1To Benjamin Franklin from William Bell, [16 August 1782] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Mr. Bells best respects waits on His Excellency Docr. Franklin and begs the Docr. to favour him with a passport to Ostend—Mr. Bell did not set off As he yeasterday intended, but will undoubtedly set off early tomorrow morning—therefore will be thankfull to have the pasport this evening. Should His Excellency have any commands Mr. Bell will be happy in...
2To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 16 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 394–6. Yours I received by Major Young together with the work of your veritable philosophe , which is full of humanity. I was not before that, at a loss where I should have looked for my veritable philosophe in the present actual scene of public politics....
3To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Loyseau, 16 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je viens de Lire des Lettres tres affligeantes de Mr. Le comte de Benyowsky. Il etoit parti dans La Confiance que Le congrés S’empresseroit a lui donner de L’employ, vous Lui aviés remis une Lettre dans Laquelle vous donnés de son caractère et de Ses talens Militaires L’opinion qu’il faut en avoir. Quelle est donc La cause de La conduite du congrés?...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 16 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Yale University Library I have lately received a letter from Tristram Dalton Esqr. of Newbury-Port, informing me that you some Time ago advis’d him of having obtain’d orders for payment of a Sum, for the loss sustain’d by the owners of the Brigt. Fair-Play; & that you would deposit it in my hands— Mr. Dalton desires me to give him some information...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Johnson, 17 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Incld: Bills belong to an Industrious Black man who is with me. Shall esteem it a favour if your Excellency would Endorse or rather accept those Bills & send them to me.— In my last to your Excellency I forgot to mention to you that I took on board the Amazon Prize four Preists, Subjects of the King of Sardinia, who were going as Missionaries to...
6To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Puchelberg, 17 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library Il y a près d’un mois que Mrs. schweighauser & dobrée de Nantes m’ont prevenû, que le Congrés ayant pleinement approuvé les fournitures faites par ma maison à l’Orient pour la fregate l’Alliance, Capt. Landais a chargé Votre Excellence de me payer cet objet conformément au Compte des fournitures que j’en ai remis. C’est pourquoi Et comme je me trouve...
7To Benjamin Franklin from John Shuttleworth, 17 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library My Servt. will waite your leisure for the papers you are so good to give me and for any letter or letters you may please to commit to my care. Permit me once more to acknowledge your very great civillities and to assure you that I shall ever remember them with gratitude I remain Dr Sir Yr most obedt: Servt Addressed: Doctor Franklin / Plassy Notation:...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 17 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I beg Leave to introduce to your particular Notice and Friendship my Friends Mr Nat Barrett and Mr Frazer, the former of these Gentlemen is the son of an old Friend of yours and the Latter is particularly reccommended to me. Mr Barrett has many Letters for you, and I have given him the one you sent to me for Mr Paradise that Gentleman being returned to...
9To Benjamin Franklin from the Comte de Grasse, 18 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress J’ai l’honneur de prier Votre Excellence, de vouloir bien m’indiquer le jour et l’heure, ou je pourrais avoir celui de vous Faire ma cour, ayant differentes choses a vous communiquer. Je serais charmé de Faire connoissance avec vous, et de vous assurer de vive voix de la sincerité des sentiments d’Estime et de respect avec lesquels je suis De Votre Excellence Le três...
10To Benjamin Franklin from John Swindell, 18 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I in the most submissive manner beg leave to inform you, our Friends Henry Wilde and party are gone for Londonderry in order to embark for America; and herewith you will receive a full account of my abilities—in Machinery of which in the Cotton Branche & Wollen Manufactories have an inestimable secret;—and they wishing thro’ your-means to be accomodated...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 18 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The inclosed I believe is what you wished; and it is of the party’s hand writing. His account of himself may be natural, and it may be otherwise. But you of course will be the best judge. On Tuesday morning about 10 o’clock I shall bring the lady we spoke of to visit you, according to your kind permission.—The more I see of her, the more her appearance of...
12To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Hardy, 19 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Beg leave to inform you that I am one of the unfortunate persons that was captured in the Confederacy Frigate and sent a prisoner from New York for England but by accident happened to put into Ireland, where I made my escape & arrived here in France a few Months past.— I expected to have taken passage for Philada, in the last vessel that sailed from...
13To Benjamin Franklin from Michel-René Hilliard d’Auberteuil, 19 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je remercie votre excellence de m’avoir prêté l’histoire de l’administration de Lord North, je la lis avec soin et avec grand plaisir. J’ai à entretenir votre excellence d’un objet diferent. Mr. sobl negotiant et armateur à Bordeaux est à Paris ou il est venu exprès pour solliciter la commission du congrès, pour les fournitures et marchandises que les états...
14To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 20 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I begin this as I have done several of my former Letters with Advising your Excy that I have drawn on You a bill in favor of Messrs. Estevan Drouilhet & Co. for 2400 Livres Tournois at 90 days after Date, this Sum being the ballance of the Quarters Salary for which you permitted me to draw— The Cte. de Montmorin informs me that the King has been pleased to...
15To Benjamin Franklin from William Cheetham, 20 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society With defference & respect I presume (thro’ the medium of my Friend Henry Wilde) to acquaint you that I am prevented by an unforeseen event of accompanying my Friends to pensilvania, But am resolved to follow (together with a number of other useful & well disposed Artisans) If it should appear from your Answer to the following Queries to be advantageous to...
16To Benjamin Franklin from Jan Ingenhousz, 20 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I Was very happy in recieving your lettre containing the explication of the stroke of lightning at Cremona, and an other, dated July 4th, which came to hand before yesterday. Recieve my most harty thanks for both these favours and particularly for your kindness of forwarding my lettre to mr. Sam. Wharton and joining to it an admonitory note of your own on...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Watson & Cossoul, 20 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania By request of Mr. Laurens we have prevailed on Capt. Hardy to make application thro’ your channel for the releif that his necessitys claim, as an unfortunate prisoner in the Service of our Country. As Mr. Laurens inguages himself to become responsible to indemnify you to the Publick, we Sincerely hope you will make the necessary advance as soon as...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Coffyn, 21 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’ai l’honneur de vous ecrire la presente, laquelle vous sera remise par Mr. Samuel Mansfield, Capitaine au Service des Etats unis de L’amerique; Lequel a été pris dans le brigantin Rizing States et conduit a Pool en Angletterre, d’ou il s’est Sauvé des prisons, il est arrivé ici manquant d’argent, comme il désire Retourner en sa patrie, je lui ai fourni...
19To Benjamin Franklin from John MacMahon: Prescription and Directions, [23–24 August 1782] (Franklin Papers)
(I) Press copy of ADS : Library of Congress; (II) ALS and press copy of ALS : Library of Congress During the third week of August, Franklin suffered a severe attack of bladder or kidney stones, accompanied by a pain in the hip that extended down his left thigh. The latter problem was generally (and erroneously) attributed to gout. Franklin would be confined to his house for nearly six weeks....
20To Benjamin Franklin from Margaret Stewart, 23 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I was honored with Your Excellency’s; Letter of June 13; which I shou’d; have enswered, imidiatly but waited to Send You the doz; Copies, of My Brothers wrok, You did me, the honor to write for; but I have been so distressed by an expencive Law Suit; & a long illness that I have Not have it in my power to get them printed; as I am no Stranger to You...
21To Benjamin Franklin from the Comte de Vergennes, 23 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy, press copy of copy, and transcript: National Archives J’ai reçu, M, la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de mecrire le 9 de ce mois, ainsi que le mémoire qui y étoit joint. J’ai communiqué cette piéce à M. le Mis. de Castries, et je ne doute pas que ce Ministre ne prenne en considération la demande qu’elle renferme autant que les...
22To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 23 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; copy: Yale University Library I beg leave to solicit your kindness in forwarding the inclosed to the Marquis de Castries and to add a Line in addition to my Request. You will see it is no Favour out of the common Line I therefore ask without hesitation. If I had 100 Tons of the public Stores here I could put them on board the Cato & land them in Boston...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Gaetano Filangieri, 24 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Translation of ALS in Italian: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Your precious gift has finally reached me after many months, and I consider it one of the greatest prizes I received for my work. Your graciousness would have provoked a feeling of vanity in me had it not been prevented by my knowledge of the generosity of your soul. To show you my gratitude, I sent a few copies of my work to...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Mattheus Lestevenon van Berkenrode, 26 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society L’Ambassadeur de Hollande, aiant appris hier a Versailles, que Monsieur Francklin se trouve incommodé, fait demander des Nouvelles de Sa Santé, et a L’honneur de L’assurer de Ses tres humbles civilités. Notation: L’Ambassadeur de Hollande. For BF ’s illness see MacMahon’s prescription of Aug. 23.
25To Benjamin Franklin from De Grasse, 26 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Le Comte de Grasse á l’honneur de souhaiter le bonjour á son Excellence le Docteur franklin; il le prie de vouloir bien prendre lecture de la lettre ci jointe et se charger de la Faire parvenir á M. le Président du Congrês, dont il ignore le nom. Notation: Le C. de Grasse 26. Aout 1782. The letter, dated Aug. 25, was written on behalf of Capt. Charles...
26To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 26 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Not having any thing particular to Communicate I have deferred too long paying my tribute of thanks for the Civilities I recd from you during my short stay at Paris— I saw the Minister soon after my Return, who was much upon the Fish to know why I paid you a Visit, I turned it off, by saying we had a long Acc’t to settle & that I flatterred myself my...
27To Benjamin Franklin from John Wright, 26 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Having just heard of an Opportunity of conveying a letter I am unwilling to let it slip without acknowledging the rect. of thy very kind & acceptable favr. dated May 8 which afforded me much pleasure on many accots. particularly to observe that old Time who is silently making depredations upon the mental & bodily powers of all other mortals seem to have...
28To Benjamin Franklin from Félix Vicq d’Azyr, [before 27 August 1782] (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society J’ai l’honneur de Vous adresser quelques Billets d’invitation pour la seance publique de la société Royale de médecine, qui aura lieu le 27 de ce mois et dont elle Vous prie de Vouloir bien disposer. La Compagnie espére que Vous Voudrez bien honorer cette assemblée de Votre présence. Je serai en mon particulier infiniment flatté, si nous avons le bonheur de...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Juliana Ritchie, 27 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have the honor to thank you in all sincerity—for your great politeness in answering my letter— My poor suffering heart will ever retain a just sence of what I owe to your good nature & kind condesention in that proof of your pardoning my intrusions. Nothing but my state of anxiety—cou’d have induced me to break thro’ all rules of decoram, by impertinently...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Franklin Bache, 30 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je vous ècris ne voulant pas perdre courage de ce que vous ne m’ècrivez pas il y a longtems que je n’ai eu de vos nouvelles, les dernieres que J’ai eu etoient par Mr Pigott. Je vous prierai si vous ne pouvez m’ècrire a cause de vos affaires de me faire ècrire un mot par Mon cousin car Mr Marignac et moi Sommes fort en peine ne recevant point de vos...