Richard Peters (& Benjamin Franklin) | Inscribed by Franklin to a subscriber to the Academy of Philadelphia

Richard Peters (& Benjamin Franklin)

A Sermon on Education. Wherein Some Account is given of the Academy, established in the City of Philadelphia, Preach'd at the Opening thereof, on the Seventh Day of January, 1750–51. … Idea of the English School, Sketch'd out for the Consideration of the Trustees of the Philadelphia Academy. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall, at the Post-Office, MDCCLI (1751)

Demy 8vo (202 x 126 mm). Two woodcut headpieces, one historiated (Miller 36 and 37), Franklin's Idea appended with separate signatures and pagination; some browning and foxing. Publisher's blue wrappers; stained, spine perished, sewing lost, but text block still neatly quired, with original stab-sewing-holes. Blue cloth portfolio gilt.

First edition; presentation copy inscribed by Benjamin Franklin on the front free endpaper: "For Mr. Sam'l Austin | one of the subscribers to the | Academy." Samuel Austin and his wife, Sarah Keen, were the parents of Sarah Austin, who was the second wife of Commodore John Barry, sometimes called “the father of the United States Navy.”

Richard Peters (ca. 1704–1776) delivered this sermon on the occasion of the opening of the Academy. Clergyman and provincial councilor, Peters was one of the first trustees of the Philadelphia Academy, which in time developed into the University of Pennsylvania. He was president of the Board of Trustees and later helped Franklin to establish the Library Company of Philadelphia.

Franklin was qualified to inscribe this volume not only as publisher, but as co-author. His Idea of the English School was first issued separately earlier in 1751, probably for private distribution among the trustees of the newly established Academy (see Miller 527). In his 1789 Observations Relative to the Intentions of the Original Founders, Franklin recalled that this essay was intended “for the Consideration of the Trustees” and “was printed, and afterwards annex’d to Mr. Peters’ Sermon.”

Franklin outlines a rigorous and practical pedagogy of six successive classes of English-language instruction in subjects like orthography, reading, public speaking, composition and creative writing, mathematics, geography, accounting, history, and science. He concludes that the scholars of such instruction "will come out of this School fitted for learning any Business, Calling or Profession, except such wherein Languages are required; and tho’ unaquainted with any antient or foreign Tongue, they will be Masters of their own, which is of more immediate and general Use; and withal will have attain’d many other valuable Accomplishments; the Time usually spent in acquiring those Languages, often without Success, being here employ’d in laying such a Foundation of Knowledge and Ability, as, properly improv’d, may qualify them to pass thro’ and execute the several Offices of civil Life, with Advantage and Reputation to themselves and Country." In addtion to his own thoughts on the colonial curriculum, Franklin added to Peters's sermon the text of the "Constitutions of the Publick Academy, in the City of Philadelphia."

Peters and Franklin's joint work on the Academy of Philadelphia is surprisingly rare: over the past century, Rare Book Hub cites only three other complete copies. Only one other presentation copy is therein recorded, sold at Henkels, 21 March 1919, lot 101G, and inscribed with the same formula as the present to another subscriber to the Academy, Mr. John Kidd.

REFERENCES

Miller 541; ESTC W29202; Evans 6754; Hildeburn 1234; Campbell 472

PROVENANCE

Samuel Austin (presentation inscription from Benjamin Franklin) — Laird U. Park Jr. (Sotheby’s New York, 29 November 2000, lot 109)