Care by M. le Comte de Vergennes, viz. one respecting a Claim of Messi'rs Fosters, of Bordeaux, one of M. Pecquet, and one of M. Bayard. The Congress will take such Notice of them as they shall think proper. With great Esteem and Respect, I have the Honour to be, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1441. TO RICHARD PRICE (L. C.) Passy, Near Paris, Sept. 16, 1783. MY DEAR FRIEND:- Having this Opportunity by Mr. Bingham,' who has the Honour of being known to you, I seize it to thank you for your excellent Book, and other Favours, and to let you know that I continue well, except a little Gout, which perhaps is no more a disease than a Remedy. Mr. Petrie inform'd me of your being also well with Mrs. Price lately at Brighthelmstone, which gave me great Pleasure: Please to present my affectionate Respects to that good Lady. All the Conversation here at present turns upon the Balloons fill'd with light inflammable Air, and the means of managing them, so to give men the Advantage of Flying. One is to be let off on Friday next at Versailles, which it is said will be able to carry up 1000 pounds' weight - I know not whether inclusive or exclusive of its own. I have sent an Account of the former to Sir Joseph Banks, our President, and shall be glad to hear if the Experiment is repeated with Success in England. Please to forward him the enclos'd Print. 1 U. S. Commercial agent at Martinique. — ED. Inflammable Air puts me in mind of a little jocular Paper I wrote some years since in ridicule of a prize Question given out by a certain Academy on this side the Water, and I enclose it for your Amusement. On second Thoughts, as it is a mathematical Question, and perhaps I think it more trifling than it really is, and you are a Mathematician, I am afraid I have judg'd wrong in sending it to you. Our Friend, Dr. Priestly, however, who is apt to give himself Airs, and has a kind of Right to every thing his Friends produce upon that Subject, may perhaps like to see it, and you can send it to him without reading it.' We have at length sign'd our preliminary Articles as definitive. All the Additions we have been so long discussing, being referr'd to a future Treaty of Commerce. I have now a little Leisure, and long to see and be merry with the Club, but I doubt I cannot undertake the Journey before Spring. Adieu, and believe me ever, my dear Friend, yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN. They make small Balloons now of the same material with what is called Gold-beater's Leaf. Inclos'd I send one, which being fill'd with inflammable Air by my Grandson, went up last Night, to the Cieling in my Chamber, and remained rolling about there for some time. Please give it also to Sir Joseph Banks. If a Man should go up with one of the large ones, might there not be some mechanical Contrivance to compress the Globe at pleasure; and thereby incline it to descend, and let it expand when he inclines to rise again? 1 In reference to Franklin's bagatelle upon "Perfumes." Dr. Price replied: "Mr. Dagge bro't me your paper on a mathematical prize question, proposed by the Royal Academy of B[russels]. I convey'd this to Dr. Priestley, and we have been entertained with the pleasantry of it, and the ridicule it contains." — ED. SIR, 1442. TO ELIAS BOUDINOT (D. S. W.) Passy, September 27, 1783. Mr. Thaxter, late Secretary of Mr. Adams, who is charged with all our Dispatches, that were intended to go by the French packet Boat, writes from L'Orient, that tho' he arrived there two days before the time appointed for her Sailing, he missed reaching her by four hours; but another light Vessel was fitting, and would sail the 21st Instant, in which he hoped to arrive at New York nearly as soon as the Packet. We shall send Duplicates by the next from hence. In the mean time I inclose a printed Copy of the definitive Treaty, which I hear is ratified. Indeed we have the Ratification of the Preliminaries. Mr. Hartley, when he left us, expected to return in three weeks, in order to proceed with us in forming a Treaty of Commerce. The new Commission that was intended for us is not yet come to hand. With great Respect, I have the honour to be, Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1443. FROM MAXIMILIEN-MARIE-ISIDORE ROBESPIERRE TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 1 (U. OF P.) MONSIEUR Une sentence de proscription rendue par les échevins de St. Omer contre les conducteurs électriques m'a présenté l'occasion de plaider au conseil d'Artois la cause d'une découverte sublime, dont le genre humain vous est redevable. Le désir de contribuer a déraciner les préjugés qui s'opposoient à ses progrès dans notre province m'a porté à faire imprimer le plaidoyer que j'ai prononcé dans cette affaire. J'ose espirer, Monsieur, que vous daignerer recevoir avec bonté un exemplaire de cet ouvrage, dont l'objet étoit d'engager mes concitoiens à accepter un de vos bienfaits; heureux d'avoir pu être utile à mon pays, en déterminant ses premiers magistrats à accueillir cette importante découverte; plus heureux encore si je puis joindre à cet avantage l'honneur d'obtenir le suffrage d'un homme dont le moindre mérite est d'être le plus illustre sçavant de l'univers. I have just received your very kind letter of the 16th past. I rejoice sincerely to hear of your safe return to your own country, family, and friends, and of the success of your election. It is a pleasing reflection, arising from the contemplation of our successful struggle, and the manly, spirited, and unanimous resolves at Dungannon, that liberty, which some years since appeared in danger of extinction, is now regaining the ground she had lost, that arbitrary governments are likely to become more mild and reasonable, and to expire by degrees, giving place to more equitable forms; one of the effects this of the art of printing, which diffuses so general a light, augmenting with the growing day, and of so penetrating a nature, that all the window-shutters despotism and priestcraft can oppose to keep it out, prove insufficient. In answer to your question respecting what may be neces 1 From "The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin," Vol. I, P. 454.- ED. sary to fix a trade between Ireland and America, I may acquaint you between ourselves, that there is some truth in the report you may have heard, of our desiring to know of Mr. Hartley whether he was empowered or instructed to include Ireland in the treaty of commerce proposed to us, and of his sending for instructions on that head, which never arrived. That treaty is yet open, may possibly be soon resumed; and it seems proper, that something should be contained in it to prevent the doubts and misunderstandings that may hereafter arise on the subject, and secure to Ireland the same advantages in trade that England may obtain. You can best judge whether some law or resolution of your Parliament may not be of use towards gaining that point. My grandson joins me in wishes of every kind of felicity for you, Lady Newenham, and all your amiable family. God bless you, and give success to your constant endeavours for the welfare of your country. With true and great respect and esteem, I have the honour to be, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1445. TO THOMAS BRAND HOLLIS1 SIR, (L. C.) Passy, near Paris, Octo2 5, 1783. I received but lately (tho' sent in June) your most valuable present of the Memoirs of Thomas Hollis, Esq', who was truly, as you describe him in your letter, "a good Citizen of the World, and a faithful Friend of America." America, 1 Thomas Brand, upon inheriting the property of Thomas Hollis, assumed the name of Hollis. The Memoirs of Thomas Hollis were published by Francis Blackburne (1780). — ED. |