To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 20 November 1781
From William Carmichael
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Madrid 20 November 1781
Dear Sir
Mr Charles Traverse having been so obliging as to offer to charge himself with my pacquets for your Excellency, I have seized the opportunity of sending you a Discourse of Mr. Iove Llanos, which I mentioned in a former Letter & the Poem of Mr Ths. Iriarte on Musick.9 I am on an Intimate Footing with the Authors & If their Works give you any pleasure in the Perusal, your mentioning your satisfaction would be highly flattering to these Gentlemen. You see that I desire this Conditionally, For If their works should not please—I shall not mention to them that I have sent them to you— Mr Traverse who will put this Letter & the Books into your Excellencys hands, has resided more than 20 years in the Family of France here & is generally Esteemed by Natives & Foreigners. He has been particularly Civil to me and very Polite & Attentive to Mr & Mrs Jay, who have a great regard for Him. He will tell you much better than I can do, How desirous he is of being permitted now & then to have the honor of seeing a Man of whom he has heard so much— I hope your Grand Sons health has been reestablished by his Journey to the Country—1 Affairs are in the Same Situation as when I had last the honor to write to your Excellency.2 Mr Del Campo is dangerously Ill & his Sickness retards every thing.3 Our Dependance Public & Personal is on you.
I have the honor to be With great Respect Your Excellencys Most Humble Sert
Wm. Carmichael
His Excellency B. Franklin
Addressed: His Excellency / Benjamin Franklin / Passy / favd. by Mr. C. La Traverse
9. Among the many works of Tomás de Iriarte was his 1779 poem La Música.
1. For WTF’s jaundice, which led him to undertake a trip to the château de Chaumont, see XXXV, 534, 542–3, 584, 591, 672.
2. XXXV, 641.
3. Bernardo del Campo, Floridablanca’s secretary, was negotiating with Jay for a Spanish-American treaty. He survived this illness: Morris, Jay: Revolutionary, p. 717; Morris, Jay: Peace, p. 121n.