I have never considered attentively the Congress scheme for coining, and I have it not now at hand, so that at present I can say nothing to it. The chief uses of coining seem to be the ascertaining the fineness of the metals, and saving the time that would otherwise be spent in weighing to ascertain the quality. But the convenience of fixed values to pieces is so great, as to force the currency of some whose stamp is worn off, that should have assured their fineness, and which are evidently not of half their due weight; the case at present with the sixpences in England, which, one with another, do not weigh threepence.

You are now seventy-eight, and I am eighty-two; you tread fast upon my heels; but, though you have more strength and spirit, you cannot come up with me till I stop, which must now be soon; for I am grown so old as to have buried most of the friends of my youth, and I now often hear persons whom I knew when children, called old Mr. such-a-one, to distinguish them from their sons now men grown and in business; so that, by living twelve years beyond David's period, I seem to have intruded myself into the company of posterity, when I ought to have been abed and asleep. Yet, had I gone at seventy, it would have cut off twelve of the most active years of my life, employed too in matters of the greatest importance; but whether I have been doing good or mischief is for time to discover. I only know that I intended well, and I hope all will end well.

Be so good as to present my affectionate respects to Dr. Riley. I am under great obligations to him,

MCCCCL

TO ALEXANDER SMALL

PHILADELPHIA, 19 February, 1787.

DEAR FRIEND:-I received your favor of June last, and thank you for the kind congratulations contained in it. What you have heard of my malady is true—“that it does not grow worse." Thanks be to God, I still enjoy pleasure in the society of my friends and books, and much more in the prosperity of my country, concerning which your people are continually deceiving themselves.

I am glad the improvement of the Book of Common Prayer has met with your approbation and that of good Mrs. Baldwin. It is not yet, that I know of, received in public practice anywhere; but as it is said that good motions never die, perhaps in time it may be found useful.

I read with pleasure the account you gave of the flourishing state of your commerce and manufactures and of the plenty you have of resources to carry the nation through all its difficulties. You have one of the finest countries in the world, and if you can be cured of the folly of making war for trade (in which wars more has been always expended than the profits of any trade can compensate), you may make it one of the happiest. Make the best of your own natural advantages, instead of endeavoring to diminish those of other nations, and there is no doubt but that you may yet prosper and flourish. Your beginning to consider France no longer as a natural enemy is a mark of progress in the good sense of the nation, of

July 26, and October 9, 1786. Such has been my continual occupation in public and private business, having the building of three houses upon my hands, that I had no time left for philosophical correspondence. I now take up my pen with the honest resolution of paying off some of my debts.

You mention that M. de Buffon avoit des douleurs semblables aux miennes. I sympathize with him. Let me know in your next how he does. I do not understand these dispensations of Providence, though probably they are for the best. But it seems to me that if you or I had the disposition of good and evil in this world, so excellent a man would not have an hour's pain during his existence.

Your account of the progress made in the art of ballooning, by the acquisition of a tight enveloppe and the means of descending and rising without throwing out ballast, or letting out air, is very pleasing. I am sorry the artists at Javelle do not continue their experiments. I always thought they were in the likeliest way of making improvements, as they were remote from interruption in their experiments. I have sometimes wished I had brought with me from France a balloon sufficiently large to raise me from the ground. In my malady it would have been the most easy carriage for me, being led by a string held by a man walking on the ground. I should be glad to have Mr. Meunier's work. Pray let Mr. Grand know where he may buy it for

me.

It gives me pleasure to hear of the success attending the conductors at Brest and at Dijon. Time will

VOL. XI.-21.

MCCCCLXVI

TO MRS. JANE MECOM

PHILADELPHIA, 30 May, 1787.

DEAR SISTER:-In your letter of March 9th, you mention that you wanted to know all about my buildings. To the east end of my dwelling-house I have made an addition of 16 feet wide and 33 feet long, that is the whole length of the old house, so that the front and back of the old and new building range even, and the row of windows, eaves, and roof are continued so as to appear but one building. By this addition I have gained a large cellar for wood, a drawing-room or dining-room on the same level with our old dining-room, in which new room we can dine a company of 24 persons, it being 16 feet wide and 30 long; and it has two windows at each end, the north and south, which will make it an airy summer room; and for winter there is a good chimney in the middle, made handsome with marble slabs. Over this room is my library, of the same dimensions, with like windows at each end, and lined with books to the ceiling. Over this are two lodging-rooms; and over all a fine garret. The way into the lower room is out of the entry passing by the foot of the stairs. Into the library I go through one of the closets of the old drawing-room or bedchamber. And into the two new rooms above, through a passage cut off from the nursery. All these rooms are now finished and inhabited, very much to the convenience of the family, who were before too much crowded.

The two new houses next the street are three stories high, besides the garrets, and an arched passage is left in the middle between them to come through down to my dwelling, wide enough for a carriage; so that I have the old passage lot left free to build another house. The two houses are 24 feet front each, and 45 deep. We are all well, and join in love to you and yours. I am ever your affectionate brother.

MCCCCLXVII

FROM THOMAS PAINE

B. FRANKLIN.

PARIS, 22 June, 1787.

MY DEAR SIR:-We left New York on the 26th of April, and arrived at Havre de Grâce on the 26th of May. I set off in company with M. Gernon, a French gentleman, passenger from America, for Paris. I stayed one day at Rouen to take a view of the place from whence the kings of England date their origin. There are yet some remains of the palaces of the dukes of Normandy; but the Parliament House has such a resemblance to Westminster Hall, I mean the great hall as you enter, that, had I not known I had been in Normandy, I might have supposed myself at London. The breadth of the room is nearly seventy feet, and the roof is constructed exactly in the manner of that at Westminster. The country from Havre to Rouen is the richest I ever saw. The crops are abundant, and the cultivation in nice and beautiful order. Every thing appeared

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