189 



and eighty-five, however, a human character has time for 

 many transformations. 



TREATISES UPOX POLITICAL ECONOMY. 



At the age of twenty -three, in 1729, Franklin published his 

 " Modest Enquiry into the Nature and Necessity of Paper 

 Money " — perhaps the earliest treatise on finance and currency 

 written in America. 



This pamphlet was written at a time of public crisis, and for 

 a definite purpose, which was successful. It was the first of a 

 series of political essays, published from time to time in the 

 sixty-two years of life which remained to its author — each 

 with some useful end in view, and each without exception 

 productive of some definite result. 



Edmond Burke was wont to say that when Franklin ap- 

 peared before the British Parliament, he was like " a master 

 examined before a parcel of school-boys," and Charles Fox 

 declared that the ministry on that occasion " were mere dwarfs 

 in the hand of a master." 



Persuasive and convincing as were his spoken words, the 

 power of the man was even more evident when he took up his 

 pen to write upon topics of public interest. His political 

 papers, however, have little meaning at the present time 

 except to students familiar with the history of the days to 

 which they belong, though read in connection with the story of 

 his life they have a very great interest of their own. 



In 1751 appeared "Observations Concerning the Increase of 

 Mankind and the Peopling of Countries" — to which it would 

 appear that Adam Smith in later years was indebted for sug- 

 gestions, and which led Malthus to write his great " Essay on 

 Population." 



Franklin wrote other useful treatises, " On the Laboring 



