1719. To Mrs. Collas. April 12, 1788 1720. To Madame Brillon. April 19, 1788 1721. To M. Le Veillard. April 22, 1788 . 1722. To Madame Helvétius. April 23, 1788 1723. To Joseph-Ignace Guillotin. May 4, 1788 1724. To the Princess Dashkow. May 7, 1788 1725. To Rev. John Lathrop. May 31, 1788 1726. To James Bowdoin. May 31, 1788 1727. To Mather Byles. June 1, 1788 1733. To Benjamin Chambers, and the other Gentlemen of Cham- bersburgh. September 20, 1788 . 1734. To the Duc de la Rochefoucauld. 1735. To Miss Flainville. October 23, 1788 1736. To Madame Lavoisier. October 23, 1788 1737. To Joseph-Ignace Guillotin. October 23, 1788 1747. To the Duc de la Rochefoucauld. November 13, 1788 1748. To Francis Childs. November 19, 1788 . 1749. To Mrs. Elizabeth Partridge. November 25, 1788 NO. 1755. To the Editor of the Federal Gazette: A Comparison of the PAGE Franklin's Mss. exist in several forms. He made a rough draft of every letter that he wrote; he then made a clean copy to send away, and often retained a letter-press copy. To indicate the state of the document, the following abbreviations are used: d. = draft, trans. = transcript, 1. p. letter-press copy. = 1384. TO GAETANO FILANGIERI1 (P. C.) Passy, January 11, 1783 The letter you did me the honour of writing to me in August last came to my hands when I lay ill of two painful disorders, which confined me near three months, and with the multiplicity of business that followed obliged me to postpone much of my correspondence. I have yesterday received a second letter from you, and I now, without further delay, sit down to answer them both. The two first volumes of your excellent work, which were put into my hands by M. Pio,' I perused with great pleasure. They are also much esteemed by some very judicious persons to whom I have lent them. I should have been glad of another copy for one of those friends, who is very desirous of procuring it; but I suppose those you mention to have sent to M. Pio did not arrive. I was glad to learn that you were proceeding to consider the criminal laws, None have more need of reformation. They are everywhere in so great dis 1 From "The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin " (1817), Vol. I, p. 121. Gaetano Filangieri (1752-1788), an eminent Italian publicist. The "excellent work" referred to above was "Scienza della Legislazione." The first two volumes were published in Naples in 1780. They made a great sensation, and gave Filangieri at once the foremost place among the publicists of Europe. The above letter was, in 1873, in the possession of Prince de Filangieri Satriano, a grandson of Gaetano Filangieri. — ED. 2 Chargé d'Affaires of the court of Naples. — ED. order, and so much injustice is committed in the execution of them, that I have been sometimes inclined to imagine less would exist in the world if there were no such laws, and the punishment of injuries were left to private resentment. I am glad, therefore, that you have not suffered yourself to be discouraged by any objections or apprehensions, and that we may soon expect the satisfaction of seeing the two volumes on that subject which you have now under the press.1 With regard to your project of removing to America, though I am sure that a person of your knowledge, just sentiments, and useful talents would be a valuable acquisition for our country, I cannot encourage you to undertake hastily such a voyage; because for a man to expatriate himself is a serious business, and should be well considered, especially where the distance is so great and the expense of removing thither with a family, of returning if the country should not suit you, will be so heavy. I have no orders or authority of any kind to encourage strangers with expectations of employment by our government, nor am I empowered to be at any expense in transporting them; though our country is open, and strangers may establish themselves there, where they soon become citizens and are respected according to their conduct. Men know, because they feel, the inconveniences of their present situation; but they do not know those that may, if they change, attend the new one. I wish, therefore, you could see that country by yourself before you carry thither the lady with whom you propose to be united in marriage. You will then be able to form a good judgment how far the removal 1 They were published in 1783. — Ed. 2 In 1783 Filangieri married Caroline de Frendel, governess of the infanta, the second daughter of the King of Naples. - ED. |