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PREFACE.

FRANKLIN's personal celebrity has so eclipsed his literary fame, that justice has hardly been done to him as a writer and an essayist; and yet he has himself confessed that he was indebted mainly to his pen for his advancement in public life. He was singularly indifferent, however, to any reputation or profit that might accrue from his writings, and left it to his friends to collect and republish them as they might please. The consequences of this indifference are manifest even to the present time, in the absence of any cheap popular edition of his select works. He has been posthumously fortunate, however, in having so able an editor as Mr. Sparks, whose ten volumes of the Works of Franklin, with a memoir and notes, leave nothing to be desired in the way of an ample and accurate collection.

But Franklin's is a name so eminently and intimately popular, that the want of a collection of his best works, more generally accessible in respect to size and cost, has long been experienced; and to supply this want the present edition is offered. In the introductory memoir, the editor

has been indebted for some new facts to the French memoirs by Mignet and Sainte-Beuve; and the works of John Adams, recently published, have supplied many interesting details, not embraced in any other biographical account. All Franklin's purely literary productions of merit are contained in the present collection, with liberal specimens of his philosophical writings, and the choicest of his letters. Much that he wrote was of merely local and temporary interest, designed to affect provincial legislation; and, though valuable to the historian, is unprofitable to the general reader of a subsequent time.

The fine portrait, forming the frontispiece, is from the painting in the gallery of Versailles, and is now, it is believed, engraved for the first time. It is supposed to have been taken some eight years before that by Duplessis, a copy of which, cut on wood, is placed in juxtaposition.

CONTENTS.

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Account of Franklin's Autobiography - His Story best told by him-

self- His Birth - His Uncle Benjamin - Acrostic by the Latter-Lines

to his Nephew Summary of Events related in the Autobiography.. 15

II. Franklin's Second Visit to England - His Electrical Discoveries.
Stuber's Account-The Experiment with a Kite-Scientific Merits - Lon-
don Contemporaries - Hostile Letter to Strahan, with Autograph Ill-
ness- - Interview with the Penns - Pamphlets, &c.— Musical Tastes
The Harmonica Scientific Studies and Letters Visit to poor Rela-
tions His Degree Acquaintances David Hume -Account of Wil-
liam Franklin

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Excursion Attentions in

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Epigram

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VIII.-Plan of a Continental Congress- Efforts to change the Ministry

Lord Chatham-Vindication of Franklin-Lord Mahon's Aspersion

Efforts to negotiate - Overtures-Reply to Barclay - Lures rejected. 63

IX. A Memorial - Death of Mrs. Franklin - Husband and Wife-
Leaves for America- Delegate to Congress - First Plan of a Confedera-
tion-- Visits Washington's Head-quarters -Remark of Gen. Greene
- Various Public Duties. Declaration of Independence Jefferson's
Anecdote - President of the Pennsylvania Convention - Measures—
Views in Congress - Conference with Lord Howe - John Adams-Anec-
dote Commissioner to France Arrival in Paris.

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X.-Diplomatic Career- - House at Passy-Vergennes-Secret Assistance
- -Lord Stormont Surrender of Burgoyne- Sheridan's Epigram-
Treaty with France - The Commissioners at Court-Voltaire — Harass-
ing Applications-Lafayette-Arthur Lee - Disagreement - Mr. Izard
John Adams-Franklin Minister Plenipotentiary -Enemies-British
Negotiators John Paul Jones - Conduct of the French - Requests his
Recall Anecdote- Commissioner for Peace Treaty with Great Britain
Letter to Charles Thomp-

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- Chagrin of Vergennes - Our Debt to France-
son -Succeeded by Jefferson

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XII. - Welcomes - President of Pennsylvania - Delegate to the Conven-
tion on the U. S. Constitution Objects to the Salary Principle - Style
of Speaking- Motion for Daily Prayers On the Constitution- - Private
Claims Activity as a Writer-Last Public Act Last Letter-
ington - Closing Years Lord Jeffrey on his Correspondence - His
Style-Sir H. Davy's Estimate Generosity- Habits - Personal Ap-
pearance Sir F. Romilly's Description - Last Illness - Death-Obse-
quies-Burial-place- Inscription - Epitaph - Proceedings of Congress
Mirabeau's Eulogy-Will-Descendants - Incident - False Views of

his Character-His Courtship - Madame Helvetius - Described by Mrs.

Adams His Religious Views - Claims to Remembrance.

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