1To Benjamin Franklin from Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg, 29 November 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Archives of the Moravian Church, Bethlehem To wait on you at Bethlehem, on your Return from Easton to Philadelphia, would have been a great Satisfaction to many of us, who have the Honour of your Acquaintance. I flatter myself with the Opinion, that you would not have pass’d by, had your Affairs permitted any longer stay in the Country. And now I take this Opportunity of letting you Know...
2To Benjamin Franklin from [Elizabeth Hubbart], [c. December 1756] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Now for the Story I promised in my last; and I wish I had the nack of teling it in such a maner, as to afford you as many Hearty Laugh’s, as I have had on the Occation. You must know then, that Littel mischievous Urching Cupid, has got a mighty odd whim in his Head, he has new strung his Bow, and let fly one of his Keenest Arrows directly ame’d; at the Heart...
3To Benjamin Franklin from John Waring, 24 January 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I trouble You with this [to inform you of?] the Death of a worthy Clergyman the [Reverend Henry?] Wheatley, Lecturer of St. Leonard Shoreditch, [who named?] me the Sole Executor of his last Will, by which [he leaves?] a Legacy to some of his Relations now (if alive) at Philadelphia in the following words: “I give and bequeath to Benjamin Franklin Esq. of...
4Pennsylvania Assembly: Appointment of Franklin as Agent to Go to England, and His acceptance, [28 January 1757–3 … (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1756–1757 (Philadelphia, 1757), pp. 75, 76, 78. The sequence of events resulting in the appointment of Franklin as agent to represent the Assembly in England in its disputes over the instruction on the taxation of proprietary estates and related grievances is indicated by the following extracts from the Assembly Journals. The...
5To Benjamin Franklin from the Earl of Loudoun, 20 February 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Huntington Library As I have been informed by Mr. Colden, that You have been enquiring when the packet for England was to sail, in Order to Your Taking Your Passage in her, I have taken this Opportunity to acquaint You, that there will be another packet to sail as soon as I return from Philadelphia, which I suppose will be about the 25th. of March. And as I have several very material...
I. MS not found; reprinted from Pennsylvania History , VI (1939), 15; II. ADS : Yale University Library The minutes of the Society of Arts (see above, VI , 186–9 n) for the meeting of Sept. 7, 1757, note that Franklin attended and read the extract of a letter from John Hughes printed as No. I below; that Franklin paid in the donation; and that the Society voted their thanks to Hughes for his...
7Pennsylvania Assembly: Instructions to Benjamin Franklin, 31 March 1757 (Franklin Papers)
MS (fragment): American Philosophical Society On March 1, 1757, the Assembly named the same committee (plus William West) that had made the report on the Assembly grievances against the Proprietors “to bring in a Draught of the Instructions of the House to Benjamin Franklin, Esq; one of the Commissioners now about to embark for England.” Two days later they reported a draft and were ordered...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 4 April 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania The interfering in those Weighty matters you are charged with, either by an Attempt to explain what you are fully Master of or to add any thing of my own not already contained in the Report of the committee or the Instructions of the House to yourself, would subject me justly to a censure I hope to avoid for if I had any thing material beyond...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 7 April 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania The Clerk calls upon me to sign the Indian Trade Bill now sent down by the Governor who adheres to his Amendments and as the House after agreeing to some of the Amendments now adhere to the Bill there is an End of that salutary provision to induce the Indians to come heartily into our Interest by making it their Own. We think it a Strange...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Jacob Duché, Junior, 6 May 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As you kindly offered me your best Services before you left Philadelphia, which, as I had then no Commands to trouble you with; I declined the Honor of accepting, I now beg Leave to make Use of the Liberty you permitted me, to request you to take Charge of the inclosed Letters. I believe you are personally acquainted with the Gentlemen to whom they are...
11To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 10 May 1757 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): American Philosophical Society The accurate determination of longitude by a ship at sea long remained an unsolved problem. Several theoretically possible methods were advanced during the two centuries and a half after Columbus, but when put to actual test none proved both practicable and sufficiently reliable to serve the needs of mariners, especially of those embarked on long...
12To Benjamin Franklin from David Hall, 4 July 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society My last to you was by the Rebecca, Captain Arthur (via Liverpool) covering the second Copy of the £100. Bill. Inclosed you have now the third Copy of the same Bills, in Case of Miscarriages; and you have likewise inclosed the first Copy of another Bill for the same Value, on the same Gentlemen, which I hope will come safe to Hand. The Exchange of...
13To Benjamin Franklin from Ezra Stiles, 12 July 1757 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): Yale University Library Just before you sail’d from New York, you was so good as to inclose to me a Copy of your philosophic Letter to a Friend in Carolina, for which please accept my Thanks. The Philosophy of Light and Fire, Heat and Cold has hitherto been a Mystery to me. Even the luminous Emanations of a burning Candle I never could solve in my own Mind. I am half persuaded...
14To Benjamin Franklin from John Bartram, 29 July 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I now take the Freedom of thy usual Benevolence and favour of thy wife to inclose this letter in hers hopeing this way we may keep the chain of friendship bright while thee art diverting thy self with the generous conversation of our worthy friends in Europe and adding dayly new acquisitions to thy former extensive stock of knoledge by thair...
15To Benjamin Franklin from Ferdinand John Paris, 12 August 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania In Consequence of my Letter to You, of the 10th. Instant, I am now to acquaint You, that it’s believed the Youngest of the Proprietarys is some where from Home, and has not received, at least he has not answered, his Brother’s Letter, touching the Appointment for to Morrow; Which, therefore, must go off; And they will take the first Opportunity to fix...
16To Benjamin Franklin from William Sturgeon, 22 August 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: American Philosophical Society Mrs. Franklin favoured me with the Sight of a Letter wrote to you by one Mr. Waring, in which your Thoughts are desired on the important Subject of instructing the Negroes in the Principles of Christianity. As I have the Honour of being employ’d by the Society, a[s] Catechist to the Negroes in this City I take the Freedom to make mention of the Affair to...
17To Benjamin Franklin from David Hall, 14 September 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society I make no Doubt but long before this comes to hand, you have received the first and Second Copies of the second Hundred Pound. I sent you one by Capt. Arthur, Via Liverpool, the other by Capt. Lyon. Inclosed I have now sent you the first Copy of another Bill, for One hundred Pounds, the Exchange the same as the others, Sixty Seven and a half,...
18To Benjamin Franklin from David Colden, 18 September 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New-York Historical Society About the time you left America I was employed in endeavouring with my Fathers assistance to form an Explication of the Phenomena of Electricity, on his Principles of Action in Matter; some conceptions had occurred to me in pursuing the Experiments made by you and Mr. Canton which gave me reason to hope it might be effected, on very simple principles. If you...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 17 October 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; also letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I was pleased to hear of your safe arrival by a short agreeable Letter from Exeter, which I had the pleasure of receiving about a Month ago. The small but violent Party continues the same political Systems here expecting, I suppose, to be supported by Power and Influence at Home, where you will have...
20To Benjamin Franklin from David Hall, 19 October 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society My last to you by the Carolina Captain Duncan, contained the second Copy of a Bill of Exchange for £100. which I hope is come safe to hand. You have now inclosed the first Copy of one other Bill for £100. (which will make the fourth Hundred remitted you since you left Philadelphia) the Receipt of which you will please to own by the first Vessel...
21To Benjamin Franklin from John Bartram, 12 November 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: The Royal Society Here is a visible Aurora Borealis; at 7 a Clock it was about two hours high, to the northward pretty bright. Soon after Day light disappeared it was much more East, where it was redder with some faint streamers, whose Points reached near 45 Degrees Elevation, which soon disappeared, and the Light descended by Degrees under the Pole, and by 10 a Clock was near...
22To Benjamin Franklin from David Hall, 20 November 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society My two last to you by Capt. Budden to London, and Capt. Stewart to Liverpoole, contained the first and second Copies of a Bill of Exchange for £100. Sterling, which I hope are come to hand and paid. Inclosed you have now the first Copy of another Bill of Exchange for One Hundred Pounds more, of which with the others before sent, please to advise...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Ferdinand John Paris, 23 November 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and draft: Historical Society of Pennsylvania On November 14 Franklin had sufficiently recovered from his serious autumn illness to confer with Thomas Penn, who for once paid heed and wrote immediately to Denny: “Mr. Franklin was with me this Morning and complains that the Companys intended for Rangers, have been kept in the Forts to the great injury of the Country, the Indians having...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 24 November 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania The above is a Copy of my last. I have Since received two letters of the 23d (a Copy, the Original not Come To Hand) and 30th August. We are all extreamly well pleas’d With your Safe arrival there and the Continuence of your Health. Your Conduct I never doubted, but if it is necessary To Say any thing upon it I think you have acted With great...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Penn, 25 November 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania As I find by what you told me and by my Letters from Pennsylvania that Admiral Holborne had not Station’d a Ship in Delaware Bay in pursuance of the Resolution of the Lords of the Admiralty on our application communicated to me in January last, by Mr. Cleveland’s Letter, that I shewed you, I have applied again to that Board, and they...
26To Benjamin Franklin from William Hunter, [30 November 1757] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society If convenient, I should be oblig’d to you for three or four Hundred Pound Draughts on your Banker. My Sister wants one of Twenty Pound; for Marketting. Yours, Addressed: To / Mr. Franklin On Dec. 1, 1757, BF noted payments of £400 and £20 in accordance with Hunter’s request below. “Account of Expences,” p. 7; PMHB , LV (1931), 105. On another part of the...
27To Benjamin Franklin from Giambatista Beccaria, 24 December 1757 (Franklin Papers)
I . MS translation and MS Latin original: The Royal Society. II . MS “Note”: The Royal Society Father Beccaria, the strongest and most active supporter of Franklin’s electrical theories on the Continent, addressed this letter to him in Latin soon after learning of his arrival in England. Dr. James Parsons made an English translation which, after some delay, was read at the Royal Society, Feb....
28To Benjamin Franklin from Giambatista Beccaria, [1757] (Franklin Papers)
Translation of extract (?) in Franklin’s hand: Yale University Library; extract (?) in Italian: American Philosophical Society; also copies of extract and translation: Yale University Library Father Beccaria thanks Mr. Franklin for his kind Remembrance; should have had a most singular Pleasure in seeing him at Turin, which he had been made to hope by his Letter to Mr. Haldiman: If he had known...
29To Benjamin Franklin from John Apthorp, [1757–1759] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Apthorp’s compliments to Mr. Franklyn and desires the favour of his Company to dine with him on Fry-day next ¼ past three. Addressed: Benjn Franklyn Esqr / Buckingham Street, Probably John Apthorp (d. 1772), son of the Charles Apthorp of Boston who was agent for Hanbury & Thomlinson in the northern colonies and involved in supplying specie for British...
30To Benjamin Franklin from William Deane, [1757–1759] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Coll: Deanes Compliments to Mr. Franklin and Son, Shall be Extreemly glad of the favor of their Company to Dinner tommorow to meet Mr. and Mrs. Sargent at half an Hour after three o Clock. Addressed: To / Mr. Franklin / Craven Street Lieut. Col. William Deane (d. 1775) of the British Army, was appointed governor of Upnor Castle before 1758, and was promoted...