AD : Library of Congress So dated because of the reference to dining at Mr. Foxcroft’s. Although the time bracket is unlikely to have much value, the means of establishing it may be worth explaining to illustrate how such problems of dating can sometimes be narrowed when they cannot be solved. The Pa. Packet , on which Foxcroft came to England, arrived on May 30 or 31 ( Lloyd’s Evening Post ,...
2To Benjamin Franklin from [Richard Henry Alexander?] Bennet, [1769?] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Bennet presents his Comp[limen]ts to Doctor Franklin and returns him many thanks for the Honor of his very obliging Present which he esteems infinitely. The writer and date are equally conjectural. The Bennet to whom we have assigned the note was an F.R.S. and a co-sponsor, with BF , of the nomination of William Hewson to the Society in December, 1769;...
3To Benjamin Franklin from [John] Foxcroft, [1769?]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society [1769? A note in the third person, dated only Friday, asking Franklin to visit him for a game of chess “on his New Invented Table.” A very bad cold has prevented Foxcroft from calling, and the visit would be an act of charity.] So identified by the handwriting. But his brother Thomas, the Philadelphia postmaster, wrote a closely similar hand, and visited...
4To Benjamin Franklin from W. Masters, [1769?] (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Though I have not the honour of an intimate acquaintance with you, yet your character of humanity and benevolence, and the intimacy that subsisted between you and my Father, and especially the desire of contributing to the Peace and Happiness of an old Neighbour whom for several Years I have found an honest worthy industrious Man, imboldens me to give you...
5Marginalia in Good Humour, an Anonymous Pamphlet, [1769?] (Franklin Papers)
MS notations in the margins of a copy in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania of Good Humour: or, a Way with the Colonies, Wherein Is Occasionally Enquired into Mr. P––t’s Claim of Popularity; and the Principles of Virtuous Liberty, as Taught in the School of Mr. Wilkes, and Other Peripatetics (London, 1766). This is the first of a series of marginal comments by Franklin on pamphlets that...
6Marginalia in The True Constitutional Means, an Anonymous Pamphlet, [1769?] (Franklin Papers)
MS notations in the margins of a copy in the New York Public Library of The True Constitutional Means for Putting an End to the Disputes between Great-Britain and the American Colonies (London, 1769). [ On the title page: ] Query, Could this be written by Mr. Jackson? from some Expressions and Arguments it should seem so; but others are so unlike his Precision that I rather think he is not the...
7Marginalia in a Pamphlet by Israel Mauduit, [1769?] (Franklin Papers)
MS notations in the margins of a copy in the New York Public Library of [Israel Mauduit,] A Short View of the History of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, with Respect to Their Original Charter and Constitution (London, 1769). The Virginians claim the Honour of having taken this Lead. But, as they are Episcopalians, and the N E. People Dissenters, of whom Sedition, Republicanism and Rebellion...
8Observations upon [Thomas Pownall], State of the Constitution of the Colonies, [1769?] (Franklin Papers)
MS (copy): American Philosophical Society In December, 1769, or possibly in the following month, Thomas Pownall attempted to formulate general principles of law that applied to the issues in dispute between Britain and her colonies. He composed a short document in two parts; the first set forth six principles, and the second adduced corollaries from them. This document he had printed but not...
9Marginalia in a Pamphlet by Allan Ramsay, [1769?] (Franklin Papers)
MS notations in the margins of a copy in the Library of Congress of [Allan Ramsay,] Thoughts on the Origin and Nature of Government, Occasioned by the Late Disputes between Great Britain and Her American Colonies: Written in the Year 1766 (London, 1769). Allan Ramsay (1713–84), the son of the Scottish poet of the same name, was one of the most fashionable artists of the period, and in 1767...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Adolf Benzelius, [November 1769 or December 1769] (Franklin Papers)
AL : University of Uppsala Library Dr. Franklin presents his best Respects to Mr. Benzel, and will be glad to see him and his Friend tomorrow morning at Eleven a Clock, if that time will suit them, and they think fit to do him the Honour of a Visit in Craven street. Addressed: To / Mr Benzel / at Mrs Philips’s / Jeweller. / St Martin’s Court Adolf Benzelius or Benzelstierna (1715–75) came of a...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, [December 1769] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society NB Dr Franklin to whom these verses Verses which accompanied her Christmas gift to BF .
12To Benjamin Franklin from a Committee of Boston Merchants, 29 December 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (copy): American Philosophical Society The Merchants and Traders of the Town of Boston having on the 1st. August 1768 Enter’d into an agreement not to send for or import any Goods from Great Britain (Some few Articles except) from the 1st. January 1769 to the 1st. January 1770 and as this agreement was near expiring on the 17th. October Last they enter’d into an other agreement not to...
13To Benjamin Franklin from Nevil Maskelyne, 27 December 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I think I desired the favor of you lately by letter, that when you wrote to Philadelphia you would desire Mr. Owen Biddle and Mr. Joel Bayley to take the trouble to determine the difference of meridians of Philadelphia and Norriton, in order to connect all the observations made by the three setts of observers together. I should be glad if you would also...
14To Benjamin Franklin from Ezra Stiles, 27 December 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Yale University Library This acknowledges the Receipt of your Collection of philosophical Letters, and Dissertations in a quarto Volume which with your Letter came safe to hand last Summer. For which please to accept my Thanks. They have given me great Pleasure and Instruction. I have desired Capt. Peck, by whom you receive this, to procure me in London Relands Collection from the...
15To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 26 December 1769: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society [Woodbridge, N.J., December 26, 1769. Had intended this to go by Captain Davis, but he sailed before it reached New York. Has received since then the enclosed bill from Mr. Colden for £200, drawn by Watts and McEvers on Harley & Drummond, “cost 65 per Cent the Exchange at this Time.”] John Drummond (1723–74), of Drummond’s Bank, and the Hon. Thomas Harley...
16To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 23 December 1769: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society [Woodbridge, December 23, 1769. Has crept back here to print the New Jersey laws. The enclosures will show (1) why the bill of exchange that Colden had promised is not sent; and (2) that Franklin has power of attorney, witnessed by the captain and mate of the ship, to recover the wages due Parker. Has written the Board of Customs Commissioners at Boston to...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Stockton, 22 December 1769 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society You will give me leave to congratulate you or at least the province of New Jersey, upon your late appointment to be our Agent also. Such an event cannot fail of promoting the best interests of the Colony, while it may suit you to remain on the other side of the water; and even after you retire to your native country (if that should ever happen) the...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Smith, 19 December 1769: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society [Burlington, December 19, 1769. Encloses a copy of the letter from the New Jersey Assembly Committee of Correspondence; the original was sent by way of Bristol. Also encloses a second bill for £200, Garrat and George Meade on James Dormer.] For Smith, and the letter and bill he enclosed, see N.J. Assembly Committee of Correspondence to BF above, Dec. 7.
19To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 16 December 1769: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society [New York, December 16, 1769. Crept back from Woodbridge two days ago, in order to send by packet anything of interest. Mr. Colden has applied for a bill for £200, which was promised him today; but he was disappointed because Mr. Watts, who signs the bills together with Mr. McEvers, was out of town. Will send the bill by Captain Davis, eight or ten days...
20Bond: William and Mary Catharine Goddard to Benjamin Franklin, 15 December 1769: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Printed form with MS insertions: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Dated December 15, 1769. A bond in the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds, Pennsylvania currency, to be paid to Franklin or his attorney, heirs, assigns, etc. If a payment of sixty pounds, plus interest, is made on June 15, 1770, the bond will be void; otherwise it will remain in force. ] For William Goddard, printer and...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Deborah Franklin, 13–14 December 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society this day mr. Foxcrofte tells me that this poste is to take the letters in the 2d packites which I did not get my letter that I ansers your qustons I can only say that I had not one line in the Ocktober packit nor have not heard only mr. Comes that he heard that you was well in ocktober for wich I was verey glad. I am to tell you that I am much better then I...
22To Benjamin Franklin from [Joseph Chew], 12 December 1769 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): American Philosophical Society Having wrote you so many Letters without being Favoured with an Answer, I should not now have presumed to trouble you, was their not some Dispute or Reather Misunderstanding between Mr. Parker and me about the settlement of my Post office Accounts. In the years 1755 and 1756 agreable to your directions their was a Cross Post from New London to...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Nevil Maskelyne, 11 December 1769: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society [Greenwich, December 11, 1769. The Astronomer Royal asks Franklin, when he next writes to Philadelphia, to inquire of Owen Biddle about the exact distances between the observation points for the transit of Venus. Maskelyne cannot make Biddle’s two accounts agree with each other, or with the distances given by Mason and Dixon in their survey. He is also...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Jeremiah Miller, 11 December 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society It is not a want of the higest regard and Esteem for you (an old Friend and Auquaintance of my Dear Fathers ) that is the Cause of my not troubling you with a line, but your Correspondence and Connections with the greatest men and Geniuses of the present age; and the Sense I have of your Superiour Merrit, which Induces me to think any literary Efforts of...
25To Benjamin Franklin from New Jersey Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 7 December 1769 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society The House of Representatives of this Colony on the 8th of last mo. unanimously chose you their Agent in London and appointed us to correspond with you on the affairs of the Colony. The Resolve of the House by which you are appointed Agent, his Excellency will transmit to you properly attested. To a Gentleman whose inclination to serve these Colonies, we...
26To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 30 November 1769: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society [Woodbridge, N.J., November 30, 1769. Has taken the journey from New York in the hope that it would help his recovery from the gout. Just back from a trip by waggon to Burlington, where the Assembly is sitting, and finds on his return Franklin’s letter of September 9 with its remarks about Mr. Robinson and Parker’s office in the customs. Is resigning that...
27From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 29 November 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (copy): British Museum This letter, one of Franklin’s major statements on colonial affairs, was in response to the queries Strahan had sent him a week before, which are printed above under November 21–22. As explained there, the queries and the reply were not designed for publication, and were not in fact published until 1774; they were intended for private circulation, in order to...
28To Benjamin Franklin from John Bartram, 29 November 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Yesterday I had the pleasure of takeing Mrs. Franklin by the hand in her own house as allso thy daughter and grandson a fine boy. Likewise thy sister from Boston all whome I expect at my house according to promise. I have now before me thy dear affectionate letter of July the 9th 1769. My health and familys still continueth: (God allmight be praised and...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Seth Paddack, 29 November 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I arivd here The 15th Inst: from Nantucket and Being an Intimate acquaintance of Capt. Timo: Folger, he Put on Board a Quintal of Salted Cod fish Cured: Directed To You But The Letter was omited: and if youll Send a Line to me with an order on Board The Yarmouth Laying off with Iron Gate or at Mrs. Fossick, The Fish is at your Service: I am Sir with Respect...
30To Benjamin Franklin from William Strahan, [29 November? 1769] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Strahan presents his kindest Respects to Dr. Franklin, expected to have had the Pleasure of his Company to day to Dinner, and to have seen His Paper he knows of. If it is now done, he will please send it by the Bearer; if not, will be obliged to him to let him know when he may expect it. Addressed: To / Dr. Franklin / at Mrs Stevenson’s / Craven Street...