Part 26
In mine of April 20 I explained to you what I had before mentioned that in settling our private Account I had paid you the sum of 389£ (or thereabouts) in my own Wrong, having before paid it for you to the General Post Office. I hope that since you have received your Books and looked over the Accounts you are satisfied of this. I am anxious for your Answer upon it, the sum being large and what cannot prudently for you or me be left long without an Adjustment.
My Love to my Daughter and compliments to your Brother, I am ever my dear Friend
Yours most affectionately
B FRANKLIN
The above letter is taken from the copy kept by Franklin in his own handwriting in the collection of the American Philosophical Society. The same letter, with some verbal differences and without the last clause relating to the daughter, appears in Bigelow's "Works of Franklin," vol. iv., p. 473.
Library of State Department, Washington, 11 R, 8:
LONDON, Oct. 7, 1772.
MR. FOXCROFT,
Dear Sir--
I had no line from you by this last Packet, but find with Pleasure by yours to Mr. Todd that you and yours are well.
The affair of the Patent is in good Train and we hope, if new Difficulties unexpected do not arise, we may get thro' it as soon as the Board meet. We are glad you made no Bargain [torn] your Share and hope none of our Partners [torn] do any such thing; for the Report of such a Bargain before the Business is completed might overset the whole.
Mr. Colden has promised by this Packet that we shall certainly have the Accounts by the next. If they do not come I think we shall be blamed, and he will be superseded; For their Lordships our masters are incensed with the long Delay.
I hope you have by this time examined our private Accounts as you promised, and satisfyd yourself that I did, as I certainly did, pay you that Ballance of about 389£ in my own wrong. It would relieve me of some uneasiness to have the Matter settled between us, as it is a Sum of Importance and in case of Death might be not so easily understood as while we are both living.
With love to my Daughter and best Wishes of Prosperity to you both, and to the little one, I am ever my dear Friend
Yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN
Library of State Department, Washington, 11 R, 12:
LONDON Nov 3 1772
MR. FOXCROFT
Dear Sir
I received your Favour of June 22d by Mr. Finlay and shall be glad of an opportunity of rendering him any service on your Recommendation. There does not at present appear to be any Disposition in the Board to appoint a Riding Surveyor, nor does Mr. Finlay seem desirous of such an Employment. Everything at the Office remains as when I last wrote only the Impatience for the Accounts seems increasing. I hope they are in the October Packet now soon expected agreeable to Mr. Colden's last promise.
I spent a Fortnight lately at West Wycomb with our good master Lord Le Despencer and left him well.
The Board has begun to act again and I hope our Business will again go forward.
My love to my Daughter concludes from
Your affectionate Friend and humble servant B. F.
There is a letter to Foxcroft in the Library of the State Department, Washington, 11 R, 8, dated London, December 2, 1772, which need not perhaps be given in full, because Franklin sends love to his daughter and then crosses it out as follows:
I can now only add my Love to my Daughter and best Wishes of Happiness to you and yours from Dear Friend
Yours most affectionately B. FRANKLIN.
He apparently struck out the words "Love to my Daughter and" because they were in effect included in the best wishes and happiness which followed.
Library of State Department, Washington, 11 R, 63:
LONDON Mar. 3, 73
MR. FOXCROFT,
Dear Friend--
I am favoured with yours of June 5, and am glad to hear that you and yours are well. The Flour and Bisket came to hand in good order. I am much obliged to you and your brother for your care in sending them.
I believe I wrote you before that the Demand made upon us on Acct. of the Packet Letters was withdrawn as being without Foundation. As to the Ohio Affair we are daily amused with Expectations that it is to be compleated at this and T'other time, but I see no Progress made in it. And I think more and more that I was right in never placing any great dependence on it. Mr. Todd has received your 200£.
Mr. Finlay sailed yesterday for New York. Probably you will have seen him before this comes to hand.
You misunderstood me if you thought I meant in so often mentioning our Acct. to press an immediate Payment of the Ballance. My Wish only was, that you would inspect the Account and satisfy yourself that I had paid you when here that large supposed Ballance in my own wrong. If you are now satisfied about it and transmit me the Account you promise with the Ballance stated I shall be easy and you will pay it when convenient.
With my Love to my Daughter &c I am ever Dear Friend
Yours most affectionately B. FRANKLIN
Bigelow's "Works of Franklin," vol. v. p. 201:
LONDON, 14 July, 1773.
TO MR. FOXCROFT.
Dear Friend:--I received yours of June 7th, and am glad to find by it that you are safely returned from your Virginia journey, having settled your affairs there to satisfaction, and that you found your family well at New York.
I feel for you in the fall you had out of your chair. I have had three of those squelchers in different journeys, and never desire a fourth.
I do not think it was without reason that you continued so long one of St. Thomas' disciples: for there was always some cause for doubting. Some people always ride before the horse's head. The draft of the patent is at length got into the hands of the Attorney General, who must approve the form before it passes the seals, so one would think much more time can scarce be required to complete the business: but 'tis good not to be too sanguine. He may go into the country, and the Privy Councillors likewise, and some months elapse before they get together again: therefore, if you have any patience, use it.
I suppose Mr. Finlay will be some time at Quebec in settling his affairs. By the next packet you will receive a draft of instructions for him.
In mine of December 2d, upon the post-office accounts to April, 1772, I took notice to you that I observed I had full credit for my salary: but no charge appeared against me for money paid on my account to Mrs. Franklin from the Philadelphia office. I supposed the thirty pounds currency per month was regularly paid, because I had had no complaint from her for want of money, and I expected to find the charge in the accounts of the last year--that is, to April 3, 1773: but nothing of it appearing there, I am at a loss to understand it, and you take no notice of my observation above mentioned. The great balance due from that office begins to be remarked here, and I should have thought the officer would, for his own sake, not have neglected to lessen it by showing what he had paid on my account. Pray, my dear friend, explain this to me.
I find by yours to Mr. Todd that you expected soon another little one. God send my daughter a good time, and you a good boy. Mrs. Stevenson is pleased with your remembrance of her, and joins with Mr. and Mrs. Hewson and myself in best wishes for you and yours.
I am ever yours affectionately,
B. FRANKLIN.
American Philosophical Society Collection, vol. xlv., No. 80:
LONDON Feb. 18, 1774
MR. FOXCROFT,
Dear Friend--
It is long since I have heard from you. I hope nothing I have written has occasioned any coolness. We are no longer Colleagues, but let us part as we have lived so long in Friendship.
I am displaced unwillingly by our masters who were obliged to comply with the orders of the Ministry. It seems I am too much of an American. Take care of yourself for you are little less.
I hope my daughter continues well. My blessing to her. I shall soon, God willing, have the Pleasure of seeing you, intending homewards in May next. I shall only wait the Arrival of the April Pacquet with the accounts, that I may settle them here before I go. I beg you will not fail of forwarding them by that Opportunity, which will greatly oblige.
Dear Friend
Yours most affectionately
It is to be observed of all these letters that, like the original letter of Foxcroft, they are entirely serious. They are business letters. They are not letters of amusement and pleasure, in which Franklin might joke and laugh with a young girl and in sport call her his daughter. They are not addressed to the woman in question but to her husband, and at the close of long details about business matters he simply says "give my love to my daughter," or he refers to her, as in the letter next to the last, as about to have another child. Read in connection with Foxcroft's original letter, they form very strong proof that Franklin believed Mrs. Foxcroft to be his daughter.
But the reviewer says that Mr. Fisher notes in two places that women correspondents in writing to Franklin called him father and signed themselves "your daughter." Mr. Fisher notes on page 332 the letter of a girl written to Franklin in broken French and English, in which she begins by calling him "My dear father Americain," and signs herself "your humble servant and your daughter J. B. J. Conway." The letter is obviously childish and sportive. We do not find the other instance of a similar letter to which the reviewer alludes. The Conway letter is such a frivolous one that it amounts to nothing as proof to overcome the serious, solemn statements by Franklin and Foxcroft in their letters. A light-minded French girl calling Franklin her father is very different from serious, business-like statements by Franklin saying that a certain woman was his daughter.
The reviewer goes on to say that "a little more research would have shown him [Mr. Fisher] letters of Franklin couched in the same parental terms." The meaning of this is presumably that Franklin was in the habit of calling the young women he corresponded with his daughters. This, however, it will be observed, is quite a different matter from Franklin's writing to a husband and sending love to the husband's wife as his daughter. But there are some letters to young girls on which a reckless, slap-dash reviewer would be likely to base the statement that Franklin habitually called women his daughters. Let us look into these letters and see what they are.
Franklin's first correspondent of this sort was Miss Catherine Ray, of Rhode Island. They were great friends and exchanged some beautiful letters, almost unequalled in the English language. They are collected in Bigelow's "Works of Franklin," vol. ii. pp. 387, 414, 495. The letter at page 387 begins "Dear Katy," and ends "believe me, my dear girl, your affectionate faithful friend and humble servant." The letter at page 414 begins "My Katy," speaks of her as "dear girl," and ends with the same phrase as the previous one, except that the word "faithful" is left out. The one at page 495 begins "Dear Katy," and closes "Adieu dear good girl and believe me ever your affectionate friend." In none of these letters does he speak of her as his daughter.
The letters to Miss Catherine Louisa Shipley and to Miss Georgiana Shipley, the daughters of the Bishop of St. Asaph, are friendly but not very endearing in the terms used. He once calls Georgiana "My dear friend," and in the famous letter on the squirrel addresses her as "My dear Miss." He nowhere calls them his daughters.
The letters that come nearest to what the reviewer wants are those to Miss Mary Stevenson. There are quite a number of them, and she and Franklin were on the most affectionate terms. We will give the citations of them in Bigelow, although any one can look them up in the index: In vol. iii. pp. 34, 46, 54, 56, 62, 139, 151, 186, 187, 195, 209, 232, 238, 245; in vol. iv. pp. 17, 33, 212, 258, 264, 287, 332, 339; in vol. x. p. 285. These letters call Miss Stevenson "Dear Polly," "My dear friend," "My good girl," and "My dear good girl." The first of them, vol. iii. p. 34, begins by addressing her as "dear child," and another, vol. iii. p. 209, closes by saying "Adieu my dear child. I will call you so. Why should I not call you so, since I love you with all the tenderness of a father."
This may be what the reviewer had in his mind. But Franklin nowhere calls Miss Stevenson his daughter. The word daughter and child are very different. We all of us often call children we fancy "my child." Franklin's use of the word child as applied to Miss Stevenson has from the context of the letters a perfectly obvious meaning,--no one can mistake it; just as his use of the word daughter in the Foxcroft letters has, from the context and all the circumstances, a perfectly obvious meaning.
It would be endless to discuss all the reviewer's irrelevant and extravagant statements. We shall call attention to only one other illustration of his methods. He closes one of his wild paragraphs by saying that if "Mr. Fisher wishes further knowledge on this subject for 'speculation,' we recommend him to read Franklin's letter to Foxcroft of September 7, 1774."
The reviewer is careful not to quote from this letter or even to say where it may be found, and the inference the ordinary reader would draw from the way it is paraded is that it contains some very positive denial that Mrs. Foxcroft was Franklin's daughter. But when it is examined, it is found to be a business letter like the others, referring to the lady in question as "Mrs. Foxcroft" instead of as "my daughter," a perfectly natural way of referring to her and entirely consistent with the other letters. We give the letter in full. It is in the American Philosophical Society Collection, vol. xlv., No. 94:
LONDON Sept. 7, 1774.
MR. FOXCROFT,
Dear Friend--
Mr. Todd called to see me yesterday. I perceive there is good deal of uneasiness at the office concerning the Delay of the Accounts. He sent me in the Evening to read and return to him a Letter he had written to you for the Mail. Friendship requires me to urge earnestly your Attention to the contents, if you value the Continuance of your Appointment; for these are times of uncertainty, and I think it not unlikely that there is some Person in view ready to step into your Shoes, if a tolerable reason could be given for dismissing you. Mr. Todd is undoubtedly your Friend. But everything is not always done as he would have it This to yourself; and I confide that you will take it as I mean it for your Good.
Several Packets are arrived since I have had a Line from you. But I had the pleasure of seeing by yours to Mr. Todd that you and Mrs. Foxcroft with your little Girl are all in good Health which I pray may continue.
I am ever my dear old friend
Yours most affectionately
B. FRANKLIN.
Index
Academy established by Franklin, 74-5.
---- of Madame Helvetius, 330.
ADAMS, John, 295, 297, 303-5; criticisms of Franklin, 306-12; his difficulties with Vergennes, 321; opposed to France, 322-3, 341-6; Franklin criticises, 345-6.
----, Mrs. John, 328-9.
Advertising, Franklin's methods of, 141-2.
Air-baths, 25-6.
Albany Conference, 201, 352-3.
ALLEN, Chief-Justice, 122.
Alliance, treaty of, 299-303.
Almanac, Franklin's, 143-52.
American Philosophical Society, 196.
Amusements as a youth, 18, 20.
Ancestors of Franklin, 42, 132.
Aristocracy, colonial, opposed to Franklin, 124.
Arithmetic, Franklin learns, 51.
"Armonica," the, 185.
Asaph, St., the Bishop of, 227, 348; his daughters, 227-8.
Asbestos purse, the, 63.
Assembly, Franklin clerk of, 159; elected a member of, 199.
"Associators," the, 199.
AUSTIN, Jonathan, 301.
Autobiography, Franklin's, 158.
BACHE, Sarah, 119, 265.
BAKER, Polly, 139.
Ballads by Franklin, 45.
BANCROFT, Dr. Edward, 288.
BARTRAM, John, 192.
BEAUMARCHAIS, 279-83.
Black Prince, the, 315.
BLAGDEN, Dr. Charles, 182.
Blood, causes of heat of, 29.
Books read by Franklin, 44.
Bows and arrows, Franklin suggests use of, 266.
BRADDOCK, Franklin visits, 200.
BRILLON, Madame, 325-7.
Broad jokes of Franklin, 125.
Broom-corn, 184.
BURGOYNE, surrender of, 301.
"Busy Body" papers, 135.
Canada, cession of, 336; Franklin's journey to, 267-9.
CARROLL, Rev. John, 96, 267.
Celibacy, Franklin's dislike of, 106, 349.
CHATHAM, Lord, assists the Americans, 261.
CHAUMONT, Ray de, 275, 347.
Chevaux-de-frise devised by Franklin, 266.
Chimneys, smoky, 183.
Claims for extra service, 164-5.
Clerk of the Assembly, 159, 197.
COBBETT, his attack on Franklin, 123.
Colds, Franklin's theory of, 27-9.
College of Philadelphia founded, 74-6.
COLLINS, John, 19-20, 45, 57.
COLLINSON, Peter, 172-3, 177.
Constitution of Pennsylvania, 349, 353-4.
----, signing of, 361-2.
Constitutional Convention of 1787, 356.
Constitution-making, 349-63.
Constitutions, American, translated into French, 355.
Contentment of Franklin, 21.
CONWAY, Mademoiselle, 332.
_Courant, New England_, 80-1.
COVERLEY, Sir Roger de, 144-5.
Creed, Franklin's, 88-91.
DEANE, Silas, 270, 278, 288, 289-91.
Death of Franklin, 39-40.
Deep water, effect of, on vessels, 181.
DE FOE'S "Essay upon Projects," 193.
Deism, Franklin's, 80, 84, 91.
DENHAM, Mr., befriends Franklin, 59, 65, 133.
DESPENCER, Lord le, 98, 242.
Diseases of Franklin, 34-40.
Diurnal motion of the earth, 186-7.
"Dogood, Silence," 135.
Dreams, Franklin's fondness for, 26.
Edict of the King of Prussia, 241-2.
Education, defects of modern, 47-50.
Electricity, 172-8.
ELIOT, Jared, 170.
"Ephemera, The," 154-5, 325-6.
Epitaph of Franklin on himself, 153; comic epitaphs, 154; on the Penns, 223; on Franklin, 224; on the squirrel, 228.
Examination before Parliament, 234-9.
Exercise, Franklin's opinion of, 37.
"Fireplace, Pennsylvania," 170.
Fisheries, the, 337, 340-2.
FORD, Paul Leicester, his essay on the mother of Franklin's son, 106-7.
FOTHERGILL, Dr., 213.
FOXCROFT, John, 104-5.
France, willingness of, to assist America, 277-8; loans from, 317-18; Franklin's love for, 346; appointed commissioner to, 270; subserviency to, 343; departure from, 347.
FRANKLIN, Mrs., 114-18, 120-1, 137.
----, William, 105-7, 113, 214.
----, William Temple, 106, 214.
Free ships, 316.
French, enthusiasm of the, for Franklin, 273-5.
----, Franklin's knowledge of, 71, 74, 325-6.
Fur cap, Franklin's, 274.
_Gazette, Pennsylvania_, founded by Franklin, 135-42; advertisements in, 142.
Girls, Franklin's fondness for, 128-9, 332-3.
GODFREY, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, 134, 143.
Gout, dialogue of the, with Franklin, 35.
Governor, the Assembly's contests with the, 204.
Governor's salary, contests about, 201.
"Great Empire, Rules for Reducing a," 240-1.
Gulf Stream, 181-2.
HALL, David, Franklin's partner, 160.
HARTLEY, David, 319.
"Hat Honor," 82-3.
HELVETIUS, Madame, 327-30.
HOPKINSON, Thomas, 173.
Hospital, the Pennsylvania, 123, 195.
HOUDETOT, Countess d', 332-4.
HOWE, Lord, 262, 269.
HUGHES, John, 232.
Hutchinson Letters, the, 245-60.
Illegitimate children of Franklin, 104.
Immorality, Franklin's, 103.
Indolence, Franklin's, 21.
IZARD, Ralph, 286-7.
"Jacobite, The Genealogy of a," 139.
JAY, John, 318, 338-9, 341-2.
Junto, the, 66-70.
KAMES, Lord, 158, 186, 215.
KEIMER, 54-5, 65, 133-5.
KEITH, Governor, 55, 56-9.
KINNERSLEY, Ebenezer, 173-4, 178.
Kite experiment, 175-6.
Languages, modern, 71-2.
Latin, Franklin learns, 71; wants to abolish the study of, 72.
LEE, Arthur, 286, 291-5.
LEEDS, Titan, 145-6.
Legislature, Franklin clerk of, 159; elected a member of, 199.
Lehigh Valley, expedition to, 207-9.
"Liberty and Necessity," Franklin's pamphlet on, 60-3, 85-6.
Library, the Philadelphia, 193-4.
Liturgy, Franklin's, 89-90.
Loans from France, 317-18.
London, Franklin's first visit to, 59; his life there, 60-5.
LOUIS XVI. gives his portrait to Franklin, 347.
Love of money, Franklin's, 160.
MALTHUS, 190.
Manures, mineral, 184.
MARBOIS, 342.
Maritime suggestions, 188-90.
Marriage, Franklin favors, 106, 349; attempts it for himself, 109, 111; marries Mrs. Rogers, 112-13.
MATHER, Cotton, 66, 68, 81, 158, 193.
MAURY, 187-8.
MECOM, Jane, 130.
_Mercury_, the, 134-5, 142.
MEREDITH, Hugh, 133, 136.
Militia, Franklin organizes the, 198.
---- law drafted by Franklin, 206.
Mississippi, navigation of the, 341.
Mistress, Franklin's advice on the choice of a, 126-7.
Modern languages, 71-2.
Molasses, export duty on, 302-3.
Money, Franklin's love of, 160.
Moral code, Franklin's, 102, 108.
Music, 185.
Nepotism, 164, 293.
Northeast storms, origin of, 169.
Nuncio, the papal, 96-7.
Oil, effect of, on waves, 182-3.
Ordination of bishops, 96-7.
OSWALD, commission of, 337-9.
Paper money, Franklin's pamphlet on, 70.
Parable against persecution, 155-8.
Paralytic people brought to Franklin, 331.
PARKER, Theodore, 106.
Passy, Franklin at, 275.
PASSY, Mademoiselle de, 306.
"Paxton Boys," 219-20.
Peace, proposals of, 319; treaty of, 335.
"Pennsylvania Fireplace," 170.
---- Hospital, 195.
Peopling of countries, 190.
Perfumes, Franklin's letter on, 126.
Persecution, parable against, 155-8.
Philadelphia, Franklin's first journey to, 52-4.
---- Library, 193-4.
Plagiarism, 26, 152.
Plan of life, Franklin's, 85.
Polly Baker's speech, 139.
PONTIAC, conspiracy of, 218.
"Poor Richard," 143-52.
Portraits of Franklin, 30-3.
Postmaster of Philadelphia, 159.
Postmaster-General of the colonies, 162; under Congress, 265.
Prayer-book, Franklin's revision of, 98-101.
PRIESTLEY, Joseph, 213.
Privateering, Franklin opposed to, 317.
Profits of business, 159-61, 163-5.
Proprietary estates, taxing of, 204-5, 209-10, 216-17, 221.
Proprietorship, abolition of, 221-6, 231.
RALPH, a friend of Franklin, 59, 64.
RAY, Miss Catharine, 128.
READ, Miss, 54, 58, 60, 65-6, 112.
Reading as a boy, 42.
Recommendation, letters of, 319-20.
"Reprisal," the, 271-2.
Retirement from business, 160-1.
RITTENHOUSE, David, 168.
Rolls, Franklin's story of the, 54.
ROMILLY, Sir Samuel, visits Franklin, 350.
Royal government, petition to, 221-6, 231.
"Rules for Reducing a Great Empire," 240-1.
Sabbath-breaker, Franklin as a, 78, 93.
Salaries of Franklin's offices, 163-4.
Salary of the President, Franklin opposes, 357.
School-days, 41.
Scotch-Irish, the, 219-20.
Sedentary life of Franklin, 22.
Self-made man, Franklin as a, 41.
Senate, composition of the, 360.
Shallow water, effect of, 181.
SLOANE, Sir Hans, 63.
Small-pox, inoculation for, 81.
SMITH, Rev. William, 76, 122.
Smoke-consuming stove, 184.
Smoky chimneys, 183.
Soldier, Franklin as a, 207.
Spain, her interests in the Mississippi, 340.
_Spectator, The_, analyzed by Franklin, 46.
Stamp Act, 231-9.
States, the smaller, 358.
STEVENSON, Miss Mary, 129.
----, Mrs., 211-12.
Storms from the northeast, 169.
STRAHAN, William, 213, 267.
Street-cleaning, 196.
Subserviency to France, 334-5, 343.
Swimming, 18-19.
SYNG, Philip, 173.
Taxing the estates, 204-5, 209-10, 216-17, 221.
Temperance, 24-5.
TEMPLE, John, his duel with Whately, 249.
THOMPSON, Mrs., calls Franklin a rebel, 331.
THUNDER, Marquis of, 306.
TRUXTON, Captain, 348.
TURGOT, 311-12.
Union, plans of, 352-3.
Vegetarianism, 22.
VEILLARD, Le, 347.
Ventilation, 29.
Venus, transit of, 168.
VERGENNES, 277, 281, 303, 321-2, 324, 338, 341, 344.
"Virtue, The Art of," planned by Franklin, 109.