FRANKLIN 
 
 A 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY 
 
The grand leap of the whale in the chase up the Falls of Niagara, is esteemed, 
 by all who have seen it, as one of the finest spectacles in nature. 
 
 Franklin 
 
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN S 
 
 Life arid Writings 
 
 Bibliographical rLssay 
 
 On the STEVENS COLLECTION of 
 
 anti 
 
 RELATING TO DOCTOR FRANKLIN 
 
 By HENRY STEVENS 
 
 of Vermont FSA Etc 
 
 Eripuit coelo fulmcn sceptrumque tyrannis 
 
 LONDON PRINTED BY MESSRS DAVY W SONS AT THE DRYDEN PRESS "fl 
 N Cxxxvn LONG ACRE FOR THB AUTHOR N iv TRAFALGAR SoyARjj 
 
 clo.lD.ccc.Lxx-xi 
 
If men are so wicked a/#A religion, what would they be without it. 
 
 Franklin, Priv Cor 4" i8i8,/ 133 
 
 He that spits against the wind, spits in his own face. Franklin. 
 
TO 
 
 JUNIUS SPENCER MORGAN ESQ 
 
 THIS MONOGRAPH IS CORDIALLY 
 
 INSCRIBED 
 
 author 
 ^ 
 
Enfin Thal6s [Franklin] parut a ces jeux & y jouit de toute sa 
 gloire. Tous les yeux etoient tourn<$s sur lui. On le nommoit le 
 Lib^rateur & le L4gislateur de 1 Asie. Le Code qu il avoit traced 
 pour la nou velle Republique s y voyoit ii cor.6 de ses immortels Ecrits. 
 Sa Statue fut apport^e en triomphe aux acclamations de tout le 
 Peuple. Elle fut couronnee d un rameau d olivier, symbole de la 
 Paix, & d une branche de laurier, symbole du G6nie. II etoit 
 represent^ tenant d une main le flambeau de Prom^thee & de 
 1 autre I &endart sacr6 de la Libertt 5 : & au pied de sa Statue se 
 lisoit un vers celebre de Sophocle, dont le sens etoit: 
 
 IL ARRACHA D UNE MAIN HARDIE, AU CIEL 
 SA FOUDRE ET LE SCEPTRE AUX TYRANS. 1 
 
 Fragment de Xlinophon, Paris, if 83, p. 52 
 
EXPLANATORY 
 
 IENJAMIN FRANKLIN abroad and 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON at home, 
 the one with his philosophy and diplomacy, 
 the othervvith his generalship and victories, 
 are the two equally great and unequalled champions of 
 American History. Neither of them can be spared from the 
 record of the foundation of the great Republic any more 
 than they can be compared in their diverse merits and 
 achievements. The story of the latter is fresh and almost 
 perfect ; while that of the former is as yet freckled, and 
 tarnished with error. 
 
 The aim and object of this brief bibliographical essay 
 is to disentangle the old, and present to view some of 
 the new, hitherto unused materials for the history of 
 the life and remarkable career of Franklin. In doing this 
 a vindication of the British government and Franklin s 
 
Vlll EXPLANATORY 
 
 grandson from the oft repeated charge of conspiring to 
 destroy or suppress the old philosopher s papers follows 
 as a matter of course. 
 
 This paper was drawn up for the special purpose of 
 announcing the sale of my Franklin Collection, and is 
 only half the story, the remaining and more private 
 information being reserved for the purchaser, or for 
 future personal use. Sufficient however has been told, 
 it is believed, to awaken new interest in the untold 
 biography of Franklin, and to show that the important 
 history of American Diplomacy is yet to be written. 
 
 HENRY STEVENS of Vermont 
 
 iv, Trafalgar Square, London, 
 June i88i t 
 
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 
 
 SI 
 
 lURING THIRTY YEARS MR HENRY STEVENS HAS LOST NO 
 opportunity of adding to his collection of materials for the 
 
 LIFE, TIMES AND WORKS OF FRANKLIN. 
 Sooner ov later everything saleable is believed to turn up 
 in London, the centre of money and mutability. Here 
 it is said most do congregate historical materials and 
 historic doubts. At all events the present collection is 
 a sample of what one may achieve in a single generation in London by good 
 luck, persistence, vigilance and a dogged weakness for sacrilicing other worldly 
 gains to a pet object Rightly or wrongly this has taen done and the results 
 are here for the first time summarized and set forth. 
 
 Has the enthusiastic collector paid too dear for his whistle ? In bringing 
 it together he has exhausted his three score, and locked up his staff of life. 
 Whether foolish or wise let another generation pronounce the verdict. The 
 intrinsic value must be tested and measured, like everything else, by posterity s 
 judgment of the extent and real historic importance of the collection. There 
 is probably no man in all history playing a prominent part, who has been more 
 unfortunate in his record than BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. He was as careless as 
 Shakspeare of his literary and scientific reputation. He was too busy in making 
 history ever to overtake himself and find time to sit down quietly to record it. 
 His pen was always on the wing, but his chickens never came home to roost. 
 When once on the road to fame, he never more had a home of his own, but 
 always lived for the public, the prey of interested friends, greedy editors, 
 hungry publishers, enterprising booksellers and such like human parasites. 
 
 Of all his many books published during his lifetime, Franklin never revised 
 a proof sheet or saw one of them through the press himself. He invented, but 
 set- red no patent : he wrote but took no copyright, Yet notwithstanding he w* 
 
2 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 proud of his achievements in science, in literature, in politics and in diplomacy ; 
 and he ever petted his parasites. But with all this liberality and apparent 
 carelessness he was parsimonious of his papers though unmethodical in their pre 
 servation. He took copies of everything, and trusted loyally to posterity to see 
 him correctly posted into the archives of two hemispheres. But posterity though 
 honest is sometimes dilatory and unfortunate. It is well known that Franklin s 
 Papers, by his will, became the patrimony of his grandson. It has many 
 times been asserted, and sometimes believed, that that grandson, with some 
 dishonorable motive or purpose, made away with, destroyed, or mutilated the 
 better part of them. These charges still nourish and have been reiterated over 
 and over again, with increasing gusto, for the last eighty years, until they 
 begin to dwarf the real and true history of Franklin and his Times. The 
 Papers, however, still exist, and Truth, as ever, will prevail. 
 
 To help kill once more these groundless charges, the writer with his 
 Franklin Collection on his shoulders rises to explain. Franklin died ninety 
 years ago. He lived eighty-five years, and left to the world his Autobiography 
 down to his fifty-first year, a masterpiece which makes every one regret that he 
 broke off in the very middle of his manhood. What do we know ] What can 
 we learn of the last thirty-three years of that eventful life, from 1757 to 1790 ? 
 Nearly twenty years of that time were passed in England as agent of Pennsyl 
 vania and other Colonies, staving off or shaping the inevitable crisis of American 
 Independence. Nine years he passed in France as Minister Plenipotentiary of 
 the Congress during the Kevolutionary War for establishing that same American 
 Independency. In all these years, in which a new Nation was born and came 
 of Age, Franklin more than any other one man living might have exclaimed with 
 truth quorum pars magna fui, but he never did. He left that egotistical classic 
 expression to his coming and going associates, whose envy, malice and all 
 uncharitableness were apparent to his keen eye, and rather amused than offended 
 him. Nothing of this is reached in his Autobiography, but it is found in his 
 unpublished letters with names and dates in full. Many a self-asserting artist 
 has tried to fill out and complete Phidias s matchless, footless and handless figure 
 of Theseus in the British Museum, but no one has yet succeeded. In like 
 manner many an ambitious author has vainly endeavoured to piece out 
 Franklin s Autobiography. The last state of that patch-work is even worse 
 than the first, as one might expect, from the simple reason that the real 
 materials of a Life of Franklin from the end of his Autobiography to the end of 
 his career have been and are still inaccessible. What is more, no writer has for 
 the last sixty years supposed or even suspected that the unpublished papers of 
 Franklin are still in existence. Yet with the exception perhaps of the revised 
 and polished Autobiography, they are fully equal in bulk and importance to 
 what has already been printed. Hence as yet no biography of Franklin : and 
 hence as yet no full and comprehensive history of the foundation and structure 
 of the American Republic. But when this corresponding European portion is 
 added, American History, thanks to Franklin and to France, will assume its 
 due proportions. 
 
 This is not all. An important part of the history of the British American 
 Colonies from a little before the acquisition of Canada to the Declaration of Inde 
 pendence : and of the United States from the beginning of the Revolution to the 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 3 
 
 final ratification and adoption of the Federal Constitution, is mixed up and locked 
 up in Franklin s unpublished papers. While the Colonial legislative Assemblies, 
 and afterwards, the Continental Congress, were working out their great problems 
 and achieving national independence beyond the Atlantic, Franklin, on this 
 side, almost alone, was carrying on the counterpart of the great work, first in 
 England, and afterwards in France. Congress sat with closed doors and left 
 but meagre records, few of its Members l>eing given to pen-work. Franklin on 
 the contrary, sat and deliberated with pen in hand. But for the last sixty, nay 
 ninety years, the main portion of his papers have by the hand of fortune or 
 misfortune become things lost upon earth. Hence American History pines 
 for want of authentic materials. Peter Force, one of America s noblemen, 
 undertook to remedy this misfortune by the publication of his American 
 Archives, but when the Congress, through innate narrowness of party, had 
 endeavoured to break the government contract with him, and had abandoned 
 the eiFort in 1840, a single Secretary of State sat upon the enterprising historian, 
 and, most unfortunately for American history, extinguished him and his great 
 national work. Still Franklin, though he has been shunted into the cool 
 shade of the Second Century of the Republic which he helped to found, 
 survives, and the existence of his Papers is here fonnally announced and 
 recorded. 
 
 From the time Franklin returned home from France in 1785, to the day of his 
 death, the 17 April, 1790, much of his leisure from public business was occupied 
 in selecting and arranging his papers. It was well known that before going to 
 France in 1776, he deposited his literary and scientific treasures, up to that 
 time, with his friend Mr Galloway. Mr Galloway joining the enemy not long 
 after, the trunk containing the papers was broken open and the contents, 
 scattered about the room in his empty house near Philadelphia, trodden upon, 
 injured and probably partially destroyed. Much more, however, of these 
 Papers was saved or recovered than is generally supposed. The Twyford portion 
 of the Autobiography to 1731 fell into the hands of honest Abel James, 
 who wrote the Doctor at Passy in 1782 urging its continuation. The 2<1 part 
 was added in 1784, and the 3d to 1757 in 1788. Some of the Craven Street 
 Letter Books, with other and earlier papers, were also recovered, though many 
 had been wet and injured. Some of them with dates as far back as 1728 are 
 still visible witnesses of their rough treatment, neglect and narrow escapes. 
 In his will Franklin, after disposing of a good part of his library, adds " The 
 residue and remainder of all my books, manuscripts and papers, I do give to 
 my grandson, William Temple Franklin." The Papers thus became the 
 absolute property of his grandson, without qualification, direction or instructions 
 as to disposition or publication. In the course of the year 1790 young Franklin 
 came to London with the view of editing the Life and Works of his grand 
 father, and in some way realizing the value of the copyright by publication in 
 English and other languages. He promptly announced his intention of imme 
 diately printing the Autobiography and other works in English. He had already 
 written from Phil. 22 May, to M. le Veillard at Passy, announcing that his grand 
 father had left all his papers and manuscripts to him, and requesting him not 
 to show any one that part of his Life which the Dr sent him some time before 
 lest it might be copied and published. As he had the original of the portion 
 
4 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 sent to M. le Veillard, it would not be necessary for him to return it then, but 
 requested M. le V. to put it in an envelope, securely sealed and addressed to 
 himself. 
 
 This is clearly a sufficient proof that the Manuscript in Monsieur le Veillard s 
 hands was considered the property of Temple Franklin. In like manner it may 
 be presumed he reclaimed and got possession of the other revised copy sent at 
 the same time to the doctor s friends in London. M. de Rochefoucauld-Liancourt 
 declared publicly that the doctor had sent his memoirs to M. le Veillard and 
 himself, at the same time sending a duplicate of the revision to Dr Price and 
 Mr Benjamin Vaughan of London. These facts are stated in the Eulogium 
 which M. de Rochefoucauld delivered before the 89 Society of Paris the 
 13 June, 1790, adding, "His Memoirs, Gentlemen, will be published as soon 
 as we receive from America the additions he may have made to the manuscript 
 in our possession ; and we then intend to give a complete collection of his 
 works." This assertion probably explains how the first portion of the Auto 
 biography got into the hands of Buisson, the publisher, before the arrival of 
 Temple Franklin s letter to M. le Veillard. Buisson s edition of the Memoirs 
 (114) came out in the beginning of 1791. On the 21st of March following M. 
 le Veillard piiblished a protest against this publication and declared that he did 
 not know how the translator became possessed of the Autobiography, and 
 declared that it was not furnished by him. This announcement was necessary 
 to vindicate himself in his trust to Temple Franklin. Prior to this an 
 anonymous writer in London had issued as Printed and sold for the Author 
 by A. Grant, and others, Memoirs of the late Dr. Franldin (112) London, 1790. 
 
 The doctor s old publishers, Henry (69) and Newberry (77) and Johnson 
 (87, 88), and Dilly (108), were still in the market. Temple Franklin, seeing 
 how matters stood, naturally felt aggrieved, and complained that the publishers 
 were snatching the market from him, the rightful owner, and he became very 
 properly exceedingly close and careful of his manuscripts. Two projects were 
 in hand as early as the beginning of 1791 for reproducing by translation 
 Buisson s volume, but in consequence of Temple Franklin s announcements 
 they were both kept back nearly two years, and did not appear till the summer 
 of 1793, one in one volume published by Parsons (121), and the other in two 
 volumes published by Robinson (119 and 122). They are very different trans 
 lations, but are both from the French of Buisson s pirated edition, itself a trans 
 lation from Dr Franklin s English. Dr Price and Benjamin Vaughan were 
 the editors of Robinson s edition. Price had died in 1791, but a letter of his 
 is appended to the preface, in Avhich he says that he had seen the Manuscript 
 Autobiography to 1757, though the portion given in the French edition to 1731 
 is all that is published. The continuation had probably been reclaimed from 
 Mr Vaughan. 
 
 The plan of Price and Vaughan s work was changed during its suspension. The 
 Essays, humorous, moral and literary, were originally printed as volume I, and 
 the Autobiography ? with Dr Stuber s continuation as vol. II, but reversed by 
 the letterings. The edition however is far superior to Parsons . There were three 
 editions of it issued by Robinson in a short time, and it was soon after reprinted 
 in Dublin (120), Dundee (129), Edinburgh (139), New York (124 and 125), 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 5 
 
 Salem (128) and many other places, while Parson* edition was, we believe, 
 never honored by a reprint, though it contains some things from the French that 
 had not appeared when Bnisson s work came out. It is still worth consulting. 
 In the Advertisement is the following confession : " The Translator would have 
 presented the world with this volume long since, had he not been restrained 
 by a certain degree of delicacy, mingled with veneration, towards the family 
 of this great man ; for on being informed by a respectable bookseller in St 
 Paul s Church-yard [Johnson ? Franklin s prior publisher] that the works of 
 Franklin were about to be published by his grandson, he with-held the present 
 publication for several months, in expectation of that event." 
 
 All these various books of Dr Franklin by so many enterprising publishers 
 become trade editions, and thus the interest of the trade was against Temple 
 Franklin and his proposed larger work. He not only found difficulty in procuring 
 a publisher not interested in any of these rival works, but his expressed annoy 
 ance and disappointment were answered by gossiping inuendos and flings on 
 account of his delay in fulfilling his announcements and gratifying the hungry 
 public with an opportunity of reading the real Autobiography and the Doctor s 
 other genuine and revised works. Meanwhile the trade was reaping good 
 harvests in the small and niniblo editions, as abundantly appears by the list 
 of printed Frankliniana given further on (No. 1-204). This gossip at length 
 took shape and culminated in positive charges of dishonorable conduct on the 
 part of Temple Franklin, as given in the preface of Johnson s trade edition in 
 3 volumes, 1806. Johnson had been a publisher of Franklin s works for some 
 thirty years, including Benjamin Vaughan s 4 and 8 editions of 1779, admitted 
 to be with the approval of the Author, though the Doctor derived no profit 
 from the publications. This edition is sometimes called Longman s, but it has 
 l>een ascertained that the house of Longman had nothing to do with it beyond 
 taking a trade share in its publication. The work was fairly edited by Mi- 
 Marshall assisted by Benjamin Vaughan, who about that time removed to 
 America. In the preface to volume one is found the following trade-protection 
 cry in behalf of the generous public, containing in outspoken language the 
 charges against Temple Franklin. We give it entire to show its true spirit. 
 
 " The character of Dr. Franklin, as a philosopher, a politician, and a moralist, 
 is too well known to require illustration, and his writings, from their interesting 
 nature, and the fascinating simplicity of their style, are too highly esteemed, 
 for any apology to be necessary for so large a collection of them, unless it 
 should be deemed necessary by the individual to whom Dr. Franklin in his 
 will consigned his manuscripts : and to him our apology will consist in a 
 reference to his own extraordinary conduct. In bequeathing his papers, it was 
 no doubt the intention of the testator, that the world should have the chance 
 of being benefited by their publication. It was so understood by the person 
 in question, his grandson, who accordingly shortly after the death of his great 
 relative, hastened to London, the best mart for literary property, employed an 
 amanuensis for many months in copying, ransacked our public libraries that 
 nothing might escape, and at length had so far prepared the works of Dr. 
 Franklin for the press, that proposals were made by him to several of our 
 principal booksellers for the sale of them. They were to form three quarto 
 volumes, and were to contain all the writings, published and unpublished, of 
 Franklin, with Memoirs of his Life, brought down by himself to the year 1757, 
 and continued to his death by the legatee. They were to be published in three 
 different languages, and the countries corresponding to those languages, France, 
 
6 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Germany and England, on the same day. The terms asked for the copyright 
 of the English edition were high, amounting to several thousand pounds, which 
 occasioned a little demur ; but eventually they would no doubt have been ob 
 tained. Nothing more, however, was heard of the proposals or the work, in this 
 its fair market. The proprietor, it seems, had found a bidder of a different descrip 
 tion in some emissary of government, whose object was to withhold the manu 
 scripts from the world, not to benefit it by their publication ; and they thus 
 either passed into other hands, or the person to whom they were bequeathed 
 received a remuneration for suppressing them. This at least has been asserted, 
 by a variety of persons, both in this country and America, of whom some were 
 at the time intimate with the grandson, and not wholly unacquainted with the 
 machinations of the ministry ; and the silence, which has been observed for so 
 many years respecting the publication, gives additional credibility to the report. 
 What the manuscripts contained, that should have excited the jealousy of 
 government, we are unable, as we have never seen them, positively to affirm ; 
 but, from the conspicuous part acted by the author in the American revolution, 
 and the wars connected with it, it is by no means difficult to guess ; and of 
 this we are sure, from his character, that no disposition of his writings could 
 have been more contrary to his intentions or wishes. We have only to add, 
 that in the present collection, which is probably all that will ever be published 
 of the works of this extraordinary man, the papers are methodically arranged," 
 etc. Dated April 7, 1806. 
 
 This farrago of suspicion, groundless charges, and boundless assumption 
 would not have been quoted here but for its having been generally credited 
 at the time, and quoted as good history even down to the present day. In 
 the Edinburgh Review of July 1806, this edition was fully noticed and the 
 charges sifted. The reader is referred to that able article. Mr Bigelow has 
 fortunately turned up some curious circumstances in this connection, by which 
 it appears that in 1807 there was published in Paris The Argus or London Review, 
 which periodical, on the 28th of March, reiterated these charges, on the respon 
 sibility of an article taken from the American Citizen, of New York, under date 
 of 6 Sept. 1806, the substance of which, as given by Mr Bigelow, was " William 
 Temple Franklin, without shame, without remorse, mean and mercenary, sold 
 the sacred deposit, committed to his care by Dr. Franklin, to the British govern 
 ment. Franklin s works are therefore lost to the world." On seeing this 
 column of the Argus, Mr Temple Franklin, who was then in Paris, the same 
 day addressed a letter to the editor of the Argus, warmly and indignantly an 
 swering and disproving, to the satisfaction of the editor, every one of the 
 * falsehoods. Three days later the Argus inserted Franklin s letter, with " We 
 publish this letter with the greater pleasure as it contains a full and satisfactory 
 answer to the calumnies circulated on his conduct," etc. ; but it does not appa 
 rently satisfy Mr Bigelow who closes his summary of the matter (page 66, ed. 
 1879, vol. I) with these words : "Whatever impression this letter may have 
 upon the mind of the reader of to-day, it is certain that it did not shake the 
 general conviction of William Temple s contemporaries that he had yielded to 
 influences anything but friendly to the memory of his grandfather or honorable 
 to himself." Temple Franklin again referred to these foul aspersions on his 
 conduct and character in the preface of his edition of the Life and Works of 
 Franklin in 1818, but as he did not do it in the precise words, warmth and 
 style of his Paris letter, the explanation of his delay in bringing out the work 
 has been severely cavil d at. The papers themselves exist in this collection, 
 and they bear no thumb or finger marks of the British government. The 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 7 
 
 condition and history of them abundantly prove the falsity of the charges both 
 against Temple Franklin and the British government. 
 
 It is not to be denied that Temple Franklin s editions of the Life and Works 
 of Dr Franklin in 1818 did not satisfy the craving public. More was expected. 
 Very few of Dr Franklin s political writings during the nine years of diplo 
 macy in Paria were published, and no one ever knew why, but many again 
 jumped to the conclusion that they had been suppressed. Mr Bigelow again 
 revives the discussion by bringing Jefferson himself on to the stand. He says, 
 vol. II, page 253 : " Unhappily, there is too good reason to believe that 
 Wm. Temple Franklin took the same liberties with this precious document 
 that he appears to have allowed himself to take with the Autobiography. My 
 authority for these suspicions may be found in the following paragraph with 
 which Thomas Jefferson closes his Autobiography : 
 
 " I left Monticello on the 
 
 first of March, 1790, for New York. At Philadelphia I called on the venerable 
 and beloved Franklyn. He was then on the bed of sickness from which he 
 never rose. My recent return from a country in which he had left so many 
 friends, and the perilous convulsions to which they had been exposed, revived 
 all his anxieties to know what part they had taken, what had been their course, 
 and what their fate. He went over all in succession, with a rapidity and ani 
 mation almost too much for his strength. When all his inquiries were satisfied, 
 and a pause took place, I told him I had learned with much pleasure that, 
 since his return to America, he had been occupied in preparing for the world 
 the history of his own life. I cannot say mucn for that, said he, but I will 
 give you a sample of what I shall leave ; and he directed his little grandson 
 (William Bache), who was standing by the bedside, to hand him a paper from 
 the table to which he pointed. He did so ; and the Doctor, putting it into my 
 hands, desired me to take it and read it at my leisure. It was about a quire of 
 folio paper, written in a large and running hand, very much like his own. I 
 looked into it slightly, then shut it, and said I would accept his permission to 
 read it, and would carefully return it. He said, No, keep it. N ot certain of 
 his meaning, I again looked into it, folded it for my pocket, and said again, 
 I would certainly return it. No, said he, keep it. I put it into my pocket, 
 and shortly after took leave of him. He died on the 17th of the ensuing month 
 of April ; and as I understood that he had bequeathed all his papers to his 
 granason, William Temple Franklyn, I immediately wrote to Mr. Franklyn, to 
 inform him I possessed this paper, which I should consider as his property, 
 and would deliver it to his order. He came on immediately to New York, 
 called on me for it, and I delivered it to him. As he put it into his pocket, he 
 said carelessly, he had either the original or another cony of it, I don t recollect 
 which. This last expression struck my attention forcibly, and for the first time 
 suggested to me the thought that Dr. Franklyn had meant it as a confidential 
 deposit in my hands, and that I had done wrong in parting from it. I have 
 not yet seen the collection he published of Dr. Franklyn s works, and, therefore, 
 know not if this is among them. I have been told it is not. It contained a 
 narrative of the negotiations between Dr. Franklyn and the British Ministry, 
 when he was endeavouring to prevent the contest of arms that followed. The 
 negotiation was brought about bv the intervention of Lord Howe and his sister, 
 who, I believe, was called Lady Howe ; but I may misremember her title. Lord 
 Howe seems to have been friendly to America, and exceedingly anxious to 
 prevent a rupture. His intimacy with Dr. Franklyn, and his position with 
 the ministry, induced him to undertake mediation between them ; in which his 
 sister seemed to have been associated. They carried from one to the other, 
 backwards and forwards, the several propositions, and answers, which passed, 
 and seconded with their own intercessions the importance of mutual sacrifices, 
 to preserve the peace and connection of the two countries. I remember that 
 
8 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Lord North s answers were dry, unyielding in the spirit of unconditional sub 
 mission, and betrayed an absolute indifference to the occurrence of a rupture, 
 and he said to the mediators distinctly at last, that a rebellion was not to be 
 deprecated on the part of Great Britain ; that the confiscations it would produce 
 would provide for many of their friends. This expression was reported by the 
 mediators to Dr. Franklyn, and indicated so cool and calculated a purpose in 
 the ministry as to render compromise hopeless, and the negotiation was discon 
 tinued. If this is not among the papers published, we ask, what lias become 
 of it ? I delivered it with my own hands into those of Temple Franklyn. It 
 certainly established views so atrocious in the British government that its 
 suppression would, to them, be worth a great price. But could the grandson 
 of Dr. Franklyn be, in such degree, an accomplice in the parricide of the 
 memory of his immortal grandfather ? The suspension for more than twenty 
 years of the general publication, bequeathed and confided to him, produced for 
 a while hard suspicious against him ; and if, at last, all are not published, a 
 part of these suspicions may remain with some. Ed." 
 
 Before commenting on this JefFersonian diatribe, it may be well to refer to 
 the Edinburgh Review s opinion on these wild statements of the quondam friend 
 of Franklin and ex-President of the United States. In the Number for July, 
 1830, in a long review of Thomas Jefferson Randolph s edition of the Memoirs, 
 Correspondence and Private Papers of Tlumuis Jefferson, 4 vols. London 1829, 8, 
 on page 503, the reviewer says : 
 
 " Jefferson had a fatal readiness of "believing 
 
 anything against an English minister or a Federalist. In the case of Mr Temple 
 Franklin, he makes insinuations, and in that of Chief Justice Marshall, direct 
 charges of a suppression of. the truth, which would be no less inconsistent with 
 honesty and history, than the most active invention of immediate untruths. 
 The insinuations against Franklin s grandson is that he had sold to the English 
 government a portion of Dr Franklin s memoirs, which would have established 
 against them views so atrocious that its suppression would be worth to them a 
 great price. We do not wonder that the public curiosity, when defeated by a 
 delay in the general publication which it could not understand, revenged itself 
 in gossipping, especially if the reputation of the executor was not absolutely 
 beyond the reach of such discreditable surmises. But in fact the paper referred 
 to forms a prominent part of the Memoirs, as at last published by the grandson. 
 The reader may indeed look in vain for the declaration stated to have been 
 made by Lord North that a rebellion was not to be deprecated on the part of 
 Great Britain ; that the confiscations it would produce, would provide for many 
 of their friends. This, we believe, will be the case simply because it is our 
 firm opinion that Jefferson s passions have in this instance confused his recol 
 lections, and that no such declaration was ever made or stated. Any such state 
 ment is utterly inconsistent with Lord North s disposition ; it is in contradiction 
 to the general character of the messages as reported ; and had any such wicked 
 feeling escaped from the minister, we cannot believe that Lord Howe and his 
 sister, whilst acting the part of generous mediators, would have been guilty of 
 the gratuitous mischief of repeating it. Many things are printed in Franklin s 
 posthumous collections which, if the English government had begun to buy, 
 common prudence would have included in the purchase." 
 
 To this we need only add our opinion that it is useless to attempt to fathom, 
 or troll for, Jefferson s motives in writing such contradictory and transparent 
 misconception about so serious a matter. What he wrote in his journal is based 
 on more than thirty years recollection. He tells a round story and quotes only 
 three or four lines, and even these from memory. He had never seen Temple 
 Franklin s edition, but had only heard that it did not contain his phantom. We 
 would gladly let him off on the score of bad memory, were it not for his slow- 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIM 9 
 
 scented followers who warp the truth by the very weight of reiteration. There 
 can be no question about what the paper wa*. It was " An Account of the 
 Negotiations in London for effecting a Reconciliation between Great Britain and 
 the American Colonies," and wan written by Franklin on board the Packet 
 bound to Philadelphia in March, 1775. It fills about 80 pages of an ordinary 
 printed octavo volume, equal in extent to more than one-third of the Autobio 
 graphy, of which it should form a part. The original paper, in the autograph 
 of Franklin, forma a part of the present Collection. It was fairly edited and 
 printed by W. Temple Franklin, and now exists aa a voucher against all comers. 
 Ita importance cannot well be over-estimated. The paper speaks for itself, ami 
 gives an honest verdict against the treacherous memory of Ex-President Jefferson. 
 Jefferson must also have been mistaken about Temple Franklin s remark when 
 he received the paper, as well as to the doctor s wish to have him retain it as a 
 confidential deposit. The fact appears to lw that the Narrative was drawn 
 up at sea, without the many original notes, letters and memoranda referred to 
 in it Blank spaces were left in the foolscap paper with memoranda * here 
 insert it. Temple Franklin therefore had all the original insertions, 
 while Mr Jefferson had the Paper. The narrative reads well without these 
 vouchers, but infinitely clearer with them. It was natural therefore that youn;^ 
 Franklin should be anxious to recover the original narrative and put it safely 
 in his pocket in order that the document might be complete. This paper with 
 the original insertions is one of the gems of our Collection. 
 
 Let us make one more quotation, cut damp from a morning Newspaper, the 
 Daily News of the 18th March, 1881. It is the last telling of the story of the 
 suppressed Papers, and was probably intended as mere literary gossip : 
 
 " There is rather a curious history attaching to the Franklin manuscript* 
 which were offered to the American Congress the other day for the sum of 
 25,000 dollars [this is an error for 35,0001 The manuscripts were originally 
 left to Benjamin Franklin s grandson, William Temple Franklin, and contain 
 the secret history of the war, private negotiations, ana many political anecdotes 
 of the time, which would now of course be of great value, but which at the 
 period of Franklin s death it was considered unwise to make public. The 
 manuscripts were taken to England by William Temple Franklin, who, how 
 ever, suppressed most of them, in consideration, it is said, of a sum piid to him 
 by the British Government, and only published a portion of that part which 
 consisted of the autobiography of his grandfather, and even this he greatly 
 mutilated before making it public. The documents now offered to Congress 
 are said to be the whole of the suppressed manuscripts which belonged to 
 William Temple Franklin. If they have teen preserved in their entirety, they 
 are of course most valuable pieces of history, and should undoubtedly be in 
 possession of the American Government But there is some doubt as to whether 
 they really are in perfect condition. The man who did not hesitate to mutilate 
 the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin would scarcely be inclined to regard 
 the remaining manuscripts with any great reverence, and it is quite possible 
 that he may have taken liberties with them which greatly deteriorate, if they 
 do not destroy, their historical value." 
 
 From what is said above and below, it is not needful here to say more than 
 that the writer is misinformed as to the man who did not hesitate to mutilate 
 the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin wrote the first part of his 
 autobiography in 1771, bringing the narrative down to a little beyond his 
 marriage in 1730. In 1784 at Passy, and in 1788 at Phil, he continued it down 
 
 C 
 
io THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 to 1757. He was urged by many friends after his return home in 1785 to go 
 on and finish it to 1790. But he was ill, and crowded with work too much 
 for his old age. He promised and promised, but failed to accomplish. He how 
 ever revised, altered and amended what was already written and sent copies to 
 Paris and to London, retaining the original draft, a good deal corrected. The 
 mutilations therefore were Dr Franklin s own revisions and amendments. 
 He was anxious to improve it, and even asked his friend Benjamin Vaughan to 
 look it over and suggest corrections, for he said, in his old age he had not con 
 fidence in his own judgment. 
 
 Temple Franklin in 1790 brought the original draft MS. of the Autobio 
 graphy to London and soon after exchanged it for the revised copy, both belong 
 ing to himself, deposited with M. le Veillard. He unquestionably did right in 
 printing from Franklin s own corrected copy instead of the autographic original 
 draft. That his old friend might possess a substantial memorial of Franklin the 
 grandson left the original draft with the Veillard family. The writer saw it in 
 1852 at Amiens in the possession of M. de Senarmont, a relative by marriage 
 of M. le Veillard, who had been beheaded in 1794. He spent two days with 
 that amiable gentleman and his family, and was permitted to collate the auto 
 graph draft with Temple Franklin s printed text of the autobiography. The 
 manuscript was then the undivided property of three persons. They were all 
 there, but on consultation were not willing to sell it unless they could obtain 
 a sum worth dividing. A small price therefore was no temptation. They did 
 not then care to dispose of the other autograph papers or the portrait by 
 Duplesis. The writer left a standing offer of ,200 for it, they wanting 600. 
 As it was not an unpublished paper, the purchase was not completed, though 
 considerable friendly correspondence followed. It is an important relic of the 
 great American Statesman and Philosopher, but it would manifestly have been 
 wrong under all the circumstances for Temple Franklin to print the original 
 draft (though somewhat corrected) instead of the copy revised and corrected 
 by the author. Franklin himself may have erred in judgment sometimes 
 and chosen a secondary word, but in almost every instance the last construction 
 of the sentence and the word substituted rest on good foundations. Temple 
 Franklin therefore may be discharged as not guilty. 
 
 At all events it is now abundantly evident that the British Government 
 never tampered with Mr Temple Franklin, that Temple Franklin never 
 squeezed 7000, as was said, or any other sum, out of John Bull, for suppress 
 ing the manuscripts of Dr Franklin, or that he ever sold, lost or destroyed these 
 historical papers, which now appear in this our collection, safe and well cared 
 for, to speak for themselves, to the honour of Temple Franklin, and the glory of 
 America and her favourite son. The truth is now manifest, that the British 
 Government in 1793, or 1800 or 1806, or later, had nothing to fear from the 
 disclosure of private matters or public interests by the publication of anything 
 more from the pen of Dr Franklin, her old colonial sage, who had been in his 
 grave since 1790. The whole mystery is now revealed and explained. William 
 Temple Franklin was a slow coach, honest, earnest, proud of his charge, opinion 
 ated, laborious and fussy ; but at the same time he was an unmethodical 
 muddler, an incompetent editor, and uncommonly dilatory in his habits. He 
 had been an industrious and trusted assistant under his grandfather, but for 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN tt 
 
 himself he was not born to finish anything. Mr Colburn, hifl publisher, was 
 for years finding this out, but when at last he saw how matters stood he deli 
 cately prevailed upon the thin-skinned editor to employ a clerk to aid him in 
 the fag of his editorial work. Young Franklin consented and Mr Colburn 
 provided him with an assistant, who was ostensibly to be a mere clerk, but who 
 was in reality a competent editor. 
 
 Under this arrangement matters advanced more regularly and rapidly, so 
 that by the year 1818, when the work had been in hand more than a quarter of 
 a century two editions were issued, the one in 6 volumes in octavo, and the 
 other, with same contents, in 3 volumes in quarto. The materials were BO 
 abundant, and Franklin was so conservative against cutting down or leaving 
 out anything, that Mr Colburn and the clerk had to employ all their dexterity 
 to omit judiciously and abridge with discretion, at the same time making the 
 editor believe that Hercules was performing his own labours. But a still greater 
 difficulty arose. Temple Franklin, having little experience of editorial work, 
 and having for many years been the confidential assistant and private secretary 
 of his grandfather, felt that as the manuscripts had. been left to him, and he 
 himself had been mogna pars in all his grandfather s public and private affairs, 
 he had a right to alter, cut about, re-arrange, enlarge or abridge the papers as he 
 thought needful for publication. But he did this with no dishonest purpose. 
 
 Some curious and many strange instances of this literary gerrymandering 
 appear still in the original manuscripts ; and many more will l>e developed by 
 comparing the original MSS with the printed copy, the alterations being made 
 with scissors or pins, but without destroying anything. Though the original 
 manuscripts were cut about and pasted into long slips for the printer, they have 
 been carefully and with great expense soaked apart and rearranged in their 
 proper places, little the worse for their adventures. From the outset Mr Col 
 burn was unwilling to venture beyond an octavo edition of six volumes. This 
 led to much discussion until Temple Franklin consented to consider these six 
 volumes as a first instalment or half of the work, the other half to be put to the 
 press if the success of the sale warranted. It was thus that thje first half of 
 Temple Franklin s important edition of Dr Franklin s Life and Works first 
 saw the light, not from any impediment on the part of the British Government. 
 The delay arose simply out of the inexperience, incompetence and procrastina 
 tion of the editor and proprietor, in addition to the difficulties he had to encounter 
 in those momentous war times to find a disinterested publisher who could 
 afford to undertake so large a work in the face of the innumerable minor editions 
 already before the public. The second half never appeared, and outsiders 
 never knew how imperfect the work was, or what was left behind for posterity 
 to develope. 
 
 Mr William Temple Franklin died in Paris in 1823, and the same year the 
 Papers, edited and inedited, became buried in complete obscurity. To all subse 
 quent writers from Sparks to Bigelow, they have still been lost. Temple 
 Franklin s authoritative edition has always been considered the standard as far 
 as it went, but no one has ever accounted for its meagreness and shortcomings 
 except by accusing the editor of dishonourable connivance with the British. 
 Government in suppressing the cream of the papers. No doubt it was the- 
 editor s intention had he lived to bring out the rest of the previously printed 
 
12 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 miscellaneous and scientific works, together with the better and later half of 
 the correspondence and diplomatic achievements of that nine years in France, 
 the crowning glory of his grandfather s career, which added the key-stone 
 to the fabric of the Western Republic. Temple Franklin s experience 
 with the trade of London since 1790 had cautioned him not to show 
 his hand, or permit editors or publishers to examine or learn what more 
 papers that old family iron-bound chest contained. He knew well that 
 his grandfather never looked after his writings, and took no stock in the 
 copyrights of his numerous mental offspring. So in 1818, when his first 
 series was published, he again locked the old chest in the vaults of his bankers, 
 where the papers had been deposited for safety well nigh a quarter of a century, 
 and went off to France, awaiting the progress of his venture in the hands of Mr 
 Colburn. 
 
 In Paris Temple Franklin lived, married, and after a short time died. Mrs 
 Franklin, as his executrix, administered on his estate, took possession of what 
 property there was, and on the 27th of September, 1823, removed the precious 
 deposits from the bankers. And this was all that Temple Franklin, in conspi 
 racy with the ever abused British Government, did towards suppressing his 
 grandfather s writings. Man proposes, God disposes. Nearly a century has 
 passed since Franklin died. His enemies and envious rivals have done their 
 best to stifle his merits. The Centennial has passed, and even yet editors and 
 collectors, regardless of copyright and the unused material that lie latent still 
 continue to prate of William Temple Franklin mutilating his grandfather s 
 Autobiography and selling his patrimony to Mr Bull ! It is now the old philo 
 sopher s turn. The lightning rods that he put in pickle a hundred years ago are 
 abundantly sufficient to protect himself and his grandson now and hereafter. 
 Here is one of them, given as a sample, to show how the old man of fourscore 
 could considerately apply the beach seal to an indiscreet youngster. Beginning 
 at six o clock in the morning the doctor wrote four letters to Mr William Jack 
 son the same day on the same subject and to the same purport. Temple 
 Franklin, and after him Mr Sparks, have given us the first three, but this 
 fourth good letter has been kept until now. This, with hundreds of other 
 papers, were, we think, wisely withheld for Mr Colburn s second Series of six 
 volumes. The letter will explain itself. 
 
 " Passy, July 10, 1781. 
 
 M Sir, Last night I received your fourth letter on the same subject. You 
 are anxious to carry the money with you, because it will reanimate the credit 
 of America. My situation, and long acquaintance with affairs relating to the 
 public credit, enable me, I think, to judge better than you can do, who are a 
 novice in them, what employment of it will most conduce to that end ; and I 
 imagine the retaining it to pay the Congress drafts has infinitely the advantage. 
 You repeat that the ship is detained by my refusal. You forget your having 
 written to me expressly, that she waited for my convoy. You remind me of 
 the great expense the detention of the ship occasions. Who has given orders 
 to stop her] It was not me. I had no authority to do it. Have you? And 
 do you imagine, if you have taken such authority upon you, that the Congress 
 ought to bear the expense occasioned by your imprudence? and that the bkme 
 of detaining the necessary stores the ship contains will be excused by your 
 fond desire of carrying the money] The noise you have rashly made about 
 this matter, contrary to the advice of Mr Adama, which you asked and 
 received, and which was to comply with my requisition, has already done great 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 13 
 
 mischief to our credit in Holland. Messrs Fizeaux have declared they will 
 advance to him no more money on his bills upon me to assist in paying the 
 Congress drafts on him. Your commodore, too, complains in a letter I have 
 seen, that he finds it difficult to get money for my acceptances of your draft** in 
 order to clear his ship, though before this proceeding of yours, hills on me were^aa 
 Mr Adam* assures me, in as good credit on the Exchange of Amsterdam as those 
 of any banker in Europe. I suppose the difficulty mentioned by the commodore 
 w the true reason of the ship s stay, if in fact the convoy is gone without her. 
 Credit u a delicate thing, capable of being blasted with a breath. The public 
 talk you have occasioned about my stopping the money, and the conjectures of 
 the reasons or necessity of doing it, have created doubts and suspicions of most 
 pernicious consequences. It is a matter that should have passed in silence. 
 You repeat as a reason for your conduct, that the money was obtained by the 
 great exertions of Colonel Laurens. Who obtained the grant is a matter of no 
 importance, though the use I propose to make of it is of the greatest But the 
 fact is not as you state it, I obtained it before he came. And if he were here 
 I am sure I could convince him of the necessity of leaving it, especially after I 
 should have informed him that you had made in Holland the enormous 
 purchase of 40,000 sterling s worth of goods over and above the 10,000 worth, 
 which I had agreed should l>e purchased by him on my credit ; and that you 
 had induced me to engage for the payment of your purchase by showing me 
 a paper said to contain his order for making it, which I then took to be his 
 handwriting, though I afterwards found it to be yours, and not signed by him. 
 It would be additional reason with him when I should remind him that he 
 himself, to induce me to come into the proposal of Commodore Guillon and 
 the rest of the Holland transaction, to which I was averse, assured me he had 
 mentioned it to the Minister, and that it was approved of. That on the 
 contrary I lind the Minister remembers nothing of it, very much dislikes it 
 and absolutely refuses to furnish any money to discharge that amount. You 
 finish your letter by telling me that the daily enhancement of expense to the 
 United States from these difficulties is worthy the attention of those whose duty 
 it is to economise the public money, and to whom the commonweal is entrusted 
 without deranging the special department of another. The ship s lying there 
 with 500 or 600 men on board is undoubtedly a great daily expense, but it is 
 you that occasion it ; and the superior airs you give yourself, young gentleman, 
 of reproof to me, and reminding me of my duty, do not become you, whose 
 special department and employ in public affairs, of which you are so vain, is 
 but of yesterday, and would never have existed but by my concurrence, and 
 would have ended in disgrace if I had not supported your enormous purchases 
 by accepting your drafts. The charging me with want of economy is parti 
 cularly improper in you, when the only instance you know of it is my having 
 indiscreetly complied with your demand in advancing you 120 louis for the 
 expense of your journeys to Paris, and when the only instance I know of your 
 economizing money is your sending me three expresses one after another on 
 the same day all the way from Holland to Paris, each with a letter saying the 
 same thing to the same purpose. This dispute is as useless as it is unpleasant. 
 It can only create ill blood. Pray let U8 end it I have the honour to be, &c. 
 &c. Benj. Franklin." 
 
 We have intimated above that Temple Franklin sometimes omitted important 
 words and even sentences. Here is a case in point, where for some insufficient 
 reason he printed a letter of his grandfather to Mr William Carmichael, dated 
 
 12th April, 1781, giving three es in the places of three names . This waa 
 
 not fair, because it might throw suspicion on the wrong persons. Mr Sparks 
 and Mr Bigelow were not able to fill up the chasms. A reference to the 
 original manuscript supplies the names which are here printed in italics, thus 
 removing suspicion from all others. 
 
 " I thank you much for your friendly 
 
14 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 hints of the operations of my enemies, and of the means I might use to defeat 
 them. Having in view at present no other point to gain but that of rest, I do 
 not take their malice so much amiss, as it may further my project, and perhaps 
 be some advantage to you. Lee and Izard are open, and so far honourable 
 enemies; the Adamses, if enemies, are more covered. I never did any of them 
 the least injury, and can conceive no other source of their malice but envy. 
 To be sure the excessive respect shown me here by all ranks of people, and the 
 little notice taken of them, was a mortifying circumstance ; but it was what I 
 could neither prevent nor remedy. Those who feel pain at seeing others enjoy 
 pleasure, and are unhappy, must meet daily with so many causes of torment, 
 that I conceive them to be already in a state of damnation; and, on that 
 account, I ought to drop all resentment with regard to those two gentlemen. 
 But I cannot help being concerned at the mischief their ill tempers will be 
 continually doing in our public affairs, whenever they have any concern in 
 them." 
 
 The following unpublished letter of Franklin to Vergennes shows how 
 adroitly the old and trusted philosopher could extricate the Congress and him 
 self from an awkward position into which one of his colleagues had contrived 
 to place them with the Court of France. Most of the correspondence was pub 
 lished by Temple Franklin, but this, the real key to the mystery, was wisely 
 reserved by him and his publisher to help sweeten up their proposed Second 
 Series : 
 
 " Passy, August 3, 1780. 
 
 " Sir, It was, indeed, with very great pleasure that I received the letter 
 your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me, communicating that of 
 the President of Congress, and the resolutions of that body relative to the 
 succours then expected : for the sentiments therein expressed are so different 
 from the language held by Mr. Adams in his late letters to your Excellency, as 
 to make it clear that it was from his particular indiscretion alone, and not from 
 any instructions received by him, that he has given such just cause of displea 
 sure, and that it is impossible his conduct therein should be approved by his 
 constituents. I am glad he has not admitted me to any participation of those 
 writings, and that he has taken the resolution he expresses of not communi 
 cating with me, or making use of my intervention in his future correspondence ; 
 a resolution that I believe he will keep, as he has never yet communicated to 
 me more of his business in Europe than I have seen in newspapers. I live 
 upon terms of civility with him, not of intimacy. I shall, as you desire, lay 
 before Congress the whole correspondence which you have sent me for that 
 purpose. With the greatest and most sincere respect, I am sir, yours, &c. &c. 
 
 B. Franklin." 
 
 Mr Sparks, aware from Franklin s will and many other sources, that the 
 papers had been brought to London by the grandson, sought earnestly for them 
 when he was in England, about 1834, while editing his 10 vol. edition; but he 
 found little to fill up or correct in Temple Franklin s six volumes, and nothing 
 whatever of the papers intended for the second series of six volumes. Mr Sparks 
 returned believing them irrecoverably lost. He had no suspicion that they had 
 been put aside for a second series. 
 
 In the preface to Franklin s Familiar Letters Mr Sparks had previously 
 written in 1833 : " Few eminent men have been so unfortunate, in respect to 
 the publications of their writings as Franklin. No edition of his works, nor 
 of any part of them, except his early philosophical essays, was ever prepared 
 by himself, or published under his own inspection. His letters and papers 
 made their appearance from time to time, either as forced out by the interested 
 motives of booksellers, or the importunity of friends. The papers left by him 
 to his grandson were kept back from the public for more than twenty years 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 15 
 
 after the author s death, and were at last compiled with little ability in the 
 execution, or justice to the subject. It is moreover to be remembered, with 
 extreme regret, that Franklin s letter books, embracing the entire period of his 
 agency in England, throughout a space of almost twenty years, us well as other 
 original papers, were lost by the negligence or treachery of the person to whose 
 care he entrusted them when he went to France. A few letters to individuals, 
 which have been collected, and short biographical memoranda of his own, 
 relating to detached events afford all the materials that exist for a history of his 
 official transactions and private opinions in the compass of that eventful portion 
 of his life. Owing to a train of circumstances, which at one time were not 
 well understood, but now admit of an easy and full explanation, the character 
 of Franklin suffered in the hands of some of his later associates and con 
 temporaries. Suspicions of his political integrity, and even of his private 
 honesty, were scattered among the credulous, and produced impressions on the 
 minds of many of his countrymen, which his brilliant name and great services 
 have as yet hardly effaced. After a laborious enquiry into this matter, with no 
 ordinary means of information, and opportunities of research, particularly in 
 regard to his acts as Minister Plenipotentiary in France, and in negotiating the 
 treaty of peace at the end of the war, I feel authorised to declare that his con 
 duct admits of unqualified vindication ; that so far from open censure, or the 
 whispers of suspicion, he deserves the lasting praise and gratitude of his country 
 for the manly, consistent, undeviating, honourable, and efficient course he pur 
 sued, in the face of numerous obstacles and embarrassments, during the whole 
 nine years of his residence in France. His patriotism and fidelity to his trust 
 were equalled only by his unrivalled talents and sagacity." 
 
 This full vindication Mr Sparks endeavoured to present in his subsequent 
 10 volume edition from material derived mainly from the French Archives, 
 but it must be confessed that his arguments fall somewhat short of the 
 practical demonstration that may be drawn from Franklin s and Vergennes 1 
 own original unpublished manuscripts existing in the present collection. 
 
 In the year 1840 the Franklin Papers, which had lain more than seventeen 
 years on the top shelf of an old tailor s shop in St James s, in loose bundles 
 (both those that had been to the printers and those reserved for the second in 
 stalment) were rescued by a gentleman who had known Temple Franklin a 
 quarter of a century before, and had been a fellow lodger with him over the 
 same tailor s shop. This gentleman, an officer under government, kept these 
 manuscripts for ten or eleven years, fully appreciating his charge, but never 
 finding sufficient leisure from his public duties to look them through. From 
 time to time in his vacations he offered them in bulk to the British Museum, 
 to Lord Palmerston, and to the successive American ministers in London, from 
 1840 to 1851. He knew nothing of the difficulties of Mr Colburn, or of the 
 division of the papers into the two instalments of printed and not printed, but 
 supposed and said that they had all probably been printed and published. For 
 this reason the collection, though repeatedly offered, was as repeatedly declined 
 at his fixed price. 
 
 In 1851 this gentleman again applied to the American minister, then Mr 
 Abbott Lawrence, who at once appointed an interview. On hearing the gentle 
 man s propositions Mr Lawrence frankly told him that he personally knew 
 nothing of such matters, and moreover he had no power to purchase them for 
 the government, but offered to give him a note of introduction to an American 
 gentleman at Morley s who he thought would be likely to know all about the 
 paper?, and if they were worth securing, he would no doubt buy the collection. 
 
1 6 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Mr Lawrence sent a messenger at once with a private note to his friend at 
 Morley s, and the gentleman turned up in the course of the day. Within three 
 days thereafter the entire collection changed hands. It has been an expensive 
 elephant in the present proprietor s menagerie ever since, for he has spent much 
 time in arranging, repairing, restoring, collating and binding, together with 
 copies and additions, to the extent of above ,1000 beyond the original cost. 
 
 Mr Colburn, the publisher, was then living, and he kindly communicated 
 to the writer the whole story of his negotiations with Temple Franklin, and the 
 difficulties he had in getting from him the copy for the press. The work, when 
 at last published, went off tolerably well, but the success fell far short of their 
 expectations. Mr Colburn, after so many years of anxiety, had not the courage 
 left to go over the labour again to extract from the dilatory editor the pro 
 mised second instalment. He did not hear of Temple Franklin s death until 
 some time after it took place, and then on enquiring for the papers they could 
 not be traced. In 1833 Mr Colburn, without reprinting had to resort to the 
 publisher s not unfrequent expedient of producing a new edition, simply by 
 inserting new title-pages. Hence one may see by comparison with the copy 
 that went to the printer, and still preserved, how the omissions, the cut-outs,, 
 the transpositions, the mutilations, and the many other defects of omission and 
 commission in the first series, occurred ; and as these volumes became the 
 standard for future editors and historians one can readily see how much Dr 
 Franklin has suffered from incomplete editorship : and hence also one can 
 readily see how the loss of the second and more important series intended 
 to remedy these defects, not only placed Dr Franklin in a false light, but 
 gave a false colouring to American diplomatic and political history generally. 
 
 Mr Sparks reprinted Temple Franklin s copy as far as it aided him, but he 
 could not get behind it, or fathom its suspicious omissions and other serious 
 defects. He, however, had no suspicion that Temple Franklin s edition con 
 tained only half the works of Dr Franklin. Mr Sparks in the preface to his 
 first volume gives an interesting account of the many sources of his new 
 materials. He experienced great difficulties, but was rewarded with eminent 
 success. He added, he says, about 650 articles, including letters and miscel 
 laneous pieces, of which upwards of 460 had never before been printed. But 
 he gained no clue to the real Franklin papers. Hence Sparks edition, the 
 fullest and best of all, is insufficient and defective wherever that of Temple 
 Franklin fell short. It follows logically that not only the biography of Dr 
 Franklin but the whole History of the Independency, the Revolutionary War, 
 and the Organization of the Government of the United States has vastly 
 suffered by the inexperience of editorship and the subsequent casualties which 
 befel these important papers. 
 
 Death, however, excuses Temple Franklin, who, during his life, appears to- 
 have guarded his charge with pious reverence. We say half but that proves to- 
 be too low an estimate by recent cast-off of the original unpublished papers still 
 in the present Franklin collection. The explanation appears to be this. Temple 
 Franklin s six volume octavo edition of 1818 contains a large selection of Dr 
 Franklin s philosophical and other papers previously printed, which made 
 nearly half the work, the remaining half being mostly the earlier or the more 
 personal and private portion of the original manuscripts never before printed. 
 
A 
 
DOCTOR FKAXA LIN 17 
 
 Hence it is clear that the second series of six volumes was to comprise thr 
 remaining scientific papers previously printed, the unpublished manuscripts 
 covering the most important period of Franklin s career, the close of the war, 
 the negotiations for the Peace, the Treaty, together with subsequent correa- 
 pondence, say 1780-1785, enough in all to make five additional volumes the size 
 of Sparks s. This in general, but the second series was designed to cover the 
 whole period of the first series, so as to render the two a single and indivisible 
 work, to be re-arranged and incorporated in new editions. 
 
 Besides this, almost every paper or letter printed for the first time from the 
 original manuscript in Temple Franklin s editions requires explanation, 
 revision and correction by the manuscripts. Sparks had not the opportunity 
 to do this, but it can now be done from the identical copy used by Valpy the 
 printer and still preserved in the collection. A single illustration will serve 
 our purpose. Only half of Franklin s letter to Benjamin Vaughan of the 
 9th Nov. 1779, is given in the text by Temple Franklin, the other half having 
 been scissored out and transferred to a note in the Autobiography, giving 
 further particulars of the history of the little London book Liberty and Necessity. 
 Mr Sparks reprinted this important note and put the initials W. T. F. after 
 it Mr Bigelow also reprinted it and by some inadvertence substituted B in one 
 edition, and Ed. in another (p. 179) in place of W. T. F. at the same time 
 altering the name of Lyons (4) to Syms, of course a mere typographical error, 
 but rendering a recurrence to the original manuscripts necessary, especially 
 as there are hundreds of such variations by different editors. 
 
 These are some of the particulars respecting the Franklin Collection, but a 
 more detailed account, with names and dates, can be supplied by Mr Henry 
 Stevens if needed. The Franklin Collection bought in 1851, comprises roughly: 
 
 I. The original Records or Letter Books of the American Legation in Paris 
 during the American Revolutionary War and subsequently, 1776-1785, includ 
 ing correspondence with the French Government ; the negotiations for supplies 
 to carry on the War ; letters, papers, &c. relative to Paul Jones and his ventures 
 and raids ; Captain Cook and his Voyage of Discovery ; privateering, negotiations 
 for Peace, the Treaty, and correspondence with Holland, Russia, Spain, &c. &c. 
 
 II. Original Manuscripts by Franklin, his Essays, Miscellaneous Writings, 
 private correspondence, squibs, bagatelles, &c. 
 
 III. Autobiography and biographical memoranda preparatory to the writing 
 of his Life, with the history of his times to be published after his death. 
 
 IV. The original correspondence with the American Government or retained, 
 or press copies, on public affairs. With many public and private letters to and 
 from public and private citizens in America and elsewhere. 
 
 V. The original Petition of the Congress to the King in October, 1774, 
 signed in duplicate by all the 50 Members of the Continental Congress, a 
 document second only in interest and historical importance to the Declaration 
 of Independence itself. This Petition setting forth all the grievances after the 
 manner of the Declaration was signed by the Members in two copies. The 
 President of the Congress sent both copies enclosed in a long letter to 
 Franklin in London, by different ships. Franklin received both. The 
 one he presented to the Minister for the King, and the other he kept. Both 
 petitions are equally original. The Congress retained no copy with auto- 
 
 D 
 
i8 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 graph signatures. The King s copy is now in Her Majesty s Public Record 
 Office, the other is the gem of our Franklin Collection. 
 
 VI. The Hartley Correspondence. The Hutchinson Papers Correspondence. 
 Speaker Gushing, of the Massachusetts General Court, his letters, &c. 
 
 VII. Records and Correspondence of the Commissioners on the part of 
 England to negotiate the Treaty of 1783, together with copies of important 
 State Papers, including a complete transcript of Oswald s Journal preserved in 
 the Marquis of Lansdown s library. 
 
 VIII. Essays in form of Letters, on Perfumes and Choice of a Mistress, 
 witty and explosive, but perhaps too Dean Swiftian for the press. 
 
 IX. The original Autograph Manuscript of Franklin s Articles of Belief 
 and Acts of Religion. In Two Parts. 
 
 Here will I hold. If there is a Power above us 
 (And that there is, all Nature cries aloud 
 Thro all her Works) He must delight in Virtue 
 And that which he delights in must be happy. Vato. 
 Part I. Philada. Nov. 20, 1728, 16 bound in blue morocco by Bedford 
 
 This precious manuscript is believed to be the earliest Autograph we have of 
 Franklin. There is another copy, a little larger, bound also in morocco, pro 
 bably a few years later, but unfortunately wanting a few leaves, which have 
 been filled in recently by the writer from the original copy. 
 
 X. The original Craven Street Letter Book somewhat mildewed and injured, 
 but containing the original drafts or records of many important Letters, 
 especially private and domestic ones ; many to My dear Child, his wife. 
 
 XI. The Draft of Franklin s famous letter to his friend Strahan the printer : 
 
 " Mr STRAHAN, Philada. July 5, 1775. 
 
 " You are a Member of Parliament, and one of that majority which 
 has doomed my Country to Destruction. You have begun to burn our Towns, 
 and murder our People. Look upon your Hands ! They are stained with the 
 Blood of your Relations ! You and I were long Friends. You are now my 
 Enemy, and I am, Yours, B. FRANKLIN." 
 
 A large proportion of the above eleven lots was reserved for the Second Series by 
 Temple Franklin and consequently never printed. To these acquired in 1851 
 have been added at considerable expense several important manuscripts which 
 once belonged to the collection, but parted with probably as autographs. 
 
 It should perhaps be mentioned that very many of Dr Franklin s letters and 
 papers are preserved in two, three, four or even five states, while in some cases 
 there are discrepancies which may account for some slips that have been or may 
 be attributed to bad editorship. These states or conditions of the papers may 
 be called : 1. The rough draft in the hand of Dr Franklin, sometimes with 
 many interlineations and corrections. 2. The fair copy by his private secretary 
 or one of his clerks, frequently with corrections and alterations by Franklin 
 before attaching his signature. 3. The press copy, a process said to be invented 
 by Dr Franklin as. early as 1777, or perhaps only improved in conjunction with 
 Watt and his English patent press for copying. 4. The Record in the folio 
 Letter Books. And 5. Sometimes there were two, or a second fair copy after the 
 Doctor s first revision and correction, this being the document signed and 
 
! A i -S 1 M 1 I,K 
 
 /s*tS 
 
 ^ 
 t <^2-^z-^^ 
 
 y^ s* 
 
 &JT LS sift f<* r 
 
 rtJt 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 19 
 
 despatched. In some cases this laat document was sulequently tnuiMTJlr.l 
 and may have varied somewhat from all the others and thus lay the editor 
 open to charges of inaccuracy. Generally, though not always, the press-copy 
 was the last taken. In many cases the Collection contains throe, four and 
 sometimes the five states of the paper. All are important either for tracing 
 variations or correcting errors. Besides these the Collection contains a gnat 
 number of original Letters from Vergennes, Lafayette and others in French, as 
 well aa of Speaker Gushing and many others in English. 
 
 From time to time the manuscripts have been sorted, repaired, arranged, and 
 a good number of them bound by Bedford in his best style in blue morocco. 
 More recently they have been catalogued, arranged, copied, and cast off at 
 an expense of 300, so that the collection i now in an advanced state for the 
 editor. This cast off after the manner of the printer is so minute in the esti 
 mated numl>er of words that by it and the catalogue of the 2938 papers one 
 may estimate not only the entire bulk of the collection, but the printed and 
 not printed portions of it. This summing up, taking Sparks volumes as stand 
 ards, amounts to this : about 2430 pages have never been printed, 1195 pages 
 printed, but not always accurately, in Sparks ; 24(5 pages printed in the Diplo 
 matic Correspondence, but not printed in Sparks, and about 300 pages printed 
 both in Sparks and the Diplomatic Correspondence. This printing house 
 estimate corresponds sufficiently near to that of the writer given above, that the 
 unpublished matter is enough to fill five volumes of the size of Sparks volumes. 
 Besides the manuscripts, the proprietor of the collection has from time to time 
 purchased at large expense many of Franklin s early and rarer publications, as 
 well as most of the recent ones of his works and books relating to him. A 
 separate list is appended of all these, numbered from 1 to 204, from which any 
 one may see at a glance that the list contains almost all of the rare ones, such as 
 
 1. Poor Richard s Almanack 1740-1765, no less than 18 of them as described 
 in our Nuggets together with later continuations. 
 
 2. Franklin s Pocket Almanacs, 32 1742-1766, 20 of them between those 
 years mostly perfect and in good order, probably a unique collection of any 
 thing like this extent. 
 
 3. Franklin s Pennsylvania Gazette, nearly eight years of this celebrated 
 newspaper in fine condition, clean and mostly uncut, bound, in 2 thick volumes. 
 
 4. Franklin s General Magazine for Jan. Feb. and March, 1741, believed to 
 be the first literary Monthly Magazine in English North America, in fine con 
 dition and bound in morocco extra to a Eoger Payne pattern. 
 
 5. Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain, 1725, a fine copy in morocco by 
 Bedford of the little free-book, written, composed and printed by Franklin 
 himself while first in London at the age of 18. Only 100 copies were printed, 
 and as he says in his autobiography mostly destroyed. Two copies only are now 
 known to exist. This one, and one we formerly had, but turned out as a dupli 
 cate at Puttick and Simpson s. It was sold for 19 19s. and bought by Hotten 
 against the British Museum. After Hotten s death in 1872, it was again sold 
 there and fetched 22 10s., still against the bid of the British Museum. 
 No edition of the Works of Franklin contained this rare little book until Mr 
 Parton in 1864 reprinted it from a manuscript transcript from the present copy 
 supplied by the writer. That transcript by Mr Stevens, Mr Parton deposited 
 
20 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF DOCTOR FRANKLIN 
 
 in the library of the New York Historical Society. The copy noticed in Notes 
 and Queries of Jan. 3, 1852, by Mr James Crossley, was the Irish reprint of 1733 (3) 
 
 6. Liberty and Necessity, Dublin 1733, 16 pages. This edition, or Irish 
 reprint, is believed to be unique. It has just half the number of pages of the 
 original Franklin Edition, being in smaller type. 
 
 7. Wollaston s Religion of Nature, 4 London, 1725. Fine large paper copy 
 in old red morocco extra ; on this book Franklin worked as a compositor at 
 Palmer s in 1725, and from it probably imbibed his shortlived free notions that 
 appeared ill his Liberty and Necessity. This is the only large paper copy known. 
 
 8. Cicero s Cato Major, or his Discourse of Old Age, a very fine, clean and 
 perfectly uncut copy, and bound in blue morocco by Bedford, the finest copy 
 known. B. Franklin, Philadelphia, 1744, 4 (see 56). 
 
 9. Dr Lyons s Infallibility of Human Judgment, 1724, 16 (see No. 4). 
 
 10. An Account of the New Invented Pennsylvania Fire Places, 1744 (see 57). 
 Besides these the Collection contains nearly 300 volumes of Franklin s earlier 
 
 pieces, his books and pamphlets, &e., together with books concerning him, as 
 detailed in the following list, occupying pages 21 to 39 of this bibliographical 
 essay, to which the patient reader is referred. 
 
 It has been the fashion of late to depreciate FRANKLIN, and to stigmatize his 
 grandson, William Temple, more especially in Philadelphia, a proceeding which 
 reminds one of the Bibliofilos Andaluces decrying the Life of Columbus as a 
 fraud on Spain that owes, everybody knows, as much to the Great Discoverer, 
 as Philadelphia owes to her Great Philosopher. But fortunately their shafts 
 and poisoned arrows can all be parried by the simple truth of history. Frank 
 lin s points saved many of their houses, and his papers may yet save himself 
 and confound his enemies. During the Revolutionary War Europe was over 
 run with Commissioners and Agents of the Congress, all of whom had to be fed 
 and paid by Franklin. They hated him, though he was the only banker that could 
 honour their drafts. When Franklin s works appeared in 1818, and enlarged 
 by Sparks in 1836-40, with no personal vindication, his enemies and their 
 descendants sought openly to elevate their own by depreciating Franklin. 
 Correspondence of this sort about 1830 has appeared in the Magazine of American 
 History. The unpublished personalities among the Franklin papers, it 
 is believed, are abundant to dissipate and neutralize all these aspersions. 
 Franklin, during his nine years residence in Paris, devoted himself to the ad 
 vancement of the cause he had espoused, and rarely permitted himself to notice 
 the slings of outrageous fortune by which he was surrounded. He continued 
 to be the Banker of the Congress, and the provider of its army and navy. He 
 had his spiteful little enemies at home and abroad, and knew it, yet generously 
 fed them while they were biting his back. One would think by the way the 
 moderns write that they are under the impression that the Old Philosopher 
 had forgotten or neglected to book his observations. He however was not 
 likely to omit recording the antidote to the transactions of his enemies. He 
 could afford to wait. But all these are minor things in comparison with the 
 collection itself, the sealed storehouse of American history, science, literature, 
 biography and diplomacy. With all these unpublished manuscripts, and 
 this unparalelled collection of printed books of and relating to Franklin, the 
 Truth of Historv must come out. 
 
FRANKLIN S PRINTED WORKS, ETC. 
 
 DISSERTATION on Liberty aud Necessity, Pleasure and Pain. 
 Whatever is, is in its Causes just 
 Since all Things are by Fate ; but purblind Man 
 Sees but a part o th" Chain, the nearest Link, 
 His Eyes not carrying to the equal Beam 
 That poises all above. DRYDEN. 
 
 London : Printed in the year 1725, 32 pp. blue morocco, 
 by Bedford. 8 (N* 1) 
 
 Ur Franklin in his Autobiography, does not quote the lines from Dryden 
 
 the same as given here in the motto. 
 
 THE RELIGION of Nature Delineated [2 Greek niottos and the vignette, a print 
 ing press]. London : Printed by Samuel Palmer, in Bartholomew Close, 
 and Sold by B. Lintot, W. and J. Innys, J. Osborn and T. Longman, and 
 J. Battey, 1726. 219 pp. signed at end by the author WILLIAM WOLLABTON, 
 followed by one blank page ; Index, 1 1 pp. not numbered. Splendid copy 
 on LARGE and THICK PAPER, in old red morocco gilt edges, royal 4 (2) 
 On this book Franklin worked while with Palmer in 1725. The general 
 style is similar, and the identical woodcut on the title of this volume 
 appeared at the end of Franklin s Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity. 
 See Autobiography. 
 
 A DISSERTATION on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain. In a Letter to 
 a Friend. [Motto as above.] Dublin : Printed in the year 1733, 16 pp. 8 (3) 
 Dr Franklin, in his Autobiography says, "At Palmer s [in Bartholomew 
 Close] I was employed in composing for the second edition of Wollas- 
 ton s " Religion of Nature." Some of his reasonings not appearing to me 
 well founded, I wrote a little metaphysical piece, in which I made remarks 
 on them. It was entitled " a Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure 
 and Pain." I inscribed it to my friend Ralph; I printed a small 
 number. . . . My printing this pamphlet was another erratum. In another 
 place Franklin says he printed only 100 copies, of which he gave a few 
 away and burnt the rest. No mention is made of this Dublin reprint. 
 THE INFALLIBILITY of Human Judgment, Its Dignity and Excellency. Being 
 a new Art of Reasoning, and discovering Truth, by reducing all disputable 
 Cases to general and self-evident Propositions, etc. With The Supple 
 ment, answering all Objection?, etc. The Fourth edition. To which i* 
 
22 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 now added a Postscript, etc. By Mr. Lyons. London, J. Brothertort, 
 1724, 6 prelim, leaves and 252 pp. 16 (4) 
 
 Pages 209-240 are occupied by " A dissertation on Liberty and Neces 
 sity." Dr Franklin in his Autobiography says, "My pamphlet 
 [ A dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain ] by some 
 means falling into the hands of one Lyons, a surgeon, author of a book 
 entitled, The Infallibility of Human Judgment, it occasioned an acquaint 
 ance between us. He took great notice of me, called on me often to 
 
 converse on those subjects, carried me to the Horns, a pale alehouse in 
 
 Lane, Cheapside, and introduced me to Dr. Mandeville, author of the 
 * Fable of the Bees, who had a club there, of which he was the soul, being 
 a most facetious, entertaining companion ; Lyons, too, introduced me to 
 Dr. Pemberton, at Batson s Coffee-house, who promised" to give me an 
 opportunity, some time or other, of seeing Sir Isaac Newton, of wliich I 
 was extremely desirous ; but this never happened." Franklin was at this 
 time a boy of nineteen. 
 
 POOR RICHARD, 1733. An Almanack for the year of Christ 1733. Phila 
 delphia : B. Franklin [1732] Eeprint. 8 (5) 
 
 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE, October 11, 1739. Numb. 565 to Deo. 27, 1739. 
 Numb. 576 [weekly] containing the freshest Advises foreign and domestic 
 [Colophon] Philadelphia : Printed by B. Franklin, Post-Master, at the 
 New-Printing-Office near the Market, price 10s. a year, Where Advertise 
 ments are taken in, and Book-Binding is done reasonably, in the best 
 Manner. 4 pages to a number. Eleven numbers complete in 1739. 4 (6) 
 The Pennsylvania Gazette, etc. 1740, No. 577 to 628, 52 Nos. complete. 4 
 The Pennsylvania Gazette,- etc: 1741, No. 629 to 681, 53 Nos. complete. 4 
 The Pennsylvania Gazette, etc. 1744, No. 786 Jan. 3 to 837, 52 Nos. wanting 
 
 816, 821, 823, 825 and 828. f 
 The Pennsylvania Gazette, etc. 1745, No. 838 to 890, 53 Nos. wanting 851, last 
 
 half of 875 and 879. f 
 The Pennsylvania Gazette, etc. 1746, No. 891 to 942, 52 Nos. wanting 912, 23, 
 
 25, 27, 33 and 934. f 
 
 The Penn. Gazette, etc. 1747, No. 943 to 994, 52 Nos. wanting 947,51,69&978. f 
 The Pennsylvania Gazette, etc. 1748, No. 995 to 1046, Dec. 27, 52 Nos. wanting 
 
 1018 and 1035. f 
 
 The number 996 for Jan. 12, 1748, N.S. has this Colophon " Philadelphia : 
 Printed by B. Franklin, Post- Master, and D. Hall, at the New-Printing- 
 Office, near the Market, 1 and so on to the end without change. The papers 
 usually contain 4 pages, but there are many supplements, advertising 
 sheets or half sheets, and double numbers. Barring the 20 Numbers want 
 ing as stated the whole of these two series of 377 numbers are in excellent 
 condition. 
 
 POOR RICHARD, 1740. An Almanack for the Year of Christ 1740, Being Leap 
 Year, etc. etc. Fitted to the Latitude of Forty Degrees, and a Meridian of 
 Five Hours West from London, but may without sensible Error, serve all 
 the adjacent Places, even from Newfoundland to South -Carolina. By 
 Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia : Printed and sold by B. Frank- 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 33 
 
 lin at the New Printing Office near the Market. 24 pp. wanting lower 
 
 half of title, the upper half of 2d leaf and the last 3 leave*. 12 (7) 
 
 Poor Richard, 1741. An Almanack, etc. Phil. B. Franklin, 24 pp. 12" (8) 
 Poor Richard, 1742. Phil. B. Franklin, 24pp. wanting title and next leaf. 12* (9) 
 Poor Richard, 1743. Phil. B. Franklin, 24pp. wanting last leaf. 12 (10) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1748. Phil. B. Franklin, 36 pp. 1st Edition, wants last 
 
 leaf. 12 (11) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1750. Phil. B. Franklin and D. Hall, 36 pp. 12 (12) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1752. B. Franklin and D. Hall, 36pp. 12 (13) 
 
 Poor Richardimproved, 1754. B. Franklin&D.IIall,36 pp. wants last leaf. 12(14) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1756. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 36pp. the 12th and 18th 
 
 leaves are mutilated. 12* (15) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1757. B. Franklin and D. Hall, 36 pp. wants last 3 
 
 leaves. 12 (16) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1758. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 36 pp. fine copy of the 
 
 rarest and best of all Poor Richard s Almanacs, with the proverbs collected 
 
 in a speech. [See Stevens Nuggetts, No. 110] 12 (17) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1759. B. Franklin &D. Hall, 36 pp. want* last 2 leaves (18) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1761. B. Franklin &D. Hall, 36 pp. fine copy. 12 (19) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1762. B. Franklin &D. Hall, 36 pp. 12* (20) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1763. B. Franklin D. Hall, 36 pp. 12 (21) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1764. B.Franklin&D.Hall,32i>p. 12 (22) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1765. B. Franklin &D. Hall, 36 pp. 12 (23) 
 
 This is believed to be the last almanac that bore Franklin s name, Continued as 
 Poor Richard improved, 1767. By R. Saunders. Phil. Hall & Sellers, 36 pp. 12 (24) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1768. By R. Saunders. Phil. Hall & Sellers, 36 pp. 12 (25) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1775. By R. Saundere. Phil.Hall&Seller9,36pp.l2 (26) 
 Poor Richardimproved, 1780. Phil. Hall & Sellers, 36pp. 3 leaves mutil. 12 (27) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1781. By R. Saunders. Phil. Hall & Sellers, 36 pp. 12 (28) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1782. By R, Saunders. Phil. Hall & Sellers, 36pp. title 
 
 torn. 12 (29) 
 
 Poor Richard improved, 1783. By R. Saunders. Phil.Hall&Sellers,36pp.l2 (30) 
 PoorRichard improved, 1784. By R. Saunders. Phil. Hall & Sellers, 36 pp. 12 (31) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1790. By R. Saunders. Phil. Hall & Sellers, 40 pp. 12 (32) 
 Poor Richard improved, 1792. By R. Saunders. Phil. Hall & Sellers, 44 pp. 12 (33) 
 
 THE GENERAL Magazine, and Historical Chronicle, For all the British Planta 
 tions in America. [To be continued Monthly.] January, 1741 [Large Wood 
 cut, the Prince of Wales Feathers] vol. I. Philadelphia : Printed and Sold 
 by B. Franklin. N 1, title and 74 pp. ; N II, for Feb. 1741, pp. 75-146 ; 
 Num. Ill, for March 1741, pp. 147 to 216. Splendid copy, handsomely 
 printed, some leaves rather closely cut. Sumptuously bound by Pratt in 
 blue Venetian grained morocco extra to a Roger Payne pattern. Six 
 Numbers only were published, as appears by the announcements in Frank 
 lin s Pennsylvania Gazette for 1741. Published at 9<1. currency a number. 
 We know not of a perfect set 12 (34) 
 
 AN APPENDIX ; Containing a Summary of such Acts of Assembly As have been 
 formerly in Force within this Province, for Regulating of Descents, and 
 
24 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Transferring the Property of Lands, &c. But since expired, altered or 
 repealed. Philadelphia : Printed by B. Franklin, M,DCC,XLII, title, 
 reverse blank, Advertisement to the Reader [by B. Franklin 1] pp. iii & iv. 
 text pp. 1-16 (wanting all after) f (35) 
 
 A POCKET / Almanack / For the Year 1742. / Fitted for the Use of Penn- / syl- 
 vania, and the neigh- / bouring Provinces. / By Richard Saunders, Phil. / 
 Philadelphia : / Printed by B. Franklin. / 16 pp. 32 (36) 
 
 Also the same for the following years. 
 
 A Pocket Almanack, etc. for 1743. Phil. B. Franklin, 16pp. 32 (37) 
 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1744. With several useful Adns. Phil. B.F. 24 pp. 32 (38) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1745. Phil. B. Franklin, 24 pp. 32 (39) 
 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1746. Phil. B. Franklin, 24 pp. 32 (40) 
 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1747. Phil. B. Franklin, 24 pp. 32 (41) 
 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1748. Phil. B. Franklin, 24 pp. 32 (42) 
 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1749. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (43) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1750. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (44) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1751. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (45) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1752. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (46) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1753. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (47) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1754. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (48) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1755. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (49) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1756. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (50) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1757. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (51) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1758. Phii. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (52) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1764. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (53) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1765. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (54) 
 A Pocket Almanack, for 1766. Phil. B. Franklin & D. Hall, 24 pp. 32 (55) 
 M. T. CICERO S Cato Major, or his Discourse of Old-Age : "With Explanatory 
 Notes. Philadelphia : Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, 1744. Title, In 
 troduction, Index to Notes viii, and 159 pp. fine copy, uncut, blue morocco 
 extra, gilt edges by F. Bedford. 4 (56) 
 
 AN ACCOUNT of the New-Invented Pennsylvania Fire Places ; wherein their 
 construction and manner of Operation is particularly explained ; their ad 
 vantages above any other method of warming rooms demonstrated, etc. 
 And a copperplate, in which the several parts of the machine are exactly 
 laid down from a scale of equal parts. Philadelphia, B. Franklin, 1744, 
 37pp. 8. (57) 
 
 EXPERIMENTS and Observations on Electricity made at Philadelphia, in America. 
 By Mr. Benjamin Franklin, Esq. London : E. Cave, 1751, plates, 4 (58) 
 
 SUPPLEMENTAL Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Part II. made 
 at Philadelphia in America. By Benjamin Franklin, Esq. and Communi 
 cated in several Letters to P. Collinson, Esq. of London, P.R.S. London : 
 E. Cave, 1753, title and pp. 89 to 107, sewn. 4 (59) 
 
 AN HISTORICAL Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania, 
 from its Origin ; So far as regards the several Points of Controversy, which 
 have, from Time to Time, arisen between the several Governors of that 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 35 
 
 Province, and their several Assemblies. Founded on Authentic documen to. 
 London, R. Griffiths, 1759. [Generally attributed to Dr. Franklin, but 
 disowned by him in his letter to David Hume, the historian, the 27th 
 Sept. 1760. Sparks, vii, 208.] viii, 18 and 444 pp. [This copy belonged to 
 the Penn Family and has many manuscript notes by the Proprietor, 
 Thomas Penn.] 8 (60) 
 
 NEW Experiments and Observations on Electricity. Made at Philadelphia in 
 America. By Benjamin Franklin, Esq. and Communicated in several 
 letters to Peter Collinsou, Esq. of London, F.R.S. Part I, 3d edition 1760 f 
 86 pp. Part II, 3d edition 1762, pp. 87-110. Part III, (1st edition) 1754, 
 iv and iii to 154, in 1 vol. London : D. Henry and R. Cave, 1760-62-54, 
 sewn, uncut. 4* (61) 
 
 THE INTEREST of Great Britain Considered, with Regard to her Colonies, And 
 the Acquisitions of Canada and Guadaloupe. To which are added, Obser 
 vations concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, etc. 
 [By Benjamin Franklin]. London, T. Becket, 1760, title and 58 pp. 8 (62) 
 
 THE INTEREST of Great Britain, etc. The Second Edition. London, T. Becket, 
 1761, title and 58 pp. 8 (63) 
 
 AN ANSWER to Mr. Franklin s Remarks, on a late Protest. Philadelphia: 
 Printed and Sold by William Bradford 1764, 22 pp. 8* (64; 
 
 PHYSICAL and Meteorological Observations, Conjectures, and Suppositions, By 
 Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.B.S. Read at the Royal Society, June 3, 1756. 
 London : Printed in the Year 1766, 15 pp. uncut. 4 (65) 
 
 THE NEW London Gazette [extra] No. 152 for Oct. 10, 1766. The Examination 
 of Dr. Franklin before an August Assembly, relating to the Repeal of the 
 Stamp Act, 2 pp. of 3 columns each. sm. f (66) 
 
 THE EXAMINATION of Dr. Benjamin Franklin before an Honourable Assembly, 
 relative to the Repeal of the American Stamp Act, in 1766. London, 1766. 
 50 pp. 8 (67) 
 
 INTERROGATOIRE de Mr. Franklin Deputd de Pensilvanie au Parlement de la 
 Grande Bretagne. Traduit de 1 Anglois par Ch . . . . D. H . . . . Maitre de 
 la langue Anglois a Strasbourg. A Strasbourg, Simon Klirsner [1767?] 
 35 pp. half roan. 8 (68) 
 
 EXPERIMENTS and Observations on Electricity, made at Philadelphia in America, 
 by B. Franklin, LL.D. and F.R.s. to which is added Letters and Papers on 
 Philosophical Subjects. The whole corrected, methodized, improved, and 
 now first collected into one volume, and illustrated with copperplates. 
 London : David Henry, 1769, plates, iv, 496 pp. and Index, old calf. 4 (69) 
 
 A PARABLE against Persecution, in Imitation of Scripture Language. A small 
 quarto leaf so printed as to be inserted at the end of Genesis as Chapter 
 51st, the only copy known. Mutilated and worn [1770?] (70) 
 
 REPORT of the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations on the Petition 
 of the Honourable Thomas Walpole, Benjamin Franklin, John Sargent 
 and Samuel Wliarton, Esquires, and their Associates ; for a Grant of Land, 
 
 E 
 
26 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 on the River Ohio, in North America : for the purpose of Erecting a new 
 Government. With Observations and Remarks. London : J. Almon, 1772, 
 109 pp. uncut, sewn. 8" (71) 
 
 (EuvRES de M. Franklin, Traduites de 1 Anglois sur la quatrieme edition. Par 
 M. Barbeu Dubourg, avec des additions nouvelles et des Figures en Taille 
 douce. Paris, 1773, 2 Tom. in 1, blue morocco extra by Bedford. 4 (72) 
 
 COPY of Letters sent to Great Britain, by His Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, 
 the Hon. Andrew Oliver, and several other Persona, born and educated 
 among us. Which original Letters have been returned to America [by 
 Dr. Franklin] and laid before the honourable House of Representatives of 
 this Province. In which (notwithstanding his Excellency s Declaration to 
 the House, that the Tendency and Design of them was not to subvert the 
 Constitution, but rather to preserve it entire) the judicious Reader will 
 discover the fatal source of the Confusion and Bloodshed in which this 
 Province especially has been involved, and which threatened total Destruc 
 tion to the Liberties of all America. Boston : Edes&Gill, 1773, 40 pp. 8 (73) 
 
 THE REPRESENTATIONS of Gov. Hutchinson and others, contained in certain 
 Letters Transmitted to England, And afterwards returned from thence [by 
 Dr. Franklin] and laid before the General Assembly of the Massachusetts- 
 Bay. Together with the Resolves of the two Houses thereon. Boston : 
 Edes & Gill, 1773, title and 94 pp. 8 (74) 
 
 THE LETTERS of Gov. Hutchinson and Lt. Gov. Oliver, &c. Printed at Boston. 
 And Remarks thereon. With the Assembly s Address, and the Proceed 
 ings of the Lords Committee of Council. Together with the Substance of 
 Mr. Wedderburn s Speech relating to those Letters. London : J. Wilkie, 
 1774, title and 134 pp. 8 (75) 
 
 THE LETTERS of Gov. Hutchinson, and Lt. Gov. Oliver, &c. Printed at Boston. 
 And remarks thereon. With the Assembly s Address, And the Proceed 
 ings of the Lords Committee of Council. Together with the Substance of 
 Mr. Wedderburn s Speech relating to those Letters. And the Report of 
 the Lords Committee to his Majesty in Council. The second edition. 
 London : J. Wilkie, 1774, half-title, title and 142 pp. 8 (76) 
 
 EXPERIMENTS and Observations on Electricity, made at Philadelphia in America, 
 by B. Franklin, to which are added Letters and Papers on Philosophical 
 Subjects. 6th Edition. London, F. Newbery, 1774, plates, title and 
 preface v, text 514 pp. index, blue morocco extra, g. e. by F. Bedford. 4 (77) 
 
 PRINCIPLES of Trade. Freedom and Protection are its best Support : Industry, 
 the only Means to render Manufactures cheap. Of Coins ; Exchange ; and 
 Bountys; particularly on Corn. By a Well-Wisher to his King and 
 Country. With an Appendix. Containing Reflections on Gold, Silver, 
 and Paper passing as Mony. The Second Edition corrected and enlarg d. 
 London, Brotherton and Sewell, MDCCLXXIV. 3 prel. leaves and 48 pp. 
 Appendix 16pp. old tree calf. 8 (78) 
 
 This copy once belonged to William Vaughan, who has written on its fly 
 leaf " N.B. The Notes by Dr. Franklin. The information given by Sewell, 
 to W. V." 
 
DOCTOR t XAA KLLV 27 
 
 JOURNAL of the Proceedings of the Congress held at Philadelphia Sept. 6, 1774, 
 containing the Bill of Right*, a List of Grievances, &c. To which is abided 
 (being now first printed by authority) an authentic Copy of the PETITION 
 TO THE KINO. London, J. Alnion, 1775. 8" (79) 
 
 Dr. Franklin, about the 15th or 16th of Dec. 1774, received these Proceed 
 ings of the Congress, with the Petition to the King dated the 26th October 
 previous. The times were growing very serious, and it was thought best 
 to let Almon publish them immediately. The effect was startling, for the 
 pamphlet proclaimed to the discriminating British public (if there was at 
 that time such a body) that the English language had acquired new vigour 
 and clearness in being transplanted to the Western shores. The pith, point 
 and soundness of these public papers astonished the statesmen and con 
 founded the politicians, and at the same time delighted the friends of the 
 Colonies particularly Lord Chatham and Lord Camden. But the ministry 
 were bomb proof. For a full account of the negotiations that immediately 
 followed through Lady Howe and her brother see Franklin s long letter to 
 his son dated 22 March, 1775, on shipboard bound for home. The original 
 Petition of the Congress, from which the above was printed, containing the 
 signatures of 50 of the Delegates, after the manner of the Declaration of 
 Independence, and second only to that immortal Paper, belongs now to 
 Mr Stevens Franklin Collection. 
 
 THE WAY to Wealth, As clearly shewn in the Preface of an old Pennsylvanian 
 Almanack [1758], intitled, Poor Richard Improved. By Richard Saundere 
 [London, 1775?] 8 pp. 8" (80) 
 
 AN HUMBLE Address and earnest Appeal .... whether a connection with or 
 a separation from the Continental Colonies of America be most for the 
 National Advantage and lasting benefit of these kingdoms. The third 
 edition corrected. By Josiuh Tucker, D.D. Dean of Gloucester. London, 
 T. Cadell, 1776, 96 pp. with folding sheet at page 49. 8 (81) 
 
 Dean Tucker, in his first edition, attacked Dr Franklin with clerical indis 
 cretion, for which the Doctor called upon him for his authorities, and to 
 verify his statements. The correspondence is crisp, polite and spicy. In 
 the 2nd edition the Dean simply omitted the offensive charges and made 
 no explanation or apology. In this 3rd edition, being badgered by the 
 friends of Franklin, who had himself returned to America, the Dean 
 explains, but his explanation seems as lame and crooked as his former 
 charges. 
 
 THOUGHTS on the present State of Affairs with America, and the Means of 
 Conciliation. By William Pultney, Esq. The Fourth Edition [Refers to 
 the Congress at Albany in 1754, & in Appendix No. 1 reprints Letters of 
 Dr Franklin taken from the London Chronicle of the 6th to 8th of Feb. 
 1766]. London, J. Dodsley, 1778, title and 102 pp. 8 (82) 
 
 THOUGHTS on the present State of Affairs with America, and the Means of 
 Conciliation. By William Pultney. Fifth Edition [with an Appendix, 
 No. Ill, a Corrective Letter from Dr. Franklin, dated Passy, March 12, 
 1778.] London, J. Dodsley, 1778, 111 pp. 8 (83) 
 
28 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 LA SCIENCE du Bonhomme Richard, ou le inoyen facile de payer les Impots 
 dans les possessions de 1 Amerique Angloise [contents on the title page] 
 166 pp. half old calf, perfectly UNCUT. Philadelphie, et se trouve & 
 Lausanne chez Francis Grasset & Comp. 1778. 12 (84) 
 
 LA SCIENCE du Bonhomme Richard, moyen facile de payer les impots. Traduit 
 de 1 Anglois. Troisieme edition, exactement semblable & la premiere. A 
 Philadelphie. Se vend & Paris chez Ruault, 1778 [woodcut vignette] 151 pp. 
 and Livres, etc. 5 pp. 12 (85) 
 
 M. T. CICERO S Cato Major, or discourse on Old Age. Addressed to Titus 
 Pomponius Atticus. With explanatory notes. By Benj. Franklin, LL.D. 
 London: Fielding & Walker, 1778, sewn, title, introduction and index 
 iv and text 163 pp. 8 (86) 
 
 POLITICAL, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces ; Now first collected, With 
 Explanatory Plates, Notes, And an Index to the whole. [Edited by 
 Benjamin Vaughan.] London: J. Johnson, 1779, xi, text, appendix and 
 index with addenda, 574 pp. portrait, plates, large paper, blue morocco extra, 
 gilt edges by F. Bedford. 8 (87) 
 
 POLITICAL, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces : arranged under the follow 
 ing Heads, &c. Written by Benj. Franklin, LL.D. and F.R.S. etc. Now first 
 collected, with explanatory Plates, Notes and an Index [Edited by Benjamin 
 Vaughan] London, J. Johnson, 1779, portrait (88) 
 
 This copy has the autograph of S. Knight on the title page, and under the 
 portrait in the same handwriting, 
 
 Eripuit coslo fulmen, sceptrumq Tyrannis, 
 
 and underneath in the same hand, but with different pen and ink, 
 Eripuitq Jovi fulmen, sceptrumq Tonanti 
 
 viresque I Lucretius I 
 Manilius 
 
 REMARKS on the Rescript of the Court of Madrid and on the Manifesto of the 
 Court of Versailles. In a Letter to the Court of Great Britain. To which 
 is added an Appendix, containing the Rescript, the Manifesto, and a 
 Memorial of Dr. Franklin to the Court of Versailles. London, T. 
 Cadell, 1779, viii and 91 pp.8 (89) 
 
 Franklin s memorial occupies pages 88 to 91. It had already been printed by 
 Almon, who omitted about one quarter of it. 
 
 LA CASETTE Verte de Monsieur de Sartine, trouv4e chez Mademoiselle du The" 
 (Cinquieme edition) revue & corrige"e sur celles de Leipsic & 1 Amsterdam. 
 A La Haye : Veuve Whiskerfeld, 1779, half-title, title and 71 pp. [Franklin 
 concerned]. 8 (90) 
 
 THE GREEN Box of Monsieur de Sartine, found at Mademoiselle Du Th^ s 
 lodgings. From the French of the Hague edition ; revised and corrected 
 by those of Leipsic and Amsterdam. [By Mr. Tickell.] London, Becket, 
 1779. 8 (91) 
 
 Two LETTERS from Dr. Franklin, to the Earl of Shelburne, " Government is 
 the Art of Oppression with Impunity." London : M. Folingsby and J. 
 Debrett [1782] ii and 31 pp. sewn. 8 (92) 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 29 
 
 NUMB. 705. Supplement to the Boston IndependentChronicle, Mch. 1782. T (93) 
 This is a skit on the Great British Public, being a close imitation of a Boston 
 newspaper, with letter from Paul Jones, British Advertisements for Scalps, 
 and account of bundles of Scalps of the Americans consigned by the 
 Indians in British pay to Agents in London, all of which fell into the hands 
 of the Yankees and hence this exposure in the newspaper. This "Supple 
 ment," printed by Franklin at his private press at Passy, was a good joke, 
 and is believed to be unique. 
 
 PROVISIONAL Articles, Signed at Paris, the 30th of November, 1782, by the 
 Commissioner of His Britannic Majesty, and the Commissioners of the 
 United States of America. Published by Authority. London : T. Harri 
 son and S. Brooke, 1783. Signed by Richard Oswald, John Adams, B. 
 Franklin, John Jay and Henry Laurens. Witnesses, Caleb Whitefoord 
 and W. T. Franklin, 8 pp. 4 (94) 
 
 FRAGMENT de Xdnophon, Nouvellement trouvd dans lea Ruines de Palmyre, 
 par un Anglois ; & ddpose au Museum Britanuicum, in Londres. Traduit 
 du Grec, par un Francois; Et lu & I Assemblde publique du Musde de 
 Paris, du jeudi 6 Mars 1783. A Paris, De I Imprimerie de Ph.-D. Pierres, 
 Imprimeur Ordinaire du Roi, 1783, 52 pp. calf extra. 32 (95) 
 
 Mostly about Franklin, probably a take-off of Sir William Jones s pretended 
 Fragment of Polybius which he showed to Doctor Franklin to hint a 
 treaty of Peace with Great Britain. 
 
 Oi ERE Politiche di Beniamine Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. nuovamente raccolte e 
 dair Originale Inglese recate nella lingua Italiana. Padova, 1783, portrait, 
 viii and 287 pp. uncut, stitched. 8 (96) 
 
 ADDRESS and Recommendations to the States, by the United States in Congress 
 assembled. Phil, printed ; Boston Reprinted by order of the House of 
 Representatives of Massachusetts, 1783. [Papers No. 4 & 5 show in a 
 very frank and clear manner how and to what an enormous amount Dr. 
 Franklin raised the sinews of war for America in Franco.] 8 (97) 
 
 ADDRESS & Recommendations to the States. Another edition with Connecticut 
 additions. Hartford, 1783. 4 (98) 
 
 REMARKS concerning the Savages of North America [By Dr. Franklin]. Bir 
 mingham, 1784. 8 (99) 
 
 Two Tracts: information to those who would remove to America, And, 
 Remarks concerning the Savages of North America. By Dr. Benjamin 
 Franklin. Second Edition. London: John Stockdale, 1784,39pp. 8 (100) 
 
 Two TRACTS: Information to those who would remove to America. And 
 remarks concerning the Savages of North America. Third Edition. London : 
 John Stockdale. 1784, 39 pp. half roan. 8 (101) 
 
 OSSERVAZIONE a chiunque desideri passare in America ; e riflessioni circa i 
 selvaggi dell America settentrionale del Dre. Franklin dall originale 
 Inglese regate in lingua Italiana da Pietro Antoricutti. Padova, Gio. 
 Antonio Conzatti, 1785, 38 pp. half morocco. 8 (102) 
 
 REPORT of Dr. B. Franklin, and other Commissioners, charged by the King of 
 
30 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 France with the examination of the Animal-Magnetism, as now practised 
 at Paris. Translated from the French with an Historical Introduction. 
 London, J. Johnson, 1785, 108 pp. blue morocco extra, gilt edges by F. 
 Bedford. 8 (103) 
 
 OBSERVATIONS on a late publication intituled, Thoughts on Executive Justice : 
 
 To which is added, A Letter [from Benjamin Franklin] containing remarks 
 
 on the same work. London : T. Cadell, 1786, 162 pp. 16 (104) 
 
 The Letter from a Gentleman abroad [Dr. Franklin] fills pages 137 to 162, 
 
 dated March 14, 1785, and signed at end " ever yours * * *." 
 
 OBSERVATIONS on the Causes and Cure of Smoky Chimneys. In a Letter to 
 Dr. Ingen-Housz, Physician to the Emperor, at Vienna. Second Edition. 
 Philadelphia Printed ; London : He-Printed for J. Debrett, 1787, 56 pp. 
 and 1 plate, clean and uncut. 8 (105) 
 
 JOSEPH and Benjamin, a Conversation. Translated from a French Manu 
 script. London : printed at the Logographic Press [of J. Walter] for J. 
 Murray, No. 32, Fleet Street, 1787, xvi and 238 pp. 12 (106) 
 
 Joseph II, Emperor of Germany, and Dr. Benjamin Franklin. 
 
 PLAN of the new Constitution for the United States of America, agreed upon 
 in a Convention of the States. With a Preface by the Editor. London : 
 J. Debrett, 1787, 30 pp. 8 (107) 
 
 The London editor at the end of his preface has this note : " Some of the 
 London Newspapers mentioned a strong opposition between General 
 Washington and Dr. Franklin for the Presidency [of the Convention] and 
 that Gen. Washington was elected by a majority of one Vote. We have 
 authority to contradict this account. The fact is, that Gen. Washington 
 was elected with one voice, and not by a majority of one. Dr. Franklin, as 
 the senior person of the Convention, and who is already President of the 
 State of Pennsylvania, was the Member who put Gen. Washington into 
 nomination, and he was conducted to the chair with a unanimous voice." 
 
 PHILOSOPHICAL and Miscellaneous Papers. Lately written by B. Franklin. 
 London : C. Dilly, 1787, plates, 3 prel. leaves and 186 pp. uncut. 8 (108) 
 
 HYDRAULIC and Nautical Observations on the currents in the Atlantic Ocean, 
 forming a hypothetical theorem for investigation. With a corresponding 
 Chart of the Ocean. Addressed to navigators By Governor Pownall, 
 F.R.S. & F.S.A. To which are annexed some Notes by Dr. Franklin. 
 London: Robert Sayer, 1787, 17 pp. with large Chart of the Atlantic 
 Ocean. 4 (109) 
 
 DISSERTATION on the English Language. To which is added an Essay on a 
 reformed mode of Spelling, with Dr. Franklin s Arguments on that subject. 
 By Noah Webster. [Dedicated to Dr. Franklin]. Boston : Isaiah Thomas, 
 1789 [Franklin s letter to Miss Stephenson, dated Sept. 28,1768, Craven St. 
 London]. 8 (110) 
 
 ELOGE Civique de Benjamin Franklin, Prononce le 21 Juillet 1790, dans la 
 Rotonde, au nom de la Commune de Paris, par M. l Abb Fauchet. Paris, 
 J. R. Lottin, 1790, title and 50 pp. 8 (111) 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIf* 31 
 
 MEMOIRS of the late Dr. B. Franklin: with a ivview of his Pamphlet, entitled 
 " Information to those who would wish to remove to America," London : 
 Printed and sold for the Author by A. Grant, etc. 1790, 94 pp. 8* (112) 
 This first memoir of Franklin after his death was written by no friendly 
 hand. Many of the anonymous writer s unjust and erroneous statements 
 soon found their way into other books and other biographical sketches. 
 As usual, prompt lies are so difficult to eradicate that to this day most of 
 the scandal that has found its way into type is traceable to this early volume. 
 
 COLUMBIAN Magazine (Sept. 1786 to June 90) vol. i to iv ; then, The Universal 
 Asylum and Columbian Magazine, vol. v to ix (July 1790 to Dec. 1792). 
 Phil. 1780-92. 8 (113) 
 
 Dr Franklin died April, 1790. In the May number of this Magazine there 
 began on page 268, vol. iv, a biographical sketch of Franklin of consider 
 able merit, intended probably as a continuation of the Dr*s Autobiography 
 which had not then been printed, and was continued in the numbers for 
 June, July, September, October, November, 1790; February, March, May 
 and June, 1791, vol. v. The interesting work broke off here unfinished, 
 with an intimation that it would be finished in the next number, but it 
 never was. This is probably accounted for by an obituary article in the 
 May number of 1792, page 293, in which is given a notice of Dr Henry 
 Stuber. "This publication is indebted to him for many interesting com 
 munications, and more particularly for the greater part of the Life of that 
 eminently useful man Dr Franklin which appeared in the Asylum fiot 
 long after his death." These papers, frequently reprinted are generally 
 called " Stuber s Life of Franklin," but it now appears that he contributed 
 not the whole but " the greater part." Further on the editor speaks of 
 Dr Stuber s " premature death before he had attained his 24th year." 
 
 MEMOIRS de la vie prive ede Benjamin Franklin, ecrits par lui-meme,et adresse s a 
 son fils ; Suives d un Precis historique de sa Vie politique, et de plusieurs 
 Pieces, relatives & ce Pere de la Liberte . Paris, Buisson, 1791, 2 parts in 1, 
 156 and 207 pp. sewn. 8 (114) 
 
 ELOGE de M. Franklin lu & la Sconce publique de 1 Academic des Sciences, le 
 13 Nov. 1790. [By M. J. A. N. Caritat, Marquis de Condorcet] Paris, 
 
 1791. 8 (115) 
 
 EULOGITTM on B. Franklin, LL.D. March 1, 1791, in Philadelphia, before both 
 Houses of Congress, and the American Philosophical Society, &c. By 
 William Smith, D.D. London : T. Cadell, 1792, 39 pp. blue morocco extra, 
 gilt edges by F. Bedford. 8 (116) 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN S Jugendjahre, von ihm selbst sur seinen Sohn beschrieben 
 und libersetzt von Gottfried August Burger. Berlin, H. A. Rottmann, 
 
 1792, 214 pp. large paper copy, sewn. 12 (H7) 
 
 RULES for Reducing a great Empire to a small one. By the late Benjamin 
 Franklin, etc. London, James Ridgeway, 1793, 16 pp. 8 (118) 
 
 WORKS of the late Doctor Benjamin Franklin : Consisting of his Life written 
 by himself, together with Essays, humorous, moral & literary. Chiefly in 
 the manner of the Spectator. London : G. G. J*. and J. Robinson, 1793. 
 
32 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 In 2 volumes. Vol. I, xii and 317 pp. uncut ; vol. II, viii and 268 pp. 
 engraved title with, wolf-skin cap and spectacles portrait. 8 (119) 
 
 This is Robinson s FIRST EDITION, 1793. It was reissued as a second edition 
 without date. And again the Third Edition no date. This first edition 
 has a leaf of errata at the end of the first volume, corrected in the other 
 editions. On the first page of each sheet vol. I is marked vol. II, and 
 vol. II is marked I. A printed note to the binder requests him to correct 
 this by lettering the Life as vol. I, and the Essays as vol. II. In this 
 work the editor, Dr. Price, for the first time supplements Franklin s Auto 
 biography to 1731, translated from Buisson s French edition of 1791 (itself 
 a translation of the original English) with a reprint of the Life of Franklin 
 in the Columbian Magazine. The editor here on page 191 assigns this 
 without qualification to Dr. Stuber, and so it has passed through many 
 editions, before and since "W. T. Franklin s corrected edition. Dr Price 
 died in 1791, but the work was held back two years in deference to the 
 rights of Temple Franklin, who was expected to issue soon the full and 
 genuine Autobiography to 1757, which Dr Price in his Letter printed at 
 the end of the preface said he had seen. 
 
 WORKS of the late Doctor Benjamin Franklin : Consisting of his Life written 
 by himself, together with Essays, etc. Dublin : Printed for P. Wogan, 
 P. Byrne, J. Moore, and W. Jones, 1793, very curious portrait, viii and 
 303 pp. 8 (120) 
 
 THE PRIVATE Life of the late Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. Late Minister & 
 Plenipotentiary from the United States of America to France, etc. & Ori 
 ginally written by himself. And now translated from the French. To 
 which are added, some account of his public life, a variety of anecdotes 
 concerning him, by M. M. Brissot, Condorcet, Rochefoucault, Le Roy, &c. 
 &c. And the Eulogium of M. Fauchet. London : J. Parsons, 1793, xvi 
 and 324 pp. clean and uncut, boards. 8 (121) 
 
 This edition by Parsons is another and probably authorized translation into 
 English from the French translation of the original manuscript in the 
 English of Franklin published by Buisson at Paris in 1791. Both this 
 and Robinson s edition were held back nearly two years waiting for 
 Temple Franklin s authorized work. They are different re-translations. 
 
 WORKS of the late Doctor Benjamin Franklin. Consisting of his life written 
 by himself, together with Essays, humorous, moral & literary. In the 
 manner of the Spectator. Third edition. London : G. G. J. and J. Robinson 
 [1794], vol. 1, 317 pp. ; vol. II, 290 pp. ; 2 vol. tree marbled calf gilt. 8 (122) 
 
 INFORMATION to those who would remove to America. By Dr. Benjamin 
 
 Franklin. London : M. Gurney, 1794, 23 pp. sewn. 8 (123) 
 
 On the 24th page is M. Gurney s Advertisement, " Lately published, price 
 
 one half-penny, or 3/ per 100. A Parable against Persecution. By Franklin." 
 
 THE WORKS of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin, consisting of his Life Written 
 by himself. Together with Essays Humorous, Moral, & Literary, chiefly 
 in the manner of the Spectator. New York, Printed by Tiebout & Obrian 
 for H. Gain, V. Nutter, R. McGill, T. Allen, J. Read, E. Duyckinck & Co. 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 33 
 
 and Edward Mitchell [1793 I 1st American Edition] portrait with fox 8kin 
 cap and spectacles, title, engraved by P. R. Maverick, 172 and 142 pp. (124) 
 
 WORKS of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin ; consisting of hia life, written by 
 himself, together with Essays, humorous, moral & literary : Chiefly in the 
 Manner of the Spectator. In 2 vol. The second American Edition. New 
 York, Samuel Campbell, 1794, portrait engraved by B. Tanner, N. Y. 
 Sept. 1794, 206 and 142 pp. 12 (125) 
 
 THE WAY to Wealth or Poor Richard Improved. By Benj. Franklin, pp. 1-30 ; 
 La Science du Bonhomme Richard, pp. 31-82; Lettres de Franklin, 
 pp. 82-114; Dialogue entre la Goutte et Franklin, pp. 115-144 ; Quelquea 
 Mots sur I AmeYique, pp. 145-184; Observations sur les Sauvages duNord 
 de 1 Amerique, Par Franklin, 28 pp. Paris : A. A. Renouard, 1795, LABOR 
 PAPER, calf extra, gilt edges, fine portrait. 12 (126) 
 
 THE WAY to Wealth or Poor Richard Improved by Benj. Franklin. La Science 
 du Bonhomme Richard. Lettres de Franklin. Dialogue entre la Goutte 
 et Franklin. Quelques Mots BUT 1 Amerique. Epitaph ; Table ; Catalogue 
 des Lines impremds par J. B. BoDONI, que se trouvent chez A. A. Renouard. 
 Paris, A. A. Renouard, 1795, fine portrait by Tardieu, after Duplesis, 185 pp. 
 and 31, large paper, old calf, 12 (127) 
 
 THE LIFE of Dr. B. Franklin. Written by himself. Salem: Gushing and 
 Carlton, 1796, 132 pp. sewn, 12 (128) 
 
 WORKS of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin, consisting of his Life written by 
 himself: together with Essays humorous, moral and literary, &c. In two 
 volumes. Dundee, G. Milln, 1796, vol. I, x and 232 pp. ; vol. II, London, 
 for C. Dilly, 1796, iv and 227 pp. 16 (129) 
 
 CHESS made easy. New and Comprehensive Rules for playing the Game of 
 Chess ; with Examples from Philidor, Cunningham, &c. To which is pre 
 fixed a pleasing Account of its Origin ; etc. written by the ingenious and 
 learned Dr. Franklin. London : H. D. Symonds, [1797], 72 pp. sewn. 
 12<> (130) 
 
 VIE de Benjamin Franklin, dcrite par lui-mt me, suivie de ses CEuvres morales, 
 politiques et litt^raires, dont la plus grand partie n avoit pas encore 6t& 
 public. Traduit de 1 Anglais, avec des Notes, par J. Caste"ra. Tom I, 
 Exquisitely engraved portrait by Alexr. Tardieu, after Duplesis, viii and 
 382 pp. Tom II. 438 pp. boards. A Paris, chez F. Buisson, An vi de la 
 Republique [1797]. 8 (131) 
 
 This second French edition published by Buisson must not be confounded 
 with Buisson s first collection of 1791. This is mostly a translation of 
 Robinson s English collection of 1793 by J. Castera, including a re-transla 
 tion of the autobiography to 1731, and a translation of the Life in con 
 tinuation of the Autobiography from the Columbian Magazine partly by 
 Young Stuber, together with the Essays, humorous, moral and literary. 
 Castera added some things from French sources, and greatly improved the 
 translation of the first part of the Autobiography. 
 
 LA SCIENCE du Bonhomme Richard, Par Franklin. A Riom, de I lmprimerie 
 
 F 
 
34 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 de J. C. Salles, An 7 [1799]. Portrait by Alex. Tardieu after Duplesis, 
 and 44 pp. 16 (132) 
 
 THE WORKS of the late Dr. B. Franklin. Consisting of his Life, written by 
 himself, together with Essays, humorous, moral and literary, chiefly in 
 the manner of the Spectator. Charlestown : By John Lamson, for the 
 principal booksellers in Boston, 1798, 300 pp. sewn. 12 (133) 
 
 THE WAT to Wealth, as clearly shown in the Preface of an .old Pennsylvania 
 Almanack, intitled Poor Richard Improved. Extracted from the Doctor s 
 Political Works. Salem, T. C. Gushing [1800?], 16 pp. sewn. 12 (134) 
 
 THE WAY to Wealth, Written by the late Dr. Franklin. Extracted from his 
 Political Works, Nottingham: C. Sutton [1800?]. 12 pp. a chap book 
 with curious woodcut portrait on title, sewn, paper covers. 12. (135) 
 
 WORKS of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin : consisting of his Life written by 
 himself, together with Essays, humorous, moral and literary, chiefly in the 
 manner of the Spectator. London : J. Cundee, 1802, vol. I, engraved 
 portrait by J. Hopwood, vii and 182 pp. vol. II, iv and 188 pp. 2 vol. 
 red morocco. 12 (136) 
 
 WORKS of the late Doctor Benjamin Franklin : consisting of his Life written 
 by himself, together with Essays, humorous, moral and literary, chiefly 
 in the manner of the Spectator. Dublin, P. Wogan, 1802, viii and 316 pp. 
 12 (137) 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN S Kleine Schriften meist in der Manier des Zuschaners, 
 nebst seinem Leben. Aus dem Englischen von G. Schatz. Mit Franklin s 
 Bildnisze Zweyte Auflaye. Weimar, im Verlage des Landes, Industrie, 
 Comptoirs, 1802, 2 vol. in 1, two portraits. I, xi and 188 pp. II, title 
 and 128 pp. 8 (138) 
 
 WORKS of Dr. Franklin, etc. 2 vol. Edinburgh; D. Schaw & Son, 1803, 
 I, x and 199 pp. ; II, ix and 196 pp. 16 (139) 
 
 POOR Richard s Maxims ; or, the Way to Wealth. By the Celebrated Doctor 
 Franklin. Birmingham: Surnney and Ferrall, 1805, 18 pp. sewn. 8 (140) 
 
 THE COMPLETE Works, in Philosophy, Politics, and Morals, of the late Dr. B. 
 Franklin, now first collected and arranged : With Memoirs of his early Life, 
 written by himself, in 3 vols [Edited by Mr. Marshall, assisted by Benjamin 
 Vaughan]. London : J. Johnson and Longman, etc. [a trade edition] 
 1806 [see Edinburgh Review, July, 1806] portrait on the engraved titles ; 
 volume I, xiv and 440 pp. and index ; vol. II, vi and 468 pp. ; vol. Ill, 
 vi and 552 pp. blue morocco extra, gilt edges by F. Bedford. 8 (141) 
 
 Edinburgh Review for July, 1806. Containing a Review of Marshall s complete 
 Works of Dr. Franklin, 3 vol. trade edition. London, Johnson, etc. 1806 (142) 
 
 FATHER Abraham s Speech to a great number of People, at a Vendue of 
 Merchant-Goods ; Introduced to the Public by Poor Richard, a famous 
 Pennsylvania Conjurer and Almanac-Maker, In Answer to the following 
 Questions : Pray, Father Abraham, what think you of the Times 7 Won t 
 these heavy Taxes quite ruin the Country? How shall we be ever able 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 35 
 
 to pay Them? What would you advise us tot To which are added 
 Several curious Pieces of Writing. Dedham : Printed by II. Mann, for 
 Wm. Tileston Clapp, Boston, January 1807, 24pp. red morocco. 8vo. (143) 
 
 THE WORKS of Dr. Benjamin Franklin [with an introduction of 11 pp. signed 
 G. D.]. London: W. Suttaby, 1809, frontispiece, engraved title [chess 
 playing], xvi and 454 pp. 32 (144) 
 
 WORKS of the late Dr. B. Franklin, coiisiHting of his Life, written by himself ; 
 together with Essays, humorous, moral, and literary, 2 vol. in 1. Edin 
 burgh: D. Schaw and Son, 1809, 203 and 186pp. blue morocco extra, 
 gilt edges by F. Bedford. 12 (146) 
 
 THE LIFE of Benjamin Franklin ; Engraved Portrait on title, by Hopwood, 
 woodcut portrait at end, 56 pp. In same vol. Select Pieces by B. Franklin, 
 engraved title, woodcut at end, 59 pp. O. Nicholson, Poughnill, near Lud- 
 low, [1810 ?] blue morocco extra, gilt edges by F. Bedford. 12* (146) 
 
 THE LIFE and Works of Dr. B. Franklin. Bungay : Brightly & Childs [1810 ?] 
 Portrait, engraved title, viii and 470 pp. boards, uncut. 8" (147) 
 
 A HISTORICAL Review of Pennsylvania, from ita origin, founded on authentic 
 
 Documents. By Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. Philadelphia, 1812, xx and 
 
 444 pp. 8 (148) 
 
 The original London edition with a new title after more than half a century. 
 
 Probably one of the 500 copies sent out by Franklin to Philadelphia on sale. 
 
 THE FRANKLIN Family Primer. Containing a New and useful Selection of 
 Moral Lessons ; adorned with a variety of Cuts, calculated to strike a last 
 ing impression on the Tender minds of Children. By a Friend to Youth. 
 Improved edition. Boston, Manning & Loring [1812] bds. 72pp. 24 (149) 
 
 WORKS of the late Dr. B. Franklin ; consisting of his Life, written by himself : 
 together with Essays, humorous, moral, and literary, 2 vol. in 1. Edinburgh: 
 D. Schaw and Son, 1814, 203 and 186 pp. blue morocco extra, gilt edges 
 by F. Bedford. 12 (150) 
 
 FRANKLIN S Way to Wealth ; or, "Poor Richard Improved, &c." New edition: 
 Corrected and enlarged by Bob Short, with 12 handsome copper-plates in 
 serted in the text. London, W. Darton, jun. [1814] 36 pp. sewed. 16 (151) 
 
 DELAPLAINE (Joseph) Repository of the Lives and Portraits of Distinguished 
 American Characters, vol. I. Philadelphia, 1815 [including a Life of 
 Franklin by Mr. Walsh]. 4 (152) 
 
 THE WORKS of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, consisting of Essays, humorous, moral 
 and literary ; with his Life written by himself. London : J. F. Dove, n. d. 
 title engraved by Heath and 263 pp. (Dove s English Classics, with en 
 gravings by Heath, Finden, &c.) 32 (153) 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE Inedit et Secrete de Dr. Benjamin Franklin, 1753-1790, en 
 trois parties, 1 Les Memoirs de sa vie privee ; 2 Lea Causes premiere de 
 la Revolution d Amereque ; 3 L Histoire des diverses negotiations entre 
 1 Angleterre, la France et des Etats-Vnis, publie e pour la premiere fois en 
 France, avec des notes, additions, etc. Par Charles Malo. Paris, Janet 
 pere, 1817, 2 vol. 8 (154) 
 
36 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 MEMOIRS of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. etc. 
 Written by himself to a late period, and continued to the time of his death, 
 by his grandson, William Temple Franklin. Now first published from the 
 original manuscript, comprising the Private correspondence and Public 
 Negotiations of Dr. Franklin, and a selection from his political, philoso 
 phical and miscellaneous Works. London, Henry Colburn, 1817-1819, 
 6 vol. 8 Q (155) 
 
 MEMOIRS of the Life and Writings of B. Franklin, Written by himself to a late 
 period, and continued to the time of his death, by his Grandson, William 
 Temple Franklin. Now first published from the original MSS. Compris 
 ing the Private Correspondence and Public Negociations of Dr. F. and a 
 selection from his political, philosophical, and miscellaneous works, 3 vol. 
 London : Henry Colburn, 1818, blue morocco extra by Bedford. 4 (156) 
 Reviewed in the North American Review vol. vii, p. 289, 
 
 CORRESPONDANCE Choise de Benjamin Franklin, traduite de 1 Anglais. Edition 
 publie"e par W. T. Franklin. Paris, chez Treuttel et Wiirtz, A Londres, 
 chez H. Colburne, 1817 xxx and 409 pp. blue morocco extra, gilt edges by 
 F. Bedford. 8 (157) 
 
 DK. BENJAMIN Franklin s nachgelassene Schriften und Correspondenz, nebst 
 seinem Leben. Aus dem Englischen iibersetzt [of William Temple Frank 
 lin] Weimar, im Verlage des Landes-Industrie-Comptoirs, 1817-1819, 5vol. 
 boards, uncut. 8 (158) 
 
 MEMOIRES sur la Vie et les e crits, de Benjamin Franklin, publics sur le manu- 
 scrit original re^dige par lui-meme en grande partie, et continue" jusq ua a 
 sa mort, Par William Temple Franklin, son petit-fils. A Paris, chez 
 Treuttel et Wiirtz. A Londres, chez H. Colburne, 1818, Tome I. II. Port 
 rait, xiv and 390 pp. frontispiece, text and appendix 435 pp. blue morocco 
 extra, gilt edges by F. Bedford. 8 (159) 
 
 MEMOIRS of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, written by himself, 
 and continued by his grandson W. Temple Franklin. Together with the 
 whole of his political, philosophical and miscellaneous works. Philadelphia, 
 William Duane, 1818-1808, 6 vol. calf. 8 (160) 
 
 THE WORKS of Dr. Benjn. Franklin ; consisting of Essays, humorous, moral, 
 and literary : with his Life written by himself. London : J. Walker 
 [and the trade] 1819, frontispiece, engraved title, xi and 310 pp. 16 (161) 
 
 FRANKLIN S Way to Wealth ; or, Poor Richard Improved. Industry leads to 
 Wealth. New- York : S. Woods & Sons, and S. S. Wood & Co. Baltimore, 
 1820, 44 pp. 16 (162) 
 
 DER WEG zum Gluck, oder Leben und Meynungen des Dr. Benjamin Franklin. 
 Von ihm selbst geschrieben. Reading [ Penn.] gedrucht und zu haben bey 
 Heenrich B. Gage, 1820, 128 pp. square 16 (163) 
 
 THE LIFE of B. Franklin ; with many choice anecdotes and admirable sayings 
 of this Great Man, never before published by any of his biographers. By 
 M. L. Weems, 5th edition, greatly enlarged. Baltimore : J. D. Toy, 1820, 
 portrait, 264pp. 8 (164) 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN 37 
 
 THE WORKS of the late Dr. B. Franklin ; consisting of his Life, written by 
 himself, together with humorous, moral, and literary Essays, among which 
 are several not inserted in any American Edition. Philadelphia : Edward 
 Parker, 1821, 294pp. sewn. 8 (166) 
 
 THE WORK* of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, consisting of Essays, &c. London : 
 J. F. Dove, English Classics, 1824. 32 (166) 
 
 THE WORKS of Dr. Benjamin Franklin : consisting of Essays, humorous, moral, 
 and literary : with his Life, written by himself. Clmwick : From the 
 Press of C. Whittingham, 1824, vignette by Stothard, viii and 295 pp. half 
 calf. 16 (167) 
 
 THE WORKS of Dr. Benjamin Franklin ; consisting of Essays, humorous, moral, 
 and literary : With his life, written by himself. Stereotyped by T. H. 
 Carter & Co. Boston : T. Bedlington, 1825, portrait, 303 pp. sewn. 12 (168) 
 
 THE WAY to Wealth. By Dr. Franklin, to which are added his Advice to 
 Young Tradesmen, and Sketches of his life and character. Windsor, Vt 
 Simeon Ide, 1826, 80 pp. sewn. 24 (169) 
 
 MEMOIRES de Benjamin Franklin, etc. 2 torn. Paris, Jules Renouard, 1828. 
 16 (170) 
 
 THE DIPLOMATIC Correspondence of the American Revolution ; being the 
 letters of Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane and others concerning the 
 Foreign Relations of the United States during the Revolution, etc. Edited 
 by Jared Sparks, 12 voL Boston, 1829-30. 8 (171) 
 
 THE DIPLOMATIC Correspondence of the United States, from 10th Sept. 1783, 
 to the Adoption of the Constitution, 4th of March, 1789 [including Frank 
 lin s Correspondence] 7 vol. Washington, 1833-34. 8 
 
 MEMOIRS of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, written by himself to 
 a late period, and continued to the time of his death by his grandson 
 William Temple Franklin ; comprising the Private Correspondence and 
 Public Negotiations of Dr. Franklin, &c. New Edition. London, published 
 for H. Colburn by R. Bently, 1833, 6 voL blue morocco extra. 8 (172) 
 
 A COLLECTION of the Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin 
 Franklin, now for the first time published [By Jared Sparks]. Boston : 
 Charles Bowen, 1833, 2 parts in 1 vol; xii and 295 pp. fine port. sewn. 8" (173) 
 Reviewed in the North American Review, vol. xxxvii, page 63. 
 
 FAMILIAR Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of B. Franklin, now for the first 
 time published. Edited by Jared Sparks, with explanatory notes. Lond. 
 Jackson & Walford, 1833, xvi and 295 pp. g. e. by Bedford. 8 (174) 
 
 THE WORKS of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, consisting of Essays, humorous, moral, 
 and literary. With his Life, written by himself. New-York, Mahlon 
 Day, 1834, portrait, 290 pp. boards. 24" (176) 
 
 MEMOIRS of Benjamin Franklin, written by himself and continued by his 
 Grandson, with his correspondence, essay?, Diplomatic Correspondence, 
 etc. With a Preface by W. Duane, Philadelphia, 1834, 2 vol. xxxviii and 
 624 pp. ; vii and 517 pp. 8 (177) 
 
3 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 MEMOIRS of Benjamin Franklin, written by himself and continued by his 
 grandson and others. Philadelphia, 1835, 2 vol. 8 (178) 
 
 Reviewed in the North American Review, July 1835. 
 
 BOQTRYKEKEN Benjamin Franklin s Liv og Levnet. Af J. W. Marckmann, 
 ordineretKatechtvedTrue Kirke. Kjobenhavn,1837,ivandl59pp.l2 (179) 
 
 THE LIFE and Writings of Benjamin Franklin. By Jared Sparks. Boston, 
 1840-36-42, 10 vol. large paper, cloth. 8 (180) 
 
 A LECTURE on the Life of Dr. Franklin, by the Rev. Hugh McNeile, at the 
 Liverpool Royal Amphitheatre 17th Nov. 1841. With the addition of a 
 prefatory Note to the Reader by J. B. Murray, of New York. With a 
 Fac-simile of Dr. F. s Letter to Rev. G. Whitefield. Also engraving of 
 the Press at which F. worked when a journeyman in London. London : 
 W. E. Painter, 1841, 47 pp. sewn. 8 (181) 
 
 PROCEEDINGS in the House of Representatives of the United States, on the 
 Presentation of the Sword of Washington and the Staff of Franklin, 
 February 7, 1843. Washington : Gales and Seaton, 1843. 15 pp. 8 (182) 
 
 PETITS TRAITES public s par L Acade mie des Sciences Morales et Politiques. 
 Vie de Franklin, a 1 usage de tout le Monde. Par M. Mignet. Paris, 
 Pagnerre & Paulin & Co. 1848, 2 parts, 85 and 130 pp. sewn. 12 (183) 
 
 A BIOGRAPHICAL Sketch of William Franklin, Governor [of New Jersey] from 
 1763 to 1776, By William A. Whitehead. Read before the New Jersey 
 Historical Society, Sept. 27th, 1848, 23 pp. 8 (184) 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ; His Autobiography ; with a Narrative of his public 
 Life and services. By Rev. H. Hastings Weld. New York, Harper, 1849, 
 xviii and 549 pp. 8 (185) 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY of Benjamin Franklin, published by W. T. Franklin. Edited 
 by Jared Sparks. London, H. G. Bohn, 1850, vi and 154 pp. 12 (186) 
 
 ARCHIMEDES and Franklin. A Lecture, introductory to a course on the Appli 
 cation of Science to Art, delivered before the Massachusetts Charitable 
 Mechanic Association, Nov. 29, 1853. By Robert C. Winthrop. Boston : 
 T. R. Marvin, 1853, 47 pp. 8 (187) 
 
 STANDARD American Authors, published under the superintendence of Dr. Karl 
 Elzye. Vol I, Autobiography with an Appendix. Vol. II, The Life of 
 B.Franklin. Authorized edition. Dessau: Katy Bros. 1854,239pp. 8 (188) 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Eine Biographie von F. A. Mignet. Aus dem Fran- 
 zosischen von Dr. Ed. Burckhardt. Leipzig, Carl B. Lorck, 1855, 143 pp. 
 paper covers. 8 (189) 
 
 THE SELECT Works of Benjamin Franklin, including his Autobiography ; with 
 Notes and Memoirs. By Epes Sargent. Boston, 1858, 502 pp. port. 8 (190) 
 
 LETTERS to B. Franklin, from His Family and Friends, 1751-1790. New York : 
 C. B. Richardson, 1859, engraved portrait of Mrs. Franklin by Jos. Andrews, 
 text and appendix 195 pp. half calf, royal 8. (191) 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Ein Lebensbild von T. Venedey. Freiburg im Breisgau, 
 F. Wagner, 1862, 355 pp. sewn. 8 (192) 
 
DOCTOR FRANKLIN w 
 
 LIFE and Times of Benjamin Franklin. By James Parton, 2 vol. New York, 
 1864. 8 (193) 
 
 FRANKLIN S " Way to Wealth." Maxims and Precepts for conduct in Life and 
 the j ust attainment of Success in Business. Compiled by B. Wells. Printed 
 by Odell & Ives, 18, Princes Street, Cavendish Square, London, w. Sold 
 by Morrell, 13, Francis St. Bedford Square. A Broadsheet within borders, 
 22 by 18$ inches, printed in red and black [1865 ?]. P (193) 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY of Benjamin Franklin. Edited from his manuscript, with 
 Notes and un Introduction. By John Bigelow. Philadelphia, J. B. 
 Lippincott & Co. 1868, port, after Duplesis & 410 pp. 1st Edit. 12" (194) 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY of Benjamin Franklin. Edited from his Manuscript, with 
 Notes and an Introduction, by John Bigelow. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippin 
 cott & Co. 1868, large paper edition of 100 copies, illustrated by above 50 
 portraits inserted, royal 8" (195) 
 
 THE ATHKX^EUM No. 2128 of August 8, 1868, containing a review of the Hon. 
 John Bigelow s 1st edition of the Autobiography of Franklin. (196) 
 
 THE STORY of a famous Book : An Account of Dr. Benjamin Franklin s Auto 
 biography. By Samuel A. Green, M.P. Boston : for private distribution, 
 1871, 14 pp. 8 s (197) 
 
 THE LIFE of Benjamin Franklin, written by himself. Now first edited from 
 Original Manuscripts and from his printed correspondence and other 
 writings. By John Bigelow. Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott & Co. 1874, 
 3 vol. 8 (198) 
 
 THE LIFE of Benjamin Franklin, written by himself. Now first edited from 
 Original Manuscripts and from his printed correspondence and other 
 writings. By John Bigelow. Second edition, revised and corrected. Phila 
 delphia, J. B. Lippincott & Co. 1879, 3 vols, [Volume I being mainly from 
 the stereotype plates of the Autobiography first issued in 1868, from 
 Franklin s original draft MS. and vols II and III made up from letters 
 and abstracts of Franklin s writings taken largely from Sparks s edition of 
 Franklin s Life and Works in 10 volumes, the copyright and stereotype 
 plates of which have still a lawful owner]. (199) 
 
 THE EDINBURGH Review, April 1880, containing an Article on Franklin, being 
 a review of Mr Bigelow s second edition, 3 vol. 1879 (200) 
 
 This Portrait of Franklin, on the whole, is well drawn and effective, but the 
 writer s story of the evolution of the Autobiography is faulty ; and the 
 charges against the British Government and the grandson are sustained, 
 and not withdrawn or softened. " But he (Mr Bigelow) has established a 
 very strong presumption that Franklin s faith in this William Temple, this 
 adopted child of his old age, was another of the philosopher s errata, aa 
 he would himself have said." For philosopher s read reviewer s errata. 
 
 DR FRANKLIN S Two New Bagatelles [on Perfumes, and on Marriage] Edited 
 and now first printed from the original autograph manuscripts in the pos 
 session of Henry Stevens, of Vermont. London : Privately printed on 
 hand-made paper, morocco extra, 1881. 64 (201) 
 
4 o 
 
 THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF DOCTOR FRANKLIN. 
 
 DR FRANKLIN S Two new Bagatelles. Another copy, printed on the purest 
 vellum, 1881, bound in morocco best style by Pratt to a Roger Payne 
 pattern. 64 (202) 
 
 A DISSERTATION on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain. London : 
 Printed in the year 1725. Reprinted in close imitation of the original in 
 1852, by Charles Whittingham. With an additional title and historical 
 preface by Henry Stevens, of Vermont. London, 1881. 8 (203) 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN S Life and Writings, a Bibliographical Essay on Mr 
 Stevens s Franklin Collection of Books and Manuscripts. By HENRY 
 STEVENS of Vermont, FSA ; Citizen of Noviomagus ; MA of Yale ; etc. 
 London, Printed at the Dryden Press, by Messrs Davy & Sons for the 
 Author, iv Trafalgar Square, w.c. 1881, viii & 40 pages, 5 steel portraits 
 and facsimile of letter to Strahan. 8 
 
 J. DAVY AND SONS, 137, LONG ACRI, LONDON. 
 

 
 
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