401From Benjamin Franklin to [Nathaniel Sparhawk], 15 June 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Joseph W. P. Frost, Kittery Point, Maine (1954) I receiv’d yours per Mr. Baynton with the Money as therein specified; and have since deliver’d it to Mr. Warren (who is now here) with Mr. Pepperill’s Letter; of which please advise Mr. Pepperill. I am Sir, Your most humble Servant Nathaniel Sparhawk (1715–1776), merchant at Portsmouth and Boston; married the daughter of Sir William...
402Deed for Ferry Farm Land, 7 July 1748 (Washington Papers)
Fredericksburg, 7 July 1748 . “This Indenture made the seventh day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & forty eight Between Lawrence Washington and Nathaniel Chapman Gent. Executors of the last Will & Testament of Augustine Washington of the County of King George Gent. deceased of the one part, and Anthony Strother of the said County of King George Gent. of the other...
403Advice to a Young Tradesman, [21 July 1748] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in George Fisher, The American Instructor: or Young Man’s Best Companion . … The Ninth Edition Revised and Corrected. Philadelphia: Printed by B. Franklin and D. Hall, at the New-Printing-Office, in Market-Street, 1748. Pp. 375–7. (Yale University Library) George Fisher’s The Instructor: or Young Man’s Best Companion was a popular manual of English grammar, penmanship, composition,...
404From Benjamin Franklin to James Read, [before 1 August 1771] (Franklin Papers)
Extract : Historical Society of Pennsylvania The most friendly Advice I can give you, is, to begin paying the Debt immediately, tho’ in ever so small Sums. This will show an honest Disposition, and may in time compleat the whole. If you would stand fair in the Opinion of your Friends, and cannot pay the Principal, pay at least the Interest as it arises. BF ’s old friend and neighbor, who...
405To Benjamin Franklin from William Strahan: Power of Attorney, 2 September 1748 (Franklin Papers)
MS form with MS insertions in blanks: American Philosophical Society James Read (see above, p. 39 n), Franklin’s neighbor and rival bookseller, in May received from the London printer William Strahan, whom he knew, a consignment of books valued at £131 16 s. 4 d. When three years passed without payment, Strahan gave Franklin power of attorney to collect the debt. “I have hitherto waited with...
406From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 29 September 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society I received your Favour of the 12th Inst. which gave me the greater Pleasure, as ’twas so long since I had heard from you. I congratulate you on your Return to your beloved Retirement: I too am taking the proper Measures for obtaining Leisure to enjoy Life and my Friends more than heretofore, having put my Printing house under the Care of my Partner David Hall,...
407From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 18 October 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I have receiv’d your several Favours of April 1. June 2. June 14 and Augt. 20, and some others, with all the Books and Pamphlets you have sent at sundry Times for the Library Company: We wish it were in our Power to do you or any Friend of yours some Service in Return for your long-continued Kindness to us. I am pleas’d to hear that my Electrical Experiments were...
408From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 19 October 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I receiv’d your Favour of April 25, with the Maps, &c. I am glad the Polybius did not come, and hope you will not have sent it when this reaches your Hands; it was intended for my Son, who was then in the Army, and seemed bent on a military Life; but as Peace cuts off his Prospect of Advancement in that Way, he will apply himself to other Business. Enclos’d I send...
409From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 30 October 1748 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Sparks, Works , VII , 37–8. I received your favor of the 28th, with the piece on the Generation of Plants, for which I thank you. Mr. Sandin, the Swedish missionary, who gave me Wahlboom’s Oration to send you, (as he passed through this town from New York, where he just arrived, to Racoon Creek, where he was to be settled,) I have never seen since. Mr. Kalm came to...
410From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 7 November 1748 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Sparks, Works , VII , 39–40. I send you herewith the late Voyage for the Discovery of the Northwest Passage, which I hope may afford you some entertainment. If you have the Journal of the French Academicians to Lapland, I should be glad to see it. Probably [Charles Swaine], An Account of a Voyage For the Discovery of a North-West Passage by Hudson’s...
411To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 9 November 1748 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I here return thee Hen: Ellis’s Tract of his Voyage to Hudson’s Bay, which I have perused and I thank thee for the Loan of it. But I’m Sorry for the Loss of Sandin the Swedish Minister for they generally use to be a good Sort of People, their Ministers I mean. I know not what to think of Kalm. I had a Letter from Linnaeus 10 or 11 years Since...
412From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 23 November 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Buffalo Historical Society I have just Time to acquaint you that yours per Cowie is this moment come to hand, with Mr. Read’s Account &c. I shall use my best Endeavours to get your Money, and am not without Hopes of Succeeding. I wrote you the 19th past, and sent a Power with the first of the enclos’d Certificates, which I hope will get safe to hand. You may depend on having the Ballance...
413Philadelphia Common Council to James Hamilton and Reply, 25 November 1748 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , December 1, 1748; also copy: MS Minutes, Philadelphia Common Council, The Free Library of Philadelphia. Franklin was chosen a member of the Philadelphia Common Council, Oct. 4, 1748. Mayor Charles Willing proposed, Nov. 24, a congratulatory address to James Hamilton, newly appointed governor, upon his arrival in Pennsylvania; the Council agreed, and named...
414From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 29 November 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your Favour of the 9th Inst. with the Voyage in Search of the N.W. Passage; I have been several Times since at Kalm’s Lodgings, but never happen’d to meet with him, he being almost always in the Country. I have got the 2d Vol. of Dialogues on Education, which your Son Jemmey told me you once had a Desire to see. If you have not since seen it,...
415From Benjamin Franklin to James Read, 5 December 1748 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New York Public Library ’Tis some Time since I receiv’d a considerable Account against you from England. An Unwillingness to give you Concern has hitherto prevented my mentioning it to you. By comparing the Moderation and long Forbearance towards you of Mr. Strahan, to whom you owe so much, with your Treatment of an old Friend in Distress, bred up with you under the same Roof, and who...
416From George Washington to Robin, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
As its the greatest mark of friendship and esteem absent Friends can shew each other in Writing and often communicating their thoughts to his fellow companions mak⟨es⟩ me endeavour to signalize myself in acquainting you from time to time and at all times my situation and employments of Life and could Wish you would take half the Pains of contriving me a Letter by any oppertunity as you may be...
417GW to ——, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
I should receive a Letter or Letters from you by the first and all oppertunetys with the greatest sense or mark of your esteem and affection whereas its the greatest Pleasure I can yet forsee of having in fairfax to hear from my Intimate friends and acquaintances I hope you in particular ⟨wi⟩ll not Bauk me of what I so ardently Wish for. ADf , DLC:GW . For background to this letter, see the...
418From George Washington to John, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
As its the greatest mark of friendship and esteem you can shew to an absent Friend In often Writing to him so hope youl not deny me that Favour as its so ardently wish’d and Desired by me its the greatest pleasure I can yet forsee of having in fairfax to hear from my friends Particularly yourself was my affections disengaged I might perhaps form some pleasures in the conversasions of an...
419From George Washington to Sally, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
This comes to Fredericksburg fair in hopes of meeting with a speedy Passage to you if your not there which hope you’l get shortly altho. I am almost discouraged from Writing to you as this is my fou[r]th to you since I receivd any from yourself. I hope you’l not make the Old Proverb good out of sight out of Mind as it’s one of the greatest Pleasures I can yet foresee of having in Fairfax in...
420From George Washington to Richard, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
The Receipt of your kind favor of the 2d of this Instant afforded Me unspeakable pleasure as I am convinced I am still in the Memory of so Worthy a friend a friendship I shall ever be proud of Increasing you gave me the more pleasure as I receiv’d it amongst a parcel of Barbarian’s and an uncooth set of People the like favour often repeated would give me Pleasure altho. I seem to be in a Place...
421Memorandum, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
When I see my Brother Austin to Enquire of Him whether He is the Acting Attorney for my Brother and as my Brother Laurence left Directions with the Hon. W. Fx to remit his Pay as Agetant whether it would not be more proper to keep it to Pay the Notes of Hands Thats Daily coming against him and to write word to Williamsburgh to Acquaint his Hon. my B:A: to write him word. AD , DLC:GW . For...
422Memorandum, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
Mem. To Survey the Lands at the Mouth of Little Cacapehon & the Mouth of Fifteen Mile Creek for the Gentlemen of the Ohio Com. AD , DLC:GW . For background to this document, see the editorial note to GW to Ann Washington, Sept.-Nov. 1749 , and GW to Thomas Fairfax, Oct.-Nov. 1749, source note . The Ohio Company, founded in 1747 to promote European settlement and trade with the Indians in the...
423Memorandum, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
Memorandom to have my Coat made by the following Directions to be made a Frock with a Lapel Breast the Lapel to Contain on each side six Button Holes and to be about 5 or 6 Inches wide all the way equal and to turn as the Breast on the Coat does to have it made very Long Waisted and in Length to come down to or below the Bent of the knee the Waist from the armpit to the Fold to be exactly as...
424Memorandum, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
Memorandom to Charge Mrs Ann Washington with 4/9 pd. the 20 of July to a Maryland Hou[se]wife as also Major Law: Washington with 1/3 ent[ered] the 15 of August 5/9 the 17 Do 2/6 Do. Read to the reign of K:John. AD , DLC:GW . For background on this document, see the editorial note to GW to Ann Washington, Sept.-Nov. 1749 . In an entry for 20 July 1748 in his account book, GW noted this sum as...
425Poetry, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
AD , DLC:GW . For background to this document, see the editorial note to GW to Ann Washington, Sept.-Nov. 1749 . Aside from the fact that this poem is in GW’s handwriting, no evidence has been found that it was of his own composition. Another fragment of a poem appears in the pages of the diary: “T’was Perfect Love before But How I do adore.”
426Poetry, 1749–1750 (Washington Papers)
AD , DLC:GW . For background on this document, see the editorial note to GW to Ann Washington, Sept.–Nov. 1749 . No evidence has been found that GW composed this work. This is an acrostic for Frances Alexander.
427Poor Richard Improved, 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris … for the Year of our Lord 1749 . … By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B, Franklin, and D. Hall. (Yale University Library) By way of preface (for custom says there must be a preface to every almanack) I present thee with an essay wrote by a celebrated naturalist of our country, which, if duly attended to, may be...
428[From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, c. 1749] (Franklin Papers)
MS : Yale University Library This document, consisting of the first four pages of a letter, undated and unsigned, describes the operation of the writer’s farm near Burlington, N.J. It was long thought to be by Franklin and has been the basis for several discussions of his knowledge of practical agriculture. Sparks printed it ( Works , vi , 83–6), thinking it might have been written “as early...
429From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 9 January 1749 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library This just serves to cover a Bill of Exchange for £8 8 s. o d. Sterling, and to let you know we are all well. It goes via New York, our River being full of Ice. I shall write you largely per our next Vessel, particularly about Mr. Read’s Affair. I wrote to you per our two last Vessels. The Post just going, cannot add but that I am Dear Sir, Your obliged Friend and...
430To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 13 February 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I return’d him the Reliquiae Bodleianae which he took out of the Library for me, blaming the Editor for not digesting the Letters according to their date, and kept Peter Kalm’s Fauna Suecica by Linnaeus taking notice of his being of Aboae in Finland which as being in that Province I wonder’d he should call their Academy Stockholmiae....