With regard to my books, those I had in France, and those I left in
Philadelphia, being now assembled together here, and a catalogue made
of them, it is my intention to dispose of the same as follows:
My "History of the Academy of Sciences," in sixty or seventy volumes
quarto, I give to the philosophical society of Philadelphia, of which
I have the honour to be president. My collection in folio of "_Les
Arts et les Metiers_," I give to the American philosophical society,
established in New England, of which I am a member. My quarto edition
of the same, "_Arts et Metiers_," I give to the library company
of Philadelphia. Such and so many of my books as I shall mark, in
the said catalogue, with the name of my grandson Benjamin Franklin
Bache, I do hereby give to him: and such and so many of my books,
as I shall mark in the said catalogue with the name of my grandson
William Bache, I do hereby give to him: and such as shall be marked
with the name of Jonathan Williams, I hereby give to my cousin of
that name. The residue and remainder of all my books, manuscripts,
and papers, I do give to my grandson William Temple Franklin. My
share in the library company of Philadelphia I give to my grandson
Benjamin Franklin Bache, confiding that he will permit his brothers
and sisters to share in the use of it.
I was born in Boston, New England, and owe my first instructions in
literature to the free grammar-schools established there. I therefore
give one hundred pounds sterling to my executors, to be by them,
the survivors or survivor of them, paid over to the managers or
directors of the free-schools in my native town of Boston, to be by
them, or the person or persons who shall have the superintendance
and management of the said schools, put out to interest, and so
continued at interest for ever; which interest annually shall be
laid out in silver medals, and given as honorary rewards annually
by the directors of the said free-schools, for the encouragement of
scholarship in the said schools, belonging to the said town, in such
manner as to the discretion of the select men of the said town shall
seem meet.
Out of the salary that may remain due to me, as president of the
state, I give the sum of two thousand pounds to my executors, to be
by them, the survivors or survivor of them, paid over to such person
or persons as the legislature of this state, by an act of assembly,
shall appoint to receive the same, in trust, to be employed for
making the Schuylkil navigable.
During the number of years I was in business as a stationer, printer,
and post-master, a great many small sums became due to me for books,
advertisements, postage of letters, and other matters, which were not
collected, when, in 1757, I was sent by the assembly to England as
their agent--and, by subsequent appointments, continued there till
1775--when, on my return, I was immediately engaged in the affairs of
congress, and sent to France in 1776, where I remained nine years,
not returning till 1785; and the said debts not being demanded in
such a length of time, are become in a manner obsolete, yet are
nevertheless justly due.--These as they are stated in my great
folio ledger, E, I bequeath to the contributors of the Pennsylvania
hospital; hoping that those debtors, and the descendants of such as
are deceased, who now, as I find, make some difficulty of satisfying
such antiquated demands as just debts, may, however, be induced to
pay or give them as charity to that excellent institution. I am
sensible that much must inevitably be lost; but I hope something
considerable may be recovered. It is possible too, that some of the
parties charged may have existing old unsettled accounts against me:
in which case the managers of the said hospital will allow and deduct
the amount, or pay the balance, if they find it against me.
I request my friends, Henry Hill, Esq. John Jay, Esq. Francis
Hopkinson, Esq. and Mr. Edward Duffield, of Bonfield, in Philadelphia
county, to be the executors of this my last will and testament, and I
hereby nominate and appoint them for that purpose.
I would have my body buried with as little expence or ceremony as may
be.