John Jay Papers
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To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 14 February 1782

From Benjamin Franklin

From the Rue de Bourgogne febre 14th 1782

Sir.

If you are anxious to see a Series of new electrical experiments directed to establish many a principle hitherto unknown, I Shall do myself the pleasure of Summitting them to your judgment.

Your Comparison of the Keystone of an Arch is very pretty, tending to make me almost content with my Situation.1 ^But^ I suspect you have heard our Story of the Harrow. If not, here it is. A Farmer in our Country sent two of his Servants to borrow a Harrow ^one, of his ^^a^^ Neighbour^, ordering them to bring it between them on their Shoulders. When they came to look at the Harrow ^it^, one of them, who had plenty of ^too much^ Wit, says, to the other What could our Master mean by sending only two Men to bring this Harrow? there is no two Men upon Earth ^are^ strong enough to carry it. Poh! says the other who was vain of his Strength, what do you talk ^of two Men?^ One Man may carry it; help it up upon my Shoulders, and you shall see. He As he proceeded with it, the Wag kept exclaiming, Good God ^Zounds,^ how strong you are! I could not have thought it! Why you are a mere Samson! There is not such another Man in America! ^What amazing Strength God has given you!^ but you will kill yourself! Pray put it down & rest a little, or let me bear a Part of the Weight. No, no; says he, being ^more^ encourag’d by the Compliments ^than oppress’d by the Burthen,^ you shall see I can carry it quite home. And so he did. In this ^particular^ I am afraid my ^part of the^ Imitation may ^will^ fall short of the Original.

Dft, DLC: Franklin (EJ: 13557). C, DLC: Franklin.

1See JJ to BF, 30 Jan. 1782, above.

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