1From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 11 October 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society I have learnt by different hands, that Dr. Mitchel continues in a bad State of Health, which I suppose obliges him to drop his Correspondencies. ’Tis a Loss to us all. Messrs. Bertram and Evans did not go their intended Journey to Lake Erie, but are both safe at home. Mr. Weiser is just return’d from Onondago, and gives a melancholly Account of the declining...
2Advertisement, 1 November 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , November 1, 1750. Whereas on Saturday night last, the house of Benjamin Franklin, of this city, printer, was broken open, and the following things feloniously taken away, viz. a double necklace of gold beads, a woman’s long scarlet cloak, almost new, with a double cape, a woman’s gown, of printed cotton, of the sort called brocade print, very remarkable,...
3To Benjamin Franklin from John Perkins, February 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and AD : American Philosophical Society I send you inclosed a Short account of a Me[teor?]. You have on many accounts a Right to every new Th[ing?] in natural Phylosophy. I leave it to your [Resolu?]tion whether there be any Thing in my Notion of [ torn ] phenomena as I value your Thoughts upon every Thing. And tho’ ever so Short, Yet Sir Your very much ob[liged] and humble [Servant]...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 21 March 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By the Conveyance of our friend Mr. Watson whose Letter I inclose this will informe you the Abbe sent three books. I only send One by this Ship and another by the Next for fear of Accidents and if you give Mee Leave I will keep the third for my Self. You’l see the purport of Mr. Watsons Letter, the Booke is sent to Messr. Neat & Neave to Come in their...
5Pennsylvania Assembly: Representation to the Proprietors, 23 August 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), pp. 44–6. To the Honourable Thomas Penn , and Richard Penn , Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania, &c. The Representation of the General - Assembly of the said Province, met at Philadelphia, the Twenty-third Day of the Sixth Month, 1751. May it please the Proprietaries , The first...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 15 August 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Haverford College Library I had the pleasure of my Dear friend Letter of June 19th: It gives Mee concern for find my Letters Miscarried, for I writ both by Neat Ship and by Mesnard and I keep no Coppys. Indeed what I write generally in a Hurry does not deserve It but there was some things my Friends may be glad to know. In particular there was J. Bartrams Orders and Letters of advice of...
7From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 1 September 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This is only to enclose a second Bill for £20 Sterling, drawn on Alexr Grant Esqr per Mrs. Mary Stevens. I am, Yours affectionately See above, p. 339.
8To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, 2 March 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have received your favour of the 24th. January past, inclosing an Extract from your Letter to Mr. Collinson and Dr. Colden’s Letter to yourself, which I have read with a great deal of pleasure, and am much obliged to you for. Your Extract confirms a correction Mr. Kinnersley made a few days ago of a mistake I was under respecting the polarity given to...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, 25 October 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I ought to have inform’d you sooner that we got well home, and should have enquir’d after your Health as we left you in the Hands of a Fever; I beg you’d excuse the Delay, and desire you would remember in my favour the old Saying, They who have much Business must have much Pardon . Whenever Mr. Francis and I meet of an Evening, we drink your Health among our other...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Johnson, [November 1750] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Smyth, Writings , III , 29–30. As I could not make a tour to Philadelphia this Fall I have lately taken a Car’g [carriage] ride to several parts of this Colony and being absent when your kind letter arrived, this must be my apology for not answering last [ illegible ]. Nobody would imagine that the draught you have made for an English education was done by a...
11To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, [March 1753?] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Sparks, Works , VI , 161 n. By the post I received your favor, enclosing several printed letters relating to the transit of Mercury over the sun. A gentleman here, who is provided with the proper instruments, and well skilled in astronomy, intends to make the necessary observations; to whom, as well as to several others, I shall communicate said letters....
12From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, 12 September 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I receiv’d your Favour of last Month, with the 12 Essays. Sometime since, I mention’d to you a Method of increasing Dung by Leaves; did you receive that Letter? The Collinson you mention is the same Gentleman I correspond with; he is a most benevolent worthy Man, very curious in Botany and other Branches of Natural History, and fond of Improvements in Agriculture,...
13Abiah Franklin to Benjamin and Deborah Franklin, 14 October 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I did not rite to you last post but it was becase I was taken with the Stomak ake so bad all day that I coold not set up to rite on any acount. My Cozen Kesiah Coffin was hear last week and she was Sorroy that the werkes and letter was not yet printed. She bid me tell you that She Shoold be glad [to know] how soone you coold do them for She wants to have a...
14Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on the State of the Currency, 19 August 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1751–1752 (Philadelphia, 1752), pp. 51–4. On March 11 the Assembly resumed consideration of Governor Hamilton’s refusal to assent to a bill for striking £20,000 in paper currency (see above, p. 272); they then ordered that Evan Morgan, Franklin, Richard Walker, George Ashbridge, James Wright, and John Wright “be a Committee to...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Edward and Jane Mecom, 14 September 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Benny sail’d from hence this Day two Weeks, and left our Capes the Sunday following. They are seldom above 3 Weeks on the Voyage to Antigua. That Island is reckoned one of the healthiest in the West Indies. My late Partner there enjoy’d perfect Health for four Years, till he grew careless and got to sitting up late in Taverns, which I have caution’d Benny...
16From Benjamin Franklin to Ebenezer Kinnersley, 16 March 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Benjamin Franklin, Supplemental Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Part II . … (London, 1753), pp. 103–6. (Yale University Library) Having brought your brimstone globe to work, I try’d one of the experiments you proposed, and was agreeably surprized to find, that the glass globe being at one end of the conductor, and the sulphur globe at the other end, both globes in...
17Franklin and Hall: Account with Benjamin Franklin, 1750–54 (Franklin Papers)
MS Account: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Two sheets have been found of Franklin and Hall’s record of Franklin’s personal purchases from the firm, probably opened soon after the partnership was formed in 1748 (see above, III , 263). The first page, numbered 4, covers the period from Nov. 27, 1750, to Jan. 11, 1752, and starts with an entry of £97 3 s. brought forward from the three...
18From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 12 April 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society I received your Favour of March 20. and a subsequent one without Date, containing the Description of Lord Macclesfield’s Mural Quadrant. No Vessel has sail’d hence for England these three Months, but one goes next Week by which I shall send your Answer to the German Professor, corrected as you direct. I see it is not without Reluctance that the Europeans will...
19From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, 3 May 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library; also draft: American Philosophical Society I received your Essay last Post, and my Presses being at present engag’d in some publick Work that will not admit of Delay, I have engag’d Mr. Parker to print it out of hand at New York. You may expect to see it done in two or three Weeks. The Pacquet was not seal’d, and I observ’d that the Tables showing the Culture of...
20Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital to Matthias Koplin, 5 October 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Pennsylvania Hospital The first real estate the Pennsylvania Hospital owned was a lot in the Northern Liberties given by Matthias Koplin. A generous-spirited German, Koplin offered the land through Christopher Saur, being assured, he explained, that the Managers, unlike those of hospitals he knew in Germany, would manage the funds wisely and impartially. His letter was in German; a...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Cadwallader Colden, 28 October 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New-York Historical Society I had the pleasure of receiving yours with the favour of a copy of your Electrical experiments. My being in this place prevents my reading them with that attention which they deserve and which I intend to do assoon as I shall return home. My Notions on Electricity are confused and indigested. I know not wherein consists the difference between an Electric body...
22To Benjamin Franklin from John Perkins, 16 October 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received yours of Septr. with the Observations for which I am obliged to you. It is a very informing Piece and I think it should be read and well considerd by every Englishman who wishes well to his Country But more especially by those in power and Ability to promote the Nation’s Intrest. Your Papers on the Weather I deliver’d to your Brother Franklin in...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Cadwallader Colden, 16 March 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New-York Historical Society Last fall I acknowleged from New York the favour you did me in sending me a copy of your Electrical experiments. The oftener I read them over the more I am pleased with them and every time discover some thing new which I had not taken notice of at the first reading. In my opinion no set of experiments which I have read lead so directly towards discovering the...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Johnson, [14 December 1750?] (Franklin Papers)
MS notes for a letter: New York Public Library (Berg) Perhaps as the [business?] of the 2d. Class is large some account of parts of Speech and Construction might be prescribed to the first Class. As the business of the third Class seems less than the others it may be well for them to learn a Rhetoric that year and be obliged to give some Account of the Tropes and Figures. The best I know is...
25Idea of the English School, [7 January 1751] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in A Sermon on Education. Wherein Some Account is given of the Academy, Established in the City of Philadelphia. Preach’d at the Opening thereof, on the Seventh Day of January, 1750–1. By the Reverend Mr. Richard Peters. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall, at the Post-Office. 1751. (Yale University Library) As the principal advocate of an English school which,...
26From Benjamin Franklin to William Smith, 19 April 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your Favour of the 11th Instant, with your new Piece on Education, which I shall carefully peruse; and give you my Sentiments of it as you desire, per next Post. I believe the young Gentlemen, your Pupils, may be entertain’d and instructed here in Mathematics and Philosophy to Satisfaction. Mr. Allison (who was educated at Edinburgh, or...
27From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 9 May 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: New York Public Library; also copies: Public Record Office, American Philosophical Society, and (part only) British Museum Although this is one of Franklin’s most important letters, there has been difficulty about both its date and its recipient. Moreover, it has never been printed accurately, nor can it be here, for no Franklin autograph has been found. The two fullest surviving...
28To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Preston Moore and Hannah Moore: Deed, 25 March 1752 (Franklin Papers)
DS : American Philosophical Society; also transcript: Department of Records, Recorder of Deeds, City of Philadelphia March 25, 1752 Abstract: By indenture of June 2, 1720, Samuel Preston, and Anthony Morris, Jr., and Phoebe his wife granted to Richard Hill a lot on High Street, Philadelphia, between Third and Fourth Streets, 33 ft. broad and 306 ft. long, bounded on the north by High Street,...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Belcher, 4 November 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have received yours of the 31: of Octr. by which I find my Self obliged for your kind Intention to have made an Electrical Operation upon me at Burlington had your Affairs allowd your coming thither which I am sorry they did not for I had concieved much Satisfaction in the Experiment being made by a Gentleman of so much knowledge and practice...
30To Benjamin Franklin from John Perkins, 23 October 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and AL : American Philosophical Society In the Inclos’d you have all I have to say of that Matter. It prov’d longer than I expected so that I was forced to ad a Cover to it. I confess it looks like a Dispute but that is quite contrary to my Intention. The Sincerity of Friendship and Esteem were my motives nor do I doubt your scrupling the goodness of the Intention. However I must confess I...