To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collas, 10 January 1779
From Peter Collas
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Nantes Janr. 10th., 1779.
Honored Sir
I, with honner & pleasure imform you of your favr. Received by Mr. Wharton, likways of the Articles thering Mantion’d, Recevd Since of Captn. Joyner without any Messing . . .8 also two printed papers of the Dutys of those things; which, you have been So Pleased to Account for for which favr. I Sincerley Aknolige my Self indet. [torn: some letters missing] but am not able at present to Repay, unless obliged to Dispose of Said Articles at a Disadvantage—which I trust your Generosity would not Admit of. I am glad to hear that your worthy Sister is well—likways her Amaible Darther Mrs. Collas, I thank you for your kind favrs. Showed them & me, begg the Continuance of them to me & the familly of whc I have the honner to be Conected.— be a Surred of my Gratitude & Endeavours to Sastisfey you & oth[ers?] in whose fortunate hands, I have had the good luck of falling into, in time of Need.— I wish you, Dear Sire a perfect Injoyment of health & may you long live to full-fiel those Grand purposes for which you was made—wishing you all the blissings that arre to be Expected in life & to all belonging to you.— Concluding with Due Respects your affectionate & Obedient humble Servant—
Peter: Collas
N.B. I thank you for your Advice to me, Concerning making Crown Soap9 & lerning of my mother Mecom. I have wrote her Concerning the Same I find Resolved to do any thing (with honner) Reather then to go to Sea.
Addressed: Honorable / Benjamin Franklin Esqr. / at / Passy
Notation: Peter Colas 10. Janvier 1779.
8. The letter that Joseph Wharton carried is missing. John Joyner’s name appears to have been supplied later in a space left for it.
9. The importance to the Franklin family of the manufacture of crown soap is discussed in I, 348. Jane Mecom, as she wrote BF in 1780, was skeptical that the luckless Collas had any potential for the soap business: Van Doren, Franklin-Mecom, pp. 206–7.