By 1757, Benjamin Franklin had made a small fortune, primarily through his work as a printer. He had established ‘Poor Richard’s Almanac’, written under the pseudonym of Richard Saunders, as an oracle on how to get on in the world, and had become known in European scientific circles for his experiments and theories on electricity. He was also at the beginning of his long and industrious career as a politician, which would lead him to become the chief spokesman for the British colonies in their debates with the King and he also had a hand in the writing of the ‘Declaration of Independence, and the negotiations with France during the American Revolution. He also helped to frame the constitution, which would become the fundamental law of the United States of America.

However, not only was this a period of public service, but he also invented a stove, the lightning rod and bifocal glasses. He also helped to establish many institutions such as a library, an academy and a hospital.

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17th 1706, the 10th son of 17 children, to his father Josiah Franklin, who was a soap and candle maker. He

“He seized the lightning from the sky and the scepter from the hand of tyrants.” (Heath Anthology of American Literature. Page 717.)

Because of his experiments he received “honorary degrees from Harvard College, Yale College, and the College of William & Mary. The prestigious Royal Society of London recognized Franklin with a gold medal in 1753 and inducted him as a member in 1756.” (www.thinkquest.org)

He not only experimented with electricity but also within the field of medicine. It was in fact Franklin that invented the medical instrument known as a catheter.

Although he failed in this, he did become the representative not only of Pennsylvania but also for Georgia in 1768, New Jersey in 1769, and Massachusetts in 1770. Between the years 1765 and 1775, as the crises between Britain and the colonies deepened, he did his best to present the American case to the British government.

In 1785 Franklin left France and returned home. Upon his return he was elected as the President of Pennsylvania, a position that he served in with distinction.

In London, Benjamin found employment with Samuel Palmer, and with his friend, James Ralph, who had journeyed with him, enjoyed the many sights and pleasures of London. It was whilst working here that Benjamin published a pamphlet called ‘A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain’ in 1725. It was printed to refute the claims of another pamphlet, written by William Wollaston, called ‘The Religion of Nature Delineated’. In his pamphlet, Benjamin argued that free will was non-existent because everything happened in the world because fate had ordained it to happen.

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