From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 31 January 1757
To Peter Collinson
ALS: Pierpont Morgan Library
Philada. Jan. 31. 1757
Dear Sir
The preceding are Copies of my late Letters;8 to which I have little to add, except to request you would send the Magazines mention’d in the enclos’d List,9 which it seems are still wanting to compleat the Sets in the Library. It may be well enough to forbear sending the Universal Magazine for the future, it contains little of Value1 I inclose also an Almanack,2 and some Sheets to compleat your Set of Votes for the last Year. The rest are in Mr. Bartram’s Box3 Our Assembly have unanimously voted sending me to England, to endeavour a Settlement of our Disputes; I have not determin’d yet to go, as they gave me some Days to consider of it4 It will be a good Work, whoever does it; for the Province at present is very unhappy. I am, Dear Friend, Your affectionate humble Servant
B Franklin
Addressed: To / Mr Peter Collinson / Gracechurch Street
8. Those of Nov. 22, Dec. 19, 1756, and Jan. 1, 1757; see above, pp. 23, 49, 94.
9. Not found, but see above, VI, 171, 456, for a previous order of magazines for the Library.
1. The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure … published monthly by John Hinton … London.
2. Poor Richard Improved for 1757.
3. John Bartram had shipped Collinson 26 boxes, mostly filled with seeds, on the ship Carolina, Capt. Robert Duncan, which cleared Philadelphia for London before Feb. 3, 1757, perhaps also carrying bf’s letters of January 31 to Collinson and William Strahan, and of February 1 to Robert Charles. Collinson reported receipt of the boxes, but not the letters, sent on the Carolina on March 18, 1757. Darlington, Memorials, pp. 211, 214. The Votes enclosed in the letter to Collinson were probably those for August–September 1756 during Denny’s administration, advertised for sale in Pa. Gaz., Feb. 10, 1757. A week before the Gazette had advertised the earlier Votes (“the rest”) covering Robert Hunter Morris’ administration.
4. See above, pp. 109–11.