Benjamin Franklin Papers

To Benjamin Franklin from Alexander Small, [before 22 July 1780]

From Alexander Small

ALS: American Philosophical Society

Hotel de York Paris [before July 22, 1780]8

Dear Sir

Being thus far in my way to England,9 and being informed that you live out of Town, I take this Opportunity of enquiring of your Welfare, and beg to know whether Capt Nairn, Brother to Mr Nairn in Cornhill, gave you a paper on Ventilation, and the History of it.1 I hope to receive a favourable Answer to these particulars, and ever remain Dear Sir Your Faithful humble Servant

Alexr Small

Addressed: A Monsieure / Monsieure le Docteure / franquelain a pacie

Notation: Alex Smal Paris.

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

8Dated on the basis of BF’s letter of July 22, below.

9The Scots army surgeon, F.R.S., and long-time friend of BF (IX, 110–11n and XIX, 105n) was on his way back to London from Minorca, where he had been since 1775 (according to his “Observations on the Gout,” for which see BF’s letter to him of July 22).

1Small’s paper on ventilation included a number of BF’s views on the subject. In early 1777 he proposed to send BF a draft; see XXIII, 486–91, 497–8.

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