ABSTRACT
Benjamin Franklin was perfectly at home among great statesmen and fashionable women, as he was among great scientists and simple housewives or among merchants, soldiers or farmers. Franklin made sly fun of him to the Parisians, who laughed merrily. Private citizens streamed to Franklin offering America services of one kind or another. True, the young Marquis de Lafayette left France without meeting Franklin, and would accept neither salary nor rank until he had shown he deserved it. Franklin knew that it would suit neither France nor Spain just then if the British Empire were healed up and became stronger than ever. Franklin said he did not feel competent to give advice, but thought Jones ought to be allowed a chance. After that the French provided him with five vessels, one of which he rechristened the Bonhomme Richard after Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack..
