Re: Ambition vs. love

In article <1127848942.514968.303130@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Zeke Skarland <zekeskar@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Al Evans wrote:
> > In article <dh9n82$c67$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Fletch
> > <geoffSPAMarnold@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:...
>
> >
> > > Dali did not have a problem balancing his art and his life....
> >
> > That's a good example, especially in that he lived to be quite old.
> > Benjamin Franklin is another good one, from a different field of
> > "creativity" entirely. There are plenty more. It's not for nuthin', the
> > old saying "Behind every great man is a great woman".
> > --Al Evans--
>
> I agree with most everything you said, Al. But dont' give Ben F. as an
> example of a creative and influential (I'd even say "great") person
> having a good family life. He was said (much evidence supporting it) to
> be a womanizer, fathered an illegitmate child (which he accepted
> responsibility for and supported),

Well, this isn't a history newsgroup, but from what I've read, it seems
that William may well have been the son of Franklin's wife Deborah,
conceived before marriage. He never divulged the mother's name.

In any event, she raised him along with the other children. Franklin
took William to England, where he was schooled. William eventually
became Royal Governor of New Jersey, a post secured for him by his
father. It doesn't seem like he was shirking parental responsibilities
to me.

> and essentially abandoned his wife
> and daughter for his career and self-interests in England and France.

Or, his duty to the country he was helping to found inevitably called
him to Europe because of his unique capabilities as a diplomat, which
would be closer to my viewpoint. As to his career, remember that he had
already retired from a successful career as a businessman at the age of
42. According to my understanding, Deborah was deathly afraid of ocean
voyages, and preferred to stay in Philadelphia.

> He did not return for his wifes old age, infirmaty or death.

Deborah was two years younger than Ben, and died at the age of 66. My
understanding is that she died rather abruptly, while he was in
England.

It's important to remember that this was two years *before* Ben signed
the Declaration of Independence -- he was *seventy* when he signed it,
and began a new career as a Founding Father.

> He had
> surrogate families in both countries and often treated his surrogate
> "daughters" better than his own.

His daughter Sarah married in 1767, seven years before her mother died.
She took care of Ben in his old age, and he left her, her husband, and
their children the vast majority of his large estate. Which surrogate
daughters did he treat better?

All in all, I'd say he treated his family right honorably by the
standards of his time. How many of us do as well today?

--Al Evans--
.

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