From Benjamin Franklin to John Cuthbert, 28 August 1773
To John Cuthbert
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society
London, Augt. 28. 1773.
Sir,
Your Favour of July 30. came duly to hand, and I have since received and sent to France the Drawings brought to Town by Lady Bewick. I hope they were not too late to be of Use, tho’ I had a Letter from M. Morand about three Months before, that he then despair’d of receiving them, and thought of publishing his Work without them.6 I have not heard from him since I sent them; as I hoped I might before this time but shall pay upon Sight your Order on Account of the Expence you have been at, and am exceedingly oblig’d by the Care and Pains you have been so good as to take in procuring them. I hope your Health is perfectly reestablished, and am, with great Regard, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant
B Franklin
Notation: Mr Cuthbert relating to the Coal mine Drawings
6. He eventually received and paid for them by sending BF four guineas for Cuthbert: Jour., p. 55. Jean-François-Clément Morand (1726–84), by training a doctor and by avocation a scientific jack-of-all-trades, was in process of publishing his Art d’exploiter les mines de charbon de terre (3 vols., Paris, 1768–79). The work was part of the monograph series of the Académie des sciences, Descriptions des arts et métiers.