Mary (Polly) Stevenson Hewson to Benjamin Franklin, March 10, 1762

Wanstead March 10. 1762

Dear Sir

I did not think you had been so keen a Satyrist. 5 I have not finish’d my Course of Philosophy , nor do I desire to be at full Leisure to improve myself in Cards . I confess you have just Reason to complain of me, and my Indolence merits your severe Rebuke. Your Letter fill’d me with Confusion, and I assure you it will be a Spur to my Industry. The Season is advancing that will admit of my rising early to have some Hours free from Interruption which I shall devote to the Improvement of my Mind. At present, tho’ we live more retir’d, I have less Time to myself: Yet I have not been idle. I have read the Letters you favour’d me with, 6 and think I understand them. The Clearness of my Preceptor’s Demonstration and Expression appear tho his Words are put into a foreign Language.

I was about to ask a Question I find you cannot answer—How it happens that the Surface of the Bottle 7 which contains less than it’s natural Quantity of Electric Fire does not immediately replenish itself from the Hand that holds it, unless the Fire which has a Communication with the other Surface is applied to something that will receive it’s superabundant Quantity. 8

I was much pleas’d with your Conjectures upon Storms. 9 The Clouds being positively electrified and communicating their Fire to Eminences that came within their Sphere of Attraction, seem to me a full Explication of the Effects of Storms. But when the Clouds were prov’d to be negative I was at a Loss to account for the violent Descent of Rain, tho all the other Effects I could easily conceive to be the same in both Cases. To explain what I mean—“You say that the Particles of Water being electrified mutually repel, and fly from each other; but when they are reduced to their natural State, their Distance is contracted, they run into Cohesions, and descend in Drops.” I did not consider that the Repulsion would be equal whether the Particles of Water were in a positive or a negative State. I am very ambitious of your Applause, and therefore carefully conceal my Defects; yet I would not erase what I had written, but proceeded in what I was about to say, tho’ I discover’d my Stupidity while I was writing. I am oblig’d to you for the Papers you sent me. I receive a very high Joy when my dear Friend gains the Fame he deserves; and secretly join, with the warmest Sensibility, in all the Praises bestow’d upon him. I am Dear Sir your grateful and affectionate Servant

M Stevenson

If you would chuse me to send your Books and Papers by the Post I will do it immediately upon the Receipt of a Letter from you; but I hope soon to have the Pleasure of bringing them to you.

I must beg you to entreat my dear Mother’s Forgiveness of my long Silence which I intended to have made some amends for to day, but have not Time.