Historical Remarks on the taxation of free states We assume that this “bureau” was the room that Jonathan Williams, Jr., called the “library,” where Franklin had a writing table near a window. That list, written in French by Jean L’Air de Lamotte, is of books (some purchased recently) that were being transferred from Franklin’s private quarters to his “bureau” where, presumably, these titles already resided. Our conjecture that this catalogue was made before December 31, 1781, is based on the fact that a second list of books was begun on that date. Franklin employed Mumford as a clerk until January, 1782, when Jonathan Williams, Jr., agreed to take him. William Temple Franklin wrote the heading and the first five entries thereafter, except for occasional entries and corrections by Temple, the list is entirely in the hand of Gurdon Saltonstall Mumford, the Connecticut youth who arrived in Passy in August, 1780, seeking a position in a European mercantile house. ![]() The only firm clue to dating this inventory of Franklin’s library is the handwriting.
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