To Benjamin Franklin from John Foulke, 12 May 1782
From John Foulke5
ALS: University of Pennsylvania Library
Paris May 12th. 82
Sir
I have the honor to enclose to your Excelly. your letter upon the little insect Ephemere which miss Alexander put into my hands to copy for her with the request to forward it immediately to your Excelly.6
I have the honor to be with the most profound respect Your obliged & sincere friend & very Hl sert.—
John Foulke
His Excelly. Doctr Franklin Passy
Addressed: His Excellency / Benjamin Franklin Esqr. / Minister Plenipotentiary / from the United states of / North America / Passy near / Paris—
5. Foulke had gone to Leipzig in the fall of 1781, and in January wrote WTF that he planned to go to Berlin and Dresden in about two months, and then return to Paris: XXXV, 585–6; Foulke to WTF, Jan. 12, 1782 (APS).
6. BF circulated manuscript copies of his letter written to Mme Brillon and known as “The Ephemera” long after its composition in 1778. He eventually printed the piece as part of his collection of bagatelles; see XXVII, 430–5. The Alexander daughter who was at this time visiting Paris was Bethia; see our annotation of William Alexander to BF, April 24, and Rouaix to BF, May 12.