1From Benjamin Franklin to Henry S. Woodfall, [before 22 September 1773] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society This note went to the recipient, then to a mutual friend, then back to Woodfall and eventually back to Craven Street. The note was on a covering sheet around the manuscript of the following document, “An Edict by the King of Prussia,” and explained the typographical form that Franklin wished to have given to his satire. On the verso of the sheet Woodfall...
2To Benjamin Franklin from John Mervin Nooth, [before 22 April 1773]: extract (Franklin Papers)
Extract: printed in the Royal Society, Philosophical Transactions …, LXIII (1773), part I , 333–9. It must undoubtedly appear extraordinary, that, in the present age, when the study of electricity is become so general, and the advances that have been made in the science are so very considerable, I should attempt to recall your attention to the structure of the electrical machine. But I believe...
3Andrew Oliver to ——, 7 May 1767 (Franklin Papers)
I am indebted to you for the obliging manner in which you receiv’d my recommendation of my good friend Mr. Paxton, as well as for the account you are pleased to send me of the situation of affairs in the mother country. I am very sorry that the colonies give you so much employment, and it is impossible to say how long it will be before things settle into quiet among us. We have some here who...
4George Rome to ——, 22 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
I am now withdrawn to my little country villa, where, tho’ I am more retired from the busy world, yet I am still invelop’d with uneasy reflections for a turbulent, degenerate, ungrateful continent, and the opposition I have met with in my indefatigable endeavours to secure our property in this colony, but hitherto without success. The times are so corrupted and the conflict of parties so...
5Thomas Moffat to ——, 7 February 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Notwithstanding of my having written to you very often, and at much length of late, and that I am upon the point of setting out for Boston with the first weather fit for travelling, yet I cannot refrain from troubling you with a few lines about the 8th and 9th letters of the Farmer, which I now inclose you. They are oracular here and make rapid deep impressions, and who is there at this time...
6Andrew Oliver to ——, 11 May 1768 (Franklin Papers)
I am this moment favored with your very obliging letter by Capt. Jarvis of the 2d March, which I have but just time to acknowledge, as this is the day given out for the ship to sail. I wrote you the 23d of February in reply to your letter of the 28th December, that of the 12th February which you refer to in this of the 2d of March is not yet come to hand. You lay me, sir, under the greatest...
7Thomas Hutchinson to ——, 18 June 1768 (Franklin Papers)
As you allow me the honour of your correspondence, I may not omit acquainting you with so remarkable an event as the withdraw of the commissioners of the customs and most of the other officers under them from the town on board the Romney, with an intent to remove from thence to the castle. In the evening of the 10th a sloop belonging to Mr. Hancock, a representative for Boston, and a wealthy...
8Charles Paxton to ——, 20 June 1768 (Franklin Papers)
The commissioners of the customs have met with every insult since their arrival at Boston, and at last have been obliged to seek protection on board his Majesty’s ship Romney: Mr. Hallowell, the comptroller of the customs who will have the honor to deliver you this Letter, will inform you of many particulars; he is sent by the Board with their letters to Government. Unless we have immediately...
9Thomas Hutchinson to ——, August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
It is very necessary other information should be had in England of the present state of the commissioners of the customs than what common fame will bring to you or what you will receive from most of the letters which go from hence, people in general being prejudiced by many false reports and misrepresentations concerning them. Seven eighths of the people of the country suppose the board itself...
10Robert Auchmuty to Thomas Hutchinson, 14 September 1768 (Franklin Papers)
The great esteem I have for you in every point of light, perhaps renders my fears and doubts for the safety of your person greater than they ought to be; however if that is an error it certainly results from true friendship, naturally jealous. Last night I was informed by a gentleman of my acquaintance, who had his information from one intimate with and knowing to the infernal purposes of the...
11Thomas Hutchinson to ——, 4 October 1768 (Franklin Papers)
I was absent upon one of our circuits when Mr. Byles arrived. Since my return I have received from him your obliging letter of 31st July. I never dared to think what the resentment of the nation would be upon Hallowell’s arrival. It is not strange that measures should be immediately taken to reduce the colonies to their former state of government and order, but that the national funds should...
12Thomas Moffat to ——, 15 November 1768 (Franklin Papers)
By Mr. Byles I am favoured with your most obliging letter of the second of August last, for which together with your extraordinary civility to Mr. Byles I truly thank you: I could not really think of such a person going from hence without shewing him to you, as a parson or minister of his way and turn of thinking may be considered as of the comit [comet?] kind here, which leads me to say...
13Thomas Hutchinson to ——, 10 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
I am just now informed that a number of the council, perhaps 8 or 10 who live in and near this town, have met together and agreed upon a long address or petition to parliament, and that it will be sent by this ship to Mr. Bollan to be presented. Mr. Danforth who is president of the council told the governor upon enquiry, that it was sent to him to sign, and he supposed the rest of the council...
14Nathaniel Rogers to ——, 12 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
I Wrote you a few days ago, and did not then think of troubling you upon any private affair of mine, at least not so suddenly; but within this day or two, I have had a conversation with Mr. Oliver, secretary of the province, the design of which was my succeeding to the post he holds from the crown, upon the idea, that provision would be made for governor Bernard, and the lieutenant governor...
15Thomas Moffat to ——, 15 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
In November last I wrote you from N. London, and inserted in that letter a copy of what I had written to the lords of the treasury and the Earl of Hillsborough, relative to the compensation of the sufferers in the riot at Newport 1765. I hope and very much wish that letter may have come to your hand, because in it you will see how strictly and soon I follow your counsel in making affidation to...
16To Benjamin Franklin from [Theodore Forbes?] Leith, before 20 December 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Lloyd’s Evening Post , Dec. 20–22, 1773 The Parmesan Cheese is not made at present in the neighbourhood of Parma, but is solely the produce of the State of Milan, and especially of the country betwixt Placentia and Milan; that made near Lodi is the most esteemed. The following account is given from an observation of the whole process, as conducted at a considerable Farmer’s on the...
17Thomas Hutchinson to ——, 20 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
You have laid me under very great obligations by the very clear and full account of proceedings in parliament, which I received from you by Capt. Scott. You have also done much service to the people of the province. For a day or two after the ship arrived, the enemies of government gave out that their friends in parliament were increasing, and all things would be soon on the old footing; in...
18Andrew Oliver to ——, 13 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
I have your very obliging favor of the 4th of October. I find myself constrained as well by this letter as by my son and daughter Spooner’s letters since, to render you my most sincere thanks for the very polite notice you have taken of them; and I pray my most respectful compliments to the good lady your mother, whose friendly reception of them at Nonsuch has, I find engaged the warmest...
19Andrew Oliver to ——, 12 August 1769 (Franklin Papers)
I have been in this city for some time past executing (with others) his Majesty’s commission for settling the boundary between this province and that of New-Jersey. I left Boston the 11th July, since which my advices from London have come to me very imperfect; but as my friend Mr. Thompson writes me that he had drawn up my case and with your approbation laid it before the D. of Grafton, I...
20Thomas Hutchinson to ——, 20 October 1769 (Franklin Papers)
I thank you for your last favor of July 18th. I fancy in my last to you about two months ago I have answered the greatest part of it. My opinion upon the combination of the merchants, I gave you very fully. How long they will be able to continue them if parliament should not interpose is uncertain. In most articles they may another year, and you run the risque of their substituting when they...
21Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg: Prefaces to the Two Volumes of the Œuvres, [before 30 September 1773] (Franklin Papers)
“Préface” printed in Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, ed., Œuvres de M. Franklin … (2 vols., Paris, 1773), I , [i]-viii; “Discours préliminaire” printed in ibid. , II , [i]-viii; AD (draft of “Préface”): American Philosophical Society For almost twenty years, since Dalibard had brought out his translations of Experiments and Observations in 1752 and 1756, Europeans with no knowledge of English had been...
22Franklin’s Contributions to an Abridgment of the Book of Common Prayer, [before 5 August 1773] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in [Baron Le Despencer,] Abridgement of the Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the Use of the Church of England: Together with the Psalter, or Psalms of David … (London, 1773), pp. iii-vii and verso of Psalter title page; “Some Heads for a Preface,” Dashwood Papers, Bodleian Library; three MS...
23Notes on Colds, [1773?] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): Library of Congress These notes defy editing. They are hard to decipher; the ink has now faded in places to illegibility. They are on loose sheets of paper with no hint of their sequence, and frequent marginal additions have to be interpolated by guesswork. No internal evidence suggests a date, if indeed the sheets were all written at the same time. Previous editors, although they...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Anthony Todd, [1773?]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society <1773? A note in the third person: thanks Franklin “for the Paragraphs which seem to be perfectly right”; the New York packet will sail, wind permitting, when tonight’s mail reaches Falmouth.>
25Franklin’s Contributions to a History of the British Colonies in America, [before 20 May 1773] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The History of the British Dominions in North America from the First Discovery of That Vast Continent by Sebastian Cabot in 1497, to Its Present Glorious Establishment as Confirmed by the Late Treaty of Peace in 1763 … (London, 1773); draft of one paragraph: American Philosophical Society In the spring of 1773 William Strahan published a volume of American history, presumably in the...
26To Benjamin Franklin from Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, [January? 1773] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, ed., Œuvres de M. Franklin … (2 vols., Paris, 1773), II , 226–7. Ayant fait voir ces jours-ci les premieres épreuves de vos feuilles sur la Musique à MM. G——, amateurs éclairés de tous les beaux arts, je crois devoir vous communiquer le résultat de ma conversation avec eux. On ne doute point que ces airs Ecossois, que vous exaltez tant, ne soient excellens...
27A Committee of the Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital to Franklin, David Barclay, and John Fothergill, 1 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Minutebook copy: Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia We are now deputed by a Board of Managers of this Hospital to inform you, That it is agreed to draw on you for the further Sum of Four thousand pounds Sterling as Opportunities offer to dispose of our drafts, and to put out the money on Interest on good and Sufficient Securities, which from our present prospect we expect will be Effected in...
28The Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital to Franklin, David Barclay, and John Fothergill, 4 January 1773: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Minutebook copy: Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia <January 4, 1773: In accordance with the letter of Jan. 1 from their committee, they have drawn on the recipients for £700 sterling in four bills of exchange in favor of John Clark, three for £200 each and one for £100. > The Board was continuing its earlier policy of investing in mortgages; Clark had obtained one for £1,137 10 s. ,...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 4 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By the October Packet, I am favored by yours of 7. that Month, am obliged to you for the pleasing Intelligence, that my Mother and Sisters were well, for it is some time since I heard from them. I am glad to hear, that the Bill I sent you was duly honored. I had really forgot the five Guineas you lent me, on the Morning I left you, or should have included...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas O’Gorman, 4 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I beg pardon for having been hitherto defficient in acquiting myself of my duty towards you and in returning you thanks for the many Civilities I have received from you While in London. Receive, I beseech you, tho late, my sincere acknowledgement thereon and be assur’d I shall for ever with pleasure embrace every opportunity of Shewing you the defference I...
31From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 5 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: Public Record Office; letterbook draft: Library of Congress I did myself the Honour of Writing to you on the 2d of December past inclosing some news papers to 30th november last which I hope got safe to hand. I have since received your Favour of Oct. 27. which containing in a small Compass so full an Enumeration of our Grievances, the Steps necessary to a Removal of them, and the...
32To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 5 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am favoured with your Letters by the October and November Packets, and want much for an Opportunity of writing to you safely on several Subjects, but I cannot venture to do it by the Packet, as your Letter by the October Packet came opened to me exactly in the same Manner that mine did to you. And Mr. Todd I hear has wrote to Mr. Foxcroft that his Letters...
33To Benjamin Franklin from the Trustees of the Burlington Free School, 5 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society To a person of Doctor Franklins well known character, for humanity and benevolence, we think it scarcely necessary to enter into an apology for the freedom we have taken in enclosing the within Petition to the King, in presenting which we request thy friendly assistance. Notwithstanding the application made by Lord Rochford for a Grant of the Islands in...
34From Benjamin Franklin to Alexander Colden, 6 January 1773: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress <London, January 6, 1773. Returns two protested bills, Zeph[aniah] Turner on Barnes & Ridgate for £72 7 s. 5 d. and William Taylor on Perkins, Buchanan & Brown for £15; the charges on each are 5 s. 9 d. Asks to have the bills acknowledged and to be credited with £87 18 s. 11 d. > See above, XIX , 398.
35From Benjamin Franklin to a Committee of the Managers of the Philadelphia Silk Filature, 6 January 1773: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress <London, January 6, 1773. Has paid Mr. Wheeler twenty guineas, pursuant to the instructions of November 16, and encloses his receipt. > Richard Wheeler had been the agent for Evans and James in their land purchase the year before; see above, XIX , 97–9, 168–9, 413, 421.
36From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 6 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; letterbook draft: Library of Congress I feel still some Regard for this Sixth of January, as my old nominal Birth-day, tho’ the Change of Stile has carried the real Day forward to the 17th, when I shall be, if I live till then, 67 Years of Age. It seems but t’other Day since you and I were rank’d among the Boys and Girls, so swiftly does Time fly! We have...
37From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 6 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I have received your Favours of Oct. 18 and 30. I am oblig’d greatly to you and Mr. Rhoads for your friendly Interposition in the Affair of my Salary. As I made never any Bargain with the House, I accept thankfully whatever they please to give me; and shall continue to serve them as long as I can afford to stay here: Perhaps it may be thought, that...
38From Benjamin Franklin to the Pennsylvania Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 6 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I have received your respected Favour of Oct. 16. with the enclos’d Resolve of the House appointing you the Committee of Correspondence for the current Year. And you may rely on my faithful Observance of the Instructions transmitted to me by you, in opposing strenuously every thing that I apprehend may prejudice the Commerce or Rights of America, and...
39To Benjamin Franklin from Alexander Colden, 7 January 1773: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <General Post Office, January 7, 1773: Has received Franklin’s letter of October 7 acknowledging receipt of several bills, and of Nov. 3 enclosing Mackie’s bill on Molleson for £294 5 s. 2 d. with the protest, which Colden will transmit to him. Encloses the second bill for £150 sterling by John Hancock on Haley & Hopkins in favor of Tuthill Hubbart; the...
40To Benjamin Franklin from Jane (Jenny) Mecom, 9 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Heart has ever been susceptible of the warmest greatitude for your frequent Benefactions to the whole of our Family, but your last KIND , unexpected as well as undiserved, NOBLE presant in particular to me, calls for a particular acknoledgement from me. Except then dearest Sir, my most Sinceare and hearty thanks, with a promise, that your kindness Shall...
41To Benjamin Franklin from Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, [13 January 1773?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (badly mutilated): American Philosophical Society Je n’ai encore reçu ni votre paq[uet ni votre lettre?] du 8e. Je vous prie de me marquer [ torn ] ferez l’honneur de m’ecrire par la [ torn ] vous etiez servi pour les deux [ torn ] voyageans, je pourrois pour peu que [ torn ] decouvrir icy dans les hôtels garnis ou [ torn ] et si ce sont des françois domiciliés a Paris cela seroit encore...
42To Benjamin Franklin from Noble Wimberly Jones, 13 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am realy ashamed at my remissness in neglect of Writing after your repeated favours, And this now can only serve as an Appology the Captn: being ready to go down. Your much esteemed of the 5th. May containing the curious Seed from India I received safe, also yours of the 3d. of August and a few days since that of the 7th. of October, which repeated marks...
43The Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital to Franklin, David Barclay, and John Fothergill, 18 January 1773: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Minutebook copy: Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia <January 18, 1773: A copy of their previous letter is enclosed. They have now drawn further on Franklin, Barclay, and Fothergill for £1,250 sterling in three bills of exchange, one in favor of Joseph Mitchell for £600 and two in favor of Joseph King for £300 and £350 respectively.> Presumably that of Jan. 4 above. For the little we know...
44From Benjamin Franklin to Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, 22 January 1773: extract (Franklin Papers)
Translated extract: printed in Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, ed., Œuvres de M. Franklin … (2 vols., Paris, 1773), II , 118. J’ai imaginé depuis quelques tems une nouvelle forme de chauffoir, ou espece de cheminée d’une construction différente, qui donne plus de chaleur, en consumant moins de bois; mais il lui manque quelques-uns des principaux avantages de ma premiere machine, et elle a quelques...
45To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac L. Winn, 22 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
MS : the Royal Society Capt. Winn presents Respects to Dr. Franklin and sends Two Barrels of Apples from Mr. Theo. Bache and begs leave to add one to them. In August last Capt. Winn took the Liberty of sending Dr. Franklin some Observations on the Aurora Borealis, to which he would add that on Saturday Evening the 16 Instt., as Capt. Winn came to Town the Aurora was so bright that he found a...
46To Benjamin Franklin from François Rozier, 24 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Printed circular letter with handwritten postscript: American Philosophical Society The letter below is an interesting example of scientific communication in the period. The editor of a scientific journal in Paris was inviting each of many learned societies in Europe to send him a periodic report of its current activities, which he would then broadcast within three months via his journal....
47To Benjamin Franklin from William Brownrigg, 27 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: the Royal Society By the enclosed from an old friend, a worthy clergyman at Carlisle, whose great learning and extensive knowledge in most sciences would have more distinguished him had he been placed in a more conspicuous point of view, You will find that he had heard of your experiment on Derwent Lake, and has thrown together what he could collect on that subject; to which I have...
48Preface to the Declaration of the Boston Town Meeting, February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Votes and Proceedings of the Freeholders and Other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston … (London, 1773), pp. i–vi. In July, 1772, the Massachusetts House of Representatives petitioned the crown to stop paying Governor Hutchinson’s salary. At the end of September rumor spread that the judges were to be similarly paid, and a month later the Bostonians began a series of town meetings...
49From Benjamin Franklin to Alexander Colden, 2 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I receiv’d yours of Dec. 2. enclosing a Bill Hancock on Haley & Hopkins for £150 for Account of the Gen. Post-Office. Inclos’d I return you the Bill, Dunn on Long, Drake and Long, for £100 Sterling, with the Protest which costs 5 s. 9 d. I hope you are careful to give me Credit for these Protested Bills. I sent you two per last Packet, and one by...
50From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 2 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress Since my last I have got the Apples on shore, and they come out very good. Accept my best Thanks. Mr. Bache of NYork has also kindly sent me two Barrels, Capt. Winn one, and Capt. Falconer One. I told you before that Capt. All gave me one, so that I am now plentifully supply’d. I know you love to have a Line from me by every Packet; so I write tho’ I...