217 



American that could claim a world- wide reputation. Even 

 Washington was little known in Europe. Younger than 

 Franklin by twenty-six years, he had as yet accomplished little 

 to bring to the notice of foreigners those transcendant qualities, 

 that commanding personal character, which years of arduous 

 war amid trials, discouragement, and even occasional defeat, 

 were to put to the proof. But Franklin, the man of science, 

 the brilliant discoverer in a new and attractive realm of inves- 

 tigation, was known by all. His name was upon all lips. The 

 very fact that he had come to France to advocate the cause of 

 the new American republic conciliated for that cause the favor 

 of great and small. And with the favor came a conviction 

 that the side Franklin espoused would be certain to win. For, 

 changing somewhat Turgot's celebrated line, was it not self- 

 evident that the hand that " snatched the thunderbolt from 

 heaven " would prove competent to wrest " the sceptre from 

 tyrants ?" Thus it came to pass that soon, according to M. 

 Lacretelle, " no one any longer conceived it possible to refuse 

 fleets and an army to the countrymen of Franklin."* Or, as 

 M. Mignet, most terse and philosophical of modern French 

 historians, has put it, " The sight of Franklin, the severe sim- 

 plicity of his dress, the refined kindliness of his manners, the 

 alluring spell of his wit, his venerable appearance, his modest 

 assurance, and his resplendent fame, brought the American 

 cause altogether into fashion." f 



But it was not solely, nor chiefly, the reputation already 

 gained by Dr. Franklin, that made his mission to France so 

 productive of good to his native land. There was a wide field 

 for the exercise of his ingenuity, for the display of his shrewd 



* " Histoire de la France pendant le dix-huitieme siecle," v, 86. 



t "Vie de Franklin, M&noires de I'Acad^mie des Sciences Morales etPolitiques de 1'In- 

 stitut de France," vii (1850), 396. 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XXVIII. 133. 2B. PRINTED JUNE 3, 1890. 



