From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 6 September 1759
To William Strahan
ALS: Yale University Library
Edinburgh, Sept. 6. 59
Dear Sir
Your agreable Letter of the 4th August,1 is just come to hand, being sent back to me from London hither. I have been a Month on my Journey; but the first Thing I did after my Arrival here was to enquire at Mr. Kincaid’s2 whether you were yet in Scotland. He told me he believ’d you were out of Town, but not return’d to England, and might be heard of at Mrs. Scot’s.3 We went there immediately, in hopes at least to have seen Rachie but were disappointed. We left a Note of our Inn; but having now taken Lodgings, I write this Line to inform you that we are at Mrs. Cowan’s in Miln Square,4 where I hope soon for the very great Pleasure of seeing you: being Dear Friend, Yours affectionately
B Franklin
1. Not found. Writing to David Hall, Oct. 6, 1759, Strahan said he had recently returned to London after a ten-week excursion to Scotland, spending part of the time in the Highlands, where he had left his daughter “Rachie” to recover her health. Later he had met the Franklins in Edinburgh. APS. See also above, p. 431 n.
2. Alexander Kincaid was an Edinburgh bookseller and friend of Strahan. J. Bennett Nolan, Benjamin Franklin in Scotland and Ireland 1759 and 1771 (Phila., 1938), p. 43.
3. Possibly the wife of William Scott, bookbinder. Ibid., p. 44.
4. Milne Square was on the north side of the Canongate.