The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-28

uiknltieS OF their lnolSputable SuperforS, as
We'll as the laws of nations; these people
have become insolent through their too
quickly acquired wealth, and deserve the
other subjects a bad ample" He is not
even satisfied with ranklin' description of
vania. For. although he cannot deny that
Franklin's description is true. still he says
they do this much better in Poland. where
make a most savory morseI-
In this interview with Achenwall, Frank
Of the college in Philadelphia in 174s (now
the University of Pennsylvania He de-
clared, among other things. that the stories
or the wealth of Mexico and it's civilization
were all a myth. The Indians,s he de-
clared, were barbarians; how could they
build such cities as the Spaniards de-
More than a year after his return to Eng
land, DR.. Franklin received a letter from
Johann Friedrich Hartmann, dated the Ca
lends of October, 1867, in which the writer
says that he shall always remember the
Franklin on the occasion of his visit to
Hanover, He also states that the Prince of
cial messenger to G~oettingen to salute
franklin; but the messenger got to Goet-
tingen the very day Franklin left and too
page 1861 This Hartmann was a very
prominent physician in Hanover, head of
the Royal. Hospital and well known to
scholars of that day for his interest in cleo
trical Investigations.
FURTHER REFERENCES.
A further reference to this visit of Frank
Inns to Goettingen is found in Johann Ste
phen Putter's 'TSelbstbiographie'' e vols,
Goettingen, 1898, pages 400 and 491) Putter
there mentions the pleasure which he de-
rived from a visit of the famous Franklin
and his equally famous English companion,
DIR. Pringle, then president of the Royal
Academy of Sciences, at London. He says
that Franklin was at that time working on
the nlan of tho acfo hlichpnont IF op Ap,ar-
lean university at Philadelphia, and that
was one of the reasons which led to his
visit to Goettingen. Although he was not
able to speak German, he seemed glad to
get a copy Of Putter's History OF the Uni
ers about its contents. Il had the pleas
ure," Putter remarks, "of having these gen.
evening, in company with other scholars in
GoettIngen. My friend Achenwall utilized
this opportunity to get exact information
American colonies, and their relation TO
the mother country; he subsequently pub
Hanoversches Magazin. What Franklin said
at that time could almost be regarded as
the exact prophecy of the events which aft
erward took place in that quarter of the
world"
In the autobiography of Professor
mentions having met Franklin in the sum
mer of 1866, and he also gives us an account
of what he calls an important conversation
that he held with Franklin on one occasion
at table:
.As he was dining at my house we talked
much about America, about the Indians;
the rapid growth of the English colonies;
their population; their doubling in twenty
was in London in 1741 had taken occa-
sion to study pretty carefully the condi-
ton of these colonies from English books
and reports, and / had come to the con-
clusion, which l expressed at that time to
various people that the colonies would %S
laughed at me at that time; but I said
/ was of the same opinion still. Franklin
thereupDn answered, with his earnest, Sig
nificsnt and shrewd expression. that L was
entirely mistaken; the Americans had a
great love for their mother country. I
replied, that might be SO, but the mighty
strong and outweigh or destroy the love
for the mother country. He could not deny
that this might be true. but he said their
revolt would still be impossible, for every
important place in the colonies, including
Boston. New York and Philadelphia. lay
exposed to the English fleets. Boston
ment; to this, of course, ! could not reply.
l did not think, at the time. that / was
talking with a man who a few years later
was destined to play such a prominent part
the disturbances actually broke out i
watched with great interest for the be-
hut things took an entirely different
course
The editor of the autobiography of
Michaelis remarks in a foot note that he
Goettingen, of seeing Franklin and Prin-
gle, who had dropped into the Goettingen
Library. and that they had pleased him
much better than the famous Lessing, who
was also stopping at that time in Goet-
tingen. 'These Englishmen, who are or
dinarily reputed to be very distant in
their manners, were eSc ;ng n ,Pbe eanl
trary. was distant and contemptuOuS."