XI. Interest in Public Affairs 188
XII. Defense of the Province 201
XIII. Public Services and Duties 217
XIV. Albany Plan of Union 241
XV. Quarrels with the Proprietary Governors 246
XVI. Braddock's Expedition 253
XVII. Franklin's Defense of the Frontier 274
XVIII. Scientific Experiments 289
XIX. Agent of Pennsylvania in London 296

Appendix

Electrical Kite 327
The Way to Wealth 331
The Whistle 336
A Letter to Samuel Mather 34O

Bibliography 343

ILLUSTRATIONS

Franklin at the Court of Louis XVI _Frontispiece_

"He was therefore, feasted and invited to all the court
parties. At these he sometimes met the old Duchess of
Bourbon, who, being a chess player of about his force,
they very generally played together. Happening once to
put her king into prize, the Doctor took it. 'Ah,' says
she, 'we do not take kings so.' 'We do in America,'
said the Doctor."--Thomas Jefferson.

PAGE
Portrait of Franklin vii

Pages 1 and 4 of _The Pennsylvania Gazette_, Number
XL, the first number after Franklin took control xxi

First page of _The New England Courant_ of December
4-11, 1721 33

"I was employed to carry the papers thro' the streets
to the customers" 36

"She, standing at the door, saw me, and thought I
made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, ridiculous
appearance" 48

"I took to working at press" 88

"I see him still at work when I go home from club" 120

Two pages from _Poor Richard's Almanac_ for 1736 171

"I regularly took my turn of duty there as a common
soldier" 204

"In the evening, hearing a great noise among them,