1From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin and Elizabeth West, [before 4 April 1772?]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : Yale University Library <Before April 4, [1772? ], and in the third person. An invitation to dinner next Saturday, April 4.> Between the artist’s marriage and BF ’s return to America, April 4 fell on a Saturday in 1767 and 1772. Our predecessors did not print the invitation under the earlier date, and we are therefore assigning it to the later one.
2From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 22 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library This Line will be presented to you by a very ingenious Gentleman, M. Kempel, inventor of the Automaton that plays at Chess. He has other Inventions in Mechanics of a more useful Nature, which he has Thoughts of communicating in England, if he can meet with Encouragement. I beg leave to recommend him to your Civilities & Counsels, and am ever, with sincere Esteem &...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 5 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress I received my very dear Friend’s Letter of the 9th April, with the Pacquet accompanying it. I leave the whole Management of that Edition in your Hands with great Confidence, as I am sure my Pieces will be improv’d by your Attention to the Matters you mention.— I have sent a little Paper to Dr Ingenhauss, which I have desired him to give to you, or to Dr Priestly...
4From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Rush, 26 June 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives I have just received the enclos’d Letters by the Chevalier Kermorvan. By the Conversation I have had with him he appears to me skilful in his Profession. I hope in a few days to be strong enough to come to town and attend my Duty in Congress. In the mean time, I could wish you to introduce the Gentleman where it may be proper, and that you would translate the Passage...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 23 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you a few Days since by Mr Williams, but I omitted some Newspapers which I had intended to send by him: I now inclose them. They contain sundry Articles relating to the Barbarities exercis’d by the British in America; and as you had borrow’d of me a Paper containing an Account of those committed by Lord Cornwallis, and thought there might be some...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 11 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : partially reproduced in Christie’s auction catalogue, “Important Autograph Letters from the Historical Archives at Bowood House” (London, Oct. 12, 1994), p. 34; William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 388–9. In mine of yesterday, which went by Mr Young, I made no mention of yours of May 11. it not being...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Gale, 23 February 1767 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract reprinted from The Connecticut Courant , June 28, 1769. I receiv’d your favour of Nov. 15, with a letter inclos’d to Dr. Huxham, relating to a mistake in the account given of your success in inoculation, as printed in the Gentleman’s Magazine of August last, which seems to give you great uneasiness. It seems you have not known that your letter to Dr. Huxham, concerning...
8From Benjamin Franklin to Elizabeth and Benjamin West, 16 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : McGill University Library I received by the hand of Mr Strange, and contemplated with great Pleasure, the Representations of my dear Friends Mr and Mrs West, & their Children, contain’d in the fine Print they have been so kind as to send me. I pray God to bless them all, particularly my Godson, and grant them to live as long as I have done, & with as much Health, who continue as hearty...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 19 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I should have been at Versailles this Morning as you desired, tho’ I had no clear Conception, from what you said to me, how my going could be of Use; but late last Night I received a Note from M. de V. [Vergennes] which postpones the Interview till tomorrow at 10 aClock. Your Brother tells me that you would have come out here to day if you had not imagined I...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Franklin Bache, [before 25 December 1780] (Franklin Papers)
Translation: American Philosophical Society Jai reçu vôtre lettre avec le prix que vous avès obtenu et qui m’a fait un grand plaisir j’ai reçu il n’y a pas longtemps une autre lettre de vous dans laquelle vous ne faites pas mention des longues lettres que je vous ai ecris environ le 25 de septembre, dans les quel il y avoit une lettre pour vous de vôtre Maman et une autre de cokran: je vous ai...