His public life was too active to give more than the briefest sketch. His first public office was that of secretary to the governor in a conference between the latter and the Lehigh Indians. From now on, he held many offices, as secretary of the Library Company in 1759; 1772 Collector of the Port of New Castle; 1774 held a seat in Provincial Council of New Jersey; 1776 delegate to the Continental Congress; signer of the Declaration of Independence; 1779 Judge of the Admiralty from Pennsylvania; 1778 Trustee of the College of Philadelphia. Besides this, he wrote many political pieces of which “The Battle of the Kegs,” 1778, was the most popular. He was also for a time organist in Christ Church, instructor in psalmody, a pillar of the church, and an inventor of improvements for the harpsichord.[153] Our first knowledge that Hopkinson studied music is a notice in the magazine containing his “Ode on Music,” which remarks: “Written at Philadelphia by a young Gentleman of 17, on his beginning to learn the Harpsichord.”[154] The only professional music master at that time was John Beals,[155] but, later, 1757, came John Palma[156] and in 1763 James Bremner.[157] Hopkinson may have taken lessons from any or all of these men for all we know to the contrary; but it is certain that he was a pupil of Jas. Bremner, a Scotch musician of some note.[158] Hopkinson made his first public appearance as a musician probably in 1757 when the “Masque of Alfred”--words by Thompson-Mallett; music by Dr. Arne--was given at the College of Philadelphia as an exercise in oratory.[159] He may have been accompanist for this performance. It is interesting to note with what music Hopkinson was acquainted at this time and for this purpose I shall quote from Sonneck’s exhaustive work: “The torso of a book with the memorandum ‘Frances Hopkinson, 1755,’ attracts our attention. It is in manuscript, possibly of the owner. Most pieces have a figured base, and are Italian, French, English trios, songs, and duets, arranged for the harpsichord, amongst them for instance ‘A Song in the Triumph of Hibernia,’ an ‘Air in Atalanta’ by Händel, and a famous ‘Water Piece’ by the same author.”[160] Another book of manuscript bearing the date, 1759, contains pieces by “Händel with _ten_ pieces (Samson, evidently being Hopkinson’s favorite oratorio by the master), ‘Signor Palma,’ and ‘Signor Vinci’ both with four: Arne with two; Pepush (Alexis a Cantata!) Dr. Boyce, Pergolesi, and Purcell with one piece.”[161] A third volume called “Lessons”, date not given, contains, among others, compositions by: “Händel ‘who (_predominates_,) Scarlatti, Abel, Stamitz, Vivaldi, Galuppi, Pugnani, Stanley, Smith, [Schmidt], Pasquali, Giardini, Corelli, Geminiani, Lord Kelly.’”[162]