1To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Thomson, 14 May 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society This is the third Letter I have lately wrote you. With the two last, one dated the 5th: the other the 16th: of April I sent you a Copy of two Conferences between Teedyuscung and this Government. Whether they are gone in the Man of War in which Lord Loudon went, or whether they are kept to go in the Packet I cant say. We are told here that his Lordship is much...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Thomson, 10 December 1758 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in [Charles Thomson], An Enquiry into the Causes of the Alienation of the Delaware and Shawanese Indians from the British Interest , … (London, 1759), pp. 172–82. Lawrence Wroth first identified Thomson as the author of this letter, Pemberton as the author of that which follows next, and Franklin as the recipient of both, on the strength of a statement in...
3Philadelphia Linen Manufactory: Stock Certificate for Charles Thomson, 13 August 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Printed form with MS insertions in blanks: American Philosophical Society In July 1764 a group of Philadelphia citizens issued a two-page printed circular inviting subscriptions to the stock of a “Linen Manufactory” to be established in or near Philadelphia. According to this announcement, benevolence furnished the principal motive. “Whereas the number of poor in and around this City, is at...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Thomson, 18 December 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Urgency of my business which called me another way deprived me of the pleasure of waiting on you to Chester. However my best Prayers and wishes attend you, and I hope e’er now you are safe in London. The first Day of my Journey I travelled about 32 Miles up the Lancaster Road and lodged at the 19th. Tavern. This Road tis true is much frequented and on...
5To Benjamin Franklin from “A Merchant in Philadelphia” [Charles Thomson], 19 June 1765 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from The London Chronicle , August 17–20, 1765; AL (fragment): American Philosophical Society That this letter was addressed to Franklin and that he was responsible for its printing in London seem virtually certain: the surviving leaf of the manuscript is found among his papers, and two editorial emendations, now almost indecipherable, appear to be in his hand. Identification of the...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 11 July 1765 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress; extract: printed in The London Chronicle , November 14–16, 1765. I am extreemly obliged by your kind Letters of Aprill 12th. and 14th. and thank you for the Intelligence they Contain. The Outrages continueally commited by those misguided people, will doubtless tend to Convince all the Considerate on your side of the Water of the Weakness of our present Government and...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Thomson, 24 September 1765 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in London Chronicle , November 14–16, 1765. Yes, my friend, I grant that “Idleness and Pride tax with a heavier hand than Kings and Parliaments,” “and that frugality and industry will go a great way towards endemnifying us.” But the misfortune is, the very thing that renders industry necessary cuts the sinews of it. With industry and frugality the subjects...
LS : American Philosophical Society Enclosed are two bills of exchange, which we have the pleasure of sending you by order and for account of the Directors of the Philadelphia library company. The one is for £50 Sterling drawn by James and Drinker on Neate and Pigou. The other is Willing & Morris’ draught on John Mayne for £100 Sterling; both at 30 days sight and both payable to yourself. Out...
9To Benjamin Franklin from [Charles Thomson], 6 November 1768 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress The rebirth of the American Philosophical Society, more than two decades after its death in infancy, was a complicated process. Charles Thomson’s letter may have been Franklin’s first notification that the process was under way, and is certainly the first that is extant. Although Thompson deals with a quite different organization, it was one of the two that a...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson and Thomas Mifflin, 5 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Amherst College Library I received yours with two Bills of Exchange enclos’d, for £150 Sterling, with a Catalogue of Books to be procur’d for the Library Company, which I have given Orders for Collecting immediately, and hope they will be ready to send by Budden or the next Ship. I am not acquainted with the Work intitled British Zoology, but shall enquire its Character of some knowing...