To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 19 May 1749
From James Logan
Letterbook abstract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania
3 mo. [May] 19th [1749]
To B Franklin
Sent him Capt. Smiths voyages or Travels to Virginia. Greg. Leti’s Sisto 5 to. 2 Voll and Marchetti’s Lucrezzio in Italian9 and desired him to Send me what Classics he has published by M. Mattaire.1
9. “Capt. Smiths voyages” was probably The True Travels, Adventures, and Observations of Captaine John Smith, In Europe, Asia, Affrica, and America, from Anno Domini 1593 to 1629 (London, 1630), which Logan owned. The other books are Gregorio Leti, Vita di Sisto V., Pontefice Romano (Amsterdam, 1686), and Alessandro Marchetti’s translation, Di T. Lucrezio Caro della Natura della cose (London, 1717). All are in Loganian Lib. Cat.
1. Michael Maittaire (1668–1747), scholar and typographer, edited a series of Latin classics, printed by Tonson and Watts of London, 1713–19. His many other writings include Stephanorum Historia (London, 1709), and Annales Typographici (5 vols., The Hague, Amsterdam, London, 1719–41). For BF’s use of the first book to print a title page for Logan’s Euclid of 1516, see above, p. 219 n. Maittaire’s large library, rich in classical authors and early printed editions, was sold at auction in London, 1748. DNB.