In1751, , aparticularfriendofmine, conceivedtheideaofestablishingahospitalinPhiladelphia (averybeneficentdesign, whichhasbeenascrib'dtome, butwasoriginallyhis), forthereceptionandcureofpoorsickpersons, , buttheproposalbeinganoveltyinAmerica, andatfirstnotwellunderstood, hemetbutwithsmallsuccess.
Atlengthhecametomewiththecomplimentthathefoundtherewasnosuchthingascarryingapublicspiritedprojectthroughwithoutmybeingconcern'dinit."For," sayshe, "Iamoftenask'dbythosetowhomIproposesubscribing, HaveyouconsultedFranklinuponthisbusiness? Andwhatdoeshethinkofit? AndwhenItellthemthatIhavenot (supposingitratheroutofyourline), theydonotsubscribe, butsaytheywillconsiderofit." Ienquiredintothenatureandprobableutilityofhisscheme, andreceivingfromhimaverysatisfactoryexplanation, Inotonlysubscrib'dtoitmyself, butengag', however, tothesolicitation, Iendeavouredtopreparethemindsofthepeoplebywritingonthesubjectinthenewspapers, whichwasmyusualcustominsuchcases, butwhichhehadomitted.
Intheevening, hearingagreatnoiseamongthem, thecommissionerswalk'douttoseewhatwasthematter.
