[Footnote 130: This society continues. The plan of it was discussed by the Junto, from which came six of the nine original members. Its investigations were to be in botany, medicine, mineralogy and mining, mathematics, chemistry, mechanics, arts, trades and manufactures, geography, topography, agriculture, and "all philosophical experiments that let light into the nature of things, tend to increase the power of man over matter, and multiply the conveniences and pleasures of life." "Benjamin Franklin, the writer of this proposal, offers himself to serve the society as their secretary till they shall be provided with one more capable."] [Footnote 131: The Pennsylvania legislature.] [Footnote 132: At this time lotteries were used for raising money to support the government, to carry on wars, and to build churches, colleges, roads, etc. They were not then looked upon as fostering gambling.] [Footnote 133: The walls of defense between the openings for the cannon.] [Footnote 134: Retaliation.] [Footnote 135: See Note 2, p. 181.] [Footnote 136: A sect of German-American Baptists, whose name comes from the German _tunken_ ("to immerse").] [Footnote 137: It is still used, and called the "Franklin stove."] § 7. PROJECTS FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD. Peace being concluded, and the association business therefore at an end, I turned my thoughts again to the affair of establishing an academy. The first step I took was to associate in the design a number of active friends, of whom the Junto furnished a good part. The next was to write and publish a pamphlet entitled "Proposals relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania." This I distributed among the principal inhabitants gratis; and as soon as I could suppose their minds a little prepared by the perusal of it, I set on foot a subscription for opening and supporting an academy. It was to be paid in quotas yearly for five years. By so dividing it I judged the subscription might be larger, and I believe it was so, amounting to no less, if I remember right, than five thousand pounds. In the introduction to these Proposals I stated their publication, not as an act of mine, but of some "public-spirited gentlemen," avoiding as much as I could, according to my usual rule, the presenting myself to the public as the author of any scheme for their benefit. The subscribers, to carry the project into immediate execution, chose out of their number twenty-four trustees, and appointed Mr. Francis, then attorney-general, and myself to draw up constitutions for the government of the academy; which being done and signed, a house was hired, masters engaged, and the schools opened, I think, in the same year, 1749.