betwen the first & second Boiling considerable of the Soap Sticking to the kittle & was clean I did not have it washd but turnd it down to keep it from dirt and when I came to use it it was grown Green round where the Soap Stuck & not considering it as I have done since & thinking the salt Lye might settle it I proceded to finishe it, I know I Deserve your censure for this and feel Ashamed to confess it but I know you Pry in to all Apearances and I ought to let you know the Truth I have also a conjecture but not a certinty that by some mistake in the weights I put in a Larger Proportion of wax than I ought, this I intend to try if I Live till Spring & let you know, I have Left the Exact Recipt in cousen Jonathands hands to take a coppy & shall send it to you, I hope you continue as well as when you come & do not over Fatigue your self with Biusnes. Love to all from yr
Affectionat Sister
JANE MECOM
P S as you Love to know the meaning of all Apearances I must tell you the Reason of my sending some Irreglar Peices of Soap in the Box, the mold to cool it in is made Exactly twelve Inches in width and twelve inshes in Depth but much Longer than I had Soap to fill we therefore fixd a board to shorten it without taking the proper Dementions and did not take the care I might have done in cuting up so that I had not Even cakes anouf to make the weight I had a mind to send neither are they Regular as they ought to be if they were for Sale which shuld be Exactly Eaght ouzs when cut up and many of those were ten & I have a gage on purpose to Regulate them singly, but I thought it of no consequenc now, and the Rouf Peeces will Ansure for your self and Famely
J M
[Printed first, and hitherto only, in Goodman, A Benjamin Franklin Reader, pp. 771-772; here printed from the manuscript in the American Philosophical Society. Franklin had been accustomed to send his letters to Jane Mecom in care of Jonathan Williams Sr. "Mr. Mifflin" was Thomas Mifflin, who in 1788 succeeded Franklin as President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania.]
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Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: The Letters of Benjamin Franklin & Jane Mecom.
Contributors: Carl Van Doren - Editor, Benjamin Franklin - Author, Jane Mecom - Author.
Publisher: Princeton University Press.
Place of publication: Princeton, NJ.
Publication year: 1950.
Page number: 248.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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