County when he lives in another, and obtain'd a Judgment against him without his or my knowing anything of the matter, and then came to me, knowing I had a great Affection for Mr. Grace, and in a very insulting Manner ask'd: "What shall I do with your Friend Grace? I have got Judgment against him, and must take out Execution if the Debt is not immediately satisfy'd." etc. Upon enquiring into the Matter and understanding how it had been carry'd on, I grew a little warm, blam'd his Practice as irregular and unfair, and his Conduct towards Mr. Grace, to whom his Father and Family had been much oblig'd, as ungrateful; and said that since he look'd on me as Mr. Grace's Friend he should have told me of the Action before he commenced it, that I might have prevented it, and sav'd him the Charges arising on it, and his not doing so could be only from a View to the small Fees it produced him, in carrying it thro' all the Courts, etc. He justify'd his Practice, and said it was legal and frequent; deny'd that his Father or Family were under any Obligations to Mr. Grace; alledged that Grace had us'd him ill in employing another Lawyer in some of his own Actions, when at the same Time he owed him near Five Pounds; and added haughtily that he was determin'd to sue Grace on his own acct. if not speedily paid, and, so saying, left me very abruptly. I thought this a good Opportunity of introducing your Affair, imagining that a Consciousness of his ill Behaviour to me and my Friend would pique him to make immediate Payment. Accordingly I wrote him a Letter the next Day, of which I send you the rough Draft enclos'd, together with his Answer; since which several other Letters pass'd on the same Subject of which I have no Copies. All I insisted on, since he declared his Inability to pay at present, was, that he should give you his Bond, so that in Case of his Death you might come in for Payment prior to common Creditors, and that he should allow you Interest from the Time the Money became due in the common Course of Payments. He agreed to give his Bond, but it has been delay'd from time to time till this Day, when on my Writing to him again to know what Account I should send you, I receiv'd from him the enclosed Billet in which he refuses to allow Interest for the Time past. As he cannot be compell'd to pay Interest on a Book Acct., I desired him then to fill up and execute a Bond to you for the Principal, and he might settle the Affair of the Interest with you hereafter. Accordingly he has just now done it, so that Interest will arise for the Time to come; but as he threatens to pay very speedily, and I am persuaded may easily do it by the help of his Relations, who are wealthy, I hope you will not have much Interest to receive. He has a great many good Qualities for which I love him; but I believe he is, as you say, sometimes a little crazy. If the Debt were to me I could not sue him; so I believe you will not desire me to do it for you; but he shall not want Pressing (tho' I scarce ever dun for myself), because I think his Relations may and will help him if properly apply'd to; and Mr. Hall thinks with me, that urging him frequently may make him more considerate, and induce him to abridge some of his unnecessary Expences. The Bond is made payable in a Month from the Day; and, for your Encouragement, I may add that notwithstanding what he affects to say of the Badness of his Circumstances I look on the Debt to be far from desperate. Please to send me Chambers' Dictionary, the best Edition, and charge it in Mr. Hall's Invoice. My Compliments to good Mrs. Strahan. My Dame writes to her. I am, with great Esteem and Affection, dear Sir, Your most obliged Friend and humble Servt. B. FRANKLIN. 85. TO WILLIAM STRAHAN Philadelphia, July 3, 1749. Dear Sir: I wrote to you very fully per Arthur concerning your affair with Mr. Read, and shall have nothing to add on that subject till I hear further from you. I acquainted you that he had given his bond for the balance due to you, and that I do not look on the debt as desperate. Enclosed I send you several second bills, having sent the firsts per Arthur. I hope to hear per next ship that you have received my son's pay, since I understand there was a Parliament in March last, for a sum to defray all the charges of the Canada expedition. If it should prove otherwise, I will send the balance from hence in the fall, and make you satisfaction for the delay and disappointment. The Library Company send to Mr. Collinson by this ship for a parcel of books. I have recommended you to him on this occasion, and hope you will have the selling of them. If you should, and the Company judge your charges reasonable, I doubt not but you will keep their custom. I fear I shall not have the pleasure of seeing you this year, perhaps the next I may. Please to send me a book lately advertised; I think it is called A Collection of Sentences, Wise Sayings, etc., by some officer about the Parliament House; his name I have forgot. With all our best respects to you and yours, I am, dear sir, your most obliged friend and servant, B. FRANKLIN. What is the price of printing paper in London? DEAR SIR 86. TO GEORGE WHITEFIELD1 Philadelphia, July 6, 1749. Since your being in England, I have received two of your favours and a box of books to be disposed of. It gives me great pleasure to hear of your welfare and that you purpose soon to return to America. We have no news here worth writing to you. The affair of the building remains in statu quo, there having been no new application to the Assembly about it, or anything done in consequence of the former. I have received no money on your account from Mr. Thanklin, or from Boston. Mrs. Read and your other friends here, in general, are well, and will rejoice to see you again. I am glad to hear that you have frequent opportunities of preaching among the great. If you can gain them to a good and exemplary life, wonderful changes will follow in the manners of the lower ranks; for ad exemplum regis, etc. On this principle, Confucius, the famous Eastern reformer, proceeded. When he saw his country sunk in vice, and wickedness of all kinds triumphant, he applied himself first to the grandees; and having, by his doctrine, won them to the cause of virtue, the commons followed in multitudes. 1 From Bigelow, Vol. II, p. 150. The mode has a wonderful influence on mankind; and there are numbers who, perhaps, fear less the being in hell, than out of the fashion. Our most western reformations began with the ignorant mob; and when numbers of them were gained, interest and party views drew in the wise and great. Where both methods can be used, reformations are likely to be more speedy. O that some method could be found to make them lasting! He who discovers that will, in my opinion, deserve more, ten thousand times, than the inventor of the longitude. My wife and family join in the most cordial salutations to you and good Mrs. Whitefield. I am, dear Sir, your very affectionate friend, and most obliged humble Servant BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 87. TO MRS. ABIAH FRANKLIN, AT BOSTON1 Philadelphia, September 7, 1749. HONOURED MOTHER, We received your kind letter by this post, and are glad you still continue to enjoy such a share of health. Cousin Josiah and his spouse arrived hearty and well last Saturday noon. I met them the evening before at Trenton, thirty miles off, and accompanied them to town. They went into their own house on Monday, and I believe will do very well, for he seems bent on industry, and she appears a discreet, notable young woman. My wife has been to see them every day, calling in as she passes by; and I suspect has fallen in 1 From "A Collection of the Familiar Letters of Benjamin Franklin,” Boston (Sparks), 1833, p. 15. |