her countenance, sufficient beauty, though now an old woman, to do extremely well without it.

"You see I speak of the Queen as if I had seen her; and so I have, for you must know I have been to court. We went to Versailles last Sunday, and had the honor of being presented to the King [Louis XV.]; he spoke to both of us very graciously and very cheerfully, is a handsome man, has a very lively look, and appears a younger man than he is. In the evening we were at the Grand Couvert, where the family sup in public. The table was half a hollow square, the service gold. When either made a sign for drink, the word was given by one of the waiters; A boire pour le Roi, or A boire pour la Reine. Then two persons came from within; the one with wine and the other with water in carafes; each drank a little glass of what he brought, and then put both the carafes with a glass on a salver, and then presented it. Their distance from each other was such, as that other chairs might have been placed between any two of them. An officer of the court brought us up through the crowd of spectators, and placed Sir John so as to stand between the Queen and Madame Victoire. The King talked a good deal to Sir John, asking many questions about our regal family; and did me too the honor of taking some notice of me; that is saying enough; for I would not have you think me so much pleased with this King and Queen, as to have a whit less regard than I used to have for ours. No Frenchman shall go beyond me in thinking my own King and Queen the very best in the world, and the most amiable."

And the person who said this was Dr. Franklin, and the king was George the Third! But the time was not distant, when the Doctor, who now imagined himself so very loyal, would see his "amiable" monarch in quite another light. The letter goes on to say:

"Versailles has had infinite sums laid out in building it and supplying it with water. Some say the expenses exceeded eighty millions sterling. The range of buildings is immense; the garden-front most magnificent, of hewn stone; the number of statues, figures, urns, &c., in marble and bronze of exquisite workmanship is beyond conception. But the water-works are out of repair, and so is great part of the front next the town, looking with its shabby, half-brick walls, and broken windows, not much better than the houses in Durham Yard. There is, in short, both at Versailles and Paris, a prodigious mixture of magnificence and negligence, with every kind of elegance, except that of cleanliness, and what we call tidiness. Though I must do Paris the justice to say, that in two parts

The water they drink, though

of cleanliness they exceed us. from the river, they render as pure as that of the best spring by filtering it through cisterns filled with sand; and the streets with constant sweeping are fit to walk in, though there is no paved foot-path. Accordingly, many well-dressed people are constantly seen walking In them. The crowd of coaches and chaises for this reason is not so great. Men, as well as women, carry umbrellas in their hands, which they extend in case of rain or too much sun; and, a man with an umbrella not taking up more than three foot square, or nine square feet of the street, when, if in a coach, he would take up two hundred and forty square feet, you can easily conceive, that though the streets here are narrow, they may be much less incumbered. They are extremely well paved, and the stones, being generally cubes, when worn on one side, may be turned and become new.

"The civilities we everywhere receive give us the strongest impressions of the French politeness. It seems to be a point settled here universally, that strangers are to be treated with respect; and one has just the same deference

shown one here by being a stranger, as in England by being a lady.

"The custom-house officers at Port St. Denis, as we entered Paris, were about to seize two dozen of excellent Bordeaux wine given us at Boulogne, and which we brought with us; but, as soon as they found we were strangers, it was immediately remitted on that account. At the church of Notre Dame, where we went to see a magnificent illumination, with figures, &c., for the deceased Dauphiness, we found an immense crowd, who were kept out by guards; but, the officer being told that we were strangers from England, he immediately admitted us, accompanied us and showed us everything. Why don't we practice this urbanity to Frenchmen? Why should they be allowed to outdo us in everything? . .

"Travelling is one way of lengthening life, at least in appearance. It is but about a fortnight since we left London, but the variety of scenes we have gone through, makes it seem equal to six months living in one place. Perhaps I have suffered a greater change too, in my own person, than I could have done in six years at home. I had not been here six days, before my tailor and perruquier had transformed me into a Frenchman. Only think what a figure I make in a little bag-wig and with naked ears! They told me I was become twenty years younger, and looked gallant.

And pray look upon it as no small matter, that, surrounded as I am by all the glories of the world, and amusements of all sorts, I remember you and Dolly and all the dear good folks at Bromley. It is true, I cannot help it, but must and ever shall remember you all with pleasure. "Need I add, that I am particularly, my dear good friend, "Yours most affectionately."

CHAPTER XXX.

Obnoxious Acts of Parliament. Duties on Tea, •Paper, Glass, and Other Imported Articles. — American Manufactures Forbidden.-Outbreaks in America. Dr. Franklin Writes for the London Chronicle, on Causes of the American Discontents. Letter to His Wife. Acknowledges Receipt of Apples, Indian Meal, etc.— American Nuts. - Lady Bathurst. — Election of a New Parliament.-John Wilkes. - Riots. -Dr. Franklin artfully Approached by Friends of the Government. Office of Under Secretary. Not to be Bought. - Letter to His Sister.To His Son. Mr. Grenville. — Franklin's Son. Wishes to Return Home. - Still Delayed.-Agent for Georgia.-Letter to John Alleyne.-Early Marriages. Letter of Advice to Miss Stevenson. Treatment of the Aged. -Chosen President of the American Philosophical Society. - A Practical Philosopher.-A Telescope for Harvard College. Oats. Swiss Barley. - Culture of Silk. Smoky Chimneys.

Oxen on the Farm. Rhubarb.- Chinese Cheese. Construction of French Houses. Letter to John Bartram. - Parmesan Cheese. - Letter to His Wife.His Health.- Letter from Miss Stevenson. —

A Young Physician. - Dr. Franklin's Reply. -Phonography.- Modesty in Opinions. Pope's Rule.-Letter to Miss Stevenson about a Proposal of Marriage. What He Thinks of Giving Advice.

THE repeal of the Stamp Act was followed by other Acts equally obnoxious to the Americans. They were taxed on many of the most common articles, as glass, paper, tea, painters, colors, etc., a set of commissioners being sent over to attend to the collection of these duties. Every means. was employed to forbid or discourage manufactures in the colonies. The hatters of England had got an act passed compelling the Americans to send their beavers abroad to be made into hats, and the nail and steel-makers had prevailed on Parliament to forbid the erection of slitting and steel furnaces in America. Not an article. could the colonists manufacture out of the iron that abounded in the country, except for private use. No wool could be sold from town to town, nor a hat from one colony to another. And further, Great Britain not only put duties upon her own manufactures exported to America, but forbade the colonists to trade with any other country, or export to England their own merchandise, except in British vessels. Wine, fruit and oil were not allowed to be brought direct from Spain and Portugal, nor could iron be carried direct to foreign markets. The interests of Sparks, and Speech of E. C. Cowdin.