My duty to mother, and love to Sally, Debby, Mr. Dunlap, and all friends that inquire after me. I am, my dear child, Your ever loving husband, B. FRANKLIN. Billy presents his duty to you and mother, and love to his sister. MY DEAR CHILD, To the same. London, January 21, 1758. MR. LORIMER, a friend who is going over to General Abercromby, to assist him as a secretary, called on me just now, to acquaint me that he is on the point of setting out. I seize a minute or two just to let you know we are well, that is, I am well, compared to what I have been during a great part of the time since my arrival, and I hope with the spring to recover my full strength. Billy is quite hearty and presents his duty, love, &c. I have wrote to you by several opportunities, lately, and particularly one long letter of two sheets, which I hope will come to hand, as it contained, a full answer to a number of yours, received during my illness, and I have no copy of it. I begin to think I shall hardly be able to return before this time twelve months. I am for doing effectually what I came about; and I find it requires both time and patience. You may think perhaps, that I can find many amusements here to pass the time agreeable. "Tis true, the regard and friendship I meet with from persons of worth, and the conversation of ingenious men, give me no small pleasure; but at this time of life, domestic comforts afford the most solid satisfaction, and my uneasiness at being absent from my family, and longing dedesire to be with them, make me often sigh in the midst of cheerful company. My love to my dear Sally. I confide in you the care of her and her education; I promise myself the pleasure of finding her much improved at my return. While I am writing, three letters came in, one from Mr. Hall, one from Rhoads, another from Dr. Bond, but none from you: they are by way of Bristol. I must send this away immediately, lest Mr. Lorimer should be gone. My respects to those gentlemen, to whom I shall write, and to my other friends by Mr. Ralph's vessel, which sails next week. I am, Your ever loving husband, B. FRANKLIN. PS. When you write to Boston, give my love to sister Jenney-as I have not often time to write to her. If you please you may send her the inclosed little picture. MADAM, B. F. To the same. Philadelphia, May 1, 1758. BY favour of Miss D. Williams, I had the pleasure of viewing on Wednesday the effegies in miniature, of your truly worthy spouse; and as the sight of that valuable little piece revived some thoughts of a desire which I have been meditating for some years past, I took the liberty to request Miss Williams to beg in my name, the favour of you madam, not to suffer it to go entirely out of your hands so suddenly as seemed at first to be proposed, that so, I might have an opportunity of explaining what that design was, and of submitting it to your consideration, which I chose to do in writing; as in this way, I can more fully make it known, together with my real motive, which I trust will be understood, as I am myself persuaded that they are with the utmost sincerity of a much nobler kind than more sordid interested expectations. Ever since I have been resident in Philadelphia, I have entertained thoughts of performing a piece of mezzotinto, which I have several times practised in Boston, and which, so far as I know, has never yet been done in this city, nor have I ever heard of any person residing here besides myself, that was acquainted with that business. As therefore such an attempt of mine would be the first of the kind in this place.. I supposed that that consideration alone would add some value to the performance; and even make amends for any small defects of workmanship (I hoped there would be no very great ones) observable in it; and on that account I was desirous of consecrating it, as an offering of first fruits, to the memory of real and eminent worth. And when I considered which way I should direct my choice for such a subject, my grateful sense of the many ininstances of Mr. Franklin's goodness to myself, his benevolent endeavours in private life, to promote the interest of any person, though no way connected with his own, and to advance by his candid remarks and wise advice every useful art in America; the great obligations which the whole learned world confess themselves to be under to him for his important philosophical discoveries; his honest steady and undaunted zeal in the cause of Liberty; his knowledge of the true interests, and his wise counsels and unwearied labours for the real service of this province-of America in general —of his nation and his king-manifesting the invaluable friend, the eminent philosopher, the true patriot, the loyal subject, the honest, the truly great and good man-the boast of Boston, his native place the blessing of Pennsylvania— the admiration of the world! all these considerations bursting upon my mind at once with irresistible conviction, left me no room to hesitate before I fixed my choice; not that I imagine that any poor endeavours of mine can add to or help to perpetuate the fame of my proposed subject; that is already sufficiently extended, and will never be forgotten so long as the lightning's flash and thunder's roar continue to remind mankind who it was that explained to them the na ture, and taught them how to guard against the effects of that terrifying meteor. My prospect was rather in the first place, to give some other proof than bare words (which how poor so ever in itself should yet be the best in my power) of my gratitude, and the humble respect I bear to such conspicuous merit; and in the next place, I hoped to preserve my own name from oblivion; partly by being the first who should make such an attempt in this place; but chiefly by the judiciousness of my choice, and by fastening my name to one that is already fixed in the annals of fame. I hope I shall not be suspected, as guilty of the hated sin of fulsome adulation, since the most I can say, can be no more than feint echo of the united voices of men and collective bodies of men, the most respectable for learning in every civilized nation, and whose situations and circumstances in life, compared with Mr. Franklin's, sets them above even the bare possibility of such a suspicion. The truth is, that when I began to write, I intended only a few lines, but being once engaged, the gratitude and veneration that dilates my heart, whenever I think or speak of Mr. Franklin, and the pride also, I will confess, springing from the reflection that I could call such a man my countryman, would force to themselves utterance, almost whether I would or not, and I could not without a great deal of pain have withheld my real sentiments. I should long since have asked of Mr. Franklin himself his permission, to carry such a design into execution, had it not been for a difficulty which I foresaw would occur, of obtaining a good likeness: for though I profess myself capable of imitating a good draught, ready made to my hands, yet I have no pretensions to drawing after the life; and despairing of having this point settled to my satisfaction, I suffered the thought to sleep; and though I have in that course of time had frequent opportunities of procuring the portraits of other persons who had made themselves remarkable, and perhaps dear enough to a party to answer, all my expectations of gain; yet as I intended that my first essay should be construed as testifying my sense of the merit of the person represented; I could not think of wronging my consequence by making an offering to idols, and this has been the true and only reason why my design has been so long dormant. Miss Williams has assured me that you, madam, had the goodness to grant my first request, very readily, which has given me the opportunity of explaining myself thus far, and encouraged me to make the other and principal one, which is no less, than that I may have your permission to attempt Mr. Franklin's portrait in mezzotinto, on a copperplate of the usual size, viz. about fourteen inches long and ten inches broad; and that I may be allowed so much use of the little piece, above mentioned, as may be requisite for my direction in the performance. If I am so happy as to obtain this suit, no endeavours in my power shall be wanting, to do as much justice as possible to my own gratitude, and to my idea of the superlative merit of the original; that so, if possible, posterity may not be mistaken in the resemblance of a single lineament, in the countenance of a man, for whose memory it will assuredly forever have the highest regard; and after I have done my utmost to this end, I shall cheerfully submit it to the examination and censure, or approbation of yourself madam, and the circle of your friends; and if the performance should be judged as imperfect as that you would not choose to have it made public, I will govern myself entirely by your directions, and either lay aside all farther thoughts of the matter, or else with your permission make another fresh attempt, and even a third rather than fail of success, in an affair which I am so heartily ambitious of accomplishing. If you please madam to favour me with a few moments attention to this matter, I shall take the liberty after a few days of waiting upon you for your determination, to which shall be paid the greatest regard, by Madam, your most obedient, And obliged humble servant, JAMES TURNER. VOL. VI. F |