41From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 5 October 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Two extracts: one printed in The Pennsylvania Chronicle , December 26-January 2, 1769, the other a MS copy, American Philosophical Society. The Harvest here is well got in, and is said to be a plentiful one; tho’ I never knew so wet a Summer. No great Matters have been in Agitation lately, this not being a Season of much Business. The sending a new Chief Governor to Virginia in the Place of...
42From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 17 August 1772 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 171. At length we have got rid of Lord Hillsborough, and Lord Dartmouth takes his place, to the great satisfaction of all the friends of America. You will hear it said among you (I suppose) that the interest of the Ohio planters has ousted him, but the...
43From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 23 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am pleas’d to learn by yours of the 12th that you have taken a circumstantial Account of the Appearances at Trumbles’s House, which you think sufficient to establish my new Hypothesis of the Direction of Lightning. Mr. Kinnersley has sent me a Pane of the Glass with a Letter in which he mentions his Suspicions that the Stroke was upwards. I now write him...
44From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 1 September 1773 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete letterbook draft): Library of Congress; remainder, except a brief passage, reprinted from William Duane, ed., The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin … (6 vols., Philadelphia, 1808–18), VI , 329–31; three final sentences quoted in William Franklin to Joseph Galloway, November 25, 1773: American Philosophical Society I have now before me yours of July 5. and 6. The August Packet is...
45From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 30 January 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society I have now before me yours of July 3. Aug. 3. Sept. 3. and Nov. 5. All but the last came in my Absence, which is the Reason they were not immediately answer’d. In yours of July 3. you mention some Complaisance of Lord H’s towards you, that show’d a Disposition of being upon better Terms. His Behaviour to me in Ireland corresponds exactly....
46From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 14 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress Your late Letters of Oct. 13, 29, Nov. 3, Dec. 1. and 4. lying all before me, I shall answer the Particulars in order; such I mean as I have not answered by other Opportunities. I have written to Mr. Bolton of Birmingham for a Plated Tea Urn, he being by far the best Maker, and his Work of the newest Fashion. If it does not come in time to go by this...
47From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 13 March 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c. (quarto edition, 3 vols., London, 1817–18), II , 156–9; fragment of AL in Yale University Library. I have received all together your letters of January 6, 21, and 22: it had been a great while that I had not heard from you. The purpose of settling the new colonies seems at...
48From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 9 January 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c. (quarto edition, 3 vols., London, 1817–18), II , 151. We have had so many alarms of changes which did not take place, that just when I wrote it was thought the ministry would stand their ground. However immediately after the talk was renewed, and it soon appeared the Sunday...
49From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 29 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract reprinted in part from The Pennsylvania Chronicle, And Universal Advertiser , March 7–14, 1768, and in part from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c ., II , The Private Correspondence (quarto edition, London, 1817), 149–50. The paragraphs printed here form the second of two documents that William Temple...
50From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 14 July 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress This letter has hitherto been published only in an extract, which omitted a long section at the beginning and a somewhat shorter one at the end. The beginning is of particular interest, because in it Franklin discussed his view of settlers’ rights, as opposed to the rights of the crown, in land acquired from the Indians. That view came extremely...