From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 29 August 1765
To Jane Mecom
ALS: American Philosophical Society
London, Augt. 29. 1765.
Dear Sister,
It pains me that I have so long omitted writing to you;6 and I do not complain that it is so long since I have been favour’d with a Line from you: for being so bad a Correspondent my self, I have no right to complain of others. Indeed I have so many and such long Letters to write, which I cannot dispense with, that I am forc’d to trespass on the Goodness of such Friends as I trust will be kind enough to make some Allowance for me; as my writing Work really grows heavy on me, and hurts my Health by confining me too much, and preventing my taking proper Exercise.
How have you done since I last heard from you, and how is it with your Family?7 I have pretty well recover’d the Use of my Arm,8 and think it may in time be as strong as ever. Give my Love to Brother Mecom and your Children. I can now only add, that I am as ever, Your affectionate Brother
B Franklin
I purpose writing to my cousin Williams9 and other Boston Friends shortly.
Addressed: To / Mrs. Jane Mecom / Boston / per Mr. Folger1
6. BF had apparently not written his sister Jane, nor had she written him, since he had been in England.
7. Jane’s husband, Edward Mecom, the “Brother Mecom” mentioned below, died on Sept. 11, 1765. See Van Doren, Franklin-Mecom, pp. 83–5. BF probably had not heard of the deaths of Jane’s two small granddaughters, Sarah Flagg, Nov. 9, 1764, and Mary Flagg, March 1765.
8. The right shoulder, which BF had dislocated on his postal inspection trip to New England in the summer of 1763. See above, X, 276, 400.
9. Jonathan Williams, Sr.; apparently BF did not write him until April 28, 1766, APS.
1. Jonathan Folger; see the document immediately above.