Once upon a time, giants walked the earth.
This is a rather legendary tale about Franklin, oft told, and worth re-telling, over and over and over.
It comes from his long sojourn in France, when he was the darling of the world, the epitome of the new American, to Europe at that time he WAS America. All the while trying to negotiate matters between France and the rebelling colonies. He was, at that time, one of the most well-known (if not the most well-known) faces in the world.
Franklin, always the ladies man, was playing chess with the Duchess of Bourbon, and she didn’t really know what she was doing, or how to play. She placed her king in check. Franklin, not following the rules either (but he KNEW he wasn’t following the rules) captured her king. She knew enough of chess to know that this was not right and scolded him. She said, “In France we do not take kings.”
Franklin replied, “We do in America.”
Happy birthday, Ben. You rock, on so so so many levels.
One of my favorite guys on the planet. Just think, there was a time when he was actually alive and INVENTING things. I love that. It’s amazing to me to think about the things that he actually thought up, and produced.
Astounding man.
You’ve reminded me that I have to get to the Huntington to see the handwritten manuscripts of his autobiography.
Apparently there is a big to-do in Philadelphia, Sheila.
i need more info on the “ladies man” thing..im fascinated by that…because..well..im an idiot..but i wonder what his game was…was he coy and complimentary? or was he like…”I’m Ben Fucking Franklin damnit..get on it!” …these are mysteries that may never be solved!
Mitchell – he was very open about what he called his “lower” self – by that he meant morally. He loved to eat, to drink, to have sex – He frequented prostitutes when he was younger. He wrote in his autobiography that he was very very fortunate that he didn’t get syphilis or some horrible disease. He knew his appetites could get the better of him … so he kept a chart in his journal of what he called The Virtues (frugality, temperance, chastity) – and he tried to embody these virtues on a weekly basis (this is when he was a younger man). But then he got stumped when it came to the virtue of Humility – and he had a revelation: If he tried to be humble, and succeeded, and then was PROUD of it … then … hmmm … that would no longer be humility! So he changed his tune and decided that the key would be not to get rid of his appetities but to do everything in moderation. He never said: “I need to lay off the sauce.” He said, “I need to drink less.”
etc.
I think the man was such a humorist, such a funny and intelligent man, that women fell into his lap.
He appreciated women, too. He actually thought women were funny. Women love men who appreciate them. He enjoyed their company.
Pretty cool – I would have loved to hang out with him.
He also wrote an entire book on farts. The guy was hysterical.
That’s probably way more information than you wanted.
hahaha i’m autistic, just rattling off these facts at you!!
no!…thats why i asked..i knew u would help…wow…a guy back then who thought women were funny!! that is cool…comedy is still such a boys club…thanks for the background.
John Adams had that too. He loved his wife – but he also valued her intellect, her contributions – he bounced his ideas off her – there wasn’t a line between the genders. Although she, of course, handled all the women’s work as well – and he handled the men’s work – They needed to split up their “jobs” on the farm, of course – but they also sat by the fire and read poetry out loud to each other, read Shakespeare – they differed in opinion – but man, she stood by her man. She stopped talking to Thomas Jefferson for … er … 20 years?? … because of what she saw as his treachery. They eventually made up, but she was ruthless with her husband’s enemies. A true political partnership.
An interesting thing, Mitchell: I wonder if Ben Franklin had a bit of that because he so “indulged” his “lower” appetites … He didn’t put women up on a pedestal. They were animals, just like he was, with appetites … they laughed at his fart jokes (hahahaha) … they were just people, not untouchable pristine beings sitting on a cloud.
Patrick – yeah, Bill McCabe told me about the huge thing at the Franklin Institute – I should see how long it’ll be there – It’s easy enough to take the train down to Philly on a Saturday./
Whew. I was worried a little that you were going to let his birthday pass without a single mention. I started wondering if you were too busy planning a big blow-out for today’s birthday boy instead.
Mark – hahahaha
Wait until you see what I launch later in the day for today’s birthday boy. I’m goin’ crazy with the quote-compiling right now.
You read my mind!!
A couple days ago, I noticed it on my calendar and thought, “Ah. I know what Sheila will be doing on Wednesday.”