John Smith and John Reynell to Thomas Worth, soliciting subscriptions for the Pennsylvania Hospital

In the summer of 1754 the Pennsylvania Hospital was three years old and still living on subscriptions. Its managers had just put into print an account of its rise and present state, and this letter shows the pamphlet going out the door. Two of them, John Smith and John Reynell, sent a copy to Thomas Worth and asked him to do what a printed report could not: go among his neighbours, put the case in person, and write back with what he had raised.

The appeal is written in the plain speech of the Philadelphia Quakers. The managers say they have seen the cures and kindness of “this truly charitable Foundation,” and they expect the funds to grow so that more of “our miserable fellow Creatures” may be relieved. They assume that Providence has given Worth’s neighbours the means to give, “and probably with Hearts delighting in such Acts of Goodness too.” Any sums, they promise, will be “gladly received & faithfully applied.” It is fundraising by personal letter, with the pamphlet enclosed as proof.

Smith and Reynell were two of the twelve original managers, elected at a meeting of the contributors at the State-House on 1 July 1751. Reynell, a Quaker merchant, served as Treasurer. He is the Treasurer named in Benjamin Loxley’s promissory note of January 1752, in the founders’ book. The account Smith and Reynell enclosed was printed by Franklin and Hall in 1754, and a copy is here as BF-2022.016.

EIS LIBRIS knows of no other letter of this kind, soliciting donations for the Hospital, in private hands.

The sheet is chipped along the right edge with the loss of a few letters at the ends of lines, and stained at the left. The letter is addressed at the foot to Thomas Worth.

Transcription

Phila. 8th mon: 1st 1754. Loving Friend, At the desire of the Managers of the Pensilvania Hospital we now enclose thee one of the Books lately published giving an Accott of the rise and present state thereof, A Scheme designd for the relief of our miserable fel[low] Creatures, many of whom as thou will perceive by the Account have already recei[ved] great relief by it, and if thro’ the blessing of God, the funds should encrease in such manner as may be reasonably expected, mo[re] more will receive benefit by it. As we have been Witnesses to t[he] Cures and kindness which has been already done by this tru[ly] charitable Foundation, we cannot but earnestly recommen[d] it [to] those who either by their Situation or for other reasons have not yet attended to it, And as we beleive kind providen[ce] hath bless’d many in thy Neighbourhood with Sufficien[t] means to contribute to this good design, and probably with Hearts delighting in such Acts of Goodness too, if any person wi[ll] call upon them for that purpose. We therefore begg thy Interes[t] and Solicitation among them to that End. Any Sums wi[ll] be gladly receivd & faithfully applied and if thou will be so kind as to inform us by a line or two with thy Success, and wh[at] thou Art willing to give towards it, it will Oblige Thy real Friends John Smith John Reyn[ell].

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