124 ROSENGARTEN — FRANKLIN'S BAGATELLES. |May 17, 



gives a graphic account of the bitter feud over William Temple 

 Franklin, and his tardy publication of the works of his illustrious 

 grandfather: " Shortly after Franklin's papers, under his will and 

 after his death in 1790, came into the possession of William Temple 

 Franklin, the latter announced the publication, called for those that 

 were scattered in other hands, and yet allowed twenty-seven years 

 to pass before he fulfilled his promise. Meanwhile bookmakers, 

 reviewers and newspaper critics, weary at the delay, abused him 

 roundly. In those days if anything went wrong in our country, 

 and the reason was not easy to find, it was customary to ascribe the 

 evil to the action of Great Britain. Why the promised edition of 

 Franklin's writings was not forthcoming, though a decade and more 

 had passed since, his death, was unaccountable. It must therefore 

 be due to the malignity of Great Britain, to whom Temple Frank- 

 lin was now openly accused of having sold himself. The charge 

 was first made by the National Intelligence)', a Jeffersonian news- 

 paper published in Washington. The public, said the editor, is 

 tired with waiting for the appearance of Dr. Franklin's works. 

 Something is wrong. An ugly rumor is afloat that the great man's 

 papers will never be published. It is time for his descendants to 

 explain. No explanation was made, whereupon the National Intel- 

 ligencer returned to the charge in 1804. Silence, said the editor, 

 had given the charge increased weight. More than eight years ago 

 assurances were given repeatedly that an edition was to appear at 

 the same time in Europe and America. Why has it not appeared ? 

 Some say because Mr. Temple Franklin sold his copyright to a 

 London bookseller, who in turn sold it for a much greater sum to 

 the British Government, in order that the papers might be sup- 

 pressed. This plain statement seems to have had some effect, for 

 the next year William Duane, editor of the Aurora, and husband 

 of the widow of Benjamin Franklin Bache, advertised for subscrip- 

 tions to a three-volume edition of Franklin's works ; but even this 

 dragged on for thirteen years, when, instead of three, six volumes 

 had been issued. The first volume appeared in 1808 ; the last in 

 181 8. The charge of suppressing once started in this country 

 crossed the Atlantic, and in 1806 appeared in the preface to a 

 three-volume edition of Franklin's writings, edited by his old friend, 

 Benjamin Vaughan, at London, the preface dated April 7, 1806. 

 When, says Vaughan, Temple Franklin thought his manuscript 

 ready for the press, he offered it to the London printers, but his 



