Benjamin Franklin Papers
Documents filtered by: Author="Brillon de Jouy, Anne-Louise Boivin d’Hardancourt" AND Recipient="Franklin, Benjamin" AND Period="Revolutionary War"
sorted by: date (ascending)
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-28-02-0250

To Benjamin Franklin from Madame Brillon, [1778?]

From Madame Brillon

AL: American Philosophical Society

ce mercredi matin [1778?]5

Mon chér papa,

j’avois chargé mr L’abbé de st non6 d’amenér ce soir chéz moi a l’heure du thé mr charpentiér l’habil méchanicien dont je vous ai parlé pour des présses;7 il est impossible a l’abbé de venir ce soir, et mr. charpentiér bien empréssé de vous estre présenté, est venu m’apportér la léttre de l’abbé; il vous reméttra ce mot; C’est un homme de la plus grande simplicité, et du plus grand talent il a beaucoup d’idées et de génie; si vous pouvés lui dire un mot il sera content, il le sera bien plus encore s’il peut vous estre util: adieu a ce soir je sçais que vous courrés le monde, ainsi vous viendrés voir votre fille, elle vous aime tant—

Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur Franklin / A Passy8

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

5In the spring BF had been asked by Robert Niles, on behalf of two Connecticut printers, to investigate sending to America equipment for a print shop, along with an operator who would become a partner in the business: XXVI, 547. We know that Niles purchased type; this letter may reflect BF’s attempt to procure a technician.

6Jean-Claude Richard, abbé de St.-Non, who made an engraving of BF, has appeared in XXVI, 122n and 126. An undated letter of his to Mme. Brillon (APS) makes it clear that the subject under discussion is not a press for BF in Passy but several presses to be sent across the ocean.

7Indeed, François-Philippe Charpentier (1734–1817) was so skillful a craftsman that he received the title of mécanicien du roi. He was also a gifted artist and an ingenious inventor. DBF; Larousse. Among BF’s papers is preserved the engraving of a huge magnifying glass built by Charpentier for the Académie des sciences. APS.

8The last two words are in another hand.

Index Entries