Benjamin Franklin Papers
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From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 17 July 1757

To Deborah Franklin

MS not found; extract reprinted from WTF, Memoirs, I, 133 n.5

[Falmouth, July 17, 1757]

The bell ringing for church, we went thither immediately, and with hearts full of gratitude, returned sincere thanks to God for the mercies we had received: were I a Roman Catholic, perhaps I should on this occasion vow to build a chapel to some saint; but as I am not, if I were to vow at all, it should be to build a lighthouse.

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

5Attached as a footnote to BF’s account of his voyage to England in William Temple Franklin’s edition of the autobiography, and prefaced: “In a letter from Dr. Franklin to his wife, dated at Falmouth, the 17th July, 1757, after giving a similar account of his voyage, escape, and landing; he adds …” See Par. Text edit., pp. 404–10, for BF’s story of the voyage, referred to by Temple Franklin, and the following document for WF’s description of their narrow escape.

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