1From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 25 October 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society Enclos’d with this I send you all my Electrical Papers fairly transcrib’d, and I have as you desir’d examin’d the Copy and find it correct. I shall be glad to have your Observations on them; and if in any Part I have not made my self well understood, I will on Notice endeavour to explain the obscure Passages by Letter. My Compliments to Mr. Cooper and the...
2From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 5 September 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society As you are curious in Electricity, I take the Freedom of introducing to you, my Friend Mr. Kinnersley, who visits Boston with a compleat Apparatus for experimental Lectures on that Subject. He has given great Satisfaction to all that have heard him here, and I believe you will be pleased with his Performance. He is quite a Stranger in Boston, and as you...
3From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 24 January 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society I am glad to learn by your Favour of the 21st past, that Mr. Kinnersley’s Lectures have been acceptable to the Gentlemen of Boston, and are like to prove serviceable to himself. I thank you for the Countenance and Encouragement you have so kindly afforded my Fellow-Citizen. I send you enclos’d an Extract of a Letter containing the Substance of what I...
4From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 14 May 1752 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; transcript: Massachusetts Historical Society I deferred answering yours of March 16th in hopes of finding one of the first Edition of Dr. Coldens Pieces, which you seem’d desirous to see. I have not been able to get a compleat one, but enclose you some Sheets which the Dr. sent me when it was in the Press. I endeavoured to understand it, and to that End made a few Remarks...
5From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 28 February 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society The enclos’d is a Copy of a Letter and some Papers I received lately from a Friend, of which I have struck off Fifty Copies by the Press, to distribute among my ingenious Acquaintance in No. America, hoping some of them will make the Observations proposed. The Improvement of Geography and Astronomy is the common Concern of all polite Nations, and I trust...
6From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 12 April 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society I have shipt 18 Glass Jarrs in Casks well pack’d, on board Capt. Branscombe for Boston. 6 of them are for you, the rest I understand are for the College. Leaf Tin, such as they use in silvering Looking Glasses, is best to coat them with; they should be coated to within about 4 or 5 Inches of the Brim. Cut the Tin into Pieces of the Form in the Margin, and...
7From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 18 October 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : J. William Middendorf, Jr., Ruxton, Md. (1955) I recollect that I promis’d to send you Dr. Brownrigg’s Treatise on Common Salt. You will receive it herewith. I hope it may be of use in the Affair of your Fishery. Please to communicate it to Capt. Erwin, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Boutineau, or any other of your Friends who may be desirous of seeing it. Since my Return from Boston, I have been to our...
8From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 13 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society I receiv’d your Favour of the 12th ult. with the Law of your Province for Regulating the Indian Trade, for which I thank you, and for the Remarks that accompany it, which clearly evince the Usefulness of the Law, and I hope will be sufficient to induce our Assembly to follow your Example. I have yet received no Particulars of the unhappy Gentleman’s Death...
9From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 30 December 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Rochester Library; also transcript: Massachusetts Historical Society The enclos’d I intended to send to London but have not yet sent any Part of it. Some of the Letters being yours, I ought first to have your Permission. When you have perus’d the whole, please to send it after me per Post to Rhodeisland, where I expect to be at least 10 Days. My Compliments to Mrs. Bowdoin,...
10From 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...