My love to Sally and the children. I shall soon write to all my friends. At present, I am pinched in time, and can only add that I am ever

your affectionate father,

B. FRANKLIN.

To FS. HOPKINSON, Esq. PHILADELPHIA.

Dr. Franklin's friends and enemies, &c.

DEAR SIR,

Passy, Sept. 13, 1781.

I have received your kind letter of July 17, with its duplicate, enclosing those for Messrs. Brandlight and Sons, which I have forwarded. I am sorry for the loss of the squibs. Every thing of yours gives me pleasure.

As to the friends and enemies you just mention, I have hitherto, thanks to God, had plenty of the former kind; they have been my treasure; and it has perhaps been of no disadvantage to me that I have had a few of the latter. They serve to put us upon correcting the faults we have, and avoiding those we are in danger of having. They counteract the mischief flattery might do us, and their malicious attacks make our friends more zealous in serving us and promoting our interest. At present I do not know of more than two such enemies that I enjoy, viz. *** and ***. I deserved the enmity of the latter, because I might have avoided it by paying him a compliment, which I neglected. That of the former I owe to the people of France, who happened to respect me too much and him too little; which I could bear and he could not. They are unhappy that they cannot make every body hate me as much as they do; and I should be so if my friends did not love me much more than those gentlemen can possibly love one another.

Enough of this subject. Let me know if you are in pos

session of my gimcrack instruments, and if you have made any new experiments. I lent many years ago a large glass globe: mounted, to Mr. Coombe, and an electric battery of bottles, which I remember; perhaps there were some other things. He may have had them so long as to think them his own. Pray ask him for them, and keep them for me together with the rest.

You have a new crop of prose writers. I see in your papers many of their fictitious names, but nobody tells me the real. You will oblige me by a little of your literary history. Adieu, my dear friend, and believe me ever

I received but a few days since your very friendly letter of August last, on the subject of General Burgoyne. Since the foolish part of mankind will make wars from time to time with each other, not having sense enough otherwise to settle their differences, it certainly becomes the wiser part, who cannot prevent those wars, to alleviate as much as possible the calamities attending them. Mr. Burke always stood high in my esteem; but his affectionate concern for his friend renders him still more amiable, and makes the honor he does me of admitting me of the number, still more precious.

I do not think the congress have any wish to persecute General Burgoyne. I never heard till I received your letter that they had recalled him: if they have made such a resolution, it must be, I suppose, a conditional one, to take place in case their offer of exchanging him for Mr. Laurens should

not be accepted; a resolution intended merely to enforce that offer.

I have just received an authentic copy of the resolve containing that offer, and authorising me to make it. As I have no communication with your ministers, I send it enclosed to you. If you can find any means of negociating this business, I am sure the restoring another worthy man to his family and friends, will be an addition to your pleasure. With great and invariable respect and affection, I am, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

B. FRANKLIN.

TO MESSRS. KORNMANN.

Relative to a claim of relationship with Dr. Franklin.

GENTLEMEN,

Pussy, Nov. 21, 1781. Enclosed is the answer you desire to the letter sent

me from Conigsberg.

I have the honor to be, gentlemen, &c.

B. FRANKLIN,

MADAM,

Passy, Nov. 21, 1781.

I received the letter you did me the honor of writmonth: in answer to which I was born in America now near

ing to me the 26th of last ought to inform you, that I 76 years since, that I never was in Ireland till the year 1773, which was for a few weeks only, and I did not pass thence to America with any person of my name, but returned to England; nor had I ever any knowledge of the John Franklin you mention. I have exact accounts of every person of my family since the year 1555, when it was established in

I Wanting.

England, and am certain that none of them but myself since that time were ever in Ireland. The name of Franklin is common among the English of the two nations, but there are a number of different families who bear it, and who have no relation to each other. It would be a pleasure to me to discover a relation in Europe, possessing the amiable sentiments expressed in your letter. I assure you I should not disown the meanest. I should also be glad if I could give you a satisfactory account of your family; but I really know nothing of them. I have therefore not the honor of being related to them, but I have that of being, madam,

yours, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

To Gov. PoWNALL, LONDON.

Relative to Mrs. Barry-The war-Authority to treat of peace-Mr. Hobart.

DEAR SIR,

Passy, Nov. 23, 1781.

As

I received your favor by Mr. Hobart. I caused an application to be made to Almon in behalf of Mrs. Barry, but do not learn that it is like to meet with any success. the transaction was between yourself and him, no other person but you claim with authority; I must therefore beg, for the poor good woman's sake, that you would do something effectual in it.

I also request that you would send the copies you mention to me here, directed to the care of Mr. Bowen at Ostend; and that the plate may be packed with them.

I wish most heartily with you that this cursed war was at an end: but I despair of seeing it finished in my time. Your thirsty nation has not yet drank enough of our blood. I am authorised to treat of peace whenever she is disposed to it, but I saw inconveniences in meeting and discoursing

with you on the subject, or with any one not avowed by your ministry; having already experienced such, in several instances. Mr. Hobart appeared not fully acquainted with your ideas, and as he could not communicate them, I could make no judgment of them. My best wishes attend you, being with the old long-continued esteem, dear sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

To MRS. C. EDES.

B. FRANKLIN.

Relative to Henry Laurens, Esq., a prisoner in the Tower of London-Mr. Burke-General Burgoyne.

MADAM,

Passy, Dec. 13, 1781.

I return enclosed the letter from my friend, Mr. Bridgen, which I received from you last night. You will be so good as to acquaint him in answer to his first question, if any fund was established for the support of Mr. Laurens? that being informed about the middle of last month by`a friend in London of Mr. L.'s being in want of money, I wrote on the 19th to Mr. Hodgson, a merchant in Coleman Street, in whose hands I had lodged cash for the support of prisoners, to hold £100 of it at the disposition of Mr. Laurens; and I since hear that on a like intimation to Mr. Adams in Holland, he has ordered another £100 to be applied to the same purpose. I have never heard that any fund was established in America for the use of that gentleman; probably it has not been known there that he had need of it. The second question, if any measures had been taken for his relief? will be answered by acquainting Mr. B. that the congress passed a resolution to offer the exchange of General Burgoyne for him, and empowered me to make the offer: that Mr. Burke having written to me in favor of his friend,