you have made the provision against the winter, which I mentioned to you. Your bill is honoured. It is impossible for me always to guess what you may want, and I hope, therefore, that you will never be shy in letting me know wherein I can help to make your life more comfortable.

It was my intention to decline serving another year as President, that I might be at liberty to take a trip to Boston in the spring: but I submit to the unanimous voice of my country, which has again placed me in the chair. I have now been upwards of fifty years employed in public offices. When I informed your good friend Dr. Cooper, that I was ordered to France, being then seventy years old, and observed, that the public, having as it were eaten my flesh, seemed now resolved to pick my bones, he replied that he approved their taste, for that the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat. I must own, that it is no small pleasure to me, and I suppose it will give my sister pleasure, that, after such a long trial of me, I should be elected a third time by my fellow citizens, without a dissenting vote but my own, to fill the most honourable post in their power to bestow. This universal and unbounded confidence of a whole people flatters my vanity much more than a peerage could do.

"Hung o'er with ribands and stuck round with strings,"

may give nominal, but not real honours.

This family are all well, as I also am, thanks to God. We join in best wishes for you and yours. And I am ever, my dear sister, your affectionate brother,

B. FRANKLIN.

1706. TO COMTE DE BUFFON1

DEAR SIR,

(L. C.)

Philada, Nov. 19, 1787.

I am honour'd by your Letter,2 desiring to know by what Means I am reliev'd in a Disorder, with which you are also unfortunately afflicted as well as myself. I have try'd all the noted Prescriptions for diminishing the Stone without perceiving any good Effect. But observing Temperance in Eating, avoiding Wine and cyder, and using daily the Dumb Bell, which exercises the upper Part of the Body without much moving the Parts in contact with the Stone, I think I have prevented its Increase.

As the Roughness of the Stone lacerates a little the Neck of the Bladder, I find, that, when the Urine happens to be sharp, I have much Pain in making Water and frequent Urgencies. For Relief under this Circumstance, I take, going to Bed, the Bigness of a Pigeon's Egg of Jelly of Blackberries. The Receipt for making it is enclos'd. While I continue to do this every Night, I am generally easy the day following, making Water pretty freely, and with long intervals. I wish most sincerely that this simple Remedy may have the same happy Effect with you. Perhaps Current Jelly, or the Jelly of Apples or Raspberries, may be equally serviceable; for I suspect the Virtue of this Jelly may lie principally in the boiled Sugar, which is in some degree candied by the Boiling of the Jelly. Wishing you for your own

1 Georges-Louis le Clerk, Comte de Buffon (1707-1788), the famous naturalist. Ed.

2 This letter, written July 18, 1787, is in A. P. S. — Ed.

Sake much more Ease, and for the Sake of Mankind many more years, I remain with the greatest Esteem and Respect, dear Sir, your affectionate and most obedient Servant, B. FRANKLIN.

1707. TO MRS. JANE MECOM

(L. C.)

Philada, Dec. 11, 1787.

1

DEAR SISTER-Since I wrote to you last, your Son Collas has been here from Carolina, where he kept a Store, but it has not answered his Expectations. He wanted to take up Goods on Credit here, but could not obtain any unless I would recommend it to our Merchants to give it, which I could not do without making myself liable, and that I did not incline to do, having no Opinion either of the Honesty and Punctuality of the People with whom he proposed to traffick, or of his Skill and Acuteness in Merchandizing. I write this merely to apologize for any seeming Unkindness on my part in not so promoting his Views.

You always tell me that you live comfortably; but I sometimes suspect that you may be too unwilling to acquaint me with any of your Difficulties from an Apprehension of giving me Pain. I wish you would let me know precisely your Situation, that I may better proportion my Assistance to your Wants. Have you any Money at Interest, and what does it produce? Or do you do some kind of Business for a Living? If you have hazarded any of your Stock in the above-mentioned trading Project, I am afraid you will have but slender Returns. Lest you should be straitened during the present

1 Son-in-law. - Ed.

Winter, I send you on a Corner of this Sheet a Bill of Exchange on our Cousin, Tuthill Hubbart, for Fifty Dollars, which you can cut off and present to him for Payment.

The Barrel of Flour I formerly mentioned to you as sent, was not then sent, thro' the Forgetfulness or Neglect of the merch who promis'd to send it. But I am told it is now gone, and I hope will arrive safe.

I received your late Letter, with one from my dear Friend, Mrs. Greene, and one from [my] good Niece your Daughter; all which I have at present mislaid, and therefore cannot now answer them particularly, but shall as soon as I find them.

My Love to all our Relations and Friends, and believe me ever, your affectionate Brother,

B. FRANKLIN.

1708. TO

Philadelphia, December 15, 1787.

I HOPE the disorders in Brabant and Holland may be rectified without bloodshed. But I fear the impending war with the Turks, if not prevented by prudent negotiation, may in its consequences involve great part of Europe. I confide, however, that France and England will preserve their present peace with each other, notwithstanding some contrary appearances; for I think, that they have both of them too much sense to go to war without an important cause, as well as too little money at present.

1 From "The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin" (1818), Vol. I, p. 232.- ED.

As to the projected conquest of Turkey, I apprehend, that, if the Emperor and Empress would make some use of arithmetic, and calculate what annual revenues may be expected from the country they want, should they acquire it, and then offer the grand Signior a hundred times that annual revenue, to be paid down for an amicable purchase of it, it would be his interest to accept the offer, as well as theirs to make it, rather than a war for it should take place; since a war, to acquire that territory and to retain it, will cost both parties much more, perhaps ten times more, than such sum of purchase money. But the hope of glory, and the ambition of princes, are not subject to arithmetical calculation. My best wishes attend you; being with great esteem, Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

SIR,

1709. TO SAMUEL ELBERT1

(L. C.)

Philada Dec. 16, 1787.

I received by Mr. Dromgoole the Letter your Excell' did me the Honour of writing to me the 2d of November past, and am much concern'd to hear that a War between the State of Georgia and the Creek Indians was unavoidable.

During the Course of a long Life in which I have made Observations on public Affairs, it has appear'd to me that almost every War between the Indians and Whites has been occasion'd by some Injustice of the latter towards the former. It is indeed extreamly imprudent in us to quarrel with them for their Lands, as they are generally willing to sell, and sell such good Bargains: And a War with them is so mischievous 1 Governor of Georgia. - ED.

VOL. IX-2S