Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/202

198 I753, 24 landing in London on I December. Franklin now writes him: Philadelphia, 27 November 1753. Dear Sir: Having written to you fully, 25 via Bristol, I have now little to add. Matters relating to the Academy remain in statu quo. The trustees would be glad to see a Rector established there, but they dread entering into new Engagements till they are got out of debt; and I have not yet got them wholly to my Opinion, that a good Professor or Teacher of the higher Branches of Learning, would draw so many Scholars as to pay great Part, if not the whole of his Salary. Thus, unless the Proprietors [of the provinces] shall think fit to put the finishing Hand to our Institution, it must, I fear, wait some few years longer before it can arrive at that State of Perfection, which to me it seems now capable of; and all the Pleasure I promised myself in seeing you settled among us, vanishes into smoke. But good Mr Collinson writes me Word that no Endeavors of his shall be wanting; and he hopes, with the Archbishop' s Assistance, to be able to prevail with our Proprietors. I pray God grant them success. My son presents his affectionate regards, with Dear Sir, yours, etc B. Franklin. P. S. I have not been favored with a line from you since you arrived in England. 28 Mr Smith at once communicated with the church authorities and sending the Archbishop of Canterbury a copy of his Mirania, received from him a reply on 10 December: I have read over your Mirania, and am pleased with the Design. It is a very comprehensive one, and if you cannot execute the whole you must go as far as you can. When you form it into a plan for public use, you will cut off some of those Luxuriances which perhaps are more of amusement than instruction. You see I am somewhat free with you. I shall be glad to find that the schemes for yourself are like to succeed, being confident you will do your duty conscientiously.

"Smith.i. 28,29. Dr. Franklin in his letter of 18 April, 1754, acknowledges Dr. Smith's letter of 1 8 October from England acquainting Franklin that he "had written largely" before that; and we have the Archbishop of Canterbury's letter of 13 September to Thomas Penn beginning, "The bearer of this, Mr. Wm. Smith, is desirous of being known and recommended to you, &c." His passage in return to America must have been a short one, especially if he had waited to present in person the Archbishop's letter of introduction to Thomas Penn ere he sailed; but the dates of this correspondence, and the biographer's record are not reconcilable. 25 This letter is not in existence. 26 Smith, i. 28; Bigelow, ii. 335. The draft of this letter in possession of Dr. T. Hewson Bache, on the third line reads, " A majority of the trustees I find would be glad," &c., &c. The postscript is not in Bigelow or Sparks, but is in the draft, as here given.