"The Bishop's lady knows what children and grandchildren I have and their ages; so, when I was to come away on Monday, the 12th, in the morning, she insisted on my staying that one day longer, that we might together keep my grandson's birthday. At dinner, among other nice things, we had a floating island, which they always particularly have on the birthdays of any of their own six children, who were all but one at table, where there was also a clergyman's widow, now above one hundred years old. The chief toast of the day was Master Benjamin Bache, which the venerable old lady began in a bumper of _mountain_. The Bishop's lady politely added 'and that he may be as good a man as his grandfather.' I said I hoped he would be _much better_. The Bishop, still more complaisant than his lady, said: 'We will compound the matter and be contented if he should not prove _quite so good_.'" (Bigelow's Works of Franklin, vol. vi. p. 71.)
The bishop's daughters were great friends of Franklin, and often exchanged with him letters which in many respects were almost equal to his own. Years afterwards, when he was in France during the Revolution, and it was rather imprudent to write to him, one of them, without the knowledge of her parents, sent him a most affectionate and charming girl's letter, which is too long to quote, but is well worth reading.
He had his wife send him from Pennsylvania a number of live squirrels, which he gave to his friends. One which he presented to one of the bishop's daughters having escaped from its cage, and being killed by a dog, he wrote an epitaph on it rather different from his political epitaph:
"Alas! poor MUNGO! Happy wert thou, hadst thou known Thy own felicity. Remote from the fierce bald eagle Tyrant of thy native woods, Thou hadst naught to fear from his piercing talons, Nor from the murdering gun Of the thoughtless sportsman. Safe in thy weird castle GRIMALKIN never could annoy thee. Daily wert thou fed with the choicest viands, By the fair hand of an indulgent mistress; But, discontented, Thou wouldst have more freedom. Too soon, alas! didst thou obtain it; And wandering Thou art fallen by the fangs of wanton cruel Ranger! Learn hence Ye who blindly seek more liberty, Whether subjects, sons, squirrels or daughters, That apparent restraint may be real protection Yielding peace and plenty With security."