Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-05

emptying his pocket OF copper, silver and gold
for the eyangelist's great charity in Georgia
While his prudence was great, his generosity
was conspicuous.
THE ERRORS OF HIS EARLY LIFE,
ingenuously owned in his autobiography, were
ali amended, and no man, perhaps, ever achieved
more success in subduing passions naturally
strong. AS worker among men. Franklin had
the rarest faculty of accomplishing his purpose
by enlisting the zeal of others and placing them
in the, apparent lead. He never obtruded Dr.
FRANKLIN; let Others make speeches and draw
eloquent and high-sOunding papers; never
reused opposition when it could be avoided
without sacrificing principle; and thus he car
ried measures which men of equal genius but
more imperious nature, would have lost. He
never attempted to drive men; ALWAYS to lead
them. In the constitutional convention, as in
his diplomatic career, Franklin was the great
cOnciliator. His wonderful mOdesty contrasted
strongly with the colossal egotism of John
Adams and the irritable vanity of Arthur Lee
and Ralph lizard. In Paris Franklin shOne not
only as the man OF genius, but as
THE MASTER OF GENUINE COURTESY
Mingling with ceurtiers, philosophers and free
thinkers, with his simple republican garb and
manners. he taught poIitencss to the politest ma
ton in the world. He enjoyed. and still enjoys,
fame abroad never accorded to any other
Spondence or intercourse with such men as
David Hume. Lord names Edmund Burke. La
tayette, Dr. Presley Lord Chatham. WILDER
force, DideTot. D.Alembert, Thomas Paine.
Charles James Fox, DR.. Richard Price Sir Will
liam Jones, the Able Morellet. Briss0t de War
vile, Beaumarchais, the Marquis de Chastelux.
the Able Bartheleny, NOltairc Cond0rcet and
TurgOt. He was fuy0rite guest in the salons
OF Nine. du Detand. Nine. Helyetius and Nine.
d H0udetot
In France his name is still loved and vene-
rated. and lis picture is found at peasants
hcarths and in fashionable boudoirs. There ia
no man that ever lived. not even Washington.
whose features are so familiar to the world.
Engraved i'll every form OF Illustration. and
sculptnred in busts and statues in bronze or
marble, from the cheapest wood cut in the primer
to Hiram Powers colossal statue in the CAPITOL,
clad III the authentic costume of his times. we
meet everywhere those strongly moulded
benignant features. impressive and winning
FHty-seVen American towns have been named
for Franklin.
His life and success bear testimony to the fact
that true greatness is always allied to simplicity
study him how we may, We find in him no love
OF power OF office, or of money and not the
smallest ambition for display. Thrown into the
conduct Of large affairs. he was easily great; and
his courage and capacity seemed to rise with
every Crisis or emergency. He had his detrac-
tors and calumniatOrS, as some Of the Athenans
denounced Aristides, tired of hearing him al
ways called the Just. But time has amply
INDICATED HIS FAME.
His works, of which As editions, gilmore or less
fuhness have appeared, are his best monument
Hlsdiplomatic andunpublished papers after lying
IN Europe for years, We're last year rescued from
oblivion, purchased by Congress, and are now
deposited in the Department of State, with those
OF washington, Jefferson. Hamilton, Madison and
Monroe. His style. fresh diOmatic and strong was
formed upon his early reading of John Bunyan.
Piutarchs Lives, the Spectator, and the Bible
Read them. foryou will find them full of sense
and hunor, and of practical wisdom. His SER
wees TO American education cannot be over
rated. He was one of the greatest political
thinkers OF the world He was deficient in magi-
nation but he had great and powerful under
standing. and reasoning faculties of the highest
order. When we count up the roll of iustrious
Americans. whatever place may be assigned to
others, the name OF Benjamin Franklin will hold
a permanent rank among the great benefactors
Of mankind.