Franklin, Benjamin

Ms., 1706-1790. A celebrated philosopher, statesman, and scientist who was born in Boston but went to Philadelphia in 1723, where he worked as a journeyman printer. In 1729 he became the proprietor of The Pennsylvania Gazette, and after that date his rise in life was rapid. He established the Philadelphia Library in 1731, the American Philosophical Society in 1744, and was one of the founders in 1749 of the institution which in 1753 became the University of Pennsylvania. In 1753 he was appointed, jointly with William Hunter, postmaster-general of the colonies. He was twice sent to London as colonial agent for Pennsylvania, and in 1770 was appointed agent for Ma achusetts in England. In 1776 he helped draft the Declaration of Independence. During the next nine years he was first commi ioner, then minister, to France; and was also a member of the commi ion which negotiated the treaty of peace with England. He was the discoverer of the identity of lightning with electricity, and the inventor of the lightning-rod. As a writer his influence has been felt throughout the world, his works including e ays on politics, religion, commerce, science, and philosophy. The Busybody is a series of papers of the type of those in The Spectator, but furnishing much more lively reading. Poor Richard’s Almanac, published 1732-57, was everywhere popular, and had a great influence over the ma of readers. The work by which he is best known, however, is his famous Autobiography, which has been one of the most widely read books ever printed. His Complete Works in ten volumes have been edited by J. Bigelow, supra. See Edinburgh Review, July, 1806, and August, 1817; Contemporary Review, July, 1879; Harper’s Magazine, July, 1880; Godey’s Magazine, 1896; Applet on’s American Biography; Parker’s Historic Americans; Hale’s Franklin in France; Lives by Parton, McMaster, H. Mayhew, Morse; Mignet’s Vie de Franklin, 1873; Wetzel’s Franklin as an Economist. Put.