1From Benjamin Franklin to Hugh Roberts, 16 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : R. Sturgis Ingersoll, Penllyn, Pa. (1956) By a Vessel yesterday from London I receiv’d the enclos’d from the Agent Rd. Patridge, which please to communicate to the Speaker. I had a delightful Journey hither, and have felt but one hot Day since my Arrival. On the Road I often thought of you and wish’d for your Company, as I pass’d over some of the best punning Ground perhaps in the...
2From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 23 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am pleas’d to learn by yours of the 12th that you have taken a circumstantial Account of the Appearances at Trumbles’s House, which you think sufficient to establish my new Hypothesis of the Direction of Lightning. Mr. Kinnersley has sent me a Pane of the Glass with a Letter in which he mentions his Suspicions that the Stroke was upwards. I now write him...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Clap, 20 August 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Miss S. Berenice Baldwin, Woodbridge, Conn. (1959) I arrived here well (Thanks to God) on Friday about Noon, and had the Pleasure of hearing from my Family, that all were well at home. I see the Proposal of Purchasing from the Six Nations is mention’d in the Boston Papers, which I wish had not been done, as it may give Notice to the French, and put them on taking some preventive...
4From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, September 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society In my former Paper on this Subject, wrote first in 1747, enlarged and sent to England in 1749, I considered the Sea as the grand source of Lightning, imagining its luminous Appearance to be owing to Electric Fire, produced by Friction between the Particles of Water and those of Salt. Living far from the Sea I had then no opportunity of making Experiments...
5From 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...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 25 October 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society This last Summer I have enjoy’d very little of the Pleasure of Reading or Writing. I made a long Journey to the Eastward, which consum’d 10 Weeks; and two Journeys to our Western Frontier: One of them to meet and hold a Treaty with the Ohio Indians, in Company with Mr. Peters and Mr. Norris. I shall send you a Copy of the Treaty as soon as ’tis printed. I...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 27 October 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Columbia University Library I herewith send you Twelve of the Noetica’s. Ten are bound as you desired; which are all I have of that best Paper, the other two are more ordinary. I hope they will go safe to hand. My sincere Respects to good Madam Johnson and your valuable Sons. With great Esteem and Regard, I am, Dear Sir, Your most humble Servant Addressed: To The Revd. Dr Saml Johnson...
8From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 27 October 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have your Favour of June 27, and am quite surpriz’d at the Conduct of Mr. Harris. He is return’d to Maryland as I hear, a Parson! I have now received Bower’s 2d Vol. and shall send to the Trenton Library to enquire after Crito and Delaresse. The Sum was £25 to which I limited the Books, &c. to be sent my Nephew Benja. Mecom. But if you have sent to the Amount of...
9Treaty of Carlisle, 1 November 1753 (Franklin Papers)
A Treaty held with the Ohio Indians, at Carlisle, In October, 1753. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall, at the New-Printing-Office, near the Market. MDCCLIII . (Yale University Library) November 1, 1753. A Treaty , &c. To the Honourable James Hamilton , Esq; Lieutenant-Governor, and Commander in Chief, of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New-Castle, Kent...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Clap, 8 November 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The first Intimation I find of the New Airpump, is in a Piece of Mr. Watson’s, read to the Royal Society, Feb. 20. 1752 where describing some Experiments he made in Vacuo, he says, “The more compleat the Vacuum, caeteris paribus, the more considerable were the Effects; and here I should not do Justice to real Merit, were I silent in regard to Mr. Smeaton. This...
11From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 16 November 1753 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Merwin Sales Company, Catalogue No. 557 (1914), p. 16. I wrote to you via Bristol and desired you to bespeak some Letter and a Press for me. I desired Mr. Hall to look out for such a Bill for me, but he has not been able to procure one at any reasonable rate. Among the lost [long?] list of type is 300 lb. long Primer with Figures and Signs sufficient for...
12From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 23 November 1753 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), p. 165. In my last, via Virginia, I promised to send you per next ship, a small philosophical pacquet: But now having got the materials (old letters and rough drafts) before me, I fear you will find it a great one. Nevertheless, as I am like to have a few days leisure before this ship...
13From Benjamin Franklin to William Smith, 27 November 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Having wrote you fully via Bristol, I have now little to add. Matters relating to the Academy remain in Statu quo. A Majority of the Trustees, I find, would be glad to see a Rector establish’d there, but they dread entring into new Engagements ’till they are got out of Debt; and I have not yet been able to bring them over to my Opinion, that a good...
14From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 27 November 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and duplicate: Yale University Library I inclose you a Bill of Philip Gibbes jr. drawn on Messrs. Lascelles and Maxwell, Merchants in London, for £50 Sterling. Also a Bill of John Hutchings on Mr. James Buchanan Merchant London for £50 Sterling which I hope will be readily paid. Twelve Pounds in these Bills is what I received of Mr. Dove for Mr. Young; the remaining £88, please to carry to...
15From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library This serves to enclose second Bills for One Hundred Pound Sterling, sent per Richey. I am, ut supra. Addressed: To Mr Wm Strahan Printer London Per Capt. Mitchell. Written on the same sheet with the duplicate of his letter to Strahan, Nov. 27, 1753.
16From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 6 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Letter: ALS : New-York Historical Socity; enclosure: draft: American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of the 29th past, with some Remarks on my meteorological Paper, for which I thank you, and return some Observations on those Remarks, hoping by this Friendly Intercourse of Sentiments and Objections, some Advantage will arise to the Increase of true Knowledge. I sent you our Treaty...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 6 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your Favour of the 29th June, with the curious astronomical Piece, for which please to accept my Thanks. Our Vessel fitted out for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage, is return’d without entring Hudson’s Bay, being prevented by unusual Quantities of Ice. She has, however, made some Discoveries of the Harbours on the Labrador Coast, that may be...
18From 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...
19From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 13 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Henry S. McNeil, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. (1962) I received your Favour of the 5th Inst. and thank you for your kind Congratulations. I wrote to you sometime since, and sent you a Dozen of the best bound Books; the Parcel was recommended to the Care of Mr. Stuyvesandt at New York: I wonder it is not yet got to hand. I wish I could with Truth give you a good Account of the Sale of those...
20Franklin and Hall: Appeal to Subscribers, 27 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , December 27, 1753. The Subscribers to this Paper who live remote from Philadelphia, many of whom are many Years in Arrear, are once more requested to consider how impracticable it is for us to wait on every one of them at their Houses for the Money, and how easy it is for them to find proper Opportunities of conveying it to us. As a News-paper, which is a...
21From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Historical Society of Pennsylvania With regard to the Germans, I think Methods of great tenderness should be used, and nothing that looks like a hardship be imposed. Their fondness for their own Language and Manners is natural: It is not a Crime. When People are induced to settle a new Country by a promise of Privileges, that Promise should be bonâ fide performed, and the...
22From Benjamin Franklin to John Franklin, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript (fragment): American Philosophical Society [ Missing ] Riding offend the Part, and occasion small Ulcers. The Bougie or Wax Candle I have heard is excellent in such Cases. But whether it be an Ulcer in the Passages or a Stone, I believe Onion Pottage may be properly taken and to advantage as it lubricates, and at the same time is a Dissolvent of Calcarious Matter. Enclosed I Send...
23Post Office Instructions and Directions, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
I. Broadside: University of Pennsylvania Library. II. Broadside: Yale University Library The British post office in America, when Franklin and Hunter were appointed deputy postmasters general (see above, p. 18), had never paid its own expenses, much less provided an adequate return to the deputy postmasters. In 1753 the postmaster general determined to raise the salary of his American deputies...
24From Benjamin Franklin to James Alexander, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 282–3. Suppose a tube of any length open at both ends, and containing a moveable wire of just the same length, that fills its bore. If I attempt to introduce the end of another wire into the same tube, it must be done by pushing forward the wire it already contains; and the instant I press and move...
25Poor Richard Improved, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris … for the Year of our Lord 1754: … By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall. (Yale University Library) I have now serv’d you three Apprenticeships, yet, old as I am, I have no Inclination to quit your Service, but should be glad to be able to continue in it three times three Apprenticeships...
26From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 1 January 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society I have your Favour of the 3d past, with your Son’s Remarks on the Abbé Nollet’s Letters. I think the Experiments and Observations are judiciously made, and so well express’d, that, with your and his Leave, I would transmit them to Mr. Collinson for Publication. I have repeated all the Abbé’s Experiments in Vacuo, and find them answer exactly as they should do...
27From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling and Nathan Whiting, 1 January 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Huntington Library I received your Money of Mr. Willing, and will remit it to London as soon as I have your Orders to whom. I expect the Printing Materials for Newhaven early in the Spring; they are to come in to New York, unless there be a Vessel bound to Newhaven or Middletown. As soon as I hear of their Arrival, I purpose a Journey into Connecticut. But reflecting on the Sum you...
28From Benjamin Franklin to Edward Shippen, 14 February 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of the 8th Inst. with the Dollar enclos’d. The Postage of the Letter to Boston is 0. 2. 11 3 Bunches of Quills at 1 s. 6 d. 4. 6 Ballance 1 £0. 7. 6 They are the best Quills I could get in Town.
29Franklin and Hall: Notice to the Public, 26 February 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , February 26, 1754. Our Subscribers in Virginia, are desired to pay their respective Ballances due for this Gazette, to William Hunter , Esq; of Williamsburgh; those on the Western Shore of Maryland, to William Young , Esq; of Baltimore County; and those on the Eastern Shore, to Thomas Ringold , Esq; of Chester Town; their several Accounts being left with...
30Account of the Death of Georg Richmann, 5 March 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , March 5, 1754. This account of the death of Professor Georg Richmann by lightning stroke, Aug. 6, 1753, most likely first appeared in an English newspaper or periodical, which took it from a letter from Moscow dated August 23. It is reprinted here not only because of its intrinsic importance but because the editors believe Franklin may have written the...