commanded. And it may be assumed that even a small organ-instrument and music in this place would be acceptable to God, and prove far more useful than many hundreds in Europe, where there is already a superfluity of such things; and the more common they are, the more they are misused.

"If now Your Magnificence were kindly to intercede with his Serene Highness and Her Highness his Consort, and also with such other exalted personages with whom you are held in high esteem, and present to them the benefit to be hoped for; I doubt not, but that something could be effected. There are in Europe masters enough who build such instruments, and a fine one can be secured for 300 or 400 thalers. Then if an experienced organist and musician could be found, and a curious one who would undertake so far a journey, he would be very welcome here. In case this could not be, if we only had an organ, some one or other might be found here who had knowledge thereof.

Finally if Your Magnificence would be highly disposed to answer, I believe the best address for the letter would be in care of the Swedish Resident in London, through whom also the present letter is addressed. Or perhaps you are aware of some better opportunity.

"In conclusion I now commend YOUR MAGNIFICENCE to the protection and grace of God to all prosperity, and remain

"to YOUR MAGNIFICENCE

"GERMANTON in the American

Province of Pensylvania, otherwise New
Sweden, the 1st. of August in the year

of our Salvation one thousand seven

hundred and one.

"For Prayer and service

"most devoted,

"JUSTUS FALCKNER."

drey oder vierhundert Thaler haben;könte man auch einen erfahrnen Organiffen und Muficum finden der curieux, und so eine weite Reise thun wolte/der wür de hier sehr angenehm seyn/wäre es aber nicht/ und man hätte nur eine Orgel/somöchte sich etwa noch ein oder der andere hier finden/der Wissenschafft da von hätte. Schließlichen wenn Eut. Magnificent vielgeneigt antworten wolten/ so glaube wird die beste addrefle der Brieffe an den Schwedischen Re fident in Londen sey/wohin auch dieser gegenwärti ge Brieff addreffiret worden /oder vielleicht wissen Sie selber schon bessere Gelegenheit. Nun ich schliesse und empfehle Eu. Magnificent Deft Schutz und der Gnade GOttes zu allen Wohler gehen/ und verharre

Euer Magnificence

Germanton in ber Americanischen

Province Penlylvania, sonst no vaSuecia,deni, Augufti im Jahr unsers HeylsEintausend sieben

hundert und eins.

50 Gebet und Diensten
verbundenster

Justus Falckner.

THE SO-CALLED "FRANKLIN PRAYER-BOOK."

BY RICHARD MEADE BACHE.

The New York Times published, under date of December 3, 1896, some interesting statements connected with the sale in Boston of a copy of the so-called "Franklin PrayerBook." These the present paper supplements with authentic data that add to the completeness of the record by confirming the Times's view of the share that Dr. Franklin had in the preparation of the volume, and of its rarity, and additionally showing the interest which certain prominent persons long subsequently to the publication took in the work. The Times said in part, under the heading, "Rare Franklin Volume,"

"Dodd, Mead & Co., of this city, purchased in Boston yesterday a rare old volume known as Franklin's Prayer-Book. The purchase was made at the auction sale of the library of the late Prof. Henry Reed, of the University of Pennsylvania. [The sale was of books of the late Judge Henry Reed, a son of Professor Henry Reed's.] The bidding for this old book was spirited, and the price paid by Dodd, Mead & Co. was $1,250. Joseph Sabin was the underbidder. The volume is bound in old red morocco, stamped with gilt, and has gilt edges."

Here follows a copy of the title-page and a quotation from a letter of Franklin's, which matter will appear more appropriately in another place in this account, the article in the Times concluding with the following passage:

"In a letter written by Jared Sparks to Prof. Reed, dated Cambridge, Mass., May 30th, 1837, he says: 'Among Franklin's papers I have lately found a fragment of the Preface of the said Abridgment of the Book of Common Prayer, in his handwriting, and have been puzzling myself in vain to find any clue to the book. A learned clergyman could give me no light on the subject. It is a very curious affair, as coming from Franklin. I doubt if there is another copy in America.'"

A copy of the original and only edition of this work, which lies before me, is in a state of perfect preservation. It is printed on substantial paper, as was the fashion of the last century, in large type, and, of course, with the quaint

old, long "s" of the period. The binding is of Turkey-red morocco, with a stamped gilt vignette around the margins of both front and back covers, with corresponding gilt ornamentation on the back, and with gilt-edged leaves. It is evidently a copy of the edition lately represented in Boston by the exemplar there sold. The particular copy of the edition which lies before me has attached to it a special interest in the fact that at the top of the inside of the front cover appears in faint ink manuscript the words, "Once the property of the Immortal Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., etc." [Unsigned.] It came into possession of Dr. Thomas Hewson Bache, who is still its owner, by gift from Dr. John Redmond Coxe, a prominent physician of Philadelphia, who had bought it at the sale of Dr. Stuart's library in the same city, and on June 5, 1855, insisted upon Dr. Bache's accepting it, despite his representing to Dr. Coxe that it was on every account too valuable a present for him to receive. The title-page reads:

ABRIDGEMENT

OF

THE BOOK OF

Common Prayer,

And Administration of the

SACRAMENTS,

AND OTHER

Rites and Ceremonies

OF THE

CHURCH,

According to the use of

The Church of England:

TOGETHER WITH THE

PSALTER, or PSALMS

OF

DAVID,

Printed as they are to be sung or said in Churches.

LONDON:

Printed in the year MDCCLXXIII.

Growing out of his coming into possession of this copy of the so-called "Franklin Prayer-Book," or out of common knowledge that he was somewhat versed in antiquarian lore relating to Franklin, probably from both causes, Dr. Bache was, not long after he received the book, applied to for information regarding the work by the Right Reverend William Bacon Stevens, Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, in the following letter:

"MY DEAR SIR:

"913 CLINTON ST., Thursday. [Without date, but the reply indicates it.]

"I have been so fortunate as to secure a copy of the Franklin Pr. Bk., which I received in my last invoice of English books. In nearly all respects, except the binding, it is as good as the one I saw at your house. On the title-page is written the following note: "This abridgement, together with the preface, was drawn up by Sir Francis Dashwood, Bart., Baron Le Dispencer, [Despencer] and given by him to Lord Mount Stuart, in 1775. The book was printed in a private press of his own at West Wycombe, Bucks.'

"I showed the book to Mr. McAllister, who has, as you know, a large collection of Prayer Books, but he had never seen or heard of it. My object in writing to you is, first, to thank you for your note, and secondly, to ask that you will do me the favor to give me the true history of the book so far as it may be in your power, as the facts connected with it must be particularly interesting."

Under date of July 7, 1859, and in Philadelphia, Dr. Bache answered this letter of Bishop Stevens's, as follows:

"I have much pleasure in giving you all the particulars I know concerning the 'Abridgement of the Book of Common Prayer,' but, whether they form its true history, it is impossible for me to tell.

"The first copy I ever saw is in the possession of Mrs. Henry Reed, and formerly in that of her grandfather, Bishop White. [Mrs. Henry Reed was the wife of Professor Reed, mentioned in the preceding quotation from the New York Times, and Bishop White was the well-known Bishop William White of colonial and later times.] It is in all respects, even in binding, like my own. On the fly-leaf of it you will find the following:

"This book was presented to me in ye year 1785, while ye Liturgy was under revision, by Mrs. Sarah Bache, by direction of her father, Dr. Benj. Franklin; who, with Lord Le Despenser, [Despencer] she said, were the framers of it.

"W. W. [WILLIAM WHITE].