11From Benjamin Franklin to ——, [11 April 1767] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in The Pennsylvania Chronicle , June 1–8, 1767. We have been very busy about the Paper Money Affair. The Merchants are to wait on Lord Clare with their Opinion in Favour of it in a Day or two. After receiving Dr. F’s Remarks on the Report of the Board of Trade, they have drawn up a new Representation on the Subject, which they have signed, and Dr. F’s Paper...
12From Benjamin Franklin to ——, 3 April 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society Yesterday we tapp’d the Porter, and found it excellent. To prevent its being wasted, we have bottled it off, having a safer Place for Bottles, and imagining that in our slow Draught it might not keep so fresh. So we are enabled Herewith to return the Cask. How bountiful a Gratuity for half a Sheet of Paper! I can only say, that ’tis pity you are not...
13[Benjamin Franklin?] to ——, 20 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Extract printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 29, 1756. We have been here since Sunday Afternoon: That Day we had only Time to get up some Shelter from the Weather and the Enemy. Yesterday all Day it rained, with so thick a Fog, that we could not see round us, so as either to chuse a Place for a Fort, or find Materials to build it. In the Night it cleared up, and this Morning we...
14From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 28 November 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in part in The Gentleman’s Magazine , XLIX (supplement, 1779), pp. 647–8; printed in full in William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c. (quarto edition, 3 vols., London, 1817–18), II , 169–70. I received your obliging favour of the 12th instant. Your sentiments of the importance of the present dispute between Great-Britain...
15From Benjamin Franklin to the Académie Royale des Sciences, 16 November 1772 (Franklin Papers)
Photograph of ALS : Académie des sciences, Paris A Place among your foreign Members is justly esteemed, by all Europe, the greatest Honour a Man can arrive at in the Republick of Letters: It was therefore with equal Surprize and Satisfaction that I learnt you had condescended to confer that Honour upon me. Be pleased to accept my grateful Acknowledgements, and believe me with the greatest...
16From Benjamin Franklin to a French Friend, [June 1772]: extract (Franklin Papers)
Extract: printed in Pierre-Joseph-André Roubaud, Histoire générale de l’Asie, de l’Afrique et de l’Amérique … (5 vols., Paris, 1770–75), V , 90. Les Américains ne le cédent ni en force, ni en courage, ni en esprit aux Européens. So dated by Roubaud. BF , he says, was writing to a friend in Paris after the appearance of Cornelius de Pauw’s Recherches philosophiques sur les Américains …,...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Mrs. [James?] Alcock, [24 September? 1773] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society At the Request of Dr. Hawkesworth I am to mention to you what occurr’d to me on reading the Copy of Mr. Alcock’s Letter, and in Conversation with the Dr. on your Affairs. There is no Grant of Land as yet to be obtained from those concern’d in the new Colony, their Grant from the Crown not having yet pass’d the Seals. With so many Children...
18From Benjamin Franklin to James Alexander, 15 August 1745 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I return you herewith your Draughts, with a Copy of one of them per Mr. Evans and a few Lines relating to it from him. I wrote to Mr. Parker last Post that they might be got done in Boston by one Turner who is said to be a good Engraver. Our only tolerable Engraver here will not undertake the Jobb. And for my own Part I would rather chuse you should get...
19From Benjamin Franklin to James Alexander, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 282–3. Suppose a tube of any length open at both ends, and containing a moveable wire of just the same length, that fills its bore. If I attempt to introduce the end of another wire into the same tube, it must be done by pushing forward the wire it already contains; and the instant I press and move...
20From Benjamin Franklin to James Alexander and Cadwallader Colden with Short Hints towards a Scheme for Uniting the … (Franklin Papers)
Copy: New-York Historical Society; also transcript: Library of Congress The Pennsylvania commissioners to the Albany Congress left Philadelphia on Monday morning, June 3, and arrived at New York on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 5th. Some of them, especially Richard Peters, were active during the next three days buying various goods for the Pennsylvania present to the Indians, apparently...
21From Benjamin Franklin to William Alexander, 3 November 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress On my Return to Town I found your Favour, with the Schemes of your Lottery, to which I wish Success, and besides ordering some Tickets for my self, I have spoken well of it on every Occasion; but I find little Inclination among my Acquaintance to engage in Lotteries at such a Distance, and one cannot be very open in promoting them, it being contrary...
22Four Letters of Introduction for Joseph Priestley, 20–21 August 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (drafts): Library of Congress In late August Joseph Priestley left with his patron, Lord Shelburne, for a Continental tour. It included the Low Countries and the Rhineland and ended in October in Paris, where Priestley demonstrated some of his experiments with gases and discussed them with Lavoisier in the first meeting between those two giants of chemistry. Franklin gave Priestley...
23Samuel Chandler to James Hamilton, William Allen, Richard Peters, Benjamin Franklin, Conrad Weiser, and William Smith … (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Horace W. Smith, Life and Correspondence of the Rev. William Smith, D.D. (Philadelphia, 1880), I , 40–2. William Smith delivered this letter to Governor Hamilton a few days after he returned from England on May 22. Hamilton communicated it at once to the others named in it. Franklin, Peters, and Weiser were about to set out to Albany, so no meeting could be held...
24Presentment of the Philadelphia Grand Jury, 3 January 1745 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Historical Society of Pennsylvania To the Worshipful the Mayor, the Recorder and the rest of the Justices of the City of Philadelphia. The Grand Jury of the said City, met at the present Sessions, do, in Compliance with the Direction of the Court, [make] the following particular Presentments of unlawful Bakehouses, Coopers Shops, Disorderly Houses, &c. but believing from the Reprimand...
25From Benjamin Franklin to John Alleyne, 9 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society This well known letter was apparently first published in The Gentleman’s Magazine , LIX (1789), 384–5; the printed version differs substantially from the draft in only a few passages, noted below. Little is known about John Alleyne: he was the son of Thomas Alleyne of Queen Street, Westminster, was admitted to the Middle Temple in 1767, married Nancy...
26From Benjamin Franklin to John Alleyne, 15 October 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society; printed in John Alleyne, The Legal Degrees of Marriage Stated and Considered, in a Series of Letters to a Friend (2nd ed., London, 1775), appendix, pp. 1–2. I have never heard upon what Principles of Policy the Law was made prohibiting the Marriage of a Man with his former Wife’s Sister, nor have I ever been able to conjecture any political...
27From Benjamin Franklin to John Almon, 7 November 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Harvard University Library Dr. Franklin presents his Compliments to Mr. Almon, and sends him a M.S. which he has perus’d and thinks well written so as probably to be acceptable to the Publick at this time. If Mr. Almon should be of the same Opinion, it is at his Service. Addressed: Mr Almon This note and the one from Almon below, Dec. 6, are the only extant communications between BF and...
28From Benjamin Franklin to a Member of the Royal Society, 26 November 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Council of the Royal Society having put Sir John Pringle, Bart. in nomination for President; and being myself persuaded from what I know of his Learning in general, his thorough Acquaintance with Experimental Philosophy, his constant Attendance at our Meetings, and his extensive Reputation in the Republick of Letters throughout Europe, that he would...
29From Benjamin Franklin to John Antill, 18 February 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society Before I had an Opportunity of answering your Letter, I was displac’d from my Office, which puts it out of my Power to do you any Service in what you propose, and makes a more particular Answer unnecessary. I will however speak with Mr. Potts concerning his Letter, and acquaint you with the Result. Present my Best Respects to Mr. and Mrs....
30From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Leech and Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 10 June 1758 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library; draft (incomplete): American Philosophical Society In mine of May 13. I gave you a particular Account of the Hearing before the Attorney and Sollicitor General, on a Reference of Smith’s Petition; they have not yet made their Report, and would now I hear excuse themselves from doing it, as unnecessary, since they have heard that the Prisoners are discharged. But...
31From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Leech and Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 13 May 1758 (Franklin Papers)
LS with ALS postscript: Yale University Library I receiv’d yours of February 6. with the Votes and other Papers relating to the Commitment of Moore and Smith. We immediately took Advice upon them, and engaged Counsel. It was however some Time before we heard any Thing from the other Side. At length we had Notice from the Attorney and Sollicitor General, that Smith’s Petition was referr’d to...
32From Benjamin Franklin to Jean Chappe d’Auteroche, 31 January 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I sent you sometime since, directed to the Care of M. Molini, a Bookseller near the Quây des Augustins a Tooth that I mention’d to you when I had the Pleasure of meeting with you at the Marquis de Courtanvaux’s. It was found near the River Ohio in America, about 200 Leagues below Fort du Quesne, at what is called the Great Licking Place, where the Earth...
33From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Babcock, 10 November 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Your Goodnature will be pleas’d to hear that your Guests went on well after they left you. We got early into New York the next Morning; staid there one Day, had a Pleasant Passage over the Bay the next Morning; spent some time with Friends in different Places of the Jerseys, and got safe and well home on Saturday Evening, where we had the additional Happiness of...
34From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Babcock, 16 December 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I thank you most cordially for your kind Congratulations on my Arrival, which I have the more Pleasure in, as among my other Friends, I find you and yours alive and well: I rejoice with you likewise in the safe Return of your two valuable Sons, to whom, on Account of their own Merit as well as the Obligations I am under to you, I wish it had been in my Power to...
35From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Babcock, 26 February 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library It is a long time since I have had the Pleasure of a Line from you; indeed I have not deserv’d it; for I am a Debtor on Account of several of your Favours that remain unanswer’d. The Truth is, I have too much Writing to do. It confines me so much, that I can scarcely find time for sufficient Bodily Exercise to keep me in Health. Hence I grow more and more averse...
36From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Babcock, 10 December 1761 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have been favour’d with yours by your valuable Sons, on whose promising Worth I congratulate you and good Mrs. Babcock. I should be glad to see them oftner than I do. But young Men find in England, Amusements more agreeable than the Company of old ones. The Colonel is gone down with my Son to Bath, where I last Night had the Pleasure of hearing they were both...
37From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Babcock, 5 September 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Returning hither from Portsmouth, I find your agreeable Favour of Augt. 19. containing your kind Invitation to Westerly, where I am sure I could pass some Days with great Pleasure; but doubt whether it will be in my Power. I perceive the Artifice of your Eloquence, which in some degree saves me from being carried away by its Force. You promise me the Communication...
38From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Babcock, 18 October 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : West Chester (Pa.) State Teachers College I hop’d to have had the Pleasure of being with you before this time, but various Remora’s have detain’d us in various Places. We are to set out this day, so as to lodge at Cases’ to night, and purpose to take a Bed under your hospitable Roof the Night, if not cast away among the dangerous Rocks of your Coast. My best Respects to Mrs. Babcock, &c....
39From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Babcock, 1 September 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Yale University Library I beg Leave to introduce to you the Revd. Mr. Allison Rector of our Academy; a Person of great Ingenuity and Learning, a catholic Divine, and what is more, an Honest Man; For as Pope says By Entertaining then this Gent. with your accustomed Hospitality and Benevolence, you will Entertain one of the Nobility. I mean one of Gods Nobility; for as to the Kings , there...
40From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Babcock, 13 January 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society It was with great Pleasure I learnt by Mr. Marchant, that you and Mrs. Babcock and all your good Family continue well and happy. I hope I shall find you all in the same State when I next come your Way, and take Shelter as often heretofore under your hospitable Roof. The Colonel, I am told, continues an active and able Farmer, the most...