power be lodged somewhere, to regulate its general commerce: this can be placed nowhere so properly as in the Parliament of Great Britain; and therefore, though that power has in some instances been executed with great partiality to Britain, and prejudice to the Colonies, they have nevertheless always submitted to it. Custom-houses are established in all of them, by virtue of laws made here, and the duties constantly paid, except by a few smugglers, such as are here and in all countries; but internal taxes laid on them by Parliament, are still and ever will be objected to, for the reasons that you will see in the mentioned Examination.

Upon the whole, I have lived so great a part of my life in Britain, and have formed so many friendships in it, that I love it, and sincerely wish it prosperity; and therefore wish to see that Union, on which alone I think it can be secured and established. As to America, the advantages of such a union to her are not so apparent. She may suffer at present under the arbitrary power of this country; she may suffer for a while in a separation from it; but these are temporary evils that she will outgrow. Scotland and Ireland are differently circumstanced. Confined by the sea, they can scarcely increase in numbers, wealth and strength, so as to overbalance England. But America, an immense territory, favoured by Nature with all advantages of climate, soil, great navigable rivers, and lakes, &c. must become a great country, populous and mighty; and will, in a less time than is generally conceived, be able to shake off any shackles that may be imposed on her, and perhaps place them on the imposers. In the mean time, every act of oppression will sour their tempers, lessen greatly, if not annihilate the profits of your commerce with them, and hasten their final revolt;

for the seeds of liberty are universally found there, and nothing can eradicate them. And yet, there remains among that people, so much respect, veneration and affection for Britain, that, if cultivated prudently, with kind usage, and tenderness for their privileges, they might be easily governed still for ages, without force, or any considerable expence. But I do not see here a sufficient quantity of the wisdom, that is necessary to produce such a conduct, and I lament the want of it.

I borrowed at Millar's the new edition of your Principles of Equity, and have read with great pleasure the preliminary discourse on the Principles of Morality. I have never before met with any thing so satisfactory on the subject. While reading it, I made a few remarks as I went along. They are not of much importance, but I send you the paper.

I know the lady you mention;' having, when in England before, met her once or twice at Lord Bath's. I remember I then entertained the same opinion of her that you express. On the strength of your kind recommendation, I purpose soon to wait on her.

This is unexpectedly grown a long letter. The visit to Scotland, and the Art of Virtue, we will talk of hereafter. It is now time to say, that I am, with increasing esteem and affection, my dear friend, yours ever,2 B. FRANKLIN.

1 Mrs. Montagu. — ED.

2 "This excellent letter, as appears by a subsequent one, from the same hand, was in all probability intercepted, as it was not received by Lord Kames in the regular course of communication. Dr. Franklin, however, having preserved a copy, transmitted it two years afterwards to his correspondent. The opinions it conveyed were thus probably well known to the persons at the head of administration. It had been happy, if they had paid them that attention, which the wisdom of the counsels they contained deserved." -Tytler's "Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the Honourable Henry Home of Kames," Vol. II, pp. 99, 112.- - ED.

428. TO JOHN ROSS1

DEAR SIR,

London, April 11, 1767.

I received your favour of December 8th and February 22d, and thank you for the particular accounts you send me of affairs on your side the water, which are very agreeable to me to read.

Here public affairs are in great disorder; a strong opposition against the ministry, which, at the same time, is thought not to be well united; and daily apprehensions of new changes make it extremely difficult to get forward with business. We must use patience. This satisfaction we have, that there is scarce a man of weight, in or out of the ministry, that has not now a favourable opinion of the proposed change of government in the Proprietary colonies; but during the present violent heats, occasioned by some conduct of the Assemblies of New York and Boston, and which the opposition aggravate highly in order to distress the friends of America in the present ministry, nothing so little interesting to them as our application can get forward.

Your messages on the Circuit-Bill are not yet arrived. I much want to see them.

I send you a little essay of an inscription to the memory of my departed, amiable young friend, whose loss I deplore with you most sincerely. If it has been long coming to your hand, I hope that has occasioned your being furnished with another and a better. The style is simple and plain, and more proper for such things than affected ornamental expression.

1 From "Life and Correspondence of George Read, by William Thompson Read," Phila., 1870, p. 47.—ED.

I am looking out for a chariot for you, which I shall send you soon as possible.

With great esteem, I am, dear friend, yours affectionately, B. FRANKLIN.

429. TO CADWALLADER EVANS1

DEAR DOCTOR,

London, May 5, 1767.

I received your obliging favour of May 16th. I am always glad to hear from you, when you have leisure to write, and I expect no apologies for your not writing. I wish all correspondence was on the foot of writing and answering when one can, or when one is disposed to it, without the compulsions of ceremony. I am pleased with your scheme of a Medical Library at the Hospital; and I fancy I can procure you some donations among my medical friends here, if you will send me a catalogue of what books you already have. Enclosed I send you the only book of the kind in my possession here, having just received it as a present from the author. It is not yet published to be sold, and will not be for some time, till the second part is ready to accompany it.

I thank you for your remarks on the gout. They may be useful to me, who have already had some touches of that distemper. As to Lord Chatham, it is said that his constitution is totally destroyed and gone, partly through the violence of the disease, and partly by his own continual quacking with it. There is at present no access to him. He is said to be not capable of receiving, any more than of giving, advice.

1 First printed by Sparks.

But still there is such a deference paid to him, that much business is delayed on his account, that so when entered on it may have the strength of his concurrence, or not be liable to his reprehension, if he should recover his ability and activity. The ministry, we at present have, has not been looked upon, either by itself or others, as settled, which is another cause of postponing every thing not immediately necessary to be considered. New men, and perhaps new measures, are often expected and apprehended, whence arise continual cabals, factions, and intrigues among the outs and ins, that keep every thing in confusion. And when affairs will mend is very uncertain. With great esteem I am, dear friend, yours affectionately,

B. FRANKLIN.

430. TO JOSEPH GALLOWAY1

DEAR SIR,

London, June 13, 1767.

In my last of May 20th, I mentioned my hopes that we should at length get over all obstructions to the repeal of the act restraining the legal tender of paper money; but those hopes are now greatly lessened.

The ministry had agreed to the repeal, and the notion that had possessed them, that they might make a revenue from paper money in appropriating the interest by Parliament, was pretty well removed by my assuring them, that it was my opinion no colony would make money on those terms, and that the benefits arising to the commerce of this country in America from a plentiful currency would therefore be lost, and the

1 Printed from "The Works of Benjamin Franklin " (Duane), Phila. 1817, Vol. VI, p. 245. Galloway was Speaker of the Assembly. — ED.