Letters to Benjamin Franklin 371 



From [Antoine] Court de Gebelin. 1781. May 6. 



Grateful for the book, which increases his knowledge of the American 

 languages; has found immense similarity between them and those of 

 the old world ; much interested in the vocabulary of the Delawares ; 

 has discovered a Phoenician inscription near Jamestown, south of Boston ; 

 thinks they may have been driven by storms on the coast of America. 

 His interest in the American Society of Science and Arts; his plan for 

 establishing a correspondence between the American Society and one 

 lately started in Paris (L'Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres). 

 A. L. S. 5 p. (In French.) XXII, 7. 



From Georgiana Shipley. 1781. May 6. London. 



Delighted with Franklin's " Dialogue with the Gout." Difficulty 

 of procuring a safe conveyance for her letters. Her life in London. 

 News of Sir John Pringle, Dr. Priestley and Dr. Price. A. L. 4 p. 



XXII, 8. 



Printed in Works (Sparks, IX, 25; Bigelow, VII, 230). 



From Pierre Frangois de Bois. 1781. May 7. Paris. 



Served in the American army; desires to reenter it. 



E. Dr. Franklin requests Col. Laurens to inform him if he is 

 acquainted with de Bois. 



E. Col. Laurens has recollection of an officer of that name but does 

 not know the state of his services. A. L. S. 2 p. LXII, 8. 



From Colonel Johonnot and Son. 1781. May 7. Passy. 

 Accept invitation to dinner. L. in 3d P. i p. XXII, 9. 



From de La Lande & Fynje. 1781. May 7. Amsterdam. 



Request that payment of certain bills be stopped. L. S. i p. 



XXII, 10. 



From E[lkanah] Watson, Jr. 1781. May 8. Nantes. 



Announcing the loss of a small bill. A. L. S. i p. XXII, 11. 



From William Hodgson. 1781. May 8. London. 



His explanation of Digges's conduct; thinks it unlikely that the money 

 can be recovered ; unpleasant stories told of him during his residence 



