[nathanbedford]

Franklin was an American Goethe, a literary genius, a fabulously successful capitalist, a statesman of the first rank, diplomat, inventor and world-class scientist.

[pierrem15]

Franklin was an American Goethe, a literary genius, a fabulously successful capitalist, a statesman of the first rank, diplomat, inventor and world-class scientist.

And largely self-taught. A true polymath, and the most famous American in the last quarter of the 18th Century. Without his diplomatic work to get France to support the US, it's doubtful we would have won our independence.