might escape the notice of the enemy's privateers, who often cruised near the entrance of the Channel. Accordingly all the sail was set that we could possibly carry, and the wind being very fresh and fair, we stood right before it, and made great way. The Captain, after his observation, shaped his course, as he thought, so as to pass wide of the Scilly Rocks; but it seems there is sometimes a strong current setting up St. George's Channel, which formerly caused the loss of Sir Cloudesley. Shovel's squadron (in 1707): this was probably also the cause of what happened to us. We had a watchman placed in the bow, to whom they often called, "Look well out before there;" and he as often answered, aye, aye; but perhaps had his eyes shut, and was half asleep at the time; they sometimes answering, as is said, mechanically; for he did not see a light just before us, which had been hid by the studding sails from the man at the helm, and from the rest of the watch, but by an accidental yaw of the ship was discovered, and occasioned a great alarm, we being very near it; the light appearing to me as large as a cart wheel. It was midnight, and our Captain fast asleep; but Captain Kennedy, jumping upon deck, and seeing the danger, ordered the ship to wear round, all sails standing; an operation dangerous to the masts, but it carried us clear, and we avoided shipwreck, for we were running fast on the rocks on which the light was erected. This deliverance impressed me strongly with the utility of light-houses, and made me resolve to encourage the building some of them in America, if I should live to return thither

In the morning it was found by the soundings, &c. that we were near our port, but a thick fog hid the land from our sight. About nine o'clock the fog began to rise, and seemed to be lifted up from the water, like the curtain of a theatre, discovering underneath the town of Falmouth, the vessels in the harbour, and the fields that surround it. This was a pleasing spectacle to those who had been long without any other prospect than the uniform view of a vacant ocean! and it gave us the more pleasure, as we were now free from the anxieties which had arisen.

I

1

In a letter from Dr. Franklin to his wife, dated at Falmouth, the 17th July, 1757, after giving her a similar account of his voyage, escape, and landing; he adds, "The bell ringing for church, we went thither immediately, and with hearts full of gratitude, returned sincere thanks to God for the mercies we had received: were I a Roman Catholic, perhaps I should on this occasion vow to build a chapel to some saint; but as I am not, if I were to vow at all, it should be to build a light-house."

I set out immediately, with my son, ' for London, and we only stopped a little by the way to view Stonehenge, on Salisbury Plain; and Lord Pembroke's house and gardens, with the very curious antiquities at Wilton.

We arrived in London, the 27th July, 1757.

A William Franklin, afterwards Governor of New-Jersey.

END OF PART II.

PART III.

THAT profound observer of men and manners, Lord Bacon, hath observed on the advantages of Biographical writing over other branches of Historical composition, that "History of times representeth the magnitude of actions, and the public faces or deportments of persons, and passeth over in silence the smaller passages and motions of men and matters. But such being the workmanship of God, as he doth hang the greatest weights upon the smallest wires, maxima è minimis suspendens; it comes therefore to pass, that such histories do rather set forth the pomp of business, than the true and inward resorts thereof. But LIVES if they be well written, propounding to themselves a person to represent, in whom actions both greater and smaller, public and private, have a commixture, must of necessity contain a more true, native and lively representation." Of the truth of this sagacious remark, a more convincing evidence can hardly be adduced than the Memoirs which Dr. Franklin hath left of himself; and the reader has to lament, that when the author resumed his narrative, at the request of some intelligent friends, he did it under the inconvenience of public business, and at a distance from his papers; but the greatest matter of regret is, that he did not bring the history of his own times down through the stormy and eventful period in which he made so conspicuous a figure, near to the close of his illustrious and exemplary Great light and much curious and interesting information respecting the same, may however be collected from his "Private and Political Correspondence," forming a sequel to these Memoirs.

career.

The necessity of pursuing the narration with chronological precision is obvious and imperative, but the only matter for concern is the indispensable obligation of changing the style of the relation from the dignity of the first person, which diffuses exquisite beauty and gives peculiar enegry to the preceding parts of the history. This however will in some instances be avoided, Dr. Franklin having left, (written by himself) several separate relations of events, or circumstances in which lie was particularly concerned; these, together with some of his letters, elucidating similar objects, will be inserted (in his own language) in their proper places; which he probably would

himself have done, had he lived to complete the Narrative of his Life. Where however this resource is wanting, all that remains to be done is to adhere scrupulously to the verity of facts and to the evidence of authorities; with as close an attention to the simplicity of the preceding pages as may be, without falling into the error of servile imitation.

It will be proper here to enter into some detail on the state of Pennsylvania, at the period when the voyage to England took place, of which an account is given at the close of the last part of the Author's own Memoir; because as he was obliged to trust solely to his memory, some slight inaccuracies escaped him that would otherwise have been avoided.

In January 1757, the House of Assembly voted a bill for granting to his majesty the sum of one hundred thousand pounds by a tax on all the estates, real and personal, and taxables, within the province; but on submitting it to Governor Denny for his sanction, he refused it in a message, which among other remarkable observations, contained the following avowal of his subservience to the Penn family. "The proprietaries are willing their estates should be taxed in the manner that appears to them to be reasonable and agreeable to the Land Tax Acts of Parliament in our mother country. I am not inclined to enter into any dispute with you on the subject, since it cannot be decided on this side the water; nor can I see what good end it can answer, as the proprietaries have positively enjoined me not to pass any bill that is against their instruction. As his Majesty's service, and the defence of this province, render it necessary to raise immediate supplies, I must earnestly recommend it to you to frame such a bill as it is in my power to pass, consistent with my honour and my engagements to the proprietaries, which I am persuaded you will not desire me to violate. I have some amendments to propose to particular parts of the bill now before me, which I shall communicate to you, as soon as I know whether you determine to prepare a new bill, free from the objection I have above mentioned." Upon this the House of Assembly came to a resolution which was digested in the form of a remonstrance, by Mr. Franklin, as the internal evidence of the language plainly demonstrates. It was as follows:

"The representatives of the freemen of Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, do hereby humbly remonstrate to your honour, that the proprietaries' professed willingness to be taxed, mentioned by your honour, in your message of Tuesday last, can be intended only to amuse and deceive their superiors; since they have in their instructions excepted all their quit-rents, located unimproved lands, purchase

money at interest, and in short, so much of their vast estate, as to reduce their tax, as far as appears to us, below that of a common farmer or tradesman.

"That though the proprietaries' instructions are by no means laws in this province, we have so far complied with them, as to confine the sum given to be raised in one year. And had we complied with them in the other particulars, the raising any thing near the sum required by the present exigencies of the province, would be absolutely impossible.

"That the apparent necessity of so large a sum for his Majesty's service, and the defence of this his province, founded upon the Governor's own estimate, has obliged us to an effort beyond our strength, being assured that hundreds of families must be distressed to pay this tax.

"That we have, in the due exercise of our just rights by the Royal and Provincial charters, and the laws of this province, and as an English representative body, framed this bill, consistent with those rights.

"That the bill is agreeable to justice and equity with regard to the proprietaries, and is not repugnant to the laws of our mother country, but as nearly agreeable thereto as our different circumstances will permit, nor is it contrary to any royal instruction whatever. That great as the sum is, and hard for this people to pay, we freely offer it to our gracious King for his service, and the defence of this colony from his Majesty's enemies.

"That the proprietaries refusing to permit us to grant money to the Crown in this time of war, and imminent danger to the province, unless we will consent thus to exempt their estates from the tax, we conceive to be injurious to the interests of the Crown, and tyrannical with regard to the people.

"That we do further humbly conceive, neither the proprietaries, nor any other power on earth, ought to interfere between us and our Sovereign, either to modify, or refuse our free gifts and grants for his Majesty's service.

"That though the Governor may be under obligations to the proprietaries, we conceive he is under greater to the Crown, and to the people he is appointed to govern; to promote the service of the former, preserve the rights of the latter, and protect them from their cruel enemies.

"We do, therefore, in the name of our most gracious Sovereign, and in behalf of the distressed people we represent, unanimously DEMAND it of the Governor as Our RIGHT, that he give his assent to the Bill we now present him, for granting to his Majesty One Hundred Thousand Pounds for the defence of this province, (and as it is a money Bill, without alteration or amendment, any instructions whatsoever VOL. I. S