AS Statesman and Diplomatist 91 



Although past seventy and already beginning to feel 

 the weight of years and infirmities when he accepted the 

 invitation of Congress as an irresistible command to go 

 to Paris on his glorious mission, his labors in the next 

 nine years were prodigious, the difficulties which he en- 

 countered and sacrifices to which he submitted, were 

 almost incredible; and his amazing success still remains 

 one of the wonders of history. 



France was already crippled in her finances, wholly 

 unable to afford the liberal aid which, with generous 

 sympathy, she lavished upon us, in response to his urgent 

 and tactful appeals, and was already suffering under 

 those heavy burdens and evil domestic conditions, which 

 before the close of the century brought her to the verge 

 of ruin, and sure to be forced into a wasting war if she 

 really came effectively to our rescue. But the enthu- 

 siastic order of her mercurial people for the cause of 

 liberty enabled Franklin to overcome all obstacles, and 

 to win her to our sorely needed support. 



His world-wide fame and familiar personality had 

 paved the way for his reception. His arrival was the 

 signal for a tremendous outburst of popular enthusiasm, 

 that met with a hearty response throughout Europe, 

 which included the fashionable world and the philoso- 

 phers and scholars and statesmen as well as the populace. 



" His virtues, and his renown," says Lacretelle, " nego- 

 tiated for him, and before the second year of his mission 



