Houyhnhnm Land

Knowledge is of little use, when confined to mere speculation: But when speculative truths are reduced to practice, when theories, grounded upon experiments, are applied to the common purposes of life; and when, by these, agriculture is improved, trade enlarged, the arts of living made more easy and comfortable, and, of course, the increase and happiness of mankind promoted; knowledge then becomes really useful.

And who else so completely dominates the history of a major city, or its modern identity, in the same way?

It’s funny, while I work at the LCP during the day, I’ve been spending my evenings rereading the Autobiography. It’s hard to remember the role of anyone else in that book, when you compare them to the vividness and centrality of Franklin.  He fills the frame.