wever deeply Franklin, in these dying hours may have pondered the
sublimities of Immortality--the Resurrection--the Judgment Throne--the
Final Verdict--Heaven--Hell,--he was very reticent respecting those
themes. We certainly see none of the triumph of Paul, and of
thousands of others, who have in varied language, expressed the
sentiment that,

"Jesus can make a dying bed
Feel soft as downy pillows are."

A few hours before his death, as some one urged him to change his
position, that he might breathe easier he replied, "a dying man can do
nothing easy." These were his last words. He then sank into a
lethargy, from which he passed into that sleep which has no earthly
waking. It was eleven o'clock at night, April 17, 1790. He had lived
eighty-four years, three months and eleven days.

But no candid and charitable reader can peruse this narrative,
without the admission that Benjamin Franklin, notwithstanding his
imperfections, was one of the wisest and best of all the fallen
children of Adam. From his dying hour to the present day his memory
has been justly cherished with reverence and affection, throughout the
civilized world. And there is no fear that this verdict will ever be
reversed.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Minor changes have been made to correct obvious typesetters' errors;
otherwise, every effort has been made to remain true to the author's
words and intent.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Benjamin Franklin, A Picture of the
Struggles of Our Infant Nation One Hundred Years Ago, by John S. C. Abbott

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