The times., 1898-12-11

..
ecteristic of Mongolia. To Orientalists
this volume will be especially interesting.
| (New York: Harper & Bros. S10.)
..TEe True BENJAMIN FranhIip."
1.-The True Benjamin Franklin is by
Sydney George Fisher, author of Men,
Women and Manners in Colonial Times,
'.The Making of Pennsylvania 1.-THE Ev-
olution of the Constitution etc. Within
the last year or two there has been
sort of mania for raking the faults OF
dead and distinguished men out of Obliv-
ion and hanging them up in public to dry.
In some ways this passion on the part of
authors is commendable, and in others
not. Unless n man has gained his title
| of statesman or author or patriot by
fraudulent means there seems no particu-
lar reason for dwelling at length on all
his unpleasant traits and habits. Those
were not the things which made him ia
nous. or for which he VIII be remember
ed and when they are made too pronA-
rent they are sometimes used to shelter
the misdeeds of other men not busy in
developing redeeming qualities As the
old colored preacher said DE faults of
de great men of de Bible wasn't intend
ed for us to patronize." and that remark
will apply equally well to the fanits OF
the great men of history. At the same
time the biographical method which holds
up famous man speckiess model,
without any faults at all, is as little to
be commended. The biographer of genius
will find the happy mean, and then he
will really present the true view of his
subject
! All things considered, the author of
The True Benjamin Franklin has sue
ceeded fairly well. The printer-statesman
of Pennsylvania was not hero or a
saint; he shrewd. practical, far
sighted, large-minded worthy. with the
| insight to see what was needed in his
own time and the forethought to look
into the future and see what coming gen.
erations were likely TO need. He loved the
good things of this life. and had most of
. them when possible. He had a sturdy
strong. unbreakable constitution, which
! allowed him to experiment on nearly
! everything in the course of his long life,
and he made the most of 1t. He did not
! preach sermons; he made proverbs. and
|, took most of his own advice. These things
entitle him to be called genius, nut it
would be hard for even the most ardent
Boswell to make him into a saint He
, would be stubborn subject for that
, process as old Bruin Johnson himself He
was the first really self-made man Of our
country, and he was sufficiently proud
of the job to be willing that everyone
,, should know just how it was done. Hence
, he is so frank about his own peccadiiloes
, 4 that he puts many obstacles in the way
, of the mytf-makers. Mr. Fisher disap-
: proves of myth-malting. and has essayed
to give an analytical estimate of the
character of Franklin.
! ! The Illustrations OF the book are not
: numerous. but are good. There are five
, | reproductions of portraits of the Quaker
r City philosopher, besides two or three cd
prints of political nature, pictures OF
e members of the Franklin family, and
> facsimiies Of manuscripts. There are
eleven chapters. taking up the subject Of
the work after somewhat novel fash
ion. His physical characteristics first re-
e ceive attention, and all the facts of his
: life which have a bearing on this sub
I ject are recited: then follows a@chs,oter
: | on his education and there Is a rcca-
| pitulation of some of the events of his
i boyhood; then follows chapter headed
g Religion and Morals. which deals with
still other facts of the states.nans ca
reer, and so on. Thus there 10 no con-
i tinued life of Franhln but. in the course
i of the book, nearly every event and cir
4 cumstance of his history is recorded
: ConGi ions II .ife in A eIica AMI in Eng
I land have changed so greatly since the
I time of Franklin that 1t Is hard 10 irnag-
!, inc with any accuracy those which existed
/, hundred and fifty years ago. when the
e youthful printer was Obtaining what MAY
;, be called his education. An education was
e n far more simple matter then than now:
: 1t consisted mainly OF Latin. Greek and
:. mathematics, and science and logic and
literature were in rudimentary condition
A bright boy. like young Franklin could
y go into the printers business. which was
1t
fessions, and pick up more real knowledge
u than most scholars had The logic and
Il political economy of the time We're to &c
y gathered in conversation with cultivated
Il men, and an interchangeable reader, student
; and man of affairs was sure to absorb
Il more of these subjects and of literature
o than he could have learned at college
n Franklin was continually rcadir &. r.tine
: and conversing, and as fast as he discov'
It cred a new idea would experiment wi h il
n in pamphlet, verse newspaper article
II He thus gained the power of expression
= and learned to think logically and forcihly
He also had in large measure the power oi
ID insight into the current of popular
in thought. and understood early the art oi
{, finding out what his fellow-rnen Were
t thinking This power, with his Judgment
&c made him a statesman.
- After his experience in London, on hi:
le return TO Philadelphia. he organized wha
h. he called the Junto. club which he ha:
ID described as 1.-The best school OF philoso
lie phy morality and politics that existed
IN in the province" Franklin never ha,
T. any false modesty about praising any
ac thing of his own which deserved com
he mendation. In this case his praise wa
he perfectly true. There was no othe
i'd school of philosophy in the province Hi
,d master hand is shown in one especia
y particular in the formation of this Jun
re to. Its membership was limited t.
ed twelve, and instead of increasing TIL
ne number of persons in the club othe
,e- clubs were formed in course of time
D, D. Franklin understood that small gather
ha hu ings are much better than large for tn
MT discussion of abstruse and difficult ques
cd tions Mr. Fisher describes this organi
es zation at some length.
As for Frankin's religion. Mr.. Fishe
D. gives part of a curious liturgy whc
in the youthful philosopher got up for him
IS self and later quotes n letter to tn
g president of Yale College, in wllicl
N Franklin at the age of eighty-four CAV
his creed.
:. 1t was that there was one God. who governe
-. the world. who should be worshiped, to whor
Is the most acceptable service was doing good t
lie man, and who would deal justly with the in
n mortal souls of men.
- '.As 10 Jesus OF Nazareth, my opinion of whor
=, you particularly DESIRE ] think his system
., morals and his religion, he left them to IL:
u the best the world ever saw, or is like to see
Of but l apprehend it has received various corrupt
w. ing changes, and / have. with most of the pre-.
re ent dissenters in England, some doubts as to hi
a. Divinity; though it is question do not dogmi
III ih tie upon. having studied it. and think
u needless to. busy myself with it now, when e,