Show TALC OF POLLY BAKER hoax of benjamin franklin that fooled french historian when benjamin franklin was on his famous mission in paris he and silas deane were one day discussing the numerous errors they found in the abbe raynal s historic des beux deux indes vl en the author of that work happened to come in upon them they told the good man the subject of their conversation and the abbe immediate ly denied that there were any errors in his history ills attention was called to the story of a certain polly baker and an elo quent address which the abbe credit ed her with making before a massa chu court the abbe insisted that it was a true story but admitted that he could not remember his au for it dr franklin was shak ing with laughter during the alons of the learned frenchman at last he said I 1 will tell you abbe the origin of that story when I 1 was a printer and editor of a news paper we were sometimes slack of news and to amuse our customers I 1 used to fill up our vacant columns with anecdotes and fables and fancies of my own and this tale of polly baker Is one of making |