631The Kite Experiment, 19 October 1752 (Franklin Papers)
I. Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , October 19, 1752; also copy: The Royal Society. II. Printed in Joseph Priestley, The History and Present State of Electricity, with Original Experiments (London, 1767), pp. 179–81. Franklin was the first scientist to propose that the identity of lightning and electricity could be proved experimentally, but he was not the first to suggest that identity,...
632To Benjamin Franklin from John Perkins, 23 October 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and AL : American Philosophical Society In the Inclos’d you have all I have to say of that Matter. It prov’d longer than I expected so that I was forced to ad a Cover to it. I confess it looks like a Dispute but that is quite contrary to my Intention. The Sincerity of Friendship and Esteem were my motives nor do I doubt your scrupling the goodness of the Intention. However I must confess I...
633To Benjamin Franklin from Cadwallader Colden, 24 October 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New-York Historical Society I now send back to you Wilson on Electricity for the use of which I am much obliged. My youngest son the only one I have with me hopes to be able to make Electrical experiments tollerably well. Mr. Wilson I think is on the true scent of the cause of Electricity though it be plain he is not sufficiently informed of the nature of that elastic fluid which he...
634To Benjamin Franklin from William Mercer, 11 November 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 234–5. I am favoured with your letter of the 2d instant, and shall, with pleasure, comply with your request, in describing (as well as my memory serves me) the water-spout I saw at Antigua; and shall think this, or any other service I can do, well repaid, if it contributes to your satisfaction in so...
635From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 16 November 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Your Favours of Augt. 26. with the Books for the Library Company, &c. came safe to hand; and all turn out right; excepting that D’Argens Philosophy of Common Sense is not come, but another thing of his instead of it. The Life of Boerhave sent is an old and small Book; what we intended was a new Life lately published in (I think) 4 Vols. 8vo. Condamine’s Figure of...
636Petition of the Merchants of Philadelphia to the King, [18 November 1752?] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office In 1745 Arthur Dobbs, long an advocate of a search for a northwest passage, prompted Parliament to offer a prize of £20,000 to any subject of the King who, in an English vessel, should sail from Hudson Bay to the South Sea. He then, in 1746–47, sponsored an expedition. Two accounts of it were published—one by Henry Ellis, later governor of Georgia, in 1748; and the...
637From Benjamin Franklin to Edward and Jane Mecom, 30 November 1752 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., A Collection of Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin (Boston, 1833), p. 27. I congratulate you on the news of Benny’s arrival, for whom I had been some time in pain. That you may know the whole state of his mind and his affairs, and by that means be better able to advise him, I send you all the letters I have received...
638From Benjamin Franklin to John Franklin, 8 December 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Academy of Medicine Reflecting yesterday on your Desire to have a flexible Catheter, a Thought struck into my Mind how one might possibly be made: And lest you should not readily conceive it by any Description of mine, I went immediately to the Silversmith’s, and gave Directions for making one, (sitting by ’till it was finish’d), that it might be ready for this Post. But now it...
639Commission as adjutant for southern district, 13 December 1752 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Document not found: commission as adjutant for southern district, Williamsburg, 13 Dec. 1752. For background to this document, see GW to Dinwiddie, 10 June 1752, n.2 . On 6 Nov. 1752, some months after Lawrence Washington’s death, the governor and council “finding by Experience the Insufficiency of one [adjutant], fully to discharge a Business of so much Importance,” created four military...
640From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, 19 December 1752 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from American Journal of Science, and Arts , V (1823), 160–2. I received your affectionate letter of the 1st. and am surprised to find that my letters do not of late get to your hand. I do not keep copies, but I remember well, that in one I acknowledged the receipt of the select transactions, and in another I complained of the long delay of your fourth Essay, and...
641William Watson to the Royal Society, 20 December 1752 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Royal Society, Philosophical Transactions , XLVII (1751–52), 567–70. After the communications, which we have received from several of our correspondents in different parts of the continent, acquainting us with the success of their experiments last summer, in endeavouring to extract the electricity from the atmosphere during a thunder-storm, in consequence of Mr. Franklin’s...
642Poor Richard Improved, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris … for the Year of our Lord 1753: … By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall. (Yale University Library) This is the twentieth Time of my addressing thee in this Manner, and I have reason to flatter myself my Labours have not been unacceptable to the Publick. I am particularly pleas’d to...
643William Dampier: Accounts of Water Spouts, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
I. Printed in: William Dampier, A New Voyage round the World , I (7th edit., London, 1729), 451–3. II and III. Printed in: William Dampier, A Voyage to New-Holland, &c. In the Year 1699 , III (3d edit., London, 1729), 223–4 and 182. These editions of Dampier’s accounts are contained in Volumes I and III of A Collection of Voyages . (4 vols., London, 1729). A Spout is a small ragged piece or...
644John Perkins: Causes of Water Spouts, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society Spouts have been generally believ’d Ascents of water from below, to the Region of the Clouds, And Whirlwinds the Means of Conveyance. The World has been very well satisfied with these Opinions, and prejudiced with Respect to any Observations about them. Men of Learning and Capacity have had many Opportunitys in passing those Regions where these phenomena...
645From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Historical Society of Pennsylvania With regard to the Germans, I think Methods of great tenderness should be used, and nothing that looks like a hardship be imposed. Their fondness for their own Language and Manners is natural: It is not a Crime. When People are induced to settle a new Country by a promise of Privileges, that Promise should be bonâ fide performed, and the...
646From Benjamin Franklin to John Franklin, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript (fragment): American Philosophical Society [ Missing ] Riding offend the Part, and occasion small Ulcers. The Bougie or Wax Candle I have heard is excellent in such Cases. But whether it be an Ulcer in the Passages or a Stone, I believe Onion Pottage may be properly taken and to advantage as it lubricates, and at the same time is a Dissolvent of Calcarious Matter. Enclosed I Send...
647Post Office Instructions and Directions, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
I. Broadside: University of Pennsylvania Library. II. Broadside: Yale University Library The British post office in America, when Franklin and Hunter were appointed deputy postmasters general (see above, p. 18), had never paid its own expenses, much less provided an adequate return to the deputy postmasters. In 1753 the postmaster general determined to raise the salary of his American deputies...
648To Benjamin Franklin from James Alexander, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 280–1. If I remember right, the Royal Society made one experiment to discover the velocity of the electric fire, by a wire of about four miles in length, supported by silk, and by turning it forwards and backwards in a field, so that the beginning and end of the wire were at only the distance of two...
649From Benjamin Franklin to James Alexander, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 282–3. Suppose a tube of any length open at both ends, and containing a moveable wire of just the same length, that fills its bore. If I attempt to introduce the end of another wire into the same tube, it must be done by pushing forward the wire it already contains; and the instant I press and move...
650To Benjamin Franklin from John Franklin, [January 1753] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New York Academy of Medicine With Regard to our fathers Estate I can only so far Inform you that the houshold Stuf as sold at Vendue amounted to a Little more than [ illegible ] old Tenor. The house and Land was apprisd at £200. This letter answered BF ’s inquiry of January 2; it was drafted in the margin of BF ’s letter, Dec. 8, 1752. Torn in MS , but the figure was probably £70....
651Jean-Antoine Nollet: Letters on Electricity, [January 1753?] (Franklin Papers)
Lettres sur l’Electricité. Dans lesquelles on examine les dernières Découvertes qui ont été faites sur cette Matière, & les conséquences que l’on en peut tirer. Par M. l’Abbé Nollet, … A Paris, Chez Hippolyte-Louis Guérin, & Louis-François Delatour … M.DCC. LIII. (Yale University Library) It was inevitable that Franklin’s theories of electricity should meet with opponents and detractors. The...
652From Benjamin Franklin to John Franklin, 2 January 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Vassar B. Carlton, Titusville, Florida (1955) Yours of the 12th past gave me a great deal of Pleasure, as it informed me that you are better and have reason to think the Stone either lessen’d or made smoother. I pray God to continue it to a perfect Cure. When you have a little Leisure please to inform me how our Fathers Estate turns out as I hear every thing is now sold. Who bought...
653To Benjamin Franklin from [William Parsons], 15 January 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Historical Society of Pennsylvania When I left Philadelphia and every Friend and Acquaintance that was dear to me it was with a View and, as I then thought, with a study [ sic ] Resolution to lead a quiet and private Life without even so much as thinking of publick Affairs, other than paying Taxes and Fines if any should be imposed upon me for not appearing if at any Time I should be...
654To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 27 January 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Tho’ I am much engaged yett I cannot Lett Mesnard Sail without Acquainting you how Matters stand Here. and first for Business The Paduasoye is the best and I hope will please your Good Wife—it is well paper’d and is Packed in a Trunk By John Samuel who haveing other Silk Goods it was putt with his to have the Drawback. As there is three different Breadths...
655To Benjamin Franklin from James Alexander, 29 January 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Copies of letter and enclosure: New-York Historical Society The rare transits of Venus across the sun’s surface were among the most important astronomical occurrences in the eighteenth century because they offered astronomers opportunities to calculate the solar parallax—the angle subtended at the sun by the earth’s radius—and thus not only provided a basis for computing the actual distance...
656To Benjamin Franklin from John Perkins, February 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and AD : American Philosophical Society I send you inclosed a Short account of a Me[teor?]. You have on many accounts a Right to every new Th[ing?] in natural Phylosophy. I leave it to your [Resolu?]tion whether there be any Thing in my Notion of [ torn ] phenomena as I value your Thoughts upon every Thing. And tho’ ever so Short, Yet Sir Your very much ob[liged] and humble [Servant]...
657From Benjamin Franklin to John Perkins, 4 February 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I ought to have wrote to you long since, in Answer to yours of Oct. 16. concerning the Water Spout: But Business partly, and partly a Desire of procuring further Information by Inquiry among my Seafaring Acquaintance, induc’d me to postpone Writing from time to time, till I am now almost asham’d to resume the Subject, not knowing but you may have forgot...
658From George Washington to William Nelson, 12 February 1753 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to William Nelson, 12 Feb. 1753. On 22 Feb. 1753 Nelson wrote to GW : “I have received yours of the 12th Instant.”
659To George Washington from William Nelson, 22 February 1753 (Washington Papers)
I have received yours of the 12th Instant, in which you express a Desire to be removed to the Adjutancy of the Northern Neck. I think the Thing so reasonable that I wish you may succeed: however, I presume You are not unaquainted, that two Gentlemen have apply’d for it, & both strongly recommended; yet, Reason I hope will always prevail at the Board over Interest & Favour, upon which Principle...
660From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 28 February 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society The enclos’d is a Copy of a Letter and some Papers I received lately from a Friend, of which I have struck off Fifty Copies by the Press, to distribute among my ingenious Acquaintance in No. America, hoping some of them will make the Observations proposed. The Improvement of Geography and Astronomy is the common Concern of all polite Nations, and I trust...