was particularly fixed. In short, his whole conduct evinced him to be a man of true patriotism and far more enlightened policy than could have been hoped for under the very unfavourable circumstances of his life. Mr. Marsden represents him as possessing clear comprehension, quick perception, and sound judgment; with a mind void of fear, and with manners mild, affable, and courteous. Mr. Nicholas offers some concluding remarks on the propriety of regularly colonizing New Zealand. He argues, from the fertility of the soil and the salubrity of the climate, and various other circumstances, that such a colony would soon become flourishing, and capable not only of supporting itself, but of being a blessing to the natives, and an advantage to the mother country. The whole of the northern island, and a considerable part of the southern, are well adapted for the growth of every kind of grain, and for all the rich vegetable products of the warmest parts of Europe. The timber of its extensive forests already finds a quick sale in the market of Port Jackson. The smaller timber is always welcome at Calcutta. The fisheries would be an invaluable source of wealth. Ursine-seals, or seabears are found in great numbers to the southward, and their skins are even at present a lucrative article to the merchants at Port Jackson. The native flax has been already mentioned. Land might be purchased of the chiefs for the price of a few axes, hoes, and implements of agriculture; and in the absence of the legalized forms of Europe, be secured by the taboo, which none of the natives dare violate. The church missionary settlers regularly purchased their land; for landed property is accurately defined in New Zealand, there being among the chiefs a mutual recognition of their respective territories, on which no encroachment must be made without the general consent. In the purchase just mentioned, the parties for the natives not being able to write, one of them ingeniously hit upon the expedient of giving a fac-simile of the tattooing on his face by way of signature. Mr. Nicholas presents us with a copy of the title-deeds: "Know all men to whom these presents shall come, that I, Ahoodee O Gunna, King of Rangee Hoo, in the island of New Zealand, have in consideration of twelve axes to me in hand now paid and delivered, &c. &c." We take our leave of the benevolent author, with many thanks for a narrative of considerable interest, and with an apology for having rather attempted to condense his materials than to make citations from his work. We very cordially recommend these volumes as a valuable accession to our stock of information respecting a race of men till of late but little known, but who appear well worthy of a more intimate acquaintance. ART. V.-DR. FRANKLIN'S LIFE AND CORRES PONDENCE. 1. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c. Written by himself to a late Period, and continued to the Time of his Death, by his Grandson, William Temple Franklin. Now first published from the Original MSS. comprising the Private Correspondence and Public Negotiations of Dr. Franklin, and a Selection from his Political, Philosophical, and Miscellaneous Works. 4to. pp. 538. Colburn. London, 1818. 2. The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c., comprising a Series of Letters on Miscellaneous, Literary, and Political Subjects: written between the Years 1753 and 1790; illustrating the Memoirs of his Public and Private Life, and developing the Secret History of his Political Transactions and Negotiations. Published from the Originals, by his Grandson, William Temple Franklin. 8vo. 2 vols. pp. 962. Colburn. London, 1817. IT has been frequently objected, that national prejudices have hitherto prevented the English from acknowledging transatlantic merit. The French, in particular, have raised an outcry against the jealousy with which that formidable rival of the British empire, as they are pleased to consider America, has been regarded by its ancient masters. The charge of illiberality has been loudly sounded against all who have ventured to doubt whether this rising power has as much reason to be proud of her poets and historians, her Barlows and her Marshalls, as of her Washington, -of her successful cultivation of the arts and sciences, as of the result of her struggle for independence. We are inclined to admit that the accusation is not altogether without foundation. Englishmen, have been, perhaps, too apt to under-rate the merits of individuals among the Americans; but in making this concession we decidedly object to the principle on which the charge is founded. We have no share in that liberality of sentiment, which affects to consider it as a matter of no importance whether a new star first sheds its lustre on the banks of the Delaware, or is added as another luminary to our national glories. National attachments whether considered as good or bad in themselves, are, somehow or other, found for the most part in the same breasts where virtue and honour reside.. The foregoing observations are meant to obviate the imputation of prejudice to which we might be rendered liable by the freedom of our remarks on that extraordinary man who is the subject of this article. Franklin's life deserves to be accurately cha VOL. XI. NO. XXII. 2 c racterized, for his own sake, and for that of the public. Obvious reasons have concurred hitherto to prevent his character from being fully understood; and, at the same time, it has been held out by himself, as well as by his friends, as a model for the imitation of the rising generation. Thus the two objects which several of his correspondents proposed to him in undertaking his own memoirs, were, first, to influence youth to be good as well as eminent; and, secondly, to give a noble rule and example of self-education, instead of the "false principles and clumsy apparatus," on which "school and other educations constantly proceed." We shall enter into only one of these questions; for there is no occasion to waste any words in pointing out the absurdity of reckoning Franklin's want of education among the instructive lessons which his life affords. It will be seen that, self-taught in religion, he became a fatalist, a deist, a doubter of revelation; self-taught in morals, he had to learn, by his own losses, that it is for the good of society that man should be honest; self-taught in science, his attention was called away from original researches, by the necessity of reaching, through his own unassisted efforts, the very conclusion, at which others had arrived long before. The intention, therefore, of the present article is to inquire how far Franklin's life is calculated to point out the manner in which men may arrive at goodness and eminence. It will be necessary, first, to give a brief account of the materials which are afforded for this purpose by the volumes under review. The Editor is the grandson of Dr. Franklin, who has compiled the life of his ancestor from the memoirs left by Franklin himself, of more than fifty years of it; a part of which, only, has been before the public, from Stuber's Continuation of the Life published, we perceive, in America, and from other sources of information of unquestionable authority. The second volume, which, however, was published first, and has already reached a second edition, is filled with Franklin's private and political correspondence, forming, by far, the most interesting part of the work: and a third is announced as being in the press, which is intended to contain extracts from his philosophical and miscellaneous writings. It will be naturally asked, why the greater part of these documents have been so long withheld from the public view. The reasons which the Editor has given for his reserve, do him high honour, and we give him credit for his prudence. Franklin had no sooner ceased from public employment, than the French revolution broke out in all its violence, and his known attachment to republican principles induced many a furious anarchist to quote his name and authority in support of practices which he himself would have been the last to sanction. His correspondence, too, exhibits his opinions of public men and measures so unreservedly, that it could not have been produced earlier, without awakening painful recollections, and rekindling dying animosities. So entirely do we approve of the Editor's forbearance, that we could have wished it had extended to the suppression of some remarks on which we shall have occasion to animadvert in the sequel, and which ought not to have been left on record after the irritation which gave rise to them had subsided. Harsh judgments are as uncharitable in politics as in religion; and the claim to infallibility is not more arrogant and absurd in one case than in the other. Now, however, that Franklin's sentiments are no longer likely to be perverted by mischievous or mistaken men, we are glad that these memoirs are presented to the world in an authentic form, were it only for the sake of refuting the idle story that all his papers had been purchased, at an enormous price, by the British ministry, for the purpose of concealment. This tale, absurd and calumnious as it is, has yet, like every other absurd and calumnious tale, found its believers; and it might, and probably would, have been brought forward at a time when it would not have been so easy to prove its falsehood. A very few words will be necessary to characterize the execution of this work. Autobiography is always interesting, and of Dr. Franklin's it need only be said, that it is the best and most amusing part of the volume, in spite of a vulgarity and coarseness of style which is not to be found in his other writings. He says indeed himself that men do not dress for private company as for a ball; but this will not be admitted as an excuse for dirt and slovenliness. Still there is abundant reason for regret whenever the Editor has been obliged to fill up the chasms which Franklin's continual occupations compelled him to leave in his journal, and which are but ill supplied by the letters from which we are left to collect the principal incidents of the latter years of his life. Though the reader does not look for impartiality, and scarcely even desires it at the hand of an Editor circumstanced as the present, yet he has a right to expect, at least, a clear narration. If that is the best history of a man which is the most perspicuous and illustrative, the desired object has not yet been attained in Franklin's case: and the following outline of his life will be, on that account, somewhat fuller than would have been necessary, had the narrative been finished by the same band which began it. Benjamin Franklin was born January the 17th, 1706, at Boston, in New England, whither his father had emigrated for the sake of the free exercise of his religion. He was a Non-conformist, though descended from a family of staunch Protestants, who, to their credit, continued so during the persecuting reign of Mary. In those unhappy days, to possess a copy of the Scriptures was as dangerous as to espouse the party of the unfortunate Lady Jane Gray. Franklin's great-grandfather had a large Englishr Bible, which he fastened under the cover of a joint stool; and when he wished to read it to his family, he placed the stool on his knees, and stationed one of the younger children at the door to watch for the officer of the Spiritual Court. Such stolen piety must have been sincere; but it is mortifying to observe, that when the reformed religion became dominant, the same spirit of persecution which gave rise to the artifice compelled the descendant of this good man to quit his country, on account of the intolerance of the prevailing party. Franklin was the youngest son of a large family; but showing a readiness in learning to read, his father destined him, as the tithe of his sons, to the church, and sent him, at eight years old, to the Boston Grammar School. He soon, however, abandoned this idea, from a consideration of the expense of education, and, in less than a year, removed his son to a school for writing and arithmetic; and finally took him home, at ten years old, to assist in his own trade of a tallow-chandler and soap-boiler. Thus the occupation of the future zealous champion of American independence was now to cut wicks; to fill the moulds for cast candles; to attend the shop, and go of errands. A mind of meaner cast might have been forgiven for disliking his present trade, and Franklin soon declared his desire of going to sea. His father opposed his wishes, and probably wisely, for it appears that he did not long retain a predilection for this line of life, and afterwards, when it lay in his power, neglected to gratify it. It was nothing but a boyish wish for change; his residence in a sea-port town naturally suggested the idea to him, as the readiest means of escaping from a profession which he viewed with disgust. We are told that here he learnt to swim, an art in which he is well known to have excelled. He mentions having had a project, when he was first in London, of opening a swimming school, in consequence of an application made to him by Sir William Wyndham to teach his two sons:-had he put his plan into execution, he would probably have been the best professor of swimming in the world; but the Americans would have lost their Franklin, as they are fond of styling him. His strength and address soon distinguished him among his playfellows, and ne was generally the leader in all their schemes. Their great delight was fishing for minnows; and as their constant trampling had made the edge of the pond a quagmire, Franklin's active mind suggested to him the idea of building a little wharf for them to stand upon. Unluckily a heap of stones was collected, at no great distance, for building a new house; and one evening Franklin proposed to his companions to make free with them after the workmen were gone home. The project was approved, and executed with great industry: but the next morning the stones |