1720
(rev. 7/22/98)

Personal: BF moved out of his parents' home around 1719 or 1720 and, with his older brother and employer, James Franklin (JF), lived and boarded elsewhere. During 1720, BF borrowed books from booksellers' apprentices and from Matthew Adams (A11). He read Pliny's Natural History as a youth, feeling superior to what he thought were tall tales, some of which later proved to be true(P 20:464). He stopped attending church to read, "Sunday being my Studying-Day" (A76). Books were his love and passion--and the key to his possible future escape from the confining role of a tradesman. Extended discussions of his early reading may be found in Parton, 1:44-51, 60-72; Ketcham, 8-31; and Tourtellot, 165-94. To his French friends, Franklin mentioned that "a bad translation of" Pascal's Les Provinciales was among the books that influenced him most. Pierre J. G. Cabanis recorded Franklin's saying Pascal "ravished" him and that he reread the Provincial Letters several times. Even when BF was an old man, Les Provinciales, according to Cabanis, was one of the French books that Franklin most admired (see end of year). During 1720 or 1721, he bought an odd volume of the Spectator essays (a cancelled passage said that it was the third volume) and taught himself to write by rewriting Addison and Steele's Spectator essays (A13-14).

Business: At the beginning of the year, JF had just started printing the Boston Gazette for William Brooker, whose proprietorship was mentioned in the 11 Jan issue. But before 14 March, Philip Musgrave became the Boston postmaster. The exact date that Musgrave became owner of the Gazette is unknown. Throughout the first half of 1720, the colophon for the Boston Gazette continuously announced, "Printed by J. Franklin and may be had at the Post Office, where Advertisements are taken in." Since the postmaster ran the post office, Musgrave evidently took over the paper by 14 March. The last extant issue of the Boston Gazette printed by JF is 1 Aug. His colophon still read the same. The 8 and 15 August Gazette issues are not extant, and the Boston Gazette for 22 August was printed by "S. Kneeland, and may be had at the Post-Office, where Advertisements are taken in." On 26 September the paper gave the post office's location: "Boston Printed by S. Kneeland, for Philip Musgrave, Post Master, at his Office in Corn-Hill, where Advertisements are taken in."

Probably because he was printing the Boston Gazette every Monday through at least 1 Aug, JF printed fewer imprints in 1720 than 1719. Campbell found only five (including the BG). First came Thomas Robie's Letter on a meteor (5 Jan) published for bookseller Daniel Henchman. That publication certainly interested BF, for Robie proved that the supposed meteor was actually a display of the aurora borealis. Robie thus introduced Franklin to a subject that fascinated him all his life and upon which, at the end of 1778, he wrote a paper giving his own hypothesis explaining the aurora borealis (P 28:190-200). Franklin probably cared little about the imprints concerning the New North Church disputes, Peter Thacher's Brief Declaration and, slightly later, his Vindication of the New-North Church.

Benjamin Colman anonymously entered a local political quarrel with Some Reasons and Arguments ... for the Setting Up Markets in Boston, which JF printed for S. Gerrish and J. Edwards. Advertised in the 4 March 1719/20 BG as "Just Published," the 14-page duodecimo was dated "Boston, Feb 29, 1719[/20]." Opposing the argument that the individual farmer could sell his produce more advantageously if he were not associated with a large market, Colman, minister of the Brattle Street Church, thought it would benefit both farmers and customers to have an official market. For Daniel Henchman, JF printed a pamphlet on the paper money controversy, [Edward Wigglesworth], A Letter from one in the Country (16 May), a duodecimo of 24 pages. BF must have followed the Boston currency publications closely; when he took up the question of paper currency in the "Busy-Body" essays on 27 March 1729, he clearly had read widely on the subject. In the summer, JF printed [Cotton Mather], News from Robinson Cruso's Island (ante 13 July). He reprinted Cotton Mather's Right Way to Shake Off a Viper shortly after Increase Mather added a preface dated 1 Sept. In Sept he printed A Catalogue of Choice English Books, an octavo of 36 pages, for Samuel Gerrish; the books went on view 5 Oct.

Since the publication dates are unknown, Samuel Stone's Short Catechism (which JF reprinted for Daniel Henchman) and Jonathan Burt's broadside A Lamentation Occasion'd by the Great Sickenss & Lamented Death of divers Eminent Persons in Springfield are listed at year-end.

Massachusetts Politics: Thomas Hutchinson wrote that in 1720 the "contests and dissentions in the government rose to a greater height than they had done since the religious feuds in the year 1636 and 37." History 2:174. The General Court of Massachusetts for 1720 met on 25 May. Elisha Cooke was elected Speaker, and Nathaniel Byfield and Dr. John Clarke were elected councillors. The former Speaker, John Burril of Lynn, was elected a councillor. Gov. Shute negatived Cooke as Speaker (25 May) and negatived Nathaniel Byfield and John Clarke as councillors (28 May). The House disputed Shute's authority to negative a Speaker and refused to choose another, upon which Shute dissolved it (30 May). Cooke's Just and Seasonable Vindication (post 6 June) denied the governor's ability under the Charter to negative the Speaker; condemned John Bridger, Surveyor General of His Majesty's Woods; and claimed that he (Cooke) had tried to eliminate all personal conflicts between himself and the governor. The Court for 1720-1721 met on 13 July, when the House elected Timothy Lindall Speaker, to 23 July, from 2 Nov to 17 Dec 1720, and from 15 to 31 March 1721.

The clergy (except the Rev. John Wise and a few others) had alienated the populace by siding with Governor Samuel Shute. Reporting to the British authorities after his return in 1723, Shute claimed that many country people and especially the Bostonians were "too much dispos'd to a levelling spirit, too apt to be mutinous and disorderly, and to support the House of Representatives, in any steps they take towards encroaching on the Prerogative of the Crown." But, he reported, "the whole Clergy of the Province, as well as the generality of the People, are zealously affected to your Majesty's person, and Government" (?March 1723). As we have seen, Cotton Mather was Shute's special partisan. He wrote a pamphlet attacking Cooke and the Old Charter party, News from Robinson Cruso's Island (late June). To discredit Mather, his letter to Shute's brother praising the governor, which had appeared in the London Flying Post 16 May 1719, was reprinted in Boston together with his speech of 30 May 1717, A Letter to John Shute Barrington (see year-end). Mather's support of Shute alienated the general public, and the ministers' general support of Shute partially explains why some persons held them in contempt (15 July). John Colman and other authors told the Rev. Edward Wigglesworth and Cotton Mather that their opinions and understandings in non-theological matters were amateurish (19 July; post 19 Dec). Public disdain for the limitations of the clergy was a new note in Massachusetts politics.

The representatives, who had paid Gov. Shute £800 for his short time in office in 1716 (4 Dec 1716 and 12 April 1717), £1200 for 1717 (21 June and 19 Nov 1717 and 14 Feb 1717/8), £1200 for 1718 (3 July and 3Dec 1718), and £1200 for 1719 (30 June and 5 Dec 1719), now delayed his salary to 23 July and then awarded him only £500 (rather than the L600 for the half year's salary as in the preceding years) in the continually depreciating Massachusetts paper currency. After the House again paid him only £500 on 15 Dec, the Council asked for more and was refused (16 Dec). The governor then complained (17 Dec), to no avail. Payment of the governor was one example of the control that the Massachusetts assembly held over the executive.

The Anglican John Checkley (a future Couranteer, i.e., contributor to the New England Courant) attacked the Calvinistic doctrines of election and predestination in Choice Dialogues Between a Godly Minister & and Honest Countryman. Checkley's former friend the Rev. Thomas Walter answered with A Choice Dialogue Between John Faustus a Conjurer and Jack Tory his Friend. In his Choice Dialogues and in his first Courant piece, Checkley's anti-aristocratic use of an incipient country bumpkin persona with mother wit probably delighted young Franklin.

International Background: The collapse of the South Sea Bubble in September contributed to an economic recession throughout Great BRitain and the British colonies that began late in the the year.

Chronology:

2 Jan, Saturday. Sewall: "Council: Governor asks Advice what to say to [Nicholas] Boon[e], who had printed the Deputies additional Answer to his Speech contrary to his express Command? Council made little answer, not knowing what to say. Governor seem'd angry, and said he must Represent it home; he would leave no Stone unturn'd." Diary 2:937.

4 Jan, Monday, 1719/20, BG: "And whereas some few Merchants have made their Objections against the Possibility of carrying on an exact Price Current (in the manner proposed in the first and second of these Papers) by reason of the different Prices given for the same Commodities. This Part therefore is particularly address'd to those of this Town, desiring their unbias'd Opinions, Whether the continuing of the said Price Current in the Method already mentioned, will not be a means of promoting in general the Trade of this Place or the contrary? And it is hereby promised, That an entire Regard shall be had to the greatest Part of such Merchants Sentiments, whose Judgments in Trade are unquestionable; it being the chief Design of this Undertaking to endeavour to advance, but not prejudice Trade." Cf. 21 Dec 1719.

5 Jan, Tuesday. BG ad of 4 Jan: "To Morrow [5 Jan] will be publish'd: [Thomas Robie], A Letter to a certain Gentleman desiring a particular Account may be given of a wonderful Meteor that appeared in N. Engl. on Dec 11, 1719. in the Evening. Sold by D. Henchman over against the Brick Meeting" (Boston: JF, for Daniel Henchman, 1720). Campbell X16; Evans 2171.

6 Jan, Wednesday, BF became 14.

6 Jan (b). Sewall attended private prayer meeting, probably with Josiah Franklin present. Diary 2:938.

27 Jan, Wednesday, some members of the New North Church in Boston rioted when Peter Thacher was ordained as their minister. See Peter Thacher, A Brief Declaration of Mr. Peter Thacher and Mr. John Webb, Pastors of the New North Church in Boston (Boston: J. Franklin for D. Henchman, 1720[/1]. Not in Campbell; Evans 2187. Then appeared [Alexander Seares], An Account of the Reasons Why a Considerable Number . . . could not Consent to Mr. Peter Thacher's Ordination there ([Boston]: 1720[\1]). Sabin 78621. In reply came [Peter Thacher], A Vindication of the New-North-Church in Boston (Boston: J. Franklin for Daniel Henchman, 1720[\1]); Campbell X14 (attrib to Colman); Evans 2104. Note: Though the last pamphlet has often been attributed to Benjamin Colman, Shipton, Harvard Graduates, 4:303-08, established Thacher's authorship.

3 Feb, Wednesday. Sewall: "Great Rain. Meeting is at Brother Manly's. Only Mr. Franklin and I were there; Mrs. Frost and her Relations made more Women than Men, which made me mention the Assembly of Women where Lydia was [Acts xvi, 13, 14]. With Mr. Fopdick, we made but 4 Men. Invited the Meeting, and the Frosts." Diary 2:941. Cf. 8 Sept 1708.

17 Feb, Wednesday. Gov. Shute to William Popple, Secretary to the Council of Trade and Plantations: "The 73rd article of my Instructions [giving him control of the press] has been notifyed to all the Printers, yet Nathaniel Boone has not only printed a book without license but has even ventured to print what I have absolutly forbidden; upon which I summoned the Council and acquainted them with H.M. Instructions, who told me they could not find out any method to punish the printer because there was no law against it." He asks further instructions in the matter. CSP, Colonial 1719-20, 357. Cf. 10 Dec 1719.

4 March, Friday, BG ad: "Just Publish'd: [Benjamin Colman], Some Reasons and Arguments offered to the good people of Boston and adjacent places for the setting up Markets in Boston. Sold by S. Gerrish and J. Edwards, at their Shops." (Boston: J. Franklin for Gerrish and Edwards, 1719[/20]). Campbell X6. Evans 2019; Ford, Mass. Broadsides, no. 451; Sabin 6732; and Lawrence C. Wroth, "The Colonial Scene," PAAS 60 (1950): 86-87.

14 March, Monday. Sewall: "Anniversary Town-Meeting. Mr. Cooke is chosen Moderator; Selectmen as last year." Diary 2:943.

14 March (b): At a Boston town meeting, Josiah Franklin was chosen a scavenger for the following year. RRC 8:151.

14 March (c). BG: "Whoever has lost a Triangle Steel Seal, with a Coat of Arms cut thereon, may have it again, paying the charge of this Advertisement. Enquire of Mr. Musgrave Post-Master in Cornhill." Evidently Philip Musgrave had by 14 March taken over the Boston postmastership from William Brooker. See below, 1 Aug. Since the Boston Gazette's colophon read: "Printed by JF and may be had at the Post Office, where Advertisements are taken in," JF may now have been printing the paper for Philip Musgrave, rather than William Brooker. See 1 Aug and 26 Sept.

30 March, Wednesday. Samuel Franklin (half-brother of BF) died. P 1:lvii.

2 April, Saturday. Former Governor Joseph Dudley died. See 8 April.

8 April, Friday. Joseph Dudley buried. Sewall: "Were very many people, spectators out of windows, on Fences and Trees, like Pigeons. The Bells in Boston were rung for the Funeral; which was finished when the Sun was near an hour high." Diary 2:945.

11 April, Monday, BG ad: "Just Published, a small Book entituled, [John Colman], The Distressed State of the Town of Boston, &c. Considered in a letter from a Gentleman in the Town to his Friend in the Country. To be sold by N. Boone, B. Gray, and J. Edwards, Booksellers in Boston." No printer given. Evans 2105; Sabin 14536. See 28 April below. Reprinted in A. M. Davis, ed., Colonial Currency Reprints, 1:3997-408. Colman enraged the government by asking that "our good Friends in the Country will consider our miserable circumstances, & send such Men to Represent them next May as may be Spirited for our Relief, not Sheriffs and Lawyers, who are the only Men who are benefited by the straights of their Neighbours." Davis, Colonial 1:407. Cotton Mather, 2 Feb 1716/7, called John Colman "A very abusive Creature, in whom the three parts of the Satanic Image, Pride, Malice, and Falsehood, are very Conspicuous, must be pittied and pray'd for." Diary 2:397.

12 April, Tuesday. "At a Council ... His Excellency Communicating to the Board a Pamphlet lately Printed ... The Distressed State of the Town of Boston ... The Board were of Opinion, That the said Pamphlet contains in it many Passages Reflecting upon the Acts and Laws of the Province, and other proceedings of the Government; And has a tendency to disturb the Administration of the Government, as well as the Publick Peace. And thereupon Voted That the Justices of the Peace at their General Sessions Enquire after the Author and Publisher of the said Pamphlet, and proceed therein according to Law and Justice." Printed in BNL 14 April. Colman was arrested, gave bond, and on 5 July his recognizance was discharged. Davis, Col. Currency Reprints 1:409. PCSM 6:83-89.

Sewall noted: "The Govr. in Council said he had met with a Libel; producing it; it appeared to be the distressed estate of Boston. I had not seen it before. Council order'd the Sessions to inquire after the Author and printers and to do with them according to the Law." Diary 2:946.

22 April, Friday. At a meeting of the Boston selectmen, "Liberty is Granted to Mr. Josiah Frankling to digg open the Highway in Union Street for the Laying his celler drain into the common Shore there. Provided he Lay the Same with Brick or Stone as the Law directs, and that he forth with repair & make good that part of the Said Highway where he Shall So digg." RRC 13: 68.

25 April, Monday, BG ad: "The Printer hereof [JF] Prints Linens, Callicoes, Silks, &c in good Figures, very lively and durable Colours, and without the offensive Smell which commonly attends the Linens Printed here." Cf. 9 May.

27 April, Wednesday. At 2pm, the Boston town meeting elected Elisha Cooke, Oliver Noyes, Isaiah Tay, and William Clark its representatives. RRC 13: 68.

28 April, Friday, Governor William Dummer issued A Proclamation for Detecting the Writer of a certain Paper, dated 28 April, for determining the author of Distressed State. Ford, Mass. Broadsides, no. 456. Printed in the BNL 2 May.

9 May, Monday, BG ad: "The Printer hereof having dispers'd Advertisements of his Printing Callicoes, &c. a certain Person in Charleston, to rob him of the Benefit of said Advertisements and impose upon Strangers, calls himself by the Name of Franklin, having agreed with one in Queen Street Boston to take in his Work. There are to desire him to be satisfyed with his proper Name, or he will be proceeded against according to Law." Ford, Mass. Broadsides no. 449. Cf. 25 April.

ante 16 May. [John Valentine], The Postscript (Boston: [no printer], 1720). Bristol 592; Evans mp. 39732; Ford, Mass Broadsides, no. 463. Sabin 98355. A reply to Colman's Distressed State. Reprinted in Davis, Col. Currency Reprints, 1:445-52. For the date, see next entry.

16 May, Monday, 1720 BG ad: "Just Published: [Edward Wigglesworth]. A Letter from one in the Country to his Friend in Boston, containing some remarks upon a late Pamphlet, Entituled, The Distressed State of the Town of Boston, &c. Sold by Daniel Henchman at his Shop; where may be had the Postscript to the said Letter" (Boston: J. Franklin, for D. Henchman, 1730). Campbell X15; Evans 2128; Sabin 103900. A 24-page duodecimo, dated at the end 23 April 1720. Reprinted in Davis, Tracts 247-78; and in Davis, Col. Currency Reprints 1:416-42. Since Edward Wigglesworth had served as an usher under Nathaniel Williams at the Boston Latin School, he had briefly been BF's teacher. BF may have set the pamphlet in print; he surely read it. Wigglesworth opposed John Colman's plea for a paper currency in The Distressed State of the Town of Boston (Evans 2105), which had been advertised in the 11 April BNL. Wigglesworth advocated frugality as the answer. Franklin probably thought they were both partly right.

23 May Monday, BG ad: "Just Published: [Oliver Noyes], A Letter from a Gentleman, containing some Remarks upon the several Answers given unto Mr. Colman's, Entituled, The Distressed State of the Town of Boston, &c. To be sold by N. Boone, B. Gray, and J. Edwards, at their Shops; where may be had the Distressed State, and the Answer, with the Postscript." (Boston: Kneeland for Boone, Gray, and Edwards, 1720). Evans 2163. See Shipton 4:260-64. Reprinted in Davis, Col. Currency Reprints 2:3-17. Dated 16 May at the end of the text.

25 May (b). The assembly elected Elisha Cooke Speaker. In the afternoon Gov. Shute said that Cooke had formerly affronted him and negatived his choice as Speaker. The House denied his right to negative the speaker; the governor insisted upon it. The House, however, would not make a new choice. Nathaniel Byfield and Dr. John Clarke were among the councillors elected. Journals 2:228-29.

28 May, Saturday. Gov. Shute negatived the election of Nathaniel Byfield and Dr. John Clarke to the Council. Shute made a short speech to the House asking for a new speaker, but the House voted, "nemine Contradicente," not to elect someone else. Journals 2:232-33.

30 May, Monday. Gov. Shute dissolved the assembly. Journals 2:233.

1 June, Wednesday. Gov. Shute to the Board of Trade: "On the 25th of May the Assembly met, and thought fit to choose Elisha Cooke Esq. for their Speaker, upon which I sent a message down to the House that I would not accept of him. This is the gentleman I removed out of the Council for invading H.M. rights in the woods of Main, for which I had your Lordships' thanks; and has also illtreated me for which he was censured by the Council, and remains upon record in the Council Books. The House upon my refusing of him sent me word that they would not proceed to the choise of another; whereupon I continued the House sitting for five days to see if they could be brought to another choise, but finding they could not be prevailed upon I disolved them on the 30th of May. ... The common people of this Province are so perverse, that when I remove any person from the Council, for not behaving himself with duty towards H.M. or His orders, or for treating me H.M. Govr. ill, that he becomes their favourite, and is chose a Representative, where he acts as much as in his power, the same part that he did when in Council; of which Mr. Cooke is an instance, who strenuously opposed the King's Order in relation to the Impost Bill, in the House of Representatives." CSP 1720-1721 45.

6 June, Monday. BNL and BG printed Governor Shute's speeches negativing the Speaker and dissolving the Court.

post 6 June. Cooke replied to Shute's speech with his Just and Seasonable Vindication arguing that the governor had no right to negative the Speaker; for its second edition, see 11 July.

10 June, Friday. At 2 pm, Boston chose the same four representatives (Dr. John Clarke, Elisha Cooke, Oliver Noyes, and William Clark) to the General Court. RRC 13: 70.

11 June, Saturday. Gov. Shute to Board of Trade. "There has been a new election for the town of Boston where they have chosen Mr. [John] Clarke an apothecary whom I had removed from the Council for having strenuously opposed H.M. order in relation to the Impost bill and other misdemeanours." CSP 1720-21 48-49.

late June? JF probably printed [Cotton Mather], News from Robinson Cruso's Island [Boston: J. Franklin?, 1720]. Bristol 590; not in Campbell; Evans mp. 39730. Cf. Evans 2153. It replied to Elisha Cook's Just and Seasonable Vindication, and argued that the governor had the right to negative the choice of the representatives for their speaker. Cf. 13 July. Not in Holmes, Cotton Mather. Hutchinson, History 2: 185, attributed the pamphlet to Increase or Cotton Mather. So did A. M. Davis, Col. Currency Reprints, 2: 125. H. L. Dean, 69, thought the style was that of Cotton Mather and pointed out that the anonymous author of "A Letter to a Friend at New York, 1722" (PMHS 47 [1914]: 219-20) attributed the pamphlet to the author of a "Letter to John Shute Barrington," i.e., Cotton Mather (see year-end). Silverman, Cotton Mather, 323, thought the attribution to Mather was "quite certain" and pointed out that a reply [by Elisha Cooke, Jr.], Reflections upon Reflections: Or, More News from Robinson Cruso's Island in a Dialogue between a Country Representative and a Boston Gentleman, July 12, 1720 (Cruso's Island [Boston], 1720) also attributed it to Cotton Mather (see below, post 12 July). Finally, Nathaniel Gardner, in the second essay in the 14 Jan 1723 Courant, attributed it to Mather. David Shields, however, has suggested that Paul Dudley wrote News from Robinson Cruso's Island; see his Oracles of Empire 246, n.43. I believe the style is Cotton Mather's.

Mather also supported Shute in a sermon opposing paper currency, Concio Ad Populum (Boston: B. Green, 1719), Holmes no. 70, preached 12 March 1718/9; and in Mirabilia Dei (Boston: B. Green, 1719), Holmes no. 238.

Cotton Mather's letter to Shute's brother praising the governor (which had appeared in the London Flying Post 16 May 1719; see 13 July 1719) was reprinted (together with Mather's speech to Shute) in Boston to discredit Mather: A Letter to John Shute Barrington...with A Speech Made unto His Excellency Samuel Shute (Boston: [no pub], 1720). Evans 2042; Ford no. 446; Holmes, Cotton Mather nos. 197-b, and 372-b. See "A Letter to a Friend at New York, 1722," PMHS 47 (1914):219-20.

post 2 July Reflections upon the Present State of the Province. Boston: [no. printer]: for Benjamin Eliot & Daniel Henchman, 1720]. Evans 2169. The pamphlet is in the form of a letter dated 2 July. Advertised in BNL 1 Aug. Reprinted in Davis, Col. Currency Reprints 2:43-63. Cf. 12 July for a reply.

11 July, Monday, 1720: BG contained a brief article attacking Cooke.

11 July (b). BG ad: "To Morrow will be Publish'd: "The Second Impression of Mr. Cooke's Just and Seasonable Vindication, corrected and amended. Sold by the Booksellers in Boston." Evans 2110.

post 12 July. The date of the supposed conversation (12 July) on the title page of Reflections upon Reflections. For the pamphlet it answered, cf. post 2 July. [Elisha Cooke, Jr.], Reflections upon Reflections: Or, More News from Robinson Cruso's Island in a Dialogue between a Country Representative and a Boston Gentleman, July 12, 1720 (Cruso's Island [Boston], 1720). Evans 2111. Reprinted in Davis, Col. Currency Reprints 2: 109-26. After arguing that the governor did not have the right to negative the speaker, Cooke attacked Cotton Mather: "Whoever was the Author of that scandalous Pamphlet [News from Robinson Crusoe's Island], 'tis generally and on good grounds supposed to be one, whose Scribendi Cacoethes has made him famous on both sides the Atlantick, whose Brain is overcharged with so great a variety of News, that the Country feels themselves on many accounts the worse for him. The main Spring of his Learned Jargon seems to be, to fright the Country out of their Privileges, lest while they lawfully use them, they spit in the Face of Government: And having run his Parallel to a very great Length, anon he begins to utter grievous Menaces, and to roar and bellow like the Popes Bull, that we have by a Train of bad Usages compelled a good Spirited Governour to such an inflexible Resolution, that he will make us know he is our Governour: But with submission to his Holiness, We do know he is our Governour, (and as such wou'd have all due Regards paid him;) But what then? Must we therefore tamely and quietly give up all our Rights and Privileges; and so render our selves obnoxious to the Curse of succeeding Generations?" Davis, Col. Currency Reprints 2:118. At the end, the pamphlet reprinted Paul Dudley's infamous letter of 12 Jan 1703/4, stating: "This Country will never be worth living in for Lawyers and Gentleman, till the Charter is taken away."

13 July (b). Sewall: "Ge. Court meets, chuse Mr. Timothy Lindal Speaker; I think voted thrice. At first Dr. Clark had about 12 votes. Mr. Cooke had more than Lindal; but they divided, neither had the major part. Afterward Mr. Cooke stood at a stay, and Mr. Lindal increased till he was chosen. So that the industrious leaving out Mr. Tay, and bringing in Mr. Clark, prevented Mr. Cook's being chosen." Diary 2: 953. Sewall's point is that when the Bostonians elected Dr. John Clarke in place of the comparatively moderate Isaiah Tay, they split the Old Charter stalwarts between Cooke and Clarke, thus leading to the election of the more moderate Lindal.

13 July (c). [Cotton Mather's] "News from Robinson Crusoe's Island was ... publickly dispersed and given to many Members of this House at the Opening the Session in July last, wherein the Contriver of that Piece not being content to compare the Representatives at their last May Sessions to a parcel of men, who in an angry humour did things on purpose to shew their spite to your Excellency, and put a publick affront upon you, but goes on, and to compleat his wickedness, gives the Lie to a Report of a Committee of both Houses; and a Resolve of this House sent to Mr. Agent Dummer, of the Twenty-fourth of June, 1719." House of Representatives to Governor Shute, 21 March 1720/1; Journals 2:369. Duniway, Freedom of the Press, 96, n.1, commented: "Curiously enough, the records of the General Court for that date contain no reference to the matter."

15 July, Friday. The house of representatives heard testimony against Gershom Woodel, a member from Tiverton. "It Appearing by the said Declarations, which were Acknowledged by Mr. Woodel, to be true. That he has Exprest himself with great Enmity to the Ministers of this Province. Voted, That the said Mr. Woodel, be Expelled this House, as not worthy to continue a Member thereof." Journals 2:240. Cf. 4 Dec 1721.

19 July, Tuesday. "Tomorrow [19 July] will be published: A Book Entituled, The Distressed State of the Town of Boston Once more Considered, and methods for redress humbly proposed, with remarks on the pretended Country Man's Answer to the Book entituled, The Distressed State of the Town of Boston, &c. with a Scheme for a Bank laid down and Methods for bringing in Silver Money proposed. By John Colman. To be sold by Benjamin Gray at his Shop on the North Side of the Town house." BG ad, 18 July. No printer given. Evans 2106. Reprinted in Davis, Colonial 2:65-95. Colman condescended to Wigglesworth: "I would advise the Gentleman to stick to Divinity for the future, and have done with the Mysteries of Trade, I find they are too wonderful for him; and (as he seems to own) past his Comprehension. I like him much better in the Pulpit, there I'll willingly receive his Instructions; but now he is out of his Sphaere." Davis 2:82.

23 July, Saturday. House voted £500 salary for Gov. Shute. Journals 2:263. The House was paying the governor £200 less a year than it had previously. Since he was paid in the inflationary province bills, his salary was less than half what it would have been in sterling. (In June 1718, £210 Massachusetts currency was worth £100 sterling; and in Feb 1722, £250 Massachusetts currency was worh £100 sterling. See McCusker, Money and Exchange 148.) Cf. 12 April and 21 June 1717; 15 and 16 Dec 1720 and 15 and 21 March 1720/1.

1 Aug, Monday. The last surviving issue of the BG "Printed by J. Franklin, and may be had at the Post-Office, where Advertisements are taken in" appeared 1 Aug. The next two numbers, 34 and 35, for 8 and 15 Aug, are not extant. BG no. 36, 22 Aug 1720, was printed by "S. Kneeland, and may be had at the Post-Office, where Advertisements are taken in." Was it the same Post-Office? In no. 41, 26 Sepember, the imprint read: "Boston Printed by S. Kneeland, for Philip Musgrave, Post Master, at his Office in Corn-Hill, where Advertisements are taken in." Since Musgrave had identified himself on 14 March as "Post-Master in Cornhill," I suspect that Franklin was printing the Boston Gazette for him since before 14 March. Charles E. Clark, Public Prints, 291, n.28, speculated that Philip Musgrave either took over the Boston Gazette from William Brooker in March or in August, and that it was Musgrave who fired JF and hired Samuel Kneeland to print the paper. I agree, but think it more likely that Musgrave took over the paper in March.

26 September, Monday. BG: For the first time, a publisher's name, Philip Musgrave, appeared in the paper. Cf. 14 March and 1 September.

5 Oct, Wednesday. Books go on display for which JF printed the catalogue in Sept. Samuel Gerrish [A Catalogue of Choice English Books] for sale from Oct 11 to 20, 1720. Bristol 582; Evans mp 39722; Winans 6; a 36-page octavo.

12 Oct, Wednesday. Sewall: "Go to the Meeting at the Widow Emons's: Mr. Manly pray'd, I read half Mr. Henry's 12th Chapter of the L. Supper. Sung 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, and 12th Verses of the 30th Psalm. Brother Franklin concluded with Prayer." Diary 2:960. Cf. 8 Sept 1708.

1 Nov, Tuesday. Gov. Shute's proclamation "for preventing the destruction and spoil of his majesty's woods." Hutchinson, 2:187. Not in W. C. Ford, Massachusetts Broadsides.

9 Nov, Wednesday. Some Proposals to Benefit the Province (Boston: Eliot, 1720). By "F.M." Evans 2177. Sewall dated the copy at the American Antiquarian Society, 9 Nov. Greenough, "Defoe in Boston," PCSM 28 (1933): 492.

15 Dec, Thursday. House voted £500 salary to Gov. Shute. Journals 2:347.

16 Dec, Friday. "A Message from the Board ... That it is the unanimous Desire of the Board, considering the great Charge his Excellency the Governour has been at the year past, that the Allowance to his Excellency this year may not be less, than it has been for three years past.

"The Question being put, Whether any Addition be made to the Allowance to his Excellency the Governour? It pass'd in the Negative." Journals 2:350. Cf. 23 July 1720.

17 Dec, Saturday. Gov. Shute complained to the House that he had been paid £1,200 during the first three years of his administration, but only £1000 for the past year, despite "the value of the Bills of Credit, have been very much sunk since that time." The House, however, refused to consider the matter. Journals 2:352-53.

post 19 Dec, Monday. New News from Robinson Crusoe's Island (Boston [no pub.], 1720), E2153; rpt. Davis, Colonial 2:127-37. Dated at the end "Decemb. 19. 1720." The author particularly attacked (and condescended to) Cotton Mather, saying that he should stick to theology (cf. John Colman's condescension to Wigglesworth, 19 July). Both John Eyre and JF echoed Colman's restriction of the clergy's expertise to theology in 1721 (6 Nov and 4 Dec 1721).

Two JF 1720 imprints have no more specific date:

1. Samuel Stone. A Short Catechism drawn out of the Word of God. Boston: J. Franklin, for D. Henchman. Campbell X17; Evans 2181.

2. Jonathan Burt. A Lamentation Occasion'd by the Great Sickness & Lamented Deaths of divers Eminent Persons in Springfield. ... Writ, April 1712. Printed in [Boston by J. Franklin] the Year, 1720. No Campbell; Evans mp. 39719; Ford 450; Guerra a-46.

c. 1720, BF first read Blaise Pascal's Les Provinciales: Pierre J. G. Cabanis said that when Franklin told him about his early reading: "Nous avons su de lui qu'il lut aussi pour la première fois, vers le même temps, one assez mauvaise traduction de Provinciales: cette lecture le ravit; il la recommença plusieurs fois. Les Provinciales étaient un des livres français qu'il estimait le plus." Cabanis, Oeuvres Complètes de Cabanis, 5 vols. (Paris: Bossage Frères, 1823-25), 5:228. Before 1741, the Library Company had two copies of Les Provinciales, one in French; Catalogue 21, 47.