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Franklin’s life is full of charming stories which all young men should know how he peddled ballads in Boston, and stood as the guest of kings in Europe;how he worked his passage as a stowaway to Philadelphia, and rode in the queen’s own litter in France; how he walked the streets of Philadelphia, homeless and unknown, with three penny rolls for his breakfast, and dined at the tables of princes, and received his friendsin a palace; how he raised a kite from a cow shed, and was showered with all the high degrees the collegesof the world could give; how he was duped by a false friend as a boy, and became the friend of all humanity as a man; how he was made Major General Franklin, only to resign because, as he said, he was no soldier,and yet helped to organize the army that stood before the trained troops of England and Germany.
This poor Boston boy, with scarcely a day’s schooling, became master of six languages and never stopped studying; this neglected apprentice tamed the lightning, made his name famous,
received degrees and diplomas from colleges in both hemispheres, and became forever remembered as “DoctorFranklin”, philosopher, patriot, scientist, philanthropist and statesman. Self made, self taught, and self reared, the candle maker’s son gave light to all the world; the street ballad seller set all men singing of liberty; the runaway apprentice became the most sought after man of two continents, and brought his native land to praise and honor him.
He built America, for what our Republic is today is largely due to the prudence, the forethought, the statesmanship, the enterprise, the wisdom, and the ability of Benjamin Franklin. He belongs to the world, but especially does he belong to America. As the nations honored him while living, so the Republic glorifies him when dead, and has enshrined him in the choicest of its niches, the one he regarded as the loftiest thehearts of the common people, from whom he had sprung and in their hearts Franklin will live forever.
