721From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Sharpe, 21 April 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Boston Public Library I approve very much of engaging Dr. Hay. I know not whether he will chuse to appear for us before the Attorney and Sollicitor General, but before the Committee of Council perhaps he may have no Objection. If the Constitution of the Province is to be attack’d, as you intimate, the Cause is of so much greater Weight. If the Privileges of a single Englishman are of...
722Documents on the Hearing of William Smith’s Petition, [27 April 1758] (Franklin Papers)
I. Copy: Penn Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. II. MS : Boston Public Library. III. AD : Historical Society of Pennsylvania (in Franklin’s hand except as noted). IV. AD : New York Public Library. V. Copy: New York Public Library. Following the imprisonment of the Rev. William Smith upon a writ of the Pennsylvania Assembly, and his “trial” before it for alleged contempt, he addressed...
723From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Hubbard, 28 April 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Harvard College Library In persuance of Mr. Winthrop’s memorandum, which I lately rece’d from you, thro’ the hands of Mr. Mico, I have procured and delivered to him the following things, viz. A Mahogany Case lined with lead containing 35 Square Glass Bottles, in 5 Rows, 7 in a Row. A Glass Globe of the same Size and kind with that I used at Philadelphia and Mounted in the same manner. A...
724From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Leech and Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 13 May 1758 (Franklin Papers)
LS with ALS postscript: Yale University Library I receiv’d yours of February 6. with the Votes and other Papers relating to the Commitment of Moore and Smith. We immediately took Advice upon them, and engaged Counsel. It was however some Time before we heard any Thing from the other Side. At length we had Notice from the Attorney and Sollicitor General, that Smith’s Petition was referr’d to...
725From Benjamin Franklin to John Kirke, 3 June 1758 (Franklin Papers)
LS : The James Monroe Memorial Foundation Yours of the 1st. of April I received, with a Bill enclos’d for £25 Sterling, which when paid I shall dispose of as the Directors of the Union Library Company desire: But it will fall far short of discharging Mr. Keith’s Account, who says the Orders he has receiv’d for Books will amount to about £100, and seem’d surpriz’d that a larger Bill was not...
726From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Leech and Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 10 June 1758 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library; draft (incomplete): American Philosophical Society In mine of May 13. I gave you a particular Account of the Hearing before the Attorney and Sollicitor General, on a Reference of Smith’s Petition; they have not yet made their Report, and would now I hear excuse themselves from doing it, as unnecessary, since they have heard that the Prisoners are discharged. But...
727From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 10 June 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I was down at Cambridge with Billy when Snead sail’d, so did not write again by him as I intended. His sailing so soon was unexpected to me. I am somewhat out of the Way of Vessels, and Mr. Partridge by Mistake wrote me Snead was not to sail that Week; so being very kindly entertain’d there in the Colleges, we did not hurry so soon home as we might have...
728From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 10 June 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have been so full lately in my Letters to the Committee, which you of course must see, that I need not trouble you particularly with a Letter of any Length. I find myself engag’d in an Affair that will take much more time than I expected. God knows when we shall see it finish’d, and our Constitution settled firmly on the Foundations of Equity and English...
729From Benjamin Franklin to David Hall, 10 June 1758 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society I have receiv’d yours of February 6 and February 20. containing a full Account of your Trouble in the Affair of Moore and Smith. I make not the least Doubt of your having acted uprightly in consulting the Members, and from mere Motives of Prudence, without the least Influence of Mr. Allen or any others, and in no other Respect can I think you have been to...
730From Benjamin Franklin to Israel Pemberton, 10 June 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Princeton University Library I receiv’d your Favour of the 16th. of March but a few days since, which is the first I have had, except a Copy of the Enquiry that came to hand some time ago, but without a Letter, so that I did not know who sent it. I think it well drawn up; and since there seems to be no farther Hopes of accommodating Matters with the Proprietaries, I see no reason to...
731From Benjamin Franklin to John Lining, 17 June 1758 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 363–8. In a former letter I mentioned the experiment for cooling bodies by evaporation, and that I had, by repeatedly wetting the thermometer with common spirits, brought the mercury down five or six degrees. Being lately at Cambridge, and mentioning this in conversation with Dr....
732Gravestone Inscriptions at Ecton and Banbury, [July 1758] (Franklin Papers)
MS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania When Franklin visited Ecton in Northamptonshire and Banbury in Oxfordshire seeking the remains and records of the English Franklins, he had his son copy the gravestone inscriptions of Uncle Thomas Franklin (A.5.2.1) and his wife Eleanor at Ecton, and of Grandfather Thomas Franklin (A.5.2) and his son John at Banbury. The inscriptions, as transcribed by...
733Genealogical Chart of the Franklin Family, [July 1758] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Soon after returning to London from his July visit to Ecton and Banbury, Franklin made an elaborate genealogical chart in which he brought together both the information he had gathered on this trip and his own previous knowledge. He drew circles to represent individuals and inserted in each (sometimes spilling over the edges) such vital data as he had...
734From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Fisher, 31 July 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Historical Society of Pennsylvania We have been return’d but a few Days from our Ramble thro’ a great Part of England. Your kind Letter for which we thank you, is come to hand, acquainting us of the finding of my Son’s Ring. He has since receiv’d it. Your Entertainment of us was very kind and good, and needed no Apology. When we left you, we went to Ecton, where, by the Help of good...
735A Letter from Father Abraham to His Beloved Son, August 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The New-England Magazine , I , no. 1 (August 1758), 20–8. About a year after Franklin’s nephew, Benjamin Mecom, had set up his press in Boston, he launched upon the ambitious plan of publishing a magazine. The first of the three issues (all that ever appeared) of this journal, the New-England Magazine , was dated August 1758. Among its contents are Mecom’s dedication to “a good old...
736From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, 20 August 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Son I know intended writing to you this Morning, so as to send per this Days Post; but sundry unexpected Hindrances have prevented him as well as me. He is gone to dine abroad, and I doubt will hardly be able to disengage himself before the Post goes. Therefore, as well as to acknowledge the Receipt of your kind Favour of the 18th. I snatch a Moment from...
737From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 6 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted in part from Duane, Works , VI , 36–9; in part from The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography , VIII (1884), 403–6; remainder missing. In mine of June 10th, by the Mercury, captain Robinson, I mentioned our having been at Cambridge. We staid there a week, being entertained with great kindness by the principal people, and shown all the curiosities of the place;...
738From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 6 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have been much in the Country this summer, travelling over great Part of the Kingdom, partly to recover my Health, and partly to improve and increase Acquaintance among Persons of Influence. Being just come to Town, I find this Ship on the Point of Sailing; so can only now say, that I have receiv’d your Favour of July 28. with the Papers enclos’d which I am very...
739Accounts with Isaac Norris, 15 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
MS account: American Philosophical Society; MS account book: Library Company of Philadelphia During Franklin’s first English residence he carried out numerous financial transactions for Isaac Norris. At his friend’s request he bought and sent to Philadelphia a telescope, several books and pamphlets, medicines, and a surprising number of decanters and other forms of glassware; he advanced money...
740From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I wrote you a few Lines on the 6th Inst. in which I omitted acknowledging the Receipt of your several Favours of April 17. May 9. and June 16. They all got safe to hand with the several Papers as mention’d; but the Votes, except what related to Smith’s Affair, I have not yet received. No Report has yet been made by the Attorney and Solicitor General, nor any now...
741From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your Favour of June 17. I wonder you have had no Letter from me since my being in England. I have wrote you at least two and I think a third before this; And, what was next to waiting on you in Person, sent you my Picture. In June last I sent Benny a Trunk of Books and wrote to him. I hope they are come to hand, and that he meets with...
742From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Norris, 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I received your Favours of May 17. and June 15. and am glad the Books on Husbandry and Gardening got safe to hand. I shall send the others you write for per Bolitho, if I can get them on board. I hope the Crab Apple Trees you have planted will grow, and be propagated in our Country. I do not find that England any where produces Cyder of equal Goodness with what I...
743From Benjamin Franklin to Isaac Norris: “Separate Notes,” 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Baskerville is printing Newton’s Milton in two Volumes, 8vo. I have inserted your Name in his List of Subscribers, as you mention your Inclination to encourage so deserving an Artist. It is certain that the Government here are inclin’d to resume all the Proprietary Powers, and I make no doubt but upon the first Handle they will do so. I only think they wish for some...
744From Benjamin Franklin to Hugh Roberts, 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Your kind Letter of June 1. gave me great Pleasure. I thank you for the Concern you express about my Health, which at present seems tolerably confirm’d by my late Journeys into different Parts of the Kingdom, that have been highly entertaining as well as useful to me. Your Visits to my little Family in my Absence are very obliging, and I hope you will...
745From Benjamin Franklin to the Printer of The London Chronicle, 19 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle: or, Universal Evening Post , September 16–19, 1758. Partly on the testimony of Lord Baltimore’s uncle and secretary, Cecilius Calvert, and partly from internal evidence, Verner W. Crane attributed these “Queries” to Franklin. Although he was not officially connected with any group in Maryland, Franklin’s intervention in the disputes of that province is easily...
746From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 21 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have wrote you a long Letter of 3 Sheets per Duncan, and sent also in a large Pacquet directed to you, a great Number of Letters for my Friends. By Bolitho I shall send you some Stuff for Chair Bottoms, and an Iron Oven if I can get it on board. Seal the enclos’d before you forward it. I have this Day got a most violent Cold, but hope it will wear off...
747Benjamin Franklin and Richard Jackson: Opinion on the Expedition to Fort Duquesne, [November–December 1758] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office, London This undated document was probably written in the latter part of November or in December 1758, or possibly as late as the first two weeks or so of January 1759, although it has previously been assigned to the last half of 1757. No “Winter Expedition” against Fort Duquesne had been undertaken, or even definitely planned, for late 1757 or the first months of...
748From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 11 November 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you a long Letter of Sept. 16. and again I wrote to you Oct. 2. since which I have receiv’d your Favour of Augt. 15. You mention its being sent by the Son of our good Friend Dr. Perkins. I have not seen him yet, but shall endeavour to find him out. I hope my Health is now pretty well established by the frequent Journies I have made this Summer, and...
749From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas and Richard Penn, 28 November 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission I yesterday receiv’d a Paper from Mr. Paris, containing your Answer to the Heads of Complaint, wherein I am inform’d that the Proprietaries, “to take off all pretence of Clamour, are very ready to have the annual Income of their Estate enquired into, and are as ready to contribute whatever the said Sum [viz. £5000 by them formerly ordered to...
750From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 2 December 1758 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 369–74. The problem of “augmenting the Benefit of Fire” and cutting expenditures for fuel compelled Franklin’s attention throughout his life. The Pennsylvania fireplace represents his earliest and most famous attempt to solve it. A less familiar contrivance, conceived for the same...