91To Benjamin Franklin from Valnais, 11 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have but this day Received the Billet your Excellency has honored me with. It is directed to the hotel d’angleterre & I Lodge at the hotel de Londres. Its not Coming Sooner is the Cause I have not answered before. I am penetrated with the warmest Sentiments of the most Respectful gratitude for your Kind attention for Mrs. de Valnais. She charges me to...
92To Benjamin Franklin from La Condamine, 12 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Que je vous sçais gré, monsieur, d’avoir bien voulu prendre la peine de me répondre, malgré les grandes et importantes occupations dont je vous suppose environné! Vos travaux littéraires et politiques m’avoient inspiré pour vous, monsieur, de profonds sentimens de respect et d’estime; vous venez d’y ajoûter ceux de l’amour et de la reconnoissance; je vous...
93To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 15 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief Je continue d’adresser à V.E. [Votre Excellence] la Lre. cijointe pour le Congrè’s, vous priant, M, après l’avoir lue de vouloir bien la fermer & lui donner cours par premier Navire qui fera voile pour le Continent. J’ai tiré le 5 de ce mois sur V.E. le semestre de mon salaire échu le 30 Juin prochain, savoir come à l’ordinaire £2700 tournois à une usance à...
94To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Webb, 15 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I took the Liberty of writing to you by the favour of your Grandson sometime since —and It is only from very urgent Reasons that I am induc’d again to trouble you, which I hope you will be so good to pardon. I have not ever mentioned to you myself, any other part of my unfortunate History, but that of being intirely deprived of the Society of my amiable...
95To Benjamin Franklin from Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 15 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress We take the liberty to inform your Excellency that in consequence of the Success of the new Loan, his Excellency John Adams Esqr authorised us to open for acct of Congress, we have become in the Situation to pay due honor to every disposal, we have hitherto advice, his Excellency Robt. Morris Esqr. Super Intendant of Finance has been pleased to make on us. We have the...
96Franklin and John Jay to Thomas Mifflin, 16 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives; press copy of ALS : Library of Congress We duly received the Letters your Excellency did us the honour of writing to us the 14th of January by Colonel Harmar & Lieut. Col. David Franks, with the Ratification of the Definitive Treaty, the Proclamation, & the Recommendatory Resolves of Congress. On the Arrival of Col. Harmar, we immediately wrote to Mr Hartley,...
97From 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...
98From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 16 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I received your kind Letters by Colonel Harmar, & Lieut. Col. Franks; with the Dispatches in good Order; Triplicates of which are since come to hand. You will see by our Letter to the President, that we daily expect Mr Hartley from London with the British Ratification to exchange with us. There was no Difficulty occasion’d by the Lapse of the Term. I send you herewith...
99To 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,...
100To 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...
101From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 17 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: William L. Clements Library The Commissioners have received the Letter you did them the honour of writing to them the 9th Instant, and are glad to learn that they may expect the Pleasure of seeing you soon again at Paris. It is a particular Satisfaction to me, as it will give me an opportunity of communicating an Idea to you in Conversation which may tend to promote your excellent views...
102From 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...
103From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 17 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: American Philosophical Society Since I wrote to you respecting Dr. Withering, I have received a very satisfactory Letter from him. So this Affair need not give you father [farther] Trouble.— I am sorry to hear you are hurt by a Fall from your Horse. I hope the Effects will not be lasting; and that by this time you are recover’d. It will give me great Pleasure to hear that our...
104From Benjamin Franklin to John Walter, 17 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and transcript: Library of Congress I have received a Book for which I understand I am obliged to you, the Introduction to Logography.— I have read it with Attention, and as far as I understand it am much pleas’d with it. I do not perfectly comprehend the Arrangement of his Cases; but the Reduction of the Number of Pieces, by the Roots of Words and their different Terminations is...
105To Benjamin Franklin from Edward Nathaniel Bancroft, 17 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have received your two very kind letters of which the first was not dated & the last dated Passy March 26th. 1784 & I am very happy to find that you are well & I hope your Grandson Benjamin Franklin Bache is also. I received Mr Bache’s letter & answered it & which I hope, by this time, he has received.— My dear Mama, whom I have seen not long ago, has...
106To Benjamin Franklin from Louis de Boislandry and Other Offerers of Goods and Schemes, 18 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Between March and mid-August, 1784, Franklin received far fewer unsolicited letters concerning commerce with America than he did during and immediately following the peace negotiations. The one from Louis de Boislandry, printed as a sample, is from an already established firm. As before, a number of authors sent or threatened to send copies of their work,...
107To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens: Two Letters, 18 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) ALS : Library of Congress; copy: University of South Carolina Library I beg leave to refer to my Letter of the 7th. Inst. by the hands of Mr. Bourdieu. Mr. Hartley call’d upon me the 13th. at Bath & return’d a verbal answer. “The King had ordered him immediately to Paris for exchanging the Ratifications.” & he accordingly goes & will do me the honor of delivering this. Nothing...
108To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, [19 April 1784?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mon Illustre docteur Je comptois bien avoir Lhonneur de vous aller voir ce Soir et de me dèdommager du tems que jai passe Sans aller vous attaquer ou me deffendre aux echcs Mais malheureusement un petit accès de fièvre m’empeche de Sortir. Une autre raison qui me faisoit desirer d’avoir Lhonneur de vous voir ce Soir c’etoit pour vous rappeller que Les...
109To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Thomson, 19 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society In my last I informed you that I had taken measures to gain information respecting Mr Marggrander and the other persons enquired after. The enclosed is a copy of letter I have received from our old neighbour Reuben Haines in answer to my enquiries touching Marggrander. With respect to the others I have yet heard nothing— Give me leave my dear Sir to...
110From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, Sr., 20 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Biblioteca Labronica The Bearer, Mr Biederman, is recommended to me by Persons of Distinction, as a Gentleman of Worth & very respectable Character, charged with the Concerns and Interest of many principal Manufacturers and Merchants in Saxony, between which Country and ours I should be glad to see a commercial Intercourse opened and established, as it might be advantageous to both. I...
111John Adams to Franklin and John Jay, 20 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Columbia University Library; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have just now received the Letter which Dr Franklin did me the Honour to write me on the 16th. with the Copy of the Treaty with Sweeden. I have before inclosed the King of Prusisas Project of a Treaty, prepared as I am assured by his Minister with his own Hand in his private Cabinet. I believe it has been reserved to...
112To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 20 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Inclosed I have the honor to send you a Letter from the house of Drouilhet advising me of their having drawn upon your Excellency for £s [ l.t. ] 13447.5. s. at 60 days date making the Sum of 54000 Rials de Vn. [Veillon] or 2700 Dollars for the payment of a bill drawn by Mr Morris on me which bill became due since my Departure from Madrid.— I intended to...
113To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 21 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Nephews Daniel Bell & David Barclay being likely to spend a few days at Paris, I take the freedom to introduce them to Thee, as well for the favour of Thy Countenance, as to bring me Information of Thy Welfare— The long Winter and uncommonly late Spring have been disadvantageous to many Constitutions, in wch I have had a Share, & hope, Thine has not...
114To Benjamin Franklin from Jacob Duché, Jr., 21 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I take the Liberty of addressing your Excellency on a Subject, in which I am sure you will find your Philosophy as well as Humanity not a little interested. The eldest Daughter of Mr George Meade, a respectable Merchant & Citizen of Philadelphia,—a young Lady of about 15 Years of Age, has now been above Six Months in England, under the Care of some of the...
115To Benjamin Franklin from Gaetano Filangieri, 21 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Translation of ALS in Italian: Historical Society of Pennsylvania On the 20th of November of last year, 1783, I sent you the fourth volume of my work on La scienza della legislazione, and a few days later I shipped, via Marseille, a trunk containing more copies of the same volume, in the same quantity as the other volumes you had previously received through Mr. Pio. Before that, I had sent you...
116To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Cooper Johonnot, 21 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I arriv’d here the 12th Jany., after a Voyage, & Journey, exceedingly laborious, & disagreeable.— Fourteen Days sooner, I could have had the Satisfaction, of seeing my Grandpappa.— Why did I arrive later?— I acknowledge the Fault. It will not bear Reflection:— May the Lesson prove as useful, as ’tis severe. I really deserv’d a harder Stroke, than Your...
117From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Webb, 22 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I received your’s of the 15th. Instant, and the Memorial it inclosed. The account they give of your situation grieves me. I send you herewith a Bill for Ten Louis d’ors. I do not pretend to give such a Sum. I only lend it to you. When you shall return to your Country with a good Character, you cannot fail of getting into some Business that will in time enable...
118If Life’s Compared to a Feast, 22 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AD : New York Public Library; transcript: Library of Congress William Temple Franklin found this poem among his grandfather’s papers and claimed that it was entitled “B. F.’s Adieu!” The sole extant autograph, written on a small sheet of paper, has no title. Beautifully penned, as though intended for presentation, it fills the sheet, with the dateline placed in the bottom left corner. Whether...
119To Benjamin Franklin from Robert Pigott, [between 22 April 1784 and 18 May 1784?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had proposed myself the honor of dining to day at Passy, but Business of the day has prevented me of having that Pleasure As I propose going to England early on Sunday morning, I shall be proud to receive your commands and of executing any of your orders As I am with the greatest Respect & Regard dear Sir Your most faithful & obed Sert. Addressed: A Son...
120From Benjamin Franklin to Jan Ingenhousz, 23 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Myron Kaller & Associates, Inc., Asbury Park, New Jersey (1989) I did intend to have written you a long Letter by the good Bishop, but cannot now accomplish it.— You will however have it very soon.— Fearing that the Seeds for your Friend might not arrive in time, to be planted this Spring, and having received a Box for some of my Acquaintance here, I sent a Part to you, to be dispos’d of...