From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 2 June 1763
To William Strahan
ALS: Yale University Library
Philada. June 2. 1763
Dear Friend,
I have just received your Favour of Feb. 28.9 being but lately returned home from Virginia. Dr. Kelly in his Letter, appears the same sensible, worthy, friendly Man I ever found him; and Smith, as usual, just his Reverse.1 I have done with him: For I believe no body here will prevail with me to give him another Meeting. I communicated your Postscript to B Mecom, and receiv’d the enclos’d from him.2 I begin to fear things are going wrong with him; I shall be at New York in a few Days, and will endeavour to secure you as far as it may be in his Power, and will write you from thence.3 My Love to good Mrs. Strahan and to your Children. I hope to live to see George a Bishop.4 Sally is now with her Brother in the Jerseys. Mrs. Franklin joins with me in best Wishes, &c. I am, Dear Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant
B Franklin
I fear my Letters to you per Capt. Friend never came to hand, as I hear he is taken. It was the Ship I came over in, the Carolina.5 I wrote pretty fully to you and Mrs. Stephenson, but kept no Copies.
Addressed: To / Mr William Strahan / Printer / London / Snow James & Mary / Capt. Sparkes6
Endorsed: Mr. Franklin
9. Not found.
1. With his letter of February 28, Strahan had apparently enclosed a copy of Dr. John Kelly’s letter to him of Feb. 11, 1763, concerning William Smith’s refusal to honor a promise, made at a meeting with BF at Strahan’s house in 1762, to retract a letter he had written to Oxford in 1759 attacking BF. Smith’s purpose had been “to prevent his [BF’s] having a Degree at Oxford.” See above, p. 78 n.
2. Not found.
3. See above, p. 153 n, for Mecom’s move to N.Y. and his failure there.
4. For the Strahan children, see above, p. 169 n. In his letter of February 28 Strahan had apparently told BF that his son George intended to quit the bookselling business and go to Oxford with hopes of entering the ministry. In his letter of Feb. 11, 1763, cited above, Dr. John Kelly told Strahan of meeting George, “a very amiable young Gentleman,” who was then studying at Abingdon, preparatory to entering Oxford.
5. The Carolina, though captured by the Spanish in February, reached London about the first of April; see above, p. 160 n. BF’s letters to Strahan of Dec. 2 and 7, 1762, went by the Carolina.
6. Pa. Gaz., June 9, 1763, reported the clearance of the James and Mary, Capt. J. Sparks.