Images from the Library of Congress.

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From Thomas Paine

London

Octr 16th 1789

My Dear Sir

I need not tell you how much I rejoice at the prosperous accounts from America, or how happy I feel that you have relinquished the temptations of quiet retirement for the busy scenes of Public Good. Had the opportunity of your coming once more forward not have offered itself you might have injoyed retirement with serenity; but retirement would have lost its felicity, had it been haunted, as would have been the case, with the impression of having declined, for the sake of ease, a station in which you could be so publicly useful. I am certain you will feel the happier for this sacrifice, because to be perfectly so the mind must justify itself in every thing.

Mr Mappa the Gentleman who will present you this is an exiled Hollander, and, as I am informed, very capital in his line which is that of a letter-founder — I have given him a letter to Dr Franklin, the proper Patron of his Art, and as it is a branch in which improvement is wanted in America, I hope his coming will benifit both the Country and himself.

Mr Jefferson who, I expect, will arrive as soon as this letter, will inform you of my proceedings here—I am constructing a Bridge of one Arch in Partnership with the Walkers of Rotherham Yorkshire—The Arch is 110 feet Span and five feet high from the Cord line—We began it in July and I expect it in London about the Middle of Novr—In the mean time I am going over to France—A Share in two revolutions is living to some purpose—I shall be exceedingly happy to see a line from you, which if addressed to the Care of Benjn Vaughn Esqr.—Jeffries Square London will find me any where. With every Wish for your happiness and Mrs Washington’s—I am—my Dear Sir your most affectiona. obedient Humble Servant

Thomas Paine

Please to remember me among the Circle of my friends.

Images above and transcript below from the original letter at the Library of Congress

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London Fryday, Sepr. 18, 1789.

Dear Sir

I this moment received yours of 7, 13 Inst. which being Past night, affords me the welcome opportunity of acknowledging it — I wrote you on the 13th by post — but I was so full of the thoughts of America and my American friends that I forgot France — The people of this Country speak very differently on the affairs of France — The Mass of them so far as I can collect say that France is a much freer Country than England — The Press, the Bishops &c says the National assembly has gone too far — There is yet in this Country very considerable remains of the feudal System which people did not see till the revolution in France placed it before their Eyes, while the multitude here could be terrified with the cry and apprehension of Arbitrary power, wooden shoes, popery, and such like stuff — they thought themselves by comparison a extraordinary free people — but the bug-bear now loses its force — and they appear to me to be turning their eyes — toward the aristocrats of their own nation — There is a new mode of conquering and I think it will have its effect.

— I am looking out for a place to erect my Bridge within some of the Squares would be very convenient. I had thought of Soho Square, where S. Joseph Banks lives, but he is now in Lancashire — I expect it will be ready for erecting and in London, by the latter end of October — whether I shall then sell it in England or bring it over to Paris and erect it there I have not determined in my mind — in order to bring any kind of Contract forward for the Seine it is necessary it should be seen — and as Oeconomy will now be a principle in the government it will have a better chance than before.

If you should pass through Borden Town in Jersey which is not out of your way from Philadelphia to N Y — I shall be glad you would enquire out my particular friend Col. Kirkbride — you will be very much pleased with him — his house is my hearth in that part of the Country — and it was there that I made the model of my Bridge — If you can drop me a line when at the port to inform me by what vessel you sail — I shall be glad to receive it —

Your affectionate friend,

THOMAS PAINE

Images above and transcript below from the original letter at the Library of Congress

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London

Sep. 15, 1789

My Dear Sir

By some accident your favour of the 23d July did not come to hand till a few days ago. It had lain at Mr. Claggets in America Square — On my return to London Mr. Morris and Mr. Parker were sett off, the former for France, the latter for Holland — they are both expected to return here in a few days.

My Bridge goes excellently on, and my Partners (the Walkers) who are at all the expence except the erecting it in London, which is my part, have full as much confidence in the Work as myself — about three fourths of it are already finished — we have erected two of the Ribs at the Works, and our intention is to erect the whole there that we may be certain of all the parts fitting before we bring it to London — not a single mistake has hitherto occurred — When I left Paris I was to return with the Model, but I could now bring over a compleat Bridge. Tho’ I have a slender opinion of myself for executive Business, I think, upon the whole that I have managed this matter tolerably well. With no money to spare for such an undertaking I am the Sole Patentee here, and connected with one of the first and best established houses in the Nation, but absent from America I feel a craving desire to return and I can scarcely forbear weeping at the thought of your going and my staying behind.

Accept my dear Sir, my most hearty thanks for your many services and friendship — Remember me with an overflowing affection to my dear America — the people and the place — be so kind to shake hands with them for me and tell our beloved General Washington, and my old friend Dr. Franklin how much I long to see them. I wish you would spend a day with General Morris of Morrisania and present best wishes to all the family — But I find myself wandering into a melancholy subject that will be tiresome to read so wishing you a prosperous passage, and a happy meeting with all your friends and mine. I remain yours affectionately

THOMAS PAINE

I shall be very glad to hear from you when you arrive — If you direct for me to the care of Mr. Benjn. Vaughn it will find me —

Please present my friendship to Captain Nicholson and Family of N. York, and to Mr. and Mrs. Few.

Images above and transcript below from the original letter at the Library of Congress

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Rotherham, Yorkshire

July 13, 1789

Dear Sir

I have not yet received my answer to my two last, the one by Messrs Parker & Cutting, the other by Post with the particulars of Ledyard’s death from Sir Joseph Banks and Mr. Beasley.

The Messrs Walkers and I have agreed on a plan and terms for executing and erecting a compleat Bridge which we hope to finish by October 20 — Several Bridges are wanted by as every one waits for some one to begin we have resolved to begin ourselves. Our Plan and terms are as follows:

The Arch is to be 110 feet span — versed sine or arrow 5 feet and to consist of five ribs at least —

The Walkers are to find all the materials, and fit and frame them ready for erecting, put them on board a vessel & send them to London — I am to undertake all expence from that time and to compleat the erecting — We intend first to exhibit it and afterwards put it up to sale, or dispose of it by private contract, and after paying the expences of each party the remainder to be equally divided — one half theirs, the other mine — My principal object in this plan is to open the way for a Bridge over the Thames which will be more readily accomplished by erecting a Bridge at London than in any other part — When I proposed the before mentioned terms (by letter) to the Walkers, I asked — if it would be agreeable to them to take in one or two other Iron Works with us — they answered — “As our Works are large and capable of dispatching a considerable Bridge in a short space of time we would not choose to be concerned with any other Iron Works in this undertaking.”

I shall now have occasion to draw upon some funds I have in America — I have one thousand dollars stock in the Bank of Philadelphia, and two years interest due upon it last April, £180 in the Hands of General Morris; £40 with Mr. Constable of New York — a house at Borden Town and a farm at New Rochelle — The Stock and interest in the Bank, which Mr. Willing manages for me, is the easiest negotiated, and full sufficient for what I shall want — on this fund I have drawn fifteen guineas payable to Mr. Trumbull — tho’ I shall not want the Money longer than till the Exhibition and Sale of the Bridge. I had rather draw than ask to borrow of anybody here. If you go to America this year I shall be very glad if you can arrange this matter for me, by giving me credit for two hundred pounds on London — and receiving that amount of Mr. Willing — I am not acquainted with the method of negociating money matters, but if you can accommodate me in this, and will direct me how the transfer is to be made I shall be much obliged to you — I am D S your Merchant friend & obdt. Humble servant

THOMAS PAINE

Please direct to me under cover to Mr. Trumbul. I have some thoughts of coming over to France for two or three weeks, as I shall have little to do here until the Bridge is ready for erecting —

Images above and transcript below from the original letter at the Library of Congress

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London

June 18th, 1789

Dear Sir

I wrote you last night by Mr. Parker & this morning received the following from Sir Joseph Banks

“Sir Jos. Banks sends his compts. to Mr. Paine and has the honor for his and Mr. Jefferson’s information to inclose the particulars of Mr. Ledyard’s death which have been received by the Association for investigating the interior of Africa — “

Soho Square

June 18th, 1789.

Mr. Beausay presents his complts to Sir Joseph Banks, and is much concerned that he cannot manage the hope which Mr. Jefferson entertains that there is not truth in the report of Mr. Ledyard’s death —

The letter which Mr. Beausay received from Mr. Baldwin the British Consul at Cairo, and which is dated Alexandria, March 4th, 1789 informs him — that a day was fixed for Mr. Ledyard’s departure as he was prepared and seemed anxious to set off — but bad weather or other causes occasioned delay as happens to most caravans — Mr. Ledyard took offence at the delay and threw himself into a violent rage with his conductors which deranged something in his system that he thought to curb by an Emetic, but he took the dose so strong as at the first or second effect of its operations to break a blood vessel — In three days he was suffocated and died —

This account is confirmed by a letter from the Compte de Rosetta, the Venetian Resident at Cairo, to Mr. Hunter, an English merchant who had lived in great intimacy with Mr. Ledyard from the time of their travelling together from Alexandria to Cairo to that of Mr. Hunter’s departure for England — This letter is dated Cairo 27th Jan. 1789 and tells Mr. Hunter “that seventeen days ago poor Mr. Ledyard went to his eternal rest. — he suffered himself to be transported to anger against the persons who had engaged to conduct him to (illegible) because they delayed setting out on their voyage for want (as they said) of a fair wind — He was seized with a pain in his stomach occasioned by bile and understood to cure himself — Excessive vomiting ensued, in consequence of which he broke a blood vessel and died in six days.” —

— From the general correspondence of those two accounts Mr. Beausay apprehends that no doubt can be entertained of the Melancholy fact which they announce —

Great George Street

June 16th, 1789

Thus far Sir Joseph’s and Mr. Beausay’s letters. They were sent to me in answer to an extract from your letter which I gave to Sir Joseph.

Ledyard was a great favorite with the Society — They consider him as falling a Sacrifice to integrity and lament him with an affectionate Sorrow — (illegible) they at first considered him a bold but deliberate adventurer. That man, said Sir Joseph one day to me, “was all mind” —

I wish I could have sent you a better account — but I fulfill your request by sending such as it is —

your affectionate friend and Obliged Humble servant

THOMAS PAINE