1To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 1 May 1731 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks) I did wrong perhaps in bringing out with me the Paper I had from T. G. but on thy Letter I return it. To give my opinion of it is needless, for it Speaks for itself. That method of Locks (as they are call’d) in Rivers is found of great Use, and comes daily more into practice. There are now...
2To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 6 May 1741 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks) I return thee all thy Books with my hearty thanks for thy trouble in favouring me with a sight of them, and am highly pleased there are any in the Province who are so fond of such studies, and at the same time so well furnish’d with Cash as to take them all together in their present Condition at those prices. But as I have some knowledge of the...
3To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 26 February 1744 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks); another transcript: American Philosophical Society I have this day read over my version of Cicero’s Cato Major in thy Print, with my Notes on it, and cannot but applaud thy care but wish thou hadst not begun in pa: 49 with Greek Letter, since thou hadst not enough of the same character to go on with it, for to this alone I must impute the failure....
4To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 23 February 1747 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks) Yesterday was the first time that I ever heard one syllable of thy Electrical Experiments, when John Bartram surpriz’d me with the account of a Ball turning many hours about an Electrified Body, with some other particulars that were sufficiently amazing. I have now by me Fr: Hawkesbee’s Experiments printed in 1709 and saw his whole Apparatus in 1710...
5To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 6 March 1747 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks) I utterly forgot to send thee the N York Paper by my Son who was here this Morning but I now do it with my hearty thanks. I ordered him further to see thee to day and to beg thy Excuse for my desiring thee to send me a List of your Addition of Books to your Library which I did not the least apprehend would be sufficient to fill so much as one...
6To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 13 July 1747 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks) I received this afternoon a Copy of the Proposals for printing another Edition of Universal History of which I had a sight of the first vol: about two or three years since from my Friend Richd Peters, of which notwithstanding I could not approve of some particulars in the Preface which 1 was very sensible were wrong, tho’ I cannot remember at...
7To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 19 July 1747 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks) I can scarce ever forgive thee for not shewing me, in now above two years and a half, Dr. Colden’s Answer to my Objections to his Fluxions: For he had good reason to say that either my Memory had fail’d me, or I had read that piece with little attention; the last of which is exactly true, tho’ I remember not now what other business diverted me from...
8To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 3 December 1747 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Sparks, Works , VII , 24–7. I have expected to see thee here for several weeks, according to my son’s information, with Euclid’s title-page printed, and my Mattaire’s Lives of the Stephenses; but it is probable thy thoughts of thy new excellent project have in some measure diverted thee, to which I most heartily wish all possible success; of which, notwithstanding, I have some...
9To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 19 February 1748 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania My Friend B.F. I wrote to him about the Title page of Euclid and the Lottery now fully drawn and desired his direction concluding his Affectionate friend. See above, p. 219.
10To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 16 April 1748 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I was well pleased with thine of the 13th Inst. on both Accounts, that of the Guns and that also of the Militia with which Conr. Weiser was So well Satisfied that he declared at his Return hither, that he would not for Some pounds out of his own Pocket, but that Shekallemy one of the 6 Nations and his Son had Seen it, and these Indians...
11James Logan to Franklin and Hall, 7 May 1748 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania As I intirely condemn your Publication in your last Gazette of J.F.’s Paper in relation to me, without my approbation which I should never have granted and impute it more as the forward Act of D. Hall than of you both together, I desire that you would publish this in your next Gazette that you may make me all the Amends that now lies in your...
12To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 9 May 1748 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy (incomplete): Historical Society of Pennsylvania I have wrote a few lines to thee and D.H. as Authors of the Gazette of what you have inserted in your last in relation to me which thou may put into what Language thou pleases provided it answers my End. I impute it to D.H. and not to thy Self. But this comes to inquire particularly into the [ incomplete ]. BF ’s reply, May 10,...
13To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 9 November 1748 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I here return thee Hen: Ellis’s Tract of his Voyage to Hudson’s Bay, which I have perused and I thank thee for the Loan of it. But I’m Sorry for the Loss of Sandin the Swedish Minister for they generally use to be a good Sort of People, their Ministers I mean. I know not what to think of Kalm. I had a Letter from Linnaeus 10 or 11 years Since...
14To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 13 February 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I return’d him the Reliquiae Bodleianae which he took out of the Library for me, blaming the Editor for not digesting the Letters according to their date, and kept Peter Kalm’s Fauna Suecica by Linnaeus taking notice of his being of Aboae in Finland which as being in that Province I wonder’d he should call their Academy Stockholmiae....
15To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 19 May 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Sent him Capt. Smiths voyages or Travels to Virginia. Greg. Leti’s Sisto 5 to. 2 Voll and Marchetti’s Lucrezzio in Italian and desired him to Send me what Classics he has published by M. Mattaire. “Capt. Smiths voyages” was probably The True Travels, Adventures, and Observations of Captaine John Smith, In Europe, Asia, Affrica, and...
16To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 11 June 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Wrote to B. Franklin to come up and See my Books.
17To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 13 September 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received thine of Yesterdays date this day about II but do not believe that discourse of Doctor Frees explains the Discourse of the Picts or as he calls them the Pyhtas as I have done for he mentions the duration of their Language. I shall cause my younger Son next Month when he is out of his time [to] copy out that discourse: Thou may...
18To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 6 October 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I absolutely forgot to mention what I principally intended yesterday. Thy telling me what were the most likely paper Mills to Supply me with 6 or 7 sheets or more of Pastboard of about 19 or 20 inches in length and 15 in breadth and what rolling presses were [in] town to smooth them, an exact account of which to be prepared to day and Sent in...
19To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 13 December 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I wrote to him that Lewis Evans has been here yesterday to advise of T. Godfrey’s Decease which I supposed had prevented his coming today the last he had appointed but that to morrow was a new one and that he might apply to my Son for his Charges. Some here would be pleased to see his Experiments [ two words illegible ]. That is, BF ....
20To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 17 December 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I Send him his borrowed Praeceptor. I thought to have bought that and Turnbull for my Son who is at home with me and to deliver him Those others that I had wrote for. Desire him to Send me Milton and Hutcheson dis[sertation] of Senses with the last &c. Hutcheson says there are more than 5 Senses and reckons Pain and hunger which goes the...
21To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 8 January 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania If there be any convenient room left, Since my eldest Son has rejected the Offer, I am willing my name Should be inserted amongst the Collegues of your Society, tho’ very uncapable of being in any manner useful to it, yet I am very desirous to have it by all means promoted, tho’ I expect to be excused from contributing any thing to it more...
22To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 12 January 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I wrote to him to come up hither next first day if the weather was good Seeing while the Assembly Sits I can appoint no other day and if my Son has delivered him the Magic Squares I pray him to bring them with him. His affectionate friend “Our Benj. Franklin is certainly an Extraordinary Man in most respects,” Logan wrote Peter Collinson,...
23James Logan to Peter Collinson, 28 February 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I have Spent most of this day for the first time with thy friend Kalm accompanied with B. Franklin, and I know not what to make of him, nor of his Journey to Canada, where, after the whole last winter Spent at a Swedish Woman’s House near Newcastle, he Spent near five Months, and dined many times at the Governors at Quebec, without Seeing...
24Deed of Trust for the Loganian Library, 28 August 1754 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Library Company of Philadelphia As early as March 1745 James Logan had decided to give his library to the people of Philadelphia, and executed a deed of trust for the purpose. Soon afterwards he began the erection of a suitable building on Sixth Street to house his collection. Later he became dissatisfied with some provisions of the deed of trust, canceled it, and began the preparation of...
25To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 30 March 1765 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received Yesterday some Letters from my Brother via N York tho’ of a prior Date to our last Intelligences from Philada. Yet I thought it would not be improper to mention the following paragraph. “I have but little News to add, save acquainting thee that our Assembly was to have met the Night before last (Janry 7th) but the Deep Snow has prevented the...