xx INTRODUCTION. 



Of a woman so exemplary as Mary Stevenson, so well worthy 

 to be the wife of Hewson, it is right to preserve some memorial. 

 This, indeed, is to be found in the affecting and excellent tribute 

 which she has left to his memory. But we have still better 

 testimony of her merits. Her second son, Dr. Thomas Tickell 

 Hewson, in his letter to Dr. Lettsom, dated October 28, 1804, 

 has described the gratitude of her children for her tenderness as 

 a mother. She had been upon terms of the warmest friendship 

 with Dr. Franklin since she was eighteen years of age. That 

 eminent philosopher resided with her mother, Mrs. Margaret 

 Stevenson, at No. 7, Craven street, Strand, during the fifteen 

 years of his abode in London. Miss Stevenson lived mostly 

 in the country with her aunt, Mrs. Tickell. When Miss 

 Stevenson thought of marrying Hewson she consulted Franklin, 

 and how highly he esteemed her may be seen by the letter, 

 dated May 31, 1770, which he wrote to her on that occasion. 

 She was also acquainted with Dr. Hawkesworth, whose grave 

 I have seen in the churchyard at Bromley. Writing to her 

 from Craven street, June 7, 1762, Franklin says, " I am glad 

 to hear that you are about to enjoy the happiness of seeing and 

 being with your friends at Bromley. My best respects to the 

 good Doctor and Mrs. Hawkesworth;" and again, January 9, 

 1765, "Your good mamma and myself are both of opinion that 

 the Christmas gambols at Bromley last a great deal too long." 

 On the 27th of January, 1783, he writes to her from Passy: " In 

 looking forward, twenty-five years seem a long period, but in 

 looking back, how short ! Could you imagine, that it is now full 

 a quarter of a century since we were first acquainted ? It was 

 in 1757. During the greatest part of the time I lived in the 

 house with my dear deceased friend, your mother; of course 

 you and I conversed with each other much and often. It is to 

 all our honours, that in all that time we never had among us the 

 smallest misunderstanding. Our friendship has been all clear 

 sunshine, without the least cloud in its hemisphere. Let me 

 conclude by saying to you, what I have had too frequent occa- 

 sions to say to my other remaining old friends. The fewer we 

 become, the more let us love one another." 



She passed the winter of 1783 to 1784 with him at Passy, 

 where her intelligence and amiableness were particularly noticed. 

 Franklin had not only taken great care in the directing of her 



