31From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Hewson, 15 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Katherine N. Bradford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1956) I received your kind Letter of July 22. I wish you had executed your Project of taking a little Trip to see me this Summer. You would have made me very happy,—and might have bath’d your Children here as well as at Southampton, I having a Bath in my House, besides the River in view.— I like your motherly Account of them, and in...
32From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 16 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society; press copy of ALS : Columbia University Library We duly receiv’d (Mr Jay & me) the Letters you did us the honour of writing to us the 27th of March & the 2d Instant. We shall transmit, as you desire, the Recommendation of Mr Browne to Congress; and enclos’d we send a Copy of the Treaty with Sweden. We expect Mr Hartley here very soon, to exchange the...
33To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 22 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Addinell S. Hewson, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (1957) I received your packets of the 26th. of April and 14th of June, with the two little books, for which I thank you. They came to me very safe by the post and I do not grudge the postage. The Sepr. Vol. of l’ami des enfans, which completed the set, I also received, but I know not by what conveyance it came to Sutton, whence it was brought...
34From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, July 26[–c. 15 August 1784] (Franklin Papers)
LS , copy, and transcript: Library of Congress I have received several Letters from you lately, dated June 16th. June 30, & July 13. I thank you for the Information respecting the Proceedings of your West India Merchants, or rather Planters: The Restraints whatever they may be upon our Commerce with your Islands, will prejudice their Inhabitants, I apprehend, more than us. It is wonderful how...
35From Benjamin Franklin to Henry Laurens, 12[–13] March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : South Carolina Historical Society; press copy of ALS and transcript: Library of Congress I received your kind Letter by Mr Cholet, with the Pamphlets and Newspapers; and since a Paper of the 5th which came under Cover to Mr Grand. I am much oblig’d to you for these Communications.— Your Sentiments and mine respecting the continual Drafts on Europe coincide perfectly. I have just received...
36To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Childs, 12 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Pardon the Assurance I possess, in supposing, that while I take the Liberty of troubling you with a few Lines, your generosity will admit it.— I have wrote you not long since, but, Doubtful whether they have come safe to hand, I feel constrained here to make a repetition;—to express in terms the most grateful, the Singular & consequential services you have...
37To Benjamin Franklin from Philippe-Denis Pierres, 19 May 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je vous prie de permettre à Monsr. Baradelle l’ainé porteur de la presente de voir votre petite Presse. C’est un homme très habile & très intelligent pour toutes les pièces de mathèmatiques. Je serois bien aise qu’il prît le dessin des bandes, &ca.—parcequ’il pourra simplifier les masses de nos presses. Je suis persuadé que vous ne serez pas faché de parler...
38To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Collinson, 22 May 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Bearer of this Mr Thos Hill, a Gentleman with whom I have the pleasure of being intimately acquainted; visting the Continent from motives of Curiosity, and a laudable desire of extending useful Knowledge; I have requested that he will oblige me; by the transmission of my most respectful Regards to you; & personally to enquire after your Welfare and...
39To Benjamin Franklin from William Withering, [before 17 April 1784] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in William Withering, The Miscellaneous Tracts of the Late William Withering; to Which is Prefixed a Memoir of His Life, Character, and Writings (2 vols., London, 1822), II , 485–6. Believing the passing of the stone to be impossible, the extraction of it unadvisable, and that no known medicine can dissolve it, I shall turn my attention to such methods as will be most likely to prevent...
40To Benjamin Franklin from Le Maire de Gimel, [28 June 1784] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je sens combien je Vous fatigue par mes demandes réitérées, mais comme dans tous les tems Vous avez eu des bontés pour moi, j’espere que Vous Voudrez bien encore m’apostiller ce memoire, l’etourderie du copiste m’ayant rendu inutile celui que Vous eutes la bonté de m’apostiller le 30 Maÿ dernier. Le ministre nattend plus qu’après cela pour prononcer sur ce...
41Franklin and John Jay to David Hartley, 31 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: William L. Clements Library We have now the Pleasure of acquainting you, that the Ratification of the Definitive Treaty is arrived here by an Express from Congress. You have already been informed that the Severity of the Winter in America, which hindred Travelling, had occasion’d a Delay in the assembling of the States. As soon as a sufficient Number...
42To Benjamin Franklin from the Chevalier de Chadirac, with Franklin’s Note for a Reply, 1 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Attaché au Service de France, j’ay eu L’avantage de Consacrer mes jours à la défense des côtes de votre pays dans cette derniere guerre; je me suis trouvé à tous les Combats qu’essuia L’hermione Commandée par M Delatouche, entr’autres à celui qu’elle Soutint contre l’Iris, où j’eus Le malheur de perdre le bras droit. Arrivé à Paris depuis peu, je n’ai rien...
43To Benjamin Franklin from John Gardner, [c. 4 May 1784] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I should hardly have presumed to have given this interruption to your important occupations had not an event taken place in which I find my interest and honour too deeply concerned to admit of Silence. I arrived here 5 Days since in the Ship Amity belonging to Messrs. Cabot of Salem in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, bringing a Cargo of Rice from...
44To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Coffyn, 16 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had the honnor to address your Excellency on the 6th. inst, whereunto I beg leave to refer. This cheafly Serves to enclose a Copy of a letter I Just now received from my friend M. Bodin at Lille, to whom I wrote to enquire about the price of Bells. If that which was offer’d me here at 30 s. per pound all charges included, as mentioned in my Said letter,...
45To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 24 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief Je ne doute pas que la Lecture de l’incluse pour le Congrès ne fasse plaisir à Votre Excellence. C’est pourquoi je la fais passer par vos mains, Vous priant de la fermer & acheminer ensuite, avec celle pour Mr. Van Berckel, soit par le Paquebot de Port Louis à N. York le mois prochain, ou par Mr. Barclay, s’il sait une...
46To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 27 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I embrace the opportunity, by Mr: Bingham, to enclose to your Excellency, Copy of a Letter from Mr: Jefferson, by which it appears that we are joined in some affairs which will give me the Occasion to visit Paris once more, and reside there for some little time at least. As Mr: Jefferson will not probably arrive before the latter End of August, and...
47To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Milet l’aîné, with Franklin’s Draft of a Reply, and Other Applicants for Emigration … (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Beginning in March, 1784, Franklin was able to send would-be emigrants copies of his “Information to Those Who Would Remove to America,” which he had printed in English and French versions. The draft reply to Milet l’aîné, which he wrote at the top of Milet’s letter and presumably gave to L’Air de Lamotte to translate, is our earliest evidence of his having...
48To Benjamin Franklin from the Regents of the University of the State of New York, 12 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Lieutenant Colonel Clarkson will have the honor of delivering your Excellency this Letter. His business in Europe is to solicit donations for the University of the State of New York. We have instructed him to consult with your Excellency on the most proper mode of effecting the Objects of his Mission And we flatter ourselves that notwithstanding the...
49To Benjamin Franklin from the Abbé André Morellet, 16 [March] 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society On January 26, Franklin wrote a critique of hereditary nobility in general and of the Society of the Cincinnati in particular, couched as a private letter to his daughter, Sarah Bache. After keeping that essay secret for “some Months,” he asked Morellet to make a translation, which the abbé returned with the present letter. In response to the concern that...
50To Benjamin Franklin from Vicq d’Azyr, 15 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society J’ai l’honneur de vous envoyer le Rapport de Mrs. Andry & Thouret Sur les Aimans de M. L’abbé Le Noble, conformément a la Demande que vous avez bienvoulu m’en faire le 24 du mois dernier.— La Société R. de Médecine, à laquelle j’ai présentéce Billet que Vous m’avez adressé à ce Sujet, a été on-ne-peut-pas-plus flattée du Désir que Vous témoignez avoir de...
51From Benjamin Franklin to Vicq d’Azyr, 24 May 1784 (Franklin Papers)
L : Yale University Library M. Franklin a l’honneur de faire mille Complimens à Monsieur Vicq-d’azir, et le prie de vouloir bien lui envoyer le Rapport de Messrs. Andry et Thouret sur les Aimans présentés par Mr. L’abbé le Noble, il lui en sera infiniment obligé. Il desireroit aussi savoir si la Société Royale continue toujours à faire imprimer chaque Année la Collection de ses mémoires, qu’il...
52From Benjamin Franklin to Henry Laurens, 17 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I have received your Favours of March 28. and April 7.— I am glad that Mr Hartley’s being luckily at Bath, sav’d you the Fatigue of a Journey to London. His Letter to you, of which you sent us a Copy, was very satisfactory. By one he has written to us, of the 9th Instant, we find that he expects to be here in a few Days.— I have not yet had the Pleasure of seeing...
53From Benjamin Franklin to Madame Brillon, 31 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society Voici, ma trés cher Amie, une de mes Plaisanteries serieuses, ou sourdes, que je vous envoie, esperant qu’elle pourra peutétre vous amuser un peu. Au quel cas, vous me recompenserez en me donnant, je n’ose dire un Baiser, car les votres sont trop precieux, & vous en étes trop chiche; mais vous me jouerez un Noel et l’excellent Marche des Insurgents—...
54To Benjamin Franklin from Bailly, 2 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
L : Historical Society of Pennsylvania M. Bailly présente ses respects à Monsieur Franklin. Il a l’honneur de lui envoyer la continuation du Regître de MM. les Commissaires du Magnétisme animal. Il le prie de vouloir bien en prendre lecture, le signer et le lui renvoyer le plus tôt qu’il le pourra. Il auroit bien desiré le lui porter lui même, mais il est obligé d’aller si fréquemment à Paris...
55To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, [March 1784?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Pardon Mon Illustre Docteur Si je ne vous ai pas envoyé plutôt La note Sur L’auteur de cette espece de Fourneau où on met le feu par dessus et où la flamme descend et remonte ensuite par un Tuyau de façon qu’on ne voit pas Sans étonnement la fumée Se precipiter en bas et passer ensuite dans le tuyau qui Sert à L’emporter. J’ai été Si occupé depuis Jeudy que...
56To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Sylvain Bailly: Two Letters, 6 May 1784 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) AL : American Philosophical Society Mr Bailly de L’academie des sciences presente ses respects a Monsieur Franklin. Il est chargé par mrs les commissaires de la faculté de medecine et de L’academie des sciences pour le magnetisme animal, de lui demander s’il veut les recevoir apres demain samedi pour avoir l’honneur de le voir et de conferer avec lui. Addressed: a Monsieur /...
57Continental Congress to the American Commissioners: Instructions, [7 May 1784–3 June 1784] (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives; press copy of copy: American Philosophical Society The instructions that follow established a new diplomatic commission to negotiate and sign a total of twenty treaties of amity and commerce with European and North African powers. Their creation was a long and contentious process. On October 29, 1783, Congress authorized the peace...
58To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 27 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I have thought it a long while that my Confinement has prevented my seeing you. I was in hopes to have had the pleasure of seeing you to day, but I was indiscreet in going out the night before last, wch has encreased the pain & swelling of my foot. My foot is again rather better than it was yesterday, but I am afraid to venture out to day. I hope still to see you on...
59To Benjamin Franklin from Anne Ogle, 13 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. Sam: Ridout, my Grandson, purposing to pass a few weeks at Paris previous to his leaving Europe—wishes to have the honor of paying his respects to your Excellency. I therefore take the liberty of using this method for introducing him— I am Sr. your most Obedien Servant Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur Franklin / Ministre Plenipotentiaire / des Etats...
60To Benjamin Franklin from Dufriche de Valazé, 15 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Le Porteur de cette lettre Est M. Dufriche desgenettes mon neveu qui part pour londres, où il va voir Comme on traite la Médecine qu’il Ètudie depuis __ quatre ans à Paris. C’Est un jeune homme sage Et de Bonne Éspérance, à qui je m’interesse Comme à mon fils. Permettez moi, Monsieur, de vous demander pour lui quelques Recommandations pour votre ancienne...