Benjamin Franklin | “Purposing to embark for America in a few Days …”

Benjamin Franklin

Autograph letter signed (“BFranklin”) to Henry Home, Lord Kames (“Lord Kaims,” at foot of page), one page (228 x 183 mm) on a disjunct bifolium of laid paper (watermarked JWhatman&Co), London, 14 March 1775, bidding goodbye to Lord Kames and introducing Benjamin Duffield, with a four-line autograph postscript written longitudinally in the left margin, integral leaf with autograph address “Lord Kaims | Edinburgh | per Mr. Duffield” and with a fine black-wax impression of Franklin’s heraldic seal (Argent on a bend between two lions' heads erased gules, a dolphin embowed of the first between two martlets or); address panel soiled, address leaf trimmed at upper and lower margins, seal tear. Half blue morocco folding-case gilt, chemise.

After a more than six-year lapse in their discursive and stimulating correspondence (although the two met in Edinburgh in 1771), Franklin takes leave of perhaps his closest Scottish friend, who was nearing his eightieth birthday, in this the final letter they are known to have exchanged:

“Purposing to embark for America in a few Days, I cannot depart without taking Leave of my dear Lord Kaims, to whose Civilities and Friendship I have been so much oblig’d, and for whom I shall ever retain the sincerest Esteem and Affection.”

Franklin then acknowledges the recent publication of Kames’s influential polygenist monograph, Sketches of the History of Man. “I congratulate you cordially on the Success of your last Work. It does you great Honour. I hear it every where well spoken of. I almost envy the Abilities you continue to possess of instructing, delighting and being useful at so late a Period in Life; of still going through so much Business with so much Ease to yourself; and of employing your Leisure so advantageously to others.” (Of course, Franklin, too, retained his abilities to a late period in life.)

The letter closes with an especially warm valediction, “May every kind of Felicity attend you and your good Lady, is the sincere parting Wish of Your affectionate and most obedient humble Servant.” But after this “parting Wish,” Franklin added an extensive postscript in the left margin regarding the bearer of the letter, Benjamin Duffield (see previous lot): “Mr. Duffield, who will have the Honour of presenting this to your Hands is a young Gentleman for whom I have a great Regard. He at present studies Physic in your University. I beg leave to recommend him to your Protection.”

This letter was written at a crossroads in Franklin’s personal and political lives. He had recently learned of the death of his wife of forty-four years, Deborah Read Franklin, with whom he had hoped to reunite in Philadelphia. This is the reason for the letter being sealed with a black-wax impression of his heraldic seal (and explains the neat excision of Franklin’s seal from the letter in the preceding lot by some sigillographer).

And less than a week after writing this letter to Lord Kames, Franklin was sailing homeward to Pennsylvania. While he was at sea, the Battles of Lexington and Concord inaugurated the military action of the American Revolution. Although he was in Philadelphia for just a year and a half—arriving from London aboard the Pennsylvania Packet in May 1775 and weighing anchor on the USS Reprisal for Paris in October 1776—Franklin devoted himself entirely to the patriot cause, serving as President of the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, a delegate to the Continental Congress, the nation’s first Postmaster General, and President of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention.

REFERENCES

Papers of Benjamin Franklin, ed. Willcox, 21:523–524

PROVENANCE

Deposited in the Scottish Record Office by a Family Trust of Kames’s Descendants (pencilled accession number on verso of letter, “Abercairny” stamp on address leaf) — Sold by the Trust (Christie’s London, 29 June 1995, lot 515) — Roger D. Judd (Christie’s New York, 12 June 2019, lot 111)