Writings of Zoroaster by his Followers; but perhaps some of them are of later Date tho' ascrib'd to him; for to me there seems too great a Quantity & Variety of Ceremonies & Prayers, to be directed at once by one Man. In the Romish Church they have increas'd gradually in a Course of Ages to their present Bulk. Those who added new ones from time to time found it necessary to give them Authority by Pretences of their Antiquity. The Books of Moses indeed, if all written by him, which some doubt, are an Exception to this Observation. With great Esteem, I am ever, Dear Sir, &c. Your affectionate Friend and hum1 Seryt B. FRANKLIN. 576. TO MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN (A. P. S.) MY DEAR CHILD, London, Jan. 28. 1772 I have written several short Letters to you lately just to let you know of my Welfare, and promising to write more fully by Capt. Falconer, which I now sit down to do, with a Number of your Favours before me. I received the Box & Letter from Mr. Peter Miller, but if as you mention, Enoch Davenport brought it, I did not see him. Perhaps he might call while I was absent in Ireland. I write by this Opportunity to Mr. Miller. What he sent me is a most valuable Curiosity. I take notice of the considerable Sums you have paid. I would not have you send me any Receipts. I am satisfy'd with the Accounts you give. I am much pleas'd with your little Histories of our Grand son, & happy in thinking how much Amusement he must afford you. I pray that God may continue him to us, & to his Parents. Mr. Bache is about returning. His Behaviour here has been very agreable to me. I have advis'd him to settle down to Business in Philadelphia, where I hope he will meet with Success. I mentioned to you before, that I saw his Mother and Sisters at Preston, who are genteel People, and extreamly agreable. I receiv'd your young Neighbour Haddock's Silk, and carried it myself to her Relations, who live very well, keeping a Linnen-Draper's Shop in Bishop's-Gate Street. They have a Relation in Spitalfields that is a Manufacturer who I believe will do it well. I shall honour much every young Lady that I find on my Return Dress'd in Silk of their own raising. I thank you for the Sauceboats, and am pleas'd to find so good a Progress made in the China Manufactury. I wish it Success most heartily. Mrs. Stevenson too loves to hear about your little Boy. Her own Grandson (my Godson) is a fine Child, now nine Months old. He has an attentive, observing, sagacious Look, as if he had a great deal of Sense, but as yet he is not enough acquainted with our Language to express it intelligibly. His Mother nurses him herself, for which I much esteem her, as it is rather unfashionable here; whence Numbers of little Innocents suffer and perish. His Name is William. Mr. and Mrs. Strahan & their Family are well. We din'd there not long since. Yesterday Mrs. Stevenson, her Daughter, Mr. Bache, and myself, din'd at Mr. West's. They are well and their fine Boy. I am pleas'd that the Letters between me and the good Lady entertain'd you. But you ought not to have shown them to any body but Sally. Since my Return I receiv'd the enclos'd; but having too much to do, I could not accept the kind Invitation. The Squirrels came safe and well. You will see by the enclos'd how welcome they were. A 1000 Thanks are sent you for them, and I thank you for the Readiness with which you executed the Commission. My Love to our dear precious Polley Hunt & all our kind enquiring Friends. Mrs. Montgomery's Health is I hope establish'd, as also that of our Dear Friend Rhoads and his Family. The Buckwheat and Indian Meal are come safe & good. They will be a great Refreshment to me this Winter. For since I cannot be in America, every thing that comes from thence comforts me a little, as being something like Home. The dry'd Peaches too are excellent, those dry'd without the Skin: The Parcel in their Skins are not so good. The Apples are the best I ever had and came with the least Damage. The Sturgeon you mention did not come: but that is not so material. I hope our cousin Tyler will do well among us. He seems a sober well inclin'd Man; and when I saw him at Birmingham, he appear'd to be well respected by his Relations and Friends. An active, lively industrious Wife would be a good Thing for him. I grieve for our Friend Bond's heavy Loss; and am sorry for poor Dr. Kearsley's misfortune. I sent you from Ireland a fine Piece of the Holland of that Country. Capt. All, whom I met with there, found a Captain that he knew who promis'd to take care of it and deliver it safe. You mention nothing of it in your Letter of Decem3 2. when in the common Course you ought to have had it before that time, which makes me fear it is lost. I wrote to you from Dublin; and from Glasgow in Scotland. I was in Ireland about 7 Weeks, in Scotland about 4 Weeks, absent from London in all more than three Months. My Tour was a very pleasant one. I received abundance of Civilities from the Gentry of both those Kingdoms, and my Health is improv'd by the Air & Exercise. I have advis'd Mr. Bache to deal only in the Ready Money Way, tho' he should sell less. It is the safest and the most easy Manner of carrying on Business. He may keep his Store in your little North Room, for the present. And as he will be at no Expence while the Family continues with you, I think he may, with Industry and Frugality, get so forward, as at the end of his Term, to pay his Debts and be clear of the World, which I much wish to see. I have given him £200 Sterl❜g to add something to his Cargo. My Love to our dear Sally, and to Ben. concludes at present, from Your ever affectionate Husband B. FRANKLIN. 577. TO ANTHONY TISSINGTON1 (A. P. S.) DEAR SIR, London, Jan. 28. 1772 I received your very kind Letter of the 15th together with the Turkey, which prov'd exceeding fine. We regal'd a Number of our Friends with it, & drank your & Mrs Tissington's Health, which we wish'd sincerely. — Mrs Stevenson keeps about, but is ever ailing, like your Dame, with Rheumatic Pains that fly from Limb to Limb continually. Tis a most wicked Distemper, & often puts me 1 See Vol. I, p. 56.- ED. in mind of the Saying of a Scotch Divine to some of his Brethren who were complaining that their Flocks had of late been infected with Arianism and Socinianism. Mine, says he, is infected with a worse ism than either of those. Pray, Brother, what can that be? It is, the Rheumatism. — I was a good deal mortified at not having it in my Power to call at Alfreton in my late Tours: But I hope for the Pleasure of seeing you both in London this Winter. Mrs Stevenson & Sally Franklin join in Wishes of every kind of Prosperity to you & yours, with, Dear Sir, Your oblig'd & affectionate hum1 Serv B. FRANKLIN 578. TO MRS. SARAH BACHE (A. P. S.) London, Jan. 29. 1772 DEAR SALLY, I received your agreable Letters of Oct. 11. and Nov. 5. I met with Mr. Bache at Preston, where I staid two or three Days, being very kindly entertained by his Mother and Sisters, whom I lik'd much. He came to town with me, and is now going home to you. I have advis'd him to settle down to Business in Philadelphia, where he will always be with you. I am of Opinion, that almost any Profession a Man has been educated in, is preferable to an Office held at Pleasure, as rendering him more independent, more a Freeman, and less subject to the Caprices of Superiors. And I think, that in keeping a Store, if it be where you dwell, you can be serviceable to him as your Mother was to me: For you are not deficient in Capacity, and I hope are not too proud. You might easily learn Accounts, and you can copy Letters, |
