22 PIONEERS OF SCIENCE IN AMERICA. 



genius of America by the propagation of useful learning, and 

 for qualifying many of her sons to make that illustrious figure 

 which has commanded the esteem and admiration of the most 

 polished nations of Europe." The address of the American 

 Philosophical Society welcomed him to his native country, for 

 which he had done the most essential service, and to the presi- 

 dential chair, his occupation of which added to the institution 

 much lustre in the eyes of all the world. " Sir," the address 

 continues, " it reflects honour on philosophy when one distin- 

 guished for his deep investigations and many valuable im- 

 provements in it, is known to be equally distinguished for his 

 philanthropy, patriotism, and liberal attachment to the rights 

 of human nature." 



Franklin's death was announced in the French National 

 Assembly, June 14, 1790, by Mirabeau, who said : "The genius 

 that gave freedom to America, and shed torrents of light upon 

 Europe, is returned to the bosom of the Divinity. The sage 

 whom two worlds claim ; the man, disputed by the history of 

 the sciences and the history of empires, holds, most undoubt- 

 edly, an elevated rank among the human species." Then, 

 having spoken of the month's mourning recommended by our 

 Congress, and suggested that a similar recognition would be 

 proper in France, the orator added : " Antiquity would have 

 elevated altars to that mortal who,, for the advantage of the 

 human race, embracing both heaven and earth in his vast and 

 extensive hand, knew how to subdue thunder and tyranny. 

 Enlightened and free, Europe at least owes its remembrance 

 and its regret to one of the greatest men who has ever served 

 the cause of philosophy and of liberty." His motion that the 

 Assembly wear mourning for three days was seconded by La 

 Rochefoucauld and Lafayette, and adopted by acclamation ; 

 and a letter of condolence was addressed to the Congress of 

 the United States. In 1791 a street in Paris was named 

 Franklin, in perpetual remembrance of his long sojourn there. 



It would be hard to imagine a more pleasing picture of the 

 quiet closing of an honoured and useful life than is given of 

 him by the Rev. Manasseh Cutler, who found him in July, 

 1787, sitting in his garden surrounded by his grandchjldren 

 and a few friends, interested in a two-headed snake, a device 

 for showing the circulation of the blood, a copying press, his 

 book-handling apparatus, and an immense volume on botany; 



