Benjamin Franklin Part 42

That Philadelphia, being the city nearest the centre of the continent colonies, communicating with all of them northward and southward by post, and with all the islands by sea, and having the advantage of a good growing library, be the centre of the Society.

That at Philadelphia there be always at least seven members, viz. a physician, a botanist, a mathematician, a chemist, a mechanician, a geographer, and a general natural philosopher, besides a president, treasurer, and secretary.

That these members meet once a month, or oftener, at their own expense, to communicate to each other their observations and experiments, to receive, read, and consider such letters, communications, or queries as shall be sent from distant members; to direct the dispersing of copies of such communications as are valuable, to other distant members, in order to procure their sentiments thereupon.

That the subjects of the correspondence be: all new-discovered plants, herbs, trees, roots, their virtues, uses, &c.; methods of propagating them, and making such as are useful, but particular to some plantations, more general; improvements of vegetable juices, as ciders, wines, &c.; new methods of curing or preventing diseases; all new-discovered fossils in different countries, as mines, minerals, and quarries; new and useful improvements in any branch of mathematics; new discoveries in chemistry, such as improvements in distillation, brewing, and a.s.saying of ores; new mechanical inventions for saving labour, as mills and carriages, and for raising and conveying of water, draining of meadows, &c.; all new arts, trades, and manufactures, that may be proposed or thought of; surveys, maps, and charts of particular parts of the sea-coasts or inland countries; course and junction of rivers and great roads, situation of lakes and mountains, nature of the soil and productions; new methods of improving the breed of useful animals; introducing other sorts from foreign countries; new improvements in planting, gardening, and clearing land; and all philosophical experiments that let light into the nature of things, tend to increase the power of man over matter, and multiply the conveniences or pleasures of life.

That a correspondence, already begun by some intended members, shall be kept up by this Society with the ROYAL SOCIETY of London, and with the DUBLIN SOCIETY.

That every member shall have abstracts sent him quarterly, of every thing valuable communicated to the Society's Secretary at Philadelphia; free of all charge except the yearly payment hereafter mentioned.

That, by permission of the postmaster-general, such communications pa.s.s between the Secretary of the Society and the members, postage-free.

That, for defraying the expense of such experiments as the Society shall judge proper to cause to be made, and other contingent charges for the common good, every member send a piece of eight per annum to the treasurer, at Philadelphia, to form a common stock, to be disbursed by order of the President with the consent of the majority of the members that can conveniently be consulted thereupon, to such persons and places where and by whom the experiments are to be made, and otherwise as there shall be occasion; of which disburs.e.m.e.nts an exact account shall be kept, and communicated yearly to every member.

That, at the first meetings of the members at Philadelphia, such rules be formed for regulating their meetings and transactions for the general benefit, as shall be convenient and necessary; to be afterwards changed and improved as there shall be occasion, wherein due regard is to be had to the advice of distant members.

That, at the end of every year, collections be made and printed, of such experiments, discoveries, and improvements, as may be thought of public advantage; and that every member have a copy sent him.

That the business and duty of the Secretary be to receive all letters intended for the Society, and lay them before the President and members at their meetings; to abstract, correct, and methodize such papers as require it, and as he shall be directed to do by the President, after they have been considered, debated, and digested in the Society; to enter copies thereof in the Society's books, and make out copies for distant members; to answer their letters by direction of the President, and keep records of all material transactions of the Society.

Benjamin Franklin, the writer of this Proposal, offers himself to serve the Society as their secretary, till they shall be provided with one more capable.

SHAVERS AND TRIMMERS

[From the _Pennsylvania Gazette_, June 23, 1743.]

Alexander Miller, Peruke-maker, in _Second-street, Philadelphia_, takes Opportunity to acquaint his Customers, that he intends to leave off the Shaving Business after the 22d of _August_ next.

TO MR. FRANKLIN

_Sir_,

It is a common Observation among the People of _Great Britain_ and _Ireland_, that the Barbers are reverenced by the lower Cla.s.ses of the Inhabitants of those Kingdoms, and in the more remote Parts of those Dominions, as the sole Oracles of Wisdom and Politicks. This at first View seems to be owing to the odd Bent of Mind and peculiar Humour of the People of those Nations: But if we carry this Observation into other Parts, we shall find the same Pa.s.sion equally prevalent throughout the whole civilized World; and discover in every little Market-Town and Village the 'Squire, the Exciseman, and even the Parson himself, listening with as much Attention to a Barber's News, as they would to the profound Revelations of a Chancellor of the Exchequer, or princ.i.p.al Secretary of State.

Antiquity likewise will furnish us with many Confirmations of the Truth of what I have here a.s.serted. Among the old _Romans_ the Barbers were understood to be exactly of the same Complection I have here described.

I shall not trouble your Readers with a Mult.i.tude of Examples taken from Antiquity. I shall only quote one Pa.s.sage in _Horace_, which may serve to ill.u.s.trate the Whole, and is as follows.

Strenuus et fortis, causisq; Philippus agendis Clarus, ab officiis octavam circiter horam Dum redit: atq; foro nimium distare carinas Jam grandis natu queritur, conspexit, ut aiunt, Adrasum quendam vacua tonsoris in umbra.

Cultello proprios purgantem leniter ungues.

Hor. Epist. Lib. I. 7.

By which we may understand, that the _Tonsoris Umbra, or_ Barber's Shop, was the common Rendezvous of every idle Fellow, who had no more to do than to pair his Nails, talk Politicks, and see, and to be seen.

But to return to the Point in Question. If we would know why the Barbers are so eminent for their Skill in Politicks, it will be necessary to lay aside the Appellation of Barber, and confine ourselves to that of Shaver and Trimmer, which will naturally lead us to consider the near Relation which subsists between Shaving, Tr.i.m.m.i.n.g and Politicks, from whence we shall discover that Shaving and Tr.i.m.m.i.n.g is not the Province of the Mechanic alone, but that there are their several Shavers and Trimmers at Court, the Bar, in Church and State.

And first, Shaving or Tr.i.m.m.i.n.g, in a strict mechanical Sense of the Word, signifies a cutting, sheering, lopping off, and fleecing us of those Excrescencies of Hair, Nails, Flesh, &c., which burthen and disguise our natural Endowments. And is not the same practised over the whole World, by Men of every Rank and Station? Does not the corrupt Minister lop off our Privileges and fleece us of our Money? Do not the Gentlemen of the long Robe find means to cut off those Excrescencies of the Nation, Highwaymen, Thieves and Robbers? And to look into the Church, who has been more notorious for shaving and fleecing, than that Apostle of Apostles, that Preacher of Preachers, the Rev. Mr. G. W.?[29]

But I forbear making farther mention of this spiritual Shaver and Trimmer, lest I should affect the Minds of my Readers as deeply as his Preaching has affected their Pockets.

The second Species of Shavers and Trimmers are those who, according to the _English_ Phrase, _make the best of a bad Market_: Such as cover (what is called by an eminent Preacher) _their poor Dust_ in tinsel Cloaths and gaudy Plumes of Feathers. A Star, and Garter, for Instance, adds Grace, Dignity and l.u.s.tre to a gross corpulent Body; and a competent Share of religious Horror thrown into the Countenance, with proper Distortions of the Face, and the Addition of a lank Head of Hair, or a long Wig and Band, commands a most profound Respect to Insolence and Ignorance. The Pageantry of the Church of _Rome_ is too well known for me to instance: It will not however be amiss to observe, that his Holiness the Pope, when he has a Mind to fleece his Flock of a good round Sum, sets off the Matter with Briefs, Pardons, Indulgencies, &c.

&c. &c.

The Third and last Kind of Shavers and Trimmers are those who (in Scripture Language) are carried away with every Wind of Doctrine. The Vicars of Bray, and those who exchange their Principles with the Times, may justly be referred to this Cla.s.s. But the most odious Shavers and Trimmers of this Kind, are a certain set of Females, called (by the polite World) JILTS. I cannot give my Readers a more perfect Idea of these than by quoting the following Lines of the Poet:

Fatally fair they are, and in their Smiles The Graces, little Loves, and young Desires inhabit: But they are false luxurious in their Appet.i.tes, And all the Heav'n they hope for, is Variety.

One Lover to another still succeeds, Another and another after that, And the last Fool is welcome as the former; 'Till having lov'd his Hour out, he gives his Place, And mingles with the Herd that went before him.

_Rowe's Fair Penitent._

Lastly, I cannot but congratulate my Neighbours on the little Favour which is shown to Shavers and Trimmers by the People of this Province.

The Business is at so low an Ebb, that the worthy Gentleman whose Advertis.e.m.e.nt I have chosen for the Motto of my Paper, acquaints us he will leave it off after the 22d of _August_ next. I am of Opinion that all possible Encouragement ought to be given to Examples of this Kind, since it is owing to this that so perfect an Understanding is cultivated among ourselves, and the Chain of Friends.h.i.+p is brightened and perpetuated with our good Allies, the _Indians_. The Antipathy which these sage Naturalists bear to Shaving and Tr.i.m.m.i.n.g, is well known.

_I am, Yours, &c._

TO THE PUBLICK

* * * Causis Philippus agendis Clarus, * * *

S. P. D.

[From the _Pennsylvania Gazette_, June 30, 1743.]

My Paper on Shavers and Trimmers, in the last _Gazette_, being generally condemn'd, I at first imputed it to the Want of Taste and Relish for Pieces of that Force and Beauty, which none but University-bred Gentlemen can _produce_: But upon Advice of Friends, whose Judgment I could depend on, I examined _myself_ and to my Shame must confess, that I found myself to be an uncirc.u.mcised Jew, whose Excrescencies of Hair, Nails, Flesh, &c. did burthen and disguise my Natural Endowments; but having my Hair and Nails since lopp'd off and shorn, and my fleshly Excrescencies circ.u.mcised, I now appear in my wonted l.u.s.tre, and expect a speedy Admission among the _Levites_, which I have already the Honour of among the Poets and Natural Philosophers. I have one Thing more to add, which is, That I had no real Animosity against the Person whose Advertis.e.m.e.nt I made the Motto of my Paper; but (as may appear to all who have been Big with Pieces of this Kind) what I had long on my Mind, I at last unburden'd myself of. O! these JILTS still run in my Mind.

N. B. The Publick perhaps may suppose this Confession forced upon me; but if they _repair_ to the P---- Pe in Second-street, they may see Me, or the Original hereof under my own Hand, and be convinced that this is genuine.

PREFACE TO LOGAN'S TRANSLATION OF "CATO MAJOR"[30]

The Printer to the Reader

This Version of Cicero's Tract _de Senectute_, was made Ten Years since, by the Honourable and Learned Mr. Logan, of this City; undertaken partly for his own Amus.e.m.e.nt, (being then in his 60th Year, which is said to be nearly the Age of the Author when he wrote it) but princ.i.p.ally for the Entertainment of a Neighbour then in his grand Climacteric; and the Notes were drawn up solely on that Neighbour's Account, who was not so well acquainted as himself with the Roman History and Language: Some other Friends, however, (among whom I had the Honour to be ranked) obtained Copies of it in MS. And, as I believed it to be in itself equal at least, if not far preferable to any other Translation of the same Piece extant in our Language, besides the Advantage it has of so many valuable Notes, which at the same time they clear up the Text, are highly instructive and entertaining; I resolved to give it an Impression, being confident that the Publick would not unfavourably receive it.

A certain Freed-man of _Cicero's_ is reported to have said of a medicinal Well, discovered in his Time, wonderful for the Virtue of its Waters in restoring Sight to the Aged, That it was a Gift of the bountiful G.o.ds to Men, to the end that all might now have the Pleasure of reading his Master's Works. As that Well, if still in being, is at too great a Distance for our Use, I have, _Gentle Reader_, as thou seest, printed this Piece of _Cicero's_ in a large and fair Character, that those who begin to think on the Subject of Old Age, (which seldom happens till their Sight is somewhat impair'd by its Approaches) may not, in Reading, by the _Pain_ small Letters give the Eyes, feel the _Pleasure_ of the Mind in the least allayed.

I shall add to these few Lines my hearty Wish, that this first Translation of a _Cla.s.sic_ in this _Western World_, may be followed with many others, performed with equal Judgment and Success; and be a happy Omen, that _Philadelphia_ shall become the Seat of the _American_ Muses.

Philadelphia, Febr. 29. 1743/4.

TO JOHN FRANKLIN, AT BOSTON[31]

Philadelphia [March 10], 1745.