To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 5 October 1784
From William Temple Franklin
ALS: American Philosophical Society
London, 5. Oct. 1784—
Dear & hond Sir,
My last4 went by Mr. J. Alexander, who I suppose forwarded it from Calais, where he purposed remaining some time, to endeavor, if possible, to enter into some Arrangement with the Bank here. I understand Mr Pigott5 has given him some Reason to hope for success.— I wish it with all my heart, both for his sake and the amiable Family of which he is the Support.— I continue free from any Return of my Fever, in which I think I am very lucky.— My time is so taken up by the kind Invitations of the Friends I have found and made here,—that I can scarce find a Moments leisure for writing;6 you will therefore I hope excuse the Scrawls I send you, and wait my Return for a more ample Account of Things here.— That Period now approaches, and I shall do my utmost to get away at the time you fix’d for my Departure; But I cannot help Regretting that I shall leave England without seeing some of your most valuable Friends. Among these, the Worthy Bishop and Family stand foremost: I inclose a Letter I have just recd from him, nothing can be kinder—or prove in stronger Terms his Respect and Attachment for you.—7 I could have been happy to have spent a Week in that agreable Society—but the Distance—and my approaching Departure do not permit me.— In like manner I have been obliged to refuse pressing Invitations from Lord Shelburne—& lay Aside the Project I had of visiting Birmingham. The Expence of travelling, which has considerably increased lately, has also not a little deter’d me.—
I think I have now executed all your Commissions except that about the Press; Moore no longer exists,—& I have not yet been able to find out his successor. Mr. Caslon is endeavoring.8 I have seen a good deal of Ct. Mirabeau & he takes very well here. He has been very pressing for me to accompany him to Bath—& Lord Shelburnes, which is I believe in the Neighbourhood thereof.—9 I shall still be able to receive a Letter from you by the Return of the Courier—if you have any farther Commands for me you will let me know them.—
I have not yet Mrs. Hewson’s Determination.—
Adieu! my dearest Sir,—Give my love to your amiable Hosts, remember me to all Friends—and believe me ever Your most dutiful & affece Grandson
W. T. Franklin.
P.S. Please to make my Excuses to M. Le Veillard for my not answering his kind Letter by this Post, he may rely on my not neglecting his Commissions.—1
B. Franklin Esqr—
4. Of Sept. 26, above.
5. Probably Arthur Leary Pigott (ODNB), a lawyer and politician who began his career in Grenada. After returning to England in 1780, he continued to provide counsel to West Indian planters.
6. Several of WTF’s social invitations from this period are at the APS. Among them are two notes from Elizabeth Gunthorpe Hesse, a friend of Caleb Whitefoord’s, who had visited Paris in 1783 (XL, 440): Mrs. Hesse to WTF, Sept. 21, 1784, and [Sept. 22, 1784].
7. Writing from Chilbolton, Hampshire, on Sept. 30, Jonathan Shipley expressed his regret that he could not be in London while WTF was there. He invited WTF to visit him and his family in their country home. “The infinite Respect We all bear to your good Grandfather,” Shipley wrote, “will entitle You to the most cordial reception We can give.” APS.
8. Isaac Moore died in 1781: Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, June 2, 1781. For William Caslon III, once a schoolmate of WTF’s, see XXX, 609–10.
9. An undated note from Mirabeau to WTF that we believe to have been written on Sept. 30, 1784, proposes such a trip (APS).
1. Le Veillard wrote to WTF on Sept. 20, on the subject of Mirabeau; see the annotation of Le Veillard to BF, Sept. 5. He also mentioned the inkstands and cachets he had asked WTF to procure. APS.