1To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 27 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The interruption of our correspondence is truly mortifying to me. I wrote to you some time in march, and as I have received no answer I think either your letter or mine has been stopt. Why our letters should be detained I cannot see, for I am sure I can give you no political intelligence, and as no purpose would be answered by your giving it to me, I am...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 6 June 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society The Happiness I enjoy’d last friday has afforded me pleasing reflections for the week past. I attended with delight to your kind Instructions, and my highest Amusement ever since has been to recollect them. You obligingly condescended to satisfy my Curiosity about the Barometer, and by your explanation I clearly conceived the cause of the rise and fall of...
3To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 11 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My mother had the pleasure of receiving yours of the 11th. of Decr. but never could learn who the Bearer was, therefore could not comply with your request of returning an answer by him: A porter brought it to Mr. Barrows, and demanded a groat without saying whence he came. Immediately upon the receipt of that letter my mother went to Mr. Collinson’s, where...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 22 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Addinell S. Hewson, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (1957) I received your packets of the 26th. of April and 14th of June, with the two little books, for which I thank you. They came to me very safe by the post and I do not grudge the postage. The Sepr. Vol. of l’ami des enfans, which completed the set, I also received, but I know not by what conveyance it came to Sutton, whence it was brought...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, [late October? 1771] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Mother desires me to tell you that there are two Letters from New York and one from Philadelphia and three Packets of News Papers but she is afraid to send them as you have not receiv’d that Mr. Hewson sent you. I write in great Haste. We are all well. Yours affectionately The note might at first glance be dated at any time when BF was away from London...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 11 March 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (mutilated): American Philosophical Society It was with great pleasure I h[eard of] your safe and happy arrival at Philadelphia; and [hearti]ly congratulate you and the dear Partakers of y[our Socie]ty, but you must all forgive me if I repine [that] you are oblig’d to enjoy it at so great a d[istance] from me. My Mother receiv’d yours of [ ? ] November and another a few days ago, of a...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 5 September 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Having a chance of sending a letter to you I would not neglect it. The Atlantic is now the great gulph , indeed; for there seems no possibility of passing over it to each other. However I hope you spoke in the spirit of prophecy when you said your public affairs might be settled by the time my private ones were finished. Both those events are yet only in...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 10 September 1761 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I don’t know whether to say I fear or I hope this won’t reach you before you leave Holland, for I don’t care how soon we have you in our Island again, and I wish you had no Attachment ever to draw you from it again, that is I wish your Attachments were all here. My Mother wanted me to write another Letter to you while I was with her, but my Time was so...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 23 June 1760 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society You who are no Stranger to the Feelings of Humanity will readily conceive the anxiety of my Mind while I thought my Friend in Danger: It is only such a Situation as I was then in that can make me neglect your Favours. Upon examining the Barometer after I receiv’d your Letter, I found a small Crevice where the piece of hollow wood which covers the Mercury is...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 28 July 1765 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society During the short stay my mother made here I could not find time to write a letter, therefore I hop’d my verbal acknowledgments would be accepted, yet I did not intend my pen should neglect it’s duty. I really am much oblig’d to you for the trouble you took to gratify me, and notwithstanding the frequency of my obligations to you I always have great pleasure...