1Poor Richard Improved, 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris … for the Year of our Lord 1755 . … By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall. (Yale University Library) It is a common Saying, that One Half of the World does not know how the other Half lives . To add somewhat to your Knowledge in that Particular, I gave you in a former Almanack, an Account...
2From Benjamin Franklin to Catharine Ray, [March 1755–April 1755] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (fragment): American Philosophical Society [I told him that as] I did not know her, I must refer him for Advice to his good Friends in Boston, who could better adapt it to Situations, Tempers and Circumstances. Only this I hinted in general, that I thought he would do well not to be too forward in Professions of Love, till by his Assiduities and little Services he had made some Progress in...
3From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 23 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This only serves to cover a Bill of Exchange for Twenty Pounds Sterling, drawn on Alexander Grant Esqr. by Mary Steevens. I send it via Ireland, and shall write you fuller per Reeve and Hargrave, who will sail for London in a few Weeks. Mine, and my Wife’s Compliments to Mrs. Strahan. I am, with great Esteem and Affection, Dear Sir Your most humble Servant...
4Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 20 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), p. 73. On the morning of March 18 Governor Morris sent the Assembly a message announcing the arrival of General Braddock in Virginia and urging them to display “Vigour, Unanimity and Dispatch” in taking measures to supply men, provisions, and money for the army’s use. He listed the following...
5Franklin and Hall to Robert Hunter Morris, 20 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also copy: Public Record Office, London When he had received Governor Morris’ letter of March 19, Franklin begged Secretary Peters to have it withdrawn because, he explained, if he had to show it to the Assembly, they would order him nonetheless to publish the Votes including Sir Thomas Robinson’s letters, “and so the Differences would encrease between...
6Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 19 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), pp. 71–2. On December 3, 1754, when the Pennsylvania House had reassembled, Governor Robert Hunter Morris informed them of French advances in the Ohio region and again urged them to take defensive measures. He supported his appeal with several documents, one a letter of July 5, 1754, from Sir...
7Robert Hunter Morris to Franklin and Hall, 19 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), p. 73. Governor Morris’ immediate response to the foregoing message was to demand that the printers eliminate Robinson’s letters from the printed House journals. He told the Council the next day why he had done it, pointing to the dangerous consequences of publishing in full letters from the...
8From Benjamin Franklin to John Lining, 18 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 319–28. I send you enclosed a paper containing some new experiments I have made, in pursuance of those by Mr. Canton that are printed with my last letters. I hope these, with my explanation of them, will afford you some entertainment. In answer to your several enquiries. The tubes...
9From Benjamin Franklin to John Franklin, 16 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mr. and Mrs. Philip Sang, Chicago, Illinois (1959) I am pleas’d to hear you are looking out for Proofs to prosecute that Carrier. Don’t let it be neglected. Your Ambassadors are not yet arrived. Having nothing else to make a Letter of, let me complain a little of your Smith that shod our Horses. We order’d them to be sharp shod, and the Shoes steel’d. Accordingly he charg’d £8 for 16...
10Electrical Experiments, 14 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: The Royal Society Electrical Experiments , made in pursuance of those per Mr. Canton, dated Decr. 3[6]. 1753. With Explanations by B.F. I. Electric Atmospheres that flow round non electric Bodies, being brought near each other, do not readily mix and unite into one Atmosphere, but remain separate and repel each other. This is plainly seen in suspended Cork Balls, and other Bodies...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Ezra Stiles, 12 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Yale University Library This accompanies your Letters and Manuscript, which I have perused with very great Pleasure and Admiration. Please to accept my grateful Acknowledgments for them. Must ask your Pardon for not Returning them sooner — but as sundry Gentlemen here were desirous to read them, I hoped your Benevolence and Love of Communicating ingenious Discoveries to Mankind, would...
12Scheme of the Second Academy Lottery, 11 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , March 11, 1755. Before their lottery for 3000 pieces of eight (see above, p. 435) was drawn, the trustees of the Academy of Philadelphia, encouraged by the approval of a charter making their institution a college (issued on May 14), announced a second lottery, to raise 9375 pieces of eight for maintenance, scientific apparatus, and endowment of salaries....
13From Benjamin Franklin to John and Thomas Leverett, 11 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Mrs. Franklin is confident that she sent 20 Reams of the Paper I order’d for you, but has no Bill of Lading for it, and has forgot the Captain’s Name. Please to enquire of Mr. Williams, whether it came to him. If not perhaps it was sent per Dole, and Mr. Williams can tell where he usually stores the Goods he leaves in Boston. Lest you should be under any...
14To Benjamin Franklin from Michel-Alain Chartier de Lotbinière, 10 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New-York Historical Society J’etois a paris en 1752 lorsque Les experiences sur lelectricité que vous aviez communiqué a Mr. Collinson parurent traduite en nôtre langue. Je fus temoin De l’admiration qu’elles causerent dans cette Capitale. Je suivois pour lors un Cours de phisique chez Mr. L’abbé Nollet qui nous en repeta plusieures bien singulieres; comme il n’est point douteux que vos...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Catharine Ray, 4 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library Your kind Letter of January 20. is but just come to hand, and I take this first Opportunity of acknowledging the Favour. It gives me great Pleasure to hear that you got home safe and well that Day. I thought too much was hazarded, when I saw you put off to Sea in that very little Skiff, toss’d by every Wave. But the Call was strong and just, a sick Parent. I stood...
16From Benjamin Franklin to James Birkett, 1 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I am but just returned from a long Journey, after near 6 Months Absence, and find your Favour of Sept. 29. by which I have the agreable Advice that you expect to be able to remit me something in Smith’s Affairs very soon. As to the Thickness of Wire necessary or sufficient to conduct a large Quantity of Lightning; concerning which you desire my Sentiments; you...
17Ezra Stiles: Oration, 5 February 1755 (Franklin Papers)
AD and draft: Yale University Library In September 1753 Yale College conferred on Franklin the honorary degree of Master of Arts (above, p. 58), in absentia, since he was involved in Assembly business in Philadelphia. On his leisurely trip home from Boston in 1755, however, he stopped over in New Haven to visit friends, and Ezra Stiles, knowing of this plan in advance, prepared a Latin oration...
18To Benjamin Franklin from William Clarke, 3 February 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Massachusetts Historical Society When you was in Boston I thought you a wise man; that you had some knowledge of humane Nature and Politicks, as well as of natural Philosophy; but if you have no greater pretensions to the latter, than you have to the former, I am afraid lest you be obliged to give up all claim to either; for it has been proved by some of our own wise men and Boys, (for...
19To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, 27 January 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard College Library (Sparks) Your collection of philosophical papers I have perused with a great deal of pleasure. I take notice that several letters of mine to you make a part of it, which gave me an additional pleasure, as it places me in some respect in a situation I should always be glad personally to be in, near my friend Franklin. There are several things in the...
20To Benjamin Franklin from George Whitefield, 17 January 1755 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from A Select Collection of Letters of the late Reverend George Whitefield, M.A. (London, 1772), III , 114–15. I hope that this will find you safely arrived at Philadelphia, from your northward expedition, and ready to come further southwards. This leaves me in my last Virginia stage, near the borders of North-Carolina. People as I came along have been very willing to...
21Poor 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...
22The Albany Plan of Union, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office, London; also copies: Rhode Island Archives, John Carter Brown Library, New York State Library, Maryland Hall of Records, Library of Congress, New-York Historical Society, Boston University Library, American Philosophical Society (fragment) After the Committee on a Plan of Union had presented its “Short Hints” to the Albany Congress, June 28, that body discussed the...
23A Plan for Settling Two Western Colonies, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Benjamin Vaughan, ed., Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces; … Written by Benj. Franklin, LL.D. and F.R.S. (London, 1779), pp. 133–43; also fragments of copy: American Philosophical Society Writing to Peter Collinson, June 26, 1755, Franklin mentioned that Samuel Hazard of Philadelphia happened “to see last Fall a Paper of mine on the Means of Settling a new Colony...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Send 50 Reams largest Demi to Mr. Daniel, Printer at Jamaica. Send 30 Reams Do to Peter Timothy. Send the Ream of thick blue Paper to Parker. Send half the brown Paper in the House to Parker[?], ’tother half to Brother John in Boston; No, send it all to Boston. [ In margin ]: Nota, bene. Don’t forget to enter it. This note cannot be dated precisely; sometime...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Kemble, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Begg the favour you’d forward the Incloseds, in which you’ll much oblige Sir your most humble Servant Addressed: To Benjamen Franklin Esqr: In Philadelphia Peter Kemble (1704–1789), New Jersey landowner and councilor, lived at New Brunswick, where he was a member of the town council, 1747. His daughter Margaret married Thomas Gage. William H. Benedict,...
26To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society This letter, undated, unsigned, and in an unidentified hand, survives among Franklin’s papers. Internal evidence indicates that it was written by someone in the colonies and at about the middle of the eighteenth century. Because the problem of colonial union was being so actively discussed in 1754, it is tentatively assigned to that year. According to your...
27From 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,...
28From Benjamin Franklin to William Shirley, [30 December 1754?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society I return your Excellency the Papers you have been pleas’d to favour me with the Perusal of. I really can think of nothing to add on the Topics you mention’d to me; but am of Opinion that the Force and Impression of the Matters contain’d in the 5 first and 3 last Pages, would be greater, if they might be read together, and were not disjoin’d by the...
29From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 29 December 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I wrote a few Lines by a Vessel that went from hence about 2 Weeks since, acknowledging the Receipt of your several Favours of July 30. Augt. 6, and 23. and Sept. 18. Sundry Affairs have retarded my Return home, but tomorrow I purpose to set out. I am much oblig’d to you for the favourable Light you put me in, to our Proprietor, as mention’d in yours of July 30. I...
30Benjamin Franklin and William Hunter: Commission to Thomas Vernon, 24 December 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Printed form with MS insertions in blanks: New York Public Library Benjamin Franklin , and William Hunter , Esquires, D. Post-Masters-General of all His Majesty’s Provinces and Dominions on the Continent of North-America . To All to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting, Know Ye , That We having received good Testimony of the Fidelity, and Loyalty to His Majesty, of Mr. Thomas Vernon of...