Volume II Part 11 (1/2)
”_Miss Stevenson, Wanstead_
”Craven-street, May 16, 1760
”I sendher to accept of them as a small mark of my esteem and friendshi+p They are written in the familiar, easy ood deal of philosophic and practical knowledge, unembarassed with the dry mathematics used by inners
”I would advise you to read with a pen in your hand, and enter in a little book short hints of what you find that is curious or thatsuch particulars in your memory, where they will be ready either for practice on some future occasion if they are matters of utility, or at least to adorn and improve your conversation if they are rather points of curiosity And as many of the terms of science are such as you cannot have , and may, therefore, be unacquainted with, I think it would be well for you to have a good dictionary at hand, to consult immediately when youof This ; but it is a trouble that will daily diminish, as you will daily find less and less occasion for your dictionary, as you become more acquainted with the terms; and in the mean time you will read withWhen any point occurs in which you would be glad to have farther infor you would not in the least apprehend that I should think it a trouble to receive and answer your questions It will be a pleasure, and no trouble For though I e, to afford you what you require, I can easily direct you to the books where it may most readily be found
”Adieu, and believe me ever, my dear friend,
”B FRANKLIN”
”_Lord Kaust 17, 1761
”MY DEAR LORD,
”I a here only for a wind to waft me to America, but cannot leave this happy island andto a country and a people that I love I a from the Old World to the New, and I fancy I feel like those who are leaving this world for the next; grief at the parting; fear of the passage; hope of the future: these different passions all affect their ly It is usual for the dying to beg forgiveness of their surviving friends if they have ever offended the silence, andme your excellent book? Can you make some allowance for a fault in others which you have never experienced in yourself; for the bad habit of postponing from day to day what one every day resolves to do to-rows upon us with years, and whose only excuse is we know not how to mend it If you are disposed to favour me, you will also consider how much one's mind is taken up and distracted by thesuch a voyage, after so long a residence in a country; and how little, in such a situation, one's , which, with regard to the _Elements of Criticism_, I intended before I should write I can now only confess and endeavour to a up e I hope I shall therefore be able to write to you upon it soon after my arrival At present I can only return ave me both pleasure and instruction; that I aood taste in the arts contributes to the improvement ofthe work universally commended by those who have read it
”And now, my dear sir, accept my sincere thanks for the kindness you have shown me, and my best wishes of happiness to you and yours
Wherever I am, I shall esteem the friendshi+p you honour me with as one of the felicities of my life; I shall endeavour to cultivate it by a more punctual correspondence; and I hope frequently to hear of your welfare and prosperity
B FRANKLIN”
_To the same_[13]
[13] Lord Kames had written to Dr Franklin as early as 1765, when the first advices reached England of the disorders occasioned by the attempts to carry the stamp-act into execution; and he had written a second letter to hi of 1767 This is a copy of Dr Franklin's answer to these letters
London, April 11, 1767
”MY DEAR LORD,
I received your obliging favour of January the 19th You have kindly relieved oodness itself I ought to have answered yours of December 25, 1765 I never received a letter that contained sentiitation of mind on the very ireatly in the judgeneral vogue) on the then delicate and critical situation of affairs between Great Britain and the colonies, and on that weighty point, their _union_ You guessed aright in supposing that I would not be a _ , disputing, in a continual hurry fro the course of its being called before the House of Commons I spoke my mind pretty freely Enclosed I send you the imperfect account that was taken of that exaree, except in a point of fact, of which you could not but befull of mistaken assertions, that the colonies had been the cause of the war, and had ungratefully refused to bear any part of the expense of it I send it you now, because I apprehend some late accidents are likely to revive the contest between the two countries I fear it will be a reat importance, that clear ideas should be formed on solid principles, both in Britain and America, of the true political relation between the to that relation
Till this is done they will be often jarring I know none whose knowledge, sagacity, and ihly for such a service as yours do you I wish, therefore, you would consider it You ood to the nation, and of preventing much mischief and bloodshed I a union_, by a fair and equal representation of all the parts of this empire in Parliarandeur and prosperity can be founded Ireland once wished it, but now rejects it The tiht have been pleased with it, they are now _indifferent_ about it, and if it is er delayed, they too will _refuse_ it But the pride of this people cannot bear the thought of it, and therefore it will be delayed Every land seen over A, and talks of _our subjects in the colonies_ The Parliament cannot well and wiselyproperly and truly informed of their circumstances, abilities, temper, &c This it cannot be without representatives from thence; and yet it is fond of this power, and averse to the onlyit, which is desiring to be _o _omniscient_
”I have mentioned that the contest is likely to be revived It is on this occasion: in the saulate the quartering of soldiers in Aht in, it contained a clause e the officers to quarter their soldiers in private houses; this arot it omitted The bill passed, however, with a clause that empty houses, barns, &c, should be hired for them; and that the respective provinces where they were should pay the expense, and furnish firing, bedding, drink, and soratis_ There is no way for any province to do this but by the asse a law to raise the money Pennsylvania assembly has made such a la-York assembly has refused to do it; and now all the talk here is, of sending a force to coovernor for the refusal are, that they understand the act to s to soldiers only while on their reat bodies of soldiers, to be fixed, as at present, in the province; the burden in the latter case being greater than the inhabitants can bear; that it would put it in the power of the captain-general to oppress the province at pleasure, &c But there is supposed to be another reason at bottoh they do not plainly express it, to wit, that it is of the nature of an _internal tax_ laid on theht so to do Their refusal is here called _rebellion_, and punishht, and supposing the legislatures in Aislatures of Great Britain, one islature to forbid the inferior legislaturesparticular laws; but to enjoin it toan _executive_ officer of govern, to obey orders, but a _deliberative_ body, who are to consider what comes before them, its propriety, practicability, or possibility, and to deterly; the very nature of a parlia it may be bound and compelled by a law of a superior parliament
”Indeed, the act of Parliament in question has not, as in other acts, when a duty is enjoined, directed a penalty on neglect or refusal, and athat penalty It seems, therefore, to the people in America as a requisition, which they are at liberty to comply with or not, as it may suit or not suit the different circumstances of the different provinces Pennsylvania has, therefore, voluntarily complied
New-York, as I said before, has refused The ministry that eance The present ministry are perplexed, and the measures they will finally take on the occasion are yet unknown But sure I areat mischief will ensue, the affections of the people of America to this country will be alienated, your commerce will be diminished, and a total separation of interests be the final consequence
”It is a common but mistaken notion here, that the colonies were planted at the expense of Parliaht to tax them, &c The truth is, they were planted at the expense of private adventurers, ent over there to settle, with leave of the king, given by charter On receiving this leave and those charters, the adventurers voluntarily engaged to ren country; a country which had not been conquered by either king or parliament, but was possessed by a free people