Part 88 (2/2)

[Footnote 116: A. H. Smyth believes that this was ”written in September, 1782” (_Writings_, VIII, 603 note). It was often translated and may well have drawn many immigrants to the colonies.]

[Footnote 117: Probably written after signing of the peace treaty.

Compare his letter to Richard Oswald, Pa.s.sy, Nov. 26, 1782 (_Writings_, VIII, 621-7); and his _The Retort Courteous_ (_ibid._, X, 105-16).]

[Footnote 118: Sir Charles Blagden (1748-1820), physician and physicist, friend to Sir Joseph Banks, F. R. S., in 1772. (_Dictionary of National Biography_, V, 155-6.)]

[Footnote 119: B. Fa in ”Franklin et Mirabeau collaborateurs” (see Bibliography) shows that Franklin furnished information for _Considerations on the Order of Cincinnatus ..._ (London ed., 1785).

Mirabeau thunders, ”Must we then own, with the enemies of freedom, that the n.o.ble ideas of Sidney, Locke, Rousseau, and others, who have indulged dreams of political happiness, may be the object of a sublime theory, but cannot possibly be reduced into practice?” (Mirabeau, _op.

cit._, 73.) The members of the order will in time become ”Gothic tyrants” (_ibid._, 14). He warns America against paralleling the decadence of Rome (_ibid._, 25), suggesting a Rousseauistic equalitarianism. Other references to Franklin's antipathy for the Order are _Writings_, IX, 222, 269-70. Smyth observes that ”pa.s.sages in brackets are not found in the draft in Library of Congress.”]

[Footnote 120: The Quinquet lamp was invented in 1784. A. H. Smyth suggests that March 20, 1784, is the exact date of composition, from Franklin's sentence, ”In the six months between the 20th of March and the 20th of September....”]

[Footnote 121: Son of Cotton Mather. Died June 27, 1785.]

[Footnote 122: Benjamin Vaughan (1751-1835), unitarian, pro-colonial, and a Lord Shelburne man. He edited the first collective edition of Franklin's works in London (1779). See _Dictionary of National Biography_, LVIII, 158-9.]

[Footnote 123: See _Writings_, IX, 264. Sparks (II, 383-426) reprints George Whately's _Principles of Trade_. Elision marks indicate that parts of this letter are omitted.]

[Footnote 124: A. H. Smyth quotes W. T. Franklin, who observes that the book was Paley's _Moral Philosophy_ (_Writings_, IX, 488 note).]

[Footnote 125: A. H. Smyth thinks _The Retort Courteous_ (_ibid._, IX, 489 note).]

[Footnote 126: At Rancocas, New Jersey.]

[Footnote 127: Sparks (X, 281-2) prints this letter as to Thomas Paine.

Smyth, suggesting that Paine's ”deistical writings” were not done before 1786, denies that Paine is the correspondent. H. H. Clark has argued shrewdly (and with evidence) that since part of _The Age of Reason_ was written before 1781 (this M. C. Conway in his _Life of Paine_ admits), it is not implausible that Franklin's letter was directed to Paine. (”An Historical Interpretation of Thomas Paine's Religion,” _University of California Chronicle_, x.x.xV, 84, 1933.)]

[Footnote 128: Since Franklin was acquainted with John Ray's _Wisdom of G.o.d ..._, it is not improbable that he was acquainted with his aphorisms published in 1670 (Cambridge), in which this wit occurs. It is also found in Wollaston's _Religion of Nature Delineated_, but as in Ray, in crude form: ”It is as when a man spits at heaven, and the spittle falls back upon his own face” (1725 ed., 132). Remembering that Franklin helped set up this piece while working for Samuel Palmer in 1725, his use of it may not be wholly fortuitous.]

[Footnote 129: His speech (delivered June 11, 1787) _On the Proportion of Representation and Votes_ (_Writings_, IX, 595-9) shows how with gift for compromise he helped to bring together the large and small states through his dual scheme of equal and proportional representation in the Senate and House.]

[Footnote 130: Compare _Writings_, IX, 659. He observes to Dupont de Nemours (June 9, 1788), ”The wisest must agree to some unreasonable things, that reasonable ones of more consequence may be obtained.”

Brackets are Franklin's.]

[Footnote 131: Clergyman of Boston and friend of Mrs. Mecom, Franklin's sister. Elision marks indicate that parts of this letter are omitted.]

[Footnote 132: Charles Carroll (1737-1832). He had accompanied Franklin on his Canada commission. See _Dictionary of American Biography_, III, 522-3.]

[Footnote 133: Compare _Writings_, IX, 636-9.]

[Footnote 134: Compare _Writings_, X, 60-3, 127-9.]

[Footnote 135: He writes (Nov. 2, 1789) to Benjamin Vaughan: ”The revolution in France is truly surprising. I sincerely wish it may end in establis.h.i.+ng a good const.i.tution for that country. The mischiefs and troubles it suffers in the operation, however, give me great concern”

(_Writings_, X, 50). He confesses (Nov. 13, 1789) to Jean Baptiste Le Roy: ”The voice of _Philosophy_ I apprehend can hardly be heard among those tumults” (_ibid._, 69).]

[Footnote 136: Rev. Ezra Stiles (1727-1795), member of the American Philosophical Society (1768), theologian and Newtonian scientist, President of Yale (1778-1795). For the activities of this versatile clergyman, see his _Literary Diary_, ed. by F. B. Dexter (3 vols., New York, 1901), and I. M. Calder (ed.), _Letters and Papers of Ezra Stiles_ (New Haven, 1933). Also see Abiel Holmes's _Life of Ezra Stiles_ (Boston, 1798).]

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