1To Benjamin Franklin from John Alleyne, 13 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Thanks I would Return, if any Thanks were equal to that Obliging Favor which came last Night to my Hand, with what impatience did I read, with what Raptures did I see that you so entirely approv’d my Marriage, with what Gratitude did my Heart Glow when I Read those words of Advice with which Your Letter Clos’d, Words will not express my Ideas, I will not...
2To Benjamin Franklin from the Associates of Dr. Bray, [before 7 April 1768]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography , XXIV (1900), 389. [Before April 7. A notice of the meeting of the Associates at ten o’clock on that day, at their office at the Angel and Bible in Ave-Mary Lane.] For the Associates and BF ’s connection with them see above, VII , 100 n., 377–9; IX , 12.
3To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 6 November 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I did myself the Pleasure of writing you the other day by Sparks. I do not know that you will thank me for adding to the Number of your Correspondents, but the Sense I have of my Duty, prompts me to pay this Respect to you. I forgot to acquaint you in my last, that Mr. Bayard of Newyork, sent to me two Exemplifications of his Majesties Commission,...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, 8 May 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This is apparently the earliest surviving letter in a correspondence which, as the wording makes clear, had been going on for some time. Out of it was evolving a friendship that with the years grew in significance for both men. Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg (1709–79) had interests as broad as Franklin’s own and, like him, engaged in a range of activities that was...
5To Benjamin Franklin from John Bartram, 5 November 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have often intended to have wrote to thee this several years but has often been tould that thee was soon to return to thy family and friends so I omitted it, but lately hearing that thee was likely to stay longer I now not onely write a letter of friendship but allso request a favour which the death of our warthy dear friend Peter Collinson hath obliged...
6To Benjamin Franklin from William Bean, 24 March 1768: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Coverley’s Fields, opposite the Cock and Hoop; March 24, 1768. He called on Franklin on March 16 and found him engaged, and asks to know whether “there is Any Encouragement for Me in the Colonies.”] In her letter to BF above, Jan. 21–22, 1768, DF had remarked that “the Beens is at New York.” If this cryptic reference is to people rather than the...
7To Benjamin Franklin from James Boswell, [14 May 1768] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Boswell presents his compliments to Dr. Franklin and begs leave to put him in mind of his engagement to dine with him to day. Addressed: Dr. Franklin / at Mrs. Stephensons / Craven Street The date is established by Boswell’s description of the dinner, for which see Frank Brady and Frederick A. Pottle, eds., Boswell in Search of a Wife, 1766–1769 (New...
8To Benjamin Franklin from George Croghan, 12 February 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Copy in Historical Society of Pennsylvania; fragment, lacking first five paragraphs, in American Philosophical Society. I did myself the pleasure of writing to you on the 2d of October from Lancaster; And since my Return from meeting the Western Nations, I have had the Favor of your Letter of the 5th. August 1767. I am much gratified, That the Elephant’s Bones were acceptable to you; and with...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas-François Dalibard, 14 June 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’ai bien reçu dans son tems la très obligeante lettre que vous m’avéz fait l’honneur de m’écrire au mois de Mars dernier; mais le Livre de Priestly qu’elle m’annonçoit, ne m’a été remis qu’environ trois semaines après la lettre. Le paquet de livres que M. Molini libraire à Paris attendoit de Londres, fut long-tems retardé en route, et quand il fut arrivé...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours, 10 May 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’ai êté infiniment sensible à votre bonté en apprenant par Monsieur le Docteur Quesnay que vous aviez daigné me chercher et vous informer de moi pendant votre dernier séjour à Paris. Malheureusement pour moi vous n’avez vu M. Quesnay que dans les deux ou trois jours qui ont precede immediatement votre départ; Je n’en ai êté instruit que le jour même où...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Nathaniel Falconer, 3 July 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This is to acquaint you of my arrival after a Passage of five weeks and 3 Days. I left Mrs. Franklin and Mrs. Beech [Bache] well the 21st. of May and also the Governor having heard from him the Day before I saild. I have not sent your Letters at home by the Post. But shall waite on you with them as soon as I get up to London please to make my best...
12To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Fayerweather, 5 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Altho’ I cannot Claim a sufficient Acquaintance with You to found An Address Upon of any kind in the Epistolary Way, yet your knowledge of My Dear Brother Winthrop Hollissian Professor of the Mathematicks in Cambridge New England, And that Profound Regard you’ve Expressd towards Him in the most Signal Manner, not only Attracts my Gratitude, But Humbly...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph-Étienne Bertier, 31 January 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society With cordial Thanks for your many Civilities to me when in Paris, I take this Opportunity of acquainting you, that your Certificate has been received by the Royal Society, and ordered to be hung up the usual Time which is Ten Meetings; but it was observed to be deficient in not mentioning your Christian Name, without which it is not reckon’d regular. I...
14The State of the Trade with the West Indies, 3–6 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , December 3–6, 1768 In a Letter of mine, which you inserted in your Paper of Nov. 3, was contained a view of the state of our commerce with the American continent colonies. I now send you a view of our commerce with the West India or Sugar Islands, taken, as the former was, from the Custom House accounts. When your Readers have compared and considered these...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 5 October 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Cornell University Library It feels very strange to me to have Ships and Packets come in, and no Letters from you. But I do not complain of it, because I know the reason is, my having written to you that I was coming home. That you may not have the same disagreable Sensation, I write this Line, tho’ I have written largely by the late Ships, and therefore have little left to say. I have...
16From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas-François Dalibard, 31 January 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I sent you sometime since, Priestly’s History of Electricity, under the Care of Mr. Molini, Bookseller on the Quay des Augustins; I hope it got safe to Paris, and that you have receiv’d it. [I w]ish the Reading of it may renew your Taste for that Branch of Philosophy, which is already so greatly indebted to you, as being the first of [Man?] kind that had...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 16 April 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Historical Society of Pennsylvania While I am writing, the letters by the March packet are come to hand with yours of the 9th and 12th. Amidst all the sickness and misfortunes to our friends what reason have you and I to bless God, that we at these years enjoy with our children so great a Share of health and so much happiness in other respects. Let us be thankful for what is past...
18Arguments Pro and Con: I, 18–20 October 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , October 18–20, 1768 As I have often experienced the great difference there is, in point of clearness of argument, between the most attentive consideration of a subject only in thought, and committing the arguments pro and con to paper, so that they be coolly reviewed, I bestowed an idle hour to draw up the arguments for and against the American claims, with as...
19Phonetic alphabet, with Franklin’s comments, [20 July? 1768] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society The document that follows was in the papers of Mary Stevenson Hewson. They included many letters of hers to Franklin that were returned to her after his death, and they came down through her descendants to their eventual resting place in the American Philosophical Society. The presence among them of an undated document does not, of course, indicate that it...
20From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 13 February 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letter per Capt. Story, of Nov. 19, and a subsequent one per Capt. Falkner without date. I have received also the Indian and Buckwheat Meal that they brought from you, with the Apples, Cranberries and Nuts, for all which I thank you. They all prove good, and the Apples were particularly welcome to me and my Friends, as there happens to...
21From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 16 April 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The March Packet is just arrived, and has brought me your Favour of the 10th of that Month, containing a strongly painted Description of the present unhappy State of our Province, from the Debility of the Government, and the Folly and Wickedness of the Frontier People. I can now only say, that I shall make the best Use of your Letter, by communicating it to the...
22Reply to Thomas Crowley, 21 October 1768 (Franklin Papers)
AD : British Museum; printed in The Public Advertiser , October 24, 1768. Thomas Crowley, an English Quaker and merchant engaged in the iron trade with America, had traveled there enough to realize the strength of colonial resistance to taxation by Parliament. He had been campaigning in consequence for a federation of the empire, with a single imperial parliament, as the means of reconciling...
23From Benjamin Franklin to Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, 28 July 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Extract reprinted from The American Museum, or, Universal Magazine , VIII (July, 1790), 120. I greatly approve the epithet, which you give in your letter of the 8th of June, to the new method of treating the small-pox, which you call the tonic or bracing method. I will take occasion from it, to mention a practice to which I have accustomed myself. You know the cold bath has long been in vogue...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 16 February 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Nationalbibliothek, Vienna I wrote to you per Packet, and also by Mr. Ayres, who goes in Sparks. But I must send you a Line per Capt. Falkener, and another per Capt. Story, if ’tis only to say over again that I am well, and to acknowledge the Receipt of your kind Letters and Presents of Meal, Apples, Nuts, Cranberries &c. I have written to Sally too by Mr. Ayres, My Love to her and all...
25From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 20 February 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have written to you lately by Packet, by Mr. Ayres, and by Capt. Falkener, and have little to add; but I know you will expect a Line by our Friend Capt. Story. I hope he will succeed in his new Employment, and indeed I make no doubt of it, for he is very obliging and seems to be much lik’d. It griev’d me to hear of the Death of that fine Child of theirs....
26From Benjamin Franklin to O[liver] N[eave, before 1769] (Franklin Papers)
Printed from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity … (4th edition, London, 1769), pp. 463–8 This letter was subsequently reprinted many times as a treatise on swimming. Nothing is known about the recipient, except that in 1762 Franklin acknowledged a paper from him on the transmission of sound. The present letter was either written at about the same time, or appeared...
27From Benjamin Franklin to John Alleyne, 9 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society This well known letter was apparently first published in The Gentleman’s Magazine , LIX (1789), 384–5; the printed version differs substantially from the draft in only a few passages, noted below. Little is known about John Alleyne: he was the son of Thomas Alleyne of Queen Street, Westminster, was admitted to the Middle Temple in 1767, married Nancy...
28Reply to “A Portugal Merchant,” [end of April 1768] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society Your Paper of April 28. contains a Letter from Lisbon , signed A Portugal Merchant , which charges me with an Attempt to set “the British Merchants residing there at variance with their fellow Subjects in America,” quoting, as the Foundation of his Charge, the following Passage of a Letter of mine to you, which he terms politely absurd, false , and...
29Arguments Pro and Con: II, 27–29 October 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , October 27–29, 1768 Having, in your Chronicle of Oct. 20, mentioned some losses which this nation may sustain by inforcing the payment of taxes in America, it is but just we should now inquire into the benefits that may arise to us from the success of this measure. I believe no one will be so sanguine as to expect that the Americans will not so far resent our...
30From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, [October? 1768] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I return my dear Polly her Letters with Thanks for the Sight of them. Dr. Hawkesworth’s Account of Mr. Stanley’s Loss of Hair, is full and Satisfactory. Young Mr. Henckell has left our well-spelt Letters with me for you: but those I take the Liberty to keep. We are all well and all love you. Adieu. Yours affectionately For John Hawkesworth, LL.D., essayist,...