1From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, [1767–1770] (Franklin Papers)
Fragment of draft: American Philosophical Society [ First part missing ] and a Train of various Amusements daily interfering, I as continually put off Writing till to-morrow; when I receiv’d the second Letter, I propos’d answering both together to-morrow; the same of the third; and now what a shameful Fault has this Procrastination led me into! a Fault which even my Polly with all her...
2Incoming Philadelphia Mail, 1767–1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed forms with MS insertions: American Philosophical Society Among the Franklin Papers is a record of letters received in the Philadelphia Post Office by Postmaster Thomas Foxcroft between May 12, 1767, and April 21, 1768. The record consists of a group of twenty-one sheets printed on both sides in the manner prescribed for Post Office Form “C” by Benjamin Franklin and William Hunter in...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Sir John Pringle, [1767?] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I have attentively perused the Remarks of Capt. Coats, relative to Voyages into Hudson’s Bay, the Geography of the Country, and his Reasons for believing a Western Sea to be not far distant, put into my Hands by Dr. Hamilton and I cannot but think the Work of too great Importance to be kept longer in Obscurity, as the Information it contains would be...
4From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 29 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract reprinted in part from The Pennsylvania Chronicle, And Universal Advertiser , March 7–14, 1768, and in part from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c ., II , The Private Correspondence (quarto edition, London, 1817), 149–50. The paragraphs printed here form the second of two documents that William Temple...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 24 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you largely by this Packet, but omitted mentioning two Things I want you to send me per first Ships, for two of my Friends here. One is, Miller’s German Newspapers for two or three Months back; and to be continued. The other a Lump of that Sort of Stone we make Steps and Cheeks of Cellar doors of, at Philadelphia. Your Care in these Particulars will...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Isaac Hunt, 24 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received yours of Octo. 10 and perceive with concern that you are still persecuted as a heretic in politics. It is remarkable that the objection to you as a libeller should come from that person who is himself one huge, living, walking talking libel against all the worthy characters that come in his way. You ask me my advice on the occasion. The...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 24 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have received yours of Oct. 23. and condole with you most affectionately in the Affliction you must have suffered by the Loss of so valuable and so amiable a Child. The longer we live we are expos’d to more of these Strokes of Providence: but tho’ we consider them as such, and know it is our Duty to submit to the Divine Will, yet when it comes to our Turn...
8From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 19 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c ., I (quarto edit., London, 1818), 125–6 note. The paragraphs printed here form one of two documents William Temple Franklin printed at widely separated points in his edition of his grandfather’s writings, both of which he said were letters to William...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Francis Hopkinson, 16 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Associates of the Late Rev. Dr. Bray I received yours of Nov. 6. with the Account of your safe Arrival, which gave me and your Friends here great Pleasure. I have sent your Letter to Mr. Morgann, and by some Discourse I have had with him I am inclin’d to think you will find it no great Difficulty to agree for the Office when you see him on the Spot; and he is now preparing for the...
10American Longevity, [15 December 1767] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , Dec. 12–15, 1767. I have often heard it remarked, that our Colonies in North America were unhealthy and unfavourable to long life; and more particularly so upon their first settlement. In opposition to this groundless notion, I here send you two paragraphs taken from the Pensylvania Gazette of July 16, and the New-York Gazette of August 27, giving an account...
11From Benjamin Franklin to John Ross, 12 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D F.R.S. &c ., Quarto Edition, II, printed with separate title as The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c . (London, 1817), p. 148. I received your kind letter of October 18. I had before seen with great pleasure your name in the papers as chosen for the...
12From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Wharton, 12 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
Burned fragment of extract: New York State Library [ Burned ] hear of the Accident to the Boat On the [ burned ] being fully sensible of the Truth of What you [ burned ] concerning Indian Affairs And the Necessity of [ burned ] a Boundary, I shall urge this Point very [ burned ] On the Ministry. This extract, and one from BF ’s letter to Galloway of Dec. 1, 1767 (above, p. 332 n), were sent by...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 1 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Bibliotheque Municipale de Nantes I duly received your Favours of Augt. 22. and Sept. 20. and Oct. 8. and, within these few Days one of Feb. 14. recommending Mr. Morgan Edwards and his Affair of the Rhodeisland College, which I shall endeavour to promote deeming the Institution one of the most catholic and generous of the kind. I believe I before acknowledg’d the Receipt of the Bills you...
14From Benjamin Franklin to Lachlin MacLeane, [November 1767] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society Sir Wm. Johnson’s Letter of May 30, 1767 of which you have been so kind as to communicate an Extract to me, has no Relation to the propos’d Boundary Line between the English Colonies and the Indian Country. It is merely a Line of Division between the two Colonies of Pensilvania and Maryland, now running by Agreement of the two Proprietaries, and as it is to...
15From Benjamin Franklin to John Canton, 27 November 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The Royal Society After the Society was gone, my Lord Moreton said, (when I offer’d him the Paper) that it ought to have been deliver’d before and read to the Society: he however desir’d me to produce it to the Council. There the Reading of it was oppos’d as not being referr’d to them by the Society. But this was at last got over by Dr. Moreton’s proposing that the giving a Medal to Dr....
16From Benjamin Franklin to the Earl of Morton, [19–25 November 1767] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society In Obedience to your Lordship’s Commands I have look’d over that Part of Dr. Priestly’s Work that contains an Account of the Experiments made by him. I find There are a great Number of them, mostly quite new, and some I think very curious and important, well deserving for that Reason and for the great Pains and Expence he has been at in making them, the...
17From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 25 November 1767 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c ., Quarto Edition, II , printed with separate title as The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c . (London, 1817), pp. 144–6; also [William Duane, ed.,] The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin , VI (Philadelphia, 1817), 255–7; MS extracts:...
18“F.B.”: On Smuggling, [24 November 1767] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , November 21–24, 1767; draft (incomplete): American Philosophical Society; transcript: American Philosophical Society This is Franklin’s first major statement on smuggling, although he had occasionally discussed the practice in his earlier correspondence. We do not know precisely when he wrote this paper, but we do know where he wrote it—at the country house of...
19From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 17 November 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have this minute receiv’d Letters by the Packet of October, from Billy and some other Friends, but not a Line from you. I suppose therefore you have written by some other Vessel: I long to hear of your and Sally’s Welfare from your own Hands. I purpose writing to you fully to-morrow; but as I may be interrupted, I would not miss this Post, in hope it may...
20From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, [13 November 1767] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract reprinted from [Jared Sparks, ed.,] A Collection of the Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin Now for the First Time Published (Boston, 1833), pp. 281–2. Since my return, the affair of the Ilinois settlement has been renewed. The King in Council referred the proposal to the Board of Trade, who called for the opinion of the merchants on two points,...
21From Benjamin Franklin to Margaret Stevenson, 3 November 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I breakfasted abroad this Morning and Nanny tells me that Mr. West call’d while I was out, and left word that you did not intend to come home till Sunday next, and that you expected me then, to come and fetch you; that Mr. West also desired I would dine at his House that Day: I know not whether Nanny is right in all this, as she has but an indifferent Memory But...
22From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 2 November 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society Calling here this Evening I learn that a Ship is just going to New York, the Bag to be taken away in halfanhour. I have only time to assure you that I have been extreamly hearty and well ever since my Return from France; the Complaints I had before I went on that Tour, being entirely dissipated, and fresh Strength and Activity the Effects of Exercise and...
23From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Price, 22 October 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Supposing that the foreign literary Journals do not fall in your Way, I send you the following Account of your late Work, as given in the Bibliotheque des Sciences et des beaux Arts , for January February and March. 1767. After reciting the Title, the Authors say, “On devoit déjà a Mr. Price un excellent Traité sur les principales Questions de la Morale....
24From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 9 October 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I return’d yesterday Evening from Paris safe and well, having had an exceeding pleasant Journey, and quite recover’d my Health. I have hardly had time to read the Letters I found here as yet, and therefore can only acknowledge not answer them by this Packet. Yours of Augt. 22 is one of them. In my next I shall give you a particular Account of my Tour. Excuse me to...
25From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, [9 October 1767] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract reprinted from [Jared Sparks, ed.], A Collection of the Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin (Boston, 1833), p. 281. I returned last night from Paris, and just now hear that the Ilinois settlement is approved of in the Cabinet Council, so far as to be referred to the Board of Trade for their opinion, who are to consider it next week. Shelburne...
26From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, 9 October 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Dr. William Hewson Baltzell, Philadelphia, Pa. (1957) I write this Line just to acquaint our dear Polly, that I left her amiable Friend Miss Henckel well at Calais on Wednesday noon, waiting for good Weather to come over. She has been four Months at Spa. She enquir’d concerning Miss Stevenson’s Health and Welfare in the most tender and affectionate Manner; and will be disappointed in not...
27Of Lightning, and the Method (Now Used in America) of Securing Buildings and Persons from Its Mischievous Effects … (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; printed in Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Made at Philadelphia in America, By Benjamin Franklin, L.L.D. and F.R.S . (Fourth edition, London, 1769), pp. 479–85. This paper, appearing for the first time in the 1769 edition of Franklin’s important work, is headed “Letter lix.” The date line indicates that he wrote it during his and Pringle’s visit to Paris in 1767....
28From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, 14 September 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress; incomplete copy: American Philosophical Society I am always pleas’d with a Letter from you, and I flatter myself you may be sometimes pleas’d in receiving one from me, tho’ it should be of little Importance, such as this, which is to consist of a few occasional Remarks made here and in my Journey hither. Soon after I left you in that agreable Society at Bromley, I...
29From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 28 August 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have staid too long in London this Summer, and now sensibly feel the Want of my usual Journey to preserve my Health. Therefore I this Morning am to set for a Trip to Paris. Sir John Pringle, the Queen’s Physician, goes with me. He has Leave for Six Weeks only, her Majesty being again pregnant. I shall write to you from thence. I receiv’d yours by Sir John...
30From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 28 August 1767 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c . (quarto edition, London, 1817–18), II, 143–4. I have no letter of yours since my last, in which I answered all preceding ones. Last week I dined at Lord Shelburne’s, and had a long conversation with him and Mr. Conway (there being no other company), on the subject...