MD3PAD 268-270

[Toby G Levy]

        Franklin wants to introduce Mason and Dixon to the experience of
a Philadelphia coffee house, and invites them to his favorite, The Blue
Jamaica.

        Mason tells Franklin that his Glass Armonica is very popular in
London, as played by Miss Davies. The hyperarts alpha provides this
explanation of the instrument:

"musical instrument consisting of a set of graduated and tuned glass
bowls sounded by the friction of wet fingers on the rims. It was
invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761. His "armonica" consisted of
hemispherical glasses suspended on a treadle-operated spindle,
overlapping so that only their rims were visible. A trough of water
beneath the glasses moistened them as they rotated through it. It
spanned four octaves. Mozart composed Adagio und Rondo K 617 and Adagio
für Harmonika K 356 for the instrument. Beethoven also composed for it,
as well as others."

        Franklin says that the French hypnotist Mesmer plays the
instrument and "the  Mozart child." Mozart would be about seven years
old at this time. He had already become internationally famous.

        Dixon excuses himself to go to the bathroom and Franklin asks
Mason about Dixon's "Calvert connections." Frederick Calvert was the
leader of the Maryland colony. Mason is perplexed by the question.
Franklin makes the connection between Calvert and Le Maire and Emerson.
Franklin asks Mason to ask Dixon about Calvert and report back to him.
Mason turns him down.

        Dixon comes back and mentions a man in the alley selling
watches.  Mason says he wants to go take a look and departs.  As soon as
he leaves Franklin asks Dixon about Mason's East India Company
connections. Dixon expresses ignorance and so Franklin mentions the name
Sam Peach.  Dixon still pretends not to know anything.

        Mason returns to say that the watch salesman asked him a riddle
and that Franklin would know the answer. The riddle was "Why is the King
like a near-sighted gunner?"

        Franklin changes the subject to the Royal Society, of which he
is a member, and says he was at a meeting there when they discussed the
letter Mason and Dixon sent after they fought the French on the
Seahorse.  He mentions four of the members who were in attendance. He
states that he was absent from the meeting that approved the acerbic
reply to their letter.

Toby