To Benjamin Franklin from Peter and Michael Collinson, 14 July 1767
From Peter and Michael Collinson5
AL: Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Mill Hill Tuesday 14: July 1767
P Collinson and Son’s Respects to their Good Friend Benn: Franklin Request the favour to Enjoye His company at Mill-Hill any Day this Week that it Suites Him: to Make his Stay more Agreeable—I have by this Post requested the like favour, of Doct. Solander.6 I hope you Two Gentlemen will Concert Measures, to Come together, but if that can’t conveniently Be; pray Come your Self.7 The Stage comes every Day from the Bull Inn Holbourn near St. Andrews Church.
5. Michael (1727–1795) was Peter Collinson’s only son.
6. Daniel Charles Solander (1736–1782), Swedish-born botanist, trained by Linnaeus, went to England in 1760. There he catalogued the natural history collections of the British Museum and became its assistant librarian in 1763. He was elected F.R.S. the next year, accompanied Capt. Cook’s voyage in the Endeavour, 1768–71, and was made D.C.L. by Oxford, 1771. DNB.
7. The visit of BF and Solander at Mill Hill appears to have been put off briefly and was then somewhat extended. On July 31, 1767, Collinson wrote John Bartram: “Think how happy I am, at this present writing, to have the two Doctors, FRANKLIN and SOLANDER, my guests for a few days, to enjoy the delights of Mill Hill.” Darlington, Memorials, p. 291.