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BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S LETTERS TO HENRY HOME, LORD KAMES
Lord Kames (1696-1782), a judge and one of the lords of the Justiciary Court of Scotland, was a the key figure of the Scottish enlightenment. He was very friendly with David Hume and Adam Smith and closely involved in the intellectual life of eighteenth-century Edinburgh. Franklin, who was living in England as London agent of the Province of Pennsylvania, met Kames during his first visit to Scotland in 1759. He and his son stayed with Kames twice during that journey. 'Franklin's oaks' are still pointed out growing to a great height in front of the house of Kames. Their close friendship is well-described by I.S.Ross in Lord Kames and the Scotland of his Day (Oxford 1972), "One must imagine much philosophical conversation between host and chief guest, as well as talk of landscaping and farming. When the time came for the leave-taking of the Franklins, Lord Kames and his wife rode with them to the Border village of Coldstream and the friends parted with a promise to resort to the 'duller intercourse of epistolary correspondence' as Franklin called it." In his first letter of the correspondence, he describes his time in Scotland as 'six weeks of the densest happiness I have met with in any part of my life'.
We are here offering all the extant letters from Franklin to Lord Kames. Unfortunately Kames' letters have been lost.
FRANKLIN, Benjamin (1706-1790). AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ('B. FRANKLIN') TO LORD KAMES ('My dear Lord'), London, 3 January 1760, thanking Kames for his letter, requesting copies of Franklin's publications, of which he will send the few that are available. He rejoices 'on the Reduction of Canada', as 'the Foundations of the future Grandeur and Stability of the British Empire lie in America'. And finally is grateful for the offer of a painting of William Penn, which Franklin, however believes not to be genuine. Subscribed 'with the sincerest Esteem & Affection', 4 pages, folio (322 x 205mm), (inner and upper blank margin and centre-fold reinforced; two tears in vertical fold without loss of letters).
Details
FRANKLIN, Benjamin (1706-1790). AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ('B. FRANKLIN') TO LORD KAMES ('My dear Lord'), London, 3 January 1760, thanking Kames for his letter, requesting copies of Franklin's publications, of which he will send the few that are available. He rejoices 'on the Reduction of Canada', as 'the Foundations of the future Grandeur and Stability of the British Empire lie in America'. And finally is grateful for the offer of a painting of William Penn, which Franklin, however believes not to be genuine. Subscribed 'with the sincerest Esteem & Affection', 4 pages, folio (322 x 205mm), (inner and upper blank margin and centre-fold reinforced; two tears in vertical fold without loss of letters).
Franklin regrets that he has been unable to procure copies of his own publications, 'very mortifying this, to an Author, that his Works should so soon be lost!'. He is mailing his 'Observations on the Peopling of Countries, which happens to have been reprinted here; The Description of the Pennsylvanian Fireplace, a Machine of my contriving: and some little sketches, that have been printed in the Grand Magazine ...'.
As he is a Briton, not merely a Colonist, he believes that 'the future Grandeur & Stability of the British Empire lie in America; ... the greatest Political Structure Human Wisdom ever yet erected'. He believes Canada must be retained 'if we keep it, all the Country from St.Laurence to Missisipi [sic], will in another Century be fill'd with British People ... the Atlantic Sea will be cover'd with your Trading Ships, and your naval Power ... will extend your Influence round the whole Globe and awe the World'. He thinks Kames will regard his notions 'as the Ravings of a mad Prophet'.
Finally he explains at length, his reasons for not believing a portrait of William Penn, offered to him by Kames, to be genuine. Nevertheless he asks that it should be sent to him in London, so that he can obtain another opinion, as he has always wanted to have a portrait of Penn. (This so-called 'Whisker-portrait' proved not to be authentic). He ends by thanking Kames, also on behalf of his son for 'the Pleasure we had enjoy'd and the Kindnesses we had receiv'd in Scotland ... the Time that we spent there, was six Weeks of the densest Happiness I have met with in any Part of my Life', stating 'I believe Scotland would be the Country I should chuse to spend the Remainder of my Days in'.
Published in The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, ed. L.W.Labaree, vol. 9, pp.5-10.
Franklin regrets that he has been unable to procure copies of his own publications, 'very mortifying this, to an Author, that his Works should so soon be lost!'. He is mailing his 'Observations on the Peopling of Countries, which happens to have been reprinted here; The Description of the Pennsylvanian Fireplace, a Machine of my contriving: and some little sketches, that have been printed in the Grand Magazine ...'.
As he is a Briton, not merely a Colonist, he believes that 'the future Grandeur & Stability of the British Empire lie in America; ... the greatest Political Structure Human Wisdom ever yet erected'. He believes Canada must be retained 'if we keep it, all the Country from St.Laurence to Missisipi [sic], will in another Century be fill'd with British People ... the Atlantic Sea will be cover'd with your Trading Ships, and your naval Power ... will extend your Influence round the whole Globe and awe the World'. He thinks Kames will regard his notions 'as the Ravings of a mad Prophet'.
Finally he explains at length, his reasons for not believing a portrait of William Penn, offered to him by Kames, to be genuine. Nevertheless he asks that it should be sent to him in London, so that he can obtain another opinion, as he has always wanted to have a portrait of Penn. (This so-called 'Whisker-portrait' proved not to be authentic). He ends by thanking Kames, also on behalf of his son for 'the Pleasure we had enjoy'd and the Kindnesses we had receiv'd in Scotland ... the Time that we spent there, was six Weeks of the densest Happiness I have met with in any Part of my Life', stating 'I believe Scotland would be the Country I should chuse to spend the Remainder of my Days in'.
Published in The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, ed. L.W.Labaree, vol. 9, pp.5-10.