rights of the privileged classes. It was a severe blow to the
Assembly. The speaker wrote to Franklin:

"We are among rocks and sands, in a stormy season. It depends
upon you to do every thing in your power in the present
crisis. It is too late for us to give you any assistance."

When Franklin received the crushing report against the Assembly he
was just setting off for a pleasant June excursion in Ireland.
Immediately he unpacked his saddle-bags, and consecrated all his
energies to avert the impending evils. He enlisted the sympathies of
Lord Mansfield, and accomplished the astonishing feat in diplomacy, of
inducing the British Lords of Commission to reverse their decision,
and to vote that the act of the Assembly should stand unrepealed.

His business detained Franklin in London all summer. In the autumn he
took a tour into the west of England and Wales. The gales of winter
were now sweeping the Atlantic. No man in his senses would expose
himself to a winter passage across the ocean, unless it was absolutely
necessary. Indeed it would appear that Franklin was so happy in
England, that he was not very impatient to see his home again. Though
he had been absent three years from his wife and child, still two
years more elapsed before he embarked for his native land.

On the 25th of October George II. died. His grandson, a stupid,
stubborn fanatically conscientious young man ascended the throne, with
the title of George III. It would be difficult to compute the
multitudes in Europe, Asia and America, whom his arrogance and
ambition caused to perish on the battle field. During these two years
there was nothing of very special moment which occurred in the life of
Franklin. Able as he was as a statesman, science was the favorite
object of his pursuit. He wrote several very strong pamphlets upon the
political agitations of those tumultuous days, when all nations seem
to have been roused to cutting each other's throats. He continued to
occupy a prominent position wherever he was, and devoted much time in
collecting his thoughts upon a treatise to be designated "The Art of
Virtue." The treatise, however, was never written.

His influential and wealthy friend, Mr. Strahan, was anxious to unite
their two families by the marriage of his worthy and prosperous son to
Mr. Franklin's beautiful daughter, Sarah. But the plan failed.
Franklin also made an effort to marry his only son William, who, it
will be remembe