Part 47 (1/2)
”A poet had written a _Chanson a Boire_ to Franklin, which was read and merrily applauded at the dinner--one stanza of which ran as follows:
”'Tout, en fondant un empire, Vous le voyez boire et rire Le verre en main Chantons notre Benjamin.'
”To ill.u.s.trate the honest candor with which often he speaks, even in the presence of Frenchmen who are near the throne, I quote a few words from his brief address to the Prince and his friends;
”'A good part of my life I have worked with my hands. If Your Grace will allow me to say so, I wish to see in France a deeper regard for the man who works with his hands--the man who supplies food. He really furnishes the standard of all value. The value of everything depends on the labor given to the making of it. If the labor in producing a bushel of wheat is the same as that consumed in the production of an ounce of silver, their value is the same.
”'The food maker also supplies a country with its population. By 1900 he will have given to America a hundred million people and a power and prosperity beyond our reckoning. Frugality and Industry are the most fruitful of parents, especially where they are respected. When luxury and the cost of living have increased, people have become more cautious about marriage and populations have begun to dwindle.'
”The Bourbon Prince, a serious-minded man, felt the truth of all this and was at pains to come to my venerable friend and heartily express his appreciation.
”'We know that we are in a bad way, but we know not how to get out of it,' he said.
”The Princess, who sat near us at table, asked the Doctor for information about the American woman.
”'”She riseth while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens,”' he quoted. 'She is apt to be more industrious than her husband. She works all day and often a part of the night. She is weaver, knitter, spinner, tailor, cook, washerwoman, teacher, doctor, nurse. While she is awake her hands are never idle, and their most important work is that of slowly building up the manhood of America. Ours is to be largely a mother-made land.'
”'_Mon Dieu_! I should think she would be cross with so much to do,'
said the Princess.
”'Often she is a little cross,' Franklin answered. 'My friend, James Otis of Ma.s.sachusetts, complained of the fish one day at dinner when there was company at the table. Mrs. Otis frankly expressed her opinion of his bad manners. He was temperamental and himself a bit overworked. He made no answer, but in the grace which followed the meal he said:
”'”O Lord, we thank Thee that we have been able to finish this dinner without getting slapped.”
”'But I would ask Your Highness to believe that our men are mostly easier to get along with. They do not often complain of the food.
They are more likely to praise it.'
”On our way back to Paris the Doctor said to me:
”'The great error of Europe is entailment--entailed estates, entailed pride, entailed luxury, entailed conceit. A boy who inherits honor will rarely honor himself. I like the method of China, where honor ascends, but does not descend. It goes back to his parents who taught him his virtues. It can do no harm to his parents, but it can easily ruin him and his children. I regard humility as one of the greatest virtues.'”
2
”That evening our near neighbors, Le Compte de Chaumont and M.
LeVilleard, came to announce that a dinner and ball in honor of Franklin would occur at the palace of Compte de Chaumont less than a week later.
”'My good friends,' said the philosopher, 'I value these honors which are so graciously offered me, but I am old and have much work to do. I need rest more than I need the honors.'
”'It is one of the penalties of being a great savant that people wish to see and know him,' said the Count. 'The most distinguished people in France will be among those who do you honor. I think, if you can recall a talk we had some weeks ago, you will wish to be present.'
”'Oh, then, you have heard from the Hornet.'
”'I have a letter here which you may read at your convenience.'
”'My dear friend, be pleased to receive my apologies and my hearty thanks,' said Franklin. 'Not even the gout could keep me away.'
”Next day I received a formal invitation to the dinner and ball. I told the Doctor that in view of the work to be done, I would decline the invitation. He begged me not to do it and insisted that he was counting upon me to represent the valor and chivalry of the New World; that as I had grown into the exact stature of Was.h.i.+ngton and was so familiar with his manners and able to imitate them in conversation, he wished me to a.s.sume the costume of our Commander-in-Chief. He did me the honor to say:
”'There is no other man whom it would be safe to trust in such an exalted role. I wish, as a favor to me, you would see what can be done at the costumer's and let me have a look at you.'
”I did as he wished. The result was an astonis.h.i.+ng likeness. I dressed as I had seen the great man in the field. I wore a wig slightly tinged with gray, a blue coat, buff waistcoat and sash and sword and the top boots and spurs. When I strode across the room in the masterly fas.h.i.+on of our great Commander, the Doctor clapped his hands.