Excellent Quotes: Ben Franklin on the Turkey

Benjamin Franklin was a talented dude and a prolific letter writer. In 1784 he was "pres Paris" in a hotel in the village of Passy--now a swank Right Bank Paris neighborhood--when he wrote a now-famous letter to his daughter Sarah in which he extolled the virtues of the Turkey relative to America's new national bird, the Bald Eagle:

"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perch'd on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him. With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping and Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District....For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America. Eagles have been found in all Countries, but the Turkey was peculiar to ours, the first of the Species seen in Europe being brought to France by the Jesuits from Canada, and serv'd up at the Wedding Table of Charles the ninth. He is besides, tho' a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."-- Franklin, Benjamin. Unpublished correspondence, Jan 26 with Sarah Bache. Passy (France): 1784.

PS - Can you imagine basting the Bald Eagle while putting the finishing touches on the apple pie? On the same day he wrote his letter to Sarah, Franklin received correspondence from John Paul Jones--one note accepting his dinner invitation for the next Friday and the other addressing an article from America criticizing the Order of the Cincinnati, which had among other things recently made fancy-schmancy "Ribbands and Crosses" featuring a Bald Eagle that resembled a Turkey; a request for assistance from Hedoin de Pous-Ludon; and, as far as my woefully miserable French can discern, a letter of introduction for a colleague from Longchamps. Oh, and "Nothing Ever Happens" by The Blake Babies is worthy of your consideration; now playing on iTunes.