autumn, but am not yet determined. My wife arrived about a fortnight ago.” It will be seen hereafter, in 1754, that Whitefield’s suggestion was adopted, and a deputation came to England for the purpose he had mentioned. It is a curious coincidence, that, just at the time when Governor Belcher was obtaining a charter for the New Jersey College, Benjamin Franklin, then a member of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, was publishing his “Proposals relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania;” in other words, he was proposing to found an academy or college in Philadelphia. Franklin begged about £5000; the subscribers requested him and Mr. Francis, the Attorney-General, “to draw up constitutions for the government of the academy;” twenty-four trustees were chosen; a house was hired; masters engaged; and the schools opened. The scholars increasing fast, a larger building was found to be indispensable. The meeting-house, which had been built for Whitefield, in 1740, was burdened with an inconvenient debt; Franklin negotiated with the trustees to transfer it to the academy, on condition that the debt was paid, that the large hall should be kept open for occasional preachers, and that a free school should be maintained for the instruction of poor children. In due time, the trustees of the academy were incorporated by a royal charter; the funds were increased by contributions in Great Britain; and thus was established, in Whitefield’s meeting-house, by the celebrated Benjamin Franklin, the College of Philadelphia.[240] The following letter, addressed to Whitefield, refers to these transactions; and, in other respects, is interesting:―― “PHILADELPHIA, _July 6, 1749_. “DEAR SIR,――Since your being in England, I have received two of your favours, and a box of books to be disposed of. It gives me great pleasure to hear of your welfare, and that you purpose soon to return to America. “We have no kind of news here worth writing to you. The affair of the building remains in _statu quo_, there having been no new application to the Assembly about it, or anything done, in consequence of the former. “I have received no money on your account from Mr. Thanklin, or from Boston. Mrs. Read,[241] and your other friends here, in general, are well, and will rejoice to see you again.