1A 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...
2The 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. ,...
3To 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...
4To 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...
5From 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...
6To 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...
7To 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...
8From 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.
9From 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.
10From 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...
11From 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...
12From 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...
13To 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...
14To 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...
15To 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...
16To 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...
17The 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...
18From 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...
19To 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...
20To 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....
21To 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...
22To 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...
23From 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...
24From 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...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Jane Parker Bedford, 2 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society At my Mamas perticular request I take the liberty of writing to you, whom once I could address without ceremony, but the unhappy Difference between our families render that perhaps now more necessary, which would formerly have been looked upon as an Act of Duty. You my Dear Sir, I was ever taught to look upon as the Friend, the Benefactor of one of the best...
26From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Bache, 3 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I received yours of Nov. 3. with the Extracts from Mr. Hooper’s Letter, and Remarks of Mr. Morgan which will come under Consideration in due time. As yet the Grant has not pass’d the Seals, tho’ we are kept in continual Expectation. I am oblig’d to Mr. Baynton and you for the Communication. The Demolishing Fort Pitt was a strange Measure. It might...
27From Benjamin Franklin to Theophylact Bache, 3 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I am much oblig’d by your Favour of Dec. 10. with the 2 Barrels of Apples which prove excellent, and are a great Refreshment to me. Please to accept my Thanks, and best Wishes for your Prosperity. I thank you for your Kind Attention to Mr. Chysholme. I hope he will at last be fix’d to his Mind. Enclos’d is a Letter from your good Mother, which will...
28From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 3 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
AL (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I send you herewith some Seeds, and shall send more for your Friends, by the Philad. Ships, by whom I shall write more fully. They are Peas of a valuable Sort, and the Turnip Cabbage which abides the Frost of Winter, and therefore of great Use as Feed in the Spring before any other appears. They were given me by our good Friend Mr. Todd. Yours of Oct....
29From Benjamin Franklin to John Bartram, 10 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I am glad to learn that the Turnip Seed and the Rhubarb grow with you and that the Turnip is approved. It may be depended on that the Rhubarb is the genuine Sort. But to have the Root in perfection, it ought not to be taken out of the Ground in less than 7 Years. Herewith I send you a few Seeds of what is called the Cabbage Turnip. They say that will...
30From Benjamin Franklin to Anthony Benezet, 10 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I received with Pleasure yours of Sept. 13. as it informed me of your Welfare. With this I send you one of Young’s Night Thoughts, the largest Print I could find. I thank you for the 4 Copies you sent me of your Translation of the French Book: I have given two of them to Friends here, whom I thought the Subject might suit. I have commenc’d an...