The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
FRANKLEN'S SOCIAL LIFE IN
FRANCE.

~ NA1gAA ~ OhAg hA 49, @AAb
d'Houdetot or Madame Helvetius a. In the
laboratory Of Lavoisler. the clinic OF Vicq
d'Azyr. or the cabinet Of VerEennes. Never
lived a man more idolized. Curious crowds
followed him with applause when he walked
abroad; men carried their canes and
their snuffboxes A la Franklin. fair women
crowned him with flowers and wrote him
roguish letters aff~ectionately addressed TO
dear amiable Papa"
A list Of the names upon the visiting
cards found among Franklin's private
papers would be an index Of the society OF
Paris before the Revolution. Those that
most frequently appear are Ia Duchesse
d'Enville. Duo de Ia Rochefoucauld. M.
Turgot. Duo de Chaulnes. Comte de Crillon.
Vicomte de Sarsfeld. M. Brisson Of the
Royal Academy Of Sciences. Comte do
Milly. Prince des Deuxponts. Comte d'Es-
tang. Marquis de Mirabeau. M. Beaugeard.
Treasurer Of the State OF Brittany.
Twice a week he dined with Madame
Brillon at Moulin Joli, every Saturday with
Madame Helvetius at Auteuil. and more
irregularly but still frequently with Ma
dame d'Houdetot at Sanois. He was q
social creature and loved cheerful COM
panionship-chess, conversation and music
nor was he. maugre the govt and the
gravel. In any wise averse to the pleasures
Of the table. His dinners at home when
he entertained his friends or Sunday at
Passy were carefully studied, and his house,
hold accounts speak Of large and learned
purchases Of the best vintages OF Francs.
His appetite for sawdust pudding belonged
only TO the days Of his apprenticeship. At
sixty he was fond Of an afternoon OF salt
fish and brandy at the George and Vulture
with Anthony Todd, and was rather proud
Of discomfting Lord Clare at a claret drink
ing. Ten years later he mad careful col
~lections Of menus, and declared that he
would rather bring back from Italy a re-
ceipt for Parmesan cheese than the rarest
inscription that archaeology had unearthed.
A glass or two Of champagne sutf1oed TO put
him in good humor, but before the dinner
was over he confessed to Mrs. Hewson he
often drank more than a philosopher should.
He was particularly partial to the wines OF
Burgundy. and brought on access OF govt
with the oopious draughts of Nuts with
which Cabanis Piled him at Auteuil. But
he was also fond Of Madeira. and liked to
gossip with his friend Strahan over the
| second bottle.
Tho brother-in-law of the Chevalier
d'Eon sent him a cask of Burgundy from
that strange creatures vineyard. M. de
BAYS, sub-delegate Of the attendance Of
! Bourgogne, presented him with a basket
Of the best Burgundy to celebrate the
Treaty Of Peace. David Hartley supplied
him with Jamaica rum. From Thomas
Jordan, the brewer. he received a cask Of
porter, which he broached in Philadelphia,
when its contents met with the most cordial
reception and universal APPRECIATION
He was very susceptible to female charms.
Madame Brillon wrote to him: You per-
nit your wisdom to be broken against the
rocks Of femininity.' Writing from Paris
to Mrs. Partridge, he said: you mention
the kindness Of the French ladies' to me.
/ must explain that matter. This Is the
civilest nation upon earth. Your first
acquaintance endeavor TO find out what
YOU like and they tell others. II it's UNDER
stood that you like mutton. dine where
you will you and mutton. Somebody, It
seems, gave il out that i lov'd ladies'; and
then everybody presented me their ladies
Tor the ladies' presented themselves) to be
embraced-that is. to have their necks
kissed. For as to kissing Of lips or cheeks.
II Is not the mode here; the first is reckoned
rude, and the other may rub on the paint
In America the chief friends with whom
he INDUCED in careless banter and frivolous
correspondence we're -Caty' Ray. after
ward the wife Of william Greene. Governor
of Rhode Island. and Elizabeth Partridge.
formerly Betsy Hubbard. In England
he found his most cheerful diversion with
Mrs. Mary HeNson and G~eorgiana Shipley
daughter Of the Bishop Of st. Asaph).
Liberal portions still exist Of his corre-
spondenoe in France with Mesdames Brillon.
d'Houdetot, Helvetius. Foucault, Forbaoh
and lie Veillard.
II was to Madame Brillon that Franklin
addressed the first Of his famous bagstelles.
He has told the circumstances in a letter to
William Carmichael:
The person to whom it ['The Ephem-
era1 was addressed is Madame Brillon.
a lady OF most respectable character and
pleasing conversations; mistress Of an
amiable family in this neighborhood. with
which / spend an evening twice in every
week. She has. among other elegant
accomplishments, that OF an excellent
musician; and, with her daughters. who
sing prettily, and some friends who play.
she kindly entertains me and my grandson
with little concerts, a cup OF tea and a
game Of chess. l call this my opera, for l
rarely go to the opera at Paris
NJ. Brillon was a French official OF good
estate and considerable income. His wife
was much younger than he. and according
to Miss Adams -one Of the handsomest
ome In France Franklin attempted
in vain to arrange a marriage between
her daughter and his grandson. Every
Wednesday and Saturday he visited her,
and in the intervening days letters were
swift and intelligent between them. do
you know, my dear Papa. she wrote to him.
that people have the audacity to ~criticise
my pleasant habit Of sitting upon your
knees, and yours Of always asking me for
what I always refuse?' Il despise SIAN
derers and m at peace with myself. but
that Is not enough; one must submit 10
what is called propriety the word varies
In each century in each country. to sit less
often on your knees. / shall certainly love
you none the less. nor will our hearts be
more or less pure; but we shall close the
mouths Of the malicious. and it is no slight
thing even for the secure to silence Them
New YOrk's SkyscraDers.