Our Friends spare no pains to get and accumulate estates, and are yet against defending them, though these very estates are in a great measure the sole cause of their being invaded, as I showed to our Yearly Meeting, last September was six years, in a paper thou then printed. But I request to be informed, as soon as thou hast any leisure, what measures are proposed to furnish small arms, powder, and ball to those in the country; and particularly what measures are taken to defend our river, especially at the Red Bank, on the

and are doubtless the results of his morning recreations before officehours. His correspondence with the literary men of America and Europe, from the year 1713, proves that there was scarcely a department of learning in which he was not interested. History, archæology, criticism, theology, ethics, natural philosophy, anatomy, and law, are treated of. Sometimes Hebrew or Arabic characters, and algebraic formulas, roughen the pages of his letter books. Sometimes his letters convey a lively Greek ode to a learned friend, and often they are written in the Latin language. Among his correspondents in this country were Cadwallader Colden, Governor Burnet, and Colonel Hunter, the accomplished friend of Swift; and in Europe, Collinson, Fothergill, Mead, Sir Hans Sloane, Flamsteed, Jones the mathematician, father of the celebrated Sir William Jones, Fabricius, Gronovius, and Linnæus; the last of whom gave the name of Logan to a Class in botany.

Of his printed writings perhaps the best known is his Translation of Cicero's "Cato Major, or a Discourse on Old Age," with explanatory notes, which was printed by Franklin in 1744, and several times reprinted in England. He also wrote "Erperimenta et Meletemata de Plantarum Generatione," printed at Leyden in 1739, and afterwards translated by Dr. Fothergill, and printed in London; "Demonstrationes de Radiorum Lucis in Superficies sphericas ab Axe incidentium a primario Foco Aberrationibus,” printed at Leyden, 1741; "Epistola ad Virum Clarissimum Joannem Albertum Fabricium," printed at Amsterdam, 1740; "A Translation of Cato's Distichs into English Verse," printed at Philadelphia. He furnished contributions to the Philosophical Transactions, and wrote other pieces on various subjects in Latin and English, some of which were published. He also left some curious papers in manuscript, particularly part of an ethical treatise, entitled "The Duties of Man, as they may be deduced from Nature." This was prepared with great care. Parts of it were sent to his friends in England, and received their high commendation; but it seems never to have been completed. Also fragments of a “Dissertation on the Writings of Moses;" "A Defence of Aristotle and the

Jersey side, and on our own, where there ought not to be less than forty guns, from six to twelve pounders. What gunners are to be depended on?

Thy project of a lottery to clear £3,000 is excellent, and I hope it will be speedily filled; nor shall I be wanting. But thou wilt answer all these questions and much more, if thou wilt visit me here, as on First day, to dine with me, and thou wilt exceedingly oblige thy very loving friend, JAMES LOGAN.

Ancient Philosophers;" Essays on Languages and on the Antiquities of the British Isles; a Translation of Maurocordatus wig) zabnxóvswv, and of Philo Judæus's Allegory of the Essæans.

His acquaintance with Franklin began at an early date, and he had the highest opinion of him from the first, as an industrious, useful, and ingenious man; giving him every encouragement as a printer, and much assistance in his scientific pursuits and public enterprises. In the military defence of the city he was prominently active, notwithstanding his connexion with the Friends' Meeting. Indeed he at all times vindicated the principle of self-defence, as not only consistent with the Christian doctrines, but absolutely essential to the existence of society. In every other respect, though neither austere nor bigoted, he was a strict Friend. His virtues, his benevolence, his public integrity and services, his intimate connexion with William Penn, and the honor which his talents and learning conferred on the Society of Friends, perhaps saved him from the censure, which a less eminent man might have incurred.

In addition to his services as a public man, and his high reputation among his contemporaries, the valuable library left by him to the City of Philadelphia should preserve his name in grateful and honorable remembrance. In the philosophical and mathematical sciences, in philology and criticism, classical literature and history, it was as perfect, as it could be made at the period of his death; and the funds left by him for its increase were sufficient to fill it up, as the advance of literature and science required. Although the number of volumes has increased from four thou sand to about nine thousand, it may be doubted whether it has been completed as its founder would have desired. In the acquisitions by gifts, and purchase from the library of Mr. McKensie, there are certainly many rare books; but the scholar will look in vain for the best recent editions of old authors, and the learned comments of modern critics; and the scientific inquirer, for almost all the valuable works on the improvements in natural science and the mathematics.

James Logan died on the 31st of October, 1751, aged seventy-seven years, and was buried in the Friends' grave-yard, at the corner of Arch Street and Fourth Street in Philadelphia.-J. FRANCIS FISHER.

SIR,

TO JAMES LOGAN.

Fortifications on the Delaware River.

Monday Noon, [4 December, 1747.]

I am heartily glad you approve of our proceedings. We shall have arms for the poor in the spring, and a number of battering cannon. The place for the batteries is not yet fixed; but it is generally thought that near Red Bank will be most suitable, as the enemy must there have natural difficulties to struggle with, besides the channel being narrow. The Dutch are as hearty as the English. "Plain Truth" and the "Association" are in their language, and their parsons encourage them. It is proposed to breed gunners by forming an artillery club, to go down weekly to the battery and exercise the great guns. The best engineers against Cape Breton were of such a club, tradesmen and shopkeepers of Boston. them at the Castle* at their exercise in 1743.

I was with

I have not time to write larger, nor to wait on you till next week. In general all goes well, and there is a surprising unanimity in all ranks. Near eight hundred have signed the Association, and more are signing hourly. One company of Dutch is complete. I am with great respect, Sir, &c.

Castle William, in Boston harbour.

B. FRANKLIN.†

An account of the proceedings, to which this letter relates, may be found at the beginning of the third Volume.

TO CADWALLADER COLDEN.

Procuring Cannon for Defence. Sale of Books. Opinion of Mr. Colden's "History of the Five Nations."

DEAR SIR,

Philadelphia, 27 January, 1748.

I received your favor relating to the cannon. We have petitioned our Proprietors for some, and have besides wrote absolutely to London for a quantity, in case the application to the Proprietors should not succeed; so that, accidents excepted, we are sure of being supplied some time next summer. But, as we are extremely desirous of having some mounted early in the spring, and perhaps, if your engineer should propose to use all you have, the works he may intend will not very soon be ready to receive them, we should think ourselves exceedingly obliged to your government, if you would lend us a few for one year only. When you return to New York, I hope a great deal from your interest and influence.

Mr. Read, to whom Osborne consigned your books,* did not open or offer them for sale till within these two weeks, being about to remove, when he received them, and having till now no conveniency of shelves, &c. In our two last papers he has advertised generally, that he has a parcel of books to sell, Greek, Latin, French, and English, but makes no particular mention of the Indian History; it is therefore no wonder that he has sold none of them, as he told me a few days since. I had one of them from London, which I sent you before any of my friends saw it. So, as no one here has read

Mr. Colden's "History of the Five Indian Nations," which was pub. lished in London, and copies of which were sent over to be sold in Philadelphia.

C

*

it but myself, I can only tell you my own opinion, that it is a well written, entertaining, and instructive piece, and must be exceedingly useful to all those colonies, which have any thing to do with Indian affairs.

You have reason to be pleased with the mathema tician's envious expression about your tract on gravitation.* I long to see from Europe some of the deliberate and mature thoughts of their philosophers upon it.

To obtain some leisure I have taken a partner † into the printing-house; but, though I am thereby a good deal disengaged from private business, I find myself still fully occupied. The association, lottery, and batteries fill up at present a great part of my time.‡

I thank you for communicating the sheet on the first principles of morality, the continuation of which I shall be glad to see. I am, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

*For an account of this work, see Vol. VI. p. 95.

† David Hall, a Scotchman by birth, and a friend of Mr. Strahan, worked in the same office with him as a journeyman printer in London. His partnership with Franklin continued eighteen years, during which time he had the principal charge of the business, and proved himself an nonest, industrious, and worthy man. He conducted the Pennsylvania Gazette with prudence and ability. He was likewise a bookseller and stationer. He died on the 17th of December, 1772, at the age of fiftyeight years. See THOMAS's History of Printing, Vol. II. p. 54.

In his autobiography Franklin says; "I proposed a Lottery to defray the expense of building a battery below the town, and furnishing it with cannon. It filled expeditiously, and the battery was soon erected." "Mr. Logan put into my hands sixty pounds, to be laid out in lottery tickets for the battery, with directions to apply what prizes might be drawn wholly to that service." The following memoranda, found in Franklin's handwriting, show his manner of proceeding on this occasion.

"Proposed, That the Managers of the Lottery be applied to, to appoint suitable persons to go down the river to the Capes, and there consult with the persons in authority, and concert with them the modes of conveying intelligence to Philadelphia, whether by express or otherwise, when any enemies appear of such force as to make an alarm necessary