another party so much disgust, long remain concealed from those who would make it their business to discover it. We cannot doubt, that the subsequent course of the government toward Dr. Franklin was influenced, in some degree, by the natural abhorrence which tory courtiers entertained for a person capable of writing such sprightly and damaging satire.

Solemn and ponderous replies to these effusions appeared, one of which was writtten by Governor Bernard; but they seem to have attracted little notice. This battle, indeed, was not to be fought out on paper. If it had been, Franklin and Franklin's cause would have won the day before the year 1783.

CHAPTER VI.

PRIVATE LIFE AND STUDIES.

"FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN, Esq., agent for Philadelphia, Craven Street, Strand."

Such is the account of our philosopher given in the thin London Directory for 1770; an entry which shows that the compiler considered him a person of some consequence, but had only a vague notion from what that consequence was derived. In Craven Street, at the house of Mrs. Stevenson, he continued to live during the whole period of his residence in London, and enjoyed there a tranquil satisfaction which could only have been surpassed at his own Philadelphia home. "It is to all our honors," he once wrote to the daughter of Mrs. Stevenson, "that in all that time we never had among us the smallest misunderstanding; our friendship has been all clear sunshine, without the least cloud in its hemisphere."

With him lived William Temple Franklin, his son's son, a promising boy, who, it appears, had never seen his father since he had been old enough to know the meaning of the word. He grew up under the eye and training of his grandfather, to whom he proved a help and solace when he stood in need of both. At this time, a lively, intelligent lad, he cheered the leisure hours of Dr. Franklin, and imbibed his political opinions; while the governor of New

Dr.

Jersey was becoming more and more a government man. Franklin had communicated his opinions upon the points in dispute between the old country and the new with freedom and fullness to his son, and there appeared for several years no divergence between them. But as the controversy grew sharp and bitter, the royal governor sided with his masters. Franklin not yet believing that the disruption would occur in their time, left his son free to follow his own opinions, expressly refusing to make any attempt to proselyte him. "I only wish you," he wrote in 1773, "to act uprightly and steadily, avoiding that duplicity which, in Hutchinson, adds contempt to indignation. If you can promote the prosperity of your people, and leave them happier than you found them, whatever your political principles are, your memory will be honored."

Besides little Temple, there lived with him Sally Franklin, the daughter of one of his English relatives, whom he adopted and educated, and who was happily married, in 1773, to a thriving English farmer. About the same time his domestic circle was further enlarged by the marriage of Miss Stevenson to Dr. Hewson, a London physician of promise. The young couple and their children were exceedingly beloved by him.

His good wife, always longing for her husband's return, kept him well advised respecting the occurrences at his other home over the sea; describing with curious minuteness the progress of the new house and the furniture of each of the apartments. Information still more interesting she had to communicate a year after his arrival in London. A young merchant of Philadelphia, of English birth, Mr. Richard Bache, had proposed for the hand of his daughter. The young lady was nothing loath; the mother did not disapprove; would the father object? He replied (it was before his American appointments had made up for the discontinuance of his thousand a year from Mr. Hall): “I know very little of the gentleman or his character, nor can I at this distance. I hope his expectations are not great of any fortune to be had with our daughter before our death. I can only say, that if he proves a good husband to her, and a good son to me, he shall find me as good a father as I can be; but at present I suppose you would agree with me, that we cannot do more than fit her out handsomely in clothes and furniture, not exceeding in the whole five hundred pounds of value. they must depend, as you and I did, on their own

For the rest, industry and

wrote Franklin to his daughter on th.

procession a man has been educated in is prenovlar a

at pleasure, as rendering him more independent, more a fre azci less subject to the esprices of superiors; and I think th.. keeving a store, if it be where you dwell, you car Lim, as you mother was to me; for you are not f Cry, and I hope you are not toc proud. accounts, and you can copy letters, or write thến

You

Ocension. P ndustry and frugality you may get itwa

the

word, being both of you yet young; and then what we may leave y at our de h, will be a pretty addition, though, of itselt far from

valent to maintain and bring up a family.".

The young empeled with Mrs. Fenaliin during the fi years of their union. Their son, Benja.ain Franklin