instead of America, I will name you a man, George Washington--the Joshua
who successfully commanded the sun to stand still." The Frenchmen at the
board forgot the courtesy due their English guest, and laughed needlessly
loud.

Franklin was regarded in Paris as the man who had both planned the War of
the Revolution, and fought it. They said, "He despoiled the thunderbolt of
its danger and snatched sovereignty out of the hand of King George of
England." No doubt that his ovation was largely owing to the fact that he
was supposed to have plucked whole handfuls of feathers from England's
glory, and surely they were pretty nearly right.

In point of all-round development, Franklin must stand as the foremost
American. The one intent of his mind was to purify his own spirit, to
develop his intellect on every side, and make his body the servant of his
soul. His passion was to acquire knowledge, and the desire of his heart
was to communicate it.

The writings of Franklin--simple, clear, concise, direct, impartial,
brimful of commonsense--form a model which may be studied by every one
with pleasure and profit. They should constitute a part of the curriculum
of every college and high school that aspires to cultivate in its pupils a
pure style and correct literary taste.

We know of no man who ever lived a fuller life, a happier life, a life
more useful to other men, than Benjamin Franklin. For forty-two years he
gave the constant efforts of his life to his country, and during all that
time no taint of a selfish action can be laid to his charge. Almost his
last public act was to petition Congress to pass an act for the abolition
of slavery. He died in Seventeen Hundred Ninety, and as you walk up Arch