WeAmericansdevoureagerlyanypieceofwritingthatpurportstotellusthesecretofsuccessinlife; yethowoftenwearedisappointedtofindnothingbutcommonplacestatements, ’sLamptogivecovetedfortune, thereisreadyatourhandifwewillonlyreachoutandtakeit, likethecharminMilton’sComus,

“Unknown, andlikeesteemed, andthedullswain

Treadsonitdailywithhiscloutedshoon;”

theinteresting, human, andvividlytoldstoryofoneofthewisestandmostusefullivesinourownhistory, ’sAutobiographyisofferednotsomuchaready-madeformulaforsuccess, asthecompanionshipofarealfleshandbloodmanofextraordinarymindandquality, whosedailywalkandconversationwillhelpustomeetourowndifficulties, , weabsorbthehumanexperiencethroughwhichastrongandhelpfulcharacterisbuilding.

ThethingthatmakesFranklin’, ashehimselfsays, , yethisaccountsoftheseachievementsaregivenonlyasapartofthestory, , andhelosesthesenseofdiscouragementthatcomesfromarealizationofhisownshortcomingsandinabilitytoattain.

.

, , ’scogentreasoningandkeensatire, weowetheclearandforciblepresentationoftheAmericancaseinEnglandandFrance; whiletohispersonalityanddiplomacyaswellastohisfacilepen, weareindebtedfortheforeignallianceandthefundswithoutwhichWashington’, fortitude, andpracticalwisdom, coupledwithself-sacrificingdevotiontothecauseofhiscountry, , FranklinasapublicmanwasmuchlikeWashington, especiallyintheentiredisinterestednessofhispublicservice.