The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-11-24
Selections from the w Orks Of DIR. Frank
lin, by Epes Sargent. Esq.

I'M, Dy fspeS SARGENT ESQ
DISPUTE ABOUT LIGHTNING RODS.
In August, l772, another committee of the Royal
Society, Of which franklin member, visited,
under the direction OF the government, the powder
magazines at Purleet for the purpose Of considering !
the most eiIcc uai OF protecting them from !
lightning. franklin drew up report which MAS ac- !
cepted, in which the erection ot pointed rods
advised controversy Of some notoriely IN lis day,
grew ont Of the dissent Of member OF the com
Initfce, Mr.. Wilson, who con;enied tina, the con-
duciors ought be blunt, inasmrh as, II pointed,
they would attract the lightning. To this Frankin
replied that the attraction the very thing desued,
for the charge is therefore silently and gradually
drawn from the building and conveyed without dan
ger 10 the ground. Mr.. Wilson still chung To his the
ogy regard blunt conductors. and persuaded the
King TO change his pointed ones for blunt. ut Buck
,nri,arn House. One of Frankln's friends ODr. In
gcnhousc, nicmler vf the Rola! Sociciy) wrote OF
Wilson's charhtanry in such heated manner that
Franklin Witty remarked: lie seems as much
heded abon this p5t,a as the Jan>en'cs and Mo-
ln;sts were about the FIVE. Ih, following clever
episram upon the subject Of the Kings Welding 10
Wilson's a'scmont~, in opposition to FIaukiin~, APP
pcarca about th> tGe:
While YOU, great George, for safety hunt,
And sharp conductors change for blunt,
The emrne's out of JOINT;
Franklin a wiser course puTsues,
And all thunder fearless views,
Is, keeping 10 the pooi."
FRaNKilN AT VERSAILLES
lie appeared At this royal audience very simply at
tired, with straight unlowdercd HAIR, a brown cloth
coat and ROUND hat. A crowd collected TO see him.
HIS age, Ia, venerable aspect, his simple dIcss, con
tTstr, wii. the nerN around h, the recollection Of
his services science and humanity, all combined to
awaken the utmost enthusiasm OF the srectators-
The King received him ilh much cordialiiy, charg
ug him the niicd States ct his friendship,
and expressing his satisfaction with the conduct Of
their commits Ioner during his reside IN France
W has fItul he N
the passage WAYS received F,anhlin with renewed
manifestations OF welcome, and followed him for some
distance.
MS INTTEyIFws WITH yoLTkIRr.
The enthusiasm of which he had been the object
at Versailles, MAS renewed at Paris. Vciiaire had
recenily arrived there, after absence oi thniy
years. lie MAS II his eighry-iiith year. Franklin
called upo; hn and WAS received with e, dent pleas
ptaire at first aocosicd him in English; but
hay IN host the habit ot speaking he resumed the
conversation IN French. adroy rema,kiig, :. could
not resist the temptation OF sp, ahing for a moment
the language Of F,a"kiu.' The Philadelphia sage
then pa esenied his grandson the ,atr arch Of Fer
ney, and ASKED his blessing upon hm. - God and
heIty!' said Nolaite, raising his hands over the
.ouag man. head * that is the on, hcnedic,ion APP
prop nate to the grandson Of Franklin"
'cw days aiier tins interview, the same parties
net at The Academy OF Sciences, aud were placed
side by SIDE The SIGHT of these ds she'd old
nen elected; anoher outbreak Of Partisan enthusiasm
The CRY arose that they shuald nibrace. They stood
up, bowed, 'ook each other by the hand, and spoke
But this was not enough. The clanor contnued.-
III faa's eDAroSser a la fiancaise,'' was the cry:
~hcreupon they kissed each other on the check and
I'LL ihen did the unnulI sulside The scene was
cilssicay compared Ivy the Eeya,su,s Of the DAY, TO
"Solon embracing Sophoces.'' Voitare lived only
month after this second eucountre with his Amer-
can cotcmporary.
CONVERSATIONAL POWERS.
His features index of the good temper
nit, cheer fitness and aiab, hch were his char
acierstics. john Adams represented hIm taciiuu
COMMITTEES and in Congress. la societ, he was
far from BEING loquacious; bat possessed more
entertaining fund OF cunye;saiou, or used IL more
happily fitting occasions. Childhood. that 5. best
6eteelor of gentle heart" ever welcome to his
hnee. For the Young, has manners and ms words of
SAGE adv ice and pleasantly bad .ndscI EIbs CHARM
Sr Fiancs Romn.Iiiy, when Young man. called on
him AT Pessy O1e2) with friend. - d.. Franklin
he writes, WAS indulgcnt enough to Converse a good
deal with us, whom hc observed to be Young men
very DESTROYS of improving by his OF
all the celebrated persons. whom in MY hfe. have
cha..ced tn see, Dr.. f., both from his appearance and
his cOnversaon. seemed 10 me the kablc
His venerable latrIarcha apr earance, the simp icy
Of his and language, and the novelty of his
chs ,vaiiouat least the nuycliy al them that time
~ me-imriessed me viii, an opinion Of him as one
oi the most extraordinary mon that ever eNistcd''
FRASKLIN IL LOVE IN HIS OLD AGE
He had especially 0eclinnate regard ior Md
ARE rvetius, whom be called lad, Of Autouil''
ard who came every week 10 dine at least " nh
hID and hI- lijc colony AT Pa-sv. lie had los, hi,
Nlte ia 1913, and notu hsiandin. his sevcnty-six
years, he 'iadc propositions Of marriage to Madame
llalvetus shortly before the close of the war i,ui
the had refused The hand oi iugot, aud did not ac-
cept his. Franklin thcrcrpon wrote her a letter
which Is model of vii and grace.
CLOSING WARS OF LIFE.
Very beautiful l. the spectacle Of the closing wears
Of Franhiins long and aboions life. Though not
sithoi his share Ut physical nii.Iniics, he retained
his lively interest in public affairs, his war,n social
and domestic synathies, his amenity aaj serenity If
temper, his active and vigorous intellect. his abiding
Faith in another and letter life. lie seems to have
realized the wish expressed in anothei's behalf b,
Wor.isworh:--
Thy thoughts and feelings shall no, die,
Nor leave thee. when gray hairs are nigh,
melancholy slave;
But AZ ODD age, and bright,
And iovily "a the Lapand night,
SUI. head thee 10 ihy grave
His c"rie erondcncc AT this time, IN the yiyaci.y
humor. justice Of thought. and happy reliance ON
frovidencc jhich il exhibits, is model Of style and
mood.
EYGLIsU DriNfoNs or AMERICAN STATE
FERs.-The London News remark SIS From rho