C018/Y01750.json

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{"content": "Why should we boast of Arthur and his knights, or why speak of Sir Lancelot du Lake or Sir Tristram du Leon, who fought for ladies' sake? Read old stories and there you shall see: George, St. George. He made the dragon flee. St. George was for England; St. Denis was for France. Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense.\n\nTo speak of monarchs would be too long to tell, and likewise to the Romans, how far they did excel: Vanni and Scipio, Orlando Furioso, he was a valiant knight; Romulus and Remus, were those that Rome did build. But St. George, St. George,\n\nThe dragon he hath killed. St. George was for England.\n\nJepthah and Gideon led their men to fight, the Gibeonites and Ammonites, they put them all to flight. Hercules' labor was in the Vale of Bass, and Samson slew a thousand with the jawbone of an ass. And when he was blind, he pulled the temple down. But St. George,\n\nThe dragon did confound. St. George was for England.\nSt. Dennis was for France, Valentine and Orson, sons of Pepin, Alfred and Aldricus, brave and good knights, the four Sons of Ammon who fought with Charlemagne, Sir Hugh de Bourdeaux and Godfrey de Bullogin, all French knights, the Pagans to convert. St. George was for England.\n\nKing Henry the Fifth conquered all France, quartered their arms, raised their walls, pulled their cities down, garnished his head with a double triple crown, thumped the French, and came home. But St. George made the dragon tame. He was for England.\n\nSt. David loved leeks and toasted cheese. Jason brought home the golden fleece. Patrick, St. George's boy, kept his horse for seven years and stole it away. For this knavish act, he remains a slave. But St. George.\nHe had slain the Dragon.\nSt. George, he was for England, and so on.\nTamerlane, the Emperor,\nIn an iron cage had crowned,\nWith all his bloody flags\nDisplayed before the town:\nScanderberg, magnanimous,\nMahomet's Bashaws did dread,\nWhose victorious bones\nWere worn when he was dead:\nHis beglerbegs his corn like dreaded,\nGeorge Castriot was he called;\nBut St. George, St. George,\nThe Dragon he had mauled.\nSt. George, he was for England, and so on.\nOttoman, the Tartar,\nHe came from Persia's race;\nThe great Mogul with his chest,\nSo full of cloves and mace:\nThe Grecian youth Bucephalus,\nHe manfully bestrode:\nBut these with their worthies nine,\nSt. George did overthrow.\nGustavus Adolphus,\nWas Sweden's warlike king;\nBut St. George, St. George,\nHe pulled forth the Dragon's sting,\nSt. George was for England, and so on.\nPoldragon and Cadwallader,\nOf British blood do boast;\nThough John of Gaunt his foes did daunt,\nSt. George shall rule the roast:\nAgamemnon and Cleomenes,\nAnd Macedon did feast,\nBut compared to our champion,\nThey are but mere cheats.\nBrave Malta Knights in Turkish Flights, their swords outdrew, But St. George met the Dragon, and ran him through and through. St. George was for England.\n\nBida the Amazon, Poetus overthrew, As fierce as Vandal, Goth, Saracen or Jew. The potent Holofernes, as he lay in his bed, In came his wife Judith, and subtly stole his head. Brave Cyclops, stout, with Jove he fought, Though he showered down Thunder. But St. George killed the Dragon, And was not that a wonder? St. George was for England.\n\nMark Anthony played feats with Egypt's queen, Sir Elamore, that valiant knight, The like was never seen. Grim Gorgon's might was known in fight, Old Bevis most men frighted. The Mermaids and Prester Johns, why were not these men knighted?\n\nBrave Spinola took in Breda, Nassau did it recover. But St. George, St. George, turned the Dragon over and over. St. George was for England.", "creation_year": 1750, "creation_year_earliest": 1750, "creation_year_latest": 1750, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"},
{"created_timestamp": "01-01-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0176", "content": "Title: Poor Richard Improved, 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: \nTo the Reader.\nThe Hope of acquiring lasting Fame, is, with many Authors, a most powerful Motive to Writing. Some, tho\u2019 few, have succeeded; and others, tho\u2019 perhaps fewer, may succeed hereafter, and be as well known to Posterity by their Works, as the Antients are to us. We Philomaths, as ambitious of Fame as any other Writers whatever, after all our painful Watchings and laborious Calculations, have the constant Mortification to see our Works thrown by at the End of the Year, and treated as mere waste Paper. Our only Consolation is, that short-lived as they are, they out-live those of most of our Cotemporaries.\nYet, condemned to renew the Sisyphean Toil, we every Year heave another heavy Mass up the Muses Hill, which never can the Summit reach, and soon comes tumbling down again.\nThis, kind Reader, is my seventeenth Labour of the Kind. Thro\u2019 thy continued Good-will, they have procur\u2019d me, if no Bays, at least Pence; and the latter is perhaps the better of the two; since \u2019tis not improbable that a Man may receive more solid Satisfaction from Pudding, while he is living, than from Praise, after he is dead.\nIn my last, a few Faults escap\u2019d; some belong to the Author, but most to the Printer: Let each take his Share of the Blame, confess, and amend for the future. In the second Page of August, I mention\u2019d 120 as the next perfect Number to 28; it was wrong, 120 being no perfect Number; the next to 28 I find to be 496. The first is 6; let the curious Reader, fond of mathematical Questions, find the fourth. In the 2d Page of March, in some Copies, the Earth\u2019s Circumference was said to be nigh 4000, instead of 24000 Miles, the Figure 2 being omitted at the Beginning. This was Mr. Printer\u2019s Fault; who being also somewhat niggardly of his Vowels, as well as profuse of his Consonants, put in one Place, among the Poetry, mad, instead of made, and in another wrapp\u2019d, instead of warp\u2019d; to the utter demolishing of all Sense in those Lines, leaving nothing standing but the Rhime. These, and some others, of the like kind, let the Readers forgive, or rebuke him for, as to their Wisdom and Goodness shall seem meet: For in such Cases the Loss and Damage is chiefly to the Reader, who, if he does not take my Sense at first Reading, \u2019tis odds he never gets it; for ten to one he does not read my Works a second Time.\nPrinters indeed should be very careful how they omit a Figure or a Letter: For by such Means sometimes a terrible Alteration is made in the Sense. I have heard, that once, in a new Edition of the Common Prayer, the following Sentence, We shall all be changed in a Moment, in the Twinkling of an Eye; by the Omission of a single Letter, became, We shall all be hanged in a Moment, &c. to the no small Surprize of the first Congregation it was read to.\nMay this Year prove a happy One to Thee and Thine, is the hearty Wish of, Kind Reader, Thy obliged Friend,\nR. Saunders\nThe Number of People in New-Jersey, taken by Order of Government in 1737\u20138.\nCounties.\nMales above 16.\nFemales above 16.\nMales under 16.\nFemales under 16.\n   Slaves.\nTotal of Whites,\nTotal of Slaves,\n      Males,\n      Females,\nMiddlesex,\nEssex,\nBergen,\nSomerset,\nMonmouth,\nBurlington,\nGloucester,\nSalem,\nCape-May,\nHunterdon,\nTotals,\nNumber of Ditto, taken in 1745, by order of Gov. Morris.\nMorris,\nHunterdon,\nBurlington,\nGloucester,\nSalem,\nCape-May,\nBergen,\nEssex,\nMiddlesex,\nMonmouth,\nSomerset,\nTotals,\nNote, That Morris and Hunterdon Counties, were both in one, under the Name of Hunterdon, in 1737\u20138. In 1745, the Number of the People called Quakers in New-Jersey, was found to be 6079; no distinct Account was taken of them in 1737\u20138. Total of Souls in 1737, 47369; Ditto in 1745, 61403; Increase 14034. Query, At this Rate of Increase, in what Number of Years will that Province double its Inhabitants?\nBuried in the several Burying Grounds of Philadelphia, belonging to the\nIn the Years\nChurch of England,\nSwedish Church\nPresbyterians,\nBaptist Meeting,\nQuaker Meeting,\nStrangers,\nNegroes,\nNote; No Account of Burials in the Swedish Ground, was taken in the Year 1743, and those Germans buried in the new Dutch Burying Ground, are numbered among the Strangers, who were chiefly Palatines: The Mortality among them is not owing to any Unhealthiness of this Climate, but to Diseases they contract on Shipboard, the Voyage sometimes happening to be long, and too great a Number crowded together. Exclusive of those, the Total of Deaths in seven Years is about 2100, which is 300 per Annum: By which we should have had nearly 10,500 Inhabitants during those seven Years, at a Medium; for in a healthy Country (as this is) political Arithmeticians compute, there dies yearly One in Thirty-five. But in these last five Years, from 1744, the Town is greatly increased.\nIn the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New-England, Anno 1735, there were 35,427 Polls of white Men of 16 Years and upwards, 2600 Negroes, 27,420 Horse-kind of three Years old and upwards, 52,000 Neat Cattle of three to four Years old and upwards, 130,001 sheep of one year old and upwards. In 1742 there was 41,000 Polls of white Men, from 16 Years upwards. Increase of Men in seven Years 1573, which is near one Sixth. New-Jersey increased in the same Time near one Third.\nBy the New-Jersey Accounts it appears, that the Number of Males, aged above 16, is nearly one fourth Part of the whole Number of Souls. If the same Proportion holds in the Massachusetts, they should have had in that Province, in 1742, about 164000 Souls. There are three other Provinces in New-England, viz. Connecticut, Rhode-Island, and New-Hampshire.\nIn 1742, a Year of middling Health in Boston, were buried about 515, which multiplied by 35, makes nearly 18,000 Inhabitants. In the same Year were found in that Town, Dwelling-houses 1719, Warehouses 166, Widows 1200, of which 1000 poor; in the Almshouse III Persons; in the Work-house 36; Negroes 1514; Horses 418; Cows 141.\nIn 1748\u20139, the Dwelling-houses in Philadelphia were 2076. The following Summer arrived 24 or 25 Sail of Ships with German Families, supposed to bring near 12,000 Souls.\nIt has been computed in England, that the Colonies on the Continent, taken one with another, double the Number of their Inhabitants every Thirty Years. This quick Increase is owing not so much to natural Generation, as the Accession of Strangers. What the natural Increase of Mankind is, is a curious Question. In Breslaw, the Capital of Silesia, a healthy inland City, to which many Strangers do not come, the Number of Inhabitants was found to be generally about 34,000. An exact Register is kept there of the Births and Burials, which taken for 30 Years together, amount, as follows,\nBirths per Annum,\nDeaths per Annum,\nYearly Increase but\nLet the expert Calculator say, how long it will be, before by an Increase of 64 per Annum, 34,000 People will double themselves?\nYet I believe People increase faster by Generation in these Colonies, where all can have full Employ, and there is Room and Business for Millions yet unborn. For in old settled Countries, as England for Instance, as soon as the Number of People is as great as can be supported by all the Tillage, Manufactures, Trade and Offices of the Country, the Overplus must quit the Country, or they will perish by Poverty, Diseases, and want of Necessaries. Marriage too, is discouraged, many declining it, till they can see how they shall be able to maintain a Family.\nJanuary. XI Month.\nSo weak are human Kind by Nature made,\nOr to such Weakness by their Vice betray\u2019d,\nAlmighty Vanity! to thee they owe\nTheir Zest of Pleasure, and their Balm of Woe.\nThou, like the Sun, all Colours dost contain,\nVarying like Rays of Light on Drops of Rain;\nFor every Soul finds Reason to be proud,\nTho\u2019 hiss\u2019d and hooted by the pointing Croud.\n   There are three Things extreamly hard, Steel, a Diamond and to know one\u2019s self.\n   Hunger is the best Pickle.\n   He is a Governor that governs his Passions, and he a Servant that serves them.\n   On the 9th of this Month, 1744\u20135, died Charles Albert, Elector of Bavaria, and Emperor of Germany. \u2019Tis thought his Death was hastened by Grief and Vexation at the Success of the Queen of Hungary, and the Disappointments of his own Ambition. O Content! What art thou! And where to be found! Art thou not an inseparable Companion of Honour, Wealth and Power? No. This Man was rich, great, a Sovereign Prince: But he wanted to be richer, greater, and more a Sovereign. At first his Arms had vast Success; but a Campaign or two left him not a Foot of Land he could call his own, and reduc\u2019d him to live with his Empress in a hired House at Frankfort!\nThe bold Bavarian, in a luckless Hour,\nTries the dread summits of Cesarean Power,\nWith unexpected Legions bursts away,\nAnd sees defenceless Realms receive his Sway;\nShort Sway! Fair Austria spreads her mournful Charms,\nThe Queen, the Beauty, sets the World in Arms;\nFrom Hill to Hill the Beacon\u2019s rousing Blaze\nSpreads wide the Hope of Plunder and of Praise;\nThe fierce Croatian, and the wild Hussar,\nAnd all the Sons of Ravage, crowd the War;\nThe baffled Prince, in Honour\u2019s flatt\u2019ring Bloom,\nOf hasty Greatness, finds the fatal Doom;\nHis Foes Derision, and his Subjects Blame,\nAnd steals to Death from Anguish, and from Shame.\nFebruary. XII Month.\nWe smile at Florists, we despise their Joy,\nAnd think their Hearts enamour\u2019d of a Toy;\nBut are those wiser, whom we most admire,\nSurvey with Envy, and pursue with Fire?\nWhat\u2019s he, who fights for Wealth, or Fame, or Power?\nAnother Florio, doating on a Flower,\nA short-liv\u2019d Flower, and which has often sprung,\nFrom sordid Arts, as Florio\u2019s out of Dung.\n   A Cypher and Humility make the other Figures and Virtues of ten fold Value.\n   If it were not for the Belly, the Back might wear Gold.\nOn the 19th of this Month, 1653, was a great Sea-Fight between the English and Dutch. The Fleet of the former commanded by Blake and Dean, Admirals: That of the latter by Van Trump. The Dutch were beaten, lost 11 Men of War, and 30 Merchant Ships, and 1500 Men killed. The English lost but one Ship, the Sampson, which was sunk; but the Number of their Slain supposed to be nearly equal.\n   For Liberality.\nTho\u2019 safe thou think\u2019st thy Treasure lies,\nHidden in Chests from Human Eyes,\nThieves, Fire, may come, and it may be\nConvey\u2019d, my Friend, as far from thee.\nThy Vessel that yon Ocean sails,\nTho\u2019 favour\u2019d now with prosp\u2019rous Gales,\nHer Cargo which has Thousands cost,\nAll in a Tempest may be lost.\nCheats, Whores and Quacks, a thankless Crew,\nPriests, Pickpockets, and Lawyers too,\nAll help by several Ways to drain,\nThanking themselves for what they gain;\nThe Liberal are secure alone,\nFor what they frankly give, for ever is their own.\nMarch. I Month.\nWhat\u2019s the bent Brow, or Neck in Thought reclin\u2019d?\nThe Body\u2019s Wisdom, to conceal the Mind.\nA Man of Sense can Artifice disdain,\nAs Men of Wealth may venture to go plain;\nAnd be this Truth eternal ne\u2019er forgot,\nSolemnity\u2019s a Cover for a Sot;\nI find the Fool, when I behold the Screen:\nFor \u2019tis the Wise Man\u2019s Interest to be seen.\n   Wouldst thou confound thine Enemy, be good thy self.\n   Pride is as loud a Beggar as Want, and a great deal more saucy.\n   Pay what you owe, and what you\u2019re worth you\u2019ll know.\n   The Reason, says Swift, why so few Marriages are happy, is, because young Ladies spend their Time in making Nets, not in making Cages.\nWhy, Celia, is your spreading Waist\nSo loose, so negligently lac\u2019d?\nHow ill that Dress adorns your Head;\nDistain\u2019d and rumpled from the Bed?\nThose Clouds that shade your blooming Face,\nA little Water might displace,\nAs Nature ev\u2019ry Morn bestows\nThe chrystal Dew to cleanse the Rose.\nThose Tresses as the Raven black,\nThat wav\u2019d in Ringlets down your Back,\nUncomb\u2019d, and injur\u2019d by Neglect,\nDestroy the Face that once they deck\u2019d,\nWhence this Forgetfulness of Dress?\nPray, Madam, are you marry\u2019d? Yes.\nNay then indeed the Wonder ceases,\nNo matter now how loose your Dress is;\nThe End is won, your Fortune\u2019s made,\nYour Sister now may take the Trade.\nAlas, what Pity \u2019tis to find\nThis Fault in Half the Female kind!\nFrom hence proceed Aversion, Strife,\nAnd all that sours the wedded Life.\nBeauty can only point the Dart,\n\u2019Tis Neatness guides it to the Heart;\nLet Neatness then, and Beauty strive\nTo keep a wav\u2019ring Flame alive.\nApril. II Month.\nWhen e\u2019er by seeming Chance, Fop throws his Eye\nOn Mirrors flushing with his Finery,\nWith how sublime a Transport leaps his Heart;\nPity such Friends sincere should ever part.\nSo have I seen on some bright Summer\u2019s Day,\nA spotted Calf, sleek, frolicksome and gay;\nGaze from the Bank, and much delighted seem,\nFond of the pretty Fellow in the Stream.\n   Sorrow is good for nothing but Sin.\n   Many a Man thinks he is buying Pleasure, when he is really selling himself a Slave to it.\nGraft good Fruit all,\nOr graft not at all.\n   On the 17th of this Month, 1722, the Princesses Amelia and Carolina, were inoculated for the Small Pox, after the Experiment had been tried for the first Time in England on some condemned Malefactors. The Example of the Court was soon followed by many of the Nobility and Gentry, and Success attending the Practice, \u2019tis now grown more common in many Parts of Europe; and tho\u2019 at first it was reckoned by many to be a rash and almost impious Action, to give a Distemper to a Person in Health; so changeable are the Opinions of Men, that it now begins to be thought rash to hazard taking it in the common Way, by which one in seven is generally lost; and impious to reject a Method discovered to Mankind by God\u2019s good Providence, whereby 99 in 100 are saved.\nThe Indians of America generally suffer extreamly by this Distemper when it gets among them, perhaps from the Closeness and Hardness of their Skins. Monsieur Condamine, a French Academician, who, in 1744, made a Voyage from Peru, down the River Amazones, thro\u2019 the Middle of South America, reports, that a few Years before, the Small-Pox getting among the Indians, full Half of those taken sick were carried off by it: Which a Portuguese Missionary observing, and having met by Chance with an Account of Inoculation in a News Paper, he try\u2019d it on great Numbers of his Indian Disciples, and preserved them all; which gave a high Opinion both of the Man and his Religion.\nMAY. III Month.\nContent let all your Virtues lie unknown,\nIf there\u2019s no Tongue to praise them, but your own,\nOf Boasting more than of a Bomb afraid,\nMerit should be as modest as a Maid.\nFame is a Bubble the Reserv\u2019d enjoy,\nWho strive to grasp it, as they touch, destroy;\n\u2019Tis the World\u2019s Debt to Deeds of high Degree;\nBut if you pay yourself, the World is free.\n   Tis hard (but glorious) to be poor and honest: An empty Sack can hardly stand upright; but if it does, \u2019tis a stout one!\n   He that can bear a Reproof, and mend by it, if he is not wise, is in a fair way of being so.\n   Beatus esse sine Virtute, nemo potest.\n   On the 22d of this Month, 1453, was the famous City of Constantinople, the Capital of the Greek Empire, taken from the Christians by the Turks, who have ever since held it in Possession. When it was besieg\u2019d, the Emperor made most earnest Application to his People, that they would contribute Money to enable him to pay his Troops, and defray the Expence of defending it; but they thro\u2019 Covetousness refused, pretending Poverty, &c. Yet the Turks in pillaging it, found so much Wealth among them, that even their common Soldiers were enriched: And it became a Saying, which continues to this Day, when they observe a Man grown suddenly rich, He has been at the Sack of Constantinople.\n   O Avarice! How blind are thy Votaries! How often by grasping at too much, do they lose all, and themselves with it! The Thirst of More, encreases with the Heap; and to the restless Desire of Getting, is added the cruel Fear of Losing, a Torment from which the Poor are free. And Death often scatters all we have with so much Care and Toil been gathering;\nHigh built Abundance, Heap on Heap for what?\nTo breed new Wants, and beggar us the more;\nThen make a richer Scramble for the Throng?\nSoon as this feeble Pulse, which leaps so long\nAlmost by Miracle, is tir\u2019d with Play,\nLike Rubbish from disploding Engines thrown,\nOur Magazines of hoarded Trifles fly;\nFly diverse; fly to Foreigners, to Foes:\nNew Masters court, and call the former Fool,\n(How justly!) for Dependance on their Stay,\nWide scatter, first, our Playthings, then our Dust.\nJune. IV Month.\n\u201cDaphnis, says Clio, has a charming Eye;\nWhat Pity \u2019tis her Shoulder is awry?\nAspasia\u2019s Shape indeed\u2014but then her Air,\n\u2019Twould ask a Conj\u2019rer to find Beauty there.\u201d\nWithout a But, Hortensia she commends,\nThe first of Women, and the best of Friends;\nOwns her in Person, Wit, Fame, Virtue, bright;\nBut how comes this to pass?\u2014She dy\u2019d last Night.\n   Sound, and sound Doctrine, may pass through a Ram\u2019s Horn, and a Preacher, without straitening the one, or amending the other.\n   Clean your Finger, before you point at my Spots.\n   On the 7th of this Month, 1692, the Town of Port Royal, in Jamaica, was sunk by a fearful Earthquake.\nThe Day was very clear, and afforded no Suspicion of the least Evil; but in the Space of three Minutes, about half an Hour after 11 in the Morning, that fine Town was shaken to Pieces, sunk into, and cover\u2019d, for the greater Part, by the Sea: By the falling of the Houses, Opening of the Earth, and Inundation of the Waters, near 2000 Persons were lost, many of Note.\nFor some Days afterwards, \u2019twas dismal to see the Harbour cover\u2019d with the dead Bodies of People of all Conditions, floating up and down without Burial: For the great Burial Place, was destroy\u2019d by the Earthquake; which dashing to Pieces the Tombs, whereof there were Hundreds in that Place, the Sea washed the Carcasses of those who had been buried out of their Graves.\nA Sickness followed, which carried off some Thousands more. During the Earthquake, Thieves robbed and plundered the Sufferers, even among the Ruins, while the Earth trembled under their Feet. Some were killed in the very Act by falling Walls, &c.\nJuly. V Month.\n  On Time.\nSee Time launch\u2019d forth, in solemn Form proceed,\nAnd Man on Man advance, and Deed on Deed!\nNo Pause, no Rest in all the World appears,\nEv\u2019n live long Patriarchs waste their 1000 Years.\nSome Periods void of Science and of Fame,\nScarce e\u2019er exist, or leave behind a Name;\nMeer sluggish Rounds, to let Succession climb,\nObscure, and idle Expletives of Time.\n   He that spills the Rum, loses that only; He that drinks it, often loses both that and himself.\nThat Ignorance makes devout, if right the Notion,\nTroth, Rufus, thou\u2019rt a Man of great Devotion.\n   A plain, clean, and decent Habit, proportioned to one\u2019s Circumstances, is one Mark of Wisdom. Gay Cloathing so generally betokens a light and empty Mind, that we are surpriz\u2019d if we chance to find good Sense under that disguise.\nVain are the Studies of the Fop and Beau,\nWho all their Care expend on outward Show.\nOf late abroad was young Florello seen;\nHow blank his Look! How discompos\u2019d his Mien!\nSo hard it proves in Grief sincere to feign,\nSunk were his Spirits,\u2014for his Coat was plain?\nNext Day his Breast regain\u2019d its wonted Peace,\nHis Health was mended\u2014with a Silver Lace.\n   What an admirable Invention is Writing, by which a Man may communicate his Mind without opening his Mouth, and at 1000 Leagues Distance, and even to future Ages, only by the Help of 22 Letters, which may be joined 5852616738497664000 Ways, and will express all Things in a very narrow Compass. \u2019Tis a Pity this excellent Art has not preserved the Name and Memory of its Inventor.\n   Bed-Bugs, by some called Chinces, because first brought from China in East-India Goods, are easily destroy\u2019d, Root and Branch, by boiling Water, poured from a Teakettle into the Joints, &c. of the Bedstead, or squirted by a Syringe, where it cannot well be poured. The old Ones are scalded to Death, and the Nits spoilt, for a boil\u2019d Egg never hatches. This done once a Fortnight, during the Summer, clears the House. Probatum est.\nAugust. VI Month.\nOthers behold each nobler Genius thrive,\nAnd in their generous Labours long survive;\nBy Learning grac\u2019d, extend a distant Light;\nThus circling Science has her Day and Night.\nRise, rise, ye dear Cotemporaries, rise;\nOn whom devolve these Seasons and these Skies!\nAssert the Portion destin\u2019d to your Share,\nAnd make the Honour of the Times your Care.\n   Those that have much Business must have much Pardon.\n   Discontented Minds, and Fevers of the Body are not to be cured by changing Beds or Businesses.\nLittle Strokes,\nFell great Oaks.\n   The 22d of this Month, 1711, the English Fleet, sent against Canada, was shipwrecked in the Bay of St. Lawrence.\nFrom Martial.\nVitam quae faciunt beatiorem, &c.\nI fancy, O my Friend, that this\nIn Life bids fair for Happiness;\nTimely an Estate to gain,\nLeft, or purchased by your Pain:\nGrounds that pay the Tiller\u2019s Hire,\nWoods to furnish lasting Fire;\nSafe from Law t\u2019enjoy your own,\nSeldom view the busy Town;\nHealth with moderate Vigour join\u2019d;\nTrue well-grounded Peace of Mind;\nFriends, your Equals in Degree,\nPrudent, plain Simplicity;\nEasy Converse Mirth afford,\nArtless Plenty fill the Board;\nTemp\u2019rate Joy your Ev\u2019nings bless,\nFree from Care as from Excess:\nShort the Night by Sleep be made,\nChaste, not chearless, be the Bed:\nChuse to be but what you are;\nAnd Dying neither wish nor fear.\nSeptember. VII Month.\nStill be your darling Study Nature\u2019s Laws;\nAnd to its Fountain trace up every Cause.\nExplore, for such it is, this high Abode,\nAnd tread the Paths which Boyle and Newton trod.\nLo, Earth smiles wide, and radiant Heav\u2019n looks down,\nAll fair, all gay, and urgent to be known!\nAttend, and here are sown Delights immense,\nFor every Intellect, and every Sense.\n   You may be too cunning for One, but not for All.\n   Genius without Education is like Silver in the Mine.\n   Many would live by their Wits, but break for want of Stock.\n   Poor Plain dealing! dead without Issue!\nThe 3d of this Month, 1658, died Oliver Cromwell, aged 60 Years. A great Storm happen\u2019d the Night he died, from whence his Enemies took Occasion to say, The D---l fetch\u2019d him away in a Whirlwind: But his Poet Waller, in some Verses on his Death, gave that Circumstance quite a different Turn. He begins with these lofty Lines; viz.\nWe must resign, Heav\u2019n his great Soul does claim,\nIn Storms as loud as his immortal Fame;\nHis dying Groans, his last Breath shakes our Isle,\nAnd Trees uncut fall for his Fun\u2019ral Pile, &c.\n   When the King came in, Waller made his Peace by a congratulatory Poem to his Majesty: And one Day \u2019tis said the King asked him jocularly, What is the Reason, Mr. Waller, that your Verses on Oliver are so much better than those you made on me? We Poets, my Liege, reply\u2019d he, always succeed better in Fiction than in Truth.\nMuch Learning shows how little Mortals know;\nMuch Wealth, how little Worldlings can enjoy.\nAt best it baby\u2019s us with endless Toys,\nAnd keeps us Children \u2019till we drop to Dust.\nAs Monkies at a Mirror stand amaz\u2019d,\nThey fail to find what they so plainly see;\nThus Men, in shining Riches, see the Face\nOf Happiness, nor know it is a Shade;\nBut gaze, and touch, and peep, and peep again,\nAnd wish, and wonder it is absent still.\nOctober. VIII Month.\nWith Adoration think, with Rapture gaze,\nAnd hear all Nature chant her Maker\u2019s Praise;\nWith Reason stor\u2019d, by Love of Knowledge fir\u2019d,\nBy Dread awaken\u2019d, and by Love inspir\u2019d,\nCan We, the Product of another\u2019s Hand,\nNor whence, nor how, nor why we are, demand?\nAnd, not at all, or not aright employ\u2019d,\nBehold a Length of Years, and all a Void?\n   You can bear your own Faults, and why not a Fault in your Wife.\n   Tho\u2019 Modesty is a Virtue, Bashfulness is a Vice.\nHide not your Talents, they for Use were made.\nWhat\u2019s a Sun-Dial in the Shade!\n   On the first of this Month, 1680, the great Comet appeared in England, and continued blazing near 3 Months. Of these surprizing Bodies, Astronomers hitherto know very little; Time and Observation, may make us better acquainted with them, and if their Motions are really regular, as they are supposed to be, enable us hereafter to calculate with some Certainty the Periods of their Return. They have heretofore been thought Forerunners of National Calamities, and Threateners of Divine Vengeance on a guilty World. Dr. Young, intimates this Opinion, in his Paraphrase on that Chapter of Job, where the Deity challenges the Patriarch, and convinces him of the Weakness of Man;\nWho drew the Comet out to such a Size,\nAnd pour\u2019d his flaming Train o\u2019er Half the Skies!\nDid thy Resentment bang him out? Does he\nGlare on the Nations, and denounce from Thee?\n      The Summer Fruits now gathered in,\nLet thankful Hearts in chearful Looks be seen;\nOpe the hospitable Gate,\nOpe for Friendship, not for State;\nNeighbours and Strangers enter there\nEqual to all of honest Air;\nTo Rich or Poor of Soul sincere.\nCheap bought Plenty, artless Store,\nFeed the Rich, and fill the Poor;\nConverse chear the sprightly Guest,\nCordial Welcome crown the Feast;\nEasy Wit with Candour fraught,\nLaughter genuine and unsought;\nJest from double Meaning free,\nBlameless, harmless Jollity;\nMirth, that no repenting Gloom\nTreasures for our Years to come.\nNovember. IX Month.\nHappy, thrice happy he! whose conscious Heart,\nEnquires his Purpose, and discerns his Part;\nWho runs with Heed, th\u2019 involuntary Race,\nNor lets his Hours reproach him as they pass;\nWeighs how they steal away, how sure, how fast,\nAnd as he weighs them, apprehends the last.\nOr vacant, or engag\u2019d, our Minutes fly;\nWe may be negligent, but we must die.\n   What signifies knowing the Names, if you know not the Natures of Things.\n   Tim was so learned, that he could name a Horse in nine Languages; So ignorant, that he bought a Cow to ride on.\n   The Golden Age never was the present Age.\n   On the 30th of this Month, 1718, Charles XII. of Sweden, the modern Alexander, was kill\u2019d before Fredericstadt. He had all the Virtues of a Soldier, but, as is said of the Virtues of Cesar, They undid his Country: Nor did they upon the whole afford himself any real Advantage. For after all his Victories and Conquests, he found his Power less than at first, his Money spent, his Funds exhausted, and his Subjects thinn\u2019d extreamly. Yet he still warr\u2019d on, in spite of Reason and Prudence, till a small Bit of Lead, more powerful than they, persuaded him to be quiet.\nOn what Foundation stands the Warrior\u2019s Pride?\nHow just his Hopes, let Swedish Charles decide;\nA Frame of Adamant, a Soul of Fire,\nNo Dangers fright him, and no Labours tire;\nO\u2019er Love, o\u2019er Force, extends his wide Domain,\nUnconquer\u2019d Lord of Pleasure and of Pain;\nNo Joys to him pacific Scepters yield,\nWar sounds the Trump, he rushes to the Field;\nBehold surrounding Kings their Pow\u2019r combine,\nAnd one capitulate, and one resign;\nPeace courts his Hand, but spreads her Charms in vain,\n\u201cThink nothing gain\u2019d, he cries, \u2019till nought remain;\nOn Moscow\u2019s Walls till Gothic Standards fly,\nAnd all is mine beneath the Polar Sky.\u201d\nThe March begins in military State,\nAnd Nations on his Eye suspended wait;\nStern Famine guards the solitary Coast,\nAnd Winter barricades the Realms of Frost;\nHe comes, nor Want nor Cold his Course delay;\nHide, blushing Glory, hide Pultowa\u2019s Day:\nThe vanquish\u2019d Hero leaves his broken Bands,\nAnd shews his Miseries in distant Lands;\nCondemn\u2019d a needy Supplicant to wait,\nWhile Ladies interpose, and Slaves debate.\nBut did not Chance at length her Error mend?\nDid no subverted Empire mark his End?\nDid rival Monarchs give the fatal Wound?\nOr hostile Millions press him to the Ground?\nHis Fall was destin\u2019d to a barren Strand,\nA petty Fortress, and a dubious Hand;\nHe left the Name at which the World grew pale,\nTo point a Moral, or adorn a Tale.\nDecember. X Month.\nAnd thou supreme of Beings and of Things!\nWho breath\u2019st all Life, and giv\u2019st Duration Wings;\nIntense, O let me for thy Glory burn,\nNor fruitless view my Days and Nights return;\nGive me with Wonder at thy Works to glow;\nTo grasp thy Vision, and thy Truths to know;\nTo reach at length thy everlasting Shore,\nAnd live and sing \u2019till Time shall be no more.\n   \u2019Tis a Shame that your Family is an Honour to you! You ought to be an Honour to your Family.\n   Glass, China, and Reputation, are easily crack\u2019d, and never well mended.\n   Adieu, my Task\u2019s ended.\n   On the 7th of this Month, 1683, was the honourable Algernon Sidney, Esq; beheaded, charg\u2019d with a pretended Plot, but whose chief Crime was the Writing an excellent Book, intituled, Discourses on Government. A Man of admirable Parts and great Integrity. Thompson calls him the British Cassius. The good Lord Russel and he were intimate Friends; and as they were Fellow Sufferers in their Death, the Poet joins them in his Verses,\nBring every sweetest Flower, and let me strow\nThe Grave where Russel lies; whose temper\u2019d Blood\nWith calmest Chearfulness for Thee\n   *Britannia\n resign\u2019d,\nStain\u2019d the sad Annals of a giddy Reign,\nAiming at lawless Power, tho\u2019 meanly sunk,\nIn loose inglorious Luxury. With him\nHis Friend, the British Cassius, fearless bled;\nOf high, determin\u2019d Spirit, roughly brave,\nBy ancient Learning to th\u2019 enlighten\u2019d Love\nOf ancient Freedom warm\u2019d.\n  Of Courts.\nIf any Rogue vexatious Suits advance\nAgainst you for your known Inheritance:\nEnter by Violence your fruitful Grounds,\nOr take the sacred Land-mark from your Bounds;\nOr if your Debtors do not keep their Day,\nDeny their Hands, and then refuse to pay;\nYou must with Patience all the Terms attend,\nAmong the common Causes that depend,\nTill yours is call\u2019d:\u2014And that long-look\u2019d-for Day,\nIs still encumber\u2019d with some new Delay:\nYour Proofs and Deeds all on the Table spread,\nSome of the B------ch perhaps are sick a-bed;\nThat J---ge steps out to light his Pipe, while this\nO\u2019er night was boozy, and goes out to p---ss.\n   Some Witness miss\u2019d; some Lawyer not in Town,\nSo many Rubs appear, the Time is gone, \nFor Hearing, and the tedious Suit goes on.\nThen rather let two Neighbours end your Cause,\nAnd split the Difference; tho\u2019 you lose one Half;\nThan spend the Whole, entangled in the Laws,\nWhile merry Lawyers sly, at both Sides laugh.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "01-08-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0177", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 8 January 1750\nFrom: Logan, James\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\nMy Friend B.F.\nIf there be any convenient room left, Since my eldest Son has rejected the Offer, I am willing my name Should be inserted amongst the Collegues of your Society, tho\u2019 very uncapable of being in any manner useful to it, yet I am very desirous to have it by all means promoted, tho\u2019 I expect to be excused from contributing any thing to it more than that \u00a335 Sterl. per an. Settled on my Library for ever. I am Thy Affectionate friend\nJL", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "01-11-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0178", "content": "Title: William Watson: Notice of Franklin\u2019s Experiments, 11 January 1750\nFrom: Watson, William\nTo: \nWilliam Watson: Notice of Franklin\u2019s Experiments\n   MS: The Royal Society; also copy: American Academy of Arts and Sciences\nAt the reading of this paper Mr. Watson took notice, that several of Mr. Franklin\u2019s experiments were new and very curious; but, besides that Mr. Watson is not quite master of part of this gentleman\u2019s reasoning, there are two things therein more particularly to be attended to: and these are, first, that when this gentleman in this paper mentions, that the Electricity is in the glass, he always means the accumulated electricity; as he in his former papers, which Mr. Watson has seen, is of opinion constantly that the Electrical power is originally furnished by, what have been hitherto called, the non electric substances applied to the glasses in rubbing them, and not from the glasses themselves. Secondly, he imagines, contrary to what Mr. Watson has laid before the Society and in which opinion he finds by what has been published Mr. Watson does persist, that in all the improvements of the experiment of Leyden the violence of the Shock is not owing to any accumulation of electric matter in the water or other non electrics made use of in that experiment, but that the shock is owing to the glass that contains this water or such like. To this Mr. Watson observed, that as yet he has seen no reason to alter or retract his former sentiments; and that he has frequently made an experiment, which in his opinion is very conclusive in determining this point. This experiment is, that if one person causes to be fully electrised a vial two thirds full of water, or other proper non electric matter, by means of a peice of wire connected with the prime conductor so as easily to be drawn out; if this person, he says, pours the water contained in this vial into a bason held in one hand of a second person supported by wax, who the instant of the pouring the water presents the finger of his other hand near some warm spirit of wine in the hand of a third person, there will ensue a snap, and the spirit will frequently be set on fire. This testifies the accumulation of electricity in the second person, which here he can receive by no other means than by the pouring of the water from the vial into the bason held in his hand. Now as the water only, and not the vial, touched the bason, the electricity, it must be presumed, came from the water.\nMr. Watson would further recommend to our worthy brother Mr. Collinson, in writing to his correspondent Mr. Franklin, to desire to know his success in attempting to kill a Turkey by the electrical strokes.\n Endorsed: Read at R. S. Janry 11. 1749[/50]. given a copy to Mr. Peter Collinson.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "01-12-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0179", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from James Logan, 12 January 1750\nFrom: Logan, James\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\nMy Esteemed Friend\nI wrote to him to come up hither next first day if the weather was good Seeing while the Assembly Sits I can appoint no other day and if my Son has delivered him the Magic Squares I pray him to bring them with him. His affectionate friend\nJ L\nTo B. Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "01-29-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0181", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 29 January 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Logan, James\nSir\nMonday Jany 29. 1750\nEnclosed I send you a Copy of the Constitution of the Academy. Your agreeing to be one of the Trustees gave great pleasure to all concerned. I shall wait on you with Mr. Kalm on Wednesday next, if the Weather be tolerable, and nothing extraordinary prevents.\nI am with great respect Sir Your Affectionate humble Servant\nB. Franklin\nTo the Hon. James Logan Esqr. Stenton.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "02-05-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0182", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 5 February 1750\nFrom: Collinson, Peter\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\nLondn. february 5: 1749/50\nI have so many Obligations to my kind Friend, that I dedicated a time to Visit all the Booksellers in London to search for foreign Electrical Books and could only find Two in French. One I take to be the same I sent for thy perusal but could not be certain which Elce [I] had not bought both for I sent it away just as I received it from France.\nI have many Things to say but am att present so Engaged I cannot Collect my Thought together, but shall do it I hope by Next, for this is our busiest time a year shiping Goods to the plantations.\nI have sent a Parcell of books to Elias Blands and thine with them.\nThe Guinea came safe. I wish I could have laid it all out to thy satisfaction. Pray what must I do with the remainder?\nYour very Curious peices relateing to Electricity and Thundergusts have been read before the Society and have been Deservedly Admired not only for the Clear Intelligent Stile but also for the Novelty of the Subjects. I am collecting all these Tracts together: your first Account with the Drawings and your Two Letters in 1747 and your Two last Accounts with Intention to putt them into some printers Hand to be communicated to the publick.\nThe Almanack had many Things very Acceptable.\nOn the Books and Scheme of Education more in my Next, It is much Approved. If some prizes was given annually to the greatest proficients, on a publick Day in presence of the Magistrates, Governors, &c. it stimulats greatly and begets a Laudable ambition to Excel which produces surprising Effects. In short my Dear friend I scrawl any thing. Thy Candor will excuse and thy Ingenuity will find out my Meaning.\nYour American Electrical Operator seems to putt ours out of Countenance by his Novelty and Variety. Certainly something very usefull to Mankind will be found out by an by.\nDouglasses and Elliots Essays are productive of many pretty Entertaining Articles which I read with pleasure and the Elephant by [blank] has its Admirers.\nI shall be glad to hear the Books came safe and print of London &c. I am now out of Town to shake off the Citty Dust so have not my Memorandums with Mee so my Dear friend fare well. Its Late and I am Tired. Thine\nP Collinson\nBut I must add\u2014that on Thursday the Fifth Day of the Week on the 8 Instant at about 20 Minutes past 12 at Noone, Wee felt a very Surpriseing Shock of an Earthquake. It was more sensible and Violent in some places than others. To Mee and many others it seem\u2019d as if a Bale of Heavy Goods had fell down by Accident at my Next Neighbours and shook my House which sometimes Happens. But a Friend of Mine whose House is near the Thames, hear\u2019d, (as did others) a Loud rumbling sound like cannon at a distance and then so Terrible a shock ensued that he instantly ran out of Doors, thinking his new House was tumbled about his Ears. There is an Endless Variety of Relations about its Effects but its certain Extent and Direction is not yet known but accounts came that Day that it was felt from Twickenham on the Thames to Greenwich. I dont find any people that was rideing or Walking was sensible of It. At my House in the Country 10 Miles North of London near Barnet it was not felt nor in our Neighbourhood.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "02-13-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0183", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 13 February 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Colden, Cadwallader\nSir\nI receiv\u2019d your very kind Letter relating to my Proposals for the Education of our Youth, and return you the Thanks of the Gentlemen concern\u2019d, for the useful Hints you have favour\u2019d us with. It was long doubtful whether the Academy would be fix\u2019d in the Town or Country; but a Majority of those from whose generous Subscriptions we expected to be able to carry the Scheme into Execution, being strongly for the Town, it was at last fix\u2019d to be there. And we have for the purpose made an advantageous Purchase of the Building which was erected for itinerant Preaching; a House 100 foot long and 70 wide, with a large Lot of Ground, capable of additional Buildings; situate in an airy Part of the Town. It cost I suppose not less than \u00a32000 Building; but we have it for less than half the Money. It is strongly built of Brick; and we are now about dividing it into Rooms for the Academy. The Subscription goes on with great Success; and will not I believe be much short of \u00a35000, besides what we expect from the Proprietors. From our Government we expect nothing. Enclos\u2019d I send you a Copy of our present Constitutions; but we are to have a Charter, and then such of the Constitutions as are found good on Experience will I suppose be enacted into Laws, and others amended, &c.\nIn this Affair, as well as in other publick Affairs I have been engag\u2019d in, the Labouring Oar has lain and does lay very much upon me, which is one Cause of my not having of late kept up so regular a Correspondence with distant Friends as I should otherways have done; and have thereby been depriv\u2019d of much Pleasure. I assure you with great Sincerity, that I always look\u2019d on the Friendship you honour me with, as one of the Happinesses of my Life; and that I was never acquainted with any part of your Conduct in Publick or private Life, that did not encrease the Esteem and Respect I had for you. This is in Answer to a part of your Letter, in which you are conjecturing at the Cause of the late Interruption of our Correspondence, which I beg you would attribute to any thing, rather than what you mention.\nI have no Observations of Jupiter\u2019s Satellites to send you, as I expected I should have. Being my self otherwise engag\u2019d, and not very skilful in those Matters, I depended on our Astronomer Mr. Godfrey, and put the Telescope into his Hands for that purpose: He had a fine Summer for it, but I am inform\u2019d was so continually muddled with Drink, that our Surveyor General, Mr. Scull, who was his Neighbour, could never get him to assist in making the Meridian Line. He is now dead, and your Letter of Directions for making such a Line, which I put into his Hands, is lost. Mr. Scull desires me to write to you for a Repetition of those Directions, and when you have a little Leisure, I shall be oblig\u2019d to you for them: But it will now be Midsummer before we shall have an Opportunity of observing Jupiter again.\nI have wrote some additional Papers on Electricity, which I will get copied, and send to you per next Post. They go on much slower in those Discoveries at home, than might be expected.\nI am glad you are about enlarging and explaining your Principles of Natural Philosophy: I believe the Work will be well receiv\u2019d by the Learned World. I am, Sir, with great Respect, Your affectionate humble Servant\nB Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "02-17-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0185", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 17 February 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Logan, James\n[February 17, 1750]\nI send Whiston\u2019s Life. He seems to me to have been a man of great industry and little prudence. I have been lame these two weeks past, but am now so much better, that I think I shall be able to wait on you next week with Mr. Kalm. We had a very bright appearance of the Aurora Borealis last night. When I have the pleasure of seeing you, I shall give you a full account of the affairs of the Academy, which go on with all the success that could be expected.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "02-26-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0186", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from George Whitefield, 26 February 1750\nFrom: Whitefield, George\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\nMy dear Mr. F[ranklin],\nPlymouth, Feb. 26, 1750\nEver since I received your last kind letter, I have been endeavouring to redeem some time to answer it, but till now have not had opportunity. Indeed even now a multiplicity of business obliges me to be much more brief than otherwise I should. However, I cannot help informing you, that I am glad that the gentlemen of Philadelphia are exerting their efforts to erect an academy. I have often thought such an institution was wanted exceedingly; and if well-conducted, am persuaded it will be of public service. Your plan I have read over, and do not wonder at its meeting with general approbation. It is certainly well calculated to promote polite literature; but I think there wants aliquid Christi in it, to make it so useful as I would desire it might be. It is true, you say, \u201cThe youth are to be taught some public religion, and the excellency of the Christian religion in particular:\u201d but methinks this is mentioned too late, and too soon passed over. As we are all creatures of a day; as our whole life is but one small point between two eternities, it is reasonable to suppose, that the grand end of every christian institution for forming tender minds, should be to convince them of their natural depravity, of the means of recovering out of it, and of the necessity of preparing for the enjoyment of the supreme Being in a future state. These are the grand points in which christianity centers. Arts and sciences may be built on this, and serve to embellish and set off this superstructure, but without this, I think there cannot be any good foundation. Whether the little Dutch book I have sent over, will be of any service in directing to such a foundation, or how to build upon it, I cannot tell. Upon mentioning your desire to the King\u2019s German chaplain, a worthy man of God, he sent it to me, and thought, if translated, it might be of service. Glad should I be of contributing, though it was but the least mite, in promoting so laudable an undertaking; but the gentlemen concerned are every way so superior to me, both in respect to knowledge of books and men, that any thing I could offer, I fear, would be of very little service. I think the main thing will be, to get proper masters that are acquainted with the world, with themselves, and with God, and who will consequently naturally care for the welfare of the youth that shall be committed to their care. I think also in such an institution, there should be a well-approved christian Orator, who should not be content with giving a public lecture in general upon oratory, but who should visit and take pains with every class, and teach them early how to speak, and read, and pronounce well. An hour or two in a day, I think, ought to be set apart for this. It would serve as an agreeable amusement, and would be of great service, whether the youth be intended for the pulpit, the bar, or any other profession whatsoever. I wish also, that the youth were to board in the academy, and by that means be always under the master\u2019s eye. And if a fund could be raised, for the free education of the poorer sort, who should appear to have promising abilities, I think it would greatly answer the design proposed. It hath been often found, that some of our brightest men in church and state, have arisen from such an obscure condition. When I heard of the academy, I told Mr. B\u2014\u2014, that the new building, I thought, would admirably suit such a proposal; and I then determined in my next to mention some terms that might be offered to the consideration of the Trustees. But I find since, that you have done this already, and that matters are adjusted agreeable to the minds of the majority. I hope your agreement meets with the approbation of the inhabitants, and that it will be serviceable to the cause of vital piety and good education. If these ends are answered, a free-school erected, the debts paid, and a place preserved for public preaching, I do not see what reason there is for any one to complain. But all this depends on the integrity, disinterestedness, and piety of the gentlemen concerned. An institution, founded on such a basis, God will bless and succeed; but without these, the most promising schemes will prove abortive, and the most flourishing structures, in the end, turn out mere Babels. I wish you and the gentlemen concerned much prosperity; and pray the LORD of all lords to direct you to the best means to promote the best end; I mean, the glory of God, and the welfare of your fellow-creatures. Be pleased to remember me to them and all friends as they come in your way, and believe me, dear Sir, Yours, &c.\nG.W.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "02-28-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0187", "content": "Title: James Logan to Peter Collinson, 28 February 1750\nFrom: Logan, James\nTo: Collinson, Peter\nDear Peter\nStenton 12 mo [February] 28 1749/50\nI have Spent most of this day for the first time with thy friend Kalm accompanied with B. Franklin, and I know not what to make of him, nor of his Journey to Canada, where, after the whole last winter Spent at a Swedish Woman\u2019s House near Newcastle, he Spent near five Months, and dined many times at the Governors at Quebec, without Seeing during the 8 Months or more that he had been here, any one person that I could hear of, but B.Franklin and Jno. Bartram, and he talks of returning to Canada again, but on what business I cannot learn. The Swedes had a Colony Sent in this River under Christina their Queen, but because they were neglected by their own People at home, they were obliged to Surrender to the Low Dutch, who being attack\u2019d by an English Fleet and army Surrendred to them about 1664, and the Same Lowlanders in 1672 recovering the Countrey again were obliged the Succeeding year to resign all their pretensions to it to the English. But the principal of these Actions were at the North River and New Amstel now called Hudsons River and New York. This Delaware was called the South River, and the Dutch in it built the town of Newcastle. The Swedes are not much encreased and in my time here (now above 50 years) are much Anglified as our Term is, nor if we had a War now with France Should we have any reason to apprehend the French in conjunction with the Swedes were they to joyn them, for B. Franklin found a way in 1747 to put the Countrey on raising above 120 Companies of Militia of which Philadelphia raised ten, of about a hundred men each with Some few Germans amongst them, and the women were So Zealous that they furnished ten pair of Silk Colours wrought with various Mottoes. The Serjeants had also Halberds &c. &c., but in all the rest Scarce one for they all vote for the Quakers purely to Save their own Money. Benjamin also was the Sole Author of two Lotteries that raised above Six thousand pounds of our Money to pay for the Charge of Batteries on the River. And tho\u2019 we had now a war with France we Should be Secure against any common Attempt, as lying So far up the River. In Short he is an excellent yet a humble man, and carried himself a Musket among the Common Soldiers. He is now also putting forward an Academy for the improvement of Youth, for which he is [has] already got Subscriptions for above five hundred pounds per annum for five years and has a full dependance of finding wayes to continue it for futurity. But I must here add that thou hast Seen my Tully of old Age of which he printed a thousand and of these I Sent over a dozen but they were taken in the first of the French War in 1744. He also Sent over to Wm. Strahan a Printer in or near Fleet Street 2 or 3 years after 300 of them (to whom he only directs to Wm. Strahan Printer in London) of which he has no further account but that they were received and would not Sell, by reason that there was another version lately published which I Suspect, and therefore I beg thee to find that Strahan and expostulate with him, but on a further thought I shall write to Jno. Whiston William\u2019s Son at Boyles Head in Fleet Street and for the present bid thee [farewell.] Thy Affectionate\nJ.L.\nP.S. I have read all the first Vol. of Wm. Whiston\u2019s life and look\u2019d over the 2d and I pity him. Pray call on his Son telling him where I have wrote to thee of Wm. Strahan, and if thou canst learn, please to inform me what profession of Religion Jno. Makes. His father now professes himself a Baptist.\n2d P.S. Pray do not imagine that I overdoe it in my Character of BF for I am rather short in it and I hope to convince thee when an opportunity offers free of Postage that what I wrote in my last by Capt. James of his Magical Squares is truly Astonishing. And if thou art free in thy communication with our Proprietor he can shew thee his (B.F.\u2019s) Proposals relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania, a tract 8vo, also a large Sheet called Constitutions of the Publick Academy in the City of Philadelphia in which he first put me at the Head of the Trustees unknown to me and I refused it, yet being left open in a few Weeks I accepted of it, for it was at first proposed to me that [the Library?] I was about to Settle on the Publick would be [remainder missing]. But what I principally esteem him for, is not those Squares tho\u2019 they are commendable but his real Service to the Countrey in being Instrumental in Saving it by his contriving the plan [of] his 2 Lotteries for the Charges of Batteries his borrowing Great Guns from N York but with W. Allen\u2019s Assistance but he is the prime actor in all this as he is in the Academy. Certain conceited people when Whitefield came first over and having had leave to preach in the publick Church two or three times and afterwards on its being denied to him, contributed to build a House large enough for him to preach in and therefore by the favour of a good woman who obliged them by Some means in the Ground for it built a House one hundred feet lo[ng] 70 ft. br[oad] and about 35 ft. high which the Trustees of the Academy have purchased. I have now wrote to John Whiston who I hope will take care of the business of Strahan and thou needs not to Speak to him about it otherwise than as thou pleases and thou may in like manner Speak to Strahan or forbear.\nJ L", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "04-12-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0189", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Abiah Franklin, 12 April 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Franklin, Abiah\nHonoured Mother\nPhilada. April 12. 1750\nWe received your kind Letter of the 2d Instant, and are glad to hear you still enjoy such a Measure of Health, notwithstanding your great Age. We read your Writing very easily; I never met with a Word in your Letters but what I could readily understand; for tho\u2019 the Hand is not always the best, the Sense makes every thing plain.\nMy Leg, which you enquire after, is now quite well. I still keep those Servants, but the Man not in my own House: I have hired him out to the Man that takes Care of my Dutch Printing Office, who agrees to keep him in Victuals and Clothes, and to pay me a Dollar a Week for his Work. His Wife since that Affair behaves exceeding well: But we conclude to sell them both the first good Opportunity; for we do not like Negro Servants. We got again about half what we lost.\nAs to your Grandchildren, Will. is now 19 Years of Age, a tall proper Youth, and much of a Beau. He acquir\u2019d a Habit of Idleness on the Expedition, but begins of late to apply himself to Business, and I hope will become an industrious Man. He imagin\u2019d his Father had got enough for him: But I have assur\u2019d him that I intend to spend what little I have, my self; if it please God that I live long enough: And as he by no means wants Sense, he can see by my going on, that I am like to be as good as my Word.\nSally grows a fine Girl, and is extreamly industrious with her Needle, and delights in her Book. She is of a most affectionate Temper, and perfectly Dutiful and obliging, to her Parents and to all. Perhaps I flatter my self too much; but I have Hopes that she will prove an ingenious sensible notable and worthy Woman, like her Aunt Jenney. She goes now to the Dancing School.\nFor my own Part, at present I pass my time agreably enough. I enjoy (thro\u2019 Mercy) a tolerable Share of Health; I read a great deal, ride a little, do a little Business for my self, more for others; retire when I can, and go [into] Company when I please; so the Years roll round, and the last will come; when I would rather have it said, He lived usefully, than, He died rich.\nCousins Josiah and Sally are well, and I believe will do well, for they are an industrious saving young Couple: But they want a little more Stock to go on smoothly with their Business.\nMy Love to Brother and Sister Mecom and their Children, and to all my Relations in general. I am Your dutiful Son\nB Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "04-25-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0190", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 25 April 1750\nFrom: Collinson, Peter\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\nLond. Aprill 25 1750\nI wish I have before this advised my Worthy Friend that his pacquet per Cap. Clark came at last to my Hands, with the Electrical Papers, which are now on the Press under the Inspection and Correction of our Learned and Ingenious Friend Doctor Fothergill for Wee thought it a great Pitty that the Publick should be deprived the benefit of so many Curious Experiments.\nGreat Doctors will differ as may be seen by the Inclosed Paper from Mr. Watson Which was read some Time after thy papers had been communicated to the Society, who was greatly pleased with them and Desired their Thanks for so kind a Communication.\nAbb\u00e9 Nolet has been at the pains to Travel on purpose to Turin to Venice and Bologna to see those Experiments Verified of Giveing Purges, Transfusion of Odours and Cureing the Gout &c. but to his great Surprise found very Little or no Satisfaction. The Ingenious Men in those Citties had been too premature in publishing for Facts, Experiments [which,] if they did once succeed, could not be depended on for Certainty to do again, to the no small Disappointment of Abb\u00e9 Nolet\u2014Who Indeed could never make them do, but thought they might have a Knack in performing those Opperations that He was Ignorant Off.\nI am Obliged to thee for the Constitutions. They are very Rational and well Calculated for the Purposes Intended. I am glad to find so Laudable an Institution Meets with such Encouragement.\nWee have had Heithertoo the Warmest and Mildest Winter and Spring that Ever was known. Our Apricots and Peaches are sett Like ropes of Onions and the Face of plenty smiles Every Where\u2014but our Neighbours complain Spain, Portugal and South of France by this Long Warm Dry Season are like to Loose their Crops of Corn unless suddenly retrieved by Rain. Our Wheat is risen on this News. I have seen no Snow and Scarsly any Ice and Winter has been Insensibly Lost in a very Early Spring, but yett as the Season has been so agreeable on one Hand yett on the other it may have furnishd Materials or putt them in Action to the Great Surprise of all that Felt four Earthquakes\u2014the 8th feby and March at London and then at Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight and Since at Chester and Liverpool. Divers Hypotheses\u2019s are advanced to Solve these Phenomena, Hales I send. Others have been read before the Society wholy Accounting for it on the principle of Electricity. Others presume as Wee have had a very Long Dry Time for 6 months past, the Caverns are Exhausted of the Water, Air has Supplyed its Roome. This had putt the Beds of pyri[tes] in a Ferment. Such unusuall Warmth has Rarified it, an Explosion Ensued. Thus in short Hints my good friend take it as I can give, and be assured I am thine\nP Collinson", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "05-10-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0191", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Johnson, [10 May 1750]\nFrom: Johnson, Samuel\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\n[First part missing] Seat of London. I drew it up at first only for the use of my Son, and had no further tho\u2019ts, but when I tho\u2019t it necessary to take the pains to transcribe it in order for your perusal, I could not forbear having the vanity to wish it might be useful to others, for I was always very desirous if I could, to contribute something towards promoting the Interest of Learning in the Country, and could therefore wish, (tho\u2019 I dare not expect,) that it might possibly obtain so favourable an Opinion with Gentlemen as to be thot not altogether undeserving the Press, but as to this I am intirely resigned to the Judgment of my Friends, and particularly do submit it to your Candid Judgment and that of any Friend to whom you may think it worth the while to give the perusal of it. Only if it were to be printed I should be glad you would suggest any defects you observe in it or any thing that might make it more intelligible and useful. I will only add that if it were tho\u2019t in some measure fit to be printed, and practicable to get it done, I had some thots of printing with it a new Edition of my Ethics with some Enlargements and Emendations, and that I beleive I could dispose of over 100 Copies of it here, and perhaps another 100 might be disposed of at Boston and some at N.Y. and the Jersies. However I intirely submit what I have thus had the assurance to write, to your free and candid animadversion, and remain Sir your most humble &c.\nS.J.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "06-02-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0192", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 2 June 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Strahan, William\nDear Sir\nPhilada. June 2. 1750\nThe Person from whom you had the Power of Attorney to receive a Legacy, was born in Holland, and at first call\u2019d Aletta Crell; but not being Christen\u2019d when the Family came to live among the English in America, she was baptiz\u2019d by the Name of Mary. This Change of Name probably might be unknown to the Testator, as it happen\u2019d in Carolina, and so the Legacy might be left her by her first Name Aletta. She has wrote it on a Piece of Paper which I enclose, and desires you would take the Trouble of acquainting the Gentleman with these Particulars, which she thinks may induce him to pay the Money.\nI am glad to understand by the Papers, that the Parliament has provided for paying off the Debts due on the Canada Expedition. I suppose my Son\u2019s Pay is now in your Hands. I am willing to allow 6 per Cent (the Rate of Interest here) for the Delay; or more, if the Disappointment has been a greater Loss to you. I hope the \u00a350 Bill I lately sent you, is come to hand, and paid.\nThe Description you give of the Company and Manner of Living in Scotland, would almost tempt one to remove thither. Your Sentiments of the general Foible of Mankind, in the Pursuit of Wealth to no End, are express\u2019d in a Manner that gave me great Pleasure in reading: They are extreamly just, at least they are perfectly agreable to mine. But London Citizens, they say, are ambitious of what they call dying worth a great Sum: The very Notion seems to me absurd; and just the same as if a Man should run in debt for 1000 Superfluities, to the End that when he should be stript of all, and imprison\u2019d by his Creditors, it might be said, he broke worth a great Sum. I imagine that what we have above what we can use, is not properly ours, tho\u2019 we possess it; and that the rich Man who must die, was no more worth what he leaves, than the Debtor who must pay.\nI am glad to hear so good a Character of my Son-in Law. Please to acquaint him that his Spouse grows finely, and will probably have an agreable Person. That with the best Natural Disposition in the World, she discovers daily the Seeds and Tokens of Industry, Oeconomy, and in short, of every Female Virtue, which her Parents will endeavour to cultivate for him; and if the Success answers their fond Wishes and Expectations, she will, in the true Sense of the Word, be worth a great deal of Money, and consequently a great Fortune.\nI suppose my Wife writes to Mrs. Strahan. Our Friend Mr. Hall is well, and manages perfectly to my Satisfaction. I cannot tell how to accept your repeated Thanks for Services you think I have done to him, when I continually feel my self oblig\u2019d to him, and to you for sending him. I sincerely wish all Happiness to you and yours, and am, Dear Sir, Your most obliged humble Servant\nB Franklin\n Addressed: To \u2002Mr Wm Strahan \u2002Printer \u2002London", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "06-28-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0194", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 28 June 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Colden, Cadwallader\nSir\nPhilada. June 28. 1750\nI wrote a Line to you last Post, and sent you some Electrical Observations and Experiments. You formerly had those Papers of mine out of which something has been taken by Mr. Watson, and inserted in the Transactions: If you have forgot the Contents of those Papers, I am afraid some Things in that I last sent you will be hardly understood, as they depend on what went before. I send you herewith my Essay towards a new Hypothesis of the Cause and Effects of Lightning, &c. of which you may remember some Hints in my first Electrical Minutes. I sent this Essay above a 12 month since to Dr. Mitchel in London, and have since heard nothing of it, which makes me doubt of its getting to hand. In some late Experiments, I have not only frequently fired unwarm\u2019d Spirits, by the Electrical Stroke, but have even melted small Quantities of Copper, Silver and Gold, and not only melted but vitrified them, so as to incorporate them with common Glass; and this without any sensible Heat; which strengthens my Supposition that the Melting of Metals by Lightning may be a cold Fusion. Of these Experiments I shall shortly write a particular Account. I wrote to Mr. Collinson, on Reading in the Transactions the Accounts from Italy and Germany, of giving Purges, transferring Odours, &c. with the Electrical Effluvia, that I was persuaded they were not true. He since informs me, that Abb\u00e9 Nolet of Paris, who had try\u2019d the Experiments without Success, was lately at the Pains to make a Journey to Turin, Bologna and Venice, to enquire into the Facts, and see the Experiments repeated, imagining they had there some Knacks of Operating that he was unacquainted with; but to his great Disappointment found little or no Satisfaction; the Gentlemen there having been too premature in Publishing their Imaginations and Expectations for real Experiments. Please to return me the Papers when you have perus\u2019d them.\nMy good old Friend Mr. Logan, being about three Months since struck with a Palsey, continues Speechless, tho\u2019 he knows People, and seems in some Degree to retain his Memory and Understanding. I fear he will not recover. Mr. Kalm is gone towards Canada again, and Mr. Evans is about to take a Journey to Lake Erie, which he intends next Week. Mr. Bertram continues well and hearty. I thank you for what you write concerning celestial Observations. We are going on with our Building for the Academy, and propose to have an Observatory on the Top; and as we shall have a mathematical Professor, I doubt not but we shall soon be able to send you some Observations accurately made. I am, with great Esteem and Respect, Sir, Your most obliged Humble Servant\nB Franklin\nP.S. If you think it would be agreable to Mr. Alexander, or any other Friend in N York, to peruse these Electrical Papers, you may return them to me thro\u2019 his Hands.\nCr. Colden Esqr", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "06-01-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-03-02-0195", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, [June 1750]\nFrom: Collinson, Peter\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\n[First part missing] Pray give my respects to Lewis Evans. I have not Time to write to Him but I putt his Mapps to Bowles one of the most noted Print and Mapp sellers near the Exchange\u2014and He Tells Mee he has disposed of few of them the Price is so High.\nThou will see by Byrd\u2019s Letter the reason no Thermometers was done. So farewell.\nThe Books &c. for Lib: Com. I shall send to the Care of Friend Griffith.\nPer next I may more particularly consider thine of March the 2d. There is something very Marvelous in the Doctrine of Points.\n Addressed: To \u2002Benjam Franklin Esqr \u2002Philadelphia", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "07-03-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0001", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 3 July 1750\nFrom: Collinson, Peter\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\nMy Worthy Friend B: Franklin\nLond. July 3d: 1750\nI received thy Letter from the Trustees and Bill per \u00a3100 on Jno Gurnell & Company which is accepted. I was really unwilling to undertake a New affair haveing so little Time to spare and yett I was as Unwilling so Benevolent a Design should suffer for want of my Concurrence. I have therefore procured your Value of Books of Whiston who I would willingly hope is an Honest Man. I Acquainted him and showed Him the Constitutions. He has promissed Mee to Encourage so Laudable a Work, He will contribute on his part in the price of his Books. I shall be well pleased If you find it so. Some Instruments I procured of Adams but was of such a Length I could not pack them in your Trunk\u2014so was obliged to ask the favour of E. Bland to putt them up and He had no package but with the Goods of Capt. John Dagenworthy of Trent Town so please to send for them. The Parcell is Directed in thy Name.\nThe Other Instruments are in Hand to come per Next Ship.\nBut the most Difficult task is behind to provide a Sett of Instruments (besides what you have) for a Course of Lectures. In the first place I don\u2019t remember any Book but Disaguliers but I will Informe my Self and when Wee have found an Author next I shall consider about the Instruments and Give you the List and Value of them.\nIn the Trunk will be found the Remainder of the Last Order of Lib[rary] Company. For the sake of package I was Obliged to Mix the Books, but they will be Easily found by the bills of Parcells. The Nat[ural] His[tory] of Barbados was not time to gett bound. A Second Vol. of the Popes is pub[lished] but the Author desires it may not be bound up untill a few More Sheets is Deliver\u2019d to compleat it to a Certain Period. So may come per Next.\nThe whole Designe of the Academy is generally Approved by all my Ingenious knowing Friends and all Wish its prosperity but three Things are remarked that they Wish may not prove Illconveniencys.\n1st. They Think you Grasp at too much your Plans to Large for a Begining.\n  2d. Your Nearness to the Capital may prove a Snare to the youth in many Respects.\n  3dly. If you take In West Indians they will be bad Examples, and Corrupt the Morals and Manners of your youth.\nI need say no more to my Friend Mans- N-B-on the Constitutions which is in the Trunk.\nI am with much Esteem thy Sincere Friend\nP Collinson\nIt gives Mee great Concern to hear of the 3d fatal Shock of that Great and Good Man J. Logan. I Lament Him as my Friend and as General Loss to his Country but such is the Course of Nature, such the Will of Heaven.\nI was in hopes to have sent thee some Coppys of thy Electrical papers now printed, I have delay\u2019d the full completion in hopes of those papers on the Doctrine of Points.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "07-27-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0004", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 27 July 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Collinson, Peter\nSir\nPhilada. July 27. 1750\nMr. Watson I believe wrote his Observations on my last Paper in Haste; without having first well considered the Experiments related in \u00a717\n   *Of the third Letter.\n which still appear to me decisive in the Question; Whether the Accumulation of Electrical Fire be in the Electrified Glass, or in the Non-electric Matter connected with the Glass? and to demonstrate that it is really in the Glass.\nAs to the Experiment that ingenious Gentleman mentions, and which he thinks conclusive on the other Side, I doubt not but he will change his Mind, when he is pleased to reflect, that, as one person applying the Wire of the charg\u2019d Bottle to warmed Spirits in a Spoon held by another Person, both standing on the Floor, will fire the Spirits, and yet such Firing will not determine, whether the Accumulation was in the Glass or the Non-electric: So the placing another Person between them, standing on Wax, with a Bason in his Hand, into which the Water from the Vial is poured; while he at the Instant of pouring, presents a Finger of his other Hand to the Spirits, does not at all alter the Case: The Stream from the Vial, the Side of the Bason, with the Arms and Body of the Person on Wax, being all together but as one long Wire, reaching from the internal Surface of the Vial to the Spirits.\nI refer you to my next Paper for an Account of our Experiments on Animals.\nAbb\u00e9 Nolet has our Thanks for the Pains he took to discover the Truth relating to those pretended Italian Experiments, I gave you my Opinion of them in a former Letter.\nI want to know, how it was observed that the Firing a Cannon in the Park, Electrified the Glass of the Windows of the Treasury, mentioned by Dr. Hales in his Piece on Earthquakes.\nThe rest on private affairs.\nTo P. Collinson Esqr.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "07-29-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0005", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 29 July 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Collinson, Peter\nSir\nPhilada. July 29 1750\nAs you first put us on Electrical Experiments by sending to our Library-Company a Tube with Directions how to use it; and as our honourable Proprietor enabled us to carry those Experiments to a greater Height, by his generous Present of a complete Electrical Apparatus; \u2019Tis fit that both should know from Time to Time what Progress we make. It was in this View I wrote and sent you my former Papers on this Subject, desiring, that, as I had not the Honour of a direct Correspondence with that bountiful Benefactor to our Library, they might be communicated to him thro\u2019 your Hands. In the same View I write and send you this additional Paper. If it happens to bring you Nothing new (which will not be strange, considering the many ingenious Men in Europe continually engaged in the same Researches) at least it will shew, that the Instruments put into our Hands are not neglected, and that if no valuable Discoveries are made by us, whatever may be the Cause, it is not a Want of Industry and Application.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "07-29-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0006", "content": "Title: Opinions and Conjectures, [29 July 1750]\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: \nOpinions and Conjectures concerning the Properties and Effects of the Electrical Matter, arising from Experiments and Observations made in Philadelphia, 1749.\n\u00a71. The Electrical Matter consists of Particles extreamly subtile, since it can permeate common Matter, even the densest Mettals, with such Ease and Freedom, as not to receive any perceptible Resistance.\n\u00a72. If any one should doubt, whether the Electrical Matter passes thro\u2019 the Substance of Bodies, or only over and along their Surfaces, a Shock from an electrified large Glass Jar, taken thro\u2019 his own Body, will probably convince him.\n3. Electrical Matter differs from common Matter in this, That the Parts of the latter mutually attract, those of the former mutually repel each other: Hence the appearing Divergency in a Stream of Electrical Effluvia.\n   *See Mr. Ellicots ingenious Essay on Electricity in the Transactions.\n4. But tho\u2019 the Particles of Electrical Matter do repel each other, they are strongly attracted by all other Matter.\n5. From these three Things, the extream Subtilty of the Electrical Matter, the mutual Repulsion of it\u2019s Parts, and the strong Attraction between them and other Matter, arises this Effect; That when a Quantity of Electrical Matter is apply\u2019d to a Mass of common Matter, of any Bigness or Length within our Observation, which has not already got it\u2019s Quantity; it is immediately and equally diffused thro\u2019 the whole.\n6. Thus common Matter is a Kind of a Spunge to the Electrical Fluid. And as a Spunge would receive no Water, if the Parts of Water were not smaller than the Pores of the Spunge; and even then but slowly, if there were not a mutual Attraction between those Parts, and the Parts of the Spunge; and would still imbibe it faster, if the mutual Attraction among the Parts of the Water did not impede, some Force being required to separate them: and fastest, if instead of Attraction there were a mutual Repulsion among those Parts, which would act in Conjunction with the Attraction of the Spunge: So is the Case between the Electrical and common Matter.\n7. But in common Matter there is (generally) as much of this Electrical as it will contain within it\u2019s Substance. If more is added, it lies without, upon the Surface, and forms what we call an Electrical Atmosphere: and then the Body is said to be electrified.\n8. Tis supposed, That all Kinds of common Matter do not attract and retain the Electrical with equal Strength and Force, for Reasons to be given hereafter;\n and that those called Electrics per se, as Glass &c. attract and retain it strongest, and contain the greatest Quantity.\n9. We know that the Electrical Fluid is in common Matter, because we can pump it out, by the Globe or Tube. We know that common Matter has near as much as it can contain; because when we add a little more to any Portion of it, the additional Quantity does not enter, but forms an electrical Atmosphere: And we know that common Matter has not (generally) more than it can contain; otherwise all loose Portions of it would repel each other, as they constantly do, when they have electrical Atmospheres.\n   10. The beneficial Uses of this Electrical Fluid we are not yet well acquainted with; tho\u2019 doubtless such there are and great ones; but we may see some pernicious Consequences that would attend a much greater Proportion of it. For had this Globe we live on, as much of it in Proportion, as we can give to a Globe of Iron, Wood, or the like, the Particles of dust and other light Matters, that get loose from it, would, by Vertue of their separate electrical Atmospheres, not only repel each other, but be repelled from the Earth, and not easily be brought to unite with it again. Whence our Air would continually be more and more clogg\u2019d with foreign Matters, and grow unfit for Respiration. This affords another Occasion of adoring that Wisdom which has made all Things by Weight and Measure!\n11. If a Piece of common Matter be supposed intirely free from Electrical Matter, and a single Particle of the latter be brought nigh, \u2019twill be attracted and enter the Body, and take Place in the Center, or where the Attraction is every way equal. If more Particles enter, they take their Places where the Ballance is equal between the Attraction of the common Matter and their own mutual Repulsion. \u2019Tis suppos\u2019d they form Triangles, whose Sides shorten as the Number increases; till the common Matter has drawn in so many, that it\u2019s whole Power of compressing those Triangles by Attraction is equal to their whole Power of expanding themselves by Repulsion. Then will such Piece of Matter receive no more.\n12. When Part of this natural Proportion of Electrical Fluid is taken out of a Piece of common Matter, the Triangles form\u2019d by the Remainder are supposed to widen by the Mutual Repulsion of the Parts, until they occupy the whole Piece.\n13. When the Quantity of Electrical Fluid, taken from a Piece of common Matter, is restored to it again, it enters; the expanded Triangles being again comprest, till there is Room for the whole.\n   14. To explain this, Take two Apples or two Balls of Wood or other Matter A, B, each having its own natural Quantity of the Electrical Fluid. Suspend them by Silk Strings from the Ceiling. Apply the Wire of a well charged Vial to A, which will receive from the Wire a Quantity of the electrical Fluid, but will not imbibe it, being already full. The Fluid will therefore flow round it\u2019s Surface and form an electrical Atmosphere. Bring A into Contact with B, and half the electrical Fluid is communicated; so that each has now an electrical Atmosphere (made of half the Quantity) and therefore they repel each other. Take away these Atmospheres by touching the Balls, and leave them in their natural State. Then having fixt a Stick of Sealing Wax to the Middle of the Phial, to hold it by, apply the Wire to A at the same time the Coating touches B. Thus will a Quantity of the Electrical Fluid be drawn out of B, and thrown on A, so that A will have a Redundance of this Fluid which forms an Atmosphere round it, and B an exactly equal Deficiency. Now bring these Balls again into Contact, and the Electrical Atmosphere will not be divided between A and B into two smaller Atmospheres, as before: for B will drink up the whole Atmosphere of A, and both will be found again in their natural State.\n15. The Form of the Electrical Atmosphere is that of the Body it surrounds. This Shape may be rendered visible in still Air, by raising a Smoke from dry Rosin, dropt into a hot Tea-Spoon under the electrified Body, which will be attracted and spread itself equally on all Sides, covering and concealing the Body.\n   \u2021This has only been try\u2019d on a Sphere. Try it on Bodies of other Figures.\n And this Form it takes, because it is attracted by all Parts of the Surface of the Body, tho\u2019 it can not enter the Substance already replete. Without this Attraction it would not remain round the Body, but dissipate in the Air.\n   16. The Atmosphere of Electrical Particles surrounding an electrify\u2019d Sphere, is not more disposed to leave it, or more easily drawn off from any one Part of the Sphere than from another, because it is equally attracted from every Part. But that is not the Case with Bodies of any other Figure. From a Cube it is more easily drawn out at the Corners than at the plane Sides; and so from the Angles of a Body of any other Form, and still most easily from that Angle, that is most acute. Thus if a Body shaped as A, B, C, D, E be electrify\u2019d or have an Electrical Atmosphere communicated to it, and we consider every Side as a Base on which the Particles rest, and by which they are attracted, one may see by imagining a Line from A to F and another from E to G, That the Portion of the Atmosphere included in F A E G has the Line A E for it\u2019s Basis. So the Portion of Atmosphere included between the Lines H A, A B, and B I has the Line A B for it\u2019s Basis. And likewise the Portion included in K, B, C, L, has B C to rest on; and so on the other Side of the Figure. Now if you would draw off this Atmosphere with a blunt smoothe Body and approach the Middle of the Side A, B, you must come very near before the Force of your Attracter exceeds the Power with which that Side holds it\u2019s Atmosphere. But there is a small Portion between I B K that has less of the Surface to rest on and to be attracted by, than the neighbouring Portions; while at the same Time there is a mutual Repulsion between it\u2019s Particles, and the Particles of those Portions: Therefore here you can get it with more Ease, or at a greater Distance. Between F, A, H, there is a larger Portion, that has yet a less Surface to rest on and to attract it: here therefore you can get it away still more easily: But easiest of all between L, C, M, where the Quantity is the largest, and the Surface to attract and keep it back the least.\nWhen you have drawn away one of these angular Portions of the Fluid, another succeeds in it\u2019s Place, from the Nature of Fluidity and the mutual Repulsion before mentioned; and so the Atmosphere continues flowing off at such Angle like a Stream, \u2019till no more is remaining. The Extremities of the Portions of Atmosphere over these angular Parts, are likewise at a greater Distance from the Electrified Body, as may be seen by Inspection of the above Figure, than any Part of the other Portions: The Point of the Atmosphere of the Angle C, being much further from C, than any Part of the Atmosphere over the Lines C B or B A. And, besides the Distance arising from the Nature of the Figure, where the Attraction is less the Particles will naturally expand to a greater Distance by their mutual Repulsion. On these Accounts, we suppose Electrified Bodies discharge their Atmospheres upon unelectrified Bodies more easily, and at a greater Distance, from their Angles and Points, than from their smoothe Sides.\nThose Points will also discharge into the Air, when the Body has too great an electrical Atmosphere, without bringing any Non-electric near to receive what is thrown off. For the Air, tho\u2019 itself an Electric per se, yet has always, more or less, Water and other non-electric Matters mixt with it; and these attract and receive what is so discharged.\n17. But Points have a Property by which they draw on as well as throw off the Electrical Fluid, at greater Distances than blunt Bodies can. That is, as the pointed Part of an electrify\u2019d Body will discharge the Atmosphere of that Body, or communicate it farthest to another Body: so the Point of an unelectrifyed Body will draw off the Electrical Atmosphere from an electrified Body, farther than a blunter Part of the same unelectrified Body will do. Thus a Pin held by the Head, and the Point presented to an electrified Body, will draw off it\u2019s Atmosphere at a Foot Distance; where, if the Head were presented instead of the Point, no such Effect would follow.\nTo understand this, we may consider, that if a Person, standing on the Floor, would draw off the Electrical Atmosphere from an electrified Body; an Iron Crow, and a blunt Knitting-Needle held alternately in his Hand, and presented for that Purpose, do not draw with different Forces, in Proportion to their different Masses. For the Man, and what he holds in his Hand, be it large or small, are connected with the common Mass of unelectrify\u2019d Matter; and the Force with which he draws is the same in both Cases; It consisting in the different Proportion of Electricity in the electrified Body and that common Mass. But the Force with which the electrified Body retains it\u2019s Atmosphere, by attracting it, is proportioned to the Surface over which the Particles are plac\u2019d; i.e. four square Inches of that Surface retain their Atmosphere with 4 times the Force, that one square Inch retains it\u2019s Atmosphere. And as in Plucking the Hairs from the Horse\u2019s Tail, a Degree of Strength, insufficient to pull away a Handful at once, could yet easily strip it Hair by Hair; so a blunt Body presented, cannot draw off a Number of Particles at once; but a pointed one, with no greater Force, takes them away easily, Particle by Particle.\n18. These Explanations of the Power and Operation of Points, when they first occurred to me, and while they floated in my Mind, appear\u2019d perfectly satisfactory: But now I have wrote them, and considered them more closely in black and white, I must own, I have some Doubts about them. Yet as I have at present Nothing better to offer in their Stead, I do not cross them out: for even a bad Solution read, and it\u2019s Faults discovered, has often given Rise to a good one in the Mind of an ingenious Reader.\n19. Nor is it of much Importance to us to know the Manner in which Nature executes her Laws; \u2019tis enough, if we know the Laws themselves. \u2019Tis of real Use to know, that China left in the Air unsupported, will fall and break; but how it comes to fall, and why it breaks, are Matters of Speculation. \u2019Tis a Pleasure indeed to know them, but we can preserve our China without it.\n20. Thus in the present Case, to know this Power of Points may possibly be of some Use to Mankind, tho\u2019 we should never be able to explain it.\nThe following Experiments, as well as those in my first Paper shew this Power. I have a large Prime Conductor, made of several thin Sheets of Fullers Pastboard form\u2019d into a Tube, near 10 Foot long, and a Foot diameter. It is covered with Dutch embossed Paper almost totally gilt. This large metalline Surface supports a much greater electrical Atmosphere than a Rod of Iron of 50 Times the Weight would do. It is suspended by Silk Lines, and when charged will strike at near two Inches Distance, a pretty hard Stroke, so as to make one\u2019s Knuckle ache. Let a Person standing on the Floor, present the Point of a Needle, at 12 or more Inches Distance from it; and while the Needle is so presented, the Conductor cannot be charg\u2019d; the Point drawing off the Fire as fast as it is thrown on by the Electrifying Globe.\nLet it be charg\u2019d and then present the Point at the same Distance, and it will suddenly be discharg\u2019d. In the Dark, you see a Light on the Point, when the Experiment is made. And if the Person, holding the Point, stands upon Wax, he will be electrified by receiving the Fire at that Distance.\nAttempt to draw off the Electricity with a blunt Body, as a Bolt of Iron round at the End and smoothe (A Silversmith\u2019s Iron Punch an Inch thick is what I use) and you must bring it within a Distance of near 2 Inches before You can do it; and then, it is done with a Stroke and Crack. As the Pasteboard Tube hangs loose on Silk Lines; when you approach it with the Punch Iron, it likewise will move towards the Punch; being attracted, while it is charg\u2019d. But if at the same Instant a Point be presented, as before, it retires again, for the Point discharges it.\nTake a Pair of large Brass Scales, of two (or more) Feet Beam; the Cords of the Scales being Silk. Suspend the Beam by a Packthread from the Cieling, so that the Bottom of the Scales may be about a Foot from the Floor. The Scales will move round in a Circle by the Untwisting of the Packthread. Set the Iron Punch on End upon the Floor, in such a Place, as that the Scales may pass over it, in making their Circle; then Electrify one Scale by applying the Wire of a charged Vial to it. As they move round, you see the Scale draw nigher to the Floor, and dip more when it comes over the Punch; and if that be placed at a proper Distance, the Scale will snap and discharge it\u2019s Fire into it. But if a Needle be stuck on the End of the Punch, it\u2019s Point upwards, the Scale instead of drawing nigh to the Punch and snapping, discharges it\u2019s Fire silently, thro\u2019 the Point, and rises higher from the Punch. Nay even if the Needle be plac\u2019d upon the Floor, near the Punch, it\u2019s Point upwards, the End of the Punch tho\u2019 so much higher than the Needle, will not attract the Scale and receive it\u2019s Fire, for the Needle will get it and convey it away, before it comes nigh enough for the Punch to act. And this is constantly observable in these Experiments, that the greater Quantity of Electricity in the Pastboard Tube, the farther it strikes or discharges its Fire. And the Point likewise will draw it off at a still greater Distance.\nNow if the Fire of Electricity, and that of Lightning, be the same; as I have endeavoured to shew at large in a former Paper; this Pastboard Tube and these Scales may represent electrified Clouds. If a Tube only 10 Foot long, will strike and discharge it\u2019s Fire on the Punch at 2 or 3 Inches Distance; an electrified Cloud of perhaps 10,000 Acres may strike and discharge on the Earth at a proportionably greater Distance. The horizontal Motion of the Scales over the Floor may represent the Motion of the Clouds over the Earth, and the Erect Iron Punch a Hill or high Building: and then we see how electrified Clouds passing over Hills or high Buildings, at too great a Height to strike, may be attracted lower till within their striking Distance. And lastly if a Needle fixt on the Punch, with it\u2019s Point upright, or even on the Floor, below the Punch, will draw the Fire from the Scale silently at a much greater than the striking Distance and so prevent it\u2019s descending towards the Punch; Or if in it\u2019s Course, it would have come nigh enough to strike, yet, being first deprived of it\u2019s Fire it cannot; and the Punch is thereby secured from the Stroke. I say, if these Things are so, may not the Knowledge of this Power of Points be of Use to Mankind; in preserving Houses, Churches, Ships &c. from the Stroke of Lightning; by Directing us to fix on the highest Parts of those Edifices upright Rods of Iron, made sharp as a Needle and gilt to prevent Rusting, and from the Foot of those Rods a Wire down the outside of the Building into the Ground; or down round one of the Shrouds of a Ship and down her Side, till it reach\u2019d the Water? Would not these pointed Rods probably draw the Electrical Fire silently out of a Cloud before it came nigh enough to strike, and thereby secure us from that most sudden and terrible Mischief!\n21. To determine the Question, Whether the Clouds that contain Lightning are electrified or not, I would propose an Experiment to be try\u2019d where it may be done conveniently.\n   On the Top of some high Tower or Steeple, place a Kind of Sentry Box big enough to contain a Man and an electrical Stand. From the Middle of the Stand let an Iron Rod rise, and pass bending out of the Door, and then upright 20 or 30 feet, pointed very sharp at the End. If the Electrical Stand be kept clean and dry, a Man standing on it when such Clouds are passing low, might be electrified, and afford Sparks, the Rod drawing Fire to him from the Cloud. If any Danger to the Man should be apprehended (tho\u2019 I think there would be none) let him stand on the Floor of his Box, and now and then bring near to the Rod, the Loop of a Wire, that has one End fastened to the Leads; he holding it by a Wax-Handle. So the Sparks, if the Rod is electrified, will Strike from the Rod to the Wire and not affect him.\n22. Before I leave this Subject of Lightning, I may mention some other Similarities between the Effects of that and those of Electricity. Lightning has often been known to strike People blind. A Pigeon that we struck dead to Appearance by the Electrical Shock, recovering Life, droopt about the Yard several Days, ate Nothing, tho\u2019 Crums were thrown to it, but declined and dyed. We did not then think of it\u2019s being deprived of Sight; but afterwards a Pullet struck dead in like Manner, being recover\u2019d by repeated blowing into it\u2019s Lungs, when set down on the Floor, ran headlong against the Wall, and on Examination appear\u2019d perfectly blind. Hence we concluded, that the Pigeon had been absolutely blinded by the Shock. The biggest Animal we have yet killed, or try\u2019d to kill with the Electrical Stroke was a well grown Pullet.\n23. Reading the ingenious Dr. Hales\u2019s Account of the Thunder Storm at Stretham, the Effect of the Lightning in stripping off all the Paint that had covered a gilt Moulding of a Pannel of Wainscot, without hurting the Rest of the Paint: I had a Mind to lay a Coat of Paint over the filleting of Gold on the Cover of a Book, and try the Effect of a strong electrical Flash sent thro\u2019 that Gold from a charged Sheet of Glass. But having no Paint at Hand, I pasted a narrow strip of Paper over it; and when dry sent a Flash thro\u2019 the Gilding; by which the Paper was torne off from End to End with such Force, that it was broke in several Pieces, and in others brought away Part of the Grain of the Turky Leather, in which the Book was bound; and convinced me that had it been painted, the dry Paint would have been stripped off in the same Manner with that on the Wainscot at Stretham.\n24. Lightning melts Metals; and I hinted in my Paper on that Subject, that I suspected it to be a cold Fusion (I do not mean a Fusion by Force of Cold, but a Fusion without Heat.)\nWe have also melted Gold, Silver and Copper in small Quantities by\n   the Electrical Flash. The Manner is this: Take Leaf Gold, Leaf\n   Silver or Leaf gilt Copper, commonly call\u2019d Leaf Brass or Dutch\n   Gold. Cut off from the Leaf long narrow Strips the Breadth of a\n   Straw; Place one of these Strips between two Strips of smoothe\n   Glass that are about as wide as your Finger. If one Strip of Gold, the Length of the Leaf, be not long enough for the Glass, add another to the End of it; so that you may have a little Part hanging out loose at each End of the Glass. Bind the Pieces of Glass together from End to End with a Silk Cord. Then place it so as to be part of an Electrical Circle (the Ends of Gold hanging out, being of Use to joyn with the other Parts of the Circle) and send the Flash thro it from a large electrified Jar. Then if your Strips of Glass remain whole you will see that the Gold is missing in several Places, and instead of it, a metalline Stain on both the Glasses. The Stains on the upper and under Glass are exactly similar in the Minutest Stroak, as may be seen by holding them to the Light. The Metal appears to have been not only melted, but even to be vitrified, or otherwise so driven into the Pores of the Glass as to be protected by it from the Action of the strongest Aqua fortis or Aqua Regia. I send you inclosed two little Pieces of Glass with these metaline stains upon them, which can not be removed without taking Part of the Glass with them. Sometimes the Stain spreads a little wider than the Breadth of the Leaf; and looks brighter at the Edge, as by inspecting closely you may observe in these. Sometimes the Glass breaks to Pieces. Once the upper Glass broke into a thousand Pieces like coarse Salt. These Pieces I send you were stained with Dutch Gold; true Gold makes a darker Stain somewhat reddish, Silver a greenish Stain. We once took two Pieces of thick Looking Glass, as broad as a Gunters Scale, and six Inches long; and placing Leaf Gold between them, put them betwixt two smoothly plain\u2019d Pieces of Wood, and fixt them tight in a Bookbinder\u2019s small Press: yet tho\u2019 they were so closely confined; the Force of the Electrical Shock shiver\u2019d the Glass into many Pieces. The Gold was melted and stain\u2019d into the Glass as usual. The Circumstances of breaking the Glass differ much in Repeating the Experiment, and sometimes it does not break at all: But this is constant, that the Stains, in the upper and under Pieces, are exact Counterparts of each other: And tho\u2019 I have often taken up the Pieces of Glass immediately after this melting, between my Fingers, I never could perceive the least Warmth in them.\n25. In one of my former Papers I mentioned that Gilding on a Book, tho\u2019 at first it communicated the Shock perfectly well, yet fail\u2019d after a few Experiments, which we could not account for. We have since found, that one strong Shock breaks the Continuity of the Gold in the Filetting, and makes it look rather like Dust of Gold; Abundance of it\u2019s Parts being broken and driven off; And it will seldom conduct above one strong Shock. Perhaps this may be the Reason; When there is not a perfect Continuity in the Circle, the Fire must leap over the Vacancies; there is a certain Distance which it is able to leap over a Vacancy, according to it\u2019s Strength; if a Number of small Vacancies, tho\u2019 each be very minute, taken together exceed that Distance, it can not leap over them, and so the Shock is prevented.\n   26. From the before mentioned Law of Electricity, That Points as they are more or less acute, both draw on and throw off the Electrical Fluid with more or less Power, and at greater or less Distances, and in larger or smaller Quantities in the same Time; we may see how to account for the Situation of the Leaf-Gold suspended between two Plates, the upper one continually electrified, the under one in a Person\u2019s Hand standing on the Floor. When the upper Plate is Electrified, the Leaf is attracted and raised towards it, and would fly to that Plate, were it not for it\u2019s own Points: the Corner that happens to be uppermost, as the Leaf is rising; being a sharp Point from the extream Thinness of the Gold, draws and receives at a Distance a sufficient Quantity of the electrical Fluid, to give itself an Electrical Atmosphere, by which it\u2019s Progress to the upper Plate is stopt, and it begins to be repell\u2019d from that Plate, and would be driven back to the under Plate, but that it\u2019s lowest Corner is likewise a Point, and throws off or discharges the Overplus of the Leaf\u2019s Atmosphere, as fast as the upper Corner draws it on. Were these two Points perfectly equal in Acuteness, the Leaf would take Place exactly in the middle Space; for it\u2019s Weight is a Trifle compar\u2019d to the Power acting on it. But it is generally nearest the unelectrified Plate, because, when the Leaf is offered to the electrified Plate at a Distance, the sharpest Point is commonly first affected, and raised towards it; so that Point from it\u2019s greater Acuteness receiving the Fluid faster than it\u2019s opposite can discharge it at equal Distances, it retires from the electrified Plate, and draws nearer to the unelectrified Plate, \u2019till it comes to a Distance where the Discharge can be exactly equal to the Receipt, the latter being lessened and the former increased; and there it remains, as long as the Globe continues to supply fresh Electrical Matter. This will appear plain, when the Difference of Acuteness in the Corners is made very great. Cut a Piece of Dutch Gold (which is the fittest for these Experiments, on Account of it\u2019s greater Strength) into the Form in the Margin; the upper Corner a right Angle, the two next obtuse Angles, and the lowest a very acute one; and bring this on your Plate under the electrified Plate, in such a Manner, as that the right Angle Part may be first raised (which is done by covering the Narrow End with the Hollow of your Hand) and you will see this Leaf take Place much nearer to the upper than to the under Plate; because without being nearer, it can not receive so fast at its right angle\u2019d Point as it can discharge at it\u2019s acute one. Turn this Leaf with the acute Part uppermost, and then it takes Place nearest the unelectrified Plate; because otherwise it receives faster at its acute Point than it can discharge at it\u2019s right angled one. Thus the Difference of Distance is always proportioned to the Difference of Acuteness. Take Care, in cutting your Leaf to leave no little ragged Particles on the Edges, which sometimes form Points where you would not have them. You may make this Figure so acute below and dull above, as to need no under Plate: it discharging fast enough into the Air. When it is made narrower; as the Figure between the prickt Lines, we call it the Golden Fish, from its Manner of Acting: for if you take it by the Tail, and hold it at a Foot or greater horizontal Distance from the Prime Conductor, it will, when let go, fly to it with a brisk but waving Motion, like that of a Fish thro\u2019 the Water: It will then take Place under the Prime Conductor, at perhaps a Quarter or Half an Inch Distance, and keep continual Shaking of it\u2019s Tail like a Fish; so that it seems animated. Turn it\u2019s Tail to the Prime Conductor, and then it flies to your Finger and seems to nibble it. And if you hold a Plate under it at 6 or 8 Inches Distance, and cease turning the Globe; when the Electrical Atmosphere of the Conductor grows small, it will descend to the Plate and swim back again several Times with the same Fish-like Motion, greatly to the Entertainment of Spectators. By a little Practice in dulling or sharpning the Heads or Tails of these Figures, you make them take Place as desired, nearer or farther from the Electrified Plate.\n27. It is said in Section 8. of this Paper that all Kinds of common Matter are supposed not to attract the Electrical Fluid with equal Strength: and that those call\u2019d Electrics per Se, as Glass &c. attract and retain it strongest, and contain the greatest Quantity.\nThis latter Position may seem a Paradox to some, being contrary to the hitherto received Opinion, and therefore I shall now endeavour to explain it.\n28. In Order to this, let it first be consider\u2019d That we can not, by any Means we are yet acquainted with, force the Electrical Fluid thro\u2019 Glass. I know it is commonly thought that it easily pervades Glass; and the Experiment of a Feather suspended by a Thread in a Bottle hermetically sealed, yet moved by bringing a rubb\u2019d Tube near the outside of the Bottle, is alledg\u2019d to prove it. But if the Electrical Fluid so easily pervades Glass, How does the Vial become charg\u2019d (as we term it) when we hold it in our Hands? Would not the Fire thrown in by the Wire, pass thro\u2019 to our Hands, and so escape into the Floor? Would not the Bottle in that Case be left just as we found it, uncharg\u2019d; as we know a Metal Bottle, so attempted to be charg\u2019d would be? Indeed if there be the least Crack, the minutest Solution of Continuity in the Glass, tho\u2019 it remains so light, that Nothing else we know of will pass, yet the extreamly subtile electrical Fluid, flies thro\u2019 such a Crack with the greatest Freedom, and such Bottle we know can never be charg\u2019d:\n   *See the first 16 sections of the third Letter, p. 31 &c. [above, III, 352\u20136].\n What then makes the Difference between such a Bottle, and one that is sound, but this; That the Fluid can pass thro\u2019 the one and not thro\u2019 the other?\n29. It is true, there is an Experiment that at first Sight would be apt to satisfy a slight Observer, that the Fire thrown into the Bottle by the Wire does really pass thro\u2019 the Glass. It is this: Place the Bottle on a Glass Stand under the Prime Conductor: suspend a Bullet by a Chain from the Prime Conductor, \u2019till it comes within a quarter of an Inch, right over the Wire of the Bottle; Place your Knuckle on the Glass Stand, at just the same Distance from the Coating of the Bottle, as the Bullet is from it\u2019s Wire. Now let the Globe be turnd, and you see a Spark strike from the Bullet to the Wire of the Bottle, and the same Instant you see and feel an exactly equal Spark striking from the Coating to your Knuckle: and so on Spark for Spark.\n   \u2020See \u00a7 10 of the third Letter, p. 36 [above, III, 355].\n This looks, as if the whole received by the Bottle was again discharged from it: and yet the Bottle by this means is chargd! And therefore the Fire that thus leaves the Bottle, tho\u2019 the same in Quantity, can not be the very same Fire that entered at the Wire: For, if it were, the Bottle would remain uncharg\u2019d.\n30. If the Fire that so leaves the Bottle be not the same that is thrown in, thro\u2019 the Wire, it must be Fire that subsisted in the Bottle (that is in the Glass of the Bottle) before the Operation begun.\n31. If so, there must be a great Quantity in Glass, because a great Quantity is thus discharg\u2019d even from very thin Glass.\n32. That this Electrical Fluid or Fire, is strongly attracted by Glass, we know from the Quickness and Violence with which it is resum\u2019d by the Part that had been deprived of it, when there is an Opportunity. And by this, that we can not from a Mass of Glass draw a Quantity of Electrical Fire; or electrify the whole Mass minus, as we can a Mass of Metal. We cannot lessen nor increase it\u2019s whole Quantity; for what it has it holds; and it has as much as it can hold: It\u2019s Pores are fill\u2019d with it as full as the mutual Repellency of the Particles will admit: and what is already in, refuses or strongly repels any additional Quantity. Nor have we any Way of Moving this Electrical Fluid in Glass, but one; that is, by covering Part of the two Surfaces of thin Glass with Non-electrics; and then throwing an additional Quantity of this Fluid on one Surface, which spreading in the Non-electric; and being bound to that Surface by it, acts by it\u2019s repelling Force on the Particles of electrical Fluid contain\u2019d in the other Surface, and drives them out of the Glass into the Non-electric on that Side from whence they are discharg\u2019d; And those added on the charg\u2019d Side can then enter. But when this is done, there is no more in the Glass, nor less than before; just as much having left it on one Side, as it received on the other.\n33. I feel a Want of Terms here, and doubt much, whether I shall be able to make this intelligible. By the Word Surface in this Case, I do not mean mere Length and Breadth without Thickness: But when I speak of the upper or under Surface of a Piece of Glass, the outer or inner Surface of the Phial, I mean Length, Breadth and half the Thickness; and beg the Favour of being so understood.\nNow I suppose that Glass in it\u2019s first Principles, and in the Furnace, has no more of this electrical Fluid than other common Matter: That when it is blown, as it cools, and the Particles of common Fire leave it, it\u2019s Pores become a perfect Vacuum: That the component Parts of Glass are extreamly small and fine, I guess from it\u2019s never shewing a rough Face where it breaks, but always a Polish; and from the Smallness of its Particles, I suppose the Pores between them must be exceeding small; which is the Reason that Aqua fortis, nor any other Menstruum we have, can enter to separate them, and dissolve the Substance, nor is any Fluid we know of, fine enough to enter, except common Fire and the electrical Fluid. Now the Departing Fire, leaving a Vacuum, as aforesaid, between these Pores, which Air nor Water are fine enough to enter and fill; the Electrical Fluid (which is every where ready in what we call the Non-electrics, and in the Non-electric Mixtures that are in the Air) presses or is attracted in: yet does not become fixt with the Substance of the Glass, but subsists there as Water in a Porous Stone, retain\u2019d only by the Attraction of the fixt Parts, itself still loose and fluid.\nBut I suppose farther, that in the Cooling of the Glass, it\u2019s Texture becomes closest in the Middle, and forms a Kind of Partition, in which the Pores are so narrow, that the Particles of the Electrical Fluid, which enter both Surfaces at the same Time, cannot go thro\u2019 or pass and repass from one Surface to the other, and so mix together. Yet tho\u2019 the Particles of Electrical Fluid imbib\u2019d by each Surface can not themselves pass thro\u2019 to those of the other, their Repellency can; and by this Means they act on one another. The Particles of Electrical Fluid have a mutual Repellency, but by the Power of Attraction in the Glass, they are condensed or forced nearer to each other.\nWhen the Glass has receiv\u2019d, and by it\u2019s Attraction forced closer together so much of this elastic Fluid, as that the Power of Attracting and condensing in the one is equal to the Power of Expansion in the other, it can imbibe no more, and that remains it\u2019s constant whole Quantity; But each Surface could receive more, if the Repellency of what is in the opposite Surface did not resist it\u2019s Entrance. The Quantities of this Fluid in each Surface being equal, their repelling Action on each other is equal: and therefore those of one Surface cannot drive out those of the other. But if a greater Quantity is forced into one Surface than the Glass would naturally draw in; this increases the repelling Power on that Side, and overpowering the Attraction on the other, drives out Part of the Fluid, that had been imbibed by that Surface, if there be any Non-electric ready to receive it: Such there is in all Cases, where Glass is electrified to give a Shock.\nThe Surface that has been thus emptied, by having it\u2019s Electrical Fluid driven out, resumes again an equal Quantity with Violence, as soon as the Glass has an Opportunity to discharge that over-Quantity, more than it could retain by Attraction in it\u2019s other Surface, by the additional Repellency of Which the Vacuum had been occasioned. For Experiments favouring this Hypothesis, I must, to avoid Repetition, beg Leave to refer you back to what is said of the Electrical Vial in my former Papers.\n34. Let us now see, how it will account for several other Appearances.\nGlass, a Body extreamly elastic (and perhaps it\u2019s Elasticity may be owing in some Degree to the subsisting of so great Quantity of this repelling Fluid in it\u2019s Pores) must, when rubb\u2019d, have it\u2019s rubb\u2019d Surface somewhat stretcht, or it\u2019s solid Parts drawn a little farther asunder; so that the Vacancies in which the Electrical Fluid resides, become larger, affording Room for more of that Fluid, which is immediately attracted into it, from the Cushion or Hand rubbing, they being supply\u2019d from the common Stock. But the Instant the Parts of the Glass so opened and filled have past the Friction, they close again, and force the additional Quantity out upon the Surface, where it must rest, till that Part comes round to the Cushion again; unless some Non-electric (as the Prime Conductor) first presents to receive it. In the Dark, the Electrical Fluid may be seen on the Cushion in two Semi-circles or Half-moons, one on the Fore-Part, the other on the Back Part of the Cushion, just where the Globe and Cushion separate. In the fore Crescent, the Fire is passing out of the Cushion into the Glass; in the other it is leaving the Glass and returning into the Back Part of the Cushion. When the Prime Conductor is apply\u2019d, to take it off the Glass, the back Crescent disappears.\nBut if the inside of the Globe be lined with a Non-electric, the additional Repellency of the electrical Fluid thus collected by Friction in the rubb\u2019d Part of the Globe\u2019s outer Surface, drives an equal Quantity out of the inner Surface into that Non-electric Lining, which receiving it and carrying it away from the rubb\u2019d Part into the common Mass thro\u2019 the Axis of the Globe and Frame of the Machine; The new collected Electrical Fluid can enter and remain in the outer Surface, and none of it, or a very little, will be received by the Prime Conductor. As this charg\u2019d Part of the Globe comes round to the Cushion again, the outer Surface delivers it\u2019s Overplus Fire into the Cushion; the opposite inner Surface receiving at the same Time an equal Quantity from the Floor.\nEvery Electrician knows that a Globe wet within will give little or no Fire; the Reason has not before been attempted to be given that I know of.\n35. So if a Tube lined with a Non-electric be rubb\u2019d, little or no Fire is obtained from it. What is collected from the Hand in the downward rubbing Stroke entring the Pores of the Glass, and driving an equal Quantity out of the inner Surface into the Non-electric Lining. And the Hand in passing up to take a second Stroke, takes out again what had been thrown into the outer Surface; and then the inner Surface receives back again, what it had given to the Non-electric Lining. Thus the Particles of Electrical Fluid belonging to the inside Surface go in and out of their Pores every Stroke given to the Tube. Put a Wire into the Tube, the inward End in Contact with the Non-electric Lining, so it will represent the Leyden Bottle. Let a Second Person touch the Wire while you rub, and the Fire driven out of the inward Surface, when you give the Stroke, will pass thro\u2019 him into the common Mass, and return thro\u2019 him, when the inner Surface resumes it\u2019s Quantity; and therefore this new Kind of Leiden Bottle can not so be charg\u2019d; But thus it may. After every Stroke, before you pass your Hand up to make another, let the second Person apply his Finger to the Wire, take the Spark and then withdraw his Finger; and so on till he has drawn a Number of Sparks; thus will the inner Surface be exhausted, and the outer Surface charg\u2019d. Then wrap a Sheet of gilt Paper close round the outer Surface; and grasping it with one Hand, you may receive a Shock, by applying the Finger of the other Hand to the Wire. For now the vacant Pores in the inner Surface resume their Quantity, and the overcharg\u2019d Pores in the outer Surface discharge that Overplus: the Equilibrium being restored thro\u2019 your Body, which could not be restored thro\u2019 the Middle of the Glass.\n   \u2021See \u00a715 of the third Letter p. 39 [above, III, 356].\nIf the Tube be exhausted of Air a Non-electric Lining in Contact with the Wire is not necessary: For in Vacuo, the Electrical Fire will fly freely from the inner Surface to the Wire, and back again from the Wire to the inner Surface, without a Non-electric Conductor. But Air resists it\u2019s Motion, for being itself an Electric per Se, it does not attract it, having already it\u2019s Quantity. So the Air never draws off an Electrical Atmosphere from any Body, but in Proportion to the Non electrics mixt with it: It rather keeps such an Atmosphere confined, which from the mutual Repulsion of it\u2019s Particles tends to dissipation, and would immediately dissipate in Vacuo.\nAnd thus the Experiment of the Feather inclosed in a Glass Vessel hermetically seal\u2019d but moving on the Approach of the rubbed Tube is explained. When an additional Quantity of the Electrical Fluid is apply\u2019d to the Side of the Vessel by the Atmosphere of the Tube, a Quantity is repell\u2019d and driven out of the inner Surface of that Side into the Vessel, and there affects the Feather; returning again into it\u2019s Pores, when the Tube with it\u2019s Atmosphere is withdrawn: not that the Particles of that Atmosphere did themselves pass thro\u2019 the Glass to the Feather. And every other Appearance I have yet seen, in which Glass and Electricity are concern\u2019d, are I think explain\u2019d, with equal Ease, by the same Hypothesis. Yet perhaps it may not be a true one, and I shall be obliged to him that affords me a better.\n36. Thus I take the Difference between Non-Electrics, and Glass, an Electric per Se, to consist in these two Particulars,\n1. That a Non-electric easily suffers a Change in the Quantity of the Electrical Fluid it contains: you may lessen its whole Quantity by drawing out a Part, which the whole Body will again resume; But Glass, you can only lessen the Quantity contained in one of it\u2019s Surfaces; and not that, but by supplying an equal Quantity at the same Time to the other Surface; so that the whole Glass may always have the same Quantity in the two Surfaces; their two different Quantities being added together. And this can only be done in Glass that is thin; beyond a certain Thickness we have yet no Power that can make this Change. And,\n2. That the Electrical Fire freely removes from Place to Place in and thro\u2019 the Substance of a Non-Electric, but not so thro\u2019 the Substance of Glass. If you offer a Quantity to one End of a long rod of Metal, it receives it, and when it enters, every Particle that was before in the Rod pushes it\u2019s Neighbour and so on quite to the farther End where the Overplus is discharg\u2019d; and this instantaneously, when the Rod is Part of the Circle in the Experiment of the Shock. But Glass from the Smalness of it\u2019s Pores, or stronger Attraction of what it contains, refuses to admit so free a Motion. A Glass Rod will not conduct a Shock, nor will the thinnest Glass suffer any Particle entring one of it\u2019s Surfaces to pass thro\u2019 to the other.\n37. Hence we see the Impossibility of Success in the Experiments proposed to draw out the effluvial Virtues of a Non-electric as Cinnamon for Instance, and mixing them with the Electrical Fluid, to convey them with that into the Body, by including it in the Globe, and then Applying Friction &c. For tho\u2019 the Effluvia of Cinnamon and the Electrical Fluid, should mix within the Globe, they would never come out together thro\u2019 the Pores of the Glass, and so go to the Prime Conductor. For the Electrical Fluid itself can not come thro\u2019, and the Prime Conductor is always supply\u2019d from the Cushion, and that from the Floor. And besides, when the Globe is filled with Cinnamon, or other Non-electric, no electrical Fluid can be obtained from it\u2019s outer Surface, for the Reason before mentioned. I have try\u2019d another Way, which I thought more likely to obtain a Mixture of the Electrical and other Effluvia together, if such a Mixture had been possible. I placed a Glass Plate under my Cushion to cut off the Communication between the Cushion and Floor, then brought a small Chain from the Cushion into a Glass of Oyl of Turpentine, and carried another Chain from the Oyl of Turpentine to the Floor; taking Care that the Chain from the Cushion to the Glass touched no Part of the Frame of the Machine. Another Chain was fixt to the Prime Conductor and held in the Hand of a Person to be electrised. The Ends of the two Chains in the Glass were near an Inch Distant from each other, the Oil of Turpentine between. Now the Globe being turn\u2019d, could draw no Fire from the Floor thro\u2019 the Machine; the Communication that Way being cut off by the Glass Plate under the Cushion: It must then draw it thro\u2019 the Chains, whose Ends were dipt in the Oil of Turpentine. And as the Oil of Turpentine being an Electric per Se could not conduct; what came up from the Floor was obliged to jump from the End of one Chain to the End of the other, thro\u2019 the Substance of that Oyl, which we could see in large Sparks; and so it had a fair Opportunity of Seizing some of the finest Particles of the Oyl in it\u2019s Passage, and carrying them off with it: But no such Effect followed: nor could I perceive the least Difference in the Smell of the Electrical Effluvia thus collected, from what it has when collected otherwise; nor does it otherwise affect the Body of a Person electrised.\nI likewise put into a Phial, instead of Water, a strong Purgative Liquid, and then charg\u2019d the Phial, and took repeated Shocks from it: In which Case, every Particle of the Electrical Fluid, must, before it went thro\u2019 my Body, have first gone thro\u2019 the Liquid, when the Phial was charging, and return\u2019d thro\u2019 it when discharging; yet no other Effect follow\u2019d than if [it] had been charg\u2019d with Water. I have also smelt the Electrical Fire, when drawn thro\u2019 Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, Iron, Tin, Wood and the human Body, and could perceive no Difference; the Odour is always the same, where the Spark does not burn what it strikes: Therefore I imagine it does not take that Smell from any Quality of the Bodies it passes thro\u2019. And indeed as that Smell so readily leaves the Electrical Matter, and adheres to the Knuckle receiving the Sparks, and to other Things; I suspect that it never was connected with it, but rises instantaneously from Something in the Air acted upon by it. For if it was fine enough to come with the Electrical Fluid thro\u2019 the Body of one Person, why should it stop on the Skin of another?\nBut I shall never have done, if I tell You all my Conjectures, Thoughts and Imaginations on the Nature and Operations of this Electrical Fluid, and relate the Variety of little Experiments we have try\u2019d.\nI have already made this Paper too long for which I must crave Pardon, not having Time to make it shorter. I shall only add, That as it has been observed here, that Spirits will fire by the Electrical Spark in the Summer Time, without heating, when Fahrenheits Thermometer is above 70\u00b0. So when the Weather is colder, if the Operator puts a small flat Bottle of Spirits in his Bosom, or a close Pocket, with the Spoon, some little Time before he uses them; the Heat of his Body will communicate Warmth more than sufficient for the Purpose.\nTo Peter Collinson Esqr. F.R.S. London", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "07-31-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0007", "content": "Title: Paper on the Academy, [31 July 1750]\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: \nWithin a few weeks of their organization, Nov. 13, 1749, the Academy trustees had received subscriptions amounting to more than \u00a3700. Twenty-three trustees alone subscribed \u00a3383 annually for five years\u2014William Allen\u2019s pledge of \u00a375 a year was the largest; and some forty or fifty other citizens promised a total of \u00a3322 8s. the first year. An unexpected gift of \u00a3100 came from the London merchants David Barclay & Sons; and in March 1751 Mayor Thomas Lawrence, with the City Council\u2019s approval, gave his salary of \u00a3100 to the Academy instead of spending it for a feast for the citizens (see above, II, 329). To pay off the indebtedness on the New Building the trustees borrowed \u00a3800 from the Lottery Managers; and it cost them \u00a3598 to remodel it for school uses. Two lots adjoining the building were purchased, 1751. Apparatus had to be bought and instructors engaged. \u201cI asked Mr. Franklin, who is the soul of the whole,\u201d Richard Peters wrote Thomas Penn, \u201cwhether they would not find it difficult to collect masters. He said, with an air of firmness, that money would buy learning of all sorts, he was under no apprehensions about masters. \u2026\u201d The trustees turned for additional support to the City Council (11 of whose 24 members, including BF, were trustees); William Allen presented their appeal, July 30, 1750. The next day a paper of Franklin\u2019s was laid before the Council giving an account of what had already been accomplished for the Academy \u201cand what Advantages are expected from that Undertaking.\u201d\nThe Trustees of the Academy have already laid out near \u00a3800, in the Purchase of the Building, and will probably expend near as much more in fitting up Rooms for the Schools, and furnishing them with proper Books and Instruments for the Instruction of Youth.\nThe greatest Part of the Money paid and to be paid, is subscribed by the Trustees themselves, and advanced by them; many of whom have no Children of their own to educate, but act from a View to the Public Good, without Regard to Sect or Party. And they have engaged to open a Charity School within two Years for the Instruction of Poor Children gratis, in Reading, Writing and Arithmetick, and the first Principles of Virtue and Piety.\nThe Benefits expected from this Institution, are,\n1. That the Youth of Pensilvania may have an Opportunity of receiving a good Education at home, and be under no Necessity of going abroad for it; whereby not only a considerable Expence may be saved to the Country, but a stricter Eye may be had over their Morals by their Friends and Relations.\n2. That a Number of our Natives will hereby be qualified to bear Magistracies, and execute other public Offices of Trust, with Reputation to themselves and Country; there being at present great Want of Persons so qualified in the several Counties of this Province. And this is the more necessary now to be provided for by the English here, as vast Numbers of Foreigners are yearly imported among us, totally ignorant of our Laws, Customs, and Language.\n3. That a Number of the poorer Sort will hereby be qualified to act as Schoolmasters in the Country, to teach Children Reading, Writing, Arithmetick, and the Grammar of their Mother Tongue; and being of good Morals and known Characters, may be recommended from the Academy to Country Schools for that Purpose; The Country suffering at present very much for want of good Schoolmasters, and oblig\u2019d frequently to employ in their Schools, vicious imported Servants, or concealed Papists, who by their bad Examples and Instructions often deprave the Morals or corrupt the Principles of the Children under their Care.\n4. It is thought that a good Academy erected in Philadelphia, a healthy Place, where Provisions are plenty, situated in the Center of the Colonies, may draw Numbers of Students from the Neighbouring Provinces, who must spend considerable Sums yearly among us, in Payment for their Lodging, Diet, Apparel &c. which will be an Advantage to our Traders, Artisans, and Owners of Houses and Lands. This Advantage is so considerable, that it has been frequently observed in Europe, that the fixing a good School or College in a little inland Village, has been the Means of making it a great Town in a few Years; And therefore the Magistrates of many Places, have offer\u2019d and given great yearly Salaries, to draw learned Instructors from other Countries to their respective Towns, meerly with a View to the Interest of the Inhabitants.\nNumbers of People have already generously subscribed considerable Sums to carry on this Undertaking; but others, well disposed, are somewhat discouraged from contributing, by an Apprehension lest when the first Subscriptions are expended, the Design should drop. The great Expence of such a Work is in the Beginning: If the Academy be once well-open\u2019d, good Masters provided, and good Orders established, there is Reason to believe (from many former Examples in other Countries) that it will be able after a few Years, to support it self. Some Assistance from the Corporation is immediately wanted and hoped for; and it is thought that if this Board, which is a perpetual Body, take the Academy under their Patronage, and afford it some Encouragement, it will greatly strengthen the Hands of all concern\u2019d, and be a Means of Establishing this good Work, and continuing the good Effects of it down to our late Posterity.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "08-09-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0008", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 9 August 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Johnson, Samuel\nRevd. Sir\nPhilada. Augt. 9. 1750\nAt my Return home I found your Favour of June the 28th. with the Bishop of Cloyne\u2019s Letter enclos\u2019d, which I will take care of, and beg Leave to keep a little longer.\nMr. Francis, our Attorney General, who was with me at your House, from the Conversation then had with you, and reading some of your Pieces, has conceiv\u2019d an Esteem for you equal to mine: The Character we have given of you to the other Trustees, and the Sight of your Letters relating to the Academy, has made them very desirous of engaging you in that Design, as a Person whose Experience and Judgment would be of great Use in forming Rules and Establishing good Methods in the Beginning, and whose Name for Learning would give it a Reputation. We only lament, that in the infant State of our Funds, we cannot make you an Offer equal to your Merit. But as the View of being useful has most Weight with generous and benevolent Minds, and in this Affair you may do great Service not only to the present but to future Generations, I flatter myself sometimes that if you were here, and saw Things as they are, and convers\u2019d a little with our People, you might be prevail\u2019d with to remove. I would therefore earnestly press you to make us a Visit as soon as you conveniently can; and in the mean time let me represent to you some of the Circumstances as they appear to me.\n1. The Trustees of the Academy are applying for a Charter, which will give an Opportunity of improving and modelling our Constitution in such a Manner, as, when we have your Advice shall appear best. I suppose we shall have Power to form a regular College.\n2. If you would undertake the Management of the English Education, I am satisfied the Trustees would, on your Account make the Salary \u00a3100 Sterling (they have already voted \u00a3150 Currency which is not far from it) and pay the Charge of your Removal. Your Son might also be employ\u2019d as a Tutor at \u00a360 or perhaps \u00a370 per annum.\n3. It has been long observ\u2019d, that our Church is not sufficient to accommodate near the Number of People who would willingly have Seats there. The Buildings encrease very fast towards the South End of the Town, and many of the principal Merchants now live there, which being at a considerable Distance from the present Church, People begin to talk much of Building another, and Ground has been offer\u2019d as a Gift for that purpose. The Trustees of the Academy are \u00beths of them Members of the Church of England, and the rest Men of moderate Principles: They have reserv\u2019d in the Building, a large Hall for occasional Preaching, publick Lectures, Orations, &c. It is 70 foot by 60, furnish\u2019d with a handsome Pulpit, Seats, &c. In this, Mr. Tennent collected his Congregation, who are now building him a Meeting-House: In the same Place, by giving now and then a Lecture, you might with equal Ease collect a Congregation, that would in a short Time build you a Church, (if it should be agreable to you).\nIn the mean time, I imagine you will receive something considerable yearly, arising from Marriages and Christnings in the best Families, &c. not to mention Presents, that are not unfrequent from a wealthy People to a Minister they like; and tho\u2019 the whole may not amount to more than a due Support, yet I think it will be a comfortable one. And when you are well settled in a Church of your own, your Son may be qualified by Years and Experience to succeed you in the Academy; or if you rather chuse to continue in the Academy, your Son might probably be fix\u2019d in the Church.\nThese are my private Sentiments, which I have communicated only with Mr. Francis, who entirely agrees with me. I acquainted the Trustees that I would write to you, but could give them no Dependance that you would be prevail\u2019d on to remove: They will however treat with no other \u2019till I have your Answer.\nYou will see by our News Paper, which I enclose, that the Corporation of this City have voted \u00a3200 down and \u00a3100 a Year out of their Revenues, to the Trustees of the Academy: As they are a perpetual Body, chusing their own Successors, and so not subject to be chang\u2019d by the Caprice of a Governor or of the People, and as 18 of the Members, (some the most leading) are of the Trustees, we look on this Donation to be as good as so much Real Estate; being confident it will be continu\u2019d as long as it is well apply\u2019d, and even encreas\u2019d if there should be Occasion. We have now near \u00a35000 subscribed, and expect some considerable Sums besides may be procured from the Merchants of London trading hither. And as we are in the Center of the Colonies, a healthy Place, with Plenty of Provisions, we suppose a good Academy here may draw Numbers of Youth for Education from the neighbouring Colonies, and even from the West Indies.\nI will shortly print Proposals for Publishing your Pieces by Subscription, and disperse them among my Friends along the Continent. My Compliments to Mrs. Johnson and your Son; and Mr. and Mrs. Walker your good Neighbours. I am, with great Esteem and Respect, Sir, Your most humble Servant\nB Franklin\nP.S. There are some other Things best treated of when we have the Pleasure of seeing you. It begins now to be pleasant Travelling: I wish you would conclude to visit us in the next Month at farthest. Whether the Journey produces the Effect we desire, or not, it shall be no Expence to you.\nDr. Johnson", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "08-23-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0009", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 23 August 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Johnson, Samuel\nDear Sir,\nPhiladelphia, August 23, 1750\nWe received your favour of the 16th instant. Mr. Peters will hardly have time to write to you per this post, and I must be short. Mr. Francis spent the last evening with me, and we were all glad to hear that you seriously meditate a visit after the middle of next month, and that you will inform us by a line when to expect you. We drank your health and Mrs. Johnson\u2019s, remembering your kind entertainment of us at Stratford.\nI think with you, that nothing is of more importance for the public weal, than to form and train up youth in wisdom and virtue. Wise and good men are, in my opinion, the strength of a state: much more so than riches or arms, which, under the management of Ignorance and Wickedness, often draw on destruction, instead of providing for the safety of a people. And though the culture bestowed on many should be successful only with a few, yet the influence of those few and the service in their power, may be very great. Even a single woman that was wise, by her wisdom saved a city.\nI think also, that general virtue is more probably to be expected and obtained from the education of youth, than from the exhortation of adult persons; bad habits and vices of the mind, being, like diseases of the body, more easily prevented than cured.\nI think moreover, that talents for the education of youth are the gift of God; and that he on whom they are bestowed, whenever a way is opened for the use of them, is as strongly called as if he heard a voice from heaven: nothing more surely pointing out duty in a public service, than ability and opportunity of performing it.\nI have not yet discoursed with Dr. Jenney concerning your removal hither. You have reason, I own, to doubt, whether your coming on the foot I proposed would not be disagreeable to him; though I think it ought not: for should his particular interest be somewhat affected by it, that ought not to stand in competition with the general good; especially as it cannot be much affected, he being old, and rich, and without children. I will however learn his sentiments before the next post. But whatever influence they might have on your determinations about removing, they need have none on your intention of visiting; and if you favour us with the visit, it is not necessary that you should previously write to him to learn his dispositions about your removal; since you will see him, and when we are all together, those things may be better settled in conversation than by letters at a distance. Your tenderness of the church\u2019s peace is truly laudable; but, methinks, to build a new church in a growing place is not properly dividing but multiplying; and will really be a means of increasing the number of those who worship God in that way. Many who cannot now be accommodated in the church, go to other places, or stay at home; and if we had another church, many who go to other places, or stay at home, would go to church. I suppose the interest of the church has been far from suffering in Boston by the building of two churches there in my memory. I had for several years nailed against the wall of my house a pigeon box that would hold six pair; and though they bred as fast as my neighbours\u2019 pigeons, I never had more than six pair, the old and strong driving out the young and weak, and obliging them to seek new habitations. At length I put up an additional box with apartments for entertaining twelve pair more; and it was soon filled with inhabitants, by the overflowing of my first box, and of others in the neighbourhood. This I take to be a parallel case with the building a new church here.\nYour years I think are not so many as to be an objection of any weight, especially considering the vigour of your constitution. For the small-pox, if it should spread here, you might inoculate with great probability of safety; and I think that distemper generally more favourable here than farther northward. Your objection about the politeness of Philadelphia, and your imagined rusticity, is mere compliment; and your diffidence of yourself absolutely groundless.\nMy humble respects, if you please, to your brethren at the commencement. I hope they will advise you to what is most for the good of the whole, and then I think they will advise you to remove hither.\nPlease to tender my best respects and service to Mrs. Johnson and your son. I am, dear Sir, Your obliged and affectionate humble servant,\nB. Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "09-02-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0010", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Kalm, 2 September 1750\nFrom: Kalm, Peter\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\nPeter Kalm visited Niagara Falls in the summer of 1750. He sent a report to Franklin, asking him, if he wished to print it in the Gazette, to \u201cturn it in better English,\u201d as Kalm was, he confessed, \u201cbut a poor English man\u201d and had \u201cno Dictionary to run to for help.\u201d Franklin accordingly published it in the issue of Sept. 20, 1750. His editorial treatment of the clumsy grammar and choice of words, the spelling and punctuation, while retaining Kalm\u2019s content and essential structure, made the style as smooth and clear as anything wholly his own.\nFor example:\nKalm:\n\u201cNow since I have myself seen it\u201d\nBF:\n  \u201cNow, since I have been on the Spot\u201d\nKalm:\n  \u201cthey grew quite other men\u201d\nBF:\n  \u201cthey chang\u2019d their Behaviour\u201d\nKalm:\n  \u201cI had now got a so clear idea or description of the fall, that it was for my eyes, as I saw it for me. But now I would go, and myself see, if all was true, and which was true or not.\u201d\nBF:\n  \u201cBut as I have found by Experience in my other Travels, that very Few observe Nature\u2019s Works with Accuracy, or report the Truth precisely, I cannot now be entirely satisfied without seeing with my own Eyes whenever \u2019tis in my Power.\u201d\nKalm:\n  \u201che writes, he was in such and such places, where he yet never was.\u201d\nBF:\n  \u201che writes of what he saw in Places where he never was.\u201d\nKalm\u2019s account of the falls, as revised by Franklin, was reprinted several times in the following year\u2014in the Gentleman\u2019s Magazine, the Virginia Gazette, and as an appendix to John Bartram\u2019s Observations \u2026 In his Travels from Pensilvania To Onondago (London, 1751).\nDear Sir.\nAlbany the 2: of Septemb. 1750.\nAfter a pritty long journey made in a short time, I am come back to this town: you remember, Sir, that when I took leave of you, I told you, that if my time would permit, I would this summer take a view of Niagara fall, one of the greatest curieusities in the world. When I the last year came back from Canada, you did ask me several things about this fall; I told you all what I have heard of it in Canada of French Gentlemen, that had been there but it was yet all relata refero, I could not assure you of the truth of it, because I had not then seen it myself, and so it could not satisfy my own, much less your curieusitie. Now since I have myself seen it, it is in my power to give you a pritty sufficient description of this great curieusity in the world. After a fatigant travel, first horseback through your Six indians country to Oswego, and since from there in a battoe upon the Lake Ontario I came the 12th day of August in the evening to Niagara Fort: the French there were mighty perplexed at my first coming there, thinking I was an English Officer, that under pretext of Seing Niagara fall came there in some other view; but so soon I did shew them my Passports, they grew quite other men; they receiv\u2019d me with the greatest civility. Niagara fall is six French leagues from Niagara Fort; you goes first 3. leagues by water up Niagara River; and since three leagues by land over the carrying-place. As it was late when I arriv\u2019d at the Fort, I could not the same day go to the fall; but yet I did my business to prepare me to do it. The Commendant of the Fort, Monsieur Beaujeu, did call together all the Officers and Gentlemen there were to supper with him: I had read before most all the Authors, that have writ any thing about this fall; the last year in Canada I made thousand querries about it to several Gentlemen that has been at it, so that I had a pritty good knowledge of the fall. Here at the supper I begg\u2019d the Gentlemen would tell me all what they knew and thought worth notice of this fall, which they all accordingly did; I observ\u2019d that in great many thing they all did agree, but in some there were different opinions. All this I took very well notice of; since they had told me all what they thought they knew, I made several querries to them about what I had read and heard hereof, if a such or such thing is true; and I had upon all their answer. I had now got a so clear idea or description of the fall, that it was for my eyes, as I saw it for me. But now I would go, and myself see, if all was true, and which was true or not. Accordingly the next morning at the break of the day upon the 13th of August, I went to the fall. The Commendant had given order to two of the Officers of the Fort to go with me, to shew me every thing, and besides one of this two Officers had with him orders from the Commandant to Monsieur Joncaire, that had liv\u2019d ten years by the carrying place, and did know every thing worth notice of the fall better than any Frenchman, indian or person in the world, to go with me and shew and tell me every thing he knew. A little before we came to the carrying place, the water of Niagara River grew so rapid, that four men in an [light?] Birch canoe had much work to get up to the carrying place. You can yet go with canoe half a League farther up the river than to the beginning of the carrying place though you have to work against the most rapid water; but higher up it is quite impossible to go in a canoe, being since nothing else to the great fall for two leagues and half of the river, than great many smaller falls one after the other, wherein the greatest battoe or canoe in a moment should be turn\u2019d uppside down. We did since walk over the carrying place, having in the beginning besides the steep and high side of the river to step up two high steep hills, one after the other. Here upon the carrying place I saw above two hundred indians, most part of the six nations, busy in carrying packs of furrs, chiefly skins of Deers and bears over the carrying place: you would have been surpriz\u2019d to see what abundance of such things are brought every day over this place: an indian gets 20 pences for every pack he carries over the carrying place, a distance of 3. leagues. Half an hour past 10. in the morning I came at the great fall, which I found such:\nThe River runs here from SSE to NNW, and the great fall crosses it, though not in a right line, but forming almost a figure of an half Circle or horse-shoe. Above the fall in the middle of the river is an island that goes from SSE. to NNW. or parallel with the sides of the river, its length is about 7 or 8. French arpents (you must know, that an arpent is 120 feet long.) The lower end of this island is just at the perpendicular side of the fall. On both sides of this island runs all the water that comes from the Lakes of Canada viz. the upper Lake, Lake mischigan, Lake Huron, and lake Eri\u00e9e: you knows, Sir, that all this Lakes are more small Seas than lakes. You can most every where see the Sun or rise or set in the water; besides this Lacs there are great many great rivers that empties their water in them, whereof the most part is coming down this Niagara fall. Before this water comes to this island, it runs but slowly, but so soon it is nigh the island, it grows to the most rapid water in the world, running with a surprizing swiftness before it comes to the fall; it is quite white, and in many places is thrown high up in the air; the greatest and strongest battoe would in a moment be turn\u2019d here upside down. The water that goes down on the West side of the island is more rapid, in greater abundance, whiter, and seems almost to outdo an arrow in swiftness. When you is at the fall, and looks up the river, you can more than plainly see how the river above the fall is every where exceeding steep almost as the side of a hill. When all this water comes to the very fall, then it throws it self there down perpendiculair; the hairs will rise and stand upright upon your head, when you sees this; I can not with words express how amazing this is; you can not see it, without to be quite afraid, seing a such great quantity of water falling down perpendiculair to a surprizing hight. I suppose, Sir, you have a desire to know the very hight of this great fall: you know, Sir, that Father Hennepin made it 600. feet perpendiculair;but this good man has gain\u2019d so very little Credit in Canada; the name of honour they there give him is, that they call him un grand Menteur, or a great Liar; he writes, he was in such and such places, where he yet never was. It is true, he has seen this fall; but you know, Sir, that it is a very common thing with Soldiers, Sailors and travellers, to tell what wonderfull thing they have done or seen, to make a louse an Elephant, to magnify every thing, and often try to make you believe what never had happen\u2019d but in their head; so it was with Father Hennepin. I have travel pritty much, but I have seldom or never been so happy to see the wonderfull thing that others have told of for me. I like to see a thing as it is, and tell it such to others. After Father Hennepins time the height of this fall is grown lesser and lesser, so that since they now have measur\u2019d it several times with mathematical instrument they always find it to be 137. French foot high perpendiculair. Monsieur Morandrier, the Kings Ingenieur in Canada, which has measur\u2019d it three times with mathematical instrument, told me, and gave me too with his own hand and name under the abovemention\u2019d hight of 137. foot, and all the French Gentlemen, that now were present, with me, did agree with him, without the least contradiction. It is true, if, you will try to measure it with a line, you will sometimes find it 140, sometimes 150, sometimes yet more foot high, but the reason is, that you with a line not can come to any certitude of the hight the water carrying away the line, etc. When the water is come down to the bottom of the rock of the fall it jumps back to a very great height in the air; in other places it is white as a milk or snow and in such motion, as the water in a kettel, under which you have made the strongest fire. You remember, Sir, to what great distance Father Hennepin says that men can hear the noise of this fall: all the gentlemen, that were with me, did agree, that the furthest you can hear the noise of the fall is 15. leagues, and that very seldom. When it is quite calm, you can hear it to Niagara Fort, but seldom otherwise, because the waves of the lake Ontario otherwise makes a noise there by the shore. That they have observ\u2019d at Niagara Fort, that when they hear there the noise of this fall louder than else, they are sure of a Nordeast wind, and that never fails, which is wonderfull when the fall is situated at SW. from the Fort, and rather should seem to be a sign to a contrary wind. Sometimes this fall makes a greater noise, than at other times, and when so is, it is a certain mark to an approaching bad weather or rain and this the indians here have allways for a sure sign. Now when I was here, it made not an extraordinary great noise; just by the fall I could very easily hear what the French did say to me, and they what I said to them, without that any of us did talk much louder, than we usually did when we were at any place where we heard no fall: I do not know how others have found here so great noise; may be at certain times, as abovemention\u2019d. The Locusts in the trees just by the fall made three times greater and louder noise than all the fall. From the place, where the water falls down, it rises such abundance of vapors as the greatest and thickest smoak, though sometimes more, other times less; this vapors do rise high up in the air, when it is calm, but follows the wind, when it blows hard. If you goes nigh to this vapor or fog, or that the wind do drive him unto you it is so penetrating, that you in few minutes, will be so wet, as you had laid an hour under water: I let two young Frenchmen go down to bring from the side of the fall at the bottom all the several herbs, stones and shells they should find there; they came up in few minutes, and I really thought, that they had fallen into the water. They were oblig\u2019d to strip themselves quite naked, and hang their cloats in the Sun to dry. When you is on the other or East side of Lake Ontario great many leagues from the fall, you can every clear and calm morning see the vapors of this fall rising in the air; you would think all the woods thereabout were set in fire of the indians; such is the smoake of the fall; in the same manner you can see the smoake of the fall on the West side of Lake Eriee great many leagues off. Several of the French Gentlemen told me, that when birds do come flying in this thick fog and smoake of the fall, they fall down and perish in the fall, either that their wings are grown to wet or that the noise of the fall makes them afraid, and that they don\u2019t know where to go in the darkness, but others of the French gentlemen did not agree in that, and thought seldom or never any bird is perish\u2019d here upon that manner, because they all did agree in that that among the great many birds which are found dead below the fall, you never shall find other, but such that live and swim chiefly in the water, as Ducks, gease, Swaans, water-hens, Teals. But therein did they French all agree that the most, if not all, birds, which perish here, are thrown in the fall in this manner, that they do swim in the river above the fall, and so they are carryed down lower and lower with the water, and you know, Sir, that Ducks and waterfowls commonly takes a great delight to be carryed with the stream and rapidness of the water; so here this birds permit themselves to be so long carryed down with the water, untill the swiftness of the water is so great, that it is not more possible for the birds to get up, but they are forced to follow the stream, and so thrown down the fall, perishing in this manner. Hundred times have the French seen great heaps of Ducks in the later end of the Summer been carryed down and thrown in the great fall, as now is said; you can see, that they try to get up of the water but can not. In the months of September and October they find every morning here such abundance of waterfowls below the fall at the shore that the garrison of the fort for a long time do live chiefly upon this. Besides the birds, they find sometimes Several sorts of dead fishes, Deers, bears, and other animals, that have tryed to cross the river above the fall; the greater animals you find chiefly all broken in pieces. Nighest below the fall is the water not rapid, but goes all in circles and whirls, almost as a boiling pot; the indians use to make there small canoes, and go there fishing; but a little lower begins the other smaller falls. When you is above the fall, and looks down, your head begins to turn Self. The French, that have hundred times been here, will seldom see down there, without keeping them fast at some tree with one hand. It has always been believed, that it was [not] possible for any body in the world to coome to the island, that is in the middle of the fall; But an accident that did happen 12 year ago, or therabout, has made it appear otherwise: the History is this: Two indians of the Six Nations went out from Niagara fort to hunt upon an island, that is in the middle of Niagara River some leagues above the great fall, and where it use to be abundance of Deers: they have got some French Brandy at Niagara Fort; this they tasted several times going over the carrying place; and when they there went into their canoe, they took sometimes a dram, and went so along up the river towards this island, where they were to hunt for deers; but they grew sleepy, and laid them down in the canoe to sleep. The canoe went farther and farther down with the water, so that he came nigh to that island, that is in the middle of the fall; here one of the indians got awake of the noise of the fall; he cries out to the other, that they were gone; yet they tryed, if possible, to save their live; this island was nighest, and with much working they got on shore there. They were in the beginning glad; but when they had consider\u2019d every thing, they thought themselves hardly better, than to have gone down the fall, and so perish, because it was yet nothing to do for them, than to throw them in the fall, or to starve of hunger; but the necessity, that have been the beginning of several useful thing, made them try all: at the lower end of the island the rock of the fall is perpendiculair, and no water is running there; great woods is over all the island; they went there, and made stairs or ladders of bark of Lindtree, which they made so long, as they found they hight of the fall: one end of this ladder they did tie to a great tree, that grew at the side of the rock above the fall, and the other end the let fall down to the water; so they went down along their new invented stairs, and when they came to the bottom in the middle of the fall, they did rest a little, and as the water nighest below the fall is not rapid, as abovemention\u2019d, they threw themselves out in the water thinking to swim on shore; but I have said before, that one fall is on one side of this island, and the other on the other; this makes that the waves of both falls running against one another, turns back against the rock, that is just under the island; therefore hardly had the indians come in the water, before the waves did throw them with violance against the rock, from whence they came; they tryed it several times, but grew at last weary, because of that the often were thrown against the rock; the rock had tored of the skin of their body in many places: they were then oblig\u2019d to climb up their stairs again to the island, not knowing what to do; they perceived at length some Indians upon the shore, to which they cryed out; they indians did pity them, but did give them little hope of help, yet they made hast down to the Fort, told the Commandant where two of their Brothers were; the Commendant did persuade them in all manner to try to help this two poor indians, and it was done in this manner: the fall water, that runs on the East side of this island is shallow, especially a little above the island towards the Eastern shore; the Commandand let be made poles or sticks with iron at the end; two indians took upon them to walk to this island to save the other poor creatures, or to self perish; they took leave of all the others, as they were going to the death; every one had two such poles in his hands to set in the bottom of the Stream, to keep them steady; so the went along, and not alone came to the island, but returned back with the two poor indians, to which they have given some of their poles; these two indians that in the abovemention\u2019d manner were first brought to this island are yet a life; they were 9. days upon the island, and were almost starved of hunger. Now since the road have been found out to this island, the indians often do go there to kill Deers, which have tryed to cross the river above the fall, but been so happy to have come upon this island, there carryed of the stream; they do increase there much, which makes the indians come there; but if the king of France would give me all Canada, I yet would not venture to go to this island, and I am sure, Sir, you would follow my example. On the West side of this island are some small islands or rocks of no consequence. The East side of the River is most perpendiculair, but the West side more slooping. In former times it was at that fall, which is on the West side of the island, a piece of a rock, that did hang over the rest, so that the water, that went thereover, and since fell perpendiculair, made that you could go under this rock between the perpendiculair side of the rock and the water, but this rock, that so hung out, is some year ago fallen down, that now it is nowhere any possibility to go between the falling water and the rock, but the water runs down all along the rock.\nThe breadth of the fall, as it goes in a semicircle, is reckon\u2019d to be about 6. arpents; the island is in the middle of the fall, and from it to every side is almost the same breadth; the breadth of the island at its lower end 2/3 arpent, or thereabout. Below the fall in the holes in the rocks are great plenty of Eales, which the indians and the French do catch only with their hands, without any other things; I sent two indian boys down, which directly came up with some and twenty fine eals. Every day when the Sun shines you sees here from 10 a clock in the morning to 2. a clock after noon, below the fall and under you, when you stands at the side over the fall, a fine Rain-bow, and sometimes two Rainbows, one on the outside of the other: I was so happy, that it was a fine clear day, when I was at this fall, and it was with some delight that I saw the rainbow, having allmost all the colours, which you find in a Rainbow in the air; the more vapours, the brighter and clearer is the rainbow; I saw it upon the East side of the fall at the bottom of the river above the water under the place where I stood; when the wind carries the vapours from that place, the rainbow is gone, and appears again so soon as new vapours come. From the fall to that place above the fall, where the canoes, that are coming from Lac Eri\u00e9e put on shore, or from the fall to the upper end of the carrying place is half a English mile; lower they dare not go, of fear to be obliged to try the fate of the two indians, and that perhaps with less Success. They have often found below the fall pieces of human bodies perhaps of drunk indians, that unhappely had come down the fall. It was told me at Oswego, that in October or thereabout is such plenty of feathers to be found here below the fall, that a man in a day can gather thereof enough for several beds, which feathers are come of birds killed at the fall; I asked the French, if this was true: they answered, that they never have seen such thing; but if they will pluck the feathers of the dead birds, then they can have feathers for several beds. The French told me, that they often had thrown whole great thick trees in the river above the fall, and let them go down with the water, to see these trees since tumble down the fall; they have with a surprizing swiftness fallen down, but they never could see them since, whence the French conclude, that it must be just under the fall a bottomless deep or an abyssus; I am too of that opinion, that it must be a surprizing deep here, but yet I think, that if they have examined all thing very well, they would have found the trees to some distance below the fall. The rock of the fall over which the water falls, consists of a gray limestone.\nHere you have, Sir, a short description of this famous Niagara fall: you can trust upon that this is true; you must excuse me, that you find here no wonder: I can not make the nature otherwise than I find it; I like more, that man shall say some hundred years hereafter, that they find every thing then, as I have said, than that I should be look\u2019d upon as one false wonder-maker. I could in other things satisfy your curieusity of what I have seen in this my journey; but my time will not permitt me; I hope in few days to have the honour to see you.\nIf you, Sir, find this worth to give a copy of it in your News Paper, pray turn it in better English: I am but a poor English man, and now I have no Dictionary to run to for help.\nMy Respect to Mistriss Franklin. I have the honour to be, Dear Sir your most humble servant\nPeter Kalm.\n Addressed: To \u2002Mr. Benjamin Franklin \u2002Postmaster at Philadelphia \u2002in \u2002Philadelphia.\nEndorsed: Mr. Kalm\u2019s curious Letter, contg. [the] first good Acct. we have of Niagara Falls", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "01-01-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0011", "content": "Title: Peter Kalm: Conversations with Franklin, 1750\nFrom: Kalm, Peter\nTo: \nDuring his visit to America in 1748\u201351, Peter Kalm kept extensive diary notes which he revised and prepared for publication after his return to Sweden. Three volumes appeared in Stockholm, 1753\u201361, two German translations soon after, and an English translation by John Reinhold Forster, 1770\u201371. A fourth volume was never published and survives only in the original notes. In addition, Kalm wrote seventeen scientific articles dealing in whole or in part with his American observations, which were printed in the Handlingar (Transactions) of the Swedish Academy of Sciences over a period of almost thirty years. In the \u201ctravelogue,\u201d as he called his expanded and revised journal, Kalm arranged his material ostensibly in chronological order, but he placed together under specific dates the materials he had gathered on particular topics without regard to the actual days on which he had acquired them. He had met and talked with many of the leading men of scientific tastes in the Middle Colonies, with few more often or more profitably than with Franklin, whom he described as \u201cmy very special friend.\u201d He recorded many of these conversations, or the information he had gained from them, in the journal under the topics with which they were concerned, and added some others in his separate scientific articles.\nWhen the English translation of the journal appeared about twenty years after Kalm had returned to Sweden, both Franklin and members of the Colden family expressed annoyance at some of the statements he had attributed to them. Franklin commented to David Colden, March 5, 1773: \u201cKalm\u2019s Account of what he learnt in America is full of idle Stories, which he pick\u2019d up among ignorant People, and either forgetting of whom he had them, or willing to give them some Authenticity, he has ascrib\u2019d them to Persons of Reputation who never heard of them till they were found in his Book. And where he really has Accounts from such Persons, he has varied the Circumstances unaccountably, so that I have been asham\u2019d to meet with some mention\u2019d as from me. It is dangerous Conversing with these Strangers that keep Journals.\u201d\nKalm\u2019s memory undoubtedly played tricks on him and, although a careful scientist, he may not have been above dressing up his account a little for publication. Yet, after all allowances are made, his reports of what Franklin told him have distinct value. Not strictly a part of the \u201cFranklin Papers,\u201d they are nevertheless a part of the near-contemporary record of things Franklin was interested in during his early forties and of his relations with a scientific visitor from Europe at the time when his own reputation as a \u201cphilosopher\u201d was just beginning to be established overseas. For this reason a selection of the more significant passages from Kalm\u2019s writings which relate to Franklin is included here, all but the last taken from the authoritative Benson edition of the Travels. The date under which each was recorded and the page references to the Benson edition are indicated in brackets at the end of the quoted passage. These extracts, for few if any of which a single appropriate date can be assigned with certainty, are placed here immediately following the last letter Franklin received from Kalm.\nLand Formerly Covered with Water. I asked Mr. Benjamin Franklin and other gentlemen who were well acquainted with this country, whether they had come upon any evidence that places which were now a part of the continent had formerly been covered with water; and I received the following answer.\n1. On travelling from here to the south, you meet with a place where the highway is very low in the valley between two mountains. On both sides you see nothing but oyster and mussel shells in immense quantities. Yet the place is many miles from the sea.\n2. Whenever colonists dig wells or build houses in town, they find the earth lying in several strata above each other. At a depth of fourteen feet or more they find globular stones, which are as smooth on the outside as those which lie on the seashore and have been made round by the rolling of the waves. After having dug through the sand and reached a depth of eighteen feet or more they discovered in some places a mud like that which the sea throws up on the shore, and which commonly lies at its bottom and in rivers; this mud is full of stumps, leaves, branches, reed, charcoal, etc.\n3. It has sometimes happened that new houses have sunk on one side in a short time, and have obliged the people to pull them down again. On digging deeper for hard ground to build upon they have found a quantity of the above mud, wood, roots, etc.\nAre not these reasons sufficient to make one suppose that those places in Philadelphia which are at present fourteen feet and more under ground were formerly the bottom of the sea, and that by several violent changes, sand, earth, and other things were carried upon them? or, that the Delaware formerly was broader than it is at present? or that it has changed its course? This last still happens at present, the river tearing off material from the bank on one side, and depositing it on the other. Both the Swedes and English often showed me such places.\nHerring. Mr. Franklin told me that in that part of New England where his father lived, two rivers flowed into the sea, in one of which they caught great numbers of herring, and in the other not one. Yet the places where these rivers discharged themselves into the sea were not far apart. They had observed that when the herrings came in spring to deposit their spawn, they always swam up one river, where they used to catch them, but never came into the other. This circumstance led Mr. Franklin\u2019s father, who had settled between the two rivers, to try whether it was not possible to make the herrings also live in the other river. For that purpose he put out his nets, as they were coming up for spawning, and he caught some. He took the spawn out of them, and carefully carried it across the land to the other river. It was hatched, and the consequence was that every year afterwards they caught more herring in that river, and this is still the case. This leads one to believe that the fish always like to spawn in the same place where they are hatched, and from which they first put out to sea, being as it were accustomed to it. The following is another peculiar observation: it has never formerly been known that codfish were to be caught off Cape Henlopen; they were always caught at the mouth of the Delaware. But at present they are numerous in the former place. From this it may be concluded that fish likewise change their places of abode, of their own accord.\nGreenland. [A sea captain reported on the high summer temperatures north of the seventieth degree of latitude and concluded that the summer heat at the pole must be even higher because the sun shone so long without setting.] The same account with similar consequences Mr. Franklin had heard from sea captains in Boston, who had sailed to the most northern parts of this hemisphere. But still more astonishing is the account he got from Captain Henry Atkins, who still lives at Boston. He had for some time been fishing along the coasts of New England, but not catching as much as he wished, he sailed north as far as Greenland. At last he went so far that he discovered people who had never seen Europeans before (and what is more astonishing) who had no idea of the use of fire, which they had never employed, and if they had known it, they could have made no use of their knowledge, as there were no trees in the country. But they ate the birds and fish raw. Captain Atkins got some very rare skins in exchange for some trifles.\nThe Moose. [Very long and branched horns are occasionally dug up in Ireland, although no one there or elsewhere knows of any corresponding animal. Some people believe it must be the \u201cMoose-deer so famous in North America.\u201d The supposition is that such animals formerly lived in Ireland but have become extinct, or that the island and North America were once connected, directly or by a chain of other islands. Kalm inquired as to whether any animal with such large horns had ever been seen in this country. John Bartram said he had never found any reliable evidence in the affirmative and believed there was no such animal in North America.] Mr. Franklin related that he had, when a boy, seen two of the animals which they call Moose-deer, but he well remembered that they were not of such a size as they must have been, if the horns found in Ireland were to fit them. The two animals which he saw, were brought to Boston in order to be sent to England to Queen Anne. Anyone who wanted to see them had to pay two-pence. A merchant paid for a number of school-boys who wanted to see them, among whom was Franklin. The height of the animal up to the back was that of a pretty tall horse, but the head and its horns were still higher. \u2026\nRocks and Minerals. Mr. Franklin gave me a piece of stone, which on account of its indestructibility in fire is used in New England for making smelting furnaces and forges. It consists of a mixture of Lapis ollaris or serpentine stone and of asbestos. The greatest part of it is a gray serpentine which is fat and smooth to the touch and is easily cut and worked. Here and there are some glittering speckles of that sort of asbestos whose fibres come from a center-like ray, or \u201cstar asbestos.\u201d This stone is not found in strata or solid rocks, but is here and there scattered on the fields. \u2026\nThe salt which is used in the English North American colonies is brought from the West Indies, but it is more corrosive than the European. \u2026 Mr. Franklin was of the opinion that the people in Pennsylvania could easier make good salt of sea water than in New England, where sometimes salt is made of the sea water on their coast, though their location is more northerly. \u2026\nAsbestos. The mountain flax, or that kind of stone which Bishop Brovallius in his lectures on mineralogy published in 1739 calls Amiantus fibris separabilibus molliusculis, or the amiant with easily separable soft fibres, is found abundantly in Pennsylvania. Some pieces are very soft, others pretty tough. Mr. Franklin told me that twenty and some odd years ago, when he made a voyage to England, he had a little purse with him, made of the mountain flax of this country, which he presented to Sir Hans Sloane. I have likewise seen paper made of this stone, and I have received some small pieces of it which I keep in my cabinet. Mr. Franklin had been told by others that on exposing this mountain flax to the open air in winter, and leaving it in the cold and wet, it would grow together and become tougher and more suitable for spinning. But he did not venture to determine how well this opinion was founded. On this occasion he related a very amusing incident which happened to him with this mountain flax. He had several years ago gotten a piece of it, which he gave to one of his journeymen printers in order to get it made into a sheet at the paper mill. As soon as the fellow brought the paper, Mr. Franklin rolled it up and threw it into the fire, telling the journeyman he would see a miracle, a sheet of paper which did not burn. The ignorant fellow insisted upon the contrary, but was greatly terrified upon seeing himself convinced. Mr. Franklin then explained to him, though not very clearly, the peculiar qualities of the paper. As soon as he was gone, some of his acquaintances came in, who immediately recognized the paper. The journeyman thought he would show them a great curiosity and astonish them. He accordingly told them that he had curiously made a sheet of paper which would not burn, though it were thrown into the fire. They pretended to think it impossible, and he as strenuously maintained his assertion. At last they laid a wager about it, but while he was busy with stirring up the fire the others slyly besmeared the paper with fat. The journeyman, who was not aware of it, threw it into the fire and that moment it was all in flames. This astonished him so much that he was almost speechless, upon which they could not help laughing, and so disclosed the whole artifice.\nAnts. [In several Philadelphia houses there are numerous black or dark red ants about one twelfth of an inch long, which carry off sweet things.] Mr. Franklin was much inclined to believe that these little insects could by some means communicate their thoughts or desires to each other, and he confirmed his opinion by some examples. When an ant finds some sugar, it runs immediately under the floor to its hole, where having stayed a little while a whole army comes out, unites and marches to the place where the sugar is, and carries it off by pieces. If an ant meets with a dead fly, which it cannot carry alone, it immediately hastens home, and soon after some more come out, creep to the fly and carry it away. Some time ago Mr. Franklin put a little earthen pot with treacle in it into a closet. A number of ants got into the pot and devoured the treacle very quietly. But as he observed it he shook them out, and tied the pot with a thin string to a nail which he had fastened in the ceiling, so that the pot hung down by the string. A single ant by chance remained in the pot: this ant ate till it was satisfied; but when it wanted to get away it was under great concern to find its way out. It ran about the bottom of the pot, but in vain. At last it found after many attempts the way to get to the ceiling by the string. After it had come there, it ran first to the wall and then to the floor. It had hardly been away for half an hour, when a great swarm of ants came out, climbed up to the ceiling, crept along the string to the pot, and began to eat again. This they continued till the treacle was all eaten. In the meantime one swarm kept running down the string and the other up all day long.\nMr. Franklin and several other gentlemen frequently told me that an Indian, who owned Rhode Island, had sold it to the English for a pair of spectacles. It is large enough for a principality, and has a separate government at present. This Indian knew how to set a true value upon a pair of glasses, for if they were scarce, they would undoubtedly on account of their great usefulness have the same value as diamonds.\nBlackbirds. [Kalm gives a long account (pp. 248\u201350) of a species of blackbirds, called in Sweden \u201ccorn thieves,\u201d and of the great depredations they commit in the American corn fields when gathered in large flocks. The laws of Pennsylvania and New Jersey offer bounties for their destruction.] In New England the people are still greater enemies to them; for Dr. Franklin told me in the spring of the year 1750, that by means of the premiums which had been paid for killing them in New England they had been so thoroughly extirpated, that they were very rarely seen, and in a few places only. But in the summer of the year 1749 an immense quantity of worms appeared on the meadows, which devoured the grass, and did great damage, so the people repented of their enmity against the corn thieves for they thought they had observed that those birds lived chiefly on such worms before the corn was ripe, and consequently exterminated them, or at least prevented their increasing too much. They seem therefore to be entitled, as it were, to some reward for their trouble. But after these enemies and destroyers of the worms (the corn thieves) were killed off, the worms were of course more at liberty to multiply, and therefore they grew so numerous that they did more mischief now than the birds did before. In the summer of 1749 the worms left so little grass in New England that the inhabitants were forced to get hay from Pennsylvania, and even from Old England. \u2026\nFrost Damage. [A late killing frost inspires an account of its destructive effect on various forms of vegetation in southern New Jersey, where Kalm was staying. A Swedish inhabitant had planted an English walnut tree (Juglans regia) now about twelve feet high and in full blossom. The frost had no noticeable effect on the native wild black walnuts, not yet in leaf or blossom, but:] Last night\u2019s frost had killed all the leaves of the European variety. Dr. Franklin told me afterwards that there had been some English walnut trees in Philadelphia which thrived very well for a while, but that they had finally been killed by the frost.\nVarieties of Stone. To-day Benjamin Franklin showed me several varieties of stone, which he had in part collected himself and in part received from others. All were formed in the English provinces of America and consisted of:\n1. A rock crystal, the largest I had ever seen. It was four inches long and of a diameter of three fingers\u2019 breadth. I regretted it was not transparent but of a dingy, watery color and opaque texture. All six sides were smooth as if ground, and had been found in Pennsylvania.\n2. Asbestus stellatus, with fibers radiating out from the center, as described in Wallerius\u2019s Mineralogy, page 145. Its color was a very dark gray, mostly blackish, and felt oily to the touch. It came from New England, where it is found in big stones that are utilized for fireplaces, because it does not change or crumble in the least from the action of fire.\n3. Stalactites. These were discovered in a cave near Virginia and were of two kinds: the stalactites conicus which had depended from the roof of the cavern, and the [stalagmite] that had been deposited like a round, uneven, scraggy fungus on the floor of it, where the [calcareous] water had dripped from above. In color they resembled an unclean white.\nMore about the Franklin Stoves. [Under date of Dec. 8, 1749, is an extended description of the Pennsylvania Fireplace with a reference to Franklin\u2019s pamphlet of 1744. Kalm continued his discussion the next day, writing particularly about the criticisms and objections raised against the stove, mentioning especially the difficulty of cleaning the chimney and the consequent danger of fire, and the fact that, in the view of some people, \u201cthe stoves gave too much heat.\u201d Franklin had loaned one for the winter to Kalm, who found it very satisfactory.] The chimney is seldom cleaned more than once a year, but Mr. Franklin was in the habit of setting fire to a sheet of paper every fortnight and let it pass through the flue leading to the stove and so burn off the soot there also. If the stove is narrow it is not so easy to sweep the chimney, after everything is closed up by masonry; but Mr. Franklin had a brick removed beside the stove, let a man pass down through the chimney, clean it, and when he reached the bottom near the stove had him force the soot through the hole made by the removal of the brick. When this was done the brick was replaced. Where the hearth is broad the stove is placed on one side of it, and a door made on the other through which the chimney sweep can enter and do his work. To get fresh air into the stove of a house with no cellar, and where no outside air is wanted, Mr. Franklin this year had had the stove in his own room set on a rim of masonry six inches from the floor, with an opening through the bricks on one side to let the cold air near the floor enter, pass through the air-box, where it was heated, and then pass through the holes on the iron sides of the stove into the room, etc. This brought about a constant circulation of air.\nHow to Prevent Candles from Dripping. I asked several people how to prevent candles from dripping. I was told [at first] that no remedy was known for it, but that a frequent cause of it was the adulteration of the tallow by lard. Mr. Franklin admitted that he had seen such candles, but that he had found no other remedy for the dripping than to wind a strip of paper round the candle. This would prevent the tallow from running. The paper will burn of course as fast as the tallow but not faster, since the tallow itself hinders it. We tested the suggestion and found it to be true. The candle will burn as brightly as otherwise, but it is necessary from time to time to remove the charred paper. Five sheets of paper suffice for twenty tolerably large candles. This remedy applies only when the candles are stationary; when they are being carried the hot tallow may easily, with an unsteady hand, run down over the paper and fingers and burn them. But a paper-wound candle is not consumed any more rapidly than a bare one of the same size.\n[Hickory Tea.] Mr. Benjamin Franklin, a man now famous in the political world, told me that at different times he had drunk tea cooked from the leaves of the hickory with the bitter nuts. The leaves are collected early in the spring when they have just come out but have not yet had time to become large. They are then dried and used as tea. Mr. Franklin said that of all the species used for tea in North America, next to the real tea from China, he had in his estimation not found any as palatable and agreeable as this.\n[1778; Agricultural History, XIX (1945), 59]", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "09-13-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0012", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 13 September 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Johnson, Samuel\nDear Sir\nPhilada. Sept. 13. 1750\nI am sorry to hear of your Illness: If you have not been us\u2019d to the Fever and Ague, let me give you one Caution. Don\u2019t imagine yourself thoroughly cur\u2019d, and so omit the Use of the Bark too soon. Remember to take the preventing Doses faithfully. If you were to continue taking a Dose or two every Day for two or three Weeks after the Fits have left you, \u2019twould not be amiss. If you take the Powder mix\u2019d quick in a Tea Cup of Milk, \u2019tis no way disagreable, but looks and even tastes like Chocolate. \u2019Tis an old Saying, That an Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure, and certainly a true one, with regard to the Bark; a little of which will do more in preventing the Fits than a great deal in removing them.\nBut if your Health would permit, I should not expect the Pleasure of seeing you soon: The Small Pox spreads apace, and is now in all Quarters: Yet as we have only Children to have it, and our Doctors inoculate apace, I believe they will soon drive it thro\u2019 the Town: So that you may possibly visit us with Safety in the Spring. In the mean time we should be glad to know the Result you came to after consulting your Brethren at the Commencement. Messrs. Peters and Francis have directed me on all Occasions to present their Compliments to you. Please to acquaint me if you propose to make any considerable Additions to the Ethics, that I may be able in the Proposals to compute the Bigness of the Book. I am, with sincere Esteem and Respect, Dear Sir, Your most obliged humble Servant\nB Franklin\nEnclos\u2019d I return the good Bishop\u2019s Letter, with Thanks.\n  Addressed: To \u2002The Revd Dr Saml Johnson \u2002Stratford \u2002Free B Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "09-20-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0013", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 20 September 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Mecom, Jane\nDear Sister,\nPhiladelphia, 20 September, 1750\nI received yours the 11th instant, with one enclosed for cousin Benny; but he, I suppose, is in Boston with you before this time, as he left New York fifteen days since with a fair wind for Rhode Island. I do not know how long his master gave him leave to stay; but as I hear the Assembly there is sitting, and doing business, I believe he will be wanted, and therefore would advise him to return expeditiously, as soon as you can spare him.\nMr. Cooper is not yet arrived. I shall be glad to see him; but as he has not had the smallpox, I suppose he will not come so far, for it is spreading here. As the doctors inoculate apace, they will drive it through the town, so that we may expect to be free of it before the winter is over.\nMy love to brother Mecom and the children, and duty to mother. I am, dear sister, Your affectionate brother,\nB Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "10-11-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0016", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 11 October 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Colden, Cadwallader\nSir\nPhilada. Oct. 11. 1750\nI have learnt by different hands, that Dr. Mitchel continues in a bad State of Health, which I suppose obliges him to drop his Correspondencies. \u2019Tis a Loss to us all.\nMessrs. Bertram and Evans did not go their intended Journey to Lake Erie, but are both safe at home. Mr. Weiser is just return\u2019d from Onondago, and gives a melancholly Account of the declining State of the English and Encrease of the French Interest among the Six Nations. I hope the Interview intended with them by your Government will be a Means of securing their Attachment to the British Nation. Methinks a great deal depends on you in this important Affair.\nI wish you all the Satisfaction that Ease and Retirement from Publick Business can possibly give you: But let not your Love of Philosophical Amusements have more than its due Weight with you. Had Newton been Pilot but of a single common Ship, the finest of his Discoveries would scarce have excus\u2019d, or atton\u2019d for his abandoning the Helm one Hour in Time of Danger; how much less if she had carried the Fate of the Commonwealth.\nForgive this Freedom, and believe me to be, with the sincerest Esteem and Affection, Dear Sir, Your obliged humble Servant\nB Franklin\nP.S. All my Electrical Papers are transcribing for a Gentleman in Boston, to whom I shall send them per next Post thro\u2019 your Hands. If you please you may keep them a Week or two to peruse; and if you find any thing in them worth Copying, \u2019tis at your Service. My last Paper, which you have not yet seen, is the largest, and the fullest on the Nature and Operations of the Electrical Matter.\n Addressed: To \u2002The honble Cadwalader Colden Esqr \u2002New York Free \u2002B Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "10-25-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0018", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, 25 October 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Eliot, Jared\nDear Sir,\nPhilada. Oct. 25. 1750\nI ought to have inform\u2019d you sooner that we got well home, and should have enquir\u2019d after your Health as we left you in the Hands of a Fever; I beg you\u2019d excuse the Delay, and desire you would remember in my favour the old Saying, They who have much Business must have much Pardon. Whenever Mr. Francis and I meet of an Evening, we drink your Health among our other New England Friends, and he desires to be always respectfully remember\u2019d to you. I am glad to hear you are got well again, but cannot have the Pleasure of seeing you again this Year. I will write to Col. Schuyler, and obtain for you a particular Account of his manner of improving his Bank\u2019d Grounds; and will also procure you a Specimen of our Alum Earth, with Mr. Syng\u2019s Observations on it. In return (for you know there is no Trade without Returns) I request you to procure for me a particular Account of the manner of making a new kind of Fence we saw at Southhold on Long Island, which consists of a Bank and Hedge: I would know every Particular relating to this Matter, as, the best Thickness, Height, and Slope of the Bank; the Manner of erecting it; the best Time for the Work; the best Way of planting the Hedge; the Price of the Work to Labourers per Rod or Perch, and whatever may be of Use for our Information here, who begin in many Places to be at a Loss for Wood to make Fence with. We were told at Southhold that this kind of Fencing had been long practis\u2019d with Success at Southhampton and other Places on the South Side of the Island, but was new among them. I heard the Minister of Southhold is esteem\u2019d an ingenious Man; perhaps you may know him, and he will at your Request favour me with an explicit Account of these Fences.\nThe fore part of the Summer here was extream dry, and the Grass in many Places was burnt up. But we had a good Crop of Wheat; and Rains coming on about the End of July we had in August a new Spring, the Grass sprouting again wonderfully thick and fast in Fields where we thought the very Roots had been destroy\u2019d. Our Grave Diggers said they found the Earth hot sensibly at 3 Feet depth even after these Rains; perhaps the great Heat below and the Moisture above occasion\u2019d this sudden and profuse Vegetation, the whole Country being as it were one great Hotbed.\nI am, with Esteem and Affection, Dear Sir Your obliged humble Servant\nB Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "11-15-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0021", "content": "Title: Rules for Making Oneself a Disagreeable Companion, 15 November 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: \nRules, by the Observation of which, a Man of Wit and Learning may nevertheless make himself a disagreeable Companion.\nYour Business is to shine; therefore you must by all means prevent the shining of others, for their Brightness may make yours the less distinguish\u2019d. To this End,\n1. If possible engross the whole Discourse; and when other Matter fails, talk much of your-self, your Education, your Knowledge, your Circumstances, your Successes in Business, your Victories in Disputes, your own wise Sayings and Observations on particular Occasions, &c. &c. &c.\n2. If when you are out of Breath, one of the Company should seize the Opportunity of saying something; watch his Words, and, if possible, find somewhat either in his Sentiment or Expression, immediately to contradict and raise a Dispute upon. Rather than fail, criticise even his Grammar.\n3. If another should be saying an indisputably good Thing; either give no Attention to it; or interrupt him; or draw away the Attention of others; or, if you can guess what he would be at, be quick and say it before him; or, if he gets it said, and you perceive the Company pleas\u2019d with it, own it to be a good Thing, and withal remark that it had been said by Bacon, Locke, Bayle, or some other eminent Writer: thus you deprive him of the Reputation he might have gain\u2019d by it, and gain some yourself, as you hereby show your great Reading and Memory.\n4. When modest Men have been thus treated by you a few times, they will chuse ever after to be silent in your Company; then you may shine on without Fear of a Rival; rallying them at the same time for their Dullness, which will be to you a new Fund of Wit.\nThus you will be sure to please yourself. The polite Man aims at pleasing others, but you shall go beyond him even in that. A Man can be present only in one Company, but may at the same time be absent in twenty. He can please only where he is, you whereever you are not.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "11-01-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0022", "content": "Title: To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Johnson, [November 1750]\nFrom: Johnson, Samuel\nTo: Franklin, Benjamin\nSir:\n[November 1750]\nAs I could not make a tour to Philadelphia this Fall I have lately taken a Car\u2019g [carriage] ride to several parts of this Colony and being absent when your kind letter arrived, this must be my apology for not answering last [illegible]. Nobody would imagine that the draught you have made for an English education was done by a Tradesman. But so it sometimes is, a True Genius will not content itself without entering more or less into almost everything, and of mastering many things more in spite of Fate it self. I cannot pretend to be qualified to criticize much on things of this kind having never had anything that could be called an Education myself, the most of what I did learn being of such a cobweb kind that the best thing I could do with it was to forget it as fast as I could. So that I am free to say that I am not able to find any fault with your scheme much less to devise a better. So far from this that I can\u2019t but admire it as a most excellent Draught and particularly your contrivance to promote [public?] speaking and sundry observations on the advantages of good reading and speaking. The only thing I can think of that may meliorate what you have done is that as the business of your third class seems less than that of the others, and that you say nothing of Rhetoric and Oratory considered as an Art, perhaps you might have done well to prescribe in that year the learning of some system of Rhetoric so as to have a good notion of the Tropes and Figures. The best I know of is that of Blackwell on the Classics; this therefore and the Port Royal art of Speaking \u2026 would be well thummed in that year. And \u2026 you might do well to mention Milton and Telemachus and the Travells of Cyrus with the works of Shakespear, Addison and Pope and Swift \u2026 as the best English classics. If you have a copy of this Draught I would beg to keep this, otherwise I would transcribe and return it 2 or 3 posts hence when I will also return my Noetica but as I am now examining one Ellis a late piece on the original of our Knowledge especially of Divine things, I would see whether it will administer any thing that may be an advantage to it, but I must \u2026 you capable of having suggested what might have been of use to it and I wish you had. Indeed I might have much enlarged if I had not been obliged to study brevity. If I should never remove to your parts I shall be glad to be as useful to your great design as I am able. By the way, I have heard you have had bad success in inoculating. I should be glad to know if truth. My very humble service to Messrs. John and Francis. I remain &c. &c.\nS.J.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "11-22-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0023", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 22 November 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Johnson, Samuel\nDear Sir\nPhilada. Nov. 22. 1750\nYou are very obliging in your Compliments on my Sketch of the English School; But I find \u2019tis deficient in the main Thing; like the Man\u2019s excellent Race-Horse that had every good Quality, Courage excepted. I approve exceedingly of the Additions you propose, and guess you could if you would make an equal Amputation as much to its Advantage: But you are too humane and tender a Critic, thinking it does not hurt a Man so much, to fill him as to pare him. I have no other Copy but that I sent you, yet you need not be at the Trouble of writing it: If you please to annex a Piece of Paper with the Alterations you propose, and send it me, I will return you a compleat Copy of the whole. I have not time to add, but that I am, with great Respect Dear Sir Your most obliged humble Servant\nB Franklin\nP.S. Our Physicians have had great Success here formerly in Inoculation; but this Time 3 inoculated Persons died of the Distemper, which has something discouraged the Practice. The Pock we now have is not reckon\u2019d to be of the most favourable kind.\nI shall have immediate Occasion for the Sketch; please to send the Noetica after it as soon as you can.\n Addressed: To \u2002The Revd. \u2002Dr Saml. Johnson \u2002at Stratford Connecticut \u2002Free \u2002B Franklin", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "11-27-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0024", "content": "Title: Franklin and Hall: Account with Benjamin Franklin, 1750\u201354\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin,Hall, David\nTo: \n   MS Account: Historical Society of Pennsylvania\nTwo sheets have been found of Franklin and Hall\u2019s record of Franklin\u2019s personal purchases from the firm, probably opened soon after the partnership was formed in 1748 (see above, III, 263). The first page, numbered 4, covers the period from Nov. 27, 1750, to Jan. 11, 1752, and starts with an entry of \u00a397 3s. brought forward from the three earlier pages now lost. The second surviving page, numbered 7, runs from May 5, 1753, to Feb. 20, 1754, when the charges reached \u00a3219 15s. 4\u00bdd.\nThe record of purchases includes a variety of books, printing supplies, stationery and writing materials, and a few miscellaneous articles like \u201c1 Pair of green Spectacles\u201d for 7s. 6d. Franklin bought Montesquieu\u2019s Spirit of the Laws, Nov. 27, 1750, a copy of Cadwallader Colden\u2019s History of the Five Indian Nations, March 16, 1751, copies of his own Experiments and Observations on Electricity, with the first Supplement, Oct. 10, and Dec. 14, 1753. On July 26, 1750, possibly for an aspiring medical student, Franklin bought Winslow\u2019s Anatomy, Stahl\u2019s Chemistry, and Sharp\u2019s Surgery; on Sept. 5, 1753, he was charged 2s. for \u201cFairy Tales for Miss Sally\u201d; and six months later he bought his daughter a chapbook for 1s. 6d. More than a dozen charges in 1753 were for schoolbooks, paper, ink, quills, pencils, an inkhorn, a \u201cBrass Inkpot,\u201d and a prayer book for \u201cMr. Parker\u2019s Son\u201d\u2014young Samuel Franklin Parker, son of Franklin\u2019s partner James Parker.\nFranklin also bought articles for business associates: lampblack for Anton Armbr\u00fcster and the \u201cDutch Office,\u201d the German printer with whom Franklin formed a partnership in 1754; several dozen copies each of the Young Man\u2019s Companion (see above, III, 304) and Robert Dodsley\u2019s Oeconomy of Human Life, printed by Franklin and Hall in 1751. In January 1752 Franklin bought five dozen Poor Richards and pocket almanacs for Samuel Holland, his partner in Lancaster, Pa. Some of the latter were interleaved and cost 2d. more than the plain ones.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "12-06-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0025", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 6 December 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Strahan, William\nDear Sir\nPhilada. Dec. 6. 1750\nI receiv\u2019d your Favour of Augt. 31. per Mesnard, and Copy per Shirley who is just arrived. Mr. Joseph Crellius is gone to Holland and I suppose may call at London before he returns, and settle his Daughter\u2019s Affair. I am sorry there has been so long Delay in this Payment of my Son\u2019s Money; I must contrive some Way to make you Satisfaction.\nMy Son is now engag\u2019d in the Study of the Law, and I believe I shall hardly have the Pleasure of seeing you in England till I accompany him when he goes over, as we intend to finish his Studies in one of the Inns of Court. I suppose this may be two or three Years hence if we live. In the mean time we request that you would enter his Name (William Franklin, of Philadelphia) as a Student of Law in one of those Inns as you think best, and pay the Charges, which we are told will not exceed 4 or 5 Pounds, out of the enclos\u2019d Bill: And that you would also send us by the first Ship, the following Books, viz. Coke\u2019s Institutes, Wood\u2019s Ditto of the Common Law, Bacon\u2019s, Viner\u2019s, and Danvers\u2019s Abridgments. The Reason of having his Name now enter\u2019d, is that the usual Time being expired, he may, when in England, be called to the Bar. Please to enquire what that Time is, and let us know.\nThe Vessel is just sailing, and I can only add that I am, with great Esteem and Affection, Dear Sir Your obliged humble Servant\nB Franklin\n P.S. The Bill is drawn by Messrs. Robt. and Amos Strettell on Messrs. Jonathan Gurnell & Co. for Fifty Pounds Sterling.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "12-25-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Franklin/01-04-02-0028", "content": "Title: From Benjamin Franklin to [John Franklin?], 25 December 1750\nFrom: Franklin, Benjamin\nTo: Franklin, John\nPhila. Decr. 25. 1750 \nI have lately made an Experiment in Electricity that I desire never to repeat. Two nights ago being about to kill a Turkey by the Shock from two large Glass Jarrs containing as much electrical fire as forty common Phials, I inadvertently took the whole thro\u2019 my own Arms and Body, by receiving the fire from the united Top Wires with one hand, while the other held a Chain connected with the outsides of both Jars. The Company present (whose talking to me, and to one another I suppose occasioned my Inattention to what I was about) Say that the flash was very great and the crack as loud as a Pistol; yet my Senses being instantly gone, I neither Saw the one nor heard the other; nor did I feel the Stroke on my hand, tho\u2019 I afterwards found it raised a round swelling where the fire enter\u2019d as big as half a Pistol Bullet by which you may judge of the Quickness of the Electrical Fire, which by this Instance Seems to be greater than that of Sound, Light and animal Sensation. What I can remember of the matter, is, that I was about to try whether the Bottles or Jars were fully charged, by the Strength and Length of the stream issuing to my hands as I commonly used to do, and which I might safely eno\u2019 have done if I had not held the chain in the other hand; I then felt what I know not how well to describe; an universal Blow thro\u2019out my whole Body from head to foot which seem\u2019d within as well as without; after which the first thing I took notice of was a violent quick Shaking of my body which gradually remitting, my sense as gradually return\u2019d, and then I tho\u2019t the Bottles must be discharged but Could not conceive how, till att last I Perceived the Chain in my hand, and Recollected what I had been About to do: that part of my hand and fingers which held the Chain was left white as tho\u2019 the Blood had been Driven Out, and Remained so 8 or 10 Minutes After, feeling like Dead flesh, and I had a Numbness in my Arms and the back of my Neck, which Continued till the Next Morning but wore off. Nothing Remains now of this Shock but a Soreness in my breast Bone, which feels As if it had been Brused. I Did not fall, but Suppose I should have been Knocked Down if I had Received the Stroke in my head: the whole was Over in less than a minute.\nYou may Communicate this to Mr. Bowdoin As A Caution to him, but do not make it more Publick, for I am Ashamed to have been Guilty of so Notorious A Blunder; A Match for that of the Irishman, Sister Told me of, who to Divert his Wife pour\u2019d the Bottle of Gun Powder on the live Coal; or of that Other, who being About to Steal Powder, made a Hole in the Cask with a Hott Iron. Yours &c.\nB Franklin\nThe Jars hold 6 Gallons each.", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750},
{"created_timestamp": "10-20-1750", "downloaded_timestamp": "10-18-2021", "url": "https://founders.archives.gov/API/docdata/Washington/02-01-02-0018", "content": "Title: Land Grant, from Thomas, Lord Fairfax, 20 October 1750\nFrom: Fairfax of Cameron, Thomas Fairfax, sixth baron\nTo: Washington, George\n 20 Oct. 1750. \u201cThe Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax . . . for and in Consideration of the Composition to Me paid And for the annual Rent hereafter reserved I . . . do give grant and Confirm unto Mr George Washington of the County of King George a certain Tract of waste and ungranted Land in Frederick County, which he bought of Capt. Thomas Rutherford, known by the Name of Dutch George\u2019s and is bounded as by a Survey thereof made by Mr George Byrne as followeth . . . Containing Four hundred and Fifty three Acres, Together\nwith all Rights Members and Appurtenances thereunto belonging Royal Mines Excepted And a full third part of all Lead, Copper, Tinn Coals, Iron Mines and Iron Ore that shall be found thereon . . . Yielding and Paying To Me . . . Yearly and every year on the Feast day of St Michael the Archangel the Fee Rent of One Shilling Sterling Money for every Fifty Acres of Land hereby granted . . . Given at my Office in the County of Fairfax within my said Proprietary under my Hand and Seal Dated this twentyeth day of October . . . One thousand Seven hundred and Fifty.\u201d", "culture": "English", "source_dataset": "Pile_of_Law", "source_dataset_detailed": "Pile_of_Law_founding_docs", "source_dataset_detailed_explanation": "Letters from U.S. founders.", "creation_year": 1750}
]