From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Rush, 14 February 1773
To Benjamin Rush
ALS: University of Pennsylvania Library; letterbook draft: Library of Congress
London, Feb. 14. 1773
Dear Sir,
In a Box to Mr. Bache I send you a Bundle of the Ephemerides; they came but lately to hand with Duplicates for me; tho’ it appears by my Letter that they were sent from Paris last May was twelvemonth.9 Where they have been all this time I have not learnt.
I send you also one of Dr. Priestly’s Pamphlets, containing a Number of curious Experiments on what he calls fixed Air. The Subject at present engages a good deal of Attention here, and falls in your Way, I imagine, both as a Chemist and Physician.1 Please to accept of it. Remember me kindly to your Brother,2 and believe me ever Your affectionate Friend and humble Servant
B Franklin
What is become of Mr. Coombe?3
Dr Rush
9. The long delayed bundle contained copies of Barbeu-Dubourg’s publication, Ephémérides du citoyen; ou bibliotheque raisonée des sciences morales et politiques, the organ of the physiocrats. “My letter” was that from Dubourg of May 27, 1771, which had arrived with the bundle in October, 1772: above XVIII, 110–13; XIX, 357.
1. Rush’s acknowledgment of this letter below, May 1, makes clear that BF sent him Joseph Priestly’s Observations on Different Kinds of Air … (London, 1772).
2. Jacob Rush had come to London in 1771 with letters of introduction to BF from DF and others, had spent two years at the Middle Temple, and must have returned only recently to Philadelphia. See above, XVII, 245 n.
3. See Rush’s answer below, May 1.