The letter concludes with a request that it might be communicated to Dr. Franklin, and made public in France.

On the letter being communicated to Dr. Franklin, and his opinion asked with respect to the propriety of publishing it in Paris, he thus replied.

SIR,

Passy, Oct. 14, 1777.

"I am much obliged by your communication of the letter from England. I am of your opinion, that it is not proper for publication here. Our friend's expressions concerning Mr. Wilson, will be thought too angry to be made use of by one philosopher when speaking of another, and on a philosophical question. He seems as much heated about this one point, as the Jansenists and Molinists were about the five. As to my writing any thing on the subject, which you seem to desire, I think it not necessary, especially as I have nothing to add to what I have already said upon it in a paper read to the committee,' who ordered the conductors at Purfleet; which paper is printed in the last French edition of my writings. I have never entered into

blished, notwithstanding the condemnation of the pretended improvement by the Royal Society, in their reports in favor of pointed conductors, and their being consequently generally employed for the protection of the powder magazines throughout the country.

1

Report on Lightning Conductors for the Powder Magazines at Purfleet, drawn up by Dr. Franklin, Aug. 21, 1772.

any controversy in defence of my philosophica opinions; I leave them to take their chance in the world. If they are right, truth and experience will support them; if wrong, they ought to be refuted and rejected. Disputes are apt to sour one's temper, and disturb one's quiet. I have no private interest in the reception of my inventions by the world, having never made, nor proposed to make, the least profit by any of them. The king's changing his pointed conductors for blunt ones is, therefore, a matter of small importance to me. If I had a wish about it, it would be that he had rejected them altogether as ineffectual. For it is only since he thought himself and family safe from the thunder of heaven, that he dared to use his own thunder in destroying his innocent subjects." I am, sir, yours, &c. "B. FRANKLIN."

During the months of March, April, and July, 1778, various schemes were fallen upon by the English ministry, privately to sound Dr. Franklin on the subject of peace with America. The cor

The foregoing circumstances, united with the then state of the British nation, gave rise to the following (pointed) epigram. "While you, great GEORGE! for safety hunt, And sharp conductors change for blunt,

The empire's out of joint.

FRANKLIN a wişer course pursues;

And all your thunder fearless views,

By keeping to the point."

VOL. II.

F

respondents or agents employed by them on this occasion, were principally, Mr. Hutton, William Pulteney, and David Hartley, esquires; the two latter members of parliament. A full account of these attempts, and others that took place at subsequent periods of the war, with the view to induce America to abandon her alliance with France, or to treat for peace on terms short of her independence, or of the formal acknowledgment of it by Great Britain; together with all the letters, memorials, and diplomatic documents exhibited on the occasion, will be found in PART III. of PRIVATE CORRESPONdence.1

The alliance with France was considered in America as a pledge of the safety and liberty of the country. The immediate fruit of it was the powerful aid sent thither by France, in the squadron of the Count D'Estaing, consisting of eleven ships of the line, six frigates, and considerable land forces. Previous to its departure, Dr. Franklin had furnished the French government with a plan for surprising the British fleet and army then in

'This Part has been specially devoted to this subject, and contains a regular and minute account of all the overtures and negotiations public and private, in which Dr. Franklin was concerned, and which finally led to peace with America as an independent state; thus forming a separate and uninterrupted history of these interesting and important transactions; which was thought preferable to interspersing them through these memoirs.

the Delaware; and Count D'Estaing was directed to execute this important enterprise. A better choice of a commander could not have been made: he united uncommon ardor and intrepidity, great military knowledge, vigilance, and circumspection, a quick decision, and a perfect command of himself in the most trying moments.

The enterprise would in all probability have proved successful, had it not been for an unexampled series of bad weather and contrary winds.

The Count took his departure from Toulon the 13th April, 1778. In the Mediterranean he had to encounter with such contrary winds, that it was not in his power to pass the straits of Gibraltar till the 17th May. The calms and light winds that afterwards attended him on the ocean, prevented the arrival of his fleet at the mouth of the river Delaware before the 7th July. In consequence of these unforeseen obstacles, the French admiral arrived too late, for the English army had evacuated Philadelphia after their defeat at Monmouth, and their fleet was then riding in perfect safety at Sandy Hook.

It is not our province to pursue farther the Count's operations; suffice it, that his presence on the American coasts served to establish the new alliance, and cultivate a friendship between the two countries at a very critical time; and that he

employed his ships in the best manner that circumstances would permit.

But fleets and armies were not the only support to the American cause, derived from the alliance with France, through the influence of Dr. Franklin. For military stores and large sums of money were placed at his disposal by the French government, in consequence of his representations and pressing solicitations. These timely succors were of infinite use, and greatly assisted the Americans in sustaining their independence. By means of the pecuniary advances, which were chiefly gifts, Dr. Franklin was enabled for several years to honor bills drawn from America to a large amount, and to pay the interest of a loan the congress had effected, on the express stipulation of the interest being paid in cash in Europe. He also paid the salaries of all the American ministers or agents employed in Europe, and gave considerable assistance to the American prisoners in England, and to those who escaped or were exchanged, to aid their return to the United States.

In June, 1778, Dr. Franklin's old friend, Mr. Hutton,' secretary to the Moravian Society, applied to him for a protection against American cruisers, for a vessel the society annually dispatched to their missionaries on the coast of Labra

The same as mentioned in Private Correspondence, Parts I. and III.