honor
at the Royal Palace. Franklin was one of the guests. In some way
unexplained, he impressed the boy-king with a sense of his inherent
and peculiar greatness. Christian invited a select circle of but
sixteen men to dine with him. Among those thus carefully selected,
Franklin was honored with an invitation. Though sixty-seven years of
age he still enjoyed in the highest degree, convivial scenes. He could
tell stories, and sing songs which gave delight to all. It was his
boast that he could empty his two bottles of wine, and still retain
entire sobriety. He wrote to Hugh Roberts,

"I wish you would continue to meet the Junto. It wants but
about two years of forty since it was established. We loved,
and still love one another; we have grown grey together, and
yet it is too early to part. Let us sit till the evening of
life is spent; the last hours are always the most joyous.
When we can stay no longer, it is time enough to bid each
other good night, separate, and go quietly to bed."

Franklin was the last person to find any enjoyment in the society of
vulgar and dissolute men. In those days, it was scarcely a reproach
for a young lord to be carried home from a festivity in deadly
intoxication. Witticisms were admitted into such circles which
respectable men would not tolerate now. Franklin's most intimate
friends in London were found among Unitarian clergymen, and those
philosophers who were in sympathy with him in his rejection of the
Christian religion. Dr. Richard Price, and Dr. Joseph Priestly, men
both eminent for intellectual ability and virtues, were his bosom
friends.

Dr. Priestly, who had many conversations with Franklin upon religious
topics, deeply deplored the looseness of his views. Though Dr.
Priestly rejected the divinity of Christ, he still firmly adhered to
the belief that Christianity was of divine origin. In his
autobiography, Dr. Priestly writes:

"It is much to be lamented that a man of Dr. Franklin's
generally good character and great influence, should have
been an unbeliever in Christianity, and also have done so
much as he did to make others unbelievers. To me, however,
he acknowledged that he had not given so much attention as
he ought to have done to the evidences of Christianity; and
he desired me to recommend him a few treatises on the
subject, such as I thought most deserving his notice."

Priestly did so; b