Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/369

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The year 1763 is noted for the offer of the Sargent prizes. At the meeting of 8 February, Franklin referred to the Trustees a letter he had received from Mr. John Sargent, a Merchant of London on the subject, about which there had been some con- ference when Franklin was in London, and shortly after he left there, Mr. Sargent wrote him on 1 2 August, 1 762, as follows : l Dr. Sir. By our Friends here I am enabled to convey the enclosed Trifles to you, which are the best I could meet with at present and cost five guineas each. You remember the Intention, viz : for the two best Performances at the general Meeting or Publick Act of your College or Seminary. The subject of one to be, in a short English Discourse, or Essay, ' ' on the reciprocal advantages arising from a perpetual Union between Great Britain and her American colonies." The other prize, for some Classical Exercise, that you shall think best suited to your Plan of Education and the ability of your young people. I submit to your Judgment whether the former shall be confined to your Students or left open to every one, whether of the Seminary or not. Yourself and Mr Norris your Speaker and any third [here the copy ends]. As Franklin felt unauthorized to accept Mr. Sargent's nomination of the subjects, he informed the Trustees that neither he nor Mr Norris inclined to do any- thing in the Matter, being clear of opinion that Mr. Sargent would not have mentioned them on this Occasion if he had been acquainted with the Trustees or the Constitution of the Academy. And therefore he desired the Trustees would take the whole under their care. 1 A letter of same date from Mr. Sargent's firm, Sargent, Aufrere & Co., to " Dr. Franklin at Portsmouth to be left at the Post House till called for" is with the American Philosophical Society, reading: " We have just sent you by the chan- nel of the Post Office the two Gold medals which you will apply as a mark of our good Wishes for your College, & now enclose a Letter of Credit which we hope you will never have occasion for, but if you should, we are perswaded the Name of B. M. da Costa whatever Port you are carried into will be respected and procure you all you wish, etc." William Temple Franklin in his Life and Works, 1818, oct., l; p. 180, says his Grandfather " on his return to Philadelphia from England in 1775 carried thence two large gold medals given by Mr. Sargent, one of his friends, to be bestowed as prizes, &c., &c. ;" but the author confounded this with the for- mer voyage home. Dr. Franklin sailed from Portsmouth in the latter part of Au- gust, 1762, and brought then with him these medals. He did not reach Philadel- phia, however, until ist November following.