Benjamin Franklin Papers - From Elizabeth Partridge (unpublished)

I know I need make no Appology to you for the Favour I am going to Ask; as your Benevolent Soul delights in doing kind offices to your Fellow Creatures, tis to get the enclosed Letter delivered (which I have left open for your Peruseal) and to Use your Interest with Her Father, to forgive and take home His Unhappy Daughter, who has suffered beyond all Decription by not following His Advice, and in adition to every other Hardship the Humain Frame could Endure, was Cruelly Treated by Her Surley husband. but She has Behave’d so well under all Her Misfortunes, that She has found Friends in every Place, oh Sir had you seen the Pritty, yong, Inocent, Creature with the silent Sorrow Trickling down Her face when she deliver’d Her sweet Babe to my Care, your Heart would have Melted with Compassion for Her, as mine did, but I have no Occasion to say more on the Subject.

And now my Dear Papah permit me to Enquier how you enjoy your Health and if I may flatter my Self with having the Happiness of once more seeing you Here. I have your Promis to come and Settle here after Twenty Years which Time has been Expiered more then a Year now Sir if you would Fulfill that Engagement Language would be wanting to Express the Joy and Satisfaction it would give me and the Rest of your Here but if that is inconvenant One Vissel more to your Dear Native Place as you Use’d to Call it, would give Inexpressable Pleasure.

I hope Cousin Beach Her Husband with thier Amible Family are Well. Pleas to Present my affectionate Regards to them and let them that I should be Happy to see them in Boston.

Aunt Mecom and Her Family are Well, as are Our Friends in General, Our Friend Mr. Benjamin Kent has taken His departure but for what Land is Uncertain He thought He should be One of the Happy Few that Escaped stoping at Purgatory. I wish he may not be Mistaken but have Arrived safe at the Elasian Fields.

I have Lately had a Vissit from Miss Betsey Sie 1, as. She told me purposely to Enquir after your Health, and desierd I would present Her Respectfull Compliments to you!

Accept Dear Sir of the Sincerest Wishes for your Health and Happiness in which Mr. Partridge and Our Daughter with my Brother and Sister Joyn Dear Sir Your affectionate Neice

ps. I must Rely on your Goodness which I have so often Experienced to Excuse the Last Letter I wrote you, for I was so [weak] not having Recover’d from a severe Illness that I could not have Told one Sentance that I had wrote, in half an Hour after I had finished it, that I fear I made more Blunders then Usuall. If it is not two much Trouble I would take it as a great Favour, if you will send me the Coppy of that Letter you wrote, when you Continued the Post Office to my Mother, after the Death of my Father as I never see that Letter or know the Contents of it, it being very sudingley lost! and I have a very perticular Reason for wishing to know the Content of it; but will be much obliged to you, not to let it be known that I mentioned it.