AS Statesman and Diplomatist 83 



Adam Smith and David Hume, Dr. Robertson, Lord 

 Kames and David Hartley and the " Good Bishop " of 

 St. Asaph's, Dr. Shipley. He witnessed the coronation 

 of George Third. But Pitt, who had vastly weightier 

 things on his mind than Franklin's errand, — Pitt, who 

 afterwards as Lord Chatham proved to be one of his 

 most stalwart and devoted admirers and champions, he 

 found wholly inaccessible. He found leisure to visit 

 France, Scotland and Holland, and to make himself 

 master of European politics — and did much pamphlet- 

 eering in behalf of British interests — for at that time, 

 like all his countrymen, he was a most loyal and devoted 

 British subject and gloried in the prospects of the future 

 greatness of the British Empire. When Pratt, after- 

 wards Lord Camden, told him that in spite of their 

 boasted loyalty, the Americans would one day set up for 

 independence, he answered that no such idea was ever 

 entertained by the Americans, nor will any such ever 

 enter their heads unless you grossly abuse them. " Very 

 true," replied Pratt, " that is one of the main causes I 

 see will happen, and will produce the event." As Par- 

 ton truly says of him at this time, " It was one of Frank- 

 lin's most cherished opinions that the greatness of Eng- 

 land and the happiness of America depended chiefly 

 upon their being cordially united. The country which 

 Franklin loved was not England nor America, but the 

 great and glorious Empire which these two united to 



