CHRONICLE. 
doing bufinefs of a public as well as 
private nature; and in every in- 
ftance diplayed, not only a readj- 
nefs and difpofition of doing good, 
dat the fulleft and cleareft pofieffion 
of his mental abilities. About fix- 
teen days before his death, he was 
feized with a feverifh indifpofition, 
without any particular fymptoms 
attending it till the third or fourth 
day, when he complained of a pain 
in his left breaft, which increafed 
until it became extremely acute, 
with a cough, and !aborious breath- 
ing. In this frame of body and 
mind he continued till five days be- 
fore his death, when his pain and 
difhculty of breathing entirely left 
him, and his family were flattering 
themfelves with the hopes of his 
recovery; but an impofthumation, 
which had formed itfelf in his lungs, 
fuddenly burft, and difcharged a 
great quantity of matter, which he 
continued to throw up while he had 
fufficient ftrength to. do it, but as 
that failed, the organs of refpira- 
tion became gradually oppreffed, a 
calm lethargic ftate fucceeded, and 
on the 17th of April, about eleven 
o’clock at night, he quietly clofeda 
long and ufeful life. He has left 
iflue one fon, Governor William 
Franklin, who was a zealous and 
attive loyalift during the late 
prunes, and new refides in 
ondon; and a daughter married 
to Mr. Richard Bache, ‘a merchant 
in Philadelphia. 'To the two latter 
_ he has bequeathed the chief part of 
his eftate, during their refpective 
lives, and afterwards to be divided 
equally among theirchildren. Tohis 
grandfon, William Temple Franklin, 
efq. he leaves a grant of fome lands 
in the ftate of Georgia, the greateft 
part of his library, and all his papers, 
[203 
befides fomething additional in cafe 
of his marriage. He has alfo made 
various bequefts and donations to 
cities, public bodies, and individu- 
als; and has requeited that the fol- 
lowing epitaph, which he compofed 
for himfelf fome years ago, may bé 
infcribed on his tomibftone: 
«¢ The body of 
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Printer, 
(like the cover of an old book, 
its contents torn out, 
and ftript ofits lettering and gilding) 
lies here food for worms: 
yet the work itfelf fhall not be loft,” 
but will (as he believed) appear 
once more im a new 
and more beautiful edition, 
corrected and amended 
by 
THE AUTHOR.” 
Philedelphia never difplayed a 
fcene of greater grandeur than was 
exhibited at his funeral. ‘ His re- 
mains were interred on the 21tt; 
and the concourfe of people affem- 
bled on the occafion was immenfe. 
The body was attended to the grave 
by thirty clergymen, and men of all 
ranks and profeflions, arranged in 
the greateft order. 
the city were tolled muffled, and 
there was a difcharge of artillery. 
Nothing was omitted that cou'd 
fhew the refpect and veneration of 
his fellow-citizens for {@ exalted a 
character. The Congrefs have or- 
dered a general mourning for one 
month throughout the United States ; 
and the national affembly of France 
have alfo decreed a general mourn- 
ing of three days. 
The principles and qualities of 
electricity were fcarcely known in 
the laft age. The eleétric fluid 
was barely mentioned at the end of 
Newton’s Optics. It was referved 
for 
All the beils in | 
pe 
