[The Works of Benjamin Franklin] ... Memoirs of the Life and Writings ... Written by Himself, to a Late Period, and Continued to the Time of his Death by his Grandson, William Temple Franklin. Now First Published from the Original Manuscript, Comprising the Private Correspondence & Public Negotiations ... Together with the Whole of His Political, Philosophical & Miscellaneous Works

Philadelphia: William Duane, 1818. First American Edition of William Temple Franklin's collected works of Franklin. Engraved titles in each vol., 16 engraved plates (sold folding) [complete]. 6 vols. 8vo. Contemporary tree calf, flat spines with red and green morocco labels, worn. Provenance: Isaac Collins (signatures, booklabels). First American Edition of William Temple Franklin's collected works of Franklin. Engraved titles in each vol., 16 engraved plates (sold folding) [complete]. 6 vols. 8vo. "Franklin by his will left the bulk of his books and manuscripts to his grandson, William Temple Franklin, who at once (1790) came to London and began the preparations for and announced an edition of his grandfather's writings. The times were so unpropitious for an elaborate work, however, that a publisher could not be found ... and so the enterprise dragged along til 1818, when both quarto and octavo editions were printed [in London]" (Ford 561).

"This [Philadelphia] edition was begun in 1808 but owing to the delay of [William] Temple Franklin in printing his edition (with whom Duane had agreed to an exchange of material), it was not completed until 1818. The editor added many pieces to what had hitherto been printed as Franklin's derived almost wholly from the books and MSS which came into his possession by his marriage with the widow of Benjamin Franklin Bache" (Ford)

Volume 1, published in 1818, comprises the first American edition of Franklin's Autobiography as written by Franklin and the first American printing of the third part in any form. Franklin's autobiography covers the years from his birth in 1706 through 1759 only, and was written by him at four different periods between 1771 and 1789. Curiously, the first two of the four parts originally appeared in French (1791, 1798) and, before 1818, all English versions were re-translations from those French editions of the first two parts. This edition, edited and expanded by his grandson, includes the first American appearance of any part of the Autobiography in the original English as written by Franklin, as well as the first American appearance of the third and largest part of his Autobiography, covering 1731-1757.

Volume 2 (published in 1809), includes works relating to Pennsylvania colonial politics, including many relating to the relationship with the Propietors and Native Americans; volume 3 (1808)includes his scientific publications, including his works on electricity and the gulf stream; volume 4 (1809) his political writings, including the text of his testimony on the stamp act; and volumes 5 (1809) and 6 (1817) his correspondence.

Given the lengthy publication span, sets are rarely found complete with all volumes. This set in a contemporary binding, complete with all portraits and plates, and with provenance to Isaac Collins (1787-1863), the son of New Jersey colonial printer of the same name. Howes F232; Sabin 25605; Ford 568 (Inventory #: 366969)