Letters to Benjamin Franklin 183 



a rhapsody, the fruit of his idleness; begs him, if he sees fit, to insert 

 it in the " Journal Encyclopedique." Sends him a letter containing all 

 the information he has been able to discover about Blet(t)on and his 

 alleged extraordinary power. A. L. S. 4 p. (In French.) 



XXXI, 148. 



From de Mauviel de Bouillon. 1784. April 14. Fecamp. 



Left a widower with two children; not without some means; his 

 desire to go to America, rent or buy land there which he proposes to 

 cultivate; letters of introduction he can procure to the Chevalier de la 

 Luzerne; none so important as the letter he now begs from Franklin. 

 A. L. S. 4 p. (In French.) XXXI, 149. 



From B[enjamin] Webb. 1784. April 15. Geneva. 



Account of his bankruptcy and his relinquishment of everything to 

 his creditors; accused by his enemies of secreting property to a large 

 amount; driven by despair to take the fatal step of flight to a foreign 

 shore; his return to England blocked by the malevolence of one man; 

 in the meantime is dependent on friends for his support; sends copy of 

 a memorial [3 p.] to Franklin, setting forth his miserable situation and 

 requesting contributions from those who knew him in his days of pros- 

 perity. A. L. S. 4 p. XXXI, 150. 



From F[rancis] Coffyn. 1784. April 16. Dunkirk. 



Encloses a letter from M. Bodin at Lille concerning the price of bells, 

 [i p. In French.] A. L. S. 2 p. XXXI, 151. 



From [Mme.] Baudoiiin Barre. 1784. April 17. Nantes. 



Repeats her previous account of the cruel situation in which she is 

 placed; offers Franklin this opportunity to do a good deed. A. L. S. 

 2 p. (In French.) XXXI, 152. 



From Edw[ar]d Nath[aniel] Bancroft. 1784. April 17. Chiswick. 



Last report from his dear Papa speaks of his being about to sail for 

 South Carolina. Death of his smallest sister Sophie from small-pox; 

 all the others were inoculated and look as well as ever. A. L. S. i p. 



XXXI, 153. 



