New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-01

sketch of Franklin. which We submit however In
spite of such defects. as a favorable specimen OF
our authors skill:
Rut the fame of no man who sat that day IN the
State House was splendid or went back TO SO
early time as that of Benjamin Franklin. his
name was known to every learned society 10
Europe at time when half the delegates 10 me
convention were in the nursery, and be-
fore the oldest of them had come
to note. He was great and famous famous
before Ruins King, before Gonyerneq PandoInb
were born before Wilson came over from scotland,
while Piuckney was vet lad. and had risen to blgh
Office under the Colonial Government while M nas1
ington was humble captain in the army OF Brad-
dock. Franklin was in truth the oreatsst Aineri-
can then living; nor would IT he saie
TO say that our country mas since ms nay scIn M
like. Others have been more successinl as pnlial-
tbropists or more renowned ~ inventors lew
have specuaed more deeply in natural philosophy,
or have made more astonishing use oil tnelr
not been one Who, to all these diverse
nuallties Of mind has addec that hOlnely wisdom,
which has so well been named hard common sense.
HIS mind vas one OF the finest OF an age h9i plIre
of great minds. and was trained by such disclpIne
rarely falls to the lot OF any OF the chlldren OF
men. lie passed through every vlclssltnue oi I9f
tune and saw every phase OF human nature ne
knew hunger, he knew beGgary, he EneW
luxury. he knew lie as lew nav
known IT. The son of an English ia ow-chandler.
his early years were spent among lhe cnII,en Va
laborers and mechanics While still stripping ne
stole away from his father house, and WIN lew
pence in his pocket went forth 10 seek ms iortune
slept i'm cellars and gSrreis, ana ale tlat Dreal
which is the bitterness Of all food. Before ne as
fifty the l9wborn irenn,ess te most diff
cult of all paths and struggled manfuiiy up 10
eminence and command. In his old age he came 10
stand before Kings and Parllaments' was honore sd
by all manner of learned societies anu
made the friend of powerful statesmen
and men renowned in every walk
of science and art. From this school which would
h1ve ed ordinary being, ne clluc AOlhu
rouuded and perfected man: Suferlug snch as mas
suiced to warp and sour minds second only 70 MS
prosperity such as has turned the strongest heads
served TO make him the most kind-hearted the most
genial the most unassumng OF inortals. Men o,
all sorts found Franklin delightful companion anu
a common friend. Hume and Robertson never
wearied of his talk. Burke and Chatham never
spoke of him but III terms Of praise. lie was the
correspondent of Kames. of Shpey, Bishop OF 81:
Ssaph. of Button, of Msbly. of Condorcet, OF
Vercennes of La Rcchefoucaud. Voltalre de-
lighted to do him .h honor I;n: ..F lGTgGit
colo fulmen, sceptrumque tyrannls' Ills
populaTity ia France was immense IL was NOT sur
passed by that of Voltare. IL was not equalied by
that of Napo-an. When he walked In the streets
of paris the people followed him crowds. Rude
COPIES of his face hung in the window OF every
paut-shop and over the fire place Of every man OF
fashion Men Of science did him honor; women ot
the world wrote hun s0nn-ts. No hoo!ehia All
garden was complete TIL hbtfty Tree nsu
been planted therein by the h9nd OF tue
hats ties were all Il Ia Franklin" he ueNsla-
prrs delighted TO print his maxlms and good say
iugs and one of then uttered when all seemed lost
TO Ii 5 country was treasured Up by the people oil
France aud became long after he WIS dead, pop
uiar rev o utiOnary cry.
These are brilliant. though perhaps too highly
oolored pages II they suggest the style of Macau-
Law what must he said OF these passages which
writer for The Boston EreBipg Transcript has taken
the trouble TO collate:
FroB Nc Hasiers History. From ndc1"dVs History
tIagc 81 fCtUp. y
We are in no danger OF some oi these races the
Loing to,iaha,yked Wcprogress OF cultivation
are not terrified by III, has xtirpated. o. Others,
ygrs hoop An indian in The Numbers are 80 much
ms palnt and feathers 4~diminished that men
now a uuch rarer show crowd 10 gaze at a speci-
Than a BENGAL tiger OF men as at a Bengal tiger
white bear from the polar bear.
polar sea-