Benjamin Franklin, Self-Revealed, Volume 1 (of 2): A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own WritingsBruce, Wiliam Cabell
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Benjamin Franklin, Self-Revealed, Volume 1 (of 2): A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own Writings
Bruce, Wiliam Cabell
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
The next words in the letter are also full of effervescing gaiety: "This
Letter shall cost you a Shilling, and you may consider it cheap, when you
reflect, that it has cost me at least 50 Guineas to get into the Situation,
that enables me to write it. Besides, I might, if I had staied at home,
have won perhaps two Shillings of you at Cribbidge."
Among the best of his subsequent letters is the one--instinct with his
usual wisdom and good feeling--in which he advises Polly to return to her
aunt, Mrs. Tickell, as soon as a temporary separation was at an end, and
continue by every means in her power, no matter how sorely tried by her
aunt's infirmities, to make the remainder of the latter's days as
comfortable as possible. Polly adopted the advice of this letter, and
reaped her reward not only in the gratified sense of duty, upon which the
letter laid such emphasis, but also in the fortune which she received upon
the death of Mrs. Tickell.
In 1770, she was married to Dr. William Hewson, a brilliant physician, who
was prematurely cut off by surgical infection, leaving her the mother of
three young children. It was probably of him that she wrote to Franklin
from Margate in the year preceding her marriage with him that she had met
with a very sensible physician the day before and would not have Franklin
or her mother surprised if she should run off with this young man. To be
sure, this would be an imprudent step at the discreet age of thirty; but
there was no saying what one should do, if solicited by a man of an
insinuating address and good person, though he might be too young for one,
and not yet established in his profession. The letter began with a welcome
to Franklin, who had just returned from the Continent, and he was quick to
respond with a pleasantry to her communication about the young physician.
There are certain circumstances in Life, sometimes [he
said], wherein 'tis perhaps best not to hearken to
Reason. For instance; possibly, if the Truth were
known, I have Reason to be jealous of this same
insinuating, handsome young Physician; but as it
flatters more my Vanity, and therefore gives me more
Pleasure, to suppose you were in Spirits on acct of
my safe Return, I shall turn a deaf Ear to Reason in
this Case, as I have done with Success in twenty
others.
In a subsequent letter, Franklin tells Polly that her mother has been
complaining of her head more than ever before.
If she stoops, or looks, or bends her Neck downwards,
on any occasion, it is with great Pain and Difficulty,
that she gets her Head up again. She has, therefore,
borrowed a Breast and Neck Collar of Mrs. Wilkes, such
as Misses wear, and now uses it to keep her Head up.
Mr. Strahan has invited us all to dine there to-morrow,
but she has excused herself. Will you come, and go with
me? If you cannot well do that, you will at least be
with us on Friday to go to Lady Strachans.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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