[A] [French Minister of Finance.]

[B] This ingenious and probable conjecture, I found in a letter from Dr. Franklin to yourself, published in the late volume of the American Philosophical Transactions.

[C] [The latter part of this letter is in cypher; but appended to the copy preserved, are explanatory notes, which have enabled us to publish it entire, except a few words, to which they afford no key. These are either marked thus ***, or the words which the context seemed to require, inserted in italics.]

[D] [Much of this letter is in cypher, but the notes annexed to it have enabled the Editor to decipher and publish it.]

[E] [The parts of this letter marked by asterisks, are in cypher, and unintelligible.]

[F] [It will be seen that a few words of this letter are in cypher. It is published, however, as written, because enough of it is literal to interest the reader, to whom also, a specimen of the cypher used by the Author, may not be unacceptable.]

[G] [For the letter referred to, see ante, p. 237.]

[H] [Several paragraphs of this letter are in cipher. A few words here could not be deciphered.]