with two volumes of the Philosophical Transactions presented to our Society by the Royal Society here, in Return for the Volume you sent them. I inclose Mr. Forster's1 Letter, a Letter of Thanks from the Society of Arts, and a Letter from Mr. Ludlam. Dr. Smith in a Letter which came with the Books, gave me to expect another Box with Copies for the learned Societies abroad; and a few spare ones for my Friends; but they are not yet come to hand; and I am often ask'd by the Curious how it happens that none are to be bought here.

I hope soon to receive them, and have no doubt but it will procure us the Correspondence of those Societies.

I thank you for the inaugural Dissertation, and am pleas'd to see our School of Physic begin to make a Figure. I know not why it should not soon be equal to that in Edinburgh. I am much oblig'd to the young gentleman who has done me the Honour to inscribe his Performance to me. I wish him the Success his Ingenuity seems to promise him.

My Love to Mrs. Bond and your Children. I condole with you both most sincerely on the great Loss you have lately sustained.

With the truest Esteem and Regard, I am ever, my dear Friend

Yours most Affectionately

The Parcels are in

B. FRANKLIN

the care of Mr. Bache.

1 John Reinhold Forster translated Kalm's "Travels through North America," Bossu's "Travels through Louisiana," and published a Catalogue of North American Animals. — ED.

582. TO CADWALLADER EVANS1

DEAR DOCTOR,

London, February 6, 1772.

The trunks of silk were detained at the customhouse till very lately; first, because of the holidays, and then waiting to get two persons, skilful in silk, to make a valuation of it, in order to ascertain the bounty. As soon as that was done, and the trunks brought to my house, I waited on Dr. Fothergill to request he would come and see it opened, and consult about disposing of it, which he could not do till last Thursday. On examining it, we found that the valuers had opened all the parcels, in order, we suppose, to see the quality of each, had neglected to make them up again, and the directions and marks were lost, (except that from Mr. Parke, and that of the second crop,) so that we could not find which was intended for the Queen, and which for the Proprietary family. Then, being no judges ourselves, we concluded to get Mr. Patterson or some other skilful person, to come and pick out six pounds of the best for her Majesty, and four pounds for each of the other ladies. This I have endeavoured, but it is not yet done, though I hourly expect it.

Mr. Boydell, broker for the ship, attended the customhouse to obtain the valuation, and had a great deal of trouble to get it managed. I have not since seen him, nor heard the sum they reported, but hope to give you all the particulars by the next ship, which I understand sails in about a fortnight, when Dr. Fothergill and myself are to write a joint letter to the committee, to whom please to present my respects, 1 Printed from Sparks.

and assure them of my most faithful services. I am charmed with the sight of such a quantity the second year, and have great hopes the produce will now be established. The second crop silk seems to me not inferior to the others; and, if it is practicable with us to have two crops, and the second season does not interfere too much with other business in the farming way, I think it will be a great addition to the profits, as well as to the quantity.

Dr. Fothergill has a number of Chinese drawings, of which some represent the process of raising silk, from the beginning to the end. I am to call at his house and assist in looking them out, he intending to send them as a present to the Silk Company. I have now only time to add, that I am ever, yours very affectionately, B. FRANKLIN

583.

DEAR SIR,

TO DR. RICHARD PRICE (A. P. S.)

Cravenstreet, Feb. 11. '72.

Permit me to thank you, not only on my own Account for the Book1 itself you have so kindly sent me, but in Behalf of the Publick for Writing it: It being in my Opinion consider the profound Study, & steady Application of Mind that the Work required, & the sound Judgment with which it is executed, and its great and important Utility to the Nation, the foremost Production of human Understanding, that this Century has afforded us. With great & sincere Esteem I am, my dear Friend,

Yours most affectionately

B. F.

1" Appeal to the Public on the subject of the National Debt" (1771). — Ed.

584. TO NOBLE WIMBERLEY JONES (A. P. S.) London, April 2. 1772.

DEAR SIR,

I was in Ireland when your respected Fav of July 8. arrived at my House here. On my Return which was just before the Meeting of Parliam I by a Line or two acknowledg'd the Receipt of it, intending to write more largely as soon as any Business should occur. I hoped the Petition relating to the controverted Lands would have been brought forward long before this time, having been assured when it was presented that it should in its Turn come under Consideration; but such has been the Croud of more important Affairs, that the Council have as yet found no time to do any thing in it. Tho' I flatter my self, as no solicitation is omitted, that it may be brought to a favourable Conclusion before the Season of Business is over.

Your Account of the Governor's Treatment of the Assembly & your self, determined me to wait upon him on his Arrival here, as we can not but greatly disapprove his Conduct. As your Mode of appointing an Agent is by an Ordinance to which he must give his Assent I think it not likely that I shall be continued in that Service for your Province. I shall nevertheless continue to render it every Good Office in my power while I remain in England, which I think will not now be much longer.

The presenting of a Speaker to the King I suppose was originally intended that the King might know the Person from whom he was to receive the Sense of Parliament on every proper Occasion. To facilitate the Intercourse, it is

probable the Parliament might think it advisable rather to chuse (other Qualifications being equal) a Person not justly obnoxious to the King; and then it was natural for him to compliment them by saying he approv'd their Choice. But from this it by no means follows, that without such Approbation the Speaker could not continue in his Office, or that if the House refus'd to chuse another, it would be a justifiable Use of the Prerogative therefore to dissolve them. I believe a King of England at this Day would hardly venture on such a Step; but Governors take greater Liberties, having naturally no Respect for the People, but abundance for Ministers. It is by the Arbitrary Proceedings of Governors & other Crown Officers countenanc'd by their Protectors here, that the Affections of the Americans to this Country are daily diminishing, and their Attachment to its Government in danger of being lost in the Course of a few succeeding Years. As a Disunion would be a Weakening to the Empire, & of course prejudicial to 1

SIR,

585. TO THOMAS CUSHING 2

London, April 13, 1772.

I wrote to you in January last a long letter, by Meyrick, and at the same time wrote to the Committee, since which I have received no line from any one in Boston, nor has Mr. Bollan yet received the answer we wait for, respecting the eastern settlements on the crown land.

The Parliament has been employed in the royal marriage bill, and other business; nothing of importance relating to 1 The remainder of the letter is lost. Ed. 2 First published by Sparks.