without any uncommon Misfortune, the greater part of it in Health and Vigor of Mind and Body, near Fifty Years of it in continu'd Possession of the Confidence of my Country, in public Employments, and enjoying the Esteem and affectionate, friendly Regard of many wise and good Men and Women, in every Country where I have resided. For these Mercies and Blessings I desire to be thankful to God, whose Protection I have hitherto had, and I hope for its Continuance to the End, which now cannot be far distant. The Account you give me of your Family is pleasing, except that your eldest Son continues so long unmarried. I hope he does not intend to live and die in Celibacy. The Wheel of Life, that has roll'd down to him from Adam without Interruption, should not stop with him. I would not have one dead unbearing Branch in the Genealogical Tree of the Sargents. The married State is, after all our Jokes, the happiest, being conformable to our Natures. Man & Woman have each of them Qualities & Tempers, in which the other is deficient, and which in Union contribute to the common Felicity. Single and separate, they are not the compleat human Being; they are like the odd Halves of Scissors; they cannot answer the End of their Formation. I am concern'd at the Losses you have suffer'd by the War. You are still young and active enough to retrieve them, and Peace, I hope, will afford the Opportunity. You mention nothing of my good friend Mrs. Deane, or her amiable Sisters, whom I sometimes saw with you, nor of Mr. Chambers. I hope they are all well & happy. Present my Respects to Mrs. Sargent, whom I love very much, and believe me ever, my dear Friend, yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN. 1392. TO CHARLES W. F. DUMAS 1 Passy, February 17, 1783 DEAR SIR: - It is a long time since I have had the pleasure of hearing from you. I hope, however, that you and yours continue well. 2 The bearers, Mr. President Wheelock and his brother, go to Holland on a public-spirited design, which you will find recommended by many eminent persons in America. I beg leave to request for these gentlemen your civilities and best counsels, as they will be entire strangers in your country. With great esteem, I am ever, dear sir, your faithful, humble servant, B. FRANKLIN. 1393. TO JOHN COAKLEY LETTSOM' DEAR SIR, Passy, March 6, 1783. I received your favour of September last. It found me labouring under a painful disorder, which continued long, and 1 From "The Complete Works of Benjamin Franklin” (Bigelow), Vol. VIII, p. 258. - ED. -- 2 To procure money for Dartmouth College. Jonathan Trumbull wrote to Franklin, November 9, 1782 (A. P. S.), reminding him "of the circumstances of the first institution of the University of Dartmouth in the State of New Hampshire, that the late venerable D' Wheelock was indefatigable in his endeavours to civilise and christianize the Indian natives, and to promote humanity, literature and piety, and for that end sought and obtained benefactions in London; . . . the Doctor's worthy son, the honorable John Wheelock Esq" is now the President, and in imitation of his father's virtues, and to bring to perfection the institution so happily begun and prospered, is intrusted and authorized by its Trustees to sollicite benefactions in France and Holland to compleat that laudable beneficial & liberal undertaking." — Ed. 3 First published by Sparks (Vol. IX, p. 493). Dr. Lettsom (1744-1815), put me much behind hand in my correspondence. I thank you for the valuable publications that accompanied it, particularly those of your own composition, which I read with pleasure. Our late excellent friend 1 was always proposing something for the good of mankind. You will find instances of this in one of his letters which I enclose, the only one I can at present lay my hand on. I have some very valuable ones in America, if they are not lost in the late confusions. You will be so kind as to return it to me, after having extracted from it what you may think proper. Just before I left England, he, in conjunction with Mr. Barclay and myself, laboured hard to prevent the coming war, but our endeavours were fruitless. This transaction is alluded to in the paragraph that begins at the bottom of the first page. If we may estimate the goodness of a man by his disposition to do good, and his constant endeavours and success in doing it, I can hardly conceive that a better man has ever existed. 2 I desire to be considered as a subscriber, if there is a subscription, for two sets of his works, which I will pay for on demand. With great esteem, I am, Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. an eminent physician, came of a Quaker family of Cheshire origin. He was one of the founders (1770) of the General Dispensary and of the Medical Society of London, and participated in many other philanthropic projects. He published a "Life of John Fothergill," his patron, in 1783. — ED. 1 Dr. John Fothergill. - ED. 2 The works of Dr. John Fothergill, edited by J. C. Lettsom, 3 volumes, 8vo, 1783.-ED. 1394. TO ROBERT MORRIS1 DEAR SIR, Passy, March 7, 1783. With this I send you a copy of the last contract I made with this court, respecting the late loan of six millions, the terms of the loan, and the times of repayment. It was impossible for me to obtain more, and, indeed, considering the state of finances and expenses here, I wonder I have obtained so much. You will see by the enclosed Gazette, that the government is obliged to stop payment for a year of its own bills of exchange, drawn in America and the East Indies; yet it has advanced six millions to save the credit of ours. You will, I am sure, do all in your power to avoid drawing beyond your funds here; for I am absolutely assured, that no farther aid for this year is to be expected; and it will not be strange, that they should suffer your bills to take the same fate with their own. You will also see in the contract fresh marks of the King's goodness towards us, in giving so long a term for payment, and forgiving the first year's interest. I hope the ravings of a certain mischievous madman' here against France and its ministers, which I hear of every day, will not be regarded in America, so as to diminish in the least the happy union that has hitherto subsisted between the two nations, and which is indeed the solid foundation of our present importance in Europe. With great esteem, I am ever, dear Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1 First published by Sparks (Vol. IX, p. 494). — ED. VOL. IX-C 1395. TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON SIR, (D. S. W.) Paris, March 7, 1783. I but this moment hear of this Opportunity, by which I can only send you a line to acquaint you, that I have concluded the Treaty with Sweden, which was signed on Wednesday last. You will have a Copy by the first good Opportunity. It differs very little from the plan sent me; in nothing material.' The English Court is in confusion by another change of Ministry, Lord Shelburne and his friends having resigned; but it is not yet certainly known who will succeed, tho' Lord North and Mr. Fox are talked of as two, they being reconciled! I cannot add, but that I am, with great Esteem, Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. P. S. The Change in the Ministry is not supposed of any Importance respecting our definitive Treaty, which must conform to the Preliminaries; but we shall see. 1396. TO COMTE DE VERGENNES (P. A. E. E. U.) Passy, March 9, 1783. SIR, Mr. Barclay, our consul-general, waits upon your Excellency with a complaint of a gross affront and injury offered to the Congress of the United States, at L'Orient, by some English merchants residing at Bourdeaux, to which I 1 This treaty is printed in the public Journals of Congress, Vol. IV, p. 241, under the date of July 29, 1783. — ED. |