461To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 17 December 1749 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I Send him his borrowed Praeceptor. I thought to have bought that and Turnbull for my Son who is at home with me and to deliver him Those others that I had wrote for. Desire him to Send me Milton and Hutcheson dis[sertation] of Senses with the last &c. Hutcheson says there are more than 5 Senses and reckons Pain and hunger which goes the...
462From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 17 December 1749 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Sparks, Works , VII , 40. I send the Dialogues on Education, which I ascribed to Hutcheson, but am since informed they were wrote by Mr. Forbes, Professor of Philosophy in the University of Aberdeen; the same who wrote the Inquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer. I also send Milton. BF and his informant were both mistaken in ascribing the “Dialogues...
463Poor Richard Improved, 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris … for the Year of our Lord 1750 . … By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall. (Yale University Library) To the Reader . The Hope of acquiring lasting Fame , is, with many Authors, a most powerful Motive to Writing. Some, tho’ few, have succeeded; and others, tho’ perhaps fewer, may succeed...
464Peter Kalm: Conversations with Franklin, 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Adolph B. Benson, ed., Peter Kalm’s Travels in North America. The English Version of 1770 (2 vols., N.Y., 1937), pages as indicated; and Esther Louise Larsen, trans., “Pehr Kalm’s Report on the Characteristics and Uses of the American Walnut Tree Which is Called Hickory,” Agricultural History, XIX (1945), 55–64. During his visit to America in 1748–51, Peter Kalm kept extensive...
465To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 8 January 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania If there be any convenient room left, Since my eldest Son has rejected the Offer, I am willing my name Should be inserted amongst the Collegues of your Society, tho’ very uncapable of being in any manner useful to it, yet I am very desirous to have it by all means promoted, tho’ I expect to be excused from contributing any thing to it more...
466William Watson: Notice of Franklin’s Experiments, 11 January 1750 (Franklin Papers)
MS : The Royal Society; also copy: American Academy of Arts and Sciences At the reading of this paper Mr. Watson took notice, that several of Mr. Franklin’s experiments were new and very curious; but, besides that Mr. Watson is not quite master of part of this gentleman’s reasoning, there are two things therein more particularly to be attended to: and these are, first, that when this gentleman...
467To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 12 January 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I wrote to him to come up hither next first day if the weather was good Seeing while the Assembly Sits I can appoint no other day and if my Son has delivered him the Magic Squares I pray him to bring them with him. His affectionate friend “Our Benj. Franklin is certainly an Extraordinary Man in most respects,” Logan wrote Peter Collinson,...
468From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 20 January 1750 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Sparks, Works , VI , 100. The magical squares, how wonderful soever they may seem, are what I cannot value myself upon, but am rather ashamed to have it known I have spent any part of my time in an employment that cannot possibly be of any use to myself or others.
469From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 29 January 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks) Enclosed I send you a Copy of the Constitution of the Academy. Your agreeing to be one of the Trustees gave great pleasure to all concerned. I shall wait on you with Mr. Kalm on Wednesday next, if the Weather be tolerable, and nothing extraordinary prevents. I am with great respect Sir Your Affectionate humble Servant See below, p. 469.
470To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 5 February 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have so many Obligations to my kind Friend, that I dedicated a time to Visit all the Booksellers in London to search for foreign Electrical Books and could only find Two in French. One I take to be the same I sent for thy perusal but could not be certain which Elce [I] had not bought both for I sent it away just as I received it from France. I have many...
471From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 13 February 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I receiv’d your very kind Letter relating to my Proposals for the Education of our Youth, and return you the Thanks of the Gentlemen concern’d, for the useful Hints you have favour’d us with. It was long doubtful whether the Academy would be fix’d in the Town or Country; but a Majority of those from whose generous Subscriptions we expected to be able to...
472From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, 13 February 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mrs. Richard D. Wood, Jr., Wawa, Pa. (1957); printed in American Journal of Science, and Arts , V (1822), 364–6. You desire to know my Thoughts about the N.E. Storms beginning to Leeward. Some Years since there was an Eclipse of the Moon at 9 in the Evening, which I intended to observe, but before 8 a Storm blew up at N E. and continued violent all Night and all next Day, the Sky thick...
473From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 17 February 1750 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Sparks, Works , VII , 40. I send Whiston’s Life. He seems to me to have been a man of great industry and little prudence. I have been lame these two weeks past, but am now so much better, that I think I shall be able to wait on you next week with Mr. Kalm. We had a very bright appearance of the Aurora Borealis last night. When I have the pleasure of...
474To Benjamin Franklin from George Whitefield, 26 February 1750 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from A Select Collection of Letters of the Late Reverend George Whitefield, M.A . … (London, 1772), II , 335–7. Ever since I received your last kind letter, I have been endeavouring to redeem some time to answer it, but till now have not had opportunity. Indeed even now a multiplicity of business obliges me to be much more brief than otherwise I should. However, I...
475James Logan to Peter Collinson, 28 February 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I have Spent most of this day for the first time with thy friend Kalm accompanied with B. Franklin, and I know not what to make of him, nor of his Journey to Canada, where, after the whole last winter Spent at a Swedish Woman’s House near Newcastle, he Spent near five Months, and dined many times at the Governors at Quebec, without Seeing...
476From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, [2 March 1750] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The Gentleman’s Magazine , XX (1750), 208. I was very much pleased with some ingenious papers in the late Transactions on the subject of electricity. There is something however in the experiments of points, sending off, or drawing on, the electrical fire, which has not been fully explained, and which I intend to supply in my next. For the doctrine of points is very...
477From Benjamin Franklin to Abiah Franklin, 12 April 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Boston Athenaeum We received your kind Letter of the 2d Instant, and are glad to hear you still enjoy such a Measure of Health, notwithstanding your great Age. We read your Writing very easily; I never met with a Word in your Letters but what I could readily understand; for tho’ the Hand is not always the best, the Sense makes every thing plain. My Leg, which you enquire after, is now...
478To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 25 April 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wish I have before this advised my Worthy Friend that his pacquet per Cap. Clark came at last to my Hands, with the Electrical Papers, which are now on the Press under the Inspection and Correction of our Learned and Ingenious Friend Doctor Fothergill for Wee thought it a great Pitty that the Publick should be deprived the benefit of so many Curious...
479To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Johnson, [10 May 1750] (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy (fragment): Columbia University Library [ First part missing ] Seat of London. I drew it up at first only for the use of my Son, and had no further tho’ts, but when I tho’t it necessary to take the pains to transcribe it in order for your perusal, I could not forbear having the vanity to wish it might be useful to others, for I was always very desirous if I could, to contribute...
480To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, [June 1750] (Franklin Papers)
AL (fragment): Library Company of Philadelphia [ First part missing ] Pray give my respects to Lewis Evans. I have not Time to write to Him but I putt his Mapps to Bowles one of the most noted Print and Mapp sellers near the Exchange —and He Tells Mee he has disposed of few of them the Price is so High. Thou will see by Byrd’s Letter the reason no Thermometers was done. So farewell. The Books...
481From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 2 June 1750 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; facsimiles of ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania and Boston Public Library The Person from whom you had the Power of Attorney to receive a Legacy, was born in Holland, and at first call’d Aletta Crell; but not being Christen’d when the Family came to live among the English in America, she was baptiz’d by the Name of Mary . This Change of Name probably might be unknown to...
482Last Will and Testament, 22 June 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ADS (mutilated): American Philosophical Society I Benjamin Franklin of the City of Philadelphia Printer, being in perfect Health of Body and Mind, (blessed be God) do this twenty second Day of June, in the Year 1750, make, publish, sign and seal this my last Will and Testament, viz. First, I give to my honoured Mother Abiah Franklin, Twenty Pounds per Annum during her Life, to be paid...
483From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 28 June 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society I wrote a Line to you last Post, and sent you some Electrical Observations and Experiments. You formerly had those Papers of mine out of which something has been taken by Mr. Watson, and inserted in the Transactions: If you have forgot the Contents of those Papers, I am afraid some Things in that I last sent you will be hardly understood, as they depend on...
484To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 3 July 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received thy Letter from the Trustees and Bill per £100 on Jno Gurnell & Company which is accepted. I was really unwilling to undertake a New affair haveing so little Time to spare and yett I was as Unwilling so Benevolent a Design should suffer for want of my Concurrence. I have therefore procured your Value of Books of Whiston who I would willingly...
485To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 11 July 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library Company of Philadelphia If I catch the Bagg before its taken away its more than I expect. Can only Acknowledge the favour of thine June 1st with Bartram and Hopkinsons. As to thine the Letter I left in the Country, I sent per Next Ship and return’d thy Sons Journal. I shall be Concern’d it Miscarried. I am in hopes it may yett Come to hand but I have so many Affairs, I can’t Keep...
486To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Belcher: Warrant for Payment, 26 July 1750 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Huntington Library By His Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esqr: Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over His Majestys Province of New Jersey and Territories thereon depending in America Chancellor and Vice Admiral in the Same &c. No. III Pay to Benjamin Franklin or Order the Sum of Thirty one pounds ten Shillings proclamation Money for printing Sundry Acts and Laws before the 14 day...
487From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 27 July 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Academy of Arts and Sciences Mr. Watson I believe wrote his Observations on my last Paper in Haste; without having first well considered the Experiments related in §17 *Of the third Letter. which still appear to me decisive in the Question; Whether the Accumulation of Electrical Fire be in the Electrified Glass, or in the Non-electric Matter connected with the Glass? and to...
488From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 29 July 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Academy of Arts and Sciences As you first put us on Electrical Experiments by sending to our Library-Company a Tube with Directions how to use it; and as our honourable Proprietor enabled us to carry those Experiments to a greater Height, by his generous Present of a complete Electrical Apparatus; ’Tis fit that both should know from Time to Time what Progress we make. It was in...
489Opinions and Conjectures, [29 July 1750] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Academy of Arts and Sciences Opinions and Conjectures concerning the Properties and Effects of the Electrical Matter, arising from Experiments and Observations made in Philadelphia, 1749. §1. The Electrical Matter consists of Particles extreamly subtile, since it can permeate common Matter, even the densest Mettals, with such Ease and Freedom, as not to receive any perceptible...
490Paper on the Academy, [31 July 1750] (Franklin Papers)
MS Minutes of the Common Council: Free Library of Philadelphia Within a few weeks of their organization, Nov. 13, 1749, the Academy trustees had received subscriptions amounting to more than £700. Twenty-three trustees alone subscribed £383 annually for five years—William Allen’s pledge of £75 a year was the largest; and some forty or fifty other citizens promised a total of £322 8 s. the...