The Compleated Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (1757-1790)

by Benjamin Franklin

  HOPING TO RETURN TO BOSTON

  I longed much to see again my native place, and hoped to lay my bones there. I left it in 1723; I visited it in 1733, 1743, 1753, and 1763. In 1773 I was in England; in 1775 I had a sight of the city, but could not enter, it being in possession of the enemy. I did hope to have been there in 1783, but could not obtain my dismissal from France, and I fear I will never have that happiness. My best wishes, however, attended my dear country, esto perpetua: It is now blest with an excellent constitution. May it last forever.

  A NEW COMMISSION

  Mr. Jay sail’d for America from Dover the first of June 1784 to become Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Laurens left London the 6TH to go home by way of the Falmouth packet. I had intended to return to America as well, but the Congress, instead of giving me leave to do so, sent me another commission, which kept me in Paris another year. I also received advice that Mr. Jefferson, late governor of Virginia, was commissioned with Mr. Adams our minister in Holland, and myself for the service of treaties of commerce with the powers of Europe. Mr. Adams arrived, and took house near me at Auteuil. Mr. Jefferson also arrived in August, after a journey thro’ all the states from Virginia to Boston, assuring me that all was quiet, a general tranquility reigned, and the people were well satisfy’d with their present forms of government, a few insignificant persons only excepted. Congress had become parsimonious, and curtail’d the salaries of all their servants, no less than 500 louis a year for that of each minister plenipotentiary at foreign courts. As money is not my object, being near my journey’s end, and having enough to pay the remaining turnpikes and post chaises, I stuck to the service as long as the Congress required it of me, tho’ they were to give me nothing. I continued, thanks to God, in very good health, being only troubled with the stone, which sometimes gave me more than a little pain, and prevented my going in a carriage where there are pavements, but did not otherwise make me very unhappy; I ate, drank, slept, read, took the exercise of walking, and enjoyed the conversation of my friends as usual.

  The gout was bad, but the stone was worse, and I was happy in not having them both together. My disorder of the stone had its bad and good days, and I was tolerably affected by it; but sometimes the pain was hard to bear. I took a remedy, mentioned by Mr. Ingenhousz, for the stone, which is called Blackrie’s Solvent. It is soap lye with lime water, which promis’d to have some effect in diminishing the symptoms and preventing the growth of the stone. It did not hurt my appetite. I slept well, and enjoyed my friends in cheerful conversation as usual. But as I could not use much exercise, I ate more sparingly than formerly, and I drank no wine.

  INVENTION OF DOUBLE SPECTACLES

  In a letter, George Whatley noted how his eyes must continue very good since he could write so small a hand without spectacles. I myself cannot distinguish a letter even of large print, but was happy in the invention of double spectacles, which serving for distant objects as well as near ones, makes my eyes as useful to me as ever they were. I imagined it used to be found pretty generally true that the same convexity of glass through which a man can see clearest and best at the distance proper for reading, is not the best for great distances. I therefore had formerly two pair of spectacles, which I shifted occasionally, as in traveling I sometimes read, yet often wanted to regard the surrounding prospects. Finding this change troublesome and not always sufficiently ready, I had the glasses cut, and half of each kind associated in the same circle. Thus by this means, as I wear my spectacles constantly, I have only to move my eyes up or down as I want to see distinctly far or near, the proper glasses being always ready. This I found more particularly convenient while being in France, as the glasses that served me best at table to see what I ate, not being the best to see the faces of those on the other side of the table who spoke to me; and when one’s ears are not well accustomed to the sounds of a language, a sight of the movements in the features of him that speaks helps to explain, so that I understood French better by the help of my spectacles.

  MR. MESMER AND ANIMAL MAGNETISM

  We were much amiss’d in France for the past two years with the pretended new art of healing by what was called Magnetisme Animale. The professor of this art, Mr. Mesmer, had in a short time made nearly twenty thousand louis d’ors by teaching and practicing it. He proposed the presence of a universal animal magnetic fluid that could heal the sick and prevent illness through a simple laying of hands, gestures, and signs. Subjects who believed themselves magnetized felt pain, heat, and then a very intense heat, and in some more excitable patients, produced convulsions and what were called crises. The remedy met with enough success to encourage the hopes of the ill; and even educated people, including doctors and surgeons, admitted to the school of magnetism.

  But one must not be indifferent to the ill-founded reign of false opinion: the sciences, which grow larger with the truth, have even more to gain by the suppression of an error. An error is always a spoiled yeast which ferments and eventually corrupts the substance in which it is introduced. But when this error leaves the empire of the sciences to spread among the multitude, and to divide and agitate minds when it presents a misleading way to heal the sick whom it discourages from looking elsewhere for help, a good government has an interest in destroying it.

  The distribution of enlightenment is an excellent use of authority! Thus the King appointed a number of commissaries to inquire into this magnetism, and was pleased to request my joining them as one of the Academy of Science. In our investigation, we tried to detect the presence of the magnetic fluid; but this fluid was imperceptible to all the senses. The experiments we conducted on ourselves, including blindfolded subjects, caused us to reject it absolutely as a cure of illness. We concluded that the system of magnetism did not cure anything; that both magnetism and his brilliant theory exist only in the imagination; and that a spectacle such as this seemed to transport us to the age and the reign of the fairies.

  Mr. Mesmer complain’d about our report127 to the Parliament, and requested that they would appoint commissaries, to whom he might submit the examination of—not his theory and practice, but—un Plan qui renfermera les seuls moyens possible, de constater infailliblement l’existence et l’utlité de sa décourverte. The petition was printed. Many thought the Parliament would do nothing about it. But they laid hold of it to clinch Mesmer, and obliged him to expose all directly.

  Mesmer still has some adherents and continues to practice his art. It is surprising how much credulity still subsists in the world. I suppose all the physicians in France put together did not make so much money during the time he was in France, as he alone had done. And we had another fresh folly afterwards. A magnetizer pretended that he could establish what is called a rapport between any person and a somnambular by a simple strong volition only, without speaking or making any signs; and many people daily flocked to see this strange operation!

  ELECTRIC EXPERIMENTS WITH A PARALYTIC PATIENT

  In 1750, I made an experiment in electricity that I desired never to repeat. Being about to kill a turkey by the shock from two large glass jars containing as much electrical fire as forty common phials, I inadvertently took the whole thro’ my own arms and body, by receiving the fire from the united top wires with one hand, while the other held a chain connected with the outsides of both jars. I was about to try whether the jars were fully charged when I felt a universal blow thro’out my whole body from head to foot, and parts of my hand and fingers which held the chain were left white as tho’ the blood had been driven out, and remained so 8 or 10 minutes after, feeling like dead flesh. The whole was over in less than a minute, but I had a numbness in my arms and back of my neck, which continued till the next morning. You will find an account of the first great electric stroke I received in pages 161 and 162 of my book, 5TH edition, 1774.

  On a more recent occasion, I had a paralytic patient in my chamber, whose friends had brought him to receive some electric shocks. I made them join hands so as to receive the shock at
the same time, and I charg’d two large jars to give it. By the number of these people I was oblig’d to quit my usual standing, and plac’d myself inadvertently under an iron hook which hung from the ceiling down to within two inches of my head, and communicated by wire with the outside of the jars. I attempted to discharge them, and in fact did so, but I did not perceive it, tho’ the charge went thro’ me, and not thro’ the persons I intended it for. I neither saw the flash, heard the report, nor felt the stroke. When my senses return’d, I found myself on the floor. I got up not knowing how that had happened. I then again attempted to discharge the jars; but one of the company told me they were already discharg’d, which I could not at first believe, but on trial found it true. They told me they had not felt it, but they saw I was knock’d down by it, which had greatly surpris’d them. On recollecting myself and examining my situation, I found the case clear. A small swelling rose on the top of my head, which continued sore for some days; but I do not remember any other effect good or bad.

  “AMERICANS WERE VERY HAPPY”

  My letters from America informed me that everything went well there following the war; the newly elected Congress met, and consisted of very respectable characters with excellent dispositions, and the people in general were very happy under the new governments. The last year was a prosperous one for the country, the crops plentiful and sold at high prices for exportation, while all imported goods, from the great plenty, sold low. Since the peace, too many goods were sent there from all parts of Europe, which overstock’d the market, and made the prices so low as to afford but little profit and sometimes none to the adventurers. This was the happy consequence of our commerce being open to all the world, and no longer a monopoly to Britain.

  The circumstances of the Royalists in the United States were mending, as the minds of the people irritated by the burning of their towns and massacre of their friends began to cool. A stop was put to all persecutions against them, and in time their offenses will be forgotten. Our people were happy in the change, and have not the least inclination to return to the domination of Britain.

  PROPORTIONING PUNISHMENTS ACCORDING TO OFFENSES

  Two pamphlets were published at this time regarding the punishment to offenses. Both were address’d to the judges, but written in a very different spirit. An English author favoured hanging all thieves; a Frenchman was for proportioning punishments according to offenses.

  If we really believe, as we profess we believe, that the Law of Moses is the Law of God, the dictate of divine wisdom infinitely superior to human, then on what principles do we ordain death as the punishment of an offense, which according to the Law of Moses was to be punish’d by a restitution of fourfold? To put a man to death for an offense which does not deserve death, is it not murder? And as the French writer says, Doit-on punir un délit contre société, par un crime contre la nature? I read in a newspaper from London that a woman is capitally convicted at the Old Bailey for privately stealing of a shop some gauze valued at 14 shillings three pence. Is there any proportion between the injury done by a theft valued at 14s. 3d., and the punishment of that human creature by death on a gibbet? Might not that woman by her labour have made the reparation ordain’d by God in paying four fold? Is not all punishment inflicted beyond the merit of the offense, so much punishment of innocence? In this light, how vast is the annual quantity of not only injured but suffering innocence, in almost all the civilized states of Europe!

  MORE THAN 700 PRIVATEERS COMMISSIONED

  By contrast, privateering has been the universal bent of the English nation at home and abroad, wherever settled. No less than 700 privateers were, it is said, commission’d in the last war! These were fitted out by merchants to prey upon other merchants who had never done them any injury. How then can a nation, which among the most honest of its people has so many thieves by inclination, and whose government encourag’d and commission’d no less than 700 gangs of robbers; how can such a nation have the face to condemn the crime in individuals, and hang 20 of them in a morning? Methinks it well behooves merchants, men enlightened by their education and perfectly free from any force or obligation, to consider well of the justice of a war, before they voluntarily engage a gang of ruffians to attack their fellow merchants of a neighbouring nation, to plunder them of their property, and perhaps ruin them and their families. Yet these things are done by Christian merchants, whether a war be just or unjust; and it can hardly be just on both sides. They are done by English and American merchants, who nevertheless complain of private thefts, and hang by dozens the thieves they have taught by their own example. For the sake of humanity, it is high time that a stop be put to this enormity. The United States of America, tho’ better situated than any European nation to make profit by privateering (most of the trade of Europe with the West Indies passing before their doors), are endeavouring to abolish the practice, by offering in all their treaties with other powers, an article engaging solemnly that in case of future war no privateers shall be commission’d on either side, and that unarm’d merchant ships on both sides shall pursue their voyages unmolested. This will be a happy improvement of the laws of nations. The humane and the just cannot but wish general success to the proposition.

  THE DESIRE TO GO HOME TO MY FAMILY IN AMERICA WAS STRONG

  At length I received from Congress my long-expected permission to return to America. The last act I did as minister plenipotentiary for making treaties was to sign with Mr. Jefferson, two days before I came away, the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce that had been agreed on with Prussia, and which was to be carried to the Hague by Mr. Short, there to be signed by Baron Thulemier on the part of his king, who, without the least hesitation, had approved and conceded to the new humane articles proposed by Congress. Mr. Short was also to call at London for the signature of Mr. Adams, who, I learned when at Southampton, was well received at the British court. I left the court of France in the same friendly disposition toward the United States that we had all along experienced, though concerned to find that ours was not better supported in the payment of interest money due on our loans. Mr. Jefferson was much esteemed and respected there. I received from the King at my departure the present of his picture set round with diamonds, usually given to ministers plenipotentiary who have signed any treaties with that court, and it is at the disposition of Congress.128

  My friends in France were so apprehensive about my trip that they pressed me much to remain in France, and three of them offer’d me an asylum in their habitations. They protested that they universally esteemed and loved me; that my friends in America were diminish’d by death in my absence; that I might there meet with envy and its consequent enmity. The desire, however, of spending the little remainder of life with my family was so strong as to determine me to try at least, whether I could bear the motion of a ship.

  Having stayed in France about eight and a half years, I took leave of the court and my friends, and set out on my return home July 12, 1785, leaving Passy with my two grandsons at 4 pm and arriving about 8 at St. Germains. M. de Chaumont, with his daughter Sophia, accompanied us to Nantere. M. Le Veillard continued with us to Havre de Grace, the seaport. I bore very well the journey in one of the King’s litters (lent me by the Duke de Coigny) carried by large mules who walked very easy. I arrived extremely well, not at all hurt or fatigued by the carriage I used, which I found generally very gentle. We waited there a few days for baggage and for our traveling companion, statuary M. Houdon. On their arrival, we left France, the country that I loved best in the world; and there I left my dear friends. It seemed to me that things are badly managed in this world, when beings so made to be happy together are obliged to separate.

  The voyage from thence to Southampton took forty-five hours, though the wind was a great part of the time contrary, arriving on Sunday, July 24. There I met my son, William, who had arrived from London the evening before, with Mr. Williams and Mr. J. Alexander. I wrote a letter to the good bishop of St. Asaph, acquainting him with my arriv
al, and he came with his lady and his daughter, Miss Kitty. On Monday, the bishop and his family lodging in the same inn, the Star, we all breakfasted and dined together. I went at noon to bathe in Martin’s salt water hot-bath, and fell asleep while floating on my back. I slept nearly an hour by my watch without sinking or turning, a thing I never did before, and should hardly have thought possible. Water is the easiest bed that can be.

  I read over the writings of conveyance, &c. of my son’s lands in New Jersey and New York to my grandson. Deeds were signed between W. Franklin and W. T. Franklin, and I gave a power to my son to recover what might be due to me from the British government.

  Capt. Jennings carried down our baggage that he brought from Havre, and my dear friend M. Le Veillard took leave to go with him. The ship had a large convenient cabin with good lodging places; the whole was at my disposition, and there was plenty of room. Mr. Vaughan arrived from London to see me, and we all dined once more with the bishop and family, who kindly accepted our invitation to board with us. The company stayed all night, and when I woke in the morning of Thursday, July 28, I found the company gone, and ship under sail to America.