4621From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, Sr., 5 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I suppose Jonathan has told you that the Lottery is drawn, and your two new Tickets had the same Success as the former, viz. One £20 Prize, and one Blank. Would you go on any farther? Josiah is very happy in being under the Tuition of Mr. Stanley, who very kindly undertook him at my Request tho’ he had left off Teaching. Josiah goes constantly too to...
4622To Benjamin Franklin from Noble Wimberly Jones, 7 March 1771: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <March 7, 1771. Encloses two issues of the Gazette dealing with the dissolution of the Assembly.> Presumably the weekly Ga. Gaz. ; no copies for 1771 appear to be extant.
4623To Benjamin Franklin from Michael Collinson, 9 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I return the Soliloquy which is indeed in too many Places but too wickedly entertaining and Pointed at the expence of the good old Gentleman, and the Allusion to 1715 &ca with the help of the Key which in Confidence you furnished Me with is palpable enough. I am very happy, my dear Sir, that I have it just still in my Power to oblige myself by...
4624To Benjamin Franklin from Robert Crafton, 11 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I hope you (as an American) have not caught that epidemical Disorder, that infects our Senators on this Side the Atlantic: Law Makers should not be Law-Breakers! You and I, cum aliis, laid our wise Noddles together, and framed a wise Statute; that we and all other Persons under a certain Predicament therein express’d, should dine every Thursday at the Dog...
4625To Benjamin Franklin from [Susannah?] Jennings, 20 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
AL : University of Pennsylvania Library Miss Jennings presents Her Compliments to Doctr. Franklin, she has used the permission He gave of shewing the list to Mr. Con way, and the enclosed Abstract of Doctr. Franklins Copy is a list of those kinds which Mr. Conway and self would be glad to have, at the same time Miss Jennings hopes if this Catalogue should appear unreasonably long, that Doctr....
4626From Benjamin Franklin to [Susannah?] Jennings, 21 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Immediately on receiving Miss Jennings’ Commands, Dr. F. apply’d to the Box in order to execute them: But to his Surprise found that (thro’ some unaccountable Neglect) only a few of the Parcels contained in it were actually number’d, so that the Numbers in the Catalogue are not of the Use he expected, and it requires a Knowledge of the Seeds...
4627To Benjamin Franklin from Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric Dumas, 22 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (incomplete): American Philosophical Society [ Beginning lost: ] Monsieur, que vous resterez encore quelque tems en Angleterre. Ayez donc la bonté de m’apprendre si je pourrai encore vous faire tenir cela à Londres, ou si j’en chargerai l’un ou l’autre Capitaine qui fera voile de nos Ports pour Philadelphie. Il y aura aussi un Exemplaire pour la Bibliothêque. Je finirai, comme j’ai...
4628To Benjamin Franklin from William and Mary Hewson, 22 March [1771–74]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : University of Pennsylvania Library <March 22, [1771–74 ]: a note in the third person, in Polly Hewson’s hand. Reminds Franklin that he has promised to dine with them next Thursday.> The Hewsons were married in July, 1770, and he died suddenly in May, 1774. The invitation could have been in any March between those dates, and according to our practice we are assigning it to the earliest...
4629To Benjamin Franklin from John Hope, 26 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania As formerly you took the trouble of transmitting some letter from a Society at Edinburgh to Mr. John Bartram; I presume to beg you will have the Goodness of transmitting the inclosed. That Society is now dissolved. I have the honour to be Sir with the greatest respect Your most obedient Servant The Edinburgh physician and professor of botany; see above,...
4630To Benjamin Franklin from Deborah Franklin, 30 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have reseved yours of Jan the 2 and was much plesed to hear that you was well in helth which is a graite pleshur to me to hear. I have bin impashent to hear that Capt. Folner was Cume or Capt. Sparkes that I moute hear from you by sum bodey hough you had seen you. I had not knone that the packit was to go tell a week longer or I had mis understood by the...
4631To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 30 March 1771 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I wrote a few Lines to you by this Packet and enclosed a Letter to L.H. I have several other Letters to write to him by this Opportunity which prevents my writing fully to you. I have just had the Pleasure of hearing from Mr. W. Logan that you were well the first of Janry. his Son having seen you at that Time. Addressed: To / Benjn. Franklin, Esqr / Depy....
4632From Benjamin Franklin to [Noble Wimberly Jones?, March? 1771]: fragment; résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS (conclusion only): National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution <No place or date, but endorsed “B. Franklin Esq. March or Apl. 1771.” Asks the recipient to accept “a few Seeds from India, that I am told are of curious and useful Plants, and likely to thrive in your Country.” > This phrase and the endorsement give grounds for supposing that Jones may have been the...
4633William Strahan to William Franklin, 3 April 1771: extract (Franklin Papers)
Extract : American Philosophical Society Your Father could not stir in this Business as he is not only on bad Terms with Lord Hillsborough, but with the Ministry in general . Besides, his Temper is grown so very reserved, which adds greatly to his natural Inactivity , that there is no getting him to take part in anything . Of this he is himself so Sensible, that I once heard him at my House...
4634To Benjamin Franklin from Anthony Todd, 4 April 1771: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : Historical Society of Pennsylvania <General Post Office, Thursday, April 4, 1771. An invitation, in the third person, to dinner at four the next day with Mr. Wharton and Major Trent. A bizarre postscript, in Todd’s hand, reads “Salt Fish and Brandy.”> Samuel Wharton and William Trent, two of the prime movers in the Walpole Company. The dinner was presumably to discuss its affairs.
4635To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Galloway, 5 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress By Order of the House of Representatives of the Province of Pennsylvania, I herewith transmit a Petition to his Majesty respecting the Duties imposed by the late Revenue Act of Parliament, which remain unrepealed. This Petition it is their Desire that you shoud present to his Majesty in the most proper Manner. I am Sir, with great Esteem and Regard your most obedient...
4636To Benjamin Franklin from Alexander Wilson, 14 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By last post we had a Letter from Mr. Kettleby in Dublin, informing us that he had had a Letter from you inquiring if he could furnish some Fonts of Printing Types for a Printing Office in America, and that in return he had mentioned us and recommended our Types. I now use the freedom in letting you know that we have just now ready finished Several Fonts of...
4637From Benjamin Franklin to a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 16 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I received yours of Jan. 25: with a Catalogue of Books to be purchased for the Library Company. The Collection is making with all possible Expedition, but I fear will scarce be ready to go with this Ship. I beg you would not imagine it giving me Trouble when you send me the Commands of the Company. If I can execute them to their Satisfaction, it will, on the...
4638To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Priestley, 19 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Haverford College Library I am glad that you have received your Comm Bonon . safe. I thank you for the use of them, and think myself [fortunate] in having an opportunity of doing you the smallest favour. I told you I either had or expect very soon to be possessed of the memoirs of all the philosophical societies, of note , in Europe, and the following account of the price of them will, I...
4639From Benjamin Franklin to Jeremiah Meyer, [before 20 April 1771] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Historical Society of Pennsylvania One of the great difficulties in knowing Franklin through the written words he left behind him is that he rarely, on paper, lost his temper. He sometimes did in his marginalia, his most private comments; but in his correspondence with others he preserved a calm that was undoubtedly more Olympian than the flesh-and-blood man could maintain. This...
4640From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 20 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete draft ): American Philosophical Society It is long since I have heard from you. The last Packet brought me no Letter, and there are two Packets now due. It is supposed that the long easterly Winds have kept them back. We have had a severe and tedious Winter here. There is not yet the smallest Appearance of Spring. Not a Bud has push’d out, nor a Blade of Grass. The Turnips that...
4641From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 20 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library It is an Age since I have heard from you. But the long-continu’d Easterly Winds have kept back all Ships from the Westward, and we have now two Packets due. Nothing has been handled in Parliament this Session relating to America; and our Friends have thought it best for us not to move any thing relating to our Affairs till a little Time should have worne off the...
4642To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Willson Peale, [21 April 1771] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society In Compliance with that promise that I had the honor to make you when I was about leaving London, I now assume the Liberty of a Correspondent, in addressing this letter to you. I ever retain a grateful sense of the respect you shewed, and the notice you took of me when in England, marks of respect, of this nature make the strongest...
4643From Benjamin Franklin to Humphry Marshall, 22 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I duly received your Favours of the 4th. of October and the 17th. of November. It gave me Pleasure to hear, that tho’ the Merchants had departed from their Agreement of Non-Importation, the Spirit of Industry and Frugality was likely to continue among the People. I am obliged to you for your Concern on my Account. The Letters you mention gave great Offence here;...
4644To Benjamin Franklin from Elizabeth Empson, 23 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received yours by the last post—and return you a thousand thanks for the money you are so kind as to Alow me which I have Drawn on you for. I am affraid by the Manner and Shortness of your letter that you [are?] displeased with the freedom I have taken [in my writing?] to you. But alass Sir if you [were in my situation?] without friends or money you...
4645To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Galloway, 23 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This will be deliverd to you by Mr. Nicholas Biddle, to whom I wish to render acceptable Service, not so much from a personal Acquaintance with him, as from the general Good Character and Esteem he has deservedly acquired among all those who have had any Knowledge or Experience of him. He is warmly recommended to me, as an Active, sensible, prudent,...
4646To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Life, 26 April 1771: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society <Basinghall St., April 26, 1771, a note in the third person. Sorry that he has been too rushed with important business, which had to be finished that week, to call on Franklin about the Georgia affair; will do so next Monday morning, if convenient, at eleven.> In all likelihood the preparation of a memorial to the Board of Trade, requesting that the...
4647To Benjamin Franklin from J. G. Kettilby, 27 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This letter reveals virtually all that seems to be known about the writer. Yet that is enough to establish him as an innovator in printing: he had developed a type font composed not only of single characters but also of complete words. The invention would seem sure to have intrigued Franklin, for some years later a closely similar one, of the so-called...
4648Edward Hughes to Joshua Sharpe, 28 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society These volumes have occasionally included documents that were not written by or to Franklin, but throw light on his character or activities. The one below is included for a quite different reason: it has been alleged to throw light, but in fact does not. A recent account of his second English mission concludes, from the sole evidence of this letter, that he...
4649To Benjamin Franklin from John Bartram, 29 April 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have very little to write beside a repetition of real frendship haveing received never a line from thee since I sent thee a box of seeds and a letter last fall, wherein I desired to be acquainted whether the King Continued his bounty still to me or droped it. I Cant yet hear the least tittle concerning it except that William Young stiles him self thair...
4650From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 1 May 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Franklin rarely castigated his wife as overtly as in the letter below, where he shows his annoyance and disturbance at what he considers her extravagance. He was providing her a more than ample income, as he points out; and she was making him periodic remittances. This time she had obviously run through the funds allotted her, so that in order to send him...