FAC SIMILE OF THE HAND WRITING OF DE FRANKLIN

THE

ANALECTIC MAGAZINE.

MAY, 1817.

ART. I.-1. The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, in Philosophy, Politics, and Morals: containing, beside all the Writings published in former Collections, his Diplomatic Correspondence, as Minister of the United States at the Court of Versailles; a Variety of literary Articles, and epistolary Correspondence, never before published: with Memoirs and Anecdotes of his Life. In 5 vols. 8vo. Philadelphia: printed and published by William Duane. 1809.

2. The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL. D. F. R. S. &c. Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America at the Court of France, and for the Treaty of Peace and Independence with Great Britain, &c. &c. Comprising a Series of Letters on Miscellaneous, Literary, and Political Subjects: written between the years 1753 and 1790; illustrating the Memoirs of his Public and Private Life, and developing the secret History of his Political Transactions and Negotiations. Now first published from the Originals, by his Grandson, William Temple Franklin. London. 1817. Henry Colburn, Conduit Street, Hanover Square. 4to. pp. 449.

3. The Life of Benjamin Franklin, written chiefly by Himself; with a Collection of his best Essays, Humorous, Moral, and Literary. A new Edition, revised and enlarged by Mason L. Weems, of Lodge No. 50, Dumfries. Philadelphia. 1817. M. Carey. 12mo. pp. 264.

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N reading these publications we have, on more than one account, had occasion to admire the wisdom of Sir Walter Raleigh, in throwing his historical manuscripts into the fire. It is a sufficient mortification, that, of an event which happens at noon-day, perhaps no two eyewitnesses will make the same report:-it is still more disparaging, that transactions, of which we imagine ourselves to know the origin, are carried

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on with closed doors and by secret correspondence: but when, in addition to the disagreement of reporters and the privacy of negotiators, we have the misstatements of editors and the blunders of typographers, we are nearly prepared to give up all hopes of coming at the truth of history. Before we entered upon the task of reviewing the works of Dr. Franklin, we had no adequate idea of the changes, falsifications, and errors, which are incident to successive republication. may be, that, in general, a celebrated author does not fall into hands so very unskilful as those which have been in the habit of republishing our philosopher's writings. We believe no edition was ever published under his own supervision, or even with his own consent; and those, accordingly, which have found their way into the world, are put together in the most clumsy and inattentive manner. We intend to substantiate this observation by going over, very cursorily, the several editions which have fallen into our hands.

The first collection of his works was entitled New Experiments and Observations on Electricity. Made at Philadelphia in America. By BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Esq.; and Communicated in Several Letters to PETER COLLINSON, ESQ. of London, F. R. S. London. 1754. Printed and Sold by D. HENRY and R. CAVE, at St John's Gate. 4to. pp. 154.-This volume consists of XIII Letters, divided into three Parts: together with Remarks on the Abbe Nollet's LETTERS ON ELECTRICITY, by MR. DAVID COLDEN, of New York, dated from Coldenham, in that State, Dec. 4, 1753,-and ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTS, in further Confirmation of MR. FRANKLIN'S Observations on the positive and negative electrical State of the Clouds, by John Canton, M. A. and F. R. S., dated Dec. 6, 1753. In those days of honesty, an Editor thought 'it necessary to acquaint the Reader' with a few of the circumstances which led him to publish a book; and we are accordingly told in the Preface to the one before us, that the Letters of Mr. Franklin were committed to the press, without waiting for the ingenious author's permission to do so;' but, that he was apprised of the step time enough to transmit some further remarks, together with a few corrections and additions.' The work acquired volume by going through a few editions; and appeared, at length, under the more comprehensive title of

Experiments and Observations on Electricity, made at Philadelphia, in America, by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, LL. D. and F. R. S. To which are added, Letters and Papers on Philosophical Subjects. The Whole corrected, metho