From Benjamin Franklin to François Willem de Monchy, 29 August 1781
To François Willem de Monchy5
ALS: Reproduced from the Henkels Catalog, no. 1492 (April 10, 1935), facing p. 14.
Passy, near Paris, Augt. 29 1781
Sir,
I remember with Pleasure & Thankfulness the Civilities I received from you when I formerly visited Rotterdam in company with Sir John Pringle.—
The Bearer of this, is a young Physician of Pennsylvania, who travels for Improvement in his Profession. As he will be quite a Stranger in Holland, I take the Liberty of introducing him to you, believing you will have Pleasure in giving him such Counsels, & communicating to him such Lights, as may render him more serviceable to his Country.—6
I send by him some Pieces of my Writing, which have been collected and printed in England. I wish they were more worthy the Acceptance of our Batavian Society, which I hope continues to flourish.—7 With great Esteem & Respect I have the Honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient & most humble Sert.
B Franklin
Dr de Monchy
5. The Rotterdam physician (XIII, 484n) whom BF had met during a trip to that city with Pringle in the summer of 1766. BF and Monchy corresponded for a year or so after this visit. BF sent Monchy information on fire engines, and Monchy sent him (among other things) detailed drawings of an ice boat: XIV, 3–5, 149–50.
6. BF also provided Foulke with a letter of introduction to Dumas on the same date, immediately above.
7. Monchy was a member of the Batavian Society of Experimental Philosophy, of which his father was a founding member: XIII, 484n. BF was sending his Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces (London, 1779): XXXI, 210–18.