48331From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, 8 March 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Your good Mama has just been saying to me that she wonders what can possibly be the Reason she has not had a Line from you for so long a time. I have made no Complaint of that kind, being conscious that by not writing my self I have forfeited all Claim to such Favour; tho’ no Letters give me more Pleasure, and I often wish to hear from you, but Indolence grows...
48332From Benjamin Franklin to John Ewing, 4 April 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Pittsburgh Library This Line will be put into your Hands by Mr. Redford from Ireland, who goes to America, with Views of settling there. He is strongly recommended to me by several of my Friends, as a Gentleman of excellent Character, for his Principles, his Knowledge and Abilities, such as must render him an useful Citizen of America. I beg leave to request for him your...
48333From Benjamin Franklin to Roussille, 12 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of LS : American Philosophical Society J’ai reçu, Monsieur, votre Memoire concernant les Parts qui peuvent vous étre dues sur le Produit des Prises faites par le Corsaire le Boston. Le Payement des Gages et la Repartition du Produit des Prises se faisant toujours dans le Pays ou l’Armement du Vaisseau de Guerre a eu lieu, la Réclamation que vous en faites en France me paroit...
48334From Benjamin Franklin to Mrs. ——— Shrowdy, 13 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Messrs. Foulke and Fox having signified to me your Desire of going to England in some of the Cartel Ships from L’Orient and requested me to obtain for you, Monsr. De Sartine’s Permission.— Herewith I have the honour of Sending you a Letter from that Minister to Monsr. de La Granville, by which you will find he has been pleased to grant your Request, and has given...
48335From Benjamin Franklin to Francis Coffyn, 8 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I duly received yours of the 30th. past, which I Should have answered sooner, but that I have been and still am at a Loss what to do as to the Condemnation of the Prizes you mention. In the Commission given to our armed Vessels, they are directed to submit The prizes they may carry into any foreign Port, to the judgment of the Courts of admiralty there establish’d and...
48336From Benjamin Franklin to [Dumas], [between 17 and 19 May 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Incomplete copy: Library of Congress in a Week. The Business has required a longer [ remainder of line missing ] is the Only cause of the Bills not being paid according to the Acceptance. But whatever the Cause, I do not See why that Should as your friend Supposes faire beaucoup de mal au credit des Americains . M Holker is not an American but a Frenchman lately arrived in America. If a...
48337“My Ink with a Little Loaf Sugar,” 11 July 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress At first glance this document makes little sense: what looks like a title line, written in a large hand and dated to the hour, is centered above two stanzas that have nothing to do with either the title or one another. Both verses are taken from the works of Joseph Addison, and the misquotations suggest that they were written from memory. Indeed, the poetry in this...
48338From Benjamin Franklin to William Lee, 2 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society The Accidents that several times prevented our Meeting for the purpose of complying with your Request in receiving from you Mr. Morris’s Papers having allow’d me more time to consider that matter, I am of Opinion, that if instead of bringing them to Paris, you had thought it proper when at Nantes to separate those that related to Affairs or House of...
48339From Benjamin Franklin to Gourlade & Moylan, 17 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy:Library of Congress I am much obliged by your favour of the 13th. Instant. I am persuaded that your Conjecture of the Adviser and Promoter of the Mutiny, is well founded. Measures are taken that I hope may be successful in suppressing it. With great Esteem, I have the honour to be. Gentlemen Your &c. We have not located the firm’s letter, but they must have blamed Arthur Lee. He had been...
48340From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 15 October 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society A long and painful Illness has prevented my corresponding with your Excellency regularly, but I paid the Bill you drew upon me and advised me of in your last Letter. Mr Jay has I believe acquainted you with the Obstructions our Peace Negociations have met with, and that they are at length removed. By the next Courier expected from London, we may be able...
48341From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas-François Dalibard, 29 June 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Copy (extract): The Royal Society; printed (in full) in Benjamin Franklin, Expériences et Observations sur l’Electricité faites à Philadelphie en Amérique , Thomas-François Dalibard, trans. (2d edit., 2 vols., Paris, 1756), II , 307–19. Peter Collinson presented the scientific portions of this letter to the Royal Society on Dec. 18, 1755; it was printed in the Philosophical Transactions, and...
48342To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 11 January 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Excellency will see by the within the Situation I am in, and will thence judge how far it may be proper for you to accept farther Drafts on Mr Laurens, with any Expectation of my enabling you to pay them, when I have not only no Promise of more Money, but an absolute Promise that I shall have no more. I shall use my Endeavours however, but am not sure of Succeeding, as we seem to have...
48343Franklin: Certificate Concerning Silas Deane, [18 December 1782] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Silas Deane, An Address to the United States of North-America … (New London, Connecticut, 1784), p. 21; draft: American Philosophical Society Certain paragraphs having lately appeared in the English newspapers, importing, that Silas Deane, Esqr. formerly Agent and Commissioner Plenipotentiary, of the United States of America, had sometime after his first “arrival in France,...
48344From Benjamin Franklin to Balthazar-Georges Sage, 16 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library J’ay Lu le memoire de Madame de la Chevalerie que vous m’avez envoyé. Je suis persuadé qu’elle n’aura pas Negligé de Justifier au Congrès de sa qualité de francaise Si on luy a promis a ce titre la Restitution des Marchandises qui luy apartenoient et qui etoient Chargés dans Le Navire Le glocester pris par la fregatte americaine le requin a la hauteur des Bermudes....
48345Preface 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...
48346From Benjamin Franklin to Hall & Sellers, 13 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of LS : American Philosophical Society The Bearer M. Prosper Mouret is recommended to me by Persons of Consideration here as a good Workman in the Printing Business and of honest Character. He goes to America with Views of living there by his Profession. If you can conveniently give him Employment in your Printing House, or put him in a way to obtain it in some other, you will...
48347From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 6 October 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : First Federal Savings & Loan Association, Boston (1958) Inclos’d is the Receipt for the Organ which I wish safe to hand, and that it may please. My Love to the Family, and to my Sister. I shall write fully to you per some Boston Ship when I have a little time. I am ever, Your affectionate Friend See Jonathan’s request in his letter above, June 28. He acknowledged receipt of the organ on...
48348From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 15 December 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I thank you for your kind Congratulations on my safe Return. Brother Peter is with me, and very well, except being touch’d a little in his Head with something of the Doctor , of which I hope to cure him. For my own Part, I find myself at present quite clear of Pain, and so have at length left off the cold Bath; there is however still some Weakness in my...
48349From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 2 June 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have just received yours of the 29th [past. I have made] fresh Enquiry about the Clothes and [Sugar but have yet to] hear a Syllable of them. The brass [Engine at length] came by itself, and was deliver’d to the [ ? ] House, with the three small Parts belonging [to it] by a tall Man whom she does not know; but no Clothes, Sugar, or anything else. There...
48350From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 28 November 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in part in The Gentleman’s Magazine , XLIX (supplement, 1779), pp. 647–8; printed in full in William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c. (quarto edition, 3 vols., London, 1817–18), II , 169–70. I received your obliging favour of the 12th instant. Your sentiments of the importance of the present dispute between Great-Britain...
48351Poor Richard Improved, 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris … for the Year of our Lord 1755 . … By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall. (Yale University Library) It is a common Saying, that One Half of the World does not know how the other Half lives . To add somewhat to your Knowledge in that Particular, I gave you in a former Almanack, an Account...
48352From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 17 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 9th. We have applied for another Frigate besides the Ariel, but it cannot be had. My Instructions now are, after talking with Mr. Ross; Get on board the two Frigates all you can of your Clothing, which is to be prefer’d to Mr Ross’s Cloth; then estimate the Bulk of what Remains, with that Cloth, and...
48353From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 11 September 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I do not recollect I have ever had any Account what became of the Cannon you procur’d to be cast by Order of the Commissioners. I wish to be particularly inform’d by the Return of the Post. And if any of them, or any other military Stores belonging to the Congress are Still in your Hands, this is to request that you would immediately Ship them on board the Vessel...
48354From Benjamin Franklin to the Abbé Martin Lefebvre de La Roche, 7 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Bibliothèque nationale Voici, mon cher Maitre, deux Exercices de plus:— L’un est la Suite de l’Hypothese; l’autre en forme de Billet à Nôtre Dame d’Auteuil. — Je suis charmé toujours de vos Corrections, mais comme je vois par ceux que vous avez faits vers le fin du 22e Article que je n’ai pas été assez clair pour étre entendu, Je crois qu’il sera mieux d’omettre les dernieres 5 ou 6...
48355From Benjamin Franklin to Madame Brillon, 25 December 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL and AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Vous me boudes, ma chere Amie, que je n’avois pas vous envoyé l’histoire de notre grande Victoire. Je suis bien sensible de la Magnitude de notre Avantage, & de ses possibles bonnes Consequences; mais je ne triomphe pas. Sçachant que la Guerre est plein de Varieté & d’Incertitude; dans la mauvaise Fortune j’espere la bonne; & dans la bonne je...
48356From Benjamin Franklin to Fleury, 29 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Having as yet had no Medal struck here, I am not acquainted with any Artist of that sort. If you can find one, and bring him to me, I will endeavour to agree with him to get it done as soon as may be; but I cannot imagine it possible in so short a time as you mention. I cannot state any certain Sum till I have talked with the artist. I thought to enquire of Mr. Tillet...
48357From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 13 May 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Two LS : Library of Congress, Historical Society of Pennsylvania Yesterday Evening Mr. Hartley met with Mr. Jay and myself, when the Ratifications of the Definitive Treaty were exchanged. I send a Copy of the English Ratification to the President. Thus the great and hazardous Enterprize we have been engaged in, is, God be praised, happily compleated: An Event I hardly expected I should live to...
48358From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 25 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have before me yours of the 19th & 20th inst. I receiv’d also yours of the 16th per M. Bory to whom I shall on your Recommendation shew every Civility in my Power. I return accepted your two Drafts of 12000 Livres each as also the Congress Draft for 300£. I think our People mad to give such a Price for Madeira. I hope the Bordeaux you send will be so good as to...
48359From Benjamin Franklin to Ferdinand Grand, 30 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology, Smithsonian Institution This is to request that you would cause to be paid in London for me to Mr James Woodmason the Sum of Twenty Pounds Eight Shillings and six pence Sterling, being for Paper of a particular kind which he has furnished by my Order and sent hither, for printing the Congress Promises.— I have the honour to be,...
48360From Benjamin Franklin to [the Marquise de Lafayette], [after 21 September 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Wherever it is in my Power, I should certainly pay the greatest Respect to the Recommendation of Madame de la Fayette, but it is absolutely impossible for me to do what is desired for this M. Rolandeau. He was an Officer in the American Service; he left his Regiment without Leave and came to France. If he would return there it should therefore be at...