About this time, our club meeting, not at a tavern, but in a little room of Mr. Grace’s, set apart for that purpose, a proposition was made by me, that, since our books were often referr’d to in our disquisitions upon the queries, it might be convenient to us to have them altogether where we met, that upon occasion they might be consulted; and by thus clubbing our books to a common library, we should, while we lik’d to keep them together, have each of us the advantage of using the books of all the other members, which would be nearly as beneficial as if each owned the whole.  It was lik’d and agreed to, and we fill’d one end of the room with such books as we could best spare.  The number was not so great as we expected; and tho’ they had been of great use, yet some inconveniences occurring for want of due care of them, the collection, after about a year, was separated, and each took his books home again

And now I set on foot my first project of a public nature, that for a subscription library.  I drew up the proposals, got them put into form by our great scrivener, Brockden, and, by the help of my friends in the Junto, procured fifty subscribers of forty shillings each to begin with, and ten shillings a year for fifty years, the term our company was to continue.  We afterwards obtain’d a charter, the company being increased to one hundred:  this was the mother of all the North American subscription libraries, now so numerous.  It is become a great thing itself, and continually increasing.  These libraries have improved the general conversation of the Americans, made the common tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries, and perhaps have contributed in some degree to the stand so generally made throughout the colonies in defense of their privileges.

Memo.  Thus far was written with the intention express’d in the beginning and therefore contains several little family anecdotes of no importance to others.  What follows was written many years after in compliance with the advice contain’d in these letters, and accordingly intended for the public.  The affairs of the Revolution occasion’d the interruption.

     Letter from Mr. Abel James, with Notes of my Life
                    (received in Paris).

“My dear and honored friend:  I have often been desirous of writing to thee, but could not be reconciled to the thought that the letter might fall into the hands of the British, lest some printer or busy-body should publish some part of the contents, and give our friend pain, and myself censure.