Franklin's mission was to protest against the selfish greed of the proprietaries and to seek redress. Though he was past fifty he was still in the prime of vigorous life, and was peculiarly fitted for the work he had set about. Such an undertaking required boldness, capacity, and discretion. Franklin had all three. First, he had shown himself a brave man, one who had the moral courage to confess his mistakes-his "errata" as he called them and the moral energy to conquer them. Next, he had the genius of good sense; for twenty years, thousands, not only of American farmers but of French and English workingmen, had squared their daily lives by the shrewd maxims of "Poor Richard's Almanac."1 Lastly, he had discretion; for early in youth, as he himself tells us, he had learned when and where to stoop.2 Such, in addition to his reputation for science, were the qualities for which Franklin was known at home. Yale and Harvard had made him Master of Arts. Abroad he had also gained a name. The common people knew him well. The Royal Society of London also knew him, for he was enrolled among their distinguished foreign members. More than thirty years before, Franklin had walked the streets of that great city a poor and friendless boy. He was now to enter it again, sure of a welcome as the American who had taken the first decided step toward subjecting the electrical forces of nature to the service of man. Yet such were the obstacles against which he had to contend that it was nearly three years after Franklin's arrival 1 The sayings of "Poor Richard" had been republished in England, and had also been translated into French, and were very popular with the people of both countries long before Franklin went abroad in 1757. 2 See page 41. in London before he could obtain a hearing from the government. During that time he was not idle; but, in addition to carrying on his scientific experiments, he was busy with pen and tongue, doing his utmost to influence the ministry and public opinion in favor not only of the colony he represented but of the colonies generally.1 Meanwhile, in recognition of the important electrical discoveries which he had made, the University of St. Andrews, the oldest in Scotland, conferred on him that degree which has ever since made him known to the world as Dr. Franklin. A few months later Franklin went on a journey to Scotland, where he made the acquaintance of Hume and Robertson, the eminent historians, and of Lord Kames, also known as a man of letters. It was while stopping at the last-named gentleman's house that Franklin recited the following parable,3 which not a few people innocently supposed to be a part of the Old Testament which they had unaccountably overlooked. This idea was strengthened by the Doctor's habit of repeating it with an open Bible in his hand, as if reading it, in order that he might hear the comments of his surprised listeners on this unfamiliar incident in Scripture history. THE PARABLE. "And it came to pass after these things, that Abraham sat in the door of his tent, about the going down of the sun. 1 It was during this time that he published his pamphlet on the interest of Great Britain in retaining Canada and the volume entitled "An Historical Review of Pennsylvania," though he did not himself write, but contributed the material of the last-named work. 2 The degree of J.C.D., Doctor of Civil Law. 8 The Parable was not original with Franklin, and was never claimed by him as such. It is probably from the Persian. "And behold, a man, bowed with age, came from the way of the wilderness, leaning on a staff. “And Abraham arose and met him, and said unto him, 'Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy feet, and tarry all night, and thou shalt arise early on the morrow, and go on thy way.' "But the man said, 'Nay, for I will abide under this tree.' "And Abraham pressed him greatly; so he turned, and they went into the tent, and Abraham baked unleavened bread, and they did eat. "And when Abraham saw that the man blessed not God, he said unto him, 'Wherefore dost thou not worship the most high God, Creator of heaven and earth?' "And the man answered and said, 'I do not worship the God thou speakest of, neither do I call upon his name; for I have made to myself a god, which abideth alway in mine house, and provideth me with all things?' "And Abraham's zeal was kindled against the man, and he arose and fell upon him, and drove him forth with blows into the wilderness. "And at midnight God called unto Abraham, saying, 'Abraham, where is the stranger?' "And Abraham answered and said, 'Lord, he would not worship thee, neither would he call upon thy name; therefore have I driven him out from before my face into the wilderness.' "And God said, 'Have I borne with him these hundred ninety and eight years; and nourished him and clothed him, notwithstanding his rebellion against me; and couldst not thou, that art thyself a sinner, bear with him one night?'"'1 1 This is the Parable as Lord Kames published it. The original, as repeated While Franklin was thus working and waiting, the contest with the French was practically drawing to a close. It had begun with bad management and with humiliating disasters, but William Pitt, the great English war minister, had reformed that, and the thunder of his guns was now heard all round the horizon. In honor of the statesman who had thus put new life into the army, the British forces when they captured Fort Duquesne from the French named it Fort Pitt, which not long after became Pittsburgh. In 1759 Pitt planned a campaign for the conquest of Canada. The enterprise, like everything which he undertook, was successful. Quebec surrendered to the gallant General Wolfe, who gave his life for the prize, and the next year the subjugation of the province was complete. The French, however, were still left in possession of the country. The question now before Parliament was whether they should be allowed to retain it, or whether England should take it as they already had Nova Scotia. The debate waxed hot. The timid urged that the French should not be disturbed, lest if they were driven out the American colonies might soon become too populous and too powerful to be governed by a king three thousand miles away. Pitt, on the other hand, who had nothing small or pusillanimous in his nature, urged the retention of Canada by the English as a means of extending the greatness and glory of the British Empire. Franklin took the same view. He saw that if France kept the smallest foothold in America there would always be danger of another war for supremacy. With this con viction, he wrote to his friend, Lord Kames: "No one can by Franklin, had four more verses; but they rather detract from its power and his lordship wisely omitted them. Britain more sincerely rejoice than I do, on the reduction of Canada; and this is not merely as I am a colonist, but as I am a Briton. I have long been of opinion that the foundations of the future grandeur and stability of the British Empire lie in America; and though, like other foundations, they are low and little now, they are nevertheless broad and strong enough to support the greatest political structure that human wisdom ever erected. I am therefore by no means for restoring Canada. If we keep it, all the country from the St. Lawrence to the Mississippi will in another century be filled with British people. itself will become vastly more populous, by the immense increase of its commerce; the Atlantic sea will be covered with your trading-ships; and your naval power, thence continually increasing, will extend your influence round the whole globe, and awe the world!" How far this letter, together with a subsequent printed pamphlet on the same subject, may have influenced the English government, we cannot judge; but a few years later Parliament decided to keep Canada, and thereby the unchecked growth of the American colonies in population, prosperity, and self-government was effectually, though perhaps unintentionally, secured. During Franklin's residence in England, the Pennsylvania Assembly had at length succeeded in getting the governor to give his assent to a bill levying a tax of one hundred thousand pounds to meet the expenses of the war, the estates of the proprietaries to be assessed at the same rate as those of the other landowners of the colony. In their disappointment and rage at such an unexpected result, the proprietaries forthwith dismissed the offending governor from office. But they could not at once undo |