Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/417

Rh Col. Barre has been kind in introducing me to sundry persons. But you must not think that all this produces very great Sums. And he then proceeds to portray a curious picture of the con- ditions under which his plans were pursued. We are by the Brief entirely prevented from applying to the middling rank of people, for if we were to go to them (which indeed is hardly pos- sible in any large Degree) none of the Parish Ministers would be at the pains to carry round the Brief, and then as to People of Fortune who can afford something extraordinary, it is almost impossible to get at them, or to get anything from them but by a particular interest, they are so harassed with an infinity of Charities; and then when they are disposed to give you must call twenty times perhaps before the matter is finished, so that you see the Brief must greatly interfere with all our private attempts to collect, not only as barring our applications to all that set of people who could be most readily got at, but likewise furnishing others with an excuse to put us off by saying they have given or will give to the Brief. * * * On sum- ming up my Book I find that including Mr Penn' s Benefaction I have ^1700 to the credit of our College without the Brief Money our share of which will certainly amount to as much more. * * * On Wednesday next we are to have a Benefit oratorio at Drury Lane and Mr Beard leaves his own House to perform for us at the other, and will give a benefit himself next winter, but could not do it now on account of a Week lost to him by the late riots at his house, viz : Covent Garden. Mr Garrick has been exceed- ingly kind in the matter and gave his house at first asking and was sorry that the season was so far advanced and that he had no night disengaged sooner. The principal performers, vocal and instrumental, serve Gratis and we are favoured by the Boys from the Chapel Royal, and every other mark of Distinction. Mr Tyers even put off the opening of Vaux Hall, which was fixed on Wednesday next in order to favour us. But after all the season is so far advanced and so warm that we doubt it will turn out to no great advantage. If the house fill it may be ^200. If not, the expense will be certainly cleared. And as Dr Brown kept his performance for this purpose agreeable to a promise given me at Newcastle we could not refuse it, at the time we could get it on. I enclose you a copy of this performance as also Dr Brown' s Sermon, with one by Mr Watson on account of our Brief ; so that you see we begin to be taken notice of. There has been many a good Sermon on this subject, which the Circular Letter sent with the Brief con- tributed much to produce. And indeed I rejoice more in having been the writer of that letter than anything I ever wrote, it has been so well received. The postscript to this letter contains the germ of a future controversy.