Lewis (or Louis) Fevre (or Favre) to William Temple Franklin, 3 July 1778
Lewis (or Louis) Fevre (or Favre)8 to William Temple Franklin
ALS: American Philosophical Society
London, July 3d. 1778
Sir,
The eagerness of gratitude to match at every means of shewing itself, will I hope plead my excuse for not missing so fair an opportunity of presenting to you this humble remembrance of my most attachful respects. My dutiful sense of Dr. Franklin’s beneficence to me has never been one moment out of my mind. How much and how impatiently do I long to hear of his and your health. My best wishes ever attend you, and nothing could make me happier than their completion. My station in life may not obtain for them much weight with you, but if the heart could give them rank I could offer them you with a better grace, combined with the assurance of my remaining ever with the profoundest respect and the warmest gratitude, Sir, Your ever faithful and most obedient humble Servant
L. Fevre
Mrs. Stevenson & Mrs. Hewson are well & retired in Surry.
Mr. & Mrs. Faulkner are both dead.9
Addressed: To / William Temple Franklin Esqr. / Paris
Notation: Louis Le fevre 3 July 1778
8. A voice out of the past. The writer, after being BF’s clerk for some years in England, entered Lord Shelburne’s service; there he remained, highly esteemed, for the rest of his life: XIX, 438 n; XXII, 350. His name appears as both Fevre and Favre, and his signature here may be read either way. The first name, for which he used only the initial, is commonly given as Lewis; but because he was of French extraction we suspect that it was Louis. WTF replied on July 30, and docketed his draft “Le Fevre.” He apologized for having been too busy to answer by the bearer, and assured him that he and his grandfather were keenly aware “of your friendship and the goodness of your heart.” APS.
9. Mrs. Stevenson and Mrs. Hewson need no introduction. For the death of Mr. and Mrs. Magnus Falconar, relatives of Mary Hewson, see XXII, 301 n; XXVI, 41 n.