New-York tribune., 1868-05-01
Tv,o,, IN. lutogranh n al
IRditlnn Of 1917. D. 81

Rut dmring nv absence ne But during my absence ne
had acGuired a habit Of had acquired habit Of sot
dyiuIinG NJ byo,6 and Hing tcM brandy; and found
found nv NJ o,u aeouu as by account and Uhdt
ve hat OF others that h "A hediu !IV oert lnat no
s,nea bs arrivsl at New. since his arrival at New
York, and behaved himself York, ana behaved ray
in a Uery eItraoogant manner loasV
Tho Covernor reeefped me Tho Governor treated me
MIN oreot cviIitv showed with great civty, showed
me his library which was me his library, which was a
considerable one, ana "e nad teB ge OIe anu We ha -
a good deal Of conversation g9ou uet OF cohyerhauon
reidttre TO books ana auth.iS' Iu". ooAs sHu
Collins wished to be emf Collins wished to be en-
pI0vpd I'm some counting lplOycd in some counting
bose but whether they house. but whether they dis
covered his dram drinking covered his drumming by his
by his breath, or, &c lbreath' or, &c
Mr.. Bigelow has followed the orthography Of the
manuscript which is irregular and often caprcious.
Although practical printer the Doctor great
adept in spelling. He would spell public" with a
ok. and Emusic" without ok" "Though" is gen.
eray spelt "tho," lob" with two "b's," "surf'
with two as" and "sope" occurs for soap" though
with all his errors in this respect, he probably spet
the kings English as Mr.. Bigelow remarks, livery
much better than the king himself did"
The character of DR.. Franklin is admirably summed
up by Mr. Laboulaye in the introduction to his trans
lation of the "Memors" which appeared in Paris in
1866 We follow Mr.. Bigelows example in quoting
the passage.
"What constitutes the charm OF the Memoirs not the
recital OF events which of the most ordinary charac
ter ii is the reflections which accompany their recital
Franklin is born mOraist The first letter he writes TO
his sister the virtues Of good housekeep
Tho penitent is fifteen and the preacher twenty FROM
this moment his death Franklin did not change He IS
always the who out his conduct-the sage
never aid a word too soon word too late He never
said word too much, failed TO say the decisive WORD
at the proper moment In his letters now many norl
lessons given with much gayey po~er IL Is not an
author one reads; he Is friend to whom one is,ens %
There is Franklin, with his venerable face, MS ar no
Ing back and his eye always shrewd and quick present
ing altogether OF the most auabe gnres OF te last
how be rallied the seshness of individuals and the art
fees Of governments which but another form OF sell
fshness Do ask OF him anything sublime, nor expect
from him those burss which above the passing
world Franklin never quits tue earth u s not genius genius
IN him; It is good sense expressed IN ls highest power
Do not seek in him poet nor even an orator. nut mas
belongs Neither imagine you have to do with vulgar
worldly wisdom. This aniahe mocker VINO laughs ~
everything Is not the less devoted patriot
and one OF the sneerest friends OF humanity lis agn
not that OF V0ltaire; there Is no bit ternoss In IL
the benevolent smile Of an old man whom life has taught
TO be Irdulgent noting without vanity what he terms
his errta Of conduct Franklin teaches us that no one
most lie there always many page to correct
1t is he humbes himself to us to encourage u.s.
"A companion who takes by tho hand. and talking
with faniarly little 10y little makes us blush a our
weaknesses, and communicates to us something OF hls
warmth aud goodness. such are the effects wrought by
perusng the Memoirs, ana st more by the corresponds
enceost strengthening reading for al ages and cond
tons No started from lower point than the
poor apprentice OF Boston No one ever raised himself
higher by his own unaded forces than the inventor OF
to his country than the dplomatst who signed the treaty
OF 17S3 aud assured the independence OF the United
States Better than the biographies Of Pluarch this life,
long and well filed Is source OF perpetual instruc-
ton TO all men. Every there find counsel and
example 4" Franklin has never played part
neither with others with himself He says what he
thinks he does what he says. He knows but one road
which leads from desttuton 10 fortune He knows OF
mode to arrive at happiness at least 10 con-
tentment it is by labor economy, and probity Such Is
the ept gives TO his readers but this receipt ho
commenced by trying himself We can believe IN secret
with which he himself succeeded In our democratic
society where every seeks better his condtiona
very legitimate purpose-noting is worth much as
the example and the lessons OF whO without inu
and without fortune became master after having
been o labOTer-gave hnlsen the education which he
lacked and. by force OF toll prvations, and courage,
raised himself 10 the first rank In his country, and
quered the admiration and respect OF the human
To have the talent OF Franklin, or TO be favored az lie
by events, is not given 10 all but every one may
have the honor OF following such model even without
the hope of reaching IT."
The volume is embellished with a portrait of
Franklin engraved from pastel by Duplesss taken
at the age of ~ aud is brought out in substantial
and elegant style of Typography in excellent keep
ing with the subject.