What did Ben look like?
Pages 90 – 91 of Carl Van Doren’s book, Benjamin Franklin offers the following comments on Franklin’s physical appearance: No certain early likeness of him survives, but what he outwardly was when he returned to Philadelphia may be imagined backwards from later portraits and various chance notes on his personal appearance. Strongly built, rounded like a swimmer or a wrestler, not angular like a runner, he was five feet nine or ten inches tall, with a large head and square, deft hands. His hair was blond or light brown, his eyes grey, full, and steady, his mouth wide and humorous with a pointed upper lip. His clothing was as clean as it was plain. Though he and others say he was hesitant in speech, he was prompt in action. Portraits: www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/PictDisplay/Franklin_Benjamin.html Ben’s Nini medallion: www.fi.edu/qa99/attic2/index.
