Junto benjamin franklin autobiography quotes

by Benjamin Franklin (1727)

In 1727 Franklin formed a small club for mutual benefit and improvement, called the Junto (from the Latin "iungere" meaning "to join").

In his Autobiography he described the group as follows.

1728 - I should have mentioned before, that, in the autumn of the preceding year, I had form'd most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual improvement, which we called the JUNTO; we met on Friday evenings.

The rules that I drew up required that every member, in his turn, should produce one or more queries on any point of Morals, Politics, or Natural Philosophy, to be discuss'd by the company; and once in three months produce and read an essay of his own writing, on any subject he pleased.

Our debates were to be under the direction of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory; and, to prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direc