1From 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.
2From 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...
3From 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...
4From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 8 August 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The above is Copy of my last. Not receiving the Printing House as expected last Spring, has been a considerable Disappointment; but I am more concern’d to hear that you and yours have had so much Sickness. I hope before this time you are all perfectly recover’d. I inclose a Bill for £20 Sterling, drawn by Mrs. Mary Steevens on Alexr. Grant Esqr; which when paid...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 18 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: New-York Historical Society Since September last, having been abroad on two long Journeys, and otherwise much engag’d, I have made but few Observations on the positive and negative State of Electricity in the Clouds. But Mr. Kinnersley kept his Rod and Bells in good Order, and has made many. Once this Winter the Bells rang a long time during a fall of Snow, tho’ no Thunder was heard nor...
6From 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...
7From 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...
8From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 18 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library; also duplicate: New York Public Library By Capt. Gibbon I received a Copy of yours per the Myrtylla, but she is not yet arrived. I am glad to hear the Bills I sent you for £100 Sterling are accepted, and that the Goods were to be shipt soon for Connecticut. Bryant is arrived at New York, who left London the Middle of March; I have not heard whether he has brought...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Peters, [30 April 1754?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania It was late in the Evening when I came home last Night, or I should have sent you Mr. Smith’s Letters, concerning which I shall be glad to talk with you when you have a little Leisure. If you are at liberty to dine where you please to day, I shall be glad of your Company; my Dame being from home, and I quite Master of the House. Your humble Servant...
10From 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...
11From 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...
12From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Peters, 17 September 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania The Bearer, Mr. Elphinston, has a secret Art, by which he teaches, even a veteran Scrawler, to write fairly in 30 Hours. I have often heard you laugh at the Secretary’s Writing, and I hope he will take this Opportunity of mending his Hand; for tho’ we are about to have a new Governor, and, they say, a new Assembly, I do not desire to see a new...
13From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 November 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I am favoured with yours of July 31. and Augt. 5. which came to hand since my Arrival here. I hear from Mr. Parker, that the Goods for Connecticut were safe arrived at New York, and that he had sent them to Newhaven: I thank you for your Care in that Matter. Inclosed you have a second Bill for £20 Sterling drawn by Mrs. Stevens on Alexr. Grant Esqr: the first I...
14From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling and Nathan Whiting, 25 November 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I hoped to have had the Pleasure of seeing you at New Haven long before this time, but the Sickness of my Fellow Traveller Mr. Hunter, and various Accidents have hitherto prevented: I hope however to be there in three or four Weeks at farthest. I suppose you long since received the Press, Types and Stationary I ordered into your Care. My Nephews that are Printers...
15From Benjamin Franklin to the President and Council of the Royal Society, 29 May 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The Royal Society The very great Honour you have done me, in adjudging me your Medal for 1753, demands my grateful Acknowledgements, which I beg you would accept as the only Return at present in my Power. I know not whether any of your learned Body have attain’d the ancient boasted Art of multiplying Gold; but you have certainly found the Art of making it infinitely more valuable . You...
16From 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.
17From 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...
18From 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...
19From 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...
20From 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...
21From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 21 July 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society I wrote a Line to you from your Landing, promising to send you a Copy of the Plan of Union, which I now enclose. We had a great deal of Disputation about it, almost every Article being contested by one or another; but at length we agreed on it pretty unanimously; and Copies are ordered for the several Governments: How they will relish it, or how it will be...
22From 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...
23From 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...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Jacques de Romas, 29 July 1754 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Jacques de Romas, Mémoire, sur les moyens de se garantir de la foudre dans les maisons; … (Bordeaux, 1776), pp. 145–6. (Yale University Library) Your most obliging Favour of Octob. 19 with your two very ingenious Memoirs on the subject of Electricity, came not to hand till yesterday. By this Vessel, which is just departing for London, I can only acknowledge the...
25From 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...
26From Benjamin Franklin to William Smith, 18 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I have had but one Line from you since your Arrival in England, which was a short one, via Boston, dated October 18. acquainting me you had wrote largely by Davis. Davis was lost, and with him your Letters, to my great Disappointment. Mesnard and Gibbon are since arriv’d here, and I hear nothing from you; which I should tell you chagrins me not a...
27From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 28 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library; also duplicate: Yale University Library The above is a Copy of mine per Reeve. Two Ships are since arrived in New York, but I hear nothing yet of the Things expected, tho’ possibly they may be come. I enclose Mrs. Steevens second Bill for £20 Sterling. Please to send the following Books, viz. 2 Familiar Letters by Charles Halifax 12mo Baldwin 2 Nelson on the...
28From 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...
29From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 14 October 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have yours of the 4th Inst. and find the Election has turn’d out as I expected. I am glad Rutherford has refus’d to undertake the Stage; for I did not like your proposing it to him. I admire Mr. Colden was so unready; I thought every thing had been fully explain’d to him. Poor Mr. Hunter is relaps’d into his last Summer Fever; and has kept his Bed these 8 Days,...
30From 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...