining on.

Mr. Allen has been out of town these ten days; but before he went he di rected me to procure him fix copies of your piece. Mr. Peters has taken ten. He purposed to have written to you; but omits it, as he expects fo foon to have the pleasure of feeing you here. He defires me to present his affectionate compliments to you, and to affure you that you will be very welcome to him. I fhall only fay, that you may depend on my doing all in my power to make your vifit to Philadelphia agreeable to you. I am, &c.