1From Benjamin Franklin to David Hume, 27 September 1760 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Royal Society of Edinburgh I have too long postpon’d answering your obliging Letter, a Fault I will not attempt to excuse, but rather rely on your Goodness to forgive it if I am more punctual for the future. I am oblig’d to you for the favourable Sentiments you express of the Pieces sent you; tho’ the Volume relating to our Pensilvania Affairs, was not written by me, nor any Part of it,...
2From Benjamin Franklin to David Hume, 21 January 1762 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): Royal Society of Edinburgh; printed in full in Essays and Observations, Physical and Literary. Read before the Philosophical Society in Edinburgh, and published by them , III (Edinburgh, 1771), 129–41. In Compliance with my Lord Marishall’s Request, communicated to me by you when I last had the Pleasure of seeing you, I now send you what at present appears to me to be the...
3To Benjamin Franklin from David Hume, 10 May 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have a great many Thanks to give you for your Goodness in remembering my Request, and for the exact Description, which you sent me of your Method of preserving Houses from Thunder. I communicated it to our philosophical Society, as you gave me Permission; and they desire me to tell you that they claim it as their own, and intend to enrich with it the...
4From Benjamin Franklin to David Hume, 19 May 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Royal Society of Edinburgh It is no small Pleasure to me to hear from you that my Paper on the means of preserving Buildings from Damage by Lightning, was acceptable to the Philosophical Society. Mr. Russel’s Proposals of Improvement are very sensible and just. A Leaden Spout or Pipe is undoubtedly a good Conductor so far as it goes. If the Conductor enters the Ground just at the...
5To Benjamin Franklin from David Hume, 7 February 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I was very glad to hear of your safe Arrival in London, after being expos’d to as many Perils, as St. Paul, by Land and by Water: Though to no Perils among false Brethren: For the good Wishes of all your Brother Philosophers in this place attend you heartily and sincerely, together with much Regret that your Business wou’d not allow you to pass more time among...