ness to make a translation of this
letter into that language, which I inclose herewith.

I have the honour to be, with the most perfect respect, Sir, your
most obedient and most humble servant,
D. HUMPHREYS.

[Footnote 2: I have not been able to find any trace
of this memoir in the archives of the French
Academy.]

A letter written by Franklin, about the same time, to John Jay, then
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, is of much interest in this connection:

To the Honourable
John JAY, Passy, May 10, 1785.
Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

- - - - -

P.S. The striking of the medals being now in agitation here, I
send the inclosed for consideration.

_A thought concerning the Medals that are to be struck by (p. xv)
order of Congress._

The forming of dies in steel to strike medals or money, is
generally with the intention of making a great number of the same
form.

The engraving those dies in steel is, from the hardness of the
substance, very difficult and expensive, but, once engraved, the
great number to be easily produced afterward by stamping
justifies the expense, it being but small when divided among a
number.

Where only one medal of a kind is wanted, it seems an unthrifty
way to form dies for it in steel to strike the two sides of it,
the whole expense of the dies resting on that medal.

It was by this means that the medal voted by Congress for M. de
Fleury cost one hundred guineas, when an engraving of the same
figures and inscriptions might have been beautifully done on a
plate of silver of the same size for two guineas.

The ancients, when they ordained a medal to record the memory of
any laudable action, and do honour to the performer of that
action, struck a vast number and used them as money. By this
means the honour was extended through their own and neighbouring
nations, every man who received or paid a piece of such money was
reminded of the virtuous action, the person who performed it, and
the reward attending it, and the number gave such security to
this kind of monuments against perishing and being forgotten,
that some of each of them exist to this day,