Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-08


Affairs OF the Natter; but the majority
have on their title page the one name as
printer and publisher OF b. Franklin.
These books are, OF course. OF much
greater value than those bearing the
Franklin and fIali imprint. Hall was
simply a practical printer, willing to take
any Job brought into the Office which
promised a profit; consequently, many
OF the books bearing the name Of Frank
lin ard Hall. are. so far as the subject
matter Is concerned. of no interest what
ever Many contain the rantings OF some
obscure schismatic In the religious world
OF the last century. Franklin was very
different from his partner In the choice
of the work to which he fixed his indi-
yidual imprint, and almost all the DOCKS
bearing the imprint OF b. Franklin pos
sess. apart from the imprint, some hte-
rary and historic value.
Many Of these books are. OF course,
purely local In their interest. out tney
all show that Franklin was as good an
editor and publisher as he was printer;
A copy Of probably the most ee!eors.ea
of ali Franklins imprints, and a prouuc-
ton OF which the good Doctor was un-
doubtedly prouder OF than any other OF
his publications, is Cicero's Cato Major,
and his ''Discourses on Old Age, prihteu
and sold by Il. Franklin. MDCCALiN.
This brought $50. not an exorbitant p,ics
for the book, but a fair one. one nuhuIeu
and twenty dollars was paid Tor Inc
Constitution Of Freemasonry, Containing
the History, Charges. Regulations, Etc.'
OF That Most Ancient and Rignt-"ot
shipful Fraternity. For the Use OF ,ne
Lodges, London. Printed Ammo 5.23. ke-
printed In Philadelphia BY Special order,
For the Use OF the Brethren In North
America. in the year Of Masonry, o'sf,
Ammo Domlni, l734" This volume Is un-
doubtedly one of the rar~st OF trankiin
imprints. II was the first book on Ma
sorry published in America, and, conse-
ouently. was Of the greatest interest 10
all those attached to the Masonic ira
ternity.
"Plain truths and Serious Considerations
on the Present State Of city OF fniia-
delphla, and Province or PennsylFahia'
for tradesmen OF Philadelphia with
large woodcut on reverse Of title, printed
in the year MDCcXLVII, brought 70
This little pamphlet was written and
printed by Benjamin Franklin. the good
Doctors purpose in publishing II pelng
10 induce the inhabitants of Pennsylvania
and New York to prepare some MODE Oh
defence against the lnvasions OF ,nls
State by the French and Indians. An
other of the productions or FRANKLIN
pen. proposals Relating 10 the Education
of Youth In Pennsylvania" Philadelphia
printed ia the year MDCCXLlA. only
| three pages in extent. was sold TOT ESQ
| This little pamphlet Is undoubtedly eA-
| ceeding,y scarce. 1t Is written In FRANK
| Inns characteristic and caustlc style' anu
| contains much common-sense and mat
| ter-of-fact reasoning.
| one of the few rare Franklin imprlnts,
| on which he printed his name Benjamin
| in full, is a sermon by Gilbert Tennent,
very prominent clergyman in New Jer-
| Ay. during Frankln's time; 1t was print
ed MDCCXLI, and brought SIS. "kecoi-
| lections of Courtship and Marriage, III
! Two Letters to a Friend, wherein q
practical plan Is laid down for obtaining
and securing conjugal felicity. printed
! and sold by b. Franklin, MDCCNLEl,
was sold for $50. The authorship OF TINS
book DR.. BENJAMIN Rush attributes 10
! Franklin himself; II Is an exceedingly
rare pamphlet. which Is eagerly souSh'
| after by collectors. A probably unique
namnhlet. at least one of the rarest OF all
| FRANKLIN imprlnts, is entitled "A Dia-
| logue between two Countrymen who met
| at Brunswick, one an inhabitant OF Long
Island the other a liver at Gloucester.
| The name of the first was Jonathan pam,
| and the other Obadiah Wright Inc
pamphlet was printed by Benjamin
| FRANKLIN in 1913, and brought SIS. copy
| of Poor Richards Almanac for li57, print
| ed by Franklin and Hall, brought s29' a
rather low price for this now exceedingly
scarce little imprint.
Extracts from the Minutes and VOTES
of the House OF Assembly OF the Colony
of New Jersey, met I'm General Assembly
al Burlington, Saturday. October s, l742,
| printed by Benjamin Franklin In the year
| MDCCXLIII. brought Ss5. This book Is o.
the utmost rarity. and the copy sold was
In a remarkably clean condition. TIT
type OF this imprint resembled that Of
the famous cato Major" About sl5e
was realized from this sale.