memorates the invention of printing. The exchange, opera-house, museums, art-galleries, public library, two conservatories of music and the central station, one of the largest and handsomest railroad-stations in Europe, are among the modern buildings. Frankfort is a wealthy city, having always had a large trade in iron and steel-goods, leather, skins, coal, wine and beer, sewing machines, soap and perfumery. Its chief importance, however, is due to its being one of the money-markets in the world. It was the home of the Rothschilds, and their ancestral house is now the sole relic of the famous Jew-street of Frankfort. It is said to owe its name to Charlemagne, who here led his Franks across a ford of the river Main; and from 843 to 889 it was the capital of his kingdom. It was the first free city of the German empire, and the most important. It was long famous as the place of the election of the German emperors, and the town-house contains the imperial hall where each newly elected emperor held a public banquet. The coronation took place in the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew, which also contains the chapel in which the electors voted. The North German Diet met at Frankfort from 1816 to 1866. Frankfort became Protestant in 1530; lost its independence in the Confederation of the Rhine; became free again in 1816; but in 1866 was taken by Prussia. The peace of Frankfort, which ended the Franco-German War, was signed here in May, 1871. Population 414,598.
Frank′incense, a name used to designate fragrant, resinous substances, which give off a strong odor in burning and are used in religious services. That of the Jews and ancient Greeks and Romans is known as olibanum. The natural gum of several kinds of trees, as the fir, is the common frankincense.
Frank′lin, a town of Williamson County, Tenn., is situated 18 miles south of Nashville on the L. and N. Railroad. Franklin has planing and flour-mills, carriage-factories and several steam cotton-gins. It has public schools, and here are located Tennessee Female College, established in 1856; Harpeth Male Academy and a Masonic Temple. Population 2,924. An important battle was fought here on Nov. 30, 1864, between the Union forces under General J. M. Schofield and the Confederate troops under General J. B. Hood. After a hard-fought battle, General Hood was repulsed with a loss of 6,000 men, while the Union army lost 2,300 men.
Franklin, a term frequently found in English literature. It means a freeholder or substantial householder of the middle class. The word comes from the late Latin word Francus, meaning free. It is used by some of the older English writers to mean a host who voyage in 1845 in search, of the northwest passage is memorable.
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| BENJAMIN FRANKLIN |
Franklin, Benjamin. There is something perennial about the spirit of this great American patriot of civil life, philosopher, statesman, diplomat and writer. Though born in the infancy of science (on Jan. 17, 1706), and dying (on April 17, 1790) in the infancy of the republic he had helped establish, he projects himself into the interests and problems of to-day and of all times as does no other man who figures in American history. His many-sided genius, sublimated common-sense, practical citizenship, hospitality to new ideas and ideals and his moral courage make him a character to whom men of any age must have turned with confidence and hope. There is nothing in Franklin's ancestry or environment to account for him. In the family-history for four centuries behind him there had not been one man who rose above mediocrity, or one who fell below respectability. The Franklins were small landed-proprietors or tradesmen in Northamptonshire, England; simple, industrious, pious. The father emigrated to Boston in 1682, and set up in business as a candle-molder and soap-boiler. His tenth child was taken to the Old South Church, christened Benjamin, and dedicated to the ministry. Lack of money for the necessary education forced the boy to learn the printer's trade. Disputatious, sarcastic, vain, resenting control and given to expressing unpopular opinions the boy got into disrepute in the strict Puritan town. So, at 17, he ran away to Philadelphia. He landed with a silver dollar, a trade, plenty of self-confidence and a suddenly-formed resolution to turn over a new leaf, thus showing remarkable strength of character. Ever afterward he was noted for his suavity, avoidance of controversy and patience.
At 23 he owned his own printing-office and was publishing the Pennsylvania Gazette, which, is it claimed, survives to-day in The Saturday Evening Post. For the next 20 years he was the foremost journalist in the colonies. Poor Richard's Almanac, issued annually for a quarter of a century, made him known from city mansion to the remotest frontier-cabin. While making fame and fortune as a printer, publisher and writer, he was studying foreign languages and literatures, experimenting in science and taking a conspicuous part in local affairs. From 1736, when he was chosen clerk of the Pennsylvania Gen-
