The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-02-01

lie Ne azs not . kssp III Of these let - b
mindful Of thsir spirit and ssason the rest
Of the year with their festivity and bone
fCence.
The statue Of Franklin is presented to
the world under the illumination Of thres
steady liehts,-o Politics, Science, and
Literatare. He was, taking, the circum-
stances Of time and place into account,
original in them all His keen glance
was tho earliest TO survey comprehensive
| " the disordered elements Of American
nationality. He was among the first to
proclaim and urge the importance Of I'm
ion of the States he was not only among
the first, but he was the most persistent
to maintain the necessity and feasibility
of American independence. When 9TH
ers despa;red, Franklin never wavered,
with hopes which no disappointment
could exhaust, with patient resources
which no arts could overpower, instruct
ing Chatham, outwitting Wedderburne,
looking calmly through the King and his
Minister; provident Of his resources, new
er, in the language of the historian, Ban
croft, who warns at his name, speaking
q word too soon, never speaking word
too late never speaking word too much,
never failing to speak the right word at
the right season." Such stood Franklin
in the neighborhood Of the proud court Of
St. james during the important years Of
the Revolution, like an image Of Fate in
the midst Of obstinacy, contempt and
thickening ruin. Once and again he was
ready to offer the terms Of peace and al
legiance; with each offer, like the books
of the Sibyl, the price was higher, till, re-
fused SO often American liberty was price
less. The humiliations of the humble
agent we're turned into the triumphs Of
the accredited national representative
When he was laying down all his honors,
he thought of this. Minister Plenpoten-
tiary was the end abroad which crowned
his work. At home what did he not ac-
complish? From 1854 to 1887 from
the Congress of Commissioners Of the
Colonies at Albany the convention Of the
Constitution in Philadelphia, signing the
Declaration Of Independence, arguing by
voice and pen, infuening everywhere,
working everywhere, what point of the
diplomatic annals Of his period did he not
illustrate?
The man of science preceded the politi-
clan, aud kept pace through all with his
advancing years. His name is written in
the heavens: his monument rises in a
million spires, in the lightning rods every
where by the side Of American homes !;
his fame is humbly recorded in the
Franklin, at the hearthstone within
Many men have been - great inventors !;
few Of them have recorded their expert
ments, inventions and discoveries 10 Ian
guage SO clear and precise. "The style
aud manner of his publication on electri-
city," said Sir Humphrey Davy, ''are al
most as worthy of admiration as the doc
trine it contains" His great discovery
connects his name with the greatest Of
to-day. His humblest experiments have
a vitality which curiosity seems unable to
exhaust. The laststeamer from England
brings us an interesting account of the
diffusion of oil upon water at the very
Chapman Pond where Franklin first made
his experiments There are men of great
activity and little science there are others
of great science and little activity. Frank.
lin united both conditions He made lit.
tie discoveries great, and great ones great
er. He came when there was apparently
a better opportunity for discovery than
at present; but were he to live now, such
a man would make the opportunity he
then found.
In literature, singular good fortune
has always attended Franklin. He hit
that medium style in letters which will
ever please. When men are weary Of
sublimity they turn to the pages of Frank
lin, when they are weary of inanity they
take refuge in Franklin. The Autobiog-
raphy is one of the most charming books
in the world. The essays and apologies
are felcitous as if they had been written
by Goldsmith. Wit and invention have
given them wings to all tongues and lands.
Pliny Miles read the story of The Whis-
tie in Iceland, translated into the secluded
language of that distant island Japanese
boys will yet delight in it, as three gen
erations OF English and American BOYS
have already delighted in it, in cottage
and humble village school, even as it first
fell delightedly on the ear Of Madame
Beilon in the courtly salons Of Paris
Franklin devoted himself, he gave his
days and nights to the study Of Steele and
Addison and the genius Of the Spectator
fattered by the attentions of the young
Puritan, smiled upon the disciple. -
Franklin was the first to smooth our
rough provincial tongue to sweeter ac-
cents. A winning grace sits upon his
pen. His most trihiug letter is charming
reading. You may wander through the
huge collection of his writings with IN
failing entertainment
Such was Franklin, the politician, the
discoverer, the author. What was he as
a man, in the sum of those personal rcla-
tons which endear us to or separate us
from our kind? He was amiable, tolerant,
useful and honest We are no friends to
tombstone eulogies, or puffs, Of men living
or departed. Empty panegyric is an in
suit to the subject and the nearer. Frank
lin had not the cxcellences Of all men,
but he had his full share, according to the
opportunities and allotments Of fallible
humanity. 1t might be wished that he
had the soul of Plato, or the religious unc-
ton Of Fenelon /; it is enough to claim for
him that he shared the practical philoso-
ply of Bacon, and did good in the school
Of Howard. His views perhaps, would
hardly meet the acquisitions Of the most
spiritual minded. MIR. Theodore Parker
would find little difficulty in bringing his