Room, by a Majority of Votes." The influence wielded by Logan on behalf of the Academy could well be carried on by his son-in-law, Isaac Norris, the foremost Friend of his day; and Hopkinson's tastes for science would find just representation in Cadwalader who a few years later could exert his influence toward the development of the Medical Department of the College and Academy. Some notice of these two prominent worthies must be given here, before we look further into the work of the growing institution in whose direction they were now to participate.
Isaac Norris, son of Isaac Norris, the Councillor, was born in Philadelphia, 3 October, 1701. His father brought him up to a mercantile life, after fitting him by a trained education to take his proper place among his fellows He was endowed with good natural abilities, had received an excellent education, and might indeed be called learned; for, in addition to a knowledge of Hebrew, he wrote in Latin and French with ease, and his reading was extensive. He possessed a fine library containing many of the best editions of the classics, and was a liberal patron of literature.[1]
He had twice visited Europe for travel, and in 1743 he retired from mercantile life, and as he expressed it "lived downright in the country way." But before this his talents and aptitude for public affairs, call them politics if you will, brought him before his fellow townsmen prominently, and he had been sent to the Assembly in 1734. He here encountered as a staunch Friend the demands of the provincial government for money to arm the colony against the foreign enemy, and resisted and successfully opposed the requisition. He became the leader of the Quaker party. The Proprietaries now were Churchmen and personally had lost the respect of their great ancestor's co-religionists. The Friends had in 1710 granted a sum to Queen Anne for the reduction of Canada, but it was accompanied by an explanation that their principles forbad war, but commanded them to pay tribute and yield obedience to the power God had set over them in all things so far as their religious persuasions would permit. But now, they were not willing to place funds for such purpose
- ↑ Geo. W. Norris, M. D., in Penn'a Magazine, i. 449.
