rica; and that all the
mother-countries will be forced to abandon all empire over their
colonies, to leave them entire liberty of commerce with all nations, and
to be content in sharing with others this liberty, and in preserving
with their colonies the bonds of amity and fraternity."[26] This memoir
of the French statesman bears date the sixth of April, 1776, nearly
three months before the Declaration of Independence.

On leaving the Ministry, Turgot devoted himself to literature, science,
and charity, translating Odes of Horace and Eclogues of Virgil, studying
geometry with Bossut, chemistry with Lavoisier, and astronomy with
Rochon, and interesting himself in every thing by which human welfare
could be advanced. Such a character, with such an experience of
government, and the prophet of American independence, was naturally
prepared to welcome Franklin, not only as philosopher, but as statesman
also.

But the classical welcome of Turgot was partially anticipated,--at least
in an unsuccessful attempt. Baron Grimm, in that interesting and
instructive "Correspondance," prepared originally for the advantage of
distant courts, but now constituting one of the literary and social
monuments of the period, mentions, under date of October, 1777, that the
following French verses were made for a portrait of Franklin by Cochin,
engraved by St. Aubin:--

"C'est l'honneur et l'appui du nouvel hemisphere;
Les flots de l'Ocean s'abaissent a sa voix;
Il reprime ou dirige a son gre le tonnerre;
Qui desarme les dieux, peut-il craindre les rois?"

These verses seem to contain the very idea in the verse of Turgot. But
they were suppressed at the time by the censor on the ground that they
were "blasphemous,"--although it is added in a note that "they concerned
only the King of England." Was it that the negotiations with Franklin
were not yet sufficiently advanced? And here mark the dates.

It was only after the communication to Great Britain of the Treaty of
Alliance and the reception of Franklin at Versailles, that the seal
seems to have been broken. Baron Grimm, in his "Correspondance,"[27]
under date of April, 1778, makes the following entry:--

"A very beautiful Latin verse has been made for the portrait of Dr.
Franklin,--

'Eripuit coelo fulmen, sceptrumque tyrannis.'

It is a happy imitation of a verse of the 'Anti-Lucretius,'--

'Eripuitque Jovi fulmen, Phoeboque sagittas.'"

Here is the earliest