have you come here at present. You may confide to your son the Family Affairs you wished to confer upon with me, for he is discreet. And I trust, that you will prudently avoid introducing him to Company, that it may be improper for him to be seen with. I shall hear from you by him and any letters to me afterwards, will come safe under Cover directed to Mr. Ferdinand Grand, Banker at Paris. Wishing you Health, and more Happiness than it seems you have lately experienced, I remain your affectionate father,

B. FRANKLIN.

1523. TO RICHARD PRICE

DEAR FRIEND,

(L. C.)

Passy, August 16, 1784.

I some time since answered your kind Letter of July 12, returning the Proof of Mr. Turgot's Letter, with the Permission of his Friends to print it. I hope it came safe to hand. I had before received yours of April 6,1 which gave me great Pleasure, as it acquainted me with your Welfare, and that of Dr. Priestley.

The Commencement here of the Art of Flying will, as you observe, be a new Epoch. The Construction and Manner of Filling the Balloons improves daily. Some of the Artists have lately gone to England. It will be well for your Philosophers to obtain from them what they know, or you will be behindhand; which in mechanic Operations is unusual for Englishmen.

I hope the Disagreements in our Royal Society are composed. Quarrels often disgrace both Sides; and Disputes 1 Both of these letters, April 6 and July 12, are in A. P. S. — ED.

even on small Matters often produce Quarrels for want of knowing how to differ decently; an Art which it is said scarce anybody possesses but yourself and Dr. Priestley.

I had indeed Thoughts of visiting England once more, and of enjoying the great Pleasure of seeing again my Friends there; but my Malady, otherwise tolerable, is I find irritated by Motion in a Carriage and I fear the Consequence of such a Journey; yet I am not quite resolv'd against it. I often think of the agreable Evenings I used to pass with that excellent Collection of good Men, the Club at the London, and wish to be again among them. Perhaps I may pop in some Thursday evening when they least expect me. You may well believe it very pleasing to me to have Dr. Priestley associated with me among the Foreign Members of the Academy of Sciences. I had mention'd him upon every Vacancy, that has happen'd since my Residence here, and the Place has never been bestow'd more worthily.

When you wrote the Letter I am now answering, your Nation was involv'd in the Confusion of your new Election. When I think of your present crazy Constitution and its Diseases, I imagine the enormous Emoluments of Place to be among the greatest; and, while they exist, I doubt whether even the Reform of your Representation will cure the Evils constantly arising from your perpetual Factions. As it seems to be a settled Point at present, that the Minister must govern the Parliament, who are to do every thing he would have done; and he is to bribe them to do this, and the People are to furnish the Money to pay these Bribes; the Parliament appears to me a very expensive Machine for Government, and I apprehend the People will find out in time, that they may as well be governed, and that it will be much cheaper

to be governed, by the Minister alone; no Parliament being preferable to the present.

Your Newspapers are full of fictitious Accounts of Distractions in America. We know nothing of them. Mr. Jefferson, just arrived here, after a Journey thro' all the States from Virginia to Boston, assures me, that all is quiet, a general Tranquility reigns, and the People well satisfy'd with their present Forms of Government, a few insignificant Persons only excepted. These Accounts are I suppose intended as consolatory, and to discourage Emigrations. I think with you, that our Revolution is an important Event for the Advantage of Mankind in general. It is to be hoped that the Lights we enjoy, which the ancient Governments in their first Establishment could not have, may preserve us from their Errors. In this the Advice of wise Friends may do us much good, and I am sure that which you have been so kind as to offer us will be of great Service.

1

Mr. Jay is gone to America; but Mr. Adams is just arriv'd here, and I shall acquaint him with your remembrance of him. Poor Paradise 1 whom you mention I respect and pity. But there is no helping him. He seems calculated by Nature for Unhappiness and will be equally miserable whether with or without his wife, having no firmness of Mind. I doubt his

2

1 John Paradise (1743-1795), born at Salonica (Macedonia), son of the English consul at that place, was an extraordinary linguist and one of Dr. Johnson's friends and a mourner at his funeral. — Ed.

2 Paradise married "a beautiful and lively American" whose ungovernable temper was the talk of the town. See Fanny Burney, "Diary and Letters," Vol. II, pp. 116-122. The property in Virginia was hers and she retired there after her husband's death. Price wrote to Franklin, "the folly, illtemper and extravagance of his [Paradise's] wife produced for some weeks a Separation between him and her, and made him one of the most unhappy men I ever saw."- ED.

Property in Virginia may suffer by his Irresolution. Many Thanks for your kind Wishes respecting my Health and Happiness, which I return fourfold, being ever with the sincerest Esteem, my dear Friend, yours most affectionately

B. FRANKLIN.

1524. TO BENJAMIN WEST1

DEAR SIR,

(P. C.)

Passy, Aug. 17, 1784.

I forget whether I answered in its time your kind letter by Mr. Dagge. I have it now before me, and there will be no harm in answering it twice. It gave me great Pleasure, as it inform'd me of the Welfare of a Family I so much esteem and love, and that my Godson is a promising Boy. I wish much to see you all once more. The Malady I have, tho' otherwise tolerable, prevents my using a Carriage, and so discourages the Journey. If I grow better, and I do think I am mending, possibly I may undertake it before I go to America. You can tell me whether my Appearance in London may not be offensive to some whom I ought not and do not desire to offend any farther. I am glad to hear that Mr. and Mrs. Aufrere are well, and preserve me in their kind Remembrance. They are Persons that I very much esteem and respect. They had an amiable Daughter who was married before I left England. Is she well, and has she Children? This will be delivered to you by my Grandson who respects

1 From the original in the autograph collection of Mr. John Boyd Thacher. ED.

2 Anthony Aufrere of Hoveton Hall, Norfolk, who married Anna, only daughter of John Norris of Witton in Norfolk, and sister of John Norris, founder of the Norrisian professorship at Cambridge. — ED.

VOL. IX-S

you infinitely. My Love to Raphael and my Godson. I shall be glad to see Raphael1 here, and would have him come at the Time of the Salon. Embrace Betsey' for me most affectionately, and believe me ever, my dear Friend,

I received lately the very valuable Voyage of the late Captain Cook, kindly sent to me by your Lordship in consideration of my Good-will in issuing Orders towards the protection of that illustrious Discoverer from any Interruption in his Return home by American Cruisers. The Reward vastly exceeds the small Merit of the Action, which was no more than a Duty to Mankind. I am very sensible of his Majesty's Goodness in permitting this Favour to me, and I desire that my thankful acknowledgements may be accepted. With great Respect, I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and most humble servant,

B. FRANKLIN.

1 Raphael Lamar West (1769-1850), the elder of Benjamin West's two sons.-ED.

2 Mrs. West, née Elizabeth Shewell. - ED.

3 A gold medal was struck by order of the Royal Society, with particular reference to the protection afforded to Captain Cook's vessels by the Emperor of Russia and the King of France. The Society bestowed upon Dr. Franklin a compliment similar to the King's, by presenting to him one of these medals. - S.