Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/400

the institution than formerly there can be but little doubt ; but his lukewarmness now was rather to the representative than the constituent. Dr. Smith's plans for Collections were not put at once into execution as he soon recognized, as we have seen, the value and importance of securing a Royal Brief, although he had obtained some of the first fruits of his visit ; his prime efforts being reserved until armed with the plenitude of the Brief. He did not receive a copy of the Fiat of the Brief until 1 8 August, which was formally issued on the 19th, while Dr. Franklin was on board ship on 17 August in the Downs waiting a favorable wind to carry him home. 3 The latter had no influence at Court wherewith to impede Dr. Smith's steps, and he was on the sea when the Brief was issued. No intimation occurs in his letters to the Trustees implying he had met with any obstacles by Franklin, which had they existed would have been eminently proper for him to inform them of, if only to relieve himself from the imputation of neglecting their special instructions in the premises ; indeed, it has been seen, that he made Dr. Franklin the bearer of his first statement of receipts to the Trustees, 4 which he would have been relieved from had any imputation arisen of Dr. Franklin's efforts to thwart his plans. The only allusion to an opposition of Dr. Franklin to his work occurs in a private letter of Dr. Smith, where he recites that an eminent Dissenter called on me, and let me know that Dr Franklin took uncommon pains to misrepresent our Academy, before he went away, to sundry of their people, saying, that it was a narrow, bigoted institution, put into the hands of the Proprietary party as an engine ot government ; that the Dissenters had no influence in it (though, God knows, all the Professors but myself are of that persuasion) with many things grievously reflecting upon the principal persons concerned in it ; that the country and Province would readily support it if were not for these things ; that we have no occa- sion to beg ; and that my zeal proceeds from a fear of its sinking, and my losing my livelihood. * * * The virulence of Dr Franklin on this 'Bigelow iii. 210. 4 Smith i. 306, 319, " ,300. of the cash I sent Mr. Coleman on account by Mr. Franklin. * * I wonder you should desire to know what I collected before Dr. Jay came over. I sent an exact list of it to Mr. Coleman by Mr. Franklin, and he received it." Letter 24 April, 1763.