1To Benjamin Franklin from Gaspard-Bonaventure-Timothée Ferry: Résumé, 28 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Marseille, March 28, 1783, in French: You will probably be surprised that a young man barely 20 years old, a runt in the field of physics, would take the liberty of writing to you. I am motivated by the spirit of emulation, which obliges great men to enlighten those who ask for instruction. My teacher, père Aubert, favors your view of the Leyden jar over...
2From Benjamin Franklin to [Gaspard-Bonaventure-Timothée Ferry], 14 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received some time since the Letter you honour’d me with, containing your Hypothesis for explaining the Shock given by the electric Bottle, on which you seem to desire my Opinion. It is many Years since I was engag’d in those pleasing Studies, and my Mind is at present too much occupied with other and more important Affairs to permit my returning to...