—"For nearly thirty years I have carefully considered this subject, with the intention at the proper time of founding and endowing a free institution."—"The time has now arrived at which I can put my long cherished intention into effect, and devote and dedicate to the object a sufficient fund out of means which have been saved and accumulated for the purpose."—"Now, know all men by these presents, that I, Isaiah V. Williamson, of the City of Philadelphia, merchant, in order to carry out the object I so long have had in view, in the hope of supplying a long-felt want in the community, and with this intention and design of founding and endowing in perpetuity an institution to be known as 'The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades,' and hereinafter designated as the School, do hereby make, constitute, and appoint my friends, John Baird, James C. Brooks, Lemuel Coffin, Edward Longstreth, William C. Ludwig, Henry C. Townsend, and John Wanamaker, the Trustees."
It seems that Williamson's thought, at one time, had been to provide for such a school by will, to be organized after his death; and
