Benjamin Franklin | Recommending Strahan as the London book agent for the Library Company

Benjamin Franklin

Autograph letter signed ("BFranklin") to William Strahan (“Dear Sir”), one page (244 x 191 mm) on a bifolium of laid paper (watermarked), Philadelphia, 3 July 1749, regarding the Library Company and various printing and publishing matters, integral leaf with autograph address panel (“To | Mr. Wm. Strahan | Printer | Fleetstreet | London” and direction “Per the Desire Capt Clark,” with three lines of accounting on verso; browned, especially verso of address leaf, seal tear and several marginal chips skillfully repaired with tissue, costing three words and portions of several letters, central fold reinforced with tissue. Half-brown morocco folding-case gilt, chemise.

The business of printing and publishing. Franklin begins his letter with a summary of Strahan's "affair with Mr. Read." James Read, a neighbor and rival bookseller of Franklin, had received a large consignment of books from Strahan in 1745. After three years had passed without any payment, Strahan gave Franklin power of attorney to pursue the debt. This Franklin did, but without much vigor, as is reflected in his present explanation to Strahan that he "shall have nothing to add on that Subject till I hear further from you. I acquainted you that he had given his Bond for the Ballance due to you, and that I do not look on the Debt as desperate."

Franklin continues the letter in an accounting vein: "Enclos'd I send you several 2d Bills, having sent the firsts per Arthur.— I hope to hear per next Ship that you have reciev'd my Son's Pay, since I understand there was a [Bill] of Parliament in March last, for a Sum to defray all [the] Charges of the Canada Expedition. If it should prove otherwise, I will send the Ballance from hence in the Fall, and make you Satisfaction for the Delay & Disappointment." Franklin is evidently referring here to bills laid before Parliament by the Secretary at War for expenses incurred during King George’s War, including the charges for supporting the troops from Pennsylvania; William Franklin had served as a captain in the Pennsylvania provincial troops during this war.

Turning to the more pleasant topic of books, Franklin reveals that he has recommended that the Library Company of Philadelphia retain Strahan as a book vendor: "The Library Company send to Mr. Collinson by this Ship for a Parcel of Books. I have recommended you to him on the Occasion, and hope you will have the Selling of them. If you should, and the Company judge your Charges reasonable, I doubt not but you will keep their Custom." Peter Collinson, a Quaker merchant and naturalist, was the Library Company’s first purchasing agent in London.

Thinking of keeping current of competitors to Poor Richard—or searching for material for it—Franklin asks Strahan to "Please to send me a Book lately advertis'd; I think 'tis called a Collection of Sentences, wise Sayings, &c. by some Officer about the Parliamt. House, his Name I have forgot." (The volume in question was Charles Palmer's 1748 Collection of Select Aphorisms and Maxims, and Franklin did in fact appropriate for Poor Richard several aphorisms from it.) Franklin adds an interrogatory postscript in the left margin—"What is the Price [of] Printing Paper in London?"—before concluding, “With all our best Respects to you & yours, I am, Dr Sir, Your most obliged Friend & Serv[an]t.”

REFERENCE

Papers of Benjamin Franklin, ed. Labaree, 3:381-82 (text reprinted from Works, ed. Bigelow, with many variations in capitalization and incidentals)

PROVENANCE

The Rosenbach Company (catalogue 8, 1776 Americana [1926], item 53) — Laird U. Park Jr. (Sotheby’s New York, 29 November 2000, lot 105; the present original was unlocated until the time of Park sale)