chateau de Chavagnac in the province of Auvergne, September 6th 1757. The
rank and affluence of his family secured for him the best education: and
this, according to the fashion of the times in France, was not only in
classical and polite literature, but united also a knowledge of military
tactics. At the age of sixteen, he was offered an honorable place at Court,
which he declined.

His mind was early imbued with an ardent love of freedom. It is not known
whether his study of English writers who were friendly to civil liberty, or
an eager curiosity to learn the merits of the dispute between Great Britain
and the American colonies, lead him first thus to take a deep interest in
favour of our independence. That controversy excited the attention of
statesmen on the continent of Europe as well as in England. It has been
said that he was acquainted with some distinguished English characters in
1776, from whom he learnt the situation of America, and the object of our
revolution. In the latter part of this year, he applied to SILAS DEANE, our
agent then at Paris, for information, and encouragement in his plan,
already adopted, of rendering his personal service to the cause of America.
While he was at Paris, (Dec. 1776) with these views, Dr. FRANKLIN arrived.
The intelligence, received from him respecting our situation and prospects
at that period, was of a nature to discourage any one, who had not
cherished the most enthusiastic and resolute purpose to engage in our
behalf. Our almost desperate condition seems only to have increased his
zeal and devotion to the interests of America. "Hitherto, said he, I have
only cherished your cause; I now go to serve it personally." He believed
our cause to be just. He considered it the cause of civil liberty; and
gloomy as was the prospect, hazardous as was the enterprize, he was
determined to support it at the risk of life itself. In his situation, the
privations and sacrifices to be made and endured were incalculably great.
It is indeed a singular instance of an heroic enterprize for the good of