SIR, 851. TO RICHARD PETERS1 Passy, September 12, 1777 The bearer, M. Gérard, is recommended to me by M. Dubourg, a gentleman of distinction here, and a hearty friend to our cause. I enclose his letter, that you may see the favourable manner in which he speaks of M. Gérard. I thereupon take the liberty of recommending the young gentleman to your civilities and advice, as he will be quite a stranger there, and to request that you would put him in the way of serving as a volunteer in our armies. I am, B. FRANKLIN. Sir, 852. TO (L. C.) Passy, Oct. 4, 1777. SIR, I am much obliged by your communication of the letter from England. I am of your opinion, that it is not proper for publication here. Our friend's expressions concerning Mr. Wilson, will be thought too angry to be made use of by one philosopher when speaking of another, and on a philosophical question. He seems as much heated about this 1 Printed by Jared Sparks, "The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution," Boston, 1829, Vol. III, p. 15.- ED. 2 In a letter dated September 8, 1777. See "The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States," Wharton, Vol. II, p. 391. — ED. For the controversy in England respecting pointed and blunt lightning conductors, see Vol. I, pp. 106-108. See also the report on Lightning Conductors for the Powder Magazines at Purfleet, August 21, 1772.- ED. one point, as the Jansenists and Molinists were about the five. As to my writing any thing on the subject, which you seem to desire, I think it not necessary, especially as I have nothing to add to what I have already said upon it in a paper read to the committee, who ordered the conductors at Purfleet; which paper is printed in the last French edition of my writings. I have never entered into any controversy in defence of my philosophical opinions; I leave them to take their chance in the world. If they are right, truth and experience will support them; if wrong, they ought to be refuted and rejected. Disputes are apt to sour one's temper, and disturb one's quiet. I have no private interest in the reception of my inventions by the world, having never made, nor proposed to make, the least profit by any of them. The King's changing his pointed conductors for blunt ones is, therefore, a matter of small importance to me. If I had a wish about it, it would be that he had rejected them altogether as ineffectual. For it is only since he thought himself and family safe from the thunder of Heaven, that he dared to use his own thunder in destroying his innocent subjects. I am, Sir, yours, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 853. TO JAMES LOVELL' DEAR SIR (M. H. S.) Passy, Near Paris, Oct. 7, 1777 I receiv'd your Favour (without date) communicating a 1 James Lovell (1737-1814) was a member of the Continental Congress from Massachusetts (1776-1782). He was a member of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, and diligently corresponded with the American commissioners and ministers in Europe. - ED. VOL. VII-F method of secret writing, for which I am obliged to you. I have since receiv'd yours of July 4. I was very sensible before I left America of the inconveniencies attending the Employment of Foreign officers, and therefore immediately on my Arrival here I gave all the Discouragement in my Power to their going over; but Numbers had been previously engag'd by Mr Deane who could not refuse the Applications made to him. I was concern'd in sending the four Engineers, and in making the contract with them but before they went, I had reason to dislike one of them, and to wish the agreement had not been made, for I foresaw the Discontent that Man was capable of producing among his companions, and I fancy that if instead of America they had gone to Heaven it would have been the same thing. You can have no conception of the Arts and Interest made use of to recommend and engage us to recommend very indifferent Persons. The importunity The Numbers we refuse incredible: which would applaud us for, and on that Account excuse the few we have been prevail'd on to introduce to you. But, as somebody says, is boundless. if you knew you "Poets lose half the Praise they would have got Were it but known what they discretely blot." I wish we had an absolute order to give no Letter of Recommendation or even Introduction of the future to any foreign. officer whatever. As to the Instruction passed in Congress respecting French Officers who do not understand English we never made it known here, from the same apprehension that you express: all that understood a little English would have thought themselves intitled to a Commission, and the rest would have undertaken to learn it in the passage. I enclose some Papers given me by the Baron Steuben, a Prussian officer who has gone over. Perhaps there may [be] useful Hints in them. 854. TO THE MARQUIS DE CONDORCET1 DEAR SIR (P. C.) Passy, Oct. 12. 1777 I send you enclos'd the Letter you desire. But as I am apprehensive that the young Gentleman may have flattered himself with Expectations that are never likely to be answered in that Country, I wish he would consider it well before he undertakes such a Voyage. If he will take the Trouble of calling on me, perhaps I may afford him some useful Lights on the Subject. I have not yet seen in the Vol. of 1773 what you mention. I am glad to hear that Mad la Duchesse d'Enville and the amiable Family are well. With the greatest Esteem and Respect, Je suis Mon cher et illustre Confrere Your most obedient humble Servant B. FRANKLIN 1 From the original in the possession of Hon. Samuel W. Penny packer.- ED. P. S. I have read with the highest Pleasure your excellent Eloge de M. l'Hopital. I knew you before as a great Mathematician: I now consider you as one of the first among the Politicians of Europe. 855. TO DAVID HARTLEY' DEAR SIR, (D. S. W.) Passy, Oct. 14, 1777. I received duly your letter of May 2, 1777, including a copy of one you had sent me the year before, which never came to hand, and which it seems has been the case with some I wrote to you from America. Filled tho' our letters have always been with sentiments of good will to both countries, and earnest desires of preventing their ruin and promoting their mutual felicity, I have been apprehensive, that, if it were known that a correspondence subsisted between us, it might be attended with inconvenience to you. I have therefore been backward in writing, not caring to trust the post, and not well knowing whom else to trust with my letters. But being now assured of a safe convey 1 This letter miscarried, and exists only in a copy in D. S. W. David Hartley (1732-1813) was the son of David Hartley, the philosopher, after whom Coleridge named his eldest child. He was a B.A. of Corpus Christi, Oxford, and a fellow of Merton College. He represented Hull in Parliament, 1774 to 1780 and from 1782 to 1784. His intimate friendship with Franklin and his attachment to Lord Rockingham caused him to be elected to act as plenipotentiary in Paris, where he helped to draw up the treaty of peace between Great Britain and the United States. He eagerly sought to splinter the broken joint between Great Britain and the colonies, and deplored the folly and madness of the American war. Five large volumes of letters and other documents relating to the peace are now in the possession of Mrs. L. Z. Leiter, of Washington. — ED. |