31To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 23 February 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just now received your favour pr. Mr. Marbois, have not Time to answer in kind, am sorry for your Illness. If your Fever was of the infectious kind you have performed Quarantine. I hope to see you in the Spring. I should not have wrote in such a Hurry, but to inform you that our Philosl. Society is in a promising Way. The Case of Mr. Maddison was this—the Candidates for Election were...
32To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Hopkinson, 18 October 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library It is very long since I have had the Satisfaction of a Line from you. This I attribute to the great Uncertainty of Opportunities. The last Letter I received from you mentioned an Electrical Battery, which you said was in the Hands of Mr. Coombe. I have at last got the Battery you mention, & found five of the Bottles broke. The Rest are in good Order. All your...
33To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 14 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Intimacy of my Connection with Mr Duché renders all Assurances unnecessary that the Letter addressed by him to your Excely on the 8: of Octr last gives me the greatest Concern—I flatter myself some undue Means have been used to induce him to write such a Letter, so incompatable with the amiable Character he has ever maintained & so fatal to his Reputation. & I could not forbear...
34Francis Hopkinson to the American Commissioners, 9 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Three ALS : American Philosophical Society I have to inform you that since my last of Sept 18th. I have emitted Loan Office Bills of Exchange as follows Viz To the State New Jersey 10 Setts for 36 Dollr. each Numbered 989 to 998 Inclusive 10 . . do. . . 60 . . . . do. . . . . 328 to 337 — 10 . . do. . .
35Francis Hopkinson to the American Commissioner or Commissioners, 6 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Two ALS : American Philosophical Society Since my last of the 14th. of Jany. the following Setts of Exchange have issued from my Office Viz To Pennsylvania Dolls 150 setts 36 Dolls. No. 2218–2367 = 5,400 To New Jersey Dolls 50 setts 30 Dols. No. 2026–2075 = 1,500
36To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 14 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed Phial contains some of my Essence L’Orient but very imperfectly prepared. I heard only this Morning that Mr. Paine would set off Tomorrow. I had to buy the Fish and prepare the Essence. It should be three or four Days in settling and the water then poured off but I have had only as many Hours for the Purpose, so that great allowances must be made. I have put some volat Spt. Sal...
37To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 15 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Paine not setting off to Day, as I expected, gives me an Opportunity of sending another Phial of Essence L’Orient which has had the Advantage of standing all Night to depurate and is richer than that I gave Mr. Paine yesterday. Besides this, I put some Spirit of Wine in the Phial of yesterday, which I observe curdles and discolours the Essence. In this there is nothing but a little Volat....
38To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 8 November 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I do not know how long it is since I wrote to you, but am sure it is much longer since I heard from you. I am in daily expectations of a Letter in answer to some of mine. I send you another Packet of News Papers and enclose the Leg of a strange Bird which has nothing curious in it but a fine small toothed Comb annexed to one of its Toes, and three very beautiful Feathers (of which I send two)...
39To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, with “A Literary Christmas Gambol”, 4 January 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I heartily thank you for your favour of the 23d. Decr. last and for the Pains you have taken to abridge Monsr. Buffon’s System of Astronomy. However you may think your Time lost in reading his two whimsical volumes, the little Time you took to give me a summary of his Scheme was certainly not spent in vain. Your Letter found me very un-well and in a great deal of Pain; it drew my attention so,...
40To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 20 April 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Favour of the 13. Jany. last did not get to hand before the 16. Instt. I am much obliged to you for the philosophical Intelligence you gave me which I have communicated to Mr. Rittenhouse. He is determined to watch carefully the appearances of the Star Eta of Antinous. I have written two or three Letters to you which I hope will get to hand. In one of them I enclosed a model of my further...
41To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, with Enclosure, 25 May 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Enclosed you have my Proposals respecting the improved Method of Quilling a Harpsichord; these may be shewn to any Instrument Maker, and in Case he will engage to allow a reasonable Recompense for the Invention, if the Engagements therein made shall be fully answered. The Paper containing the Description (or a Copy of it) together with one of the Models in the little Box herewith delivered may...
42To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 31 December 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I herewith forward another Portion of our News Papers. You will observe that I have dropt the Freeman’s Journal, and substituted the Evening Herald in its place. The former grew intolerably stupid and uninteresting. The latter gives the Debates in our Assembly, which I doubt not will afford you amusement and knowledge of our affairs. The Arrival of Dr. Franklin has given a Spur to our...
43To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 6 April 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
It is a very long Time indeed since I have had the Satisfaction of a Line from you. Mr. Rittenhouse had a Letter last Fall in which you mention some Books to have been forwarded for him in a Package address’d either to me or Dr. Franklin, but those Books have not come to hand. I have another Gathering of Magazines, Museums, and News Papers for you, waiting a suitable opportunity.—We are in a...
44To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 12 May 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I wish for the future you would readily command any Services that I can perform without taking the Trouble to catechise yourself on the Subject. As soon as I received yours of the 3d. Inst. I set about the Business you required; I presented the Bill on Mr. Willcocks who accepted it. I then took both the Drafts and your Letter to Mr. Morris who has settled the whole by giving me the enclosed...
45To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 19 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
Encouraged by the friendly Notice with which you have upon every Occasion been pleased to honour me, I take the Liberty of recommending to your kind Attention my Friend Mr Pine, an Artist of acknowledged Eminence, & who has given the World many pleasing & forcible Specimens of Genius. Zeal for the American Cause has brought him over from England, to secure, whilst it is yet possible, faithful...
46To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Hopkinson, 13 December 1765 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By this Time I hope his Lordship has recieved our Letters, and as the Bishops always spend their Winter in London it is probable he may have desired a Conversation with you on the Discovery of his Family, and has made more particular Enquiries about his Relations in Philadelphia; And very happy do we esteem ourselves in having a Friend in England to answer...
47To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Hopkinson, 5 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your very obliging Favour of the 4th. June came to hand within these few Days. My Friendship & Pride were both highly gratified by this Indulgence. I hope I shall always endeavour to merit your Esteem & the Esteem of all good Men. The Trust you have been pleased to repose in me does me Honour, & I doubt not but you may depend on the Exertion of my best...
48To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 3 March 1789 (Washington Papers)
I could, if the Subject was worth so much Attention, justify my Musick against your Complaints —for I insist that it is as good melting Musick as could be expected at that severe Season of the Year, and would have found its way to you by water if you had but allowed a reasonable Time. A Lover who is all over Flames will require two & sometimes three years to melt the frozen heart of his...
49To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 14 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Favour of the 23d. Dec. came to Hand yesterday. I have but just Time to notice the several Articles you mention in the order they stand. The first respects Madame Champes. I have suffered much uneasiness about the first Packet to her, which I delivered to a Gentleman of Bucks County, her near Neighbour, upon his Promise to procure me her Receipt for the Packet. This however hath never...
50To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, with Enclosure, 20 March 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Favour of the 11th Novr. came to Hand not long since, for which I thank you. I had, much about the same Time, written to you giving an Account of my further Improvement in the Method of Quilling a Harpsichord and enclosed a Model in my Letter. My Harpsichord quilled in this Way has been freely used by myself and Daughters since its Arrival last fall and not one Quill has failed, the Touch...
51To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 25 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
It is not long since I wrote to you and forwarded another Package (I think the third) of our news Papers, and at the same time sent you a Model of my last Improvement in the Harpsichord. The effect produced by furnishing an Instrument in that way is truly astonishing. I have discovered the Reason. It causes the Instrument to sound the Octave below the Tones produced by the Quill. The full Tone...
52To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Hopkinson: Two Letters, 30 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society Happening to be in your Parlour & finding Pen Ink Paper ready; that is to say, a bad Pen, a little Ink to be squees’d out of an almost dry Piece of Cotton & this same Quarter of a Sheet of Paper which is all the house affords, I set down to brighten the Chain between us.— I wrote to you by Mr. Barclay who is I hope long since safe in Paris.— I...
53To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 28 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I would fain deserve the good Character you were pleased to give me in one of your late Letters—that of a punctual Correspondent. Our Volume of Philosophical Transactions made it’s first Appearance in public yesterday and to Day I shall put one on the way at last to your Hand. I have lately been in New Jersey and saw a Bird which a Country man had shot, and is I think a Curiosity. This Bird is...
54To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 1 December 1788 (Washington Papers)
There is all the Difference in the World between a Thing done, & a Thing to be done. A Thing to be done is exposed, like our new Constitution, to all Manner of Criticisms, Objections, Oppositions, Reasonings true & false, with Arguments & Apprehensions founded on future Consequences, possible and impossible. On the Contrary, a Thing done, unless it is a very bad thing indeed, is not only...
55To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Hopkinson, 22 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Had I consulted my own Inclinations more than your Ease, you should have frequently heard from me since you left us; but knowing your Correspondence to be extensive and your Engagements important, I have avoided offering myself to your Notice lest I should intrude on more weighty Concerns. I would not, however, carry this Delicacy so far as to run the...
56To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Hopkinson, [27 March 1783] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society To be noticed by the Great is an Honour but to enjoy the Friendship of the Good is more than Honour—it is Happiness. I was much gratified by your kind Letter per Capt. Barney, & thank you for the Premiere Livraison of the Encyclopédie . But you have not informed me in what Manner I shall make Payment for them. The Sum total is larger than I could have...
57To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 12 March 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I hope you have, e’er this, recovered from your Indisposition. For my Part I have been afflicted with a very severe Cold for these three Weeks past nor have I yet got rid of this troublesome Companion. This Complaint is very general here. I have amused myself during my Confinement in various Ways. I have read Burney on Music which is really a very learned Work, but as I cannot subscribe to all...
58To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Hopkinson, 24 May 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I cannot suffer so good an Opportunity to pass without renewing my Assurances of the Love & Respect I have for you— mine & my Father’s steady Friend. It is indeed long since I have written to you, & much longer since I have received a Letter from you— Your more serious & important Avocations are doubtless the Occasion of both— I am unwilling to intrude upon...
59To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 8 July 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the Opportunity of a Vessel going to Havre de Grace to send you a large Packet of News Papers, Magazines, Museums &c. to which I have added some Publications of our Literati and Politicians. To save any Postage from Havre to Paris I have address’d the Packet to Mr. Andrew Lamouzine, and requested him either to forward it to you, or keep it till sent for. I have got some Illinois Nuts...
60To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 2 April 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Convenient Opportunities of writing to you seem less frequent than formerly, and those of hearing from you, still more scarce. My last was dated the 1. Decr. by Mr. Govr. Morris by whom also I sent a Packet of News Papers for yourself and a small Book of Songs for Miss Jefferson. I hope they have long since reach’d your hands. I have at last received the Case of Vinegar (Via Baltimore) for...