the weight of age than if you had swallowed a handspike. But it is right to abate a little in the article of labor; and therefore as your demonstrations of midwifery "are useful, and it is a pity you should give them up, for want of subjects in the lying-in wards," I advise you to get some of your young pupils to help you. I am glad the Philosophical Society made that compliment to Mr. Gerard.* I wish they would do the same to Mr. Feutry, a worthy gentleman here; and to Dr. Ingenhausz, who has made some great discoveries lately respecting the leaves of trees in improving air for the use of animals: he will send you his book. He is physician to the empress queen. I have not yet seen your piece on inoculation. 1 Remember me respectfully and affectionately to Mrs. Bond, your children, and all friends. I am ever, B. FRANKLIN. Yours, P.S. I have bought some valuable books, which I intend to present to the society; but shall not send them till safer times. DEAR SIR, TO DR. COOPER, BOSTON. Passy, March 16, 1780. I received yours of Nov. 12, by your grandson, who appears a very promising lad, in whom I think you will have much satisfaction. He is in a boarding-school just by me, and was well last Sunday, when I had the pleasure of his company to dinner with Mr. Adam's sons and some other young Americans. He will soon acquire the language; and if God spares his life, may make a very serviceable man to his country. Formerly Minister from France to the United States. It gives me infinite satisfaction to find that with you the wisest and best among our people are so hearty in endeavouring to strengthen the alliance. We certainly owe much to this nation; and we shall obtain much more, if the same prudent conduct towards them continues, for they really and strongly wish our prosperity, and will promote it by every means in their power. But we should at the same time do as much as possible for ourselves, and not ride (as we say) a free horse to death. There are some Americans returning hence, with whom our people should be upon their guard; as carrying with them a spirit of enmity to this country. Not being liked here themselves, they dislike the people; for the same reason, indeed, they ought to dislike all that know them. With the sincerest respect and esteem, I am ever, my dear friend, SIR, Yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN. TO C. GRIFFIN, ESQ. Passy, March 16, 1780. I will take the first opportunity of mentioning to Mr. Gerard what you hint, relative to our not entertaining strangers so frequently and liberally as is the custom in France. But he has travelled in Europe, and knows that modes of nations differ. The French are convivial, live much at one another's tables, and are glad to feast travellers. In Italy and Spain a stranger, however recommended, rarely dines at the house of any gentleman, but lives at his inn. The Americans hold a medium. I have the honor to be, &c. B. FRANKLIN. * TO W. CARMICHAEL, ESQ. MADRID. DEAR SIR, Passy, June 17, 1780. Sir J. Dalrymple has been here some time, but I hear nothing of his political operations. The learned talk of the discovery he has made in the Escurial library, of forty epistles of Brutus, a missing part of Tacitus, and a piece of Seneca, that have never yet been printed, which excite much curiosity.† He has not been with me, and I am told by one of his friends, that though he wished to see me, he did not think it prudent. So I suppose I shall have no communication with him, for I shall not seek it. As Count de Vergennes has mentioned nothing to me of any memorial from him, I suppose he has not presented it, perhaps discouraged by the reception it met with in Spain.-So I wish, for curiosity's sake, you would send me a copy of it. ‡ The Marquis de La Fayette arrived safely at Boston the 28th of April, and it is said gave expectations of the coming of a squadron and troops. The vessel that brings this left New London the second of May her captain reports that the siege of Charlestown was raised, the troops attacked in their retreat, and Clinton killed; but this wants confirmation. London has been in the utmost confusion for seven or eight days. The beginning of this month, a mob of fanatics, joined by a mob of rogues, burnt and de * Secretary of the American Legation. + Mr. Carmichael, in answer to this part of Dr. Franklin's letter, says, I have been assured by Count Campomanes, the Abbé Gavara and his brother (both academicians), that no such manuscripts exist in the library of the Escurial as those mentioned by Sir John Dalrymple. See Sir J. D.'s Anecdote Historique, at the end of the Correspondence. stroyed property to the amount, it is said, of a million sterling. Chapels of foreign ambassadors, houses of members of parliament, that had promoted the act for favoring Catholics, and the houses of many private persons of that religion, were pillaged and consumed, or pulled down, to the number of fifty; among the rest, Lord Mansfield's is burnt with all his furniture, pictures, books, and papers. Thus he who approved the burning American houses has had fire brought home to him. He himself was horribly scared, and Governor Hutchinson, it is said, died outright of the fright. The mob, tired with roaring and rioting seven days and nights, were at length suppressed, and quiet restored on the ninth in the evening. Next day Lord George Gordon was committed to the Tower. Enclosed I send you the little piece you desire.* To understand it rightly, you should be acquainted with some few circumstances. The person to whom it was addressed is Madame Brillon, a lady of most respectable character and pleasing conversation, mistress of an amiable family in this neighborhood, with which I spend an evening twice in every week. She has among other elegant accomplishments, that of an excellent musician; and with her daughters, who sing prettily, and some friends who play, she kindly entertains me and my grandson with little concerts, a cup of tea, and a game of chess. I call this my Opera; for I rarely go to the Opera at Paris.-The Moulin Joli is a little island in the Seine, about two leagues hence, part of the country-seat of another friend, where we visit every summer, and spend a *The Ephemera. See WRITINGS, Part III. Sect. 3. day in the pleasing society of the ingenious, learned, and very polite persons who inhabit it. At the time when the letter was written all conversations at Paris were filled with disputes about the music of Gluck and Picini, a German and Italian musician, who divided the town into violent parties. A friend of this lady having obtained a copy of it under promise not to give another, did not observe that promise, so that many have been taken, and it is become as public as such a thing can well be, that is not printed; but I could not dream of its being heard of at Madrid! The thought was partly taken from a little piece from some unknown writer which I met with fifty years since in a newspaper, and which the sight of the Ephemera brought to my recollection. Adieu, my dear friend, and believe me ever, Yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN. TO DR. FOTHERGILL. Passy, June 19, 1780. My dear old friend, Dr. Fothergill, may assure Lady H. of my respects, and of any service in my power to render her, or her affairs in America. I believe matters in Georgia cannot much longer continue in their present situation, but will return to that state in which they were when her property, and that of our common friend G. W. received the protection she acknowledges. I rejoiced most sincerely to hear of your recovery from the dangerous illness by which I lost my very valuable friend P. Collinson. As I am sometimes apprehensive of the same disorder, I wish to know the means that were used and succeeded in your |