1From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 25 October 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society Enclos’d with this I send you all my Electrical Papers fairly transcrib’d, and I have as you desir’d examin’d the Copy and find it correct. I shall be glad to have your Observations on them; and if in any Part I have not made my self well understood, I will on Notice endeavour to explain the obscure Passages by Letter. My Compliments to Mr. Cooper and the...
2From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 5 September 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society As you are curious in Electricity, I take the Freedom of introducing to you, my Friend Mr. Kinnersley, who visits Boston with a compleat Apparatus for experimental Lectures on that Subject. He has given great Satisfaction to all that have heard him here, and I believe you will be pleased with his Performance. He is quite a Stranger in Boston, and as you...
3To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, 21 December 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society The Experiments Mr. Kennersley has exhibited here, have been greatly pleasing to all sorts of people, that have seen them; and I hope by the time he returns to Philadelphia, his Tour this way will turn to good account. His Experiments are very curious, and I think, prove most effectually your doctrine of Electricity: that it is a real Element annexed to,...
4From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 24 January 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society I am glad to learn by your Favour of the 21st past, that Mr. Kinnersley’s Lectures have been acceptable to the Gentlemen of Boston, and are like to prove serviceable to himself. I thank you for the Countenance and Encouragement you have so kindly afforded my Fellow-Citizen. I send you enclos’d an Extract of a Letter containing the Substance of what I...
5To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, 2 March 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have received your favour of the 24th. January past, inclosing an Extract from your Letter to Mr. Collinson and Dr. Colden’s Letter to yourself, which I have read with a great deal of pleasure, and am much obliged to you for. Your Extract confirms a correction Mr. Kinnersley made a few days ago of a mistake I was under respecting the polarity given to...
6To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, 16 March 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society According to promise in my last, I now return you Dr. Colden’s Letter, for communicating which I am greatly obliged to you. The Dr. dissenting from you, is of opinion, that Sea Clouds are less electrified than Land Clouds, and gives the reasons of his opinion “That Salt, tho’ an Electric per se, is never raised in Sea-vapours, therefore Sea-Clouds are...
7From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 14 May 1752 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; transcript: Massachusetts Historical Society I deferred answering yours of March 16th in hopes of finding one of the first Edition of Dr. Coldens Pieces, which you seem’d desirous to see. I have not been able to get a compleat one, but enclose you some Sheets which the Dr. sent me when it was in the Press. I endeavoured to understand it, and to that End made a few Remarks...
8To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, 8 June 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have read the first Chapter of Dr. Colden’s piece on Gravitation which you was so good as to inclose in yours of the 14th. Ult. and endeavoured to understand it, but with as little Success as yourself. I have ventured notwithstanding to make in the margin a few remarks on several passages, which detach’d from the rest I tho’t I understood; but it is...
9From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 28 February 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society The enclos’d is a Copy of a Letter and some Papers I received lately from a Friend, of which I have struck off Fifty Copies by the Press, to distribute among my ingenious Acquaintance in No. America, hoping some of them will make the Observations proposed. The Improvement of Geography and Astronomy is the common Concern of all polite Nations, and I trust...
10To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, [March 1753?] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Sparks, Works , VI , 161 n. By the post I received your favor, enclosing several printed letters relating to the transit of Mercury over the sun. A gentleman here, who is provided with the proper instruments, and well skilled in astronomy, intends to make the necessary observations; to whom, as well as to several others, I shall communicate said letters....