From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 30 March 1772
To Jane Mecom
ALS: American Philosophical Society
London, March 30. 1772
Dear Sister,
I have this Day receiv’d your kind Letter by Mrs. Wright. She has shown me some of her Work which appears extraordinary. I shall recommend her among my Friends if she chuses to work here.1
I will enquire for the Books Jenny2 desires, and send them if I can get them.
As you are so curious to know something of Mr. Fox, I will see if I can find him out in St. James’s Street. He never call’d after he left your Letter: tho’ I requested he would, and told him I should be very glad to see him.
Mr. Bache is gone; and I hope near home by this time. I hope Josiah, who is on the point of going, will get safe and well to his Friends.3 I send this Line by him, just to let you know that I continue well, and that I am ever Your affectionate Brother
B Franklin
Addressed: To / Mrs Mecom / Hanover street / Boston / per Mr. Josa Williams / Q D C.
Endorsed: Dr Franklin
1. Patience Lovell Wright (1725–86), a Quaker widow from New Jersey, had established a reputation in the colonies for her wax models. In 1772 she took her family to London, and promptly made a likeness of BF: London Chron., July 4–7. She later became friendly with the royal family, and during the war acted effectively as a spy for the Americans. See Charles Sellers’ article on her in Notable American Women, 1607–1950, a Biographical Dictionary (3 vols., Cambridge, Mass., 1971).
2. Jane’s daughter, who was still unmarried.
3. Richard Bache had left some six weeks before. Josiah sailed in early April; BF’s hope that he would arrive well must have been wishful thinking, for the young man died of tuberculosis five months later.