CHAPTER XXV 



FOTHERGILL AND FRANKLIN, 1757 TO 1774. REVOLT 

 OF THE AMERICAN PROVINCES 



The Philosopher is he to whom the Highest has descended, and the 

 lowest has mounted up ; who is the equal and kindly brother of all. 

 T. CARLYLE. 



The most uncomfortable truth is, in the long run, a safer companion 

 than the pleasantest falsehood. T. ROOSEVELT. 



IT will be remembered that it was through the advice of 

 Dr. Fothergill and with a preface from his hand that the 

 experiments in electricity which first made the name of 

 Franklin famous in science were published to the world. 

 This was in the year 1751. Some correspondence ensued 

 between Franklin and Fothergill, but it was not until 

 1757 that they met personally. Franklin was now 

 fifty-one years of age and one of the leading men in 

 Pennsylvania. Disputes between the Colonial Assembly 

 and the Proprietaries were still going on, and Franklin 

 was sent to England in this year to endeavour to secure 

 a settlement. On reaching London, " I went," he says, 

 " to visit Dr. Fothergill, to whom I was strongly recom- 

 mended, and whose counsel respecting my proceedings 

 I was advised to obtain." Fothergill advised his 

 approaching the Proprietaries at once, and spoke to them 

 himself on his behalf, arranging a meeting at Thomas 

 Penn's house in Spring Garden. But Franklin found the 

 attitude of these titular owners of a great province 

 unworthy of their noble father, and repeated conferences 

 and long delays resulted in nothing. It was only after 

 three years of patient and tactful labour that Franklin 



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