Letters to Benjamin Franklin 23 



From P[eter] CoUinson. [1761.] October 17. Mill Hill. 

 Expresses pleasure on Mr. Franklin's safe arrival [from the Conti- 

 nent] in the happy land of liberty, and hopes to see him soon. There is 

 a new large coach on springs that comes every day from the Bull Inn in 

 Holborn. A. L. S. i p. LXIX, 66. 



From The Society for the Encouragement of Arts, etc. 1761 and 1762. 

 Notice of meetings of committees. Printed N. S. i p. 



LXVIII, 14 to 16. 



Fro?n [Thomas-Frangois] Dalibard. 1762. February. Paris. 



Acknovi^ledging favor of Dec. 9, 1 761, by Dr. Shippen. Their cor- 

 respondence interrupted for many years by the war; delayed answering 

 his letter in hopes of hearing some new discovery in electricity that he 

 might impart; since the last edition of Dr. Franklin's works, has given 

 up all electrical experiments ; gives four reasons why ; M. Le Roy of the 

 Royal Academy of Sciences has long upheld Franklin's theory of elec- 

 tricity against M. I'Abbe Nollet. Defense of the latter's theory by M. 

 Dutour. Recalls the letters printed in 1753 by I'Abbe Nollet in oppo- 

 sition to Franklin's. Delighted with Dr. Shippen ; politeness he has 

 shown him. M. de Buffon begs him to ask Mr. Collinson to send him 

 seeds of trees in Pennsylvania for the Jardin des Plantes ; suggests apply^ 

 ing to John Bartram. [Here MS. is badly mutilated.] Begs him 

 not to leave Europe without a visit to Paris; offers to get him pass- 

 ports. A. L. S. 4 p. I, 66. 



From R. Hippisley. 1762. April 19. 

 Begs Franklin, as an encourager of the arts and sciences, to sub- 

 scribe to his work, entitled " An Analysis of Oratory." A. L. S. i p. 



1,67. 

 From David Hume. 1762. May 10. Edinburgh. 



Acknowledging Mr. Franklin's goodness in sending him an exact 

 description of the method of preserving houses from thunder; communi- 

 cated it to their Philosophical Society; Mr. Russel read a paper on it; 

 repeats two suggestions he made. Sent his letter to Lord Mareschal ; his 

 Lordship busy settling the controversy about the eternity of hell-torments 

 which has upset the little kingdom of Neuf-Chatel. Synod of divines 

 making themselves ridiculous. Franklin the first great man of letters 

 sent them by America, loth to let him go. Sir William Dick desires 

 his compliments sent. A. L. S. 3 p. I, 68. 



Printed in Works (Sparks, VI, 243; Bigelow, III, 189; Smyth, IV, 153). 



