Benjamin Franklin | Ordering a printing press—and opening reconciliation with his son

Benjamin Franklin

Autograph letter signed (“BFranklin,” with paraph) to his grandson William Temple Franklin (“Dear Child”), one page (234 x 180 mm) on a leaf of laid paper (watermarked Pro Patria with Maid of Dort, countermarked crowned GR), Passy, 29 August 1784, regarding the purchase of a printing press, with a four-line postscript dated “Sept. 1” written longitudinally in the left margin, two reception/file dockets on verso; fold separations and repairs with a few tiny losses not affecting text. Half black morocco folding-case gilt, chemise.

With ratified versions of the Treaty of Paris having been exchanged in Paris three months earlier, Franklin turns his attention to an earlier interest of his: printing presses. He asks his grandson, and personal secretary, William Temple Franklin to obtain an English-made press for a friend in Paris. The younger Franklin—having just learned that he was not to be retained as secretary of the new United States commission to France, headed by Thomas Jefferson, but to be replaced by David Humphreys—was travelling to London to try to reconcile with his father, the Loyalist William Franklin, and to try to persuade some of his grandfather’s friends, including Mary “Polly” Hewson and William Strahan to return with him to Passy.

“I received last Night your Letter from Calais, and was glad to hear you were so far safe.—

“When I liv’d in London, there was a Letter-founder of the Name of Moore who liv’d

somewhere near Moorfields. He made Printing-Presses of a new Construction, which I lik’d much, and bought one for Lord le Despencer. I have undertaken to procure one for a Friend here, and desire you would buy it, & send it to Calais by the Stage from London first to Dover; or, which is better, by some Vessel to Rouen.— That which I bought cost I think but 5 Guineas: perhaps they may now be cheaper.—”

According to a note in the Papers, “In 1771 the typefounder Isaac Moore patented, with his partner William Pine, a lever-and-fulcrum press and a screw press with a detachable fly weight. It is not known which of these [Franklin] bought for Baron Le Despencer (Sir Francis Dashwood).” The friend for whom Franklin was ordering a second Moore press was Etienne-Alexandre-Jacques Anisson-Duperon (known as Anisson fils), who would write to Franklin on 8 November 1784 to remind him of “la nouvelle presse angloise que aviez bien voulu me promettre de me faire venir de Londres.” Two days later, Franklin assured Anisson fils that William Temple “writes to me that he has bought your Press, which cost Eight Guineas; and that it will be sent by a Ship to Rouen” (Papers 43:246, 262).

Franklin relays other news, including having dined with the Adamses, British peace commissioner David Hartley, patroness of the arts and sciences Anne-Catherine de Ligniville d’Autricourt Helvétius, and others. According to the journal of the younger Abigail Adams, the party also included John Paul Jones. “M. le Veillard is better, & gets up.— I think I am better too. I din’d yesterday at Auteuil with Mr. Adams. Made. Helvetius took me there in her Coach, & Mr Hartley brought me home; and I suffer’d no Inconvenience.” Louis-Guillaume Le Veillard was Franklin’s close friend and neighbor in Passy, proprietor of a mineral-water aquifer that provided both drinking water and a spa; he was guillotined during the Terror.

Franklin continues: “Aug. 30. I intended this for the Post of this Day, but have been prevented.— I shall try to write some others to send with it by Mr Hartley’s Courier on Thursday—”; and then makes a final request: “Bring with you two or three small Pencils, black lead, for my Pencil Case. They must not be bigger in Diameter than this Circle [Franklin has drawn a circle five mm in diameter]. I am ever Your affectionate Grandfather.” The postscript adds, “I have not had time to write any other Letters, the Commrs. meeting every Day at my House— All well.— M. Le Veillard excepted; but he is better.—”

Benjamin Franklin urged William Temple (the illegitimate son of Franklin’s own acknowledged extra-marital son, William) to undertake this trip to England partly to avoid embarrassment at having lost his position, but more importantly, to act as go-between between his father and grandfather. Responding to an overture from Benjamin, William Franklin had written to his father in the summer of 1784, stating that “Ever since the Termination of the unhappy Contest between Great Britain and America, I have been anxious to write to you, and to endeavour to revive that affectionate Intercourse and Connexion which till the Commencement of the late Troubles had been the Pride and Happiness of my Life. … Now I have broken the Ice, many Things occur which I much want an Opportunity to mention; too many, indeed, for the Limits of a Letter, and some of them respecting private Family Affairs, of a very important Nature, that cannot well be adjusted without a personal Interview. I shall therefore, if you are not likely to be soon in England, be happy to have your Approbation to wait on you at Paris” (Papers 42:432–436).

Franklin’s response, 16 August 1784, was both warm and reserved: “I received your Letter of the 22d past, and am glad to find that you desire to revive the affectionate Intercourse that formerly existed between us. It will be very agreable to me. Indeed nothing has ever hurt me so much and affected me with such keen Sensations, as to find my self deserted in my old Age by my only Son; and not only deserted, but to find him taking up Arms against me, in a Cause wherein my good Fame, Fortune and Life were all at Stake. … This is a disagreable Subject. I drop it. And we will endeavour as you propose mutually to forget what has happened relating to it, as well as we can.— … I shall be glad to see you when convenient, but would not have you come here at present. You may confide to your Son the Family Affairs you wished to confer upon with me, for he is discreet” (Papers 43:8–12).

Resolving these “Family Affairs”—not procuring a printing press—was the true purpose of the trip being undertaken by William Temple Franklin at the time this letter was written. Correspondence from Franklin to William Temple is surprisingly scarce since they were so often in each other’s company.

REFERENCES

Papers of Benjamin Franklin, ed. Cohn, 43:72–73

PROVENANCE

Christie’s New York, 15 December 2005, lot 232 (“The Property of a Gentleman”)