Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/392

388 preference to the briefer Address they had approved. To his Humble Representation he added this Postscript: As many pious Persons and Friends of Literature, whom the Writer of this cannot possibly know of, nor wait upon at their respective Places of abode, may be desirous of contributing to this useful Seminary, they will be pleased to observe that Benefactions will be received for it by the fol- lowing Gentlemen, Bankers, viz : Sir Charles Asgill and Company, Lom- bard Street, and Mess Drummond and Company, at Charing Cross. He had not yet communicated with David Barclay & Co. He presented his letters to Mr. Thomas Penn who received him graciously and promised to forward his scheme all in his power. " It is impossible, indeed, forme" he writes " to express how hearty and zealous Mr. Penn is in this business." On 19 March he waited upon Dr. Seeker the Archbishop of Canterbury, and from him he "obtained the hint that if a Brief should be sought for by him that there had been so many applications of that sort of late, that he feared it would produce but little." The Arch- bishop of York promised him also his countenance and aid. On his arrival Dr. Smith had discovered there were two prime ways for him to pursue in making his collections ; his Humble Rep- resentation was in print, but it must be employed with skill ; he could either communicate personally and upon influential intro- duction to the individual wealthy and well disposed, or seek the other plan, which was more formal but of the highest influence, that of attaining a Royal Brief ; and he soon decided to make application for this. The Brief was the technical term given to letters patent written in the royal name to the incumbent of every parish in England, directing him to recommend to his congregation some charitable object which the King was particularly desirous of promoting, and authorising Collections to be made by specially appointed Commissioners ' from house to house' these are the words of the Brief throughout the Kingdom in aid of the under- taking. 2 The following clauses of the Brief describe its authority and scope. And therefore in pursuance of the Tenor of an Act of Parliament, 2 Memoirs of the Rev. William Smith, D. D. C. J. Stille, p 25.