To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 26 October 1784
From William Temple Franklin
ALS: American Philosophical Society
London, 26. Oct. 1784
Dear & Hond Sir,
The Day after the Date of my last, I recd your kind Letter of the 18th. Inst.—for which I am very thankful, as it so far prolongs my Stay here as to permit me to visit a Family—of whom I have heard so much—and who so sincerely love and respect you.— I had already taken Engagements ’till Friday—as I informed you in my last,—so that it will not be in my Power to sett off for Chilbolton ’till Friday or Saturday Morg.— I have already wrote to the worthy Bishop—informing him of the Permission you have been pleased to give me,—& that I purpose being with him on Saturday Eveg. at farthest.—4 I shall stay but 2 or 3. Days, then return to London,—perhaps make another short visit to good and amiable Mrs. Sargeant,—& then return home.— This however will necessarily make me encroach a few Days on the next Month: But I hope you will excuse it. Had I recd your Letter sooner—I might have arranged Matters so, as to quit England at the time you fix; now it is impossible; But I shall be with you early in the following Month.— Indeed I wish to get to a milder Climate.— It is very cold here already: Yesterday a great deal of Snow fell, but did not remain on the Ground.—
I have wrote to the Abbe Morellet that I shall probably leave London the 6th. or 7th.— If it is convenient to him to sett off so early we shall probably return together—which will be infinitely agreable to me as in all probability Mrs. Hewson will not accompany me.—5
Adieu my dearest Sir, Excuse my leaving you so abruptly, but I am called away to go to dinner. Give my Love to Wms. I shall not neglect his Commissions6 or those of M. le Veillard, to whom please to remember me in the most affectionate manner.—
I am ever,—Your most dutiful & affectionate Grandson
W. T. Franklin
4. Jonathan Shipley replied on Thursday, Oct. 28, that he looked forward to seeing WTF “to morrow or next day.“ Benjamin Vaughan had been considering accompanying WTF to Chilbolton, but informed him on Oct. 25 that he would not be able to make the trip. (Both letters are at the APS.)
5. Morellet, in his response of Nov. 2, made it clear that he would not be leaving England as soon as WTF. APS.
6. JW wrote on Oct. 20 asking WTF to purchase for him a “handsome bound Edition of Tristram Shandy” to replace a six-volume set that he had been lent, part of which had been stolen. Noting that WTF was a “Mesmerite,” he appended an amusing epigram that BF had received, titled “Le Magnetisme Demasqué.” The basic purport, expressed in rhymes and puns, was that after the Faculty and Academy had so definitively condemned animal magnetism, anyone who persisted in believing in it was a fool. APS.