avoid certain appearances of concern, for example, or indifference, satisfaction, or dislike, where the utmost sincerity and candor should be used, and would gain credit, if no semblance of art showed itself in the inadvertent discourse, perhaps of only one of them, the hazard is in proportion to the number. And where every one must be consulted on every particular of common business, in answering every letter, &c., and one of them is offended if the smallest thing is done without his consent, the difficulty of being often and long enough together, the different opinions, and the time consumed in debating them, the interruptions by new applicants in the time of meeting, &c. &c., occasion so much postponing and delay, that correspondence languishes, occasions are lost, and the business is always behindhand.

I have mentioned the difficulty of being often and long enough together. This is considerable, where they cannot all be accommodated in the same house; but to find three people whose tempers are so good, and who like so well one another's company, and manner of living and conversing, as to agree well themselves, though being in one house, and whose servants will not by their indiscretion quarrel with one another, and by artful misrepresentations draw their masters in to take their parts, to the disturbance of necessary harmony, these are difficulties still greater and almost insurmountable. And, in consideration of the whole, I wish Congress would separate us.

The Spanish galleons, which have been impatiently expected, are at length happily arrived. The fleet and army returning from Brazil is still out, but supposed to be on the way homewards. When that and the South Sea ships are arrived, it will appear whether Spain's accession to the treaty

has been delayed for the reasons given, or whether the reasons were only given to excuse the delay.

The English and French fleets, of nearly equal force, are now both at sea. It is not doubted, but that if they meet, there will be a battle; for, though England through fear affects to understand it to be still peace, and would excuse the depredations she has made on the commerce of France, by pretences of illicit trade, &c., yet France considers the war begun, from the time of the King's message to Parliament, complaining of the insult France had given by treating with us, and demanding aids to resist it, and the answer of both Houses, offering their lives and fortunes. These, and the taking several frigates, are deemed indisputable hostilities. Accordingly, orders are given to all the fleets and armed ships to return hostilities, and encouragement is offered to privateers, &c. An ambassador from Spain is indeed gone to London, and joyfully received there, in the idea that peace may be made by his mediation. But as yet we learn nothing certain of his mission, and doubt his effecting any thing of the kind.

War in Germany seems to be inevitable, and this occasioning great borrowings of money in Holland and elsewhere, by the powers concerned, makes it more difficult for us to succeed in ours. When we engaged to Congress to pay their bills for the interest of the sums they should borrow, we did not dream of their drawing on us for other occasions. We have already paid of Congress' drafts, to returned officers, eighty-two thousand two hundred and eleven livres, and we know not how much more of that kind we have to pay, because the Committee have never let us know the amount of those drafts, or their account of them never reached

us, and they still continue coming in. And we are now surprised with advice of drafts from Mr. Bingham, to the amount of one hundred thousand more. If you reduce us to bankruptcy here, by a nonpayment of your drafts, consider the consequences. In my humble opinion no drafts should be made on us without first learning from us that we shall be able to answer them.

M. de Beaumarchais has been out of town ever since the arrival of your power to settle with him. I hope he will be able to furnish the supplies mentioned in the invoice and contract. The settlement may be much better made with the assistance of Mr. Deane, we being not privy to the transactions. We have agreed to give M. Dumas two hundred louis a year, thinking that he well deserves it. With great esteem, I have the honour to be, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

917. TO CHEVALIER DE CHAMPIGNY1 (A. P. S.) Passy, July 24 1778 —

SIR,

I have received your Letter of the 9th Instant, wherein you reproach me with breaking my Engagements to you, in not having paid you twenty one Ducats wch you say I owe you, reminding me that while I charge Breach of Faith

1 Jean, Chevalier de Champigny (1717–1787), author of "Reflexions sur le Gouvernement des femmes" (1770) and "Nouvelle histoire d'Angleterre " (1777). He wrote to Franklin May 18, 1775, reminding him of his promise to subscribe to his History of England and his History of Denmark. August 8, 1777, he wrote again that his enemies had not scrupled to say that his "History of England" would never be written. At the same time he sent a copy of Vol. I, said that Vol. II would follow shortly, and that the remaining fourteen volumes would be even more interesting! The work was dedicated to Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. The second volume was delivered October 18, 1777.-ED.

on the King respecting my Constituents I ought not to break mine to you, as private Engagem. are more sacred than those of Sovereigns. I hold my self always ready to pay my just Debts, and shall pay this as soon as I am convinc'd it is of that kind. But as you have not favoured me with your Acc! I know not how it arises. I have not here my Books (& Receipts relating to)' that contain my Money Transactions & Expences while in England: But I remember that many years since a Gentleman of your Name, to whom I was entirely a Stranger, apply'd to me for a Subscription to a History of England which he propos'd to write. I consider'd the Affair as one of those genteel Methods by wch Men of Letters are assisted when their Circumstances require Assistance without being put to the Blush in being oblig'd to ask it as a Benevolence. In that Light I gave him perhaps two or three Guineas (I do not exactly remember the Sum) and took his Receipt promising the History, but without the least Expectation of ever seeing it. Accordingly I never enquired after it; I never ask'd him for it. I had by me at the time near a Dozen such Receipts, for Books not yet printed, & many of them I believe never intended to be written. I have however lately received 2 Volumes, as they are Called, of that History, and four Volumes of Histories of Sweden and Denmark which I never desired or heard of before. They are badly printed and so thin as not to make more than two sizable Quarto Volumes when bound together, so that I cannot conceive them worth more than I have already paid. Nevertheless I do not on that Account desire to keep them. Had you publish'd your History of England within the Time you

1 These words are written between the lines. - ED.

first promis'd to your Subscribers, I might possibly have lived to read it. But you broke your Engagement with me, and that long before you could have the least Pretence for accusing me, as you now do of the same Crime; and I never complain'd of it. You have since made another Promise, that from the month of Sept. 1777, (when the two first volumes appear'd) two more should be publish'd every 5 Months. Ten Months are since elaps'd, and not one of the four volumes due has yet been heard of; so that I can have no Dependence on ever seeing the Work compleated. Besides I am now grown very old, have but little time left, and that is occupy'd with too much Public Business to allow me any Leisure for the private Amusement of reading History. I request therefore that you would direct your Correspondent here to call for and receive back the 6 Volumes of different Histories you have sent me; & desire you would accept what you formerly had of me, and believe me your Welwisher & very hum° Serv*.

B. F.

I return enclosed your Receipts.

[Nevertheless if you are the Person, & will be so good as to send me a Copy of my Subscription that I may know what I stand engag'd for, I shall take care to comply with it: But I request you would take again the Histories of Denmark & Sweden, and not put them into your Account; for my little Estate in America being in the Hands of our Enemies, I am now too poor to pay for all the Histories you may be capable of writing and translating; and that at so high a Price as 21 Ducats for two 4to Volumes unbound. I am, Sir Yours &c]1

1 The above in brackets stricken through by Franklin's pen. — ED.