1To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, [before 7 December 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): Library of Congress This letter is one of the many fragmentary or undated Vaughan manuscripts which have challenged our editorial skill. Although we include it here, as belonging to the general period before Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces was published, it was most likely written just after Christmastime, 1776, when Vaughan arrived in Paris bearing an early...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Franz Anton Mesmer, [before 1 November 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’aurai l’honneur de vous recevoir avec le plus grand Empressement ainsi que Madame de Brillon, le jour que vous indiqués. Je Regretterai de ne pouvoir donner à cette dame toute la Satisfaction qu’elle desire, mon harmonica n’étant point monté et ne pouvant l’être d’ici à ce têms. Je Serai flatté si je peux vous mettre à même de reconnoitre la Réalité et...
3Editorial Note on Franklin’s Accounts, 1779 (Franklin Papers)
One new account begins during the period covered by this volume: XXIV. Jonathan Williams, Jr.’s Account with Franklin for Officers’ and Soldiers’ Clothing, January 7, 1780, to May 31, 1781: National Archives, 44 pp. This seems to be a complete accounting of Williams’ expenses incurred in procuring and shipping the congressional order for military uniforms and other supplies. The first two...
4From Benjamin Franklin to John Rutledge, [1779?] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress The Bearer M. Savarit goes to America, with a View of establishing a House there, for Supplying the Country with Arms of various kinds of the Manufacture of Charleville, which is reckon’d one of the best in France: He is recommended to me as a Gentleman of excellent Character, by Persons of Distinction here; and I beg leave to recommend him to your Excellency,...
5An Arabian Tale, [1779?] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, L.L.D., F.R.S., &c … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), III , 326–7. It should come as no surprise that Franklin would try his hand at a genre of story-telling so popular during his lifetime: the oriental or pseudo-oriental tale. Ever since Antoine Galland published the first ten volumes of Les Mille...
6A Turkish Apologue, [1779?] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): American Philosophical Society Abdéllamar was young, strong & handsome. He had studied all the fine Arabian Writers, and was Master of all their Science. He was vain of his Knowledge, and said within himself, Behold, I am a reasonable Being! Why has God given me the Passions and Appetites of Animal Nature? They debase me. I ought to subdue them. God was offended; and said to an...
7Directions for Drawing Out the Tone from the Glass Armonica, [1779?] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): American Philosophical Society When I. Minis Hays catalogued Franklin’s papers at the American Philosophical Society in 1906, he grouped this one among the undated manuscripts from 1779. If he had a specific reason for doing so he did not explain it, and we have found none. We retain his dating, however, because if Franklin wrote these directions during his French stay, then 1779...
8Editorial Note on Undated Letters Assigned to 1779 (Franklin Papers)
The number of undated documents we are publishing at the end of 1779 is the largest so far for the end of a year. The reason for such abundance is that after Franklin received news of his appointment as minister plenipotentiary in mid-February, many correspondents henceforth addressed him with that title, providing us with a safe chronological clue of “1779 or thereafter.” Our policy being to...
9To Benjamin Franklin from the Duc de Chaulnes, [1779?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’ai été hier pour vous voir, vous etiés en affaire; comme je ne scavais pas a quelle heure vous seriés libre, et qu’il fallait que je fusse a paris a neuf heures, j’ai été obligé de remettre a une autre fois. L’Abbé Rochon chés qui j’avais été avant d’aller chés vous, m’a fait voir une experience electrique, qu’il m’a dit vous avoir montré, qui m’a...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [1779?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I Must Beg Your Pardon, My dear Sir, for My not Having the Honor to Waït Upon You this Morning But I Had the fever all Night and phisicians forbid My Going out Before diner. In Case I am Better, I Will do Myself the Honor to Waït Upon You to Morrow about one in the Morning, and in the Mean While I Have the Honor to Be Very Respectfully Your obt Hble Sert...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr.: Memorandum, [1779?] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society Money like any other Merchandise becomes cheaper (or depreciates) in proportion as the quantity at Market exceeds the Quantity demanded. Suppose the public Emission of Congress paper to be in Dollars. 48 millions If this money is worth but about one quarter its real value it may be concluded that one quarter the Sum is sufficient for the medium of Trade } 12...
12To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Priestley, [before 8 February 1780] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Having so good an opportunity of conveying a letter safely to you, I thought it might not be amiss to give you a general idea of my present situation, not with a view to any particular request or proposal, but only thinking it right, that a few of my best friends should know it in confidence , as it is possible that something or other may occur to them which...
13To Benjamin Franklin from François-Louis Teissèdre de Fleury, [before 29 January 1780] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The king has dezired me to send to him my medaille; I did answer, you had Received order to have it struck; & that as soon it would be done, I should present it to him. If it was possible it Could be struck next week, I would be much obliged to you. Or if you have too much business, give me that Care; tell me the price you intend to put to it, & I shall...
14From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Reed, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and two copies: Library of Congress A Gentleman from Holland, one of the Senators of Ziricsee, M. Van Noemer, being desirous of settling in our State, with his Family, and being well recommended to me, as a Person of Character, for Learning & Virtue, & likely to make a good & useful Citizen, I beg leave to present him to your Excellency, and to request for him those Civilities &...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Cradock Taylor, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 25th. Past, with Sundry Letters enclos’d from Mr. Fraser to you, and being now convinc’d that you are an honest American, and have not been a Volunteer in the English Service, I shall immediately endeavour to procure your Discharge. In the meantime, you may draw on me for five Louis d’ors, which I shall pay on sight of your Bill to assist you...
16To Benjamin Franklin from Anne-Louise Boivin d’Hardancourt Brillon de Jouy, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Me voila donc réduitte a vous écrire mon bon papa et a vous dire que je vous aime; il étoit plus doux sans doutte de vous le laissér lire dans mes yeux; comment vaisje passér les mercredis et les samedis—point de thé, point d’échécs, point de musique, point d’éspérance de voir, d’embrassér mon bon papa—il me semble que la privation que j’éprouve de votre...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Jean Haag and Other Favor Seekers, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Money, as usual, was at the core of most requests addressed to Franklin in the course of this volume: outright pleas for financial help or inquiries for clarification of the American currency system. Jean Haag, whose letter is published below, needs money to get back to Charleston. A painter who gives his name simply as Paul writes on December 29 to ask for...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Charles-Pierre Lenoir, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Je reçois, Monsieur, la lettre que Vous me faittes l’honneur de m’écrire, et je donne sur le champ des ordres pour que le sr. smith soit observé avec la plus grande exactitude. Je charge même l’officier de police de se rendre chès vous pour vous prier de lui procurer les details qui pouraient lui être nécessaires, et prendre vos ordres. Je suis avec un...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. Dumas left us last week, as he told us his presence should be required at the Hague from whence we gott his advice how to supply Mr Landay with money for his voyage to Paris, agreable to the orders of Your Excellency. At the same time our homme d’affaires at the Helder mentiond some matters to us we thought best to look into ourSelfs, and have arranged...
20To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache: Two Letters, 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society I did myself this pleasure, under different dates by the Frigate Confederacy, that sailed about a Week ago having on board Monsr. Gerard & Mr. Jay as Passengers— I now inclose you second Bills for another years Interest of your money in the loan office, amounting to 486 Dollars— I hope the safe arrival of the first Bills will render these...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Cashinberry et al., [2 November 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania The Humble Petition of several of the private Men of late belonging to the Brig Cabot Sheweth That your Petitioners have now been in Captivity three years the 22nd October last in the former Part of our Captivity we were Prisoners in Ireland along with Mr. George Thayer and after being in Ireland nine Months we were brought to Mill Prison were we still...
22To Benjamin Franklin from Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric Dumas, 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Dans la copie que j’ai eu l’honneur de vous envoyer, de l’avis du College d’Amsterdam, il y a une faute: au lieu du Placard de L. h. P. du 3 Nov. 1779, ce doit être 1756. Mr. De Neufville me marque avoir été Samedi au Helder, pour y arranger l’avancement de diverses choses: “qu’il y a découvert les menées des Angl. pour y mettre de la confusion s’il étoit...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Antoine Court de Gébelin, 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Dartmouth College Library J’esperois trouver le moment de vous rendre mes devoirs et de vous porter le 6e. vole. du Monde Prim. pour lequel vous m’avez fait l’honneur de souscrire, lorsque j’en ai toujours été empeché par une suite d’evenemens de toute espece. Je prens donc la liberté de vous l’envoyer, avec une reconnoissance pour le volume suivant. J’y joins egalement un exemplaire...
24To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society With a trüe satisfaction I have seen that the Royal influence in the irish parliament, fell very short of Ministerial expectations, and that some patriots Begin to speack a Bold language, and mention the Blessed words of independency and the Rights of Mankind— In the eyes of people that would be strangers to parliamentary Barking, such Speeches would be...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurence et al., 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library It is by the greatest restriction that your humble Petitioners endeavoured to once make mention of the reasons hereunto annexed, were it not out of the greatest, and most Substantial proofs of impulsion, and as it is the sole province of our design, to nudate the Identical interveiws, that your Excellency may have, when further Explicated. Your...
26To Benjamin Franklin from the Vicomte de Sarsfield, [2 November? 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Le Vicomte de sarsfield Envoije scavoir des Nouvelles de Monsieur francklin; il le supplie de remettre au porteur de ce billet La Lettre qu’il a Eü La Bonté de Luy promettre. Addressed: a Monsieur / Monsieur francklin / chez Monsieur de / chaumont / A Passy Endorsed: Sir W York’s Memoire Notation in William Temple Franklin’s hand: Notes of no Consequence Our...
27To Benjamin Franklin from James Adams, 3 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Necessity forces me to inform your Excellency, that I am one of the unhappy Number, now in confinement in this prison, for what they please to style a Rebel, I was master of the Contl: Sloop of Warr, the Providence, John Pick Rathborn Esqr. Commr. & was so unfortunate as to be rose upon, in a Brigg, a Prize, on my Passage for Boston, Capt. Calef the bearer...
28To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 3 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief Mes dernieres sont du 25, 28, 29, & 31 Oct. & 2 Nov. Celleci ira demain par voie de Rotterdam. Voici copie de la permission de mettre à terre les blessés prisonniers de la commission expediée par le Commodore en conséquence au L. Col. Wuibert; & de la convention entre les Commodores, Américain & Anglois. Notre Ami m’a...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Robert Montgomery, 3 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Tho I have Not been honor’d with an Answer to any of My Respects to your Eccel: Since the begining of the War with Great Britain, yet I See with Pleasure that you have not Entirely dispised my Representations, and find you have Condecended to write Several times in my favour to the Conde de Floridablanca, Minister of State at this Court, Who by Order of his...
30To Benjamin Franklin from William R. Boyd, 5 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I who is Confind here send these few lines to inform you how I came to be Confin’d. On the 18th. Octr. I Desartd from a Merchantman in Loriont call’d the Breton after sarving four months in the said ship. When I came to Nantz I ship’d with Capt. Smith being in hopes to get to my Natural Country. Likewise 4 more came with me from the said Ship and having a...