Cool Thoughts

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Cool Thoughts on the Present Situation of Our Public Affairs: in a Letter to a Friend in the Country. Philadelphia, 1764.

"In 1764 Benjamin Franklin was still a loyal subject of England. At the time, he was an agent for Pennsylvania, whose legislature was unhappy with the English proprietorship then in place. On their behalf, Franklin petitioned the King to assume control of the colony himself. Franklin still envisioned a great English empire with America a leading force. Over the next few years, he would lose faith in England as a result of its treatment of the colonies." (Michael Stillman on " English and European Books Printed Before 1800, by John Windle, Antiquarian Bookseller")

Lehigh users can reach the digital version of this work from Evans Digital Edition (1639-1800) at: http://databases.lib.lehigh.edu/finder/

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Franklin states that he is writing this letter to explain his "motives for approving the Proposal of endeavouring to obtain a Royal Government, in Exchange for this of the Proprietaries..."

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The initials "A.B." were often used by Franklin as one his pseudonyms.