FROM DAVID HUME TO B. FRANKLIN.

On the Prejudices against his Writings.

DEAR SIR,

Edinburgh, 7 February, 1772.

I was very glad to hear of your safe arrival in London, after being exposed to as many perils as St. Paul, by land and by water, though to no perils among false brethren; for the good wishes of all your brother philosophers in this place, attend you heartily and sin

ficulties; and the contributors will have the glorious satisfaction of having procured an inestimable advantage to their country."

* London, 3 June, 1772.--I have at length purchased Stringfellow's right for you, or for you and Mr. James, as you settle it between you. As it was he that immediately recommended the business to me, I have sent the writings to him by this packet. The rights cost £110, and the charges were £5 15 6. There is a letter of the Proprietary to Mr. Tilghman, which it is supposed will remove all difficulties in the office, and I hope the purchase will prove advantageous. Be so god as to acquaint the Silk Committee, to whom I wrote fully by the last packet, that I have since received the bounty from Boydell the broker. The whole sum from government was £35 19 6; the charges were £5 11 6; so the net sum received by me was £300. This, with the £121 5 0, which I am to receive on the 10th instart, will make the whole £ 152 13 0, subject to the orders of the Committee,” * London, 2 December, 1772. – 1 received your favor of October 21st, with the bill enclosed, drawn on me by order of the managers for promoting the culture of milk, for £ 132 0.9, in favor of James & Drinker and yourself, and am glad the purchase I made was satisfactory. As Lum num exceeds my disbursement, the overplus will wait your orders; and particularly I wish to have directions what I am to pay Mr. Whee'er for his diligence and trouble in the transaction, which really was considerable."

In a letter to his wife he says; "The Silk Committee were so good as to make me a present of four pounds of raw silk. I have had it worked up, with some addition of the same kind of silk, into a French grey ducape, which is a fashionable color, either for old or young women. i therefore send it as a present to you and Silly, understanding there is enough to make each of you a negligée. If you should rather incline to sell it, it is valued here at six shilings and sixpence a yard; but I hope you will wear it.”—July 15th, 1773,

cerely, together with much regret that your business would not allow you to pass more time among them.

Brother Lin expects to see you soon, before he takes his little trip round the world. You have heard, no doubt, of that project. The circumstances of the affair could not be more honorable for him, nor could the honor be conferred on one, who deserves it more.

I really believe, with the French author of whom you have favored me with an extract, that the circumstance of my being a Scotchman has been a considerable objection to me. So factious is this country! I expected, in entering on my literary course, that all the Christians, all the whigs, and all the tories, should be my enemies. But it is hard that all the English, Irish, and Welsh, should be also against me. The Scotch likewise cannot be much my friends, as no man is a prophet in his own country. However, it is some consolation that I can bear up my head under all this prejudice. I fancy that I must have recourse to America for justice. You told me, I think, that your countrymen in that part of the world intended to do me the honor of giving an edition of my writings, and you promised that you should recommend to them to follow the last edition, which is in the press. I now use the freedom of reminding you of it.

Pray make my compliments to Sir John Pringle, and tell him how much I wish for his company; and be so good as to give him a description of the house I reserve for him in this Square. If you really go over to America, we hope you will not grudge us Sir John as a legacy. I am, dear Sir, with great truth and regard, your most obedient humble servant, DAVID HUME.

TO THOMAS CUSHING.

Little done in Parliament relating to America. - Lord Hillsborough.-Agents in England unnecessary, unless received on a different Footing.

SIR,

London, 13 April, 1772.

I wrote to you in January last a long letter, by Meyrick, and at the same time wrote to the Committee, since which I have received no line from any one in Boston, nor has Mr. Bollan yet received the answer we wait for, respecting the eastern settlements on the crown land.

The Parliament has been employed in the royal marriage bill, and other business; nothing of importance relating to America has been mentioned hitherto during the session, and it is thought that India affairs will fill up the remainder of the time, to the prorogati..n. I have not met with Lord Hillsborough since my return from Ireland, seeing no use at present in attending his levees. The papers mentioned his intention of moving something in the House of Lords relating to America, but I cannot learn there was any truth in it.

It is my present purpose to return home this summer, in which case, I suppose I am to leave your business and papers in the hands of Mr. Lee, which I shall do, if I do not receive other directions.

Upon the present plan here of admitting no agent, but such as governors shall approve of, from year to year, and of course none but such as the ministry ap proves of, I do not conceive that agents can be of much use to you; and, therefore, I suppose you would rather decline appointing any. In my opinion, they

have at all times been of full as much service to government here, as to the colonies from whence they come, and might still be so, if properly attended to, in preventing, by their better information, those disgraceful blunders of government, that arise from its ignorance of our situation, circumstances, abilities, temper, &c., such as the Stamp Act, which too would have been prevented, if the agents had been regarded. Therefore I should think, that, if agents can be allowed here on no other footing than is now proposed, we should omit sending any, and leave the crown, when it wants our aids, or would transact business with us, to send its minister to the colonies.

Be pleased to present my respects to the Committee, and duty to the Assembly, and believe me, with sincere esteem, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

TO MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN.

MY DEAR CHILD,

London, 5 May, 1772.

I received your kind letter of March 2d, and am glad to hear that the ship from Ireland is got safe into Antigua. I hope you will now get the little token I sent you from thence. I have not received the letter you mention to have given the young Scotchman, nor that from Mr. Craige.

I am sorry for the disorder that has fallen on our friend Kinnersley, but hope he will get the better of it. I thank you for your advice about putting back a fit of the gout. I shall never attempt such a thing. Indeed I have not much occasion to complain of the gout, having had but two slight fits since I came last to England. I hope Mr. Bache is with you and his

family by this time, as he sailed from the Downs the latter end of February. My love to him and Sally, and young master, who, I suppose, is master of the house. Tell him, that Billy Hewson is as much thought of here as he can be there; was weaned last Saturday; loves music; comes to see his grandmother; and will be lifted up to knock at the door himself, as he has done while I was writing this at the request of Mrs. Stevenson, who sends her love, as Sally does her duty. Thanks to God, I continue well, and am, as ever, your affectionate husband,

B. FRANKLIN.*

TO MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN.

Journey to the North of England.

MY DEAR CHILD,

London, 14 July, 1772.

I am just returned from a journey of near a month, which has given a new spring to my health and spirits. I did not get home in time to write by Osborne, but shall write fully to my friends in general by Captain All, who sails about the end of the week.

He wrote the same day to another correspondent; "The session of Parament has been a quiet one, and now draws near a conclusion. Opposition has made no figure, and Lord North manages ably. Peace as negotiating between the Turks and Russians; and miserable Poland is in a fair way of being pacified too, if the entrance of more standing arm.es into it can produce peace. There is no appearance of any other war likely to arise in Europe, and thence a prospect of lessening conmderably the national debt. I continue well. Sir John Pringle has proposed to me a journey for this summer to Switzerland. But I have not resolved upon it, and I believe I shall not. I am balancing upon a wish of visiting at least, if not returning for good and all (as the parase is) to America. If I do not do that, I shall spend the summer with some or other of those friends, who have invited me to their country-houses."