1817.] Original Letter 



by acquiiiug a fortune: you will be 

 wholly on the footing of a gentleman. 

 Paradise will have his servant, so tiiat 

 he will give you no trouble, except per- 

 haps in writing for him and making his 

 pens, for he says he can write with none 

 so well as with yours. As we go on 

 board a man-of-war, we shall have a 

 charming voyage, and see a delightful 

 •country, as your sister will tell you. 

 Should any accident happen, or should 

 5^00 change your mind at Paris, you 

 may rcturji easily and I will bear all 

 'your expenses back. We siiall go from 

 Dover to Calais, but this is a secret. — 

 If I die in America, >ou may return 

 with Paradise, who would treat you as 

 a friend and a gentleman. Let me 

 add, that, if I should be namod a com- 

 missioner for peace, you will be better 

 qualilied to act as my secretary by 

 knowing I'rench, so well as you will 

 know it, by conversing with the French 

 officers on board, and i)y having been in 

 America. I trust you are in perfect 

 health : the journey and voyage will 

 confirm it; and, if you should again be 

 ill, you may have as good advice and 

 assistance on board a French ship of 

 war as in London. Neither you nor I 

 should fear to engage our enemies ; hut 

 we would not fight our countrymen; 

 and, in case of an engagement, (which 

 is not likely to happen) we should be 

 employed in assisting the wounded and 

 following the directions of the surgeon. 

 I have stated the good and th" bad of 

 this reasonable scheme ; but wish we 

 Cduld converse about it for an hour or 

 two. If 3 on reject it, and chusc rather 

 to risque tiie haughty behaviour of some 

 )ioi)le or wealthy master, I will leave 

 my opinion of your excellent character 

 (as far as I have been able to discover 

 it) with my friend Mr. Poynlz, who 

 knows how much I value you ; and, on 

 my return, I will retain my resolution 

 of contributing all in my power to your 

 advancement and fortune here or in 

 India. Write to me soon with all that 

 frankness, spirit, and manliness, which 

 1 love, and which we both possess in a 

 high degree. You know my opinion, 

 that all honest men arc equal, and the 

 prince and peasant on a level; there- 

 - ibre, as I am not a prince, nor you a 

 i .peasant, I could wish that you would 

 '•jput yourself wholly on a footing with 

 i-'me, and write without form or stilfnes«. 

 '■'■J reckon you will receive this next 

 ^Friday, and I shall be anxious to know 

 ' ^fliat you have rt'ceiveU it. Tl»e niunii- 



o/Dr. Franklin. 523 



script, which you were to copy, has 

 been packed up this month, but my in- 

 cessant liurry has prevented my sending 

 it. Adieu! and believe that no man 

 has a tirmcr friendship for another th^^ 

 that which is sincerely professed f^ 

 you, my dear Arthur, by ,,, , 



Your's ever, W. .foNES.; 

 Could not your little grey carry yo^ 

 nn bcaii matin to Midgham, aud, after 

 such a stay at Mr. Poyntz's as yc«i 

 might think discreet, could he not ither 

 make a visit to my little grey at Oxibrd, 

 or bring you to London, while Mrs. N. 

 stays heie, that you might accompany 

 her to Ranelagh? — We shall not set out 

 this fortnight ; but lose no time in con- 

 sidering my proposal ; and be sure, that 

 you will be of infinite use to Mr. Para- 

 dise and me. Observe, that, as a Will 

 is always revocable, I would readily 

 give you a bond (which would bind my 

 heirs) to leave you a thousand p^nuids 

 stock in case of my death during the 

 voyage or journey ; but I do not hold 

 out this as a lure, for I repeat that, 

 though I wish you to be of the party, 

 yet I have no pretensions to persuad© 

 you, and I know your contempt of gain. 

 Mr. Paradise and I shall want some 

 one, who understands farming, to di- 

 rect us in leaving orders for the manage- 

 ment of the land, if recovered. 



COPY of a LETTER Written hy BENJAMIN 



TRANKLIN tO JOS! PH HUEY. 



Sir, Philadelplda ; June 6, 1753. 



I received your kind letter of the 

 2d. instant, and am glad to hear you in- 

 crease in strength. I hope you will 

 continue mending till you recover your 

 former hca 1 th and firmness. Let we know 

 whether you still' use the cold-bath, and 

 what effect it has. 



As to the kindness you mention, I 

 wish it could have been of more .servicfe 

 to you ; but, if it had, the only thanks 

 I should desire is, that you would be 

 always equally ready to serve any other 

 person that may need your assistance ; 

 and so let good ofilccs go round, for man- 

 kind arc all of a family. 



For my own part, when I am cm- 

 ployed in serving others, I do not look 

 upon myself as conferriug favors, but as 

 paying debts. In my travels, and since 

 my settlement, I have received much 

 kindness from men to whom I shall 

 never have an opportunity of making' 

 the lea.st direct return, and numberless 

 mercies fioni God, who is infinitely 

 above hvips 'jcnehted by our services. 

 3X3 Tiicse 



