FO-From Benjamin Franklin to Emma Thompson, 8 February 1777.md

FO-From Benjamin Franklin to Emma Thompson, 8 February 1777

12 reprints from 1777-02-08 to 1899-07-01

FO-From Benjamin Franklin to Emma Thompson, 8 February 1777

by Franklin, Benjamin

From unknown source

1777-02-08

7 You are too early, Hussy, (as well as too saucy) in calling me Rebel; you should wait for the Event, which will determine whether it is a Rebellion or only a Revolution. Here the Ladies are more civil; they call us les Insurgens, a Character that usually pleases them: And methinks you, with all other Women who smart or have smarted under the Tyranny of a bad Husband, ought to be fix’d in Revolution Principles, and act accordingly.

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FO-From Benjamin Franklin to Emma Thompson, 8 February 1777

by Franklin, Benjamin

From unknown source

1777-02-08

d Dr. Huck’s good Fortunes please me. Pray learn, (if you have not already learnt) like me, to be pleas’d with other People’s Pleasures, and happy with their Happinesses; when none occur of your own; then perhaps you will not so soon be weary of the Place you chance to be in, and so fond of Rambling to get rid of your Ennui. I fancy You have hit upon the right Reason of your being weary of St. Omer, viz. that you are out of Temper [which is the effect of full living and idleness. A month in Bridewell, beating] Hemp upon Bread and Water, would give you Health and Spirits, and subsequent Chearfulness, and Contentment with every other Situation. I prescribe that Regimen for you my Dear, in pure good Will, without a Fee. And, if you do not get into Temper, neither Brussels nor Lisle will suit you. I

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FO-From Benjamin Franklin to Emma Thompson, 8 February 1777

by Franklin, Benjamin

From unknown source

1777-02-08

for tho’ I have not the Honour of knowing them, yet as you say they are Friends to the American Cause, I am sure they must be Women of good Understanding. I know you wish you could see me, but as you can’t, I will describe my self to you. Figure me in your mind as jolly as formerly, and as strong and hearty, only a few Years older, very plainly dress’d, wearing my thin grey strait Hair, that peeps out under my only Coiffure, a fine Fur Cap, which comes down my Forehead almost to my Spectacles. Think how this must appear among the Powder’d Heads of Paris. I wish every Gentleman and Lady in France would only be so obliging as to follow my Fashion, comb their own Heads as I do mine, dismiss their Friseurs, and pay me half the Money they paid to them. You see the Gentry might well afford this; and I could then inlist those Friseurs, who are at least 100,000; and with the Money I would maintain them, make a Visit with them to England, and dress the Heads of your Ministers and Privy Counsellors, which I conceive to be at present un peu dérangées. Adieu, Madcap, and believe me ever Your affectionate Friend and humble Servant BF PS. Don’t be proud of this long Letter. A Fit of the Gout which has confin’d me 5 Days, and made me refuse to see any Company, has given me a little time to trifle. Otherwise it would have been very short. Visitors and Business would have interrupted. And perhaps, with Mrs. Barrow, you wish they had.

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From The Analectic Magazine (1813-1820)

1817-05-01 · Philadelphia

‘ Figure mein your mind(sayshe) as jolly as formerly, andas strong and hearty, only a few years older; very plainly dressed, wearing my thin gray straight hair, that peeps out under my only coiffure, a fine fur cap; which comes down my forehead almost to my spectacles. Think how this must appear among the powdered heads of Paris! I wish every lady and gentlemen in France would only be so obliging as to follow my fashion, comb their own heads as I do mine, dismiss their /friseurs, and pay me half the money they paid to them. You see the gentry might well afford this, and I could then enlist these /riseurs, (who are at least. 100,000) and with the money I would maintain them, make a visit with them to England, and dress the heads of your ministers and pri- vy counsellors; which I conceive at present to be un feu déeran- gees. Acieu! madcap; and believe me ever, your affectionate friend, and humble servant. B. FRANKLIN. ‘P. S. Don’t be proud of this long letter. <A fit of the gout which has confined me five days, and made me refuse to see com- pany, has given me a little time to trifle; otherwise it would have been very short, visitors and business would have interrupted: and perhaps, with Mrs. Barrow, you wish they had’

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From The Monthly Review 1749-1844

1817-05-01

‘ I know you wish you could see me, but as you can’t I will de- scribe myself to you. Figure me in your mind as jolly as formerly and as strong and hearty, only a few years older; very plainly, dressed, wearing my thin grey straight hair, that peeps out under my only cozffure, a fine fur cap, which comes down my forehead almost to my spectacles.* Think how this must appear among the powdered heads of Paris! I wish every lady and gentleman m France would only be so obliging as to follow my fashion, comb their own heads, as I do mine, dismiss-their friseurs, and pay me half the money they paid to them. You see the gentry might well afford this, and I could then enlist these friseurs, who are at least 100,000, and with the money I would maintain them, make a visit with them to England, and dress ‘the heads of your ministers and privy counsellors; which I conceive at present to be un peu dérangées.’ dé. :

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From The Edinburgh Review, or Critical Journal 1802-1910

1817-08-01 · Edinburgh, Scotland

Royalist), as well as too saucy, in calling me rebel; you should wait for the event, which will determine whether it isa rebel- lion or only a revolution.’ After mentioning how happy he i

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From The Edinburgh Review, or Critical Journal 1802-1910

1817-08-01 · Edinburgh, Scotland

to hear of some one’s good fortune, he adds— Pray learn, if ‘you have not already learnt, like me, to be pleased with ‘ other people’s pleasures, and happy with their happiness when ‘none occur of your own; then, perhaps, you will not so soon ‘be weary of the place you chance to be in, and so fond of ‘rambling to get rid of your ennui. I fancy you have hit up- ‘on the right reason of your being weary of St. Omers, viz. ‘that you are out of temper, which is the effect of full living ‘and idleness. A month in Bridewell, beating hemp. upon ‘ bread and water, would give you health and spirits, and sub- ‘ sequent cheerfulness and contentment with every other situa- ‘tion. I prescribe that regimen for you, my dear, in pure ‘good will, without a fee. And let me tell you, if you do not ‘ get into temper, neither Brussels nor Lisle will suit ‘you.’ I. 28

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From Leisure Hour, an Illustrated Magazine for Home Reading 1852-1905

1854-12-21 · London, England

early, Hussy,” he writes to a fair royalist, “as well as too saucy, in calling me vebeZ. You should wait for the event, which will determine whether it is only a rebellion or a revolution.” But while the event was yet uncertain, the suspense of thos

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From The Nation 1865-2014

1888-04-26 · New York City, New York

a rebel: ‘* You should wait for the event, which € acti ' will determine whether it is a rebellion or only physical laws <« ~ a revolution.” A now obsolete sense attaches | shane t

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From Godey's Magazine (1892-1898)

1896-12-01 · New York

from Turgot, exclaimed from the trib- une of the National Assembly: ‘ An- tiquity would have raised altars to the powerful genius, who, for the good of man, embracing in his thought heaven and earth, could subdue lightning and tyrants.’ ” Franklin gives us a humorous de- scription of himself at this time in a letter written from Paris to Mrs. Thompson, in February, 1777: “Figure me in your mind as jolly as formerly, and as strong and hearty, only a few years older; very plainly dressed, wearing my thin, gray, straight hair, that peeps out under my only coiffure, a fine fur cap, which comes down my GODEY’S MAGAZINE forehead almost to my spec- tacles.”

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From Century Illustrated Magazine (1881-1906)

1898-12-01 · New York

spondent: “ Don’t be proud of this long letter. A fit of the gout, which has confined me five days and made me refuse to receive company, has given me a little time to trifle.” In 1779 another seizure further interfered with hi

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From Century Illustrated Magazine (1881-1906)

1899-07-01 · New York

» You are too early, hussy, as well as too saucy, in calling me rebel; you should wait for the event, which will determine whether it is a rebellion or only a revolution. Here the ladies are more civil; they call us les insurgens, a character that usually pleases them; and methinks all other women who smart, or have smarted, under the tyranny of a bad husband, ought to be fixed in revolution prin- ciples, and act accordingly.

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