and made to abuse his old Friend. Both Authors and Printers were angry. Hard Names, and many, were bestow'd on me. They deny'd me to be the Author of my own works; declar'd there never was any such Person; asserted that I was dead 60 Years ago; prognosticated my Death to happen within a Twelvemonth: with many other malicious Inconsistences, the Effects of blind Passion, Envy at my Success; and a vain Hope of depriving me, (dear Reader) of thy wonted Countenance and Favour. Who knows him? they cry: Where does he live? But what is that to them? If I delight in a private Life, have they any Right to drag me out of my Retirement? I have good Reasons for concealing the Place of my Abode. 'Tis time for an old Man, as I am, to think of preparing for his great Remove. The perpetual Teasing of both Neighbours and Strangers, to calculate Nativities, give Judgments on Schemes, erect Figures, discover Thieves, detect Horse-Stealers, describe the Route of Run-aways and stray'd Cattle; The Croud of Visitors with a 1000 trifling Questions; Will my Ship return safe? Will my Mare win the Race? Will her next Colt be a Pacer? When will my Wife die? Who shall be my Husband, and HOW LONG first? When is the best time to cut Hair, trim Cocks, or sow Sallad? These and the like Impertinences I have now neither Taste nor Leisure for. I have had enough of 'em. All that these angry Folks can say, will never provoke me to tell them where I live. I would eat my Nails first. My last Adversary is J. Jn, Philomat., who declares and protests (in his preface, 1741) that the false Prophecy put in my Almanack, concerning him, the Year before, 1 John Jerman. VOL. II-Q is altogether false and untrue: and that I am one of Baal's jalse Prophets. This false, false Prophecy he speaks of, related to his Reconciliation with the Church of Rome; which, notwithstanding his Declaring and Protesting, is, I fear, too true. Two Things in his elegiac Verses confirm me in this Suspicion. He calls the first of November by the Name of All Hallows Day. Reader; does not this smell of Popery? Does it in the least savour of the pure Language of Friends? But the plainest Thing is; his Adoration of Saints, which he confesses to be his Practice, in these Words, page 4. "When any Trouble did me befal, To my dear Mary then I would call.” Did he think the whole World were so stupid as not to take Notice of this? So ignorant as not to know, that all Catholicks pay the highest Regard to the Virgin Mary? Ah! Friend John, we must allow you to be a Poet, but you are certainly no Protestant. I could heartily wish your Religion were as good as your Verses. RICHARD SAUNDERS.1 1 In the following Year John Jerman wrote in the Preface to his "American Almanack": "To the READERS, Here is presented to your View and Service, an Almanack for the Year 1743 according to my yearly Method, so I hope it needs no Explanation. I have put down the Judgment of the Weather as usual, and as I find the Aspects and Positions of the Planets to signifie; but no Man can be infallible therein, by reason of the many contrary Causes happening at or near the same Time, and the inconstancy of the Summer Showers and Gusts, being very often great Rain Hail and Thunder in one Place, and none at all in another Place within a few Miles distance. However I think mine comes as near the Matter as any other, if not nearer. The Reader may expect a Reply from me to R- Srs alias BFns facetious Way of proving me no Protestant. I do hereby protest, that for that and such kind of Usage the Printer of that witty Performance 34. RULES OF HEALTH AND LONG LIFE1 EAT and drink such an exact Quantity as the Constitution of thy Body allows of, in reference to the Services of the Mind. They that study much, ought not to eat so much as those that work hard, their Digestion being not so good. The exact Quantity and Quality, being found out, is to be kept to constantly. Excess in all other Things whatever, as well as in Meat and Drink, is also to be avoided. Youth, Age, and Sick, require a different Quantity. And so do those of contrary Complexions; for that which is too much for a phlegmatick Man, is not sufficient for a Cholerick. The Measure of Food ought to be (as much as possibly may be) exactly proportionable to the Quality and Condition of the Stomach, because the Stomach digests it. That Quantity that is sufficient, the Stomach can perfectly concoct and digest, and it sufficeth the due Nourishment of the Body. A greater Quantity of some things may be eaten than of others, some being of lighter Digestion than others. The Difficulty lies, in finding out an exact Measure; but eat for Necessity, not Pleasure, for Lust knows not where Necessity ends. shall not have the Benefit of my Almanack for this Year. To avoid further Contention, and judging it unnecessary to offer any Proofs to those of my Acquaintance that I am not a Papist, I shall with these few Lines conclude and give place to what I think more agreeable to my Readers. 1 From Poor Richard, 1742. John Jerman." 1 Wouldst thou enjoy a long Life, a healthy Body, and a vigorous Mind, and be acquainted also with the wonderful Works of God, labour in the first place to bring thy Appetite into Subjection to Reason. 35. A PROPOSAL FOR PROMOTING USEFUL KNOWLEDGE AMONG THE Philadelphia, May 14, 1743. THE English are possessed of a long tract of continent, from Nova Scotia to Georgia, extending north and south through different climates, having different soils, producing different plants, mines, and minerals, and capable of different improvements, manufactures, &c. The first drudgery of settling new colonies, which confines the attention of people to mere necessaries, is now pretty well over; and there are many in every province in circumstances that set them at ease, and afford leisure to cultivate the finer arts and improve the common stock of knowledge. To such of these who are men of speculation, many hints must from time to time arise, many observations occur, which if well examined, pursued, and improved, might produce discoveries to the advantage of some or all of the British plantations, or to the benefit of mankind in general. 1 This paper appears to contain the first suggestion, in any public form, for an American Philosophical Society. It was originally printed on a separate sheet, as a circular letter, and sent by the author to his different correspondents.-S. But as from the extent of the country such persons are widely separated, and seldom can see and converse or be acquainted with each other, so that many useful particulars remain uncommunicated, die with the discoverers, and are lost to mankind; it is, to remedy this inconvenience for the future, proposed, That one society be formed of virtuosi or ingenious men, residing in the several colonies, to be called The American Philosophical Society, who are to maintain a constant correspondence. That Philadelphia, being the city nearest the centre of the continent colonies, communicating with all of them northward and southward by post, and with all the islands by sea, and having the advantage of a good growing library, be the centre of the Society. That at Philadelphia there be always at least seven members, viz. a physician, a botanist, a mathematician, a chemist, a mechanician, a geographer, and a general natural philosopher, besides a president, treasurer, and secretary. That these members meet once a month, or oftener, at their own expense, to communicate to each other their observations and experiments, to receive, read, and consider such letters, communications, or queries as shall be sent from distant members; to direct the dispersing of copies of such communications as are valuable, to other distant members, in order to procure their sentiments thereupon. That the subjects of the correspondence be: all newdiscovered plants, herbs, trees, roots, their virtues, uses, &c.; methods of propagating them, and making such as |