d lose a very valuable trade. Franklin joined in this effort,
insomuch that for a long time he would not make purchases in England of
any articles to send home to his family. At length the difficulty was in
some measure compromised. One of the most obnoxious of the acts of
Parliament for taxing America was repealed, and then for the first time
Franklin purchased and sent home to his wife and daughter quite a trunk
full of dresses--silks, satins, and brocade--with gloves, and bottles of
lavender water, and other such niceties to fill the corners. He told her,
in the letter which he sent with this trunk, that, as the Stamp Act was
repealed, he was now willing that she should have a new gown.

[Illustration: The Gown.]

In fact the great philosopher's attention was attracted at this time in
some degree to the effect of dress upon his own personal appearance, for
on making a visit to Paris, which he did toward the close of 1767, he says
that the French tailor and perruquier so transformed him as to make him
appear twenty years younger than he really was.

[Illustration: Twenty Years Younger.]

Franklin received a great deal of attention while he was in Paris, and he
seems to have enjoyed his visit there very highly. The most distinguished
men in the walks of literature and science sought his society, for they
all knew well his reputation as a philosopher; and many of them had read
his writings and had repeated the experiments which he had made, and which
had awakened so deep an interest throughout the whole learned world.
Franklin received too, many marks of distinction and honor from the public
men of France--especially from those who were connected with the
government. It was supposed that they had been watching the progress of
the disputes between England and her colonies, and secretly hoping that
these disputes might end in an open rupture; for such a rupture they
thought would end in weakening the power of their ancient rival.
Sympathizing thus with the party in this contest which Franklin
represented, they naturally felt a special interest in him. Franklin was
presented at court, and received into the most distinguished society in
the metropolis.

After a time he returned again to England, but he found when he arrived
there that the state of things between the English government and the
American colonies was growing worse instead of better. Parliament insisted
on its right