Benjamin Franklin and the Edinburgh Enlightenment Author(s): Michael Atiyah Reviewed work(s): Source: Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 150, No. 4 (Dec., 2006), pp. 591-606 Published by: American Philosophical Society Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4599027 . Accessed: 26/10/2012 10:13
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http://www.jstor.org BenjaminFranklin and the EdinburghEnlightenment1 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH President, Royal Society of Edinburgh
N THIS TERCENTENARYof the birthof BenjaminFrank- lin, his place on the world stage, includinghis long stays in Englandand France,will surelybe emphasised.My task is to draw attentionto the clear links he establishedwith Scotland,evidenced by the two journeyshe madeto that countryin 1759 and then in 1771.
EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY EDINBURGH
Why would Franklin,familiar with the greatcentres of Londonand Paris, want to undertakethe lengthyand tiresomejourney by stagecoachto a small, cold city on the northernfringes of civilization?Small, cold, and northernit undoubtedlywas, but the key word is civilization.Edinburgh, in the latterpart of the eighteenthcentury, was the centreof the Scottish Enlightenment,a remarkableera in the intellectualhistory of Europe,and a place where Franklinfelt very much at home and where he met many "men of genius." It was said with pride and only modest exaggeration that "you could stand at the Mercat Cross and, in half an hour, shake fifty men of geniusby the hand" (fig. 1). Observers from outside Scotland were fulsome in their tributes. Edward Topham from Oxford, who spent many years in Scotland, said, "Thereis no part of the world where so generalan educationcan be obtained as in Edinburgh.... There are few places where a polite educationcan be betteracquired than in this city; and wherethe knowl- edge requisiteto form a Gentleman,and a man of the world, can be sooner obtained." Benjamin Franklin himself, speaking from personal experience, assertedthat "the Universityof Edinburghpossessed a set of trulygreat
'Read 28 April 2006, during the Annual General Meeting celebrating the Franklin Tercentenary.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY VOL. 150, NO. 4, DECEMBER 2006
[591] 592 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH
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Reproduced by permission of the National Galleries of Scotland. ...... >t~ e...... 4 . r's...... . . oS . x .: S . :sM~~~~ij~~j..::...... 4.,:...... :B8XSW...... 1 .. . . .l...... *'"f/Stm1.i1~~~~~~~~~~~i a~~~~?"?l~~~~~~~~~r-WX, , , Al | t ; :~~~~~~~~~~~~:'.;:-::'~"si.alS~IE~ ??'*????.? 'i.'? |:I _ _-FLC L~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~? FIGUE 2.Jame Skee, useu Hal andLibrry f th OldCollge, 817 Courtesyof The EdinburghRoom, Edinburgh City Libraries FIGURE 2. James Skene, Museum Hall and Library of tbe Old College-, 1817. Courtesy of The Edinburgh Room, Edinburgh City Libraries. THE EDINBURGH ENLIGHTENMENT 593 men, Professorsof SeveralBranches of Knowledge,as have everappeared in any age or country"(fig. 2). Similarpraise came from Thomas Jefferson: "So far as science is concerned,no place in the world can pretendto competitionwith Edin- burgh,"while FrederickWedderburn, a Germanvisitor in 1791, pro- claimed, "Scotlandhas produced,within these modern times, learned men and writersof greatreputation, who cannot but excite the jealousy of theirsouthern neighbours." So who were these men of genius who were so widely recognised? More than two centurieslater, the namesof David Hume and his young friend Adam Smith still stand out as pivotal figuresin philosophy and economics(figs. 3-4). But they were surroundedby other able men who were importantfigures of their time. Henry Home (LordKames) was a judge with a strong philosophicalbent who publishedextensively and might be describedas an enlightenedaristocrat (fig. 5). WilliamRobert- son was a serioushistorian who, as principal,for more than thirtyyears was mainly responsiblefor making Edinburghone of the leading uni- versitiesof Europe(fig. 6). Science, embracingmedicine, included many eminent figures such as JosephBlack, the chemistwho discoveredcarbon dioxide, and James Hutton, the pioneeringgeologist whose theories establishedthe antiq- uity of the earth (figs. 7-8). FIGURE 3. Allan Ramsay, David Hume (1711-1776). Reproducedby permission of the National Galleries of Scotland. 594 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH ...... * g .::..:_:o' . : d ; ^ i ...;. @ . a~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:...??: * . _I~~~~~i~~iet.;W_':^-.'...~~~~~~~..^...... FIGURE 4. John Kay, Adam Smith (1723- F I G U R E S . John Kay, 1790), sketch.Reproduced by permissionof HenryHome, LordKames the National Portrait Gallery,London. (1696-1782), sketch. _ i~~I_ ~L~ _ _ Lr I?8iliiiiil:#>| 'Iiii :i V1 .; .. . ...... : - Reproducedby permissionof the _ !5X!''';...... Division of Special Collections, EdinburghUniversity Library. THE EDINBURGH ENLIGHTENMENT 595 .' I l.:i #i. o ~liI:;~::::: ::," : ',...... I. !?i~ii~i.`?~g~!~!i:~ ...... i:~ ;..`...i.:!:~:~:...... r~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~iFisoll>.|...... >.: . | ...... '.lr ...... * i ,.:s.,.,:::,::.::..::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::: ::;.:::.:.. ~:::...... : *}...... ,...... :::::::::::: : ::::::::::::::::: ************** ?::. :|::... , :::x2.:$ x': .: .::!:" :.':? :i ,:'>.'.;. :i:.. .: i', ...... :.. :3:::.',~ :;.'_,:..*;F::;!:..:~,g>:;,c.::.Z:4e;..?:~..'.:,:':; '. '| ...:: |. ' ? ".". ?:' ======^?===.:= ? :.:~, ..?'...... ::.::....:.::~..-*,: ~.~,,~|| l :~j?,~:%~:~ :~; . '.. ' .;.::~. ?2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~;--- iu A FIGURE 7. David Martin, Joseph Black (1728-1799). Reproduced by kind permission of the Royal Medical Society. .IISZi .. l .,- : , . '.:... .. ,<,,.:,..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~??:r6 FIGURE 8. Sir Henry Raeburn, James Hutton (1726-1797). Reproduced by permission of the National Galleries of Scotland. 596 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH AlexanderDick andJohn Pringlewere famous physicians,both good friends of Franklin,and Pringlewent on to become president of the Royal Society (of Lon- don). He servedas physicianto the army and was the person who first persuaded generalsthat hospitalsshould not be mili- rid tary targets(figs. 9-10). Duringthe second half of the century the arts beganto flourishin Edinburghas neverbefore, with RobertAdam, the archi- tect who left his markboth on the city and furthersouth, and portraitpainters such as FIGURE 9. Allan Ramsay (attr), Allan Ramsay and Henry Raeburn(figs. Alexander Dick (1703-1785). 11-12). Nor should we forget the lawyer Reproducedby permissionof the and famed biographer,James Boswell, Royal College of Physicians whose writ- of Edinburgh...... ingsin s have soso. ...l...... HElg ...... j ! X enlightened and entertained subsequent .:: ':. ..:'...... generations(fig. 13). However list should incomplete, any ...... ll... i...... contain names such as James Watt, of steamengine fame, and John Witherspoon, * .:.' '., ''''II ! A...... ;....~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... who played a prominentpart across the :?..?:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.... Atlantic.I have chosen to mention,in the ...... main, those whom Franklingot to know .~~~~~~~~i.:.?i. ?::??i::i...... ? well and with whom he corresponded. TV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... i ?:::::;I:': I::. ..?.?:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... ?i::i; In tryingto understandthe Edinburgh ?... ::? i-?: ?? ?:?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..~ that attracted and hosted Franklin we ...~~~~~~~~~..."F I GUR ~E ~1 0 Unknow~ ~artist ...... :~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ should remembertwo things. In the first . . place, Edinburghwas a very small,2com- S.1.7.t...... a pact city and everyonein cultivatedcircles knew everyone else. Intellectuallife had a strong social dimension, with wining and dining playing a central and stimu- sketch.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...roduced .. lating role. In this the minor aristocrats such as Lord Kames and Sir Alexander Dick would act as generoushosts. Frank- pemsso of DivisioUnnonth artst 2 By comparison with the large capitals of London and Paris,but similarin populationto the Philadelphia Special Collections, Edinburgh of the time. UniversityLibrary. THE EDINBURGH ENLIGHTENMENT 597 ...... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.?:,...... ~...... M'?'i"::: ,, .,~..~ ,B~,;%',~::'"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~....:":: ..':~::...... " ....-srP .:...... ? .:r~:!I.' _ R _ B s z ...... ::~.:: FIGURE 11. George Willison (attr.), Robert Adam (1728-1792). Reproduced by permission of the National Portrait Gallery, London. lin was a frequentbeneficiary of that hos- pitality.His stays in Edinburghwere both socially enjoyableand intellectuallystim- ....;.....ee.. ..>..-: r: ulating,just the combinationthat appealed to Franklin. The second point to note is that the moderndivisions between specialised disci- plinesthat we now take for grantedwould not have made much sense to Franklin's contemporaries.We may identifyHume as a philosopher,Smith as an economist,and Robertsonas a historian,but in eighteenth- centuryEdinburgh such barriershad little SefPrtat Rerdue meaning. Hume wrote also on history, scientists and even - on - 7 of th Smith pemsso = philosophy, - them- Galre of -S lad (a nineteenth-centuryterm) regarded FIGURE 12. Allan Ramsay, selves as natural philosophers.Nor were Self-Portrait.Reproduced by the practicing professionals in law and permissionof the National medicine separated from the academic Galleries of Scotland. 598 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH FIGURE 13. George Willison, James Boswell (1740-1795). Reproduced by permission of the National Galleries of Scotland. scholars as they now tend to be. On the contraryjudges and physicians were fullypart of the intellectualcircle. In other words, the "menof genius" all knew each other,dined fre- quently together,and covered all aspects of life in the universityand the city. No wonder that Franklin,the man of all parts, felt at home. The fame of Edinburgh,and in particularof the university,spread not only west across the Atlantic but east to TsaristRussia. At the Ter- centenarymeeting I learnt the remarkablestory of the PrincessDash- kova, who had been appointed by her friend Catherinethe Great as directorof the ImperialAcademy of Sciencesin St. Petersburg.3Dashkova travelledwidely in Europe, correspondedwith Franklin,and became the first woman memberof the AmericanPhilosophical Society. From all the great educationalcentres of Europeshe chose Edinburghfor the education of her son. She herself lived in Edinburghwhile he studied there and chose, in conjunction with PrincipalRobertson, a suitable 3 Sue Ann Prince, ed., The Princess and the Patriot: Ekaterina Dashkova, Benjamin Franklin, and the Age of Enlightenment (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 2006). THE EDINBURGH ENLIGHTENMENT 599 course of study. It is pleasant to record that the son successfullycom- pleted his course, earninghis degree,but the close maternalsupervision did not have such a happy outcome. It is an intriguing question to ask why Edinburgh should have reached such great intellectualheights during that period. Historians have speculatedin many directions,4but a key factor undoubtedlywas the spread of education in Scotlandand in particularthe fact that, by 1600, it boasted four universities(or colleges),5whereas England, with a much largerpopulation, had only two (until the nineteenthcentury). The Reformation, with its emphasis on reading the Bible, certainly encouragededucation, even if, in its extreme Calvinistform, it stifled free thought. EdinburghUniversity, moreover, had the distinction of having been set up by the city of Edinburgh,not by the church. This did not totally exempt it from religious influence, but it meant that there were fewer religious barriersto entry than elsewhere.It has also been suggestedthat politics played an indirectrole. The collapse of the last Jacobite uprising in 1745 was followed by a period of political calm when radicalthoughts were not seen as a threatto the state. This can be comparedfavourably with the repressiveregime of WilliamPitt, after the FrenchRevolution, which led the famous chemist and radical preacherJoseph Priestleyto flee to America. It may also be relevantthat universitieselsewhere were going through bad times. Oxford and Cambridgewere at a low point, in the grip of the establishedchurch, while continentalEurope was sufferingfrom con- tinuous wars, and soon from the upheaval of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era. For many years Edinburghwas a very attrac- tive alternative,and young scholarswould gravitatethere. FRANKLIN IN EDINBURGH On each of his two trips to Scotland, Franklin spent several weeks there, mainlyin Edinburgh,though he did go to St. Andrewsto acquire the honorary doctorate of which he was so proud. His closest friend was undoubtedlyDavid Hume, a kindredspirit with a similarlyscepti- cal outlook. On his second visit, Hume had just moved into a house in 4David Daiches, Jean Jones, and Peter Jones, A Hotbed of Genius, the Scottish Enlightenment 1730-1790 (Edinburgh, 1986); W. Creech, Letters respecting the mode of living, trade, manners, and literature, &c. of Edinburgh, in 1763 (Edinburgh,1793); R.A. Houston, Social Change in the Age of Enlightenment, Edinburgh 1660-1760 (Oxford, 1884). 5 Actually five, since Aberdeen had two, subsequentlymerged with the famous outcome that a young physics professor called James Clerk Maxwell was sacked. 600 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH the New Town. Franklinstayed there as his guest. He recordedthis event most appreciativelyin a letter to a friend. Edinburgh,Oct 27, 1771 Dear Friend Thro' Storms and Floods I arrivedhere on Saturdaynight, late, and was lodg'd miserably at an Inn; But that excellent Christian David Hume, agreeableto the Preceptsof the Gospel,has receivedthe Strangerand I now live with him at his House in the new Town most happily.I purposestaying about a Fortnight,and shall be glad to hear from you. I congratulateyou on certain PoliticalEvents that I know give you Pleasure.Let me know how it is with you and yours, how my Wife does and SirJohn Pringle,and our other Friends. With sincerestEsteem, I am, my dear friend Yoursmost affectionately, B. Franklin The referenceto David Hume's Christianvirtues is a typical piece of tongue-in-cheek Franklin humour. Along these lines, Franklin would undoubtedly have enjoyed the "canonisation" of Hume represented by "St. David's Street" as the location of Hume's house (fig. 14). There is a charming letter from Franklin to Hume in the National Library of Scotland, combining experimental science with philosophi- cal humour that epitomises the rapport between the two men. I was delighted to present a facsimile of the letter to the Library of the APS (figs. 15-16). Franklin's correspondence with Hume related to his publication in the Proceedings of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh, of which David Hume was joint secretary. Subsequently the Philosophical Society was absorbed into the Royal Society of Edinburgh, founded in 1783, and Franklin was the first foreigner elected to the Fellowship of the new society in 1783. Clearly he was much appreciated in Edinburgh. Franklin was royally treated in Scotland. The City of Edinburgh bestowed its highest honour on him, and he was entertained in some of the grand houses of the nobility. In 1759 he stayed with Lord Kames in the Scottish Borders. His thank-you letter speaks from the heart and makes plain his enthusiasm for Scotland. My son joins with me in the most respectfulcompliments to you and to Lady Kames.Our conversationtill we came to York,was chieflya recollection of what we had seen and heard, the pleasure we had enjoyed,and the kindnesseswe had receivedin Scotland,and how far that country had exceeded our expectations. On the whole, I must say, I think the time we spent there, was six weeks of the densest happinessI have met with in any part of my life; and the agreeable THE EDINBURGH ENLIGHTENMENT 601 ...... ..: ::..:- ...... -: : : i:::: ...... *i: .... ; ? :f : ... .! .:':.::.:;!'" }}} " " ...... i.:- .. . - FIGURE 14. Thomas H. Shepherd, St. Andrew Square. Reproduced courtesy of RCAHMS (from Shepherd,Modern Athens, 1829). and instructive society we found there in such plenty, has left so pleas- ing an impression on my memory, that did not strong connexions draw me elsewhere, I believe Scotland would be the country I should choose to spend the remainder of my days in. Another congenial host was Sir Alexander Dick, who lived at Preston- field House, adjoining the Royal Park of Holyrood (fig. 17). The house still stands but, in our more commercial days, it is now a country house hotel. While at Prestonfield Franklin struck a lively friendship with his host's ten-year-old daughter, Janet, and this led to a pair of poems, in which Franklin's verse is echoed in very spirited fashion by his young friend:6 Joys of Prestonfield adieu, Late found, soon lost, but still will view The engaging scene-Oft to those eyes Shall the pleasing vision rise, Hearts to warm towards a friend, Kindness on kindness without end Easy converse, Sprightly wit These we found in Dame and Knight. 6James Bennett Nolan, Benjamin Franklin in Scotland and Ireland 1759 and 1771 (Philadelphia:University of PennsylvaniaPress, 1956). 602 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH 1DI | S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... aide ------Ei-'l. | l '::4?'2;. :. - ' 'r ' W , ',!'' {',( >,'i:Rd8?';k ?;'Xs ...... I...... ?:::?.?1.??. ,;...... i...... ~.. ~ ~ ~ W + ;- i a. ^ ,f"#.:' r;4 .; ....: fii fft +"* , G ' 'S37'r~i:? M ' *; .C . X. '. @ ' g : . R" ~~~K.. w ; 401'. 06f2 .i...... ?'"...... ...... R: n ii :-4 :d. ?B~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... ?'i:?;? FIGURE 15. Letter of Benjamin Franklin to David Hume, 19 May 1762, recto. Reproduced by permission of the Royal Society of Edinburgh from the RSE's Hume Bequest, held on deposit at the National Library of Scotland. NLS MS.23155.30 (RSE Hume Calendar Ref: V, 30). THE EDINBURGH ENLIGHTENMENT 603 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... __ . .. ..i.i .. . 1.' i: _ 1.: . ..?. .:li _ Ef~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... ...... W:zE = :: ; E i i R , ' ' . :. ''4.'^ : :, , ?tR R 5 - - . P .-W ee.~~~~~~ . .s_ aiix}hj: -!'e ':-, k :': : ! ' : ...... : . o. :. ' :- -: : X .: .:.. . . . _ . : ...... .' .....4 ...... '...... , ' ; ? , w)00 00 ffit 4ft:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~::' r i~li~i,.ijjciiiii~siiiiiiliii'i ? :: ? ' ?:i 0' ' " Oi ilMI !? ...... ? ...... W S ' .: ;.O?.1011 'i'"I'''' Si" ' s geC ^ Uw m....,,,....w.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... ' . / ...... iX:.....t...... s..3.'i.{'n'9 ...... i - ., ., s- s~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~... Pi ;i. j ...~~~~~~~~~...... -. :,,...... ;.-...... , ',~~~~~~~~~ ...... , ...... ?:$4ged'...... @ X if ? ?'0?A00 A l S -~i::i...... }'iN'" ' " 'Y': .:: . .. ' ' }S iiij!$j!:i-lil~jli~iiiii'....:.:::...... !. .. .:.: .'i:}::i':.::: ...... ' .....3.. }. :! j }:: ...... ~...... ,,....:.,... : .. . -:...:::.,:.. :!...... ..;:':-.-..t,... -...... ^... B ;e:..:.: r { , ,n;.. }3 FIGURE 16. Letterof BenjaminFranklin to DavidHume, 19 May 1762, verso. Reproduced by permission of the Royal Society of Edinburgh from the RSE's Hume Bequest, held on deposit at the National Library of Scotland. NLS MS.23155.30 (RSE Hume CalendarRef: V, 30). 604 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH .'.:~'1..z_.li~il:X'w1i93iii* :&. '11 } ...... FIGURE 17. Prestonfield House. Reproduced with acknowledgment to Peter Stubbs, www.edinphoto.org.uk. Cheerful meals and balmy rest Beds that never Bugs mollest Neatness and sweetness all around Those at Prestonfield we found Hear 0 Heaven the Stranger's Prayer Bless the hospitable pair Bless their sweet bairns and very soon Grant these a Brother those a Son. * * * What Franklin writes appears so fine I wish his thoughts and words were mine Why then so cruel couldst thou be As send his sprightly lines to me. Our prayers and sentiments the same, I love the Knight adore the Dame. Unlike alone is this our vow He prays for one Son, I for two. But see for all he pleased to say Your beauty could not make him stay A Lover gone you'll understand Is not so good as one at hand. THE EDINBURGH ENLIGHTENMENT 605 SCOTLAND AND LONDON Franklin'sScottish connections are by no meanslimited to his two visits. Once he had made friendsin Scotland,he carriedon an extensive cor- respondence,and he also met many of them when businesstook them to London.In fact therewas a strongScottish circle, based in the capital, the most notable memberbeing Sir John Pringle,who became a close friend of Franklin.They made two Europeantours together and their friendshiplay behind a famous episode in scientifichistory. In 1778 there was a controversyover the best shape for lightning conductors,whether they should be round or pointed. King GeorgeIII appointeda committeeheaded by Sir John Pringle,as presidentof the Royal Society,to investigate.The committeeduly reportedin favour of pointedconductors, as advocatedby BenjaminFranklin. This displeased the king, for whom Franklinwas an Americantraitor, and he promptly sacked Pringle as presidentof the Royal Society. Pringle uttered the immortalwords "YourMajesty can alterthe laws of the landbut you can- not alter the laws of nature."7 Anotherprominent Scot in London was the well-known publisher WilliamStrahan. Franklin knew him well and would havemet otherScots at his house, includingDavid Hume. An indication that Scottish intellectualhospitality extended south of the borderis the following extract from the diary of James Boswell: "I am reallythe greatman now. I have had David Hume in the forenoon and Mr Johnson in the afternoonof the same day visitingme. SirJohn Pringle,Dr Franklinand some more companydined with me today, and Mr Johnson and Lord Oglethorpeone day." The attentivereader will note that the visits of Dr. Johnsondid not overlapwith those of Hume or Pringle.This is no accident.Johnson dis- approved of their theological views, as Boswell would have known. Franklinwas probablytarred with the same brush. Partlythrough his friendshipwith Pringle,Franklin was fully aware of the eminenceof the medical school at EdinburghUniversity. In this period Edinburghhad overtakenLeyden as the leading medical centre in Europe.It had a successionof brilliantteachers (Cullen, Black, and Munro) who, with the active supportof PrincipalRobertson, attracted largenumbers of medicalstudents from all over the world. The Univer- sity of Edinburghhad, in these days, aroundeight hundredstudents, of whom four hundredwere in medicine.Of these 10 percentwere Amer- 7While this story circulatesin scientificcircles, I have failed to authenticateit. The DNB merelysays that Pringleresigned the presidencyon groundsof ill-health.This soundssuspiciously euphemisticand reminiscentof currentpoliticians who resign to "spendmore time with their families." 606 SIR MICHAEL ATIYAH icans; most of the early medical institutionsin Americawere founded by Edinburghgraduates. A notable example is BenjaminRush of Philadelphia,who drama- tised the seriouslife of Edinburghmedical students by saying,"Medicine is my wife; scienceis my mistress;books are my companion;study is my grave." Franklinplayed an importantrole in encouragingthe flow of young Americansto Edinburghto study medicine.He used his Scottish con- tacts to provide introductions, and in several instances his help went much further.It is probablytrue to say that the most tangibleoutcome of Franklin'svisits to Scotlandwas their effect on medical trainingin America. Less tangiblebut also importantin historicalterms was the role that Scotlandplayed in Franklin'spolitical philosophy.All the time he was involved in the tortuouspolitical negotiationsbetween Englandand its Americancolonies, Franklinhad in mind analogieswith Scotland.The English-Scottishsettlement seemed to him to provide a suitable tem- plate for the Americancontext.8 He was saddenedwhen this route was not taken and hostilities followed. His friendshipwith Hume became strainedbut just survived.A footnote to the story: a few weeks before he died, David Hume gave his last formal dinnerparty for his friends, includingAdam Smith.The date was 4 July 1776. ACKNOWLEDGMENT I am verygrateful to PeterJones FRSE for his generaladvice on the Scottish Enlightenment,and for sharpeningthe historicalaccuracy of thisarticle. 8 Franklinwould no doubt have approvedof ScottishDevolution and the re-establishment of its parliament.