The primary source of information on Benjamin Franklin is contained in his own writings. These were compiled and edited by Jared Sparks, "The Works of... Franklin... with Notes and a Life of the Author", 10 vols. (1836-40); and later by John Bigelow, "The Complete Works of Benjamin Franklin; including His Private as well as His Official and Scientific Correspondence, and Numerous Letters and Documents Now for the First Time Printed, with Many Others not included in Any Former Collection, also, the Unmutilated and Correct Version of His Autobiography", 10 vols. (1887-88). Consult also James Parton, "The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin", 2 vols. (1864); S. G. Fisher, "The True Benjamin Franklin" (1899); Paul Leicester Ford, "The Many-Sided Franklin" (1899); John T. Morse, "Benjamin Franklin" (1889) in the "American Statesmen" series; and Lindsay Swift, "Benjamin Franklin" (1910) in "Beacon Biographies. On the Patent Office: Henry L. Ellsworth, A Digest of Patents Issued by the United States from 1790 to January 1, 1839" (Washington, 1840); also the regular Reports and publications of the United States Patent Office.