1725
(rev. 2/6/98)

Personal: While working for Samuel Palmer during the winter, BF became aware of the danger of lead poisoning from handling heated type (S 9:531). During February, BF set in type William Woolaston's The Religion of Nature Delineated. It inspired his first pamphlet, A Dissertation upon Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain (c. March). His earliest extant letter was written to Sir Hans Sloane, 2 June. Since Franklin blamed himself in the Autobiography for writing Deborah that he could not soon return to Philadelphia, and since biographers have generally censured Franklin for his treatment of Deborah, I record the ships sailing between London and Philadelphia from the date Franklin left, 5 Nov 1724, to July 1725, one month before Deborah's marriage, which took place on 5 Aug 1725, exactly nine months after BF sailed. In the fall, BF left Palmer's printing shop for the much larger establishment of John Watts (A 45). There he (unfairly, he thought) had to pay the usual newcomer's fee to the other workmen twice (A46), and there, because of his dringing water rather than beer, he became known as the "Water American" (A46). In the late fall or early winter, BF moved to Duke Street, "opposite to the Romanish Chapel," to save money and to be closer to work (A47).

Background: To give the flavor of London in Franklin's first visit, I reprint a few events from the London newspapers.

Business: I list Palmer's and Watts's most interesting imprints at the year-end. Franklin surely worked on some of them.

Activities and Social Life: In the Outline for the Autobiography, BF mentioned several topics not covered in the Autobiography, including "Wilkes. Cibber. Plays. Books I borrowed. Preachers I heard. Redmayne" (A203). Wilks and Cibber managered and acted at the Drury Lane theater. I therefore list the Saturday night plays that the Drury Lane put on for the first three months Franklin was in London. He may not have seen any of them, but he probably saw several. "Books I borrowed" has too many possibilities for me to guess at which books he borrowed. I suspect that he borrowed hundreds from the bookseller John Wilcox. "Preachers I heard" provides another opportunity for informed guessing. I think he would have tried to hear London's most famous preachers, and I list some that I think most likely. As for the wonderful clue "Redmayne," I skimmed all the London papers that I could in a week's research at the British library and found no likely "Redmayne." It remains a puzzle. Though he wrote in 1770 that he was acquainted with Elizabeth Ilive at this time, her notoriety (and that of her son Jacob) came in 1733, when Samuel Keimer wrote that he had been acquainted with her in London (see 21 Feb 1733/4). Franklin may reflect Keimer's account, but since she was related to Thomas and John James, the typefounders whose business was downstairs from Samuel Palmer's, he probably did know her and her unusual religious beliefs.

I speculated in the 1724 annal that BF and Ralph may have spent the first night or two in London at the Pennsylvania Coffee House in Birchen Lane. He surely visited the Pennsylvania Coffee House often, as well as the other coffee houses that specialized in American localities. For some comments on them, see the brief discussion at the end of the year. While working for Palmer, BF frequented the Golden Fan Coffee House, Aldersgate Street, Little Britain (2 June 1725). BF mentions two coffee houses in the Autobiography: Dr. Lyons introduced him to both (post March).

Chronology:

2 Jan, Saturday. London Gazette: Court news appeared often in the London papers: "On New-Year's-Day the King received the Compliments of the Nobility, foreign Ministers, and other Persons of Distinction; after which, His Majesty, with his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and the young Princesses, heard an Ode performed to Musick, as usual."

2 Jan (b). Proposals for printing by subscription Pope's translation of Homer's Odyssey appeared in the London Gazette through Jan, asking now for three guineas, since three of the five volumns of the work had already been published. (Advertisements in March and April announced that the volumes were then appearing.)

6 Jan, Wednesday, BF became 19.

19 Jan, Tuesday. "Last Tuesday being the birth day of Prince Frederick, who then entered the 18th Year of his Age, the same was celebrated with great Magnificence at Court." Parker's Penny Post, 22 Jan 22.

c. late Jan: When Andrew Hamilton arrived in London, BF sought him out and gave him the letter from Riddleston to a stationer concerning a scheme by Gov Keith and Riddlesden against Hamilton. A41-42. Back in Pennsylvania in the 1730s, Hamilton gradually became Franklin's most important patron.

6 Feb, Saturday. "Last Saturday being the Late Queen's Birth-Day, the same was observ'd with great Solemnity, the Shops were shut, and Her Wellwishers carousing to her Memory, as they regretted her Death." Parker's Penny Post, 8 Feb.

15 Feb, Monday. "Last Monday [15 Feb], Mr. Jonathan Wild the Thief Taker, was by Sir John Fryer committed to Newgate. Various are the Opinions of Men on this Occasion, and till we are well assur'd, our Readers must Pardon us for not being particular." Parker's Penny Post, 17 Feb.

Feb. BF set in type William Woolaston's The Religion of Nature Delineated [Third Edition]. (London: Samuel Palmer, 1725). Campbell X67; P. L. Ford 6. It was advertised for sale in the Monthly Catalogue for Feb 1725, p. 21, no. 5.

1 March, Monday, St David's Day celebrated: "The Society of Antient Britons established in Honour to the Birth-Day of Her Royal Highness the Princess and the Principality of Wales, had a very excellent Sermon preached before them at St. Paul's Covent-Garden by the Reverend Mr. Dean Harris, Clerk of the Closet to His Royal Highness, (their President,) and afterwards went to pay their Duty and Compliment to their Royal Highnesses; when Sir John Austen representing the Right Honourable the Earl of Sutherland, in the Name of the Stewards, congratulated Her Royal Highness upon that Happy Day; from whence they proceeded with great Pomp and Magnificence, with Trumpets and Kettle-Drums playing before them, to Draper's-Hall to Dinner where a very sumptuous Entertainment was provided; and the King and Church, the Prince and Princess, and all the Royal Family, and several other Loyal Healths were drunk by the Stewards and the rest of the Company present, with loud Acclamations of Long Live King George, King George and His Posterity for Ever." London Gazette 6 March.

18 March, Thursday, In Philadelphia, AWM reported the arrival of "Ship Hanover, Branden Wallis from London, by whom we hear of the safe arrival of Capt. Wells and Annis at London." There is a slim possibility that BF might have managed to write Deborah Read and other Philadelphia friends by the Hanover. For other arrivals, see 15, 22, and 29 April.

24 March, Wednesday. Daily Journal: "This Day is published, An Authentick Narrative of the Life and Actions of Jonathan Wild, (Citizen and Thief-Taker of London) With the Crimes he stands charged with, upon a Commitment signed by Twelve of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace. ... Printed by A. Moore."

c. March. BF wrote and printed a rejoinder to Woolaston, A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain (London: [Samuel Palmer]: Printed in the Year 1725). Campbell X66; P. L. Ford 5. Reprinted in Dublin in 1733, Campbell X66; P. L. Ford 7. A 43; P l:55­71.

With no author, no publisher, no bookseller, no printer listed, the pamphlet was an archetypical product of the radical underground press. Of course it did not appear in the monthly catalogues of books published. Though ostensibly arguing against free will, the pamphlet travestied the usual definition of God. Dr. William Lyons admired it and introduced BF to Bernard Mandeville and Dr. Henry Pemberton (A43­44). Though the latter promised to introduce BF to Sir Isaac Newton, he never did. When Pemberton published his View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy (London: S. Palmer, 1728), Gov. William Burnet of New York; Robert Carter, Jr., of Virginia; Dr. Bernard Mandeville; and Peter Collinson were among the subscribers, but, surprisingly, Dr. William Lyons was not. Franklin, of course, could not yet afford such subscriptions.

For discussions, see Aldridge, BF and Nature's God 12-24, "BF and Philosophical Necessity," and BF: Philosopher and Man 18-19; H. B. Van Wesep 45-53; Meyer 147-67; D. Anderson 33-53. Most histories of American philosophy briefly summarize the Dissertation. Herbert Schneider's is among the best; Flower and Murphey is also interesting.

post March. As a result of publishing A Dissertation, BF met Dr. William Lyons, who took him to "the Horns a pale Ale-House in [blank] Lane, Cheapside," where he met Dr. Bernard Mandeville. BF probably refers to the Horns, in Gutter Lane Cheapside. Lyons also introduced him to Dr. Henry Pemberton, a friend of Sir Isaac Newton's, at Batson's Coffee House, No. 17, Cornhill, "against the Royal Exchange." Lillywhite, London Coffee Houses; Lillywhite, London Signs.

15 April, Thursday, AWM: "Ship Hanover, Branden Wallis, Ship Richmond, John Richmond" were "entered Outward" for London, but the paper for April 29 advertised that Richmond was "for London directly." Cf. 13 May, 3 June. Evidently the Richmond entered Philadelphia sometime after the Hanover. Cf. 18 March.

22 April, Thursday, AWM: "The Ship Peace, Henry Nilers," has "entered Inwards" from London. Cf. 18 March.

29 April Thursday, AWM reported that Capt Wells from London, "is in the River but not yet come up."

6 May, Thursday. AWM: "Ship Thomas, Henry Wells from London" had "entered Inwards." BF surely wrote Deborah and other Philadelphia friends by one of the ships from London that arrived in April or early May. Cf. 18 March.

24 May, Monday, Jonathan Wild was hanged. "The Crowd was greater than ever was known on such an Occasion." Parker's Penny Post, Wednesday, 26 May.

28 May, Friday. "This being His Majesty's Birth-Day, there was a very numerous and splendid Appearance at Court of the Nobility and other Persons of Distinction; and at Night there were Illuminations, Bonfires, and other publick Demonstrations of Joy throughout London and Westminster." London Gazette, 29 May.

29 May, Saturday, Mist's Weekly Journal advertised, "This Day is published [Daniel Defoe], The Life of Jonathan Wild."

2 June, Wednesday, 1725: BF to Sir Hans Sloane. P 1:54. BF's earliest extant letter. Franklin said that he could be reached "by a Line directed for me at the Golden Fan in Little Britain." The Golden Fan was a coffeehouse in Aldersgate Street.

3 June, Thursday, AWM: "William Cornwallis [i.e., the transported felon Riddlesden], of Mulbury Street, in Philadelphia, the present Owner," advertised "6 Tracts of Land, in Dorset, and Baltimore County."

9 July, Friday, and 12 July, Monday, Parker's Penny Post reported the Indian fight at Pigwacket (Lovewell Pond, Fryeburg, Maine) with news of Captain John Lovewell's death.

1 Aug, Sunday. "Last Sunday [31 July] (being the Anniversary of His Majesty's Accession to the Throne), the Rev. Mr. Massey, Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, preached at the Chapel by Guildhall." Parker's Penny Post, 6 Aug 1725. Edmund Massey's Sermon preached before the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor, aldermen, and the several livery companies of the City of London (London: W. Meadows, 1725) is ESTCN23795.

5 Aug, Thursday, exactly nine months after BF left Philadelphia, Deborah Read married John Rogers, potter, in a ceremony at Christ Church (PA, 2nd ser., 8:221). Hearing rumors that Rogers had been married before, Deborah left him before Franklin returned to Philadelphia. Franklin wrote: "With him however she was never happy" (A52). The rascal Rogers abscounded in Dec 1727, taking another man's slave with him, and was never heard of again (9 May 1728).

Fall. BF left Palmer's in Little Britain to work for John Watts near Lincoln's Inn Fields. Shortly after going to work for Watts, he moved from Bartholomew Close to Duke Street, where he rented from a Catholic widow (A45-48).

30 Oct, Saturday,: "This being the Prince of Wales's Birth-Day, His Royal Highness received the Compliments of the Nobility and other Persons of Distinction who made a very numerous and splendid Appearance: And at Night there were Illuminations and other Publick Demonstrations of Joy." London Gazette, 2 Nov.

5 Nov, Friday. The Rev. Thomas Wheatland preached The Perpetual Security of the Christian Church consider'd ... before the Lord-Mayor ... at the cathedral of St. Paul (London: W. Meadows, 1725). ESTCT200423.

16 Nov, Tuesday: London Gazette: "Hand-in-Hand Fire Office." Notice of election of directors on front page. The hand-in-hand symbol of BF's Union Fire Company may have been inspired by the name of the "Hand in Hand" company.

30 Nov, Tuesday. "Last Tuesday, being St. Andrews's day, the titular Saint of Scotland," the gentlemen had a feast. Parker's Penny Post, 3 Dec.

14 Dec, In Massachusetts, Lt. Gov. William Dummer delivered the explanatory charter to the House, which ruled that the governor of Massachusetts had the right to negative the Speaker. Cf. 14 Jan, 1725/6.

27 Dec "Last Monday [27 Dec] was held at Merchant Taylor's Hall the Annual Feast of the most ancient Society of the Free and Accepted Masons, where, as the appearance was very splendid and composed of a very great Number of Persons ... Mr. Heidegger, who as Grand Steward, directed it." The officers elected for the coming year were "The Right Honorable the Lord Paisley, Grand Master; Rev. J. T. Desaguliers, Deputy Master." Parker's Penny Post, 29 Dec.

1725: Though Riddell, PMHB, 1930: 64, and Summers 90, have said that Franklin set the type for the following Philadelphia tract, he was in London. Francis Rawle, Ways and Means for the Inhabitants of Delaware to become Rich (Philadelphia: S. Keimer, 1725); Campbell X65; Evans 2697. It seems quite likely, however, that BF read it after he returned to Philadelphia in the fall of 1726.

1725: Coffee House routines. We know the names of three coffee houses that BF visited, but he also must have occasionally gone to the ones specializing in American news. Besides the Pennsylvania Coffee House n Birchin Lane, he probably visited the New England Coffee House behind the Royal Exchange, at nos. 59-61 Threadneedle Street, and the Virginia Coffee House, St. Michael's Alley, near the George and Vulture Inn. Just as BF used the Golden Fan as an address when he worked at Palmer's (2 June, above), so he probably frequented a different local coffee house when he moved to Duke Street near Lincoln's Inn Fields (fall).

Puzzle: Who or what is the "Redmayne" that Franklin listed under London (1725 or 1726) in the "Outline" of the Autobiography? (A203). Cf. 9 Jan (b) 1726.