511From Benjamin Franklin to [John Franklin?], 25 December 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Academy of Arts and Sciences I have lately made an Experiment in Electricity that I desire never to repeat. Two nights ago being about to kill a Turkey by the Shock from two large Glass Jarrs containing as much electrical fire as forty common Phials, I inadvertently took the whole thro’ my own Arms and Body, by receiving the fire from the united Top Wires with one hand, while...
512[Harvard College, 1751–1755] (Adams Papers)
Continued November 30. 1804. In my own class at Collidge, there were several others, for whom I had a strong affection—Wentworth, Brown, Livingston, Sewall and Dalton all of whom have been eminent in Life, excepting Livingston an amiable and ingenious Youth who died within a Year or two after his first degree. In the Class before me I had several Friends, Treadwell the greatest Schollar, of my...
513Poor Richard Improved, 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris … for the Year of our Lord 1751 . … By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall. (Yale University Library) Astrology is one of the most ancient Sciences, had in high Esteem of old, by the Wise and Great. Formerly, no Prince would make War or Peace, nor any General fight a Battle, in short, no...
514Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind, 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in [William Clarke], Observations On the late and present Conduct of the French, with Regard to their Encroachments upon the British Colonies in North America. … To which is added, wrote by another Hand; Observations concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries,&c. Boston: Printed and Sold by S. Kneeland in Queen-Street. 1755. (Yale University Library) The “immediate...
515Physical and Meteorological Observations, Conjectures, and Suppositions, 1751 (Franklin Papers)
AD (incomplete): American Philosophical Society; draft: Library of Congress; printed in Royal Society, Philosophical Transactions , LV (1765), 182–92; and Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 182–92. This paper, read in the Royal Society on December 23, 1756, though not printed until 1765, is quite likely the one Franklin told James Bowdoin on...
516Idea of the English School, [7 January 1751] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in A Sermon on Education. Wherein Some Account is given of the Academy, Established in the City of Philadelphia. Preach’d at the Opening thereof, on the Seventh Day of January, 1750–1. By the Reverend Mr. Richard Peters. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall, at the Post-Office. 1751. (Yale University Library) As the principal advocate of an English school which,...
517From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 9 January 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I receiv’d your Favour of the 14th past, with the Noetica, which I shall immediately put to press, for I think it scarce necessary to ask Subscriptions for so small a Work; and believe we can not find a more suitable Piece of the kind to use in our Academy. Please to accept the enclos’d (with my Compliments) for the New Year. The Assembly sitting hurries me so...
518Petition for the Pennsylvania Hospital, 23 January 1751 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Pennsylvania Hospital January 23, 1751 The founding of the Pennsylvania Hospital is one of the best-known episodes in Franklin’s public career, for he related the history of it in his autobiography at length, if not accurately in all details, and he printed the relevant documents in Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital , 1754. Franklin’s friend Dr. Thomas Bond was one of the first to...
519From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 4 February 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The Royal Society I receiv’d yours of Oct. 4. via New England, with the Account of what you have laid out on Books and Mathematical Instruments for the Academy, by which I perceive there is but about £20 in your Hands, much too little, I fear, for the Philosophical Apparatus! and the Misfortune is, that our other Expences in purchasing, Building, &c. are like to pinch us so in the...
520From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 February 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I wrote you per Capt. Budden, who sail’d the Beginning of December, and sent you a Bill of Exchange on Jonathan Gurnel & Co. for Fifty Pounds, and desired you to send me Viner’s, Bacon’s and Danvers’s Abridgments of the Law, with Wood’s and Coke’s Institutes. I have no Copy of the Letter, and forget whether I added the Compleat Attorney in 6 or 8 Vols. 8vo. the...
521To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 22 February 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library On the other Side is the Account of the Books I now send. I next must thank thee for thine of the 27: Sepr. with our Friend Kalms observations which are very acceptable to the Curious Here. I was in hopes to send thy Work which is all printed but the Engraveing is not so may Expect it soone. Thee art under great obligations to Docr. Fothergill who has annexed a...
522Record of Birth and Baptism of James Madison, Jr., [16 March] 1751 (Madison Papers)
James Madison junr. was born on Tuesday Night at 12 o’Clock it being the last of the 5th. & begining of the 6th. day of March 1750–1 & was Baptized by the Revd. Mr. Wm. Davis, Mar. 31. 1751 and had for God-Fathers Mr. John Moore & Mr. Jonatn. Gibson & for God-Mothers Mrs. Rebecca Moore, Miss Judith Catlett and Miss Elizabeth Catlett. The 1759 publication date of the Bible indicates that this...
523Subscription for Christ Church Steeple, 18 March 1751 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Dorr, A Historical Account of Christ Church, Philadelphia (New York and Philadelphia, 1841), pp. 98–9. The vestry of Christ Church, Philadelphia, unanimously voted, March 11, 1751, to erect a steeple and hang a chime of bells. The next week the subscription book was opened, Governor James Hamilton’s name leading the list of about three hundred signers with...
524From Benjamin Franklin to James Parker, 20 March 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in [Archibald Kennedy], The Importance of Gaining and Preserving the Friendship of the Indians to the British Interest, Considered (New York, 1751), pp. 27–31. (Yale University Library) Edward Eggleston first attributed this letter to Franklin in a note to John Bigelow, who accepted it ( Works , II , 217 n). There is also, however, contemporary evidence of Franklin’s authorship: the...
525To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 27 March 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am now so prodigiously Engagd as well in my publick business as on Account of our very great National loss the Death of the Prince of Wales that I can only acknowledge the Receipt of thy kind Letters with the Tracts Inclosed. I have sent per Capt. Richey in the Beulah the Magazins for Febuary. I am thy sincere friend Prince of a short Illness an...
526Experiments and Observations, [April 1751] (Franklin Papers)
Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Made at Philadelphia in America, by Mr. Benjamin Franklin, and Communicated in several Letters to Mr. P. Collinson, of London, F.R.S. London: Printed and sold by E. Cave, at St. John’s Gate. 1751. (Yale University Library) Franklin’s reports on electricity had an immediate and favorable reception in England. The first account of his experiments,...
527Felons and Rattlesnakes, 9 May 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette May 9, 1751. In the eulogy which he delivered before the French Academy of Sciences on Nov. 13, 1790, the Marquis de Condorcet noted that Franklin sometimes made a point in conversation with a fable, tale, or anecdote. “Chargé de demander l’abolition de l’usage insultant d’envoyer les malfaiteurs dans les Colonies, le Ministre lui allégait la nécessité d’en...
528An Act to Encourage the Establishing of an Hospital, 11 May 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in [Acts of the Pennsylvania Assembly] Anno Regni Georgii II … Vigesimo Quarto … [October 14, 1750, to May 6, 1751] (Philadelphia, 1751), pp. 155–8. May 11, 1751 This document, the original draft of which was by Franklin, is omitted here for the reason given above, p. 111; but is printed, with editorial annotation, in Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital , May 1754, in the next...
529From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 21 May 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library Budden is arrived, and every thing you sent per him come safe to hand. Both the Library-Company and the Academy are exceedingly oblig’d to you, and would be glad of any Opportunity of serving you or any of your Friends. The Academy goes on as one could wish: We have excellent Masters, and the Boys improve surprizingly: The Number now 70 and daily encreasing. I...
530William Watson: An Account of Franklin’s Treatise, [6 June 1751] (Franklin Papers)
MS : The Royal Society; also printed in Phil. Trans. , XLVII (1751–52), 202–11. An account of Mr. Benjamin Francklin’s treatise lately published intitled, Experiments and observations on Electricity made at Philadelphia in America, by Wm. Watson, F. R. S. Mr. Franklin’s treatise, lately presented to the royal Society, consists of four letters to his correspondent in England, and of another...
531From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 28 June 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I receiv’d yours of March 26. with the Books per Smith in good Order: And your Account, which agrees with mine except in a Trifle, the Share of the Charges on Ainsworth carried to J. Read’s Account. I am concern’d at your laying so long out of your Money, and must think of some Way of making you Amends. I have wrote to Smith at Antigua to quicken him in...
532From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 29 June 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: The Royal Society In Capt. Waddels Account *Ph. Tr. No. 492. p. III . of the Effects of Lightning on his Ship, I could not but take Notice of the large Comazants (as he Calls them,) that settled on the Spintles at the Topmast-Heads, and burnt like very large Torches before the Stroke. According to my Opinion, the Electrical Fire was then drawing off, as by Points , from the Cloud, the...
533Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital: Memorial to the Proprietors, 6 July 1751 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also draft and copy in Minutes, Pennsylvania Hospital July 6, 1751 This document, drafted by Franklin and Israel Pemberton, is omitted here for the reason stated above, p. 111; but is printed, with editorial annotation, in Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital , May 1754, in the next volume.
534From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 11 July 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (mutilated): Yale University Library I receiv’d your Favours of June [ and] July 4. I am sorry for the Faults in the I[ntroduction] and shall endeavour to be more careful. The Contents and Introduction are to be prefix’d, tho’ printed last; they shall be plac’d in the same Order as in the M.S. Perhaps a few of the Oeconomy’s might sell in your Parts by your Recommendation: If you think so...
535From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 19 July 1751 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Bigelow, Works (Federal Edition, 1904), XII , 253. This serves to cover the enclosed and recommend the affair to your care. I have assured the gentlemen concerned that you will serve them as well and cheap as any bookseller in London. They are men of ability, and will be constant customers. We are all well, and join in the most cordial salutations to you, Mrs....
536Appeal for the Hospital, 8 and 15 August 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , August 8 and 15, 1751. Among all the innumerable Species of Animals which inhabit the Air, Earth and Water, so exceedingly different in their Production, their Properties, and the Manner of their Existence, and so varied in Form, that even of the same Kind, it can scarce be said there are two Individuals in all Respects alike; it is remarkable, there are...
537Record of Service in the Assembly, 1751–64 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Near the end of his life, probably after his return from France, to judge by handwriting, Franklin began to prepare a record of his service in the Pennsylvania Assembly. He compiled it simply by turning the pages of the printed Votes and Proceedings and noting his various assignments. In the process he overlooked a few; these have been inserted between brackets. In...
538Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on a Schuylkill Bridge, 20 August 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1750–1751 (Philadelphia, 1751), pp. 80–1. In Obedience to the Order of the House, we have view’d the River Schuylkill, and sounded the Depths, and try’d the Bottom in several Places from Peters’s Island, near the Ford, down to John Bartram’s, below the Lower Ferry, and are of Opinion, that the most convenient Place for a Bridge...
539Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 21 August 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1750–1751 (Philadelphia, 1751), p. 82. The Pennsylvania Assembly on October 19, 1750, asked that the Proprietors share the charges arising from Indian treaties. On August 16, 1751, Governor Hamilton reported their refusal. The next day a committee which included Franklin was named to prepare an answer to the governor’s message...
540Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on Expenses for Indian Affairs, 22 August 1751 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1750–1751 (Philadelphia, 1751), pp. 83–5. In Pursuance of the Order of the House, we have examined the Journals of the Proceedings of the Assemblies of this Province, on what relates to the Charges of Treaties and other Affairs with the Indians, by which we find, That the Expences on these Occasions were very inconsiderable,...