he should return impress'd with a high Idea of the Greatness and Power of our Ally, and thence be able to influence the Western Indians with Opinions proper to defeat the Insinuations of the English who are posted on those Frontiers.

With great Regards, I have the Honour to be, sir, your most obedient and most humble Servant,

I received the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 15th of March last, together with the printed Pieces that accompanied it. It gave me great Pleasure to find, that the Improvement of Science is attended to in a Country, where the Climate was suppos'd naturally to occasion Indolence, and an Unwillingness to take Pains except for immediate Profit. I am very sensible of the great Honour done me by the Society of Philadelphians,3 in naming me among their Associates; and I beg they would accept my thankful Acknowledgements, together with the second Volume of the Transactions of our Society here. I am much oblig'd by the favourable mention you were pleased to make of me in your excellent Discourse at the first Opening of your Assemblies. Your Account of the Cape, contains a Variety of Knowledge respecting it that we had not before, and many Particular Observations for preserving Health, that may be useful to our Northern

Secretary of Cercle des Philadelphes, Cap Française, Cape Haytien. — ED. 2 In A. P. S.- ED.

3 A society for the cultivation of Arts and Sciences in St. Domingo. — ED.

People who visit your Island. Wishing Success to the Labours of the Society, I have the honour to be,

SIRI received your Favour of the 23d past. I think with you that your Lecturing on the Language will be of great Use in preparing the Minds of People for the Improvements proposed, and therefore would not advise your omitting any of the Engagements you have made, for the sake of being here sooner than your Business requires that is, in September or October next. I shall then be glad to see and confer with you on the Subject, being with great Esteem, Sir, etc. B. FRANKLIN.

1648. TO FERDINAND GRAND" (L. C.)

Philadelphia, July 11, 1786.

SIR, I send you enclosed some letters, that have passed between the Secretary of Congress and me, respecting three million of Livres, acknowledged to have been received, before the Treaty of February 1778 as Don gratuit from the King, of which only Two Millions are found in your accounts; unless the

1 In A. P. S.-ED.

1 From the Jefferson Papers (L. C.). —ED.

million from the Farmers-General be one of the three. I have [been] assured, that all the money received from the King, whether as Loan or Gift, went through your hands; and as I always looked on the million we had of the Farmers-General to be distinct from what we had of the Crown, I wonder how I came to sign the Contract acknowledging three millions of gift, when, in reality, there was only two, exclusive of that from the Farmers; and as both you and I examined the project of the Contract before I signed it, I am surprised, that neither of us took notice of the error.

It is possible, that the million furnished ostensibly by the Farmers, was in fact a gift of the Crown, in which case, as Mr. Thomson observes, they owe us for the two Ship Loads of Tobacco, which they received on account of it. I most earnestly request of you to get this matter explained, that I may stand clear before I die, lest some enemy should afterwards accuse me of having received a million not accounted for. I am, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

1649. TO JOSEPH PRIESTLEY

MY DEAR FRIEND,

(L. C.)

Philad", July 29. 1786.

I received lately the 3d Volume of your Experiments and Observations relating to various Branches of Natural Philosophy, for which please to accept my Thanks. It contains a great deal of very curious & interesting Matter. I know of no Philosopher who starts so much good Game for the Hunters after Knowledge as you do. Go on and prosper. — Our Society will be much oblig'd by the Volume you have sent to

them, which shall be deliver'd at their next Meeting; and you will receive by Mr Vaughan the second Volume of their Transactions.

I forget whether it was by you or by D' Price that the Bearer Mr Nicklin was formerly recommended to me. He has married and settled among us, and is much esteemed here. I am, my dear Friend, with great Sincerity,

I could not let this Opportunity, by Mr Nicklin, pass without saluting you. I hope you continue well, as I do, my old Malady excepted, and that so useful a Life as yours will be long protracted. I repeat my Thanks to you for the Pamphlet you so kindly sent me. I should ere now have try'd the Remedy indicated in it, but my Glass Instrument for impregnating Liquors with fix'd Air, being lent into the Country, I have been kept in continual Expectation of its being return'd, and am hitherto disappointed; at which I have been the less uneasy, as the Pain has been tolerable generally, and I do not find that the Malady grows worse.

Our Philosophical Society think themselves honour'd by your Acceptance of their Diploma. You will receive by Mr Vaughan a second Volume of their Transactions.

I see there are mischievous Spirits at work, labouring to dis

1 From auto. draft in L. C. The original letter is in the possession of Walter Ashburner, Esq., of London. — ED.

VOL. IX-2 M

turb the Peace between our Countries, but I trust they will not succeed. We are improving daily in public Prudence and the true Knowledge of our essential Interests; and notwithstanding some political Errors hard to eradicate, I flatter myself that on the whole and in time we shall do very well: Indeed I think I see evident Marks of the favourable Hand of Providence in our Affairs: for even our own Blunders, and the Malice of our Enemies, are made to operate our Advantage. My best Wishes attend you and good MTM Price, being ever, my dear Friend

Yours most affectionately

B. FRANKLIN.

1651. TO BENJAMIN VAUGHAN

DEAR FRIEND,

(L. C.)

Philada, July 31, 1786.

I recollect, that, when I had the great Pleasure of seeing you at Southampton, now a 12month since, we had some Conversation on the bad Effects of Lead taken inwardly; and that at your Request I promis'd to send you in writing a particular Account of several Facts I then mention'd to you, of which you thought some good use might be made. I now sit down to fulfil that Promise.

The first Thing I remember of this kind was a general Discourse in Boston, when I was a Boy, of a Complaint from North Carolina against New England Rum, that it poison'd their People, giving them the Dry Bellyach, with a Loss of the Use of their Limbs. The Distilleries being examin'd on the Occasion, it was found that several of them used leaden Still-heads and Worms, and the Physicians were of Opinion,