establishing what is called a Rapport between any Person and a Somnambule, put it in the Power of that Person to direct the Actions of the Somnambule, by a simple strong Volition only, without Speaking or making any Signs; and many People daily flock to see this strange Operation!

Your last did not reach me till long after its Date. I have spent some Days in writing this. It is now the 2d of May, and I shall not be able to forward it till by Thursday's Post, the 5th Instant. If in the meantime I can learn anything respecting the Publication of your Book I will add it in a Postscript. Rejoice with me, my dear Friend, that I am once more a Freeman after Fifty Years Service in Public Affairs. And let me know soon if you will make me happy the little Remainder left me of my Life, by spending the Time with me in America.

I have Instruments if the Enemy did not destroy them all, and we will make Plenty of Experiments together.

Believe me ever,

Yours most affectionately

B. F.

SIR,

1560. TO COMTE DE VERGENNES (L. C.)

Passy, May 3, 1785.

I have the honour to acquaint your Excellency, that I have at length obtain'd, and yesterday receiv'd, the Permission of Congress to return to America. As my Malady makes it impracticable for me to pay my Devoirs at Versailles personally, may I beg the favour of you, Sir, to express respectfully for me to his Majesty, the deep Sense I have of

VOL. IX-Y

[Letter of Sept. 1. 83.] I immediately sent to Mr. Bartram our celebrated Botanist of Pennsylvania, the Orders of Count Chotck for a quantity of American Seeds. It came so late to me, that it was impossible it should arrive there in time to make the Collection of Seeds of the Year 1783, consequently it would be necessary to wait for those that would be ripe in the Autumn of 1784. But having then in hand a Box of Seeds obtain'd from him at the Request of some Friends here; I divided them, and Sent you some of each Sort. I delivered them to the Bishop Nekrep, who said he had a good Opportunity of forwarding them, and that he would do it with Pleasure. I thought you might oblige your Friend the Count with those for the present, as they would be in time for Planting in the Spring of 1784. But I never heard whether you receiv'd them. I had a Letter last Winter from my Son-in-law, Mr Bache, acquainting me that Mr. Bartram had brought the box of Seeds to him, which he should pay for; but that he was uncertain whether he ought to send it by way of Holland as ordered, the Newspapers having announc'd a War between the Emperor and that State, which might obstruct its passage to Vienna. I wrote to him in answer, that he should nevertheless comply with the Order, and immediately, lest the Seeds should arrive too late for planting this Season, so that I hope they may be now in Holland, tho' I have heard nothing further. I enclose a Copy of the List of those sent you, except some Deficiencys.

[Letter of Nov. 19. 83.] I thank you much for your good Wishes of Repose and Tranquility for me in my latter Years, and for your kind invitation to come and see you at Vienna. I have sufficient Inclination but my Malady the Stone, which for 20 Months past has disabled me from using a Carriage,

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is an insuperable Obstruction to such a Journey. I know we should be happy together, and therefore repeat my Proposition that you should ask Leave of the Emperor to let you come and live with me during the little Remainder of Life that is left me. I am confident his Goodness would grant your Request. You will be at no expence while with me in America; you will recover your Debt from Wharton, and you will make me happy. I am glad you received the Bill of 8000 Livres from him, which went thro' my Hands. I wish your Application of it in an East Indian Adventure may be more advantagious to you than your Adventure to the West.

I know not the Situation here of your Book, as I rarely see M. le Begue, he living much in the Country: but I am sorry for your sake as well as that of the Publick, that its Publication is so long delay'd.

As soon as I return to Philadelphia, I shall procure your Election as a Member of our Philosophical Society. I do not know any Choice that will do them more Honour.

As the American Newspapers seem to afford you Pleasure, I have sent you some more by the Baron de Windischgratz, who was so kind as to undertake the forwarding them to you. I gave him also two little Pieces of my Writing.

[Letter of Jan. 2. 84.] I imagine that I did answer this Letter before, tho' I find no Note of such Answer. I think I dissuaded you from being concern'd in any Project for raising a Balloon as if it should happen by any Accident not succeed, it might expose you to Ridicule, & hurt your Reputation. I was glad to hear that you declin'd it.

[Letter of Jan. 14. 84.] I receiv'd this Letter, said to be sent by the Countess de Fries. I should have been glad

of any Opportunity of showing Civility to a Friend of yours, and of so amiable a Character.

[Letter of Feb. 10. 84.] The Prelate of Nekrep appear'd a very good sort of Man. I show'd him all the Respect in my Power. I think I must have written to you by him, but I do not find any Copy of the Letter, and remember nothing of the Contents. My Memory is indeed sensibly impaired. I was sorry to hear of his Death.

I do not know that my Contrivance of a Clock with 3 Wheels only, which show'd Hours, Minutes and Seconds, has ever been publish'd. I have seen several of them here at Paris that were made by Mr. Whitehurst, and sent over I believe by Mr. Magellan. You are welcome to do what you please with it. Mr. Whitehurst's Invention is very simple, and should be very effectual, provided the foot of the Rod and the Situation of the Clock are invariably fix'd, so as never to be at a greater or less Distance from one another, which may be by fixing both in a strait-grain'd Piece of Wood of about 4 feet long; Wood not changing its Dimensions the lengthway of the Grain, by any common degree of Heat or Cold. But this cannot be trusted to the Wood of a Clock-Case, because in Sawing Boards the Grain is frequently cross'd, and Moisture and Dryness will change their Dimensions.

You are at liberty also to publish if you think fit the Experiment of the Globe floating between two Liquors. I suppose you remember to have seen it on my Chimney-piece. Tho' it is a matter of no Utility. Something of the same nature has been done more than 100 Years since by another Person, I forget who.

What I formerly mention'd to you of hanging a Weight on a spiral Spring, to discover if Bodies gravitated differently

to the Earth during the Conjunctions of the Sun and Moon, compar'd with other Times, was this. We suppose, that, by the Force of Gravity in those Luminaries, the Water of the Ocean, an immense Weight, is elevated so as to form the Tides; if that be so, might we not expect, that an iron Ball of a pound suspended by a fine spiral Spring, should, when the Sun and Moon are together both above it, be a little attracted upwards or rendered lighter, so as to be drawn up a little by the Spring on which it depends, and the contrary when they are both below it. The Quantity, tho' very small, might perhaps be rendred visible by a Contrivance like the above. It is not difficult to make this Experiment, but I have never made it. With regard to the Tides, I doubt the Opinion of there being but two High Waters and two Low Waters existing at the same time on the Globe. I rather think there are many, and those at the Distance of about 100 Leagues. from each other. The Tides found in the River Amazones seem to favour this Opinion. Observations hereafter in the Isles of the Pacific Ocean may confirm or refute it.

If I were in a Situation where I could be a little more Master of my Time, I would as you desire, write my Ideas on the Subject of Chimneys. They might I think be useful. For by what I see everywhere the Subject seems too little understood, which occasions much Inconvenience & fruitless Expence. But besides being harass'd with too much Business, I am expos'd to numberless Visits, some of Kindness and Civility, many of mere idle Curiosity, from Strangers of America & of different Parts of Europe, as well as the Inhabitants of the Provinces who come to Paris. These devour my Hours, and break my Attention, and at Night I often find myself fatigu'd without having done any thing. Celebrity