ikely to be treated with tenderness. Sir John is perhaps the only man
who ever accompanied a dismissal with eulogy, and the result of his
candour will probably prevent its imitation.

To Lord Stanley more blame must be attached. It was his duty to care for
the reputation of a governor whom he did not instantly recall. But his
despatch was in print long before it reached the hands of Franklin, and
must have been fatal to his proper authority had not popular sympathy
sustained his government. Before Sir John received an official notice of
his recall his successor arrived. On this abrupt termination of his
office he obtained private lodgings in haste. The Legislative Council,
then sitting--the various churches and literary societies, expressed
their admiration of his personal character, and, more sparingly, their
approval of his administration. He was attended, on his departure, by a
considerable party of northern colonists. Sir John, in reply to their
addresses, spoke with some warmth of that portion of the press which had
libelled his wife,--a lady devoted to the welfare of the colony; whose
last act was to settle property on an institution for scientific uses;
whose benevolence was unbounded, and who, at a large sacrifice of her
private fortune, had ministered to the comforts of the poor. Had it been
consistent with his duty, he said, he would have gladly exposed to the
whole people his most secret measures. He declared that he would never
fail to uphold the reputation and to promote the prosperity of the
colony. The frank and humane temper of Sir John Franklin won the
affections of the settlers. He thought favorably of their general
character, appreciated their moral worth, and shared in their notions of
convict discipline. The insults of which he complained were the acts of
a few: a philosopher would have smiled where he deprecated; and have
felt that the salary of office is not more certain than the enmities
which surround it.

The alleged ascendancy of Lady Franklin in public affairs it would be
useless to discuss. Her masculine intellect and adventurous spirit led
some to ascribe to her more than the usual authority of her sex and
station; but whenever apparent, her influence was exercised on the side
of religion, science, and humanity.

The appointment of Franklin to this government was made at the instance
of William IV., by whom he was greatly esteemed. It was the expectation
of Sir John to find an easy retrea