In 1730 lie entered into the married state, and continued to prosper in business, to improve in knowledge, and to advance in public usefulness. He was chosen, first, prin ter, then clerk, and at length a member of Assembly, in which he represented the city of Philadelphia for 14 years successively. He was indefatigable in suggesting various useful improvements and institutions for the benefit of the community : and particularly contributed to the formation of a " Library Company" in 1731 ; the establishment of an insurance office against damages by fire, in 1738 ; the en rolment of volunteers for the defence of the country in 1744 ; the foundation of an academy and charitable school in 1749, which afterwards was erected into a college or se minary of general learning ; and the endowment of the Pennsylvania hospital in 1750. He accomplished a bene ficial reform in the police of the city ; ministered to the daily comfort or his fellow citizens, by his improved plans of chinmies and fire places ; and essentially promoted the interests of frugality and industry among the lower orders, by the publication of Poor Richard's Almanack. In the midst of these humble labours, lie gave abundant evidence of his penetrating philosophical genius, by prosecuting a com•se of interesting experiments and discoveries on the subject of which, about the middle of the last had sn much of the attention of scientific enquirers : (See Emf•rnie•ry.) But, from the time that he became a member of the Assembly of Pennsylvania, in 1747, his attention was so much directed to public affairs, that the greater part of the remainder of his life was devo. ted to political pursuits. Keen contentions were then carry ing on between the Assembly and the proprietaries of the provinces ; and he soon became a leading character in op position to the latter. Ile seldom spoke in the course of the debates which took place ; and when he did rise to ad dress the house, his speeches often consisted only of a sin gle sentence or a well-told story, and were always express ed in the most concise and simple style. But his judg ment was unusually penetrating; and he has frequently been known by a single observation, delivered in his plain man ner, to decide the fate of an important question. In 1754, when a meeting of commissioners from the northern pro vinces was held at Albany, in order to concert measures of mutual defence against the French settlements and Indian tribes, Franklin attended as delegate from Pennsylvania, and produced a plan which has generally been called the " Albany plan of Union." Though unanimously approved by the commissioners, it was finally rejected both by the provincial Assemblies and the king's council, upon princi ples which seem to establish its excellence as a just me dium between political extremes. By the ministry of Great Britain, it was considered as giving too much power to the representatives of the people ; while it was rejected by every assembly as giving to the president-general, the re presentative of the crown, a disproportionate and dange rous influence. In the alarm which followed the defeat of Braddock in 1755, Franklin introduced a bill into the As sembly for organizing a kind of voluntary militia, and for some time acted as colonel of a regiment raised in Phila delphia ; and, in 1757, he was chosen agent for the province of Pennsylvania to present a petition on the part of the As sembly to his Britannic Majesty, against the measures of the proprietaries. After much discussion before the Privy Council, tile prayer of the petition was partially granted, upon condition that Franklin would solemnly engage, that the assessment should be so levied as to bear equitably up on the estates of the proprietaries; a proposal which testi fied at least the high opinion entertained of his honour and integrity. He still remained at the court of Great Britain as agent for the province of Pennsylvania ; and, in conse quence of the knowledge and fidelity with which lie con ducted the interests of the colonies, he was soon appointed to the same office for the provinces of Massachusetts, Ma ryland, and Georgia. He was now in a situation where his merits were sure of being duly appreciated, and, where his claim to literary honours was fully acknoe !edged.
He was admitted a member of the Royal Society of Lon don, and of similar institutions in other parts of Europe ; and the degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon him by the universities of St Andrews, Edinburgh, and Oxford. Ile was soon engaged in a correspondence with the most eminent philosophers of Europe, and never desisted entire ly from philosophical studies. It was during his residence in London that he directed his attention to the electrical properties of the tourmalin, the effects of cold produced by evaporation, the causes of the north-east storms in North America, and the construction of the musical glass instru ment the harmonica. But his time was chiefly occupied with political objects ; and a pamphlet which he published, on the importance of Canada to Great Britain, is supposed to have suggested the expedition under Wolf for the con quest of that province. After his return to America, in 1762, the disputes between the proprietaries and the As sembly were again revived, and increased to such a degree, that, in 1764, a resolution was adopted by the latter, which Dr Franklin supported with all his ability, to petition the King for an alteration of the proprietary into a regal govern ment. In the election which took place in the end of that year, the party of the proprietaries having gained a small majority in the city of Philadelphia, Dr Franklin lost his seat in the Assembly ; but his friends in that house still holding the superiority, he was again appointed provincial agent at London. After his return thither, he was examin ed at the bar of the House of Commons on the expediency of the stamp act ; and, on that occasion, gave a striking proof of the accuracy of his information, and the facility of his expression. In 1766, he made a visit to Holland and Germany, and, in the year following, to France, experienc ing every where the most friendly reception from men of literature and science. In the progress of the disputes be
tween Great Britain and the American colonies, he exerted himself to the utmost, both in his conversation and corres pondence, to effect a change of measures, and to point out the evils which a perseverance in those that were adopted must ultimately produce. Finding all his endeavours to restore harmony entirely ineffectual, he returned to Ame rica, in the year 1775, immediately after the commence ment of hostilities, and continued to bear a leading part in the memorable struggle, which terminated in the political independence of the colonies. He acted as envoy of the States, in all their most important negociations with Britain, with France, and other European powers ; and, after his return to Philadelphia, in 1785, was elected president of the supreme executive council of that city. About three years afterwards, he withdrew from all concern in political affairs ; but, under all the infirmities of age, aggravated by a painful disease, he was ready to co-operate in every mea sure of public or private good. He was president of the Philadelphia Society for alleviating the miseries of public prisons, and also of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the abolition of slavery. One of his last public acts, was the signing of a memorial from the last mentioned associa tion, to the House of Representatives ; and the last produc tion of his pen was an ironical defence of the slave trade, in the form of a speech, supposed to have been delivered in the Divan of Algiers ; an inimitable parody of the argu ments of the anti-abolitionists, and a striking evidence of the strength of intellect which he possessed to the last. During the concluding twelve months of his life, he was confined almost entirely to bed, by a calculous complaint, which had afflicted him for several years ; but (lied at last of an imposthume in his lungs, in April 1790, in the 85th year of his age.
The life of Dr. Franklin affords a striking proof of the influence in society of a sound understanding, united with steady industry, and supported by candid integrity ; and presents a useful lesson to all young persons of unsteady principles and showy accomplishments. His writings and discoveries also, on so many subjects of practical utility, produced, without any advantages of regular education, or literary society, forcibly illustrate how far a vigorous and well-directed mind may carry its possessor, without the minutiae of learning, and the theories of science. lie has distinguished himself in various departments of knowledge, in natural philosophy, in political economy, in general lite rature, and in practical morality. His physical specula tions were almost uniformly suggested by views of u.tility, and are distinguished by the unparalleled facility with which he conducts his reader from one step of the enquiry to another, without even seeming to be at any loss, or to exert any labour in the process His political writings were di rected too much to temporary questions, to be permanent ly interesting ; but his pamphlet on Canada, and his papers on the a Albany plan of Union," have been recommended as valuable models of strong reasoning and popular elo quence. On the general doctrines of the principle of po pulation, and the freedom of commerce, and the practical points of the corn-trade, and the theory of money, his sen timents are considered as correct and clear; but, on the more abstract subjects of the value of manufactures, and the effects of paper currency, he is thought to be inaccurate and superficial, not so much from any flaw in his deduc tions, as from the insufficiency of his data. On subjects of morality, especially on those virtues which apply to the great body of mankind, his compositions are admirably adapted to accomplish their object, by their clearness, their soundness, their kindliness, their concise expression, and pointed illustrations. In respect of literary qualities, his style is often deficient in elegance, sometimes both puerile and vulgar ; but always distinguished by simplicity of language and perspicuity of statement. He has been called the most rational of all philosophers, never losing sight of common sense in any of his speculations, or yield ing up his understanding either to enthusiasm or authori ty.* In his personal and moral character, he was distin guished by industry and application to whatever he under took, by the most active observation of whatever was pass ing around him, by acuteness and penetration in all his in tercourse with men, or enquiries after truth. He was modest and unassuming in proposing his sentiments, com municating even his greatest discoveries only as queries or conjectures ; yet uniformly cheerful and playful in conver sation, enlivening every topic with entertaining anecdotes and- harmless pleasantries. He was actively benevolent, and invariably upright; and though, in the early part of his life, sceptical in religion, yet he became, in matures years, more friendly to devout sentiments, and, contrary to the general opinion, is affirmed by his intimate friend Dr William Smith to have been a believer in divine revelation. The humble piety, at least, of the following acknowledg ment, in his 'Memoirs written by himself, cannot be doubt ed, and is worthy of being recorded. " And here let me with all humility acknowledge, that to divine Providence I am indebted for the felicity I have hitherto enjoyed. It is that power alone which has furnished me with the means I have employed, and that has crowned them with success. My faith in this respect leads me to hope, though I cannot count upon it, that the divine goodness will still be exercis ed towards me, either by prolonging the duration of my hap piness to the close of life, or by giving me fortitude to sup port any melancholy reverse which may happen to me as to many others. My future fortune is unknown but to Him, in whose hand is our destiny, and who can make our very afflictions subservient to our benefit." See Life of Dr. Franklin, written by himself, and continued by Dr Stuber ; and Eulogium on Dr Franklin by Dr Smith. (q)