From Benjamin Franklin to a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 22 August 1772
To a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia4
ALS: Harvard University Library; letterbook draft: American Philosophical Society;5 minutebook copy: Library Company of Philadelphia
London, Augt. 22. 1772
Gentlemen,
I received your Bill on Whitmore for £125 Sterling, which is carried to the Credit of the Library Company. With this you will receive the Books, of which inclosed I send the Invoice. I hope they will come safe to hand, and please. The Journals of the House of Commons are not to be had at present under 25 Guineas, or £25, therefore I did not think it adviseable to send them, as at Auctions or Sales one has frequent Opportunities of purchasing them much lower. Besides they are Books rather to be consulted on Occasion than read, and any one having such Occasion may find them in the Assembly’s Library. I will however send them if you direct me to do it. With great Regard, I am, Gentlemen, Your most obedient humble Servant
B Franklin
Messrs. Robt. Strettel Jones, Saml Rhoads, and Josiah Hewes
Addressed: To / Messrs. Robt. Strettel Jones / Samll Rhoads, & Josiah / Hewes, a Commte. of the Di- / rectors of the Library Company. / Philadelphia / per Capt. Falconer
Endorsed: London August 22 1772 Letter from B Franklin per Capt. Falconer.
4. In answer to the committee’s letter above, May 28, where the members are identified, and to the earlier letter of April 27 with an order for books. The committee did not resume the correspondence until Dec. 28, 1773.
5. The draft contains a note omitted in the final version, that five percent is to be deducted from the prices on the invoice; the remainder of the note, badly torn, seems to refer to books that were not in the main consignment.