From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 12 December 1754
To Richard Jackson
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Boston, Dec. 12. 1754
Sir
I received here your Favour of the 9th of Augt. and have forwarded that directed to our Friend Mr. Elliot.4 I thank you for your Remarks on the French Maps:5 We have a new Map going forward in Pensilvania, of the Western Country, or back Parts of our Province, and Virginia, and the Ohio and Lakes, &c. by Lewis Evans, who is for that purpose furnished with all the Materials our Country affords, and the Assembly have to encourage him given £50 towards the Expence. When that is done, Dr. Mitchel’s Map may perhaps be something improv’d from it; and I suppose it will be publish’d before Spring.6 If the Dr’s Map should afterwards be printed, I make no doubt but great Numbers would sell in America.
Inclos’d I send you some Latin Verses which I find printed here, said to be wrote with some Classic Taste and Spirit.7 I send you also a little Sermon of Mr. Smith’s on the Death of one of his Pupils.8
The Bearer, Mr. Edwd. Winslow,9 is a Gentleman of one of the best Families here, and of excellent Character. He goes home to take Orders in the Church of England. As he will be a Stranger in London, I beg Leave to recommend him to your Civilities. With the greatest Esteem and Respect, I am, Sir Your most obedient humble Servant
B Franklin
Mr. Jackson
4. Neither Jackson’s letter of August 9 nor BF’s letter to Jared Eliot has been found. On earlier contacts between Jackson and Eliot, see above, IV, 214–15, 221, 265, 472.
5. Not identified; but see above, pp. 229 n, 252 n.
6. John Mitchell’s map was published in London on February to, Lewis Evans’ in Philadelphia in midsummer. Pa. Gaz., July 10, 1755. BF inscribed and presented a copy of Evans’ map and Analysis to the Earl of Leicester (d. 1759), joint postmaster general; it is preserved at Holkham Hall, Norfolk.
7. Not identified, but possibly the address to George Dunk, Earl of Halifax, published in Boston Weekly News-Letter, Nov. 21, 1754.
8. William Smith, Personal Affliction and Frequent Reflection upon Human Life, of Great Use to Lead Man to the Remembrance of God (Phila., 1754), the funeral sermon of William Thomas Martin, a student in the Academy, in Christ Church, Philadelphia, September 1. The obituary appears in Pa. Gaz., Sept. 5, 1754.
9. Edward Winslow (1722–1780), A.B., Harvard, 1741, after several years in trade in Barbados, went to England, where he was ordained, March 31, 1755. He was rector at Stratford, Conn., 1755–63, succeeding Samuel Johnson; when Johnson returned to Stratford Winslow was sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to Braintree, Mass. In spite of his ability and popularity he lost his pulpit in 1777 for being a Tory. He died at New York City. Sibley’s Harvard Graduates, XI, 97–107.