and does not fall away in the least. He was saying the other day at Richmond, (where we were together dining with Governor Pownall,) that he had been pestered with a fever almost continually for these three years past, and that it gave way to no medicines, all he had taken, advised by different physicians, having never any effect towards removing it. On which I asked him, if it was not now time to inquire, whether he had really any fever at all. He is indeed the only instance I ever knew, of a man's growing fat upon a fever. But I see no occasion for reading him the lecture you desired, for he appears to me extremely temperate in his eating and drinking. His affairs here are I think in a good train, but every thing to be transacted in our great offices requires time. I suppose he will hardly be able to return before the spring.

By a ship just sailed from hence, (the captain a stranger, whose name I have forgotten,) I send you a late French treatise on the management of silkworms. It is said to be the best hitherto published, being written in the silk country by a gentleman well acquainted with the whole affair. It seems to me to be, like many other French writings, rather too much drawn out in words; but some extracts from it, of the principal directions, might be of use, if you would translate and publish them. I think the bounty is offered for silk from all the colonies in general. I will send you the act. But I believe it must be wound from the cocoons, and sent over in skeins. The cocoons would spoil on the passage, by the dead worm corrupting and staining the silk. A public filature should be set up for winding them there; or every family should learn to wind their own. In Italy they are all brought to market, from the neighbouring country, and bought

up by those that keep the filatures. In Sicily each family winds its own silk, for the sake of having the remains to card and spin for family use. If some provision were made by the Assembly for promoting the growth of mulberry trees in all parts of the province, the culture of silk might afterwards follow easily. For the great discouragement to breeding worms at first is the difficulty of getting leaves and the being obliged to go far for them.

There is no doubt with me but that it might succeed in our country. It is the happiest of all inventions for clothing. Wool uses a good deal of land to produce it, which, if employed in raising corn, would afford much more subsistence for man, than the mutton amounts to. Flax and hemp require good land, impoverish it, and at the same time permit it to produce no food at all. But mulberry trees may be planted in hedgerows on walks or avenues, or for shade near a house, where nothing else is wanted to grow. The food for the worms, which produce the silk, is in the air, and the ground under the trees may still produce grass, or some other vegetable good for man or beast. Then the wear of silken garments continues so much longer, from the strength of the materials, as to give it greatly the preference. Hence it is that the most populous of all countries, China, clothes its inhabitants with silk, while it feeds them plentifully, and has besides a vast quantity both raw and manufactured to spare for exportation. Raw silk here, in skeins well wound, sells from twenty to twenty-five shillings per pound; but, if badly wound, is not worth five shillings. Well wound is, when the threads are made to cross each other every way in the skein, and only touch where they cross. Badly wound is, when they are laid par58

VOL. VII.

M M

allel to each other; for so they are glued together, break in unwinding them, and take a vast deal of time more than the other, by losing the end every time the thread breaks. When once you can raise plenty of silk, you may have manufactures enough from hence. With great esteem, I am, my dear friend, yours affectionately,

B. FRANKLIN.*

DEAR SIR,

TO SAMUEL COOPER.

London, 30 September, 1769.

Your favor of August 3d has given me great pleasure. I have only time now to acknowledge the receipt of it, but purpose to write fully by the next opportunity. I am just returned from France, where I found our dispute much attended to, several of our pamphlets being translated and printed there, among the rest my Examination † and the Farmer's Letters,‡ with two of my pieces annexed, of which last I send

Some of the author's friends in Philadelphia, engaged in raising silk, sent over a sample of their manufacture, as a present to the Queen, which is alluded to in the following note.

"Dr. Franklin presents his respectful compliments to Sir John Pringle, and is much obliged to him for the trouble he has so kindly taken in the affair of the silk, and is very happy to learn that the Queen has graciously condescended to accept it with the purpose of wearing it. Her Majesty's countenance so afforded to the raisers of silk in Pennsylvania, where her character is highly revered, will give them great encouragement to proceed in a measure, which the British Parliament seems to have had much at heart, the procuring a supply of that valuable article from our colonies, for which at present large sums are paid to France, Spain, Italy, and the Indies."

Examination before the British House of Commons. See Vol. IV

p. 161.

Written by John Dickinson, and recently published in London with a Preface by Dr. Franklin. See Vol. IV. p. 256.

you a copy. In short, all Europe (except Britain) appears to be on our side of the question. But Europe has its reasons. It fancies itself in some danger from the growth of British power, and would be glad to see it divided against itself. Our prudence will, I hope, long postpone the satisfaction our enemies expect from our dissensions. With sincere and great esteem, I am, dear Sir, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

FROM A COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON TO B. FRANKLIN.

Transmitting a Correspondence with Bernard, Gage,

and Hood.

SIR,

Boston, 23 October, 1769.

It is with the greatest pleasure we obey the orders of the town of Boston, in transmitting to you their remarks upon the letters from Governor Bernard, the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, General Gage, and Commodore Hood; copies of which the town have been furnished with by Mr. Bollan.

The town of Boston are fully sensible of your extensive influence, and, from your past conduct, have the strongest reason to assure themselves, that you will exert your great abilities in promoting the united. interests of Great Britain and her colonies.

The happiness of British subjects is founded on the freedom of the constitution; and, in behalf of the town of Boston, we beg you would always, and particularly at this time, defend this injured town against the injurious calumnies of those, who wish the total abolition

of liberty, both in Great Britain and America. We are, with strict truth, Sir, &c.

THOMAS CUSHING,

SAMUEL ADAMS,

JOHN ADAMS,

JAMES OTIS,

JOSEPH WARREN,

RICHARD DANA,

JOSHUA HENSHAW,

JOSEPH JACKSON,

BENJAMIN KENT,

Committee of the town of Boston.

FROM A COMMITTEE OF NEW JERSEY TO B. FRANKLIN.

Communicating his Appointment as Agent for New Jersey, and Instructions.

SIR,

Burlington, 7 December, 1769.

The House of Representatives of this colony, on the 8th ultimo, unanimously chose you their agent in London, and appointed us to correspond with you on the affairs of the colony. The resolve of the House, by which you are appointed agent, his Excellency will transmit to you properly attested.

To a gentleman, whose inclination to serve these colonies we believe equal to his knowledge of their true interests, much need not be said to induce an attention to American concerns, in the ensuing session of Parliament; and the confidence the House have in the assurances of his Majesty's ministers, that they will use their endeavours for the repeal of the revenue acts, and that those endeavours will be successful, renders any particular direction to you on this head un