1To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 19 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have been long, very long, without receiving a Letter from you—or hearing of you:—but I suppose you & my other Correspondents, have not wrote in expectation of soon seeing me. This will be my last from this Country.— We set out on Monday or Tuesday. I could have departed a few days earlier, but Mrs. H. requested I would delay it that she might be able to...
2To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 1 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am here in the middle of that Family you so much love, and who I can assure you, make you most ample Returns.— My Expectations of the Worthy Bishop, Mrs. Shipley & her Daughters—however exalted,—have been fully satisfied. The Dean his Son, is also here on a Visit—and is every way agreable. I did intend to have visited Lord Shelburne on my Return to...
3To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 22 October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am still without a Line from you in ansr to several of my Letters:— I have I hope sufficiently cleared up my apparent Neglect:— You must I think have recd four of my Letters since yours by the Abbé Morellet:— In my last I believe I mentioned that Mrs. Hewson had at length determined to accept yr. Invitation,— She had really told me so, and I had begun to...
4To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 27 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Fearing least you should be uneasy about me, as the Weather has been very Stormy; I think it well to inform you, that we are still kept here by contrary Winds:— There is Hopes of our sailing at high Water this Afternoon, but there is no certainty: The Weather is become fair—& the Wind much abated but still contrary.— The Post is near setting off, & this...
5To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 26 October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Day after the Date of my last, I recd your kind Letter of the 18th. Inst.—for which I am very thankful, as it so far prolongs my Stay here as to permit me to visit a Family—of whom I have heard so much—and who so sincerely love and respect you.— I had already taken Engagements ’till Friday—as I informed you in my last,—so that it will not be in my Power...
6To George Washington from William Temple Franklin, 20 April 1789 (Washington Papers)
Tho’ I am from Experience assur’d of your Excellencys Good Will towards me, yet being convinc’d that in discharging the important Trust to which you have been unanimously elected, Merit & not Favor will obtain your Patronage; I take the Liberty of laying before your Excellency a Sketch of my Services to the United States in the Line of public Foreign affairs, and of offering a continuation of...
7To Thomas Jefferson from William Temple Franklin, 20 July 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I know you will learn with Pleasure that my Grandfather has been able to effect his Journey hither without any addition to his usual Sufferings; and that he is in good Health and Spirits. He does not now forsee any Difficulty in getting to America. The Bargain with Capt. Truxton is terminated, and he is to be at Cowes by the 1st. August. We wait here only for the Arrival of part of our...
I am so well acquainted with your Regard for my Grandfather, that I know it will give you Pleasure to learn his safe Arrival in this Country, and that his Health is not the least impair’d by the Voyage. M r . Williams, Ben, & myself accompanied him. We got in Yesterday after a Passage of about six Weeks from the Isle of Wight. Our Absence from Paris dates from the 12. of July. We left all your...
9To George Washington from William Temple Franklin, 20 September 1785 (Washington Papers)
Not knowing when I shall have an Opportunity of paying my Respects to your Excellency, an honor which I have long ambitioned, I take the Liberty of forwarding pr Post the Letters committed to my Care. Among these is one from the Marquis de la Fayette, who is well acquainted with my Reverence for your exalted Character and eminent Services, and of which he promised me to acquaint your Exy; but...
10To Thomas Jefferson from William Temple Franklin, 26 March 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Mumford the Bearer of this, being very ambitious of paying his Respects to your Excellency in his Way through Paris, From a very sincere Regard for him, and a persuasion that you will not take it amiss, I have given him this Letter. He formerly lived in our house at Passy, and acted as Assistant Secretary in the Office; But having since turn’d his Views to Commerce, he is now connected...
11To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 27 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society After various Delays we are at length arrived here, all well, and very anxious to embrace you at Passy; where we hope to be Wednesday or Thursday next.— We might have cross’d the Water to Night in the Packet, by which this goes,—but none of us like to pass the Night at Sea—& particularly in a Public Vessel: we have therefore freighted a Boat entirely for...
12William Temple Franklin to John Adams, 1 August 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to transmit to your Excellency a Copy of the Communication made by my Grandfather to the Count de Mercy of that Part of the Instructions of Congress relative to his Imperial Majesty, & also that Ministers answer. We are daily in expectation of the Arrival of M r. Jefferson who was to have sailed from N. York the beginning of last Month. Tho’ several Vessels have arrived lately...
13To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 12 October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I this Instant receiv’d your Letter of the 2d.— It gives me inexpressible Grief to learn that you have been so long without receiving any Letter from me, & that you attribute it to my neglect! I can assure you—you wrong me,—for I have wrote, I think constantly every Week;—some of my Letters went by Private Hands, others by the Post: the former may have been...
14To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 13 October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Fearing my Letters by this Conveyance might be long in reaching you, I wrote by last Nights Post. With this you will receive several Pamphlets, some of which have been given, the others purchas’d. I likewise forward you a Letter which was left here Yesterday, I know not by whom.— In the Packet from Dr. Price, is likewise a Letter from that worthy—but at...
15To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 26 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Having just now learnt by young Mr. Alexander, that his Uncle purposes setting off for France tomorrow Morg at 5 a Clock, I set down to acknowledge the rect of your kind Letter of the 13. Inst, and to return you my sincerest Thanks for your acquiescing so readily with my Request of a longer leave of Absence: I found hower that I should not be able to get...
16To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 9 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society You may recollect, my dear Sir, when I informed you of Mrs. Hewsons having deviated from her first Determination, I said, or hinted, that it was not impossible that she might change again:— It has turn’d out so. On my Return from Chilbolton I found a Letter from her, informing me that I had staid so long, that I had given her time to Change her Mind again—&...
17To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 5 October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My last went by Mr. J. Alexander, who I suppose forwarded it from Calais, where he purposed remaining some time, to endeavor, if possible, to enter into some Arrangement with the Bank here. I understand Mr Pigott has given him some Reason to hope for success.— I wish it with all my heart, both for his sake and the amiable Family of which he is the Support.—...
18To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 28 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society After a very disagreable Passage, which lasted from 8 last Night to 8. this Morning, we arrived here safe. I was sick the whole Passage—& I think more so than in either going or returning from America.— Mais comme en toutes Choses, “il faut toujours regarder la Belle Jambe ”.— I flatter myself with the Notion that it will prove a Crise salutaire, as Mesmers...
19To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 2 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Little did I imagine, when I wrote you from Dover, of the Inconveniences I had experienced on the Passage, and of the Uneasiness I then felt, & which I supposed was caused by the Sea Sickness, that the Result would be, a fever and Ague! But Alas! it is too true.— That very Night on my Arrival at Cantorberry I was seized with a shivering; it did not however...
20To Thomas Jefferson from William Temple Franklin, 18 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The Pleasure I receive in the Acquaintance of Col. Munro upbraids me with not having as yet returnd you my Thanks for your kind Introduction to that Gentleman. It was not till lately I had an Opportunity of delivering him your Letter. In my first Trip hither, he was absent in Virga. I found only poor Mr. Hardy, with whom I had scarce become acquainted, before he was cut off. Never was a young...
21To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 7 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have now the Pleasure of informing you, (and indeed it is a great one) that I have got the better of that stubborn Monster the Fever & Ague. I thought myself exceedingly unfortunate when I was taken with it,—but I esteem myself fortunate to a much greater Degree in being so soon quit of it. It is to the excellent Advice of Dr. Jefferies, the constant &...
22To Benjamin Franklin from William Temple Franklin, 26 [i.e., 25] August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I arrived here at Noon this Day,—and Safe! —which is rather extraordinary considering the Situation of my Wheels; they certainly could not have gone a Post farther without a thorough Repair: Before I got to Chantilly one of the Iron Circles broke, & precisely over the joining of the Timber, this occasiond several of the Spokes to get loose; & made me lose a...