To Benjamin Franklin from Deborah Franklin, 13 December 1766
From Deborah Franklin
ALS (incomplete):7 American Philosophical Society
December the 13 1766
[First part missing] the Profile is Cume Safe and is the thing as everey one ses that has seen it I am verey much obliged to you for it everey bodey knows it that has seen it.8 As to the Candil sticks and Corke Screw9 thay will doe when you return in the Spring. Be So good as to give my love to Mrs. Stephenson and her Dafter tell me is Polley is a going to be marreyed. I think you sed sum such thing sum time a go. When Shee dus I hope it will be to one that will deserve her.1 It Semes a dought with me wather Salley writes by this Ship as shee is setting for her Pickter for her Brother Shee is to be playing on the Armonekey.2 The vesill is gon down so I muste seel this all thow I have not got aresete [a receipt] for the things. I am your a feckshonet wife
D Franklin
7. Only the last page of the letter survives. Fortunately DF placed the date at the end instead of at the beginning, as usual.
8. The “profile” was apparently a medallion made by Josiah Wedgwood, the model of which was a wax representation of BF by Isaac Gosset. See Charles C. Sellers, Benjamin Franklin in Portraiture (New Haven, 1962), pp. 69–73, 396.
9. On April 6, 1766 (above, p. 233) BF sent DF “a Gimcrack Corkscrew which you must get some Brother Gimcrack to show you the Use of.”
1. BF’s letter, mentioning Polly’s plans to marry, has not been found. On June 22, 1767, he wrote DF that the prospective match was “quite broke off.” APS.
2. This portrait of Sally, if it was ever finished, has not been found. Nor is the artist’s name known.