m Sera lull II H «:»&' BBDKSS ■MRmmSSa T ■HDP CB a™ PS f 7 4S" Book : ^ (SCI WORK OF THE LATE Dn Benjamin Franklin / CONSISTING OF HIS LIFE, WRITTEN BY HIMSELF* Together wifn ESSAYS, HUMOROUS, MORAL, and LITERAR^ Chiefly in the manner of the SPECTATOR. To which js added, not in any other Edition, An Examination, before the Britifh Houfe of Lords, refpe£ling the STAMP-ACT. TWO VOLUMES IN ONE. PHILADELPHIA : Printed and Published by Wm. W. WOODWARD No. 17, Cbesnut Street* 1801. PREFACE. JL HE volume which is here prefent- cdto the Public, confifts of two parts : the Life of Dr. Franklin ; and a colle&ion of Mis- cellaneous E flays, the work of that author, who was born at Bofton in New-England, Ja- nuary 6th, 1706, died at Philadelphia, April 17th, 1790, It is already known to many, that Dr. Fran- lin amufed himfelf, towards the clofe of his life, with writing memoirs of his own hiftory. Thefe memoirs were brought down to the year 1757. Together with fome other manu- scripts, they were leftbehind him at his death y and were confidered as conftituting a part of his pofthumous property. It is a little extra- ordinary that, under thefe circumftances, in- teresting as they are, from the celebrity of the chara6ler of which they treat, and from the critical fituation of the prefent times, they fhould fo long have been withheld from the public. A tranfiation of them appeared in France near two years r.go, coming down to the year 1731. There can be no fumcient rea- fon, that what has thus been fubmitted to the perufal of Europe, Ihould not be made accef- fible to thofe to whom Dr. Franklin's lan- guage is native. The firft part of the hiftory of his life is tranflatedfrom that publication. The 4 PREFACE. The ftyle of thefe memoirs is uncommonly .pleafmg. The ftory is told with the moll un- referved fmcerity, and without any falfe co- louring or ornament. We fee, in every page, that the author examined hi& fubjecl with the eye of a mafter, and related no incidents, the fprings and origin of which he did not per- fectly underftand. It is this that gives fuch exquifite and uncommon perfpicuity to the detail, and delight in the review. The tranf- lator has endeavoured, as he went along, to conceive the probable manner in which Dr. Frai^din expreffed his ideas in his Englifh manufcript, and he hopes to be forgiven if this enquiry fhall occafionally have fubje6led him to the charge of a ftyle in any i efpect bald or low ; to imitate the admirable limplicity of the author, is no eafy talk. The F.ffays^ which are now, for the firft t^me, brought together from various refources, will be found to be more mifcellaneous than any of Dr. Franklin's that have formerly been collected, and will therefore be more general- ly amufing. Dr. Franklin tells us, in his Life that he was an affiduous imitator of Addifon ; and from fome of thefe papers it will be ad- mitted that he was not an unhappy one. The public will be amufed with following a great philofopher in his relaxations, and obferving in what refpedls philofophy tends to elucidate and improve the moll common fubjeels. The editor has purpofely avoided fuch papers as,, by their fclentifical nature, were lefs adapted for general perufal. — Thefe he may probably hereafter publifh in a volume by themfelves. He fubjoins a letter from the late celebrated and amiable Dr. Price, to a gentleman in Philadelphia, upon the fubjeft of Dr. Franks lin ? s memoirs of his own life. PREFACE. S Hackney y J une 19, 1790. " DEAR SIR, " I am hardly able to tell you how kindly I take the letters with which you favour me. Your laft, containing an account of the death of our excellent friend, Dr. Franklin, and the circumftances attending it, deferves my parti- cular gratitude. The account which he has left of his life will {how, in a ftriking example how a man, by talents, induftry, and integrity,, may rife from obfcurity to the firft eminence and confequence in the world ; but it brings, his hiftory no lower than the year 1757, and I underftand that fince he fent over the copy,, which I have read, he has been able to make no additions to it. It is with a melancholy regret I think of his death ; but to death we are all bound by the irreverfible order of nature, and in looking forward to it, there is comfort in being able to refieft — that we have not lived in vain, and that all the ufeful and virtuous fhall meet in a better country beyond the grave. " Dr. Franklin, in the laft letter I received from him, after mentioning his age and infir- mities, obferves, that it has been kindly order- ed by the Author of nature, that as we draw nearer the concluiion of life, we are furnifhed ♦ with more helps to wean us from it, among which one of the ftrongeft is the lofs of dear friends. I was delighted with the account you gave in your letter of the honour fhewri to his. memory at Philadelphia, and by Congrefs ; and yeflerday I received a high additional pleafure by being informed that the National Affembly of France had determined to go in mourning for him. What a glorious fcene is opened 6 PREFACE. there 1 The annals of the world furnifli no par- rallel to it. One of the honours of our de- parted friend is, that he has contributed much to it. lam with great refpeft, Your obliged and very humble fervant* RICHARD PRICE." CONTENTS. M £Page IFE of Dr. Franklin, as written by himself - - - 9 Continuation of his life, by Dr. Stubcr 91 Extradls from his Will - • 138 Eulogium on Benjamin Franklin - 149 On Early Marriages - - 175 On the Death of his Brother, Mr. John Franklin - - -177 To the late Dr. Mather of Boston 178 The Whistle, a true Story ; written to his Nephexv - - 181 A Petition of the Left Hand - 183 The Handsome and Deformed Leg 184 Conversation of a Company of Ephemerae with the Soliloquy of one advanced in Age ~ - - 187 31orals of Chess - - -189 The Art of procuring pleasant Dreams 1 93 Advice to a young Tradesman - 199 Necessary Hints to those that would be rich - . 201 The Way to make Money plenty in every Maris Pocket - 202 An (economical Project - - 204 On Modern innovations in the English Language* and in Printing - 290 An Account of the highest Court of Judica- ture in Pennsylvania, viz. The Court of the Press - ,, 213 Paper ; a Poem - . - 219 On the Art ofSxvimming - • 221 8 CONTENTS. Page Nexv Mode of Bathing - -, .224 Observations on the gene raily prevailing DoSlrines of Life and Death - 226 Precautions to be taken by those who are about to undertake a Sea Voyage 228 On luxury ) Idleness , and Industry - 233 On the Slave Trade - - 238 Observations on War ~ - - .242 On the Impress of Seamen - - 244 On the Criminal Laxvs, and the Pratlice of Privateering - - 248 Remarks concerning the Savages of North America - - ~ 255 To M. Dubourg, concerning the Dissen- tions between England and America 263 .A Comparison of the Condu6l of the ancient jfezvs, and of the Antifederalists of the United States of America - 264 The Internal State of America ; being a true Description of the Interest and Policy of that vast .Continent - 269 Information to those who would remove to America - - 275 Pinal Speech of Dr. Franklin in the late Federal Convention - - 284 Sketch of an English School - - 287 Examination of Dr. Franklin before the British House of Lords on the Stamp A£l. - - - - 293 LIFE DOCTOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, MY DEAR SON, X HAVE amufed myfelf with collecting fome little anecdotes of my family. You may remember the en- quiries I made, when you were with me in England, among fuch of my relations as were then living ; and the journey I undertook for that purpofe. To be ac- quainted with the particulars of my parentage and life, many of which are unknown to you, I flatter myfelf, will afford the fame pleafure to you as to me. I fhall relate them upon paper: it will be an agreeable em- ployment of a week's uninterrupted leifure, which I promife myfelf during my prefent retirement in the country. There are alfo other motives which induce me to the undertaking. From the bolbm of poverty and obfeurity, in which I drew my full breath and fpent my earlieft years, I have raifed myfelf to a ftate of opulence and to fome degree of celebrity in the world. A conftant good fortune has attended me through every period of life to my prefent advanced A age i IO THE LIFE OF age ; and my defendants may be defirous of learning what were the means of which I made ufe, and which, thanks to the affifting hand of Providence, have proved fo eminently fuccefsful. They may alfo, (hould they ever be placed in a fimilnr lunation, derive Ibme ad- vantage from my narrative. When ifcrfedi, as 1 frequently do, upon the felici- ty I have^pfcyed, I fometimes lay to myfelf, that, were the offer made me, 1 would engage to run again, from beginning to end, the fame career of life. All I would afk would be the privilege of an author, to correct in a fecond edition, certain errors of the firft. I could wifh, likewife, if it were in my power, to change fome trivial incidents and events for others more favourable. Were this however denied me, ftill would I not decline the offer. But lince a repetition of life cannot take place, there is nothing which, in my opi- nion, fo nearly reiembles it, as to call to mind all its circumftances, and, to render their remembrance more durable, commit them to writing. By thus employing myfelf, I (hall yield to the inclination, fo natural to old men, to talk of themfelves and their exploits, and may freely follow my bent, without being tirefome to thofe who, from refpect to my age, might think them- felves obliged to liiien to me ; as they will be at liber- ty to read me or not as they pleafe. In fine — and I may well avow it, fince nobody would believe me were J to deny it — I Ihali perhaps, by this employment, gratify my vanity. Scarcely indeed have I ever heard or read the introductory phrafe, rt I may say without vanity," but fome finking and characterise inftance of vanity has immediately followed. The generality of men hate vanity in others, however Wrongly they may be tinctured with it themfelves ; for myfelf, I pay obeifance to it wherever I meet with it, perfuaded that it is advantageous, as well to the individual whom it governs, as to thole who are within the fphereofits influence. Of confequence, it would in many cafes, not he wholly a^furd, that a man (hould count his va- nity among the other fweets of life, and give thanks • evidence for the bleffing. .And D 8. FRANKLIN. II And here let me with all humility acknowledge, that to divine Providence I am indebted for the felicity I have hitherto enjoyed. It is that power alone which has furnifhcd me with the means I have employed, and that has crowned them with fuccefs. My faith in this refpecl leads me to hope, though I cannot count upon it, that the Divine goodnefswill ftill be^fxercifed to^ wards me, either "by prolonging the duration of my happinefs to the clofe of life, or by giving me forti- tude to iupport any melancholy reverfe, which may happen to me, as to fo many others. My future for- tune is unknown but to him in whofe hand is our def- tiny, and who can make our very afflictions iublervi- ent to our benefit. One of my uncles, defirous like myfelf, of collecting anecdotes of our family, gave me fome notes, from which I have derived many particulars refpedting our anceflors. From thefe I learn, that they had lived in the fame village (Eaton in Northamptonshire) upon a freehold of about th'nty acres, for the fpace at leait of three hundred years. How long they had refided there prior to that period, my uncle had been unable to dif- cover ; probably ever fince the inflitution of furnames, when they took the appellation of Franklin, which h?id formerly been the name of a particular order of indi- viduals.* • This * As a proof that Franklin was ancient ly the common name of an order of rank in England, see Judge For- tescue, De laudibus legum Anglice, written about the year 141 2, in which is the following passage, to shew that good juries might easily be formed in any part of England : " Regio etiam ilia, ita respersa refertaque est pof- " fefToribus terrarum et agrorum, quod in ea, villulatam < c parva reperiri on poterit> in qua non est miles, ar- " miger, vel pater familias, qualis ibidem franklin *< vulgaritur nuncupatur, magnis ditatus possessonibus, * mc non libcrc, tenenies at alii valecti plurimi, suis 12 THE LIFE OP This petty eftate would not have fufficed for their fubfiftence, had they not added the trade of blackfmith, which was perpetuated in the family down to my uncle's time, the eldeft fon having been uniformly brought up to this employment : a cuftom which both he and my father obierved with i efpedl to their eldeft fons. In the refearches I made at Eaton, I found no ac- count of their births, marriages arid deaths, earlier than the year 1555 ; the parifh regifter not extend- ing farther back than that period. This regifter in- formed me, that I was the youngeft fon of the youngeft branch of the family, counting five generations. My grandfather, Thomas, who was born in 1598, living at Eaton till he was too old to continue his trade, when he retired to Banbury in Oxfoidfnire, where his fon John, who was a dyer, refided, and with whom my father was apprenticed. He died, and was buried there t i% patrimonii s sujpcientes, ad faciendum jurat am^ in " forma pranotata." " Moreover, t be same country is so filled and replenish-' u e d with landed menne, thai therein so small a thorpe " cannot be found wherein dwelleth not a knight, an es- a quire, or such a householder as is there commonly caU " led a franklin, enriched with great possessions ; and u also other freeholders and many yeomen, able for their " livelihoods to make a jury in form aforementioned*' 1 Old Translation. Chaucer too calls his country gentlemen a franklin, and after describing bis good housekeeping, thus charac- terises him : This worthy franklin bore a purse of silk, Fix'd to his girdle, white as morning milk. Knight to the shire, first justice to th* assize, To help the poor the doubtful to advise. In all employments* generous, just heprov\U Renown" d for courtesy, by all bela'd* B R. PR A N K L-I N. 13 there: we law his monument in 1758. His elded fou lived in the family houfe at Eaton, which he bequeath- ed, with the land belonging to it, to his only daugh- ter; who, in concert with her hufband, Mr. Fitter of Wellingborough, afterwards fold it to Mr. Elled, the prefent proprietor. My grandfathjr had four furviving fons, Thomas, John, Benjamin, and Jofias. I mall give you inch particulars of them as my memory will furnith, not having my papers here, in which you will find a more minute account, if they a;e not loll during my ab- fence. Thomas had learned the trade of a blackfrnith under his father ; but poiTeffing a good natural underiianding, he improved it by ftudy, at the felicitation of a gen- tleman by the name of Palmer, who was at that time the principal inhabitant cf the village, and who en- couraged in like manner all my uncles to improve their minds. Thomas thus rendered himfelf competent to the functions of a country attorney ; foon became an eflential perfonage in the affairs of the village ; and was one of the chief movers of every public enterpi ize, as well relative to the country as the town of Nqrtbfj ampton. A variety of remarkable incidents were told us of him at Eaton. After enjoying the eiteem a.,d patronage of Lord Halifax, he died January 6, 1702, precifely four years before I was born. The recited that was made us of his life and character, by iome aged peribns of the village, ftruck you, I remembe,, as extraordinary, from its analogy to what you knew of myfelf. " Had he died," laid you, Ct juft four years later, one might have fuppoied a transmigration of fouls." John, to the bed of my belief, was brought up to the trade of a wool-dyer. Benjamin ferved his apprenticefhip in London to a filk-dyer. He was an indubious man : I remember him well ; for, while I was a child, he joined my ra- ther at Boflon, and lived for lbme years in the houfe with us. A particular affedion had always iubfifted between A 2 14 T H E L I F E 1 between my father and him ; and I was his godfon, He arrived to a great age. He left behind him two quarto volumes of poems in manufcnipt, confiding of little fugitive pieces addrefTed to the friends. He had invented a (hurt-hand, which he taught me, but having never made ufe of it, I have now forgotten it. He v/as a man of piety, and a conftant * attendant on the bed preachers, whofe fermons he took a pleafure in writing down according to the expeditory method he had devifed. Many volumes were thus collected by him. He was alfo extremely fond of politics, too much fo perhaps for his fituation. I lately found in London a collection which he had made of all the prin- cipal pamphlets relative to public affairs, from the year .1641 to 17 1 7. Many volumes are wanting, as ap- pears by the feries of numbers ; but their Hill remain eight in folio, and twenty four in quarto and octavo. The collection had fallen into the hands of a fecond- hand bookfeller, who, knowing me by having fold me fome books, brought it to me. My imcle, it feems r had left it behind him on his departure for America, about fifty years ago. I found various notes of his writing lit the margins. His grandibn, Samuel is now living at Bofton. Our humble family had early embraced the Reformati- on. They remained faithfully attached during the reign cf Queen Ma.y, when they were in danger of being mo- letted on account of their zeal againft popery. They had an Englith Bible, and, to conceal it the more fe- curely, they conceived the profpect of fattening it, open, with pack-threads acrois the leaves, on the infide of the lid of a elofe-ftool. When my great-grandfather wifh- ed to read to his family, he reverfed the lid of the clofe-ftool Mpcn his knees, and pa fled the leaves from one fide to the other, which were held down on each by the pack-thread. One of the children was ttationed at the door, to give notice if he law the proctor (an cf&ccr of the ipi ritual court) make his appearance : in that cafe, the lid was reftored to its place, with the Bible DR. FRANKLIN. 1 5 Bible concealed under it as before. I had this anec- dote from my uncle Benjamin. The whole family preserved its attachments to the Church of England till towards the dole of the reign of Charles II. when certain minifters, who had been ejected as non-conformifts, having held conventicles in Northamptonshire, they were joined by Benjamin and Jofias, who adhered to them ever after. The re it of the family continued in the epifcopal Church. My £ather, Jofias, married early in life. He went with his wife and three children, to New England about the year 1682. conventicles being at that time prohi- bited by law, and frequently difturbed, fome conlidera- ble perlbns of his acquaintance determined to go to America, where they hoped to enjoy the free exercifc of their religion, and my father was prevailed on to ac- company them. My father had alfo by the fame wife four children born in America, and ten others by a fecond wife, making in all feventeen. I remember to have feen thirteen ieated together at his table, who all arrived to years of matuiity, and were married. I was the laft of the ions, and the youngeft child, excepting two daugh> ters. I was born at Bofton in New England* My mother the fecond wife, was Abiah Folger, daughter of Peter Folger, one of the firft colonifts of New England, of whom Cotton Mather makes honourable mention, in his Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of that province, as u a pi&us w and learned Englishman," if I rightly recollect his ex- prefiions. I have been told of his having written a varie- ty of little pieces ; but there appears to be only one in print, which I met with many years ago. It was publiihed in the year 1675, an ^ * 3 m * arr) diar vcrfe, agreeable to the tafle of the times and the country. The author ad- dreffes himfelf to the governors for the time being, fpeaks for liberty of conlcience, and in favour of the anabaptills, quakers, and other fectaries, who had fuf- fered periecution. To this persecution he attributes the wars with the natives* and other calamities which af- flicted the country, regarding them as the judgments of God 1 6 THE LIFE OF God in punifhment of fo odious an offence, and he ex- horts the government to the repeal of laws fo contrary to charity. The poem appeared to be written with a manly fieedom and a pleafing Simplicity. I recollect the fix concluding lines, though 1 have forgotten the order of words of the two flrii ; the fenfe of which was, that his cenfures were dictated by benevolence, and that, of confequence, he wifhed to be known as the au- thor ; becauie, faid he, I hate from my \ay foul difli- mulation : From Sherburne*; where I dwell, I therefore put my name, Your friend who means you well, Peter Folger. My brothers were all put apprentices to different trades. With refpect to myfelf, I was ierit,at the age of eight years to a grammar ichocl. My father def- tined me for the church, and already regarded me as the chaplain of the family. 'I he piomptitude with which from my infancy I had learned to read, for I do not remember to have been ever without this acquire- ment, and the encouragements of his friends, whe al- lured him that 1 lhould one day certainly become a man of letters, confirmed him in this defign. My uncle Be-njamin, approved alio of the fcheme, and promifedto give me all his volumes of fermons, written, as I have faid, in the Ihort hand of his invention, if I would take the pains to learn it. I remained however fcarcely a year at grammar fchool, although, in this fhort interval, I had rilen from the middle to the head of my clals, from thence to the clafs immediately above,- and was to pais at the end of the year, to the one next in order. But my father, burthened with a numerous family, found that he was incapable, without fubjecling himielf to difficulties, of providing Town in the Island of Nantucket DR, PRANKIIN. 17 providing for the expencc of a collegiate education ; and confidering befides, as I heard him fay to his friends, that perlbns fo educated were often poorly provided for,, he renounced his firft intentions, took me from the grammar fchool, and fent me to a fchool for writing and arithmetic, kept by a Mr. George Brownwel, who was a fkilful rnafter, and fucceeded very well in hispro- feflion by employing gentle means only, and fuch as were calculated to encourage his fcholars. Under him I foon acquired an excellent hand ; but 1 failed in arithmetic, and made therein no fort of progrefs. At ten years of age, I was called home to affiil my fatflfer in his occupation, which was that of foap-boiler and tallow-chandler ; a bufinefs to which he had ferved no apprenticeftiip, but which he embraced on his arri- val in New England, becaufe he found his own, that of a dyer, in too little re qneft to enable him to maintain his family. I was accordingly employed in cutting the wicks, rilling the moulds, taking care of the ihop, car- rying meflfages, Sec. This bufinefs dilpleafed me, and I felt a ftrong in- clination for a tea life : but my father fet his face againft it. The vicinity of the water, however, gave me frequent opportunities of venturing myfelf both up- on and within it, and I foon acquired the art of fwim- ining, and of managing a boat. — When embarked with other children, the helm was commonly deputed to me, particularly on difficult occavions; and, in every other project, 1 was almolt always the leader of the troop, whom I Ibmetimes involved in embarrafTments. I Chali give an inftance of this, which demonllrates an early difpofiticn of mind for public enterprifes, though the one in queftion was not conducted by juftice. The mill pond was term "mated on one lide by a marfn, upon the borders of which we were accuftomed to take our fiand, at high ♦iter, to angle for frnallfiftu By dint of walking, we had converted the place into a perfect quagmire. My propoial was to erect a wharf that fhould afford us firm footing ; and I pointed out to my companions a large heap of ftones, intended for the l8 THE LIFE OF the building a new houfe near the marfii, and \T>hich were well adapted for our purpofe. Accordingly, when the workmen retired in the evening, I affembled a number of my playfellows, and by labouring diligent- ly, like ants, fometimes four of us uniting our ftrength to carry a fingie ftone, we removed them all, and con- frru£ledour little quay. The workmen were furprifed the next morning at not finding their Hones, which had been conveyed to cur wharf. Enquiries were made reflecting the authors of this conveyance ; we were difcovered ; complaints were exhibited againil us ; ma- ny of us underwent correction on the part of ourpa- rents ; and though I ilrenuouily defended theutili^cf the work, my father at length convinced me that no- thing which was not flricily honed could be uieful. It will not, perhaps, be uninterefting to you to know what fort of a man my father was. He had an ex- cellent confiitution, was of a middle fize, but well made and firong, and extremely active in whatever he under- took. He deHgned with a degree of reatnefs, and knew a little of mufic. His voice was fonorous and agreeable ; fo that when he fung a pfalm or hymn with accompaniment of his violin, as was his frequent prac- tice in an evening when the labours of the day were finii'hed, it was truly delightful to hear him. He was verfed alio in mechanics, and could upon ocean* on, .ufe the tools of a variety of trades. But his greateft ex- cellence was a found underftanding and folid judg- ment in matters of prudence, both in public and pri- vate life. In the former indeed he never engaged, becaufe his numerous family and the mediocrity of his fortune, kept him unremittingly employed in the duties of his profeflion. But I very well remember that the leading men of the place ufed frequently to come and afk his advice refpecling affairs of the town, or of the church to which he belor^fc, and that they paid much deference to his opinion. Individuals were alfo in the habit of confulting him in their private affairs, and he was often chofeu arbiter between contending parties.. DR. FRANKLIN. 19 He was fond of having at his table, as often as poffible, fome friends or well informed neighbours ca- pable of rational converfatioii, and he was always care- ful to introduce ufeful or ingenious topics of difcourfe, which might tend to form the minds of his children. By this means he early attracted our attention to what wiis juit, prudent, and beneficial in the conduct of life. He never talked of the meats which appeared upon ;he table, never difcuffed whether they were well or ill dref- fed, of a good or bad flavour, high-feafoned or other- wife, preferable or inferior to this or that dim, of a fimilar kind. Thus accuftomed, from my infancy, to thegitnioft inattention as to thofe objects, I have al- ways been perfectly regardlefs of what kind of food was before me; and I pay fo little attention to it even now, that it would be a hard matter for me- -to- recol- lect, a few hours after I had dined, of what my dinner had confifted. When travelling, I have particularly experienced the advantage of this habit ; for it has of- ten happened to me to be in company with perfons, who, having a more delicate, bccaufe a more exercifed tafle have fuffered in many cafes considerable inconve- nience, while, as to myfelf, I have had nothing to defire. My mother was likewife pone (Ted of an excellent conftitution. She fuckled all her ten children and I never heard either her or my father complain of any- other diforder than that of which they died : my father at the age of eighty-feven, and my mother at eighty- five. They are buried together at Bofton, where, a few years ago, I placed a marble over their grave, with this infcription : " HERE LIE " Josias Franklin and Abiah his wife : They " lived together with reciprocal affection for fifty- nine " years ; and without private fortune, without lucra- " tive employment, by afliduous labour and honeftinduf- u try, decently fnpported a numerous family, and edu- " cated with luccefs, thirteen children, and {even grand- *" children. Let this example, reader, encourage you " diligently 20 THE LIFE OF u diligently to difcharge the duties of thy calling, and " to rely on the fupport of Divine Providence. " He was pious and prudent, " She difcreet and virtuous. <* Their youngeft fon, from a fentiment of filial duty, &i confecrates this ftone " To their memory," I perceive, by my rambling digreffions, that tF am growing old. But we do not drefs for a private com- pany as for a formal ball. This deferves perhaps the name of negligence. To return, I thus continued employed in my father's trade for the fpace of two years ; that is to fay, till I arrived at twelve years of age. About this time my brother John, who had ferved his apprenticefhip in London, having quitted my father, and being married and fettled in bufinefs on his own account at Rhode Ifland, I was defined, to all appearance, to fupply his place, and be a candle-maker all my life : but my dif- like of this occupation continuing, my father was ap- prehenfive, that, if a more agreeable one were not of- fered me, I might play the truant and efcape to fea ; as, to his extreme mortification, my brother Jofias had done. He therefore took me fometiraes to fee mafons, coopers, braziers, joiners, and other mechanics, em- ployed at their work ; in order to difcover the bent of my inclination, and fix it if he could upon fome occu- pation that might retain me on (bore. I have fince, in confequence of thefe vifits, derived no fmali plea- fure from feeing Ikilful jKorkmen handle their tools ; and it has proved of connaerable benefit, to have ac- quired thereby iufficient knowledge to be able to make little things for myfelf, when I have had no mechanic at DR. FRANKLIN. 21 at hand, and to conflruct fmall machines for my ex- periments, while the idea I have conceived has been frefh and flrongly imprefTed on my imagination. My father at length decided that I fheuld be a cut- ler, and I was placed for fome days upon trial with my coufin Samuel, fon of my uncle Benjamin, who had learned this trade in London, and had eilabliihed himfelf at Bofton. But the premium he required for my apprentice lhip difpleaiing my father, I was recalled home. From my earlieft years I had been paflionately fond of reading, and I laid out in books all the little mo- ney I could procure. I was particularly pleafed with accounts of voyages. My firfl acquifition was Buuyan's collection in fmall feparate volumes. Thefe I after- wards fold in order to buy an hiftorical collection by It. Burton, which confifted of fmall cheap volumes, amounting in all to about forty or fifty. My father's little library was principally made up of books of prac- tical and polemical theology. I read the greateft part of them. I have fince often regretted, that at a time when I had fo great a third for knowledge, more eligi- ble books had not fallen into my hands, as it was then a point decided that I fhould not be educated for the church. There was alfo among my father's books Plutarch's Lives, in which I read continually, and I fttll regard as advantageoufly employed the time I de- voted to them. I found befides a work of De Foe, entitled, an EfTay, on Projects, from which, perhaps, I derived impreliions that have fince influenced fome of the principal events of my life. My inclination for books at laft determined my fa- ther to make me a printer, though he had already a fon in that profeffion. My brother had returned from England in 1717 with a prefs and types, in order to eitablilh a printing-houfe at Bofton. This bufinefs pleafed me much better than that of my father, though I had (till a predilection for the fea. To prevent the effects which might refult from this inclination, my father was impatient to fee me engaged with my bro- ** ther. B .2-2 THE LIFE F ther. I held back for fome time ; at length however 1 fuffered rnyfelf to be perfuaded, and figned my in- dentures, being then only twelve years of age. It was agreed that I fhould ferve as apprentice to the age of twenty one, and fhould receive journeyman's wages onJy during the laft year. In a very fhort time I made great proficiency in this bufmefs, and became very ferviceable to my brother. I had now an opportunity of. procuring better books. The acquaintance I neceffarily formed with bookfel- lers* apprentices., enable me to borrow a volume now and then, which I never failed to return punctually and without injury. How often has it happened to me to pafs the greater part of the night in reading by my bed-fide, when the book had been lent me in the even- ing, and was to be returned the next morning, left it might be miffed or wanted. At length, Mr. Matthew Adams, an ingenious tradefman, who had a handfome collection of books, .and who frequented our printing-houfe, took notice of me. He invited me to fee his library, and had the goodnefs to lend me any books I was defirous of read- ing. I then took a ftrange fancy for poetry, and com- pofed feveral little pieces. My brother, thinking he might find his account in it, encouraged me and en- gaged me to write two ballads. One, called the Light- houfe Tragedy, contained an account of the fhipwreck of captain Worthilake and his two daughters ; the other was a failors fong on the capture of the noted pirate called Teach, or Black-beard. They were -wretched veries in point of flyie, mere blind-men's ditties. When printed he difpatched me about the town to fell them, the fir ft had a prodigious run, be- cauie the event was recent, and had made a great noiie. My vanity was flattered by this fuccefs ; but my father checked my exultation, by ridiculing my produc- tions, and telling me that verifiers were always poor. I thus efcaped the misfortune of being, probably a very wretched poet. ..But as-the faculty of writing prole has DR; F It A N K LIN. 23 has been of great fervice to me in the conrfe of my life, and principally contributed to my advancement, I mall relate by what means fituated as I was, I acquired the fmall fkill I may poffefs in that way. There was in the town another young man, a great lover of books, of the name of John Collins, with whom I was intimately connected. We frequently engaged in difpute, awd were indeed fo fond of argu- mentation, that nothing was fo agreeable to us as a war of words. This contentious temper, I would ob- ferve by the bye, is in danger of becoming a very bad habit, and frequently renders a man's company infup- portable, as being no otherwife capable of indulgence than by indifcriminate contradiction. Independently of the acrimony and difcord it introduces into conver- fation, it is often productive of diflike, and even ha- tred, between perfons to whom friendlhip is indifpenfi- bly neceiTary. I acquired it by reading, while I lived with my father, books of religious controverfy. I have fince remarked, that men of ienie feldom fall into this error; lawyers, fellows of universities, and perfons ff every profeflion educated at Edinburgh, excepted. Collins and I fell one day into an argument relative to the education of women ; namely, whether it were proper to inltrucl them in the fciences, and whether they were competent to the ftudy. Collins fupported the negative, and affirmed that the tafk was beyond their capacity. I maintained the oppcfite opinion, a 1 It tie perhaps for the pleafure of difputing. He was naturally more eloquent than I; words flowed copious- ly from his lips ; and frequently I thought mylelf van- quished, more by his volubility than by the force of his arguments. We ieparated without coming to an agreement upon this point ; and as we were net to fee each other again forfonre time, I committed my thoughts to paper, made a fair copy, and fent it to him. He an- fwered, and 1 replied. Three or four letters had been written by each, when my father chanced to light up- on my papers and read them. Without entering into merits of the caufe, he embraced the opportunity of 24 THE LITE OF of fpeaking to me upon my manner of writing. He obferved that though I had the advantage of my ad- verfary in correct fpelling and pointing which I owed to my occupation, I was greatly his inferior in ele- gance of exprefllon, in arrangement and perfpicuity. Of this he convinced me by ieveral examples. I felt the juftice of his remarks, became more attentive to language, andrefolved to make every effort to improve my ftyle. Amidft thefe refolves an odd volume of the Spectator fell into my hands. This was a publication I had never feen. I bought the volume, and read it again and again. I was enchanted with it, thought the ftyle excellent, and wifhed it were in my power to imitate it; with this view, I {elected fome of the pa- pers, made fhort luminaries of the fenfe of each period, and put them for a few days afide. I then, without looking at the book, endeavoured to reltore the ef- fays to their true form, and to exprefseach thought at length, as it was in the original, employing the molt appropriate words that occurred to my mind. I after- wards compared my Spectator with the original ; I perceived fome faults, which I corrected: but I found that I wanted a fund of words, if I may fo exprefs myfelf, and a facility of recollecting and employing them, which I thought I fliould by that time have ac- quired, had I continued to make veries. The conti- nual need of words of the fame meaning, but of dif- ferent lengths for the meafure, or of different founds for the rhyme would have obi ged me to feek for a va- riety of fynonymes, and have rendered me matter of them. From this belief, I took fome of the tales of the Spectator, and turned them into veife ; and after a time, when I had fufficiently forgotten them, I again converted them into profe. Sometimes alfo I mingled all my fummaries toge- ther ; and a few weeks after, endeavoured to arrange them in the bed order, before I attempted to form the periods and complete the effays. This I did with a view of acquiring method in the arrangement of my thoughts. On comparing afterwards my performance with DR. FRANKLIK. 2 J with the original, many faults were apparent, which I corrected ; but i had fometimes the fatisfaction to think, that, in certain particulars of little impoitance, I had been fortunate enough to improve the order of thought or the ftyle ; and this encouraged me to hope that 1 mould fucceed, in time, in writing the Englifli language, which was one of the greatest objects of my ambition. • The time which I devoted to thefe exercifes, and to reading, w 7 as the evening after my day's labour was finifhed, the morning before it began, and Sundays when I could efcape attending divine fervice. While I lived with my father, he had infilled on my punctual attendance on public worfhip, and I ft ill indeed consi- dered it as a duty, but a duty which I thought 1 had ho time to pructHe. When about fixteen years of age, a work of Tfybn? fell into my hands, in which he recommends vegetable diet. I determined to obferve it. My brother, being" a bachelor, did not keep houfe, but boarded with his apprentices in a neighbouring family. My refining to eat animal food was found inconvenient, and I was o5feen fcolded for my Angularity. I attended to the mode in which Tryon prepared ibme of his difhes ? par ticularly how to boil potatoes and rice, and make hafty puddings. I then faid to my brother, that if he would allow me per week half what he paid for my board, I would undertake to maintain myfelf. The offer was instantly embraced, and I foon found that of what he gave me I was able to fave half. This was a new fund for the purchafe of books ; and other advantages refulted to me from the plan. When my brother and his work- men left the printing-houfe to go to dinner, I remain- ed behind ; and difpatching my frugal meal, which frequently confilled of a bifcuit only, or a ilice of bread and a bunch of raidns, or a bun from the paftry cook's, •with a glafs of water, I had the reft of the time, till their return, for ftudy ; and my progrefs therein was proportioned to that clearnefs of ideas and quicknefs of conception, which are the fruit of temperance in eating and drinking, B2 26 THE LIFE 07 It was about this period that, having one day been put to the blufh for my ignorance in the art of calcula- tion, which I had twice failed to learn while at fchool, I took Cocker's Treatife of Arithmetic, and went through it by myfelf with the utmofteafe. I alio read a book of Navigation by Seller and Sturmy, and made myfelf matter of the little geometry it contains, but I never proceeded far in this fcience. Nearly at the fame time I read Locke on the Human Underfta rid- ing, and the Art of Thinking by Meffrs. du Port- Royal. While labouring to form and improve my flyle, I met with an Englifh Grammar, which I believe was Greenwood's having at the end of it two little effays on rhetoric and logic. In the latter I found a model of difputation after the manner of Socrates. Shortly af- ter I procured Xenophon's work, entitled Memorable Things of Socrates, in which are various examples of the fame method. Charmed to a degree of enthufiafni with this mode of difputing, I adopted it, and re- nouncing blunt contradiction, and direct and pofitive argument, 1 affumed the character of a humble quef- tioner. The perufal of Shaf fbury and Collins had made me a fceptic ; and being previoufly fo as to ma- ny doctrines of Chriftianity, I found Socrates's method to be both the fafeft for myfelf, as well as the moft em- barraffing to tbofe againft whom 1 employed it. It ibon afforded me lingular pleasure ; I incefiantly prac- tifed it ; and became very adroit in obtaining, even from perlbns of fuperior understanding, conceflions of which they did not forefee the confequences. Thus I involved them in difficulties from which they were un- able to extricate themfelves, and fometimes obtained victories, which neither my caufe ncr my arguments merited. This method I continued to employ for fome years ; but I afterwards abandoned it by degrees, retaining only the habit of expreffing myfelf with mode ft: diffi- dence, and never making ufe, when I advanced any proportion which might be controverted, of the words certainly DR, FRANKLIN. 2J certainty, undoubtedly, or any others that might give the appearance of being obftinately attached to my opi- nion. I rather faid I imagine, I fuppofe, or it appears to me, that iuch a thing is fo or fo, for iuch and fuch reafons ; or it is Co, if I am not miftaken. This habit has, I think been of considerable advantage to me, when I have had occafion to imprefs my opinion on the minds of others and perluade them to the adoption of the meafures I have fuggefted. And fince the chief ends of converfation are, to inform or to be informed, to pleafe or to perluade, I could wifh that intelligent and well-meaning men would not themfelves diminifh the powers they poffels of being ufeful, by a pofitive and prefumptuous manner of expreffiag themfelves, which fcarcelyever fails to difguft the hearer, and is only cal- culated to excite opposition and defeat every purpofe for which the faculty of fpeech has been bellowed upon man. In (hort, if you wifh to inform, a pofitive and dogmatical manner of advancing your opinion may provoke contradiction, and prevent your being heard with attention. On the other hand, if with a defire of being informed, and of benefiting by the knowledge of others, you exprefs yourielves as being ilrongly at- i tached to your own opinions, modeft and fenlible men., who do not love dilputation, will leave you in tranquil poffeiiion of your errors. By following fuch a method, you can rarely hope to pleafe your auditors, conciliate their good-will, or work conviction on thofe whom you may be defirous of gaining over to your views. Pope judiciouily oblerves, Men muft be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown propos'd as things forgot. And in the fame poem he afterwards advifes us> To fpeak, tho* fure, with feeming diffidence. He 28 THE LIFE OF He might have added to thefe lines, one that he has coupled elfewhere, in my opinio n, with leis propriety. It is thus : For want of decency is want of feafe. If you afk why I fay with less propriety, I mud give you the two lines together : Immodeft words admit of no defence, For want of decency is want of ienfe. Now want of fenfe, when a man has the misfortune to be ib circumfianced, it is not a kind ofexcufe for want of modelly ? And would not the verfes have been more accurate, if they had been constructed thus : Immodeil words admit but this defence, That want of decency is want of ienic. But I leave the decifion of this to better judges than myfelf. In 1720, or 1721, my brother began to print a new public paper. It was the fecond that made its appear- ance in America, and was entitled the New England Courant. The only one that exifted before was the Boston News Letter. Some of his friends, I remem- ber, would have diffuaded him from this undertaking, as a thing that was not likely to fucceed ; a fingle newf- paper being, in their opinion fuflicient for all Ameri- ca. At prefent, however, in 1777, there is no lefs than twenty-five. But he carried his project into exe- cution, and I was employed in diftributing the copies to his cuftomers, after having afliiled in compofmg and working them off. Among his friends he had a number of literary cha- racters, who, as an amufement, wrote fhort effays for the paper, which gave it reputation and increaied its fale. Thofe gentleman came frequently to our houfe. I heard the converfation that palled, and the accounts they DL FRANKLIN. 29 they gave of the favourable reception of their writings with the pubtic. I was tempted to try my hand among 1 them ; but, being dill a child as it were, I was fearful that my brother might be unwilling to print in his paper any performance of which he fhould know me to be the author. I therefore contrived to difguife my hand, and having written an anonymous piece, I placed it at night under the door of the printing-houfe, where it was found the next morning. My brothei communicated it to his friends, when they came as ufu- al to fee him, who read it, commented upon it within my hearing, and I had the exquifite pleafure to find that it met with their approbation, and that, in the various conjectures they made reipecYmg the author, no one was mentioned who did not enjoy a high repu- tation in the country for talents and genius. I now fuppofed myfelf fortunate in my judges, and began to fufpecl that they were not fuch excellent writers as I had hitherto fuppofed them. Be that as it may, en- couraged by this little adventure, I wrote and lent to the prefs, in the fame way many other pieces, which were equally approved ; keeping the fecret till my flen«* der flock of information and knowledge for fuch per- formances was pretty completely exhaufted, when I made myfelf known. My brother, upon his difcovery, began to entertain a little more refpect for me; but he ft ill regarded him- felf as my matter, and treated me like an apprentice. He thought him felf entitled to the fame fer vices from me as from any other perfon. On the contrary, I conceived that, in many inftanees, he was too rigor- ous, and that, on the part ot a brother, 1 had a right to expedl greater indulgence. Our difputes were fre- quently brought before my father; and either my bro- ther was generally in the wrong, or I was the better pleader of the two, for judgment was commonly given in my favour. But my brother was paflionate, and of- ten had recourfe to blows ; a circumftance which I took in very ill part. This fevere and tyrannical treatment contributed, I believe, to imprint on my mind that averfiou 3D THE LIFE OF averfion to arbitrary power, which during my whole life I have ever preferved. My apprentice fhip became infupportable to me, and I continually fighed for an opportunity of (hortening it, which at length unex- pectedly offered. An article inferted in our paper upon fome political fubject which I have now forgotten, gave offence to the Affembly. My brother was taken into cuilody, cenfured, and ordered into confinement for a month, becaufe, as I prefume, he would not di (cover the au- thor. 1 was alfo taken up, and examined before the council ; but, though I gave them no Satisfaction, they contented themfelves with reprimanding, and then dif- mifled me ; confideiing me probably bound in quality of apprentice, to keep my mailer's fecrets. The imprifonment of my brother kindled my re- fentment, notwithftanding our private quarrels. Du- ring its continuance the management of the paper was entrufted tome, and I was bold enough to infertfome pafquerades againll the governors ; which highly pleaf- ed my brother, while others began to look upon me in. an unfavourable point of view, confidering me as a young wit inclined to fa tire and lampoon. My brother's enlargement was accompanied with an arbitrary order from the houfe of affembly, " That K J^mes Franklin {hould no longer print the newipa- " per entitled the New-England. Courant." In this conjuncture, we held a confutation of our friends, at the printing-houfe, in order to determine what was proper to be done. Some propofed to evade the order by changing the title of the paper : but my brother fore feeing inconvrniencies that would relult from this ilep, thought it better that it (hould in futuie be print- ed in the name of Benjamin Franklin ; and to avoid the cenfure of the affembly, who might charge him with ftill printing the paper himfelf, under the name of his apprentice, it was refolved that my old indentures fhould be given up to me, with a full and entire dis- charge written on the back, in order to be produced upon an emergency ; but that, to fecure*t'o my bro- ther DR, FRANKLIN. 3 1 ther the benefit of my fervice, I mould Ggn a new contract, which fhould be kept fee ret during the re- mainder of the term. This was a very (hallow ar- rangement. It was, however, carried into immediate execution, and the paper continued, in confequence, to make its appearance for fome months in my name. At length a new difference arifing between my brother and me, I ventured to take advantage of my liberty, prefuming that he would not dare to produce the new contract. It was undoubtedly difhonourable to avail myfelf of this circumftance, and I reckon this action as one of the firft errors of my life ; but I was little capable of eflimating it at its true value, embittered as my mind had been by the recollection of the blows I had received. Exclufively of his paffionate treatment of me, my brother was by no means a man of an ill temper, and perhaps my manners had too much of impertinence not to afford it a very natural pretext. When he knew that it was my determination to quit him, he wifhed to prevent my finding employment elfewhere. He went to all the printing-houfes in the town, and prejudiced the matters againlt. me, who ac- cordingly refufed to employ me. The idea then fug- gefted itfelf to me of going to New-York, the neareit town in which there was a printing-office. Farther reflection confirmed me in the defign of leaving .Bof- ton, where I had already rendered myfelf an object of fufpicion to the governing party. It was probable, from the arbitrary proceedings of the aiTembly in the affair of my brother, that by remaining I fhould foou have been expoied to difficulties, which I had the greater reafon to apprehend, as from my indifcreet difputes upon the fubject of religion I begun to be re- garded by p"ious fouls with horror, either as an apoftate or an atheift. I came therefore to a refolution ; but my father, in this inftance, fiding with my brother, I pre fumed that if I attempted to depart openly, mea- fures would be taken to prevent me. My friend Col- lins undertook to favour my flight. He agreed for my paffage with the capt, of a New- York floop, to whom 32 THE LIfE OF whom he reprefented me as a young man of his ac- quaintance, who had had an affair with a girl of bad character, whole parents wifhed to compel me to mar- ry her, and that of confequence I could neither make my appearance, nor go off publicly. I fold part of my books to procure a fmall fum of money, and went pri- vately on board the floop. By favour of a good wind I found myfelf in three days at New- York, nearly three hundred miles from my home, at the age only of feventeen years, without knowing an individual in the place, and with very little money in my pocket. The inclination I had felt for a feafaring life was entirely fubiided, or I fhould now have been able to gratify it ; but having another trade, and believing myfelf a tolerable workman, I hefitated not to offer my fervices to the old Mr. William Bradford, who had been the firft printer in Pennfylvania, but had quitted that province on account of a quarrel with George Keith, the governor. He could not give me employ- ment himfelf, having little to do, and already as ma- ny perfons as he wanted ; but he told me that his fon, printer at Philadelphia, had lately loft his principal workman, Aquila Rofe, who was dead, and that if I would go thither, he believed he would engage me. Philadelphia was an hundred miles farther. I hefitated not to embark in a boat in order to repair, by the fhorteft: cut of the fea, to Amboy, leaving my trunk and effects to come after me by the ufual and more tedious conveyance. In eroding the bay we met with a fquall, which (nattered to pieces our rotten fails, pre- vented us from entering the Kill, and threw us upon Long-Ifland. During the fquall a drunken Dutchman, who like myfelf was a paffenger in the boat, fell into the fea. At the moment that he was unking, I feized him by the fore-top, faved him, and drew him on board. This immerllon fobered him a little, fo that he fell aileep, after having taken from his pocket a volume, which he requeued me to dry. This volume I found to be my old favourite work, Bunyan's Voyages, in Dutch, a beautiful D R. F R A N K t I N". 33 beautiful impreffion on fine paper, with copperplate en- gravings ; a drefs in which I had never ieen it in its original language* I have fince learned that it has been tranllated into almoil all the languages of Europe, and next to the Bible, I am perfuaded, it is one of the books which has had the greateft lpread. Honed John is the nrft, that I know of, who has mixed narrative and dialogue together ; a mode of writing very engaging to the reader, who in the mofl interefting paffages, finds himfelf admitted as it were into the company, a.nd prefent at the converfation. De Foe has imitated it with fuccefs in his Robinfon Crufoe, his Moll Flan- ders, and other works ; as alio has Richardfon in his Pamelia, See. In approaching the ifland we found that we had made a part of the coali. where it was not poflible to land, on account of the ftrong breakers produced by the rocky fhore. We call anchor and veered the cable towards the fhore. Some men, who flood upon the brink, hallooed to us, while we did the fame on our part ; but the wind was lb high, and the waves fo noi- fy, that we could neither of us hear each other. There were fome canoes upon the bank, and we called out to them, and made iigns to prevail on them to come and take us up; but either they did notunderftand us, or they deemed our requefl: impracticable, and with- drew. Night came on, and nothing remained for us but to wait quietly the fubfiding of the wind ; till when we determined, that is, the pilot and I, to fleep if pof- fible. For that purpofe we went below the hatches along with the Dutchman, who was drenched with wa- ter. The lea broke over the boat, and reached us in our retreat, fo that we were prefently as completely- drenched as he. We had very little repofe during the whole night : but the wind abating the next day, we iucceeded in reaching Amboy before it was dark, after having paffed thirty hours without provifions, and with no other drink than a bottle of bad rum, the water upon which we rowed being fait. In the evening I went to bed with G 34 THE LIFE OF with a very violent fever. I had fomewhere read that cold water, drank plentifully, was a remedy in fuch cafes. I followed the prescription, was in a profufe fweat for the greater part of the night, and the fever left me. The next day I croffed the river in a ferry- boat, and continued my journey on foot. I had fifty miles to walk, in order to reach Burlington, where I was told I mould find paiTage-boats that would convey me to Philadelphia. It rained hard the whole day, fo that I was wet to the fkin. Finding myfelf fatigued about noon, I Propped at a paltry inn, where I paiTed the reft of the day and the whole night, beginning to regret that I had quitted my home. I made befides fo wretched a figure, that I was fufpefted to be fome runaway fervant. This I difcovered by the queftions that were afked me ; and I felt that I was every mo- ment in danger of being taken up as fuch. The next day, however, I continued my journey, and arrived in the evening at an inn, eight or ten miles from Burling- ton, that was kept by one Dr. Brown. This man entered into converfation with me while I took fome refiefhment, and perceiving that I had read a little, he exprefYed towards me considerable in- tereft and friendfhip. Our acquaintance continued dur- ing the remainder of his life. I believe him to have been what is called an itinerant dodlor ; for there was no town in England, or indeed in Europe, of which he could not give a particular account. He was neither deficient in underftanding nor literature, but he was a fad infidel ; and, fome years after, undertook to tra- vefty the Bible in burlefque verfe, as Cotton has tra- veftied Virgil, He exhibited, by this means, many facls in a very ludicrous point of view, which would have given umbrage to weak minds, had his work been publifhed, which it never was. I fpent the night at his houfe, and reached Burling- ton the next morning. On my arrival, I had the mortification to learn that the ordinary paiTage-boats had failed a little before. This was on a Saturday, and there would be no other boat till the Tuefday fol- lowing. DR, FRANKLIN, 35 lowing. I returned to the houfe of an old woman in the town who had ibid me fome gingerbread to eat on my paffage, and I afked her advice. She invited me to take up my abode with her till an opportunity offer- ed for me to embark. Fatigued with having travelled io far on foot, I accepted her invitation. When fhe underitood that I was a printer, fhe would have per- fuaded me to Ray at Burlington, and fet up my trade : but (he was little aware cf the capital that would be neceflary for fuch a purpofe ! I was treated while at her houfe with true hcfpitality. She gave me, with the utmoft good-will, a dinner of beef-lleaks, and would accept of nothing in return but a pint of ale. Here I 1 imagined myfelf to be fixed till the Tuefdsy in the enfuing week ; but walking out in the evening by the river-fide, I faw a boat with a number of per- fous io it approach. It was going to Iphia, and the company took me in. As there was no \ we could only make way with our oars. About mid- night, not perceiving the town, fome of the company were of opinion that we muft have pafTed it, and were unwilling to row any farther ; the reft not knowing where we were, it was refolved that we mould (top. We drew towards the fhore, entered a creek, and land- ed near fome old palifades, which ferved us for fire- wood, it being a cold night in October. Here we flayed till day, when one of the company found the place in which we were to be Cooper's Greek, a little above Philadelphia, which in reality we perceived the moment we were out of the Creek. We arrived on Sunday about eight or nine o'clock in the morning, and landed on Market-ftreet wharf. I have entered into the particulars of my voyage, and fhall in like manner delcribe my firft entrance in- to this city, that you may be able to compare begin- nings fo little aufpicious, with the figure I have fince made. On my arrival at Philadelphia I was in my work- ing drefs, my beft clothes being to come by fea. I was covered with dirt ; my Dockets were filled with fhirts 36 THE LIFE OF fhirts and (lockings; I was unacquainted with a Tingle foul in the place, and I knew not where to feek for a lodging. Fatigued with walking, rowing, and having palled the night without fleep, I was extremely hun- gry, and all my money confided of a Dutch dollar, and about a (hilling's worth of coppers whieh I gave to the boatmen for my paffage. As I had affifted them in rowing, they refufed it at firft ; but I infifted on their taking it. A man is fometimes more generous when he has little than when he has much money ; proba- bly becau-fe in the firft cafe, he is defirous of conceal- ing his poverty. I \saiked towards the top of the (beet, looking eagerly on both (ides, till I came to market-ftreet, where I met a child with a loaf of bread. Often had. I made my dinner on dry bread. I enquired where he had bought it, and went (traight to the baker's (hop vhich he pointed out to me. I afked for Tome bif- cuits, expecting to find fuch as we had at Bofton ; but they made it ieems, none of that fort at Philadelphia. I then afked for a three-penny loaf. They made no loaves of that price. Finding myfelf ignorant of the prices, as well as of the different kinds of bread, I de- iired him to let me have three penny-worth of bread of fome kind or other. He gave me three large rolls. I was furprifed at receiving lb much : I took them -ver, and having no room in my pockets, I walk- ed on with a roll under each arm, eating the third. In this manner I went through Market- (Ireet to Fourth Oreet, and paffed the hcuie of Mr. Read, the father of my future wife. She was (landing at the door, ob- ierved me, and .thought with reafon that I made a ve- ry lingular and groteique appearance, I then turned the corner, and went through Chef- nut-dreet, eating my roll all the way; and having made this round, I found myfelf again on Market-ftreet wharf, near the boat in which I had arrived. I (tep- ped into it to take a draught of the river water ; and finding myfelf iatisfied with my ftrft roll, I gave the other two to a woman and her child, who had come down DR. FRANKLIN. $J down the river with us in the boat, and was waiting to continue her journey. Thus refrefhed, I regained the ftreet, which was now full of well dreffed people, all going the lame way. I joined them, and was thus led to a large Quakers' meeting-houfe near the market place. I fat down with the reft, and after looking round me for fome time hearing nothing faid, and be- ing drowjy from my laft night's labour and want of reft, I fell into a found fleep. In this ftate I conti- nued till the affembly difperfed, when one of the con- gregation had the goodnels to wake me. This was confequently the firft houfe I entered, or in which I ilept at Philadelphia. I began again to walk along the flreet by the river fide ; and looking attentively at the face of every one I met, I at length pereeived a young quaker whofe countenance pleaied me. I acceded him, and begged him to inform me where a ftranger might find a lodg- ing. We were then near the fign of the Three Ma- riners. They receive travellers here, faid he, but it is not a houfe that bears a good character ; if you will go with me, I will (hew you a better one. He con- ducted me to the Crooked Billet in Water-ftreet. There I ordered fomething for dinner, and during my meal a number of curious queftions were put to me ; my youth and appearance exciting the fufpicion of my being a runaway. After dinner my drowfinefs re- turned, and I threw myfelf upon a bed without taking off my clothes, and llept till fix o'clock in the evening, when I was called to {upper. I afterwards went to bed at a very early hour, and did not awake till the next morning. As ibon as I got up I put myfelf in as decent a trim as I could, and went to the houfe of Andrew Bradford the printer. I found his father in the (hop, whom I had ieen at New-York. Having travelled on horfeback, he had arrived at Philadelphia before me. He introduced me to his fon, who received me with civility, and gave me fome breakfaft ; but told me he had no occafion for a journeyman, having lately pro- cured C z o 8 THE LIFE OF cured one. He added, that there was another printer newly fettled in the town, of the name of Keimer, who might perhaps employ me; and that in cafe of a refufal, I (hould be welcome to lodge at his houfe, and he would give me a little work now and then, till fome- thing better (hould offer. The old man offered to introduce me to the new printer. When we were at his houfe ; " Neighbour," faid he, " I bring you a young man in the printing bufinefs ; perhaps you may have need of his fervices." Keimer afked me fome quedions, put a compofing flick in my hand to fee how I could work, and then faid, that at prefent he had nothing for me to do, but that he (hould foon be able to employ me. At the fame time taking old Bradford for an inhabitant of the town well-difpoied towards him, he communicated his project to him, and the proipedl he had of fuccefs. Bradford was careful not to difcover that he was the father of the other printer ; and from what Keimer had faid, that he hoped (hortly to be in polTeflion of the greater part of the bufinefs of the town, led him by art- ful quedions, and by darting fome difficulties, to dif- clofe all his views, what his hopes were founded upon, and how he intended to proceed. I was prefent, and heard it all. I indantly law that one of the two was a cunning old fox, and the other a perfedl novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, who was drangely furprifed when I informed him who the old man was. I found Keimer's printing materials to confid of an old damaged prefs, and a fmall cad of worn-out Eng- liih letters, with which he >vas himfelf at work upon an elogy on Aqudla Rofe, whom 1 have mentioned above, an ingenious young man, and of an excellent character, highly edeemedin the town, fee retary to the affembly, and a very tolerable poet. Keimer alio made verfes, but they were indifferent ones. He could not be faid to write in verfe, for his method was to take andfet the lines as they flowed from his mule ; and as he worked without copy, had but one fet of letter cafes, and the elogy would probably occupy all his type, it was D IT. FRANKLI X. 39 was impoflibk for any one to affifl him. I endeavour- ed to pnthisprefs in order, which lie had not yet l and of which indeed he underftood nothing : and ha- ving prorniled to come and work ofT his elogy as foon. as it fhould be ready, I returned to the bouie of Brad- ford, who gave me fome trifle to do for the prefent, fot which I had my board and lodging. In a few days Keimer fent iqv me to print off his elogy. He had now procured another let of letter- cafes, and had a pamphlet to reprint, upon which he fet me to work. The two Philadelphia printers appeared dcftitute of every qualification neceffary to their profeiFion. Brad- ford had not been brought up to it, and was very illi- terate. Keimer, though he underflood a little of the bufinefs, was merely a compofitor, and wholly incapa- ble of working at the prefs. He had one of tfaerFrendl prophets, and knew how to imitate their fupernatural agitations. At the time of our firft acquaintance he profeiTed no particular religion, but a little of all upon occafion. He was totally ignorant of the world, and a great knave at heart, as 1 had afterwards an oppor- tunity of experiencing. Keimer could not endure that, working with him, I fhould lodge at Bradford's. He had indeed a houfe, hut it was uiifurniihed ; fo that he could not take me in. He procured me a lodging at Mr. R.ead's, his landlord, whom I have already mentioned. My trunk and effects being now arrived, I thought of making, in the eyes of Mifs Pcead, a more refpectable appear- ance than when chance exhibited me to her view, eat- ing my roll, and wandering in the ftreets. From this period I began to contract acquaintance with fuch young people of the town as were fond of reading, and fpent my evenings with them agreeably, while at the fame time I gained money by my indoflry, and, thanks to my frugality, lived contented. I thus forgot Bolton as much as poffible, and wilhed every one- to be ignorant of the place of my refidence, except my friend Collins, to whom I wrote, and who kept my fee ret. An 40 THE LIFE OP An incident however arrived, which fefit me home much foonerthan I hadpropofed. I had a brother-in- law, of the name of Robert Holmes, mailer of a trad- ing* iloop from Bolton to Delaware, Being at New- caitle, forty miles below Philadelphia, he heard of me, and wrote to inform me of the chagrin which my fud- den departure from Bolton had occasioned my parents, and of the affection which they ftill entertained for me, alluring me that, if I would return, every thing ihould headjuiled to my fatisfaclion ; and he was very preil- ing in his entreaties. I anfwered his letter, thanked him for his advice, and explained the reaibns which had induced me to quit Bolton, with fuch force and clearnefs, that he was convinced I had been lefs to blame than he had imagined. Sir William Keith, governor of the province^, was at Newcaille at the time. Captain Holmes, being by chance in his company when he received my letter^ took cccafion to fpeak of me, and (hewed it to him. The governor read it, and appeared furpriied when he learned my age. He thought me, he laid, a young man of very promifing talents, and that of confequence I ought to be encouraged ; that there were at Phila- delphia none but very ignorant printers, and that, if I were to fet up for myfelf, he had no doubt of my iuccefs ; that, for his own part, he would procure me all the public buhnefs, and would render me every other fervice ia his power. My brother-in-law rela- ted all this to me afterwards at Bofton ; but I knew nothing of it at the time ; when one day Keimer and 1 being at work together near the window, we f aw the governor, and another gentleman, Col. French ofNew- caftle, handlbmely drelTed, crofs the ilreet, and make directly for our houfe. We heard them at the door, and Keimer, believing it to be a vilit to himfelf, went immediately down : but the governor inquired for me, came up flairs, and, with a condeicenfion and po- -iltenefs to which 1 had not at all been accuftomed, paid me many compliments, defired to be acquainted with me, obligingly reproached me for not having made my lb If DR, FRANKLIN, 41 myfelf known to him on my arrival in the town, and wifhed me to accompany him to a tavern, where he and Colonel French were going, to tafte Tome excel- lent Madeira wine. I was, I confefs feme what furprifed, and Keimer appeared thunderftruck. I went however with the governor and the colonel to a tavern at the corner of Third-ftreet, where, while we were drinking the Ma-, ; deira, he propofed to me to eftablifli a printing-houfe. He let forth the probabilities of fuccefs, and himfelf and colonel French allured me that I fbould havetherr protection and influence in obtaining the printing of the public papers of both governments ; and as I ap- peared to doubt whether my father would adift me in this enterprife, Sir William laid that he would give me a letter to him, in which he would reprefent the advantages of the fcheme, in a light which he had no doubt would determine him. It was thus concluded that I fhould return to Boftoii by the firft veffel, with the letter of recommendation from the governor to my father. Meanwhile the project w: t s to be kept fecret, and I continued to work for Keimer as before. The governor lent every now and then to invite me to dine with hint. I conildereJ this as a very great bonor ; and I was the more fen Hole of it, as he con- vened wkh me in the mod affable, familiar and friend- ly manner imaginable. Towards the end of April T724, a fmall vefTel was ready to fail for Bolton. I took leave of Keimer, upon the pretext of going to fee my parents. The gover- nor gave me a long letter, in which he {'aid many flat- tering things of me to my father ; and (rrongly recom- mended the project of my fettling at Philadelphia, as a thing which could not. fail to make my fortune. Going down the bay we (truck on a flat, and fprung a leak. The weather was very tempefhious* and we were obliged to pump without intermiilion ; I took my turn. We arrived however fafe and found at Bolton, after ab^nt a fortnight's palfage. I had 42 THE LIFE OF I bad been abfent feven complete months, and my relations during that interval, had received no intelli- gence of me ; for my brother-in-law, Holmes, was not yet returned, and had not written about me. My un- expected appearance furprifed the family ; but they were all delighted at feeing me again, and, except my brother, welcomed me home. I went to him at the printing-office. I was better drefTed than I had ever been while in his fervice : I had a complete fuit of clothes, new and neat, a watch in my pocket, and my purfe was furnifhcd with nearly five pounds fieri! ng in money. He gave me no very civil reception, and having eyed me from head to foot, relumed his work. The workmen aiked me with eagernefs where I had been, what fort of a country it was, and how I liked it. I fpoke in the highdt terms of Philadelphia, the happy life we led there, and expreffed my intention of going back again. One of them afking what fort of money we had, I difplayed before them a handful or filver, which 1 drew from my pocket. Tiiis was a curiolky to which they were not accuflomed, paper being the current money at Bofton. I failed not after this to let them fee my watch ; and at lad, my bro- ther continuing fulien and out of humour, I gave them a [hilling to drink, and took my leave. This vilit (lung my brother to the foul ; for when, fhortly after my mother fpoke to him of a reconciliation, and a de- iire of feeing us upon good terms, lie told her that I had fo infulted him before his men, that he would ne- ver forget or forgive it; in this, however, he was in iff a ken. The governor's letter appeared to excite in my fa- ther Ibme furprife ; but he faid little. After fpjne days, Capt. Holmes being returned, he (hewed it to him, aiking him if he knew Keith, and what fort of a man he was : adding, that in his opinion, it proved very little diicernment to think of letting up a boy in bufinefs, who for three years to come would not be of an age to be ranked in the clafs of men. Holmes faid every thing he could in favour of the fcheme ; but my D R. F R A N K L I N. 43 my father firmly maintained its abfurdity, and at lafi: gave a pofitive refufal. He wrote, however a civil letter to Sir William, thanking him for the protection he had fo obligingly offered me, but refufmg to affift me for the prefent, becaufe he thought me too young to be entrufted with the conduct of fo important an enterprifej and which would require fo confiderable a fum of money. My old comrade Collins, who was a clerk in the pofl-office, charmed with the account I gave of my new refidence, exprefTed a defire of going thither; and while I waited my father's determination, he fet off before me, by land, for Rhode-Iiland, leaving his books, which formed a handfome collection in mathe- matics and natural philofophy, to be conveyed with mine to New-York, where he purpofed to wait for me. My father, though he could not approve Sir Willi- am's propofal, was yet pleafed that I had obtained fo advantageous a recommendation as that of a perfon of his rank, and that my induftry and economy had enabled me to equip myfelf lb handfomely in fo fhort a period. Seeing no appearance of accommodating mat- ters between my brother and me, he contented to my return to Philadelphia, adviled me to be civil to every body, to endeavour to obtain general efteem, and a- void fatire and iarcafm, to which he thought I was too much inclined ; adding, that, with perfeverance and prudent ceconomy, I might by the time I became of age, fave enough to eftabiiih myfelf in bufineis ; and that if a fmall fum mould then be wanting, he would undertake to fupply it. This was all I could obtain from him, except fome' trifling pre fen ts, in token of friendChip from him and my mother. I embarked once more for New-York, fumilhed at this time with their approbation and blef- fing. The (loop having touched at Newport in Rhode- Ifland, I paid a vifit to my brother John, who had for fome years been fettled there, and was married. He had always been attached to me,, and received me with great 44 THE LIFE Of great affection. One of his friends, whofe name was Vernon, having a debt of about thirty fix pounds due to him in Pennfylvania, begged me to receive it for him 5 and keep the money till I lliould hear from him : accordingly he gave me an order for that purpoie. This affair occaiioned me, in the iequel, much uneafi- nefs. At Newport we took on board a number of pafien- gers ; among whom were two young women, and a grave and fenfible quaker lady with her l'ervants. I had fliewn an obliging forwardnefs in rendering the quaker fome trifling iervices, which led her probably, to feel fome interelt in my welfare ; for when Ihe law a familiarity take place, and every day increaie, be- tween the two young women and me, Hie took me afide and laid, " Young man I am in pain for thee. Thou haft no parent to watch over thy conduct, and thou feemeft to be ignorant of the world, and the fnares to which youth is expofed. Rely upon what I tell thee: thofe a;e women ot bad characters : 1 perceive it in all their actions. If then doll not take care, they will lead thee into danger. They are Grangers to thee, and I advife thee, by the friendly intereft I take in thy prefervation, to form no connection with them." As I appeared at run not to think quite lb ill of them as ihe did, (lie related many things Ihe had feen and heard, which had e leaped my attention, but which convinced me Ike was in the right. I thanked her for her obliging advice, and prom i led to follow it. When we arrived at New-York, they informed me where they lodged, and invited me to come and fee them. I did not however go, and it was well I did not ; for the next day, the captain milling a filver ipoon and fome ether things which had been taken from the cabin, and knowing thefe women to be prof- titutes, procured a learch warrant, found the ftolen goods upon them, and had them pimifhed. And thus after having been laved from one rock concealed un- der w,uer, upon which the veiTel (truck during ourpai- fage, DR, FRANKLIN. 45 iage, I efcaped another of a ftill more dangerous na- ture. At New-York I found my friend Collins, who had arrived fome time before. We had been intimate from our infancy, and had read the fame books together ; and he had the advantage of being able to devote mure time to reading and fludy, and an adoniihing difpofi- tion for mathematics, in which he left me far behind him. When at Bofton, I had been aecuftomed to pafs with him almoft all my leifure hours. He was then a fober and indubious lad ; his knowledge had gained him a very general efteem, and he feemed to promife to make an advantageous figure in fociety. But du- ring my abfence, he had unfortunately addicted him- felf to brandy, and I learned, as well from himfelf as from the report of others, that every day fmce his arrival at New-York he had been intoxicated, and had acted in a very extravagant manner. He had alfo played, and loft all his money ; fo that I was obliged to p;jy his expences at the inn, "and to maintain him during the reft of the journey ; a burden that was ve- ry inconvenient to me. The governor of New- York, whofe name was Bur- net, hearing the captain fay that a young man who was a paiTenger in his (hip had a great number of books, begged him to bring me to his houfe. I ac- cordingly went and fliould have taken Collins with me had he been fober. The governor treated me with great civility, (hewed me his library, which was a very confiderable one, and we talked for fome time upon books and authors. This was the fecond governor who had honoured me with his attention ; and to a poor boy, as I then was, thefe little adventures did not fail to be pleafing. We arrived at Philadelphia. On the way I receiv- ed Vernon's money, without which we fhould have been unable to have finifhed our journey. Collins wifhed to get employment as a merchant's clerk; but either his breath or his countenance betray- ed his bad habit j for though he had recommendations D he 4^6 THE LITE OF he met with no fuccefs, and continued to lodge and eat with me, and at my expence. Knowing that I had Vernon's money, he was continually afking me to lend hire fume cf it ; prcmifing to repay me as Too n as he ihould get employment. At laft he had drawn fo much of his money, that I was extremely alarmed at what might become of me, fhould he fail to make good the deficiency. His habit of drinking did not all diminifh, and was a frequent fource of diicord be- tween us; for when he had drank a little too much, he was very headftrong. Being one day in a boat together, on the Delaware with fome other young perfons, he refufed to take his turn in rowing. You fhall row for me, faid he, till we get home. — No, I replied, we will not row forycu —You (hall, faid he, or remain upon the water all flight. — As you pleafe. — Let us row, faid the reft of the company ; what figniries whether he afiifts or not. But, already angry with him for his condud in other refpecls, I periiftedin my refufal. He then (wore that he would make me row, or would throw me out of the boat ; and he made up to me. As loon as he was within my reach I took him by the collar, gave him a violent thruft, and threw him head-foremoft into the river. I knew that he was a good fwimmer, and was therefore under no apprehenfions for his life. Before he could turn himfelf we were able, by a few ftrokes of our oars, to place ourfelves out of his reach ; and whenever he touched the boat, we afked him if he would row, (Iriking his hands with the oars to make him let go his hold. He was nearly fuffocated with rage, but obftinately refufed making any promife to row. Perceiving at length that his ftrength began to be exhaufted, we took him into the boat, and convey- ed him home in the evening, completely drenched. The utmoft. coldnefs fubfifted between us after this adventure. At laft a captain of a Weft-India (hip, who was commiffioned to procure a tutor for the chil- dren of a gentleman at Barbadoes, meeting with Col- Hnsj offered him the place. He accepted it, and took DE, FRANKLIN* 47 his leave of me, promifing to difcbarge the debt he owed me with the firft money he fhould receive ; but I have heard nothing of him fmce. The violation of the trv.fl repofed in me by Vernon, was one of the firft great errors of my life ; and it proves that my father was not miftaken when he fup- pofed me too young to be entrufted with the manage- ment of important affairs,- But Sir William, upon reading his letter thought him too prudent. There was a difference, he faid, between individuals : years of maturity were not always accompanied with diicreti- on, neither was youth in every inftance devoid of it. Since your father, added he will not let you up in bu- finefs, I will do it myfelf. Make out a lift of what will be wanted from England, and I will fend for the articles. You (hall repay me when you can. I am determined to have a good printer here, and I am fure you will fucceed. This was faid with fo much feem- ing cordiality, that I fufpecled not for an inflant the fin* cerityofthe offer. I had hitherto kept the project with which Sir William had infpired me, of fettling in bufmefs at Philadelphia, a fecret, and I ftill continu- ed to do fo. Had my reliance on the governor been known, fome friend, better acquainted with his charac- ter than myfelf, would doubtlefs have advifed me not to trufl him ; for I afterwards learned that he was uni- verfaliy known to be liberal of promifes, which he had no intention to perform. But having never folicited him, how could I fuppofe his offer to be deceitful ? On the contrary I believed him to be the beft man in the world. I gave him an inventory of a fmall printing-office : the expence of which I had calculated at about a hun- dred pounds fterling. He exprefled his approbation ; but aiked if my prefence in England, that I might choofe the characters myfelf, and fee that every ar- ticle was good in its kind, would not be an advantage. You will alio be able, faid he, to form fome acquain- tance there, and eftablifn a correfpondence with ftati- oners and bjckfdlers. This I acknowledged was de- niable 48 THE LIFE OF firable. That being the cafe, added he, hold yourfelf in readinefs to go with the Annis. This was the an- imal veffel, and the only one, at that time, which made regular voyages between the ports of London and Philadelphia, But the Annis was not to fail for iome months. I therefore continued to work with Keimer, unhappy refpeding the fttra which Collins had drawn from me, and almoft in continual agony at the thoughts of Vernon, who fortunately made no demand of his money till feveral years after. In the account of my £rft voyage from Bofton to Philadelphia, I omitted I believe a trifling circum- ftance, which will not perhaps be out of place here. During a calm that fropped us above Block-Iiland, the crew employed themfelves in fiflling for cod, of which they caught a great number. I had hitherto adhered to my refolution of not eating any thing that had poi- fe fled life ; and I confidered on this occ avion, agree- sWy to the maxims of iny mailer Tryon, the capture of every fifh as a fort of murder, committed without provocation, fmce thefe animals had neither done, nor were capable of doing*, the fmallefl: injury to any one that fhould juftify the meafure. This mode of reafon- ing I conceived to be unanfwerable. Meanwhile I had formerly been extremely fond of fifh ; and when of thefe cod was taken out of the frying-pan, I thought its flavour delicious. 1 hefitated fome trntte be- tween principle and inclination, till at laft recollecting, that when the cod had been opened, feme final! fifh were found in its belly, I faid to myfelf if you eat one another. I fee no reafon why we may not eat yon. I accordingly dined on the cod with no fmali degree of pleafure, and have fmce continued to eat like the reft of mankind, returning only occafionally to my ve- getable plan. How convenient does it prove to be a rational animal, that knows how to find or invent a plaufible pretext for whatever it has an inclination to do ! I continued to live upon good terms with Keener, "who had not the fmallefl fufpicion of my projected efta- blifhmeht DR. FRANKLIN - . 49 blifhment. He ftiil retained a portion of bis former cnthufiafm ; and being fond of argument we frequently difputed together. I was fo much in the habit of ufing my Socratic method, and had fo frequently puzzled him by my queitions, which appeared at firft very diftant from the point in debate, yet nevertheless led to it by degrees, involving him in difficulties and contradicti- ons from which he was unable to extricate himfelf, that he became at lad ridiculoufly cautious, and would fcarcely anfwer the mod plain and familiar quellion without previously afking me — What would you infer from that ? Hence he formed fo high an opinion of my talents for refutation, that he ferioufly propofed to me to become his colleague in the eflablifhment of a new religious feci. He was to propagate the doctrine by preaching, and I to refute every opponent, When he explained to me his tenets, I found many abfurdities which I refufed to admit, unlefs he would agree in turn to adopt fome of my opinions. Keimer wore his beard long, Becaufe Moles had fome/vvhere faid, Thou sbalt not mar the comers of thy beard. He likewiie oblerves the Sabbath ; and theie were with him two very elTential points, I difliked them both ; but I confented to adopt them, provided he would ab- llain from animal food. I doubt, faid he, whether my confritution will be able to fupport it. I allured him on the contrary, that he would find himfelf the better for it. He was naturally a glutton, and I v, ifhed to am nfe myfelf by ftarving him. He confented to make trial of this regimen, if I would bear him company ; and in reality we continued it for three months. A woman in the neighbourhood prepared and brought us our victuals, to whom I gave a lift of forty difhes ; in the coinpofition of which there entered neither fleih nor fim. This fancy was the more agreeable to me, as it turned to good account ; for the whole expence of our living did not exceed for each eighteen-pence a week. I have fmce that period obferved feveral Lents with reateft itriclnefs, and have fuddenly returned again inary diet, without experiencing the fmallefr. inconvenience ; D2 50 THE LIFE OF inconvencience ; which has led me to regard as of n<> importance the advice commonly given of introducing^ gradually fuch alterations of regimen, I continued it cheerfully ; but poor Keimer fuffered terribly. Tired of the project, he fighed for the flefli pots of Egypt. At length he ordered a roaft pig, and invited me and two of our female acquaintance to dine with him ; but the pig being ready a little too foon, he could not refill the temptation, and eat it all up be- fore we arrived. During the circumftances I have related, I had paid fome attention to Mil's Read. I entertained for her the utmoft erteem and affection ; and I had reafon to believe that thefe lentiments were mutual. But we were both young, fcarcely more than eighteen years of age ; and as I was on the point of undertaking along voyage, her mother thought it prudent to prevent mat- ters being carried too far for the prefent, judging that if marriage was our object, there would be more pro- priety in it after my return, when, as at leaft I expect- ed, I fhould be eftablilhed in my bufinefs. Perhaps alfo (lie thought that my expectations were not fo well- founded as I imagined. My moft intimate acquaintance at this time were Charles Ofborne, Jofeph Watfon, and James Ralph ; young men who were all fond of reading. The two iirft were clerks to Mr. Charles Brockdon, one of the principal attornies in the town, and the other clerk to a merchant. Watfon was an upright, pious and ienfi- ble young man: the others were fomewhac more loofe in their principles of religion, particularly Ralph, whoie faith, as well as that of Collins, I had contribu- ted to fhake ; each of whom made me fuffer a veiy adequate punifhment. Ofborne was fenfible, and fin- cere and affectionate in his friewdlhips, but too much inclined to the critic in matters of literature. Ralph was ingenious and mrewd, genteel in his addrefs, and extremely eloquent. I do not remember to have met with a more agreeable fpeaker. They were both ena- moured DR, FRANKLIN. §1 moured of the mules, and had already evinced their paflion by fome fmall poetical productions. It was a ctiftoTO with us to take a charming walk on Sundays, in the woods that border on the Schuylkill. Kere we read together, and afterwards converted on what we read. Ralph was difpofed to give himfelf up entirely to poetry. He flattered himfelf that he fhould arrive at great eminence in the art, and even acquire a fortune* The fublimeft poets, he pretended, when they firft began to write, committed as many faults as himfelf. Ufborne endeavoured to diiTuade him from it, by affuring him that he had no genius for poetry, and advifed him to ftick to the trade, in which he had been brought up. In the road of commerce, fa id he, you will be fure, by diligence and afliduii; , though you have no capital, of fo far fucceeding as to be em- ployed as a factor, and may thus, in time, acquire the means of fetting up foryourfelf. I concurred in thefe fentiments, but at the fame time exprefTed my appro- bation of amufmg ourfelves fometimes with poetry, with a view to improve our ftyle. In confequerxe of this it was propofed, that, at our next meeting, each of us fhould bring a copy of verfes of his own compo- fition. Our object in this competition was to benefit each other by our mutual remarks, criticifms, and cor- rections ; and as ftyle and expreiTion were all we had in view, we excluded every idea of invention, by a- greeing that our tafk fhould be a verfiop of the eigh- teenth Pfalm, in which is defcribed the defcent of the Deity. The time of our meeting drew near, when Ralph called upon me, and told me his piece was ready. I informed him that I had been idle, and, not much li- king the talk, had done nothing. He fhevved me his piece, and aiked what I thought of it. I exprelTed myfelf in terms of warm approbation ; becaufe it real- ly appeared to have confiderable merit. He then laid, Ofoorne will never acknowledge the fmallePt degree of excellence in any production of mine. Envy alone dic- tates 52 THE LIFE OF tatesto him a thoufand animadverfions. Of you he is not fo jealous. I wi.fll therefore you would take the verfes, and produce them as your own. I will pretend not to have had leiiure to write any thing. We fhall then fee in what manner he will fpeak of them. I agreed to this little artifice, and immediately tranfcri- bed the verfes to prevent all fufpicion. We met. Watfon's performance was the flrfi: that was read. It had fome beauties, but many faults. We next read Ofborne's, which was much better. Ralph did it juftice, remarking a few imperfections, and ap- plauding fuch parts as were excellent. He had him- felf nothing to fhow. It was now my turn. I made fome difficulty ; feemed as if I wifhed to be excufed ; pretended that I had had no time to make corrections,. Sec. No excufe, however, was admiilible, and the piece muft be produced. It was read and' re-read. Watfon and Ofborne immediately refigned the palm, and united in applauding it. Ralph alone made a few remarks, and propofed fome alterations ; but I defend- ed my text. Ofborne agreed with me, and told Ralph he was no more able to criticife than he was able to write. When Ofborne was alone with me, he exprelTed himfelf lull more ftrongly in favour of what he cenfi- dered as my performance. He pretended that he had put fome reftraint on himfelf before, apprehenfive of my conflruing his commendation into flattery. But who would have fuppofed, fa id he, Franklin to be ca- pable of fuch a ccmpofition ? What painting, what energy, what fire 1 He has iurpaiTed the original. In his common converfation he appears not to have choice of words ; he hcfiiates, and is at a lofs ; and yet, good God how he writes : At our next meeting Ralph discovered the trick we had played Ofborne, who was rallied without mercy. By this adventure Ralph was fixed in his refolution of becoming a pcet. 1 left nothing unattempted to divert him from his purpofe ; but he perievered, till at Lift DR. FRANKLIN. 53 laft the reading of Pope* eftefxed his cure : he became, however a very tolerable prole writer. I fhall fpeak more of him hereafter; but as I fhall probably have no farther occafion to mention the other two, I ought to obferve here, that Watfon died a few years after in my arms. He was greatly regretted ; for he was the beffc of our fociety. Ofborne went to the iflands, where he gained confiderahle reputation as a barfifter, and was getting money ; but he died young 1 . We had feriouf- ly engaged, that whoever died ftrft fhould return if poffible, and pay a friendly viiit to the iurvivor, to give him an account of the other world ; but he has never fulfilled his engagement. The governor appeared to be fond of my company* and frequently invited me to his houfe. He always fpoke of his intention of fettling me in > as a point that was decided. I was to take with me letters of recommendation to a number of friends ; a..d par- ticularly a letter of credit, in order to obtain the necef- &ry funi for the purchafe of my pre is, types and p He appointed various times for me to ccm? for thefe letters, which would certainly be ready ; and when I came, always put me ofF to another day. Thefe iucceilive delays continued till the veiTel wliofe departure had been feveral times deferred, was on the point of fetting fall: when I again went to Sir Wil- liam's houfe, to receive my letters, and take leave of him. I law Ins fecretary, Dr. Bard, who told me that the governor was extremely bnfy writing, but that he would be down at Newcaftle before the veffel, and that the letters would be delivered to me there. Ralph, though he was married and had a child, de- termined to accompany me in this voyage. His object was * Probably the Dune i ad, where we find him thus im- mortalized by the author : Silence, ye tvofoes, while Ralph to Cynthia bowls. And makes night hideous ; answer him, ye owls ! 54 THE LIFE OF was fuppofed to be the eftablifliing a correfpondence with fome mercantile houfes, in order to fell goods by com million ; but I afterwards learned, that having rea- fon to be diiTatisfied with the parents of his wife, he propofed to himfelf to leave her on their hands and ne- ver return to America again. Having taken leave of my friends, and interchanged promifes of fidelity with Mils Read, I quitted Phila- delphia. At NewcafUe the veffel came to anchor. The governor was arrived, and I went to his lodgings. His fecretary received me with great civility, told me on the part of the governor that he could not fee me then, as he was engaged in affairs of the utmoft impor- tance, but that he would fend the letters on board, and that he wifhed me with all his heart, a good voyage and fpeedy return. I returned fomcwhit aftonifhed to the fhip, but flill without entertaining the flighted fufpicioB. Mr. Hamilton, a celebrated barrifter of Philadel- phia, had taken a paffage to England for himfelf and his fon, and, in conjunction with Mr. Denham a qua-- ker, and MeiTrs. Oniam and Ruffel, proprietors of a forge in Maryland, had agreed for the whole cabin, io that Ralph and I were obliged to take up our lodging with the crew. Being unknown to every body in the (hip, we were looked upon as the common order of peo- ple : but Mr. Hamilton and his £on (it was James, who was afterwards governor) left us at Newcaflle, and returned to Philadelphia, where he was recalled, at a very great expence, to plead the caufe of a veiTel that had been feized ; and juft as we were about to fail, colonel French came on board, and (hewed me many civilities. The palTengers upon this paid me more attention, and I was invited, together with my friend Ralph, to occupy the place in the cabin which the return of the Mr. Hamiltons had made vacant; an offer which we very readily accepted. Having learned that the difpatches of the governor had been brought on board by colonel French. I afk- ed the captain for the letters that were to be entrufUd to D R. F R A NK L 1 N. 55 to my care. He told me that they were all put to- gether in the bag, which he could not open at prefent ; but before we reached England, he would give me an opportunity of taking them out. I was fatisfied with this anfwer, and we purfued our voyage. The company in the cabin were all very fcciable, and we were perfectly well off as to provifions, as we had the advantage of the whole of Mr. Hamilton's, who had laid in a very plentiful flock. During the pafTage Mr. Denham contracted a friendship for me, which ended only with his life : in other ref peels the voyage was by no means an agreeable one, as we had much bad weather. When we arrived in the river, the captain was as good as his word, and allowed me to fearch the bag for the governor's letters. I could not find a fingle one with my name written on it, as committed to my care ; but I felecled fix or feven, which I judged from the direction to be thofe that were intended for me ; particularly one to Mr. Bafket the king's printer, and another to a ftationer, who was the firfl: perfon I tailed upon. I delivered him the letter as coming from go- vernor Keith. " I have no acquaintance (laid he) u with any fuch perfon ;" and opening the letter, "Oh " it is from Riddlefden I" he exclaimed. " I have M lately discovered him to be a very arrant knave, and " I wifli to have nothing to do either with him or his " letters." He inftantly put the letter in my hand, turned upon his heel* and left me to ferve fome cus- tomers. I was afbnifhed at finding thefe letters were not from the governor. Reflecting, and putting circum- fiances together, I then began to doubt his finceritv. I rejoined my friend Denham, and related the whole affair to him. He let me at once into Keith's cha- racter, told me there was not the lean: probability of his having written a fingle letter ; that no one who knew him ever placed any reliance on him, and laugh- ed at my credulity,jn fuppofing that the governor would give me a letter or credit, when he had no credit for himfelf. $6 THE LIFE OP himfelf. As I (hewed fome uneafmefs refpe&ing what fiep I (hoiild take, he advifed me to try to get employ- ment in the boufe of feme printer. You may there, faid he, improve yourfelf in bufinefs, and you will be able to fettle yourfelf the more advaivtageoufly when you return to America. We knew already, as well as the nationer, attorney Riddlefden to be a knave. He had nearly ruined the father of Mrs. Redd, by drawing him in to be his fe- curity. We learned from his letter that he was fe- eretly carrying on an intrigue, in concert with the go- vernor, to the prejudice of Mr. Hamilton, who it was fuppofed would by this time be in Europe. Denham, who was Hamilton't friend, was of opinion that he ought to be made acquainted with it ; and in reality the inflant he arrived in England, which was very foon after, I waited on him, and, as much from good- will to him as from refentment againft the governor, put the letter into his hands. He thanked me very iincerely, the information it contained being of confe- quence to him ; and from that moment bellowed on me his friend (hip, which afterwards proved on many occaGons ferviceable to me. But what are we to think of a governor who could play fo icurvy a trick, and thus grofely deceive a poor young lad, wholly deftitute of experience? It was a practice with him. Wifhing to pleafe every body, and having little to beftow, he was laviih of promifes. He was in other refpedts fen£bie and judicious, a very to- lerable writer,: and a good governor for the people ; though not fo for the proprietaries, whofe initructions he frequently difregarded. Many of our beft laws were his work, and eftablilhed during his admimftra- tion. Ralph and I were infeparable companions. We took a lodging together at three-and-nxpence a week, which was as much as we could afford. He met with fome relation in London, but they were poor, and not able to afuft him. He now, for the nift time, in ! formed me of his intention to remain in England, and that DR, FRANKLIX. 57 that he had no thoughts of ever returning to Philadel- phia. He was totally without money ; the little he had been able to raiie having barely fufficed for his paffage. I had dill fifteen piftoles remaining ; and to me he had from time to time recourfe, while he tried to get employment. At firft believing himfelf poflefled of talents for the ftage he thought of turning actor ; but Wilkes, to whom he applied, frankly advifed him to renounce the idea, as it was impoffible to fucceed. He next pro- poied to Roberts, a bookfeller in Paternofter-Row, to write a weekly paper in the manner of the fpedtator, upon terms, to which Roberts would not liften. Laft- ly he endeavoured to procure employment as a copyift, and applied to the lawyers and ftationers about the Temple ; but he could find no vacancy. As to myfelf I immediately got engaged at Pal- mer's, at that time a noted printer in Bartholomew Gloie, with whom I continued nearly a year. I appli- ed very adiducuily to my work; but I expended with Ralph almoll all that I earned. Plays and other places of amufement which we frequented together, having exhaufted my piftoles, we lived after this from hand to mouth. He appeared to have en- tirely forgotten his wife and child, as I alio by de- grees forgot my engagements with Mils Read, to whom I never wrote more thau one letter, and that merely to inform her that I was not likely to return foon. This was another grand error of my life, whicli I fhould be deilrous of correcting wegs I to begin my career again. I was employed at Palmer's on the fecond edition of Woolafton's Religion of Nature. Some of his argu- ments appearing to me not to be well founded, I wrote a fmall metaphyseal treatife, in which I animadverted 0:1 thole paffages. It was entitled a Diflertation on Liberty and neceffity, Pleafure and Pain. I dedica- ted it to my friend Ralph, and printed a fmall number of copies. Palmer upon this treated me with more con- fide! ation, and regarded me as a young man of talents; though E 58 T HE L I F E F though he ferioufly took me to tafk for the principles of my pamphlet, which he looked upon as abominable* The printing of this book was another error of my life. While I lodged in Little Britain I formed acquain- tance with a bookfeller of the name of Wilcox, whofe ihop was next door to me. Circulating libraries were not then in ufe. He had an immenfe collection of books of all forts. We agreed that, for a reafonable retribution, of which I have now forgotten the price, I fliould have free accefs to his library, and take what books I pleafed, which I was to return when I had read them. I confidered this agreement as a very great advantage ; and I derived from it as much be- nefit as was in my power. My pamphlet failing into the hand of a furgeon, of the name of Lyons, author of a book entitled Infalli- bility of Human Judgment, was the occafion of a con- fiderable intimacy between us. He expreffed great efleem for me, came frequently to fee me, in order to converfe upon metaphyseal fubjects, and introduced me to Dr. Mandeyill, author of the Fable of Bees, who who had inftituted a club at a tavern in Cheaplide, of which he was the foul : he was a facetious and very amufmg character. He alfo introduced me, at Baf- ton's coffee-houfe, to Dr. Pemberton who promifed to give me an opportunity of feeing Sir Ifaac Newton, which I very ardently defired ; But he never kept his word. I had brought fome curiofities with me from Ame- rica ; the principal of which was a purfe made of af- beitos, which fire only purifies. Sir Hans Sloane hear- ing of it, called upon me, and invited me to his houfe in Bloomibury fquare, where, after [hotting me every- thing that was curious, he prevailed on me to add this piece to his colleclion ; for which he paid me very handfomely. There lodged in the fame houfe with us a young woman, a milliner, who had a (hop by the (ide of the exchange. Lively and fenfible, and -having received an DR. FRANKXI N. 59 an education fume what above her rank, her converfa- tion was very agreeable. Ralph read plays to her eve- ry evening. They became intimate. She took ano- ther lodging, and he followed her. They lived for ibme time together; but Ralph being without employ- ment, flie having a child, and the profits of her buli- nefs not lufRcing for the maintenance of three, he re- folded to quit London and try a country fchool. This was a plan in which he thought himfelf likely to fuc- ceed, as he wrote a fine hand and was verfcd in arith- metic and accounts. B.it confide ring the office as be- neath him, and expecting feme day to make a better figure in the wcild, when he mould be alhamed of its g known that he had exercifed ?. ., io little honorable, he changed his name and did me the ho- nour of a (Turning mine. Ke wrote to me foon after his departure, informing me that he was fettled at a fmall village in Bcrkfliire. In his letter he lecom- • isended Mrs. T***, the milliner to my care, and requeu- ed an anfver, directed to Mr. Franklin; fch ool mailer at N***. Ke continued to write to me frequently, fending me large fragments of an epic poem he was compet- ing, and which he requeued me to criticife and correct. I did [o^ but not without endeavouring to prevail on him to renounce this purfuit. Young had juft pub- lished one on his Satires. I copied and lent him a great part of it ; in which the author demonftrates the folly of cultivating the Mufes, from the hope, by their iuftrumentality, of riling in the world. It was all to no purpofe ; paper after paper of his poem continued to arrive every pott. Meanwhile Mrs. T*** having loft, on his account, both her friends and her bufmefs, was frequently in diftrefs. In this dilemma (he had recourfe tome; and to extricate her from her difficulties, I lent her all the money I could fpare. 1 felt a little too much fond- nefs for her. Having at that time no ties of religion, and taking advantage of her neceflitous fituation, 1 attempted liberties (another error of my life) which /he repelled 60 THE LIFE OF repelled with becoming indignation. She informed Ralph of my conduct ; and the affair occafioned a breach between us. When he returned to London, he gave me to underftand that he confidered all the obli- gations he owed me as annihilated by this proceeding ; whence I concluded that I was never to expect the payment of what money I had lent him, or advanced on his account. I was the lefs afflicted at this, as he was unable to pay me ; and as, by loiing his friendfliip, I was relieved at the fame time from a very heavy bur- den. I now began to think of laying by fome money. The printing- houfe of Watts, near Lincoln's Inn- Field?, being a (till more considerable one than that in which I worked, it was probable I might find it more advantageous to be employed there. I offered myfelf, and was accepted ; and in this houfe I continued dur- ing the remainder of my flay in London. On my entrance I worked- at firft as a preffman con- ceiving that I bad need of bodily exercife, to which I had been accuftomed in America, where the printers v.ork alternately as compoiitors and at the prefs. I drank nothing but water. The other workmen, to the number of about fifty, were great drinkers of beer. I carried occasionally a large form of letters in each hand, up and down flairs, while the re It employed both hands to carry one. They were furprifed to fee, by this and y other examples, that the American Aquatic, as they ufed to call me, was Stronger than thole who drank porter. The beer boy had Sufficient employment dur- ing the whole day in Serving that houfe alone. My fellow-preffmen drank every day a pint of beer before Lreakfafr, a pint with bread and cheefe for bieakfaft, one between breakfaft and dinner, one at dinner, one again about fix o'clock in the afternoon, and another after he had anifhed his day's woik. This cuftom ap- peared to me abominable ; but he had need, he faid, of all this beer, in oider to acquire flrength to work. I endeavoured to convince him that bodily Strength furniShed by the beer, could only be in proportion to the DR. FRAN K L I N. 6% the folid part of the barley diffolved in the water of which the beer was compofed ; that there was a larger portion of flour in a penny loaf, and that confequent- ly if he eat this loaf, and drank a pint of water with it, he would derive more (trength from it than from a pint of beer. This reaibning, however, did not pre- vent him from drinking his accudomed quantity of beer, and paying every Saturday night a fcore of four or five (hillings a week for this curled beverage ; an expence from which I was wholly exempt. Thus do thefe poor devils continue all their lives in a date of voluntary wretchednefs and poverty. At the end of a few weeks, Watts having occafion for me above (lairs as a compolitor, I quitted the prels. The compofitors demanded of me garnifh money afrefli. This I confidered as an impofition, having already paid below. The matter was of the fame opinion, and delired me not to comply. I thus remained two or three weeks out of the fraternity. I was confequently looked upon as excommunicated ; and whenever I was> abfent, no little trick that malice could fugged was left unpra&ifed upon me. I found my letters mixed, my pages tranfpoied, my matter broken. Sec. &c. all which was attributed to the fpirit that haunted the chapel,* and tormented thofe who were not regularly admitted. I was at lad obliged to fubmit to pay not- withflanding the piote&iou of the mader ; convinced of the folly of not keeping up a good undemanding with thofe among whom we are dedined to live. After this I lived in the utmod harmony with my fellow-labourers, and foon acquired confiderable influ- ence among them. I propofed force alterations in the laws cf the chapel, which I carried without oppofjtion. My example prevailed with feveral of them to renounce their abominable practice of bread and cheefe with beer ; * Printing bouses in general are thus denominated by the ivorhnen; the fpirit tbey call by the name of "alph. 62 THE LIFE OF beer ; and they procured, like me, from a neighbour- ing houfe, a good baibn of warm giuel, ifi which was a imall flice of butter, with toafted bread and nutmeg. This was a much better breakfait, which did not coif more than a pint of beer, namely, three-halfpence, and at the fame time preferved the head clearer. Thole who continued to gorge themfelves with beer, often loft their credit with the publican, from neglecting to pay their fcore. They had then recourfe to me, to become fecurity for them ; their light, as they ufedto call it, being out. I attended at the pay-table every Saturday evening, to take up the little fum which I had made myfelf anfwerable for ; and which fometimes amounted to nearly thirty millings a week. This circumftance, added to my reputation of being a tolerable good gabber, or, in other words, ikilful in the art of burlefque, kept up my importance in the chapel. I had belides recommended myfelf to the ef- teem of my matter by my affiduous application to bu- iinefs never obferving Saint Monday. My extraoidi- nary quicknefs in compofing always procured me fuch Work as was moft urgent, and which is commonly bell: paid; and thus my time paffed away in a very plea- iant manner. My lodging m Little Britain being too far from the printing-houie, I took another in Duke ftreet, cppofite the Roman Chapel. It was at the back of an Italian warehoufe. The houfe was kept by a widow, who had a daughter, a fervant, and a (hop boy ; but the latter ilept out of the houfe. After fending to the people with whom I had lodged in Little Britain, to enquire into my character, Hie agreed to take me in at the fame price, three and fixpence a week ; contenting herfelf, (he faid, with fo little, becaufe of the fecurity flie would derive, as they were all women, from having a man lodge in the houfe. She was a woman rather advanced in life, the daugh- ter of a clergyman. She had been educated aPro- tcftant ; but her hufband, whofe memory (he highly revered, had converted her to the Catholic religion. She DR. F R A NKLI tf . 6$ She bad lived in habits of intimacy with perfons ofdif- tindion ; *of whom Ihe knew various anecdotes as far back as the time of Charles II. Being fubjed to fits of the gout which often confined her to her room,, ihe was ibmetimes difpofed to fee company. Her's was fo amufing to me that I was glad to pais the evening with her as often as (lie defired it. Oar fupper confided on- ly of half an anchovy a-piece, upon a dice of bread and butter, with half a pint of ale between us. But the entertainment was in her conversation. The early hours I kept, and the little trouble I cc- cafioned in the family, made her loath to part with me ; and when I mentioned another lodging I had fou nearer the printing-hcufe, at two {hillings a week, which fell in with my plan of faving, (lie perfuaded me to give it up, making herfelf an abatement cf two {hillings ; and thus I continued to lodge with her, du- ring the remainder of my abode in London, at eighteen pence a week. In the garret of the houfe there lived, in the mofl: retired manner, a lady feventyjyears of age, of w horn I received the following account from my landlady. She was a Roman Ghatholic. In her early years ihe had been lent to the continent, and entered a convent with the deiign of becoming a nun ; but the climate net agreeing with her confritution, fne was obliged to re- turn to England, where, as there was no mona(leries r fne made a vow to lead a monadic life, in as rigid a manner as circumfiances would permit. She accord- ingly diipofed of all her property, to be applied to cha- ritable uies, reierving to herfelf only twelve pounds a year; and of this fmall pittance (he gave a part to the poor, living on water-gruel, and never making ufe of fie but to boil it. She h^d lived in this garret a great many years, without paying rent to the. fucceffive Ca- tholic inhabitants that had kept the houfe ; who indeed confidered her abode with them as ablefiing. A piieft came every day to confefs her. I have aiked her, faid my landlady, how, living as (he did, fne could find fo much employment for a cenfeffor ? To which (lie an- fwered, that it was impoiiible to avoid vain thoughts. I was 64 THE LIFE OF I was once permitted to vifit her. She was cheerful and polite, and her cqnverfation agreeable. Her a- partmentwas neat; bat the whole furniture confided of a mattrafs, a table, on which were a crucifix and book, a chair, which flic gave me to fit on, and over the man- tle-piece a pieiure of St. Veronica, diiplaying her hand- kerchief, on which was feen the miraculous impreffi- on of the face of Chrifr, which Ihe explained to me with great gravity. Her countenance was pale, but (lie had never experienced ficknefs ; and I may adduce her as another proof how little is fufficient to maintain life and health. At the priming-houfe I contracted an intimacy with afenfible young man of the name of Wygate, who, as his parents were in good circumftances, had received a better education than is common among printers- He was a tolerable Latin fcholar, fpoke French fluent- ly, and was fond of reading. I taught him, as,well as a friend of his, to fwini, by taking them twice only into the river; after which they flood in need of no farther afliftance. We one day made a party to go by water to Chelfea, in order to fee the College, and Don Sol- tero's curiofities. On our return, at the requefr of the company, whole curiofity Wygate had excited, I un- d relied myielf and leaped into the river. I fw.am from near Chelfea the whole way to Blackfriars Bridge, ex- hibiting during my couife, a variety of feats of activi- ty and addrefs, both upon the furface of the water, as well as under it. This fight occaiioned much afton- ifhment and pleafure to thoie to whom it was new. In my youth I took great delight in this exercife. I knew, and could execute, all the evolutions and por- tions of Thevenct ; and I added to them fome of my o.vn invention, in which I endeavoured to unite grace- fulnefs and utility. I took a pleafure in displaying them all on this occafion, and was highly flattered with the admiration they excited. Wygate bcfides his being defirous of perfecting him- felf in this art, was the more attached tome from their being, in other reipetts, a conformity in cur tafles and ftudies D H. FRANKLIN. 65 ftudies. He at length propofed to me to make the tour of Europe with him, maintaining' ourfelves at the fame time by working at our profeflion. I was on the point of conferring, when I mentioned it to my friend Denham, with whom I was glad to pafs an hour whenever I had leifure. He diiTuaded me from the project, and advifed me to return to Philadelphia, which he was about to do himfelf. I muft relate in this place a trait of this worthy man's character. He had formerly been in bufinefs at Briftol, but failing, he compounded with his creditors, and depart- ed for America, where, by afliduous application as a merchant, he acquired in a few years a very considera- ble fortune. Returning to England in the fame vef- fel with myfclf, as I have related above, he invited all his old creditors to a feaft. When afiemhled, he thank- ed them for the readir:efs with which they had receiv- ed bis fmall competition ; and, while they expected nothing more than a fimple entertainment, each found under his plate when it came to be removed, a draft upon a banker for the refidue of his debt with intcreft. He told me it was his intention to carry back with him to Philadelphia a grent quantity of goods, in or- der to open a ftore ; and he offered to take me with him in the capacity of clerk, to keep his books, in which he would initrudl me, copy letters, and fuperin- tend the ftore. He added, that, as foon as I had ac- quired a knowledge of mercantile trail factions, he would improve my fituation, in fending me with a cargo of corn and flour to the American iilands, and by procuring me other lucrative com million s : fo that, with good management and ceconomy, I might in time begin bufinefs with advantage for mylelf. I relifhed thefe propofals. London began to tire me ; the agreeable hours I had paffed at Philadelphia preiented themfelves to my mind, and I wilhedto fee them revive, I confequently engaged myfelf to Mr. Denham, at a falary of fifty pounds a year. This was indeed leis than I earned as a compolitorj but then I had 66 THELIFEOP had a much fairer profpeft. I took leave, therefore, as I believed forever, of printing, and gave myfelCup en- tirely to my new occupation, fpending all my time ei- ther in going from houfe to houfe with Mr. Denham to purchafe goods, or in packing them up, or in expediting the workmen, &x. Sec. When every thing however was on board, I had at lad a few days leiftlre. During this interval, I was one day fen.t for by a gentleman, whom I knew only by name. It was Sir William Wyndham. I went to his houfe. He had by fome means heard of my performances between Chelfea and Blackfriars, and that I had taught the art of fwimmirsg to Wygate and another young man in the courfe of a few hours. His two ions were on the point of fetting out on their travels; he was defirous that they (hould previoufly learn to fwim, and offered me a vciy liberal reward if I would undertake to in- struct them. They were not yet arrived in town, and the ftay I (hould make myfelf was uncertain ; I could not therefore accept his propofal. I was led however to fuppofe from this incident* that if I had wifhed to re- main in London and open a fwimming-ichool I (hould perhaps have gained a great deal of money. This idea (truck me fo forcibly, that, had the offer been made fooner, I (hould have difmiffed the thought of return- ing as yet to America. Some years after, you and I had a more important bufinefs to fettle with one of the foils of Sir William Wyndham, then Lord Egre- mont. But let us not anticipate events. I thus pafTed about eighteen months in London, working alm.)fl without interm flion at my trade, a- voidingall expence on my own account, except going now and then to the play and purchafing a few books. But my friend Ralph kept me poor. He owed me about twenty-feven pounds, which was fo much mo- ney lott : and when confidered as taken from my lit- tle favings, was a very great fum. I had notwith- standing this a regard for him, as he poffeffed many amiable qualities. But though I had djue nothing for myfelf DR. FRANKLIN. 6j myfdf in point of fortune, I had in ere a fed my (lock of knowledge, either by the many excellent books I bad read, or the converfation of learned and literary perfons with whom I was acquainted. We failed from Gravefend the 23d of July 1726. For the incidents of my voyage I refer you to my Journal, where you will find all the circumftances mi- nutely related. We landed at Philadelphia on the nth of the following October. Keith had been deprived of his office of governor, and was fucceeded by Major Gordon. I met him walking in the ftreets as a private individual. He ap- peared a little afhamed at feeing me, but paffed on without faying any thing. I ihcukl have been equally afhamed myfelf at meet- ing Mils Read, had nor: her family, juftly despairing of my return after reading my letter, advifed her to give me up, and marry a potter, of the name of Ro- gers ; to which (he contented: but he never made her happy, and (he foon feparated from him, refufing to cohabit with him, or even bear his name, on account of a report which prevailed, of his having another wife- His fkill in his proftllion had feduced Mils Read's pa- rents ; but he was as bad a fttbjedl as he was excellent as a workman. Ke involved himielf in debt, and Med, in the year 1727 or 1728, to the Wed Indies, where he died, During my abfence Keimer had taken a more con- fiderable houie, in which he kept a (hop, that was well iupplied with paper, and various other articles. He had procured fome new types, and a number of work- men ; among whom, however there was not one who was good for any thing ; and he appeared not to want bufinefs. Mr. Denham took a warehoufe in Water-ftreet, where we exhibited our commodities. I applied my- felf clcfely, iludied account?, and became in a fnort time very expert in trade. We lodged and eat together. He was fmcerely attached to me, and acted towards jne as if he had been my father. On my fide, I re- fpecled 68 THELIFEOF fbected and loved him. My fituation was happy ; but it was a happinefs of no long duration. Early in February 1727, when I entered into my twenty-fecond year, we were both taken ill. I was attacked with a pleurify, which had nearly carried me off; I fuffered terribly, and confide led it as all over with me. I felt indeed a fort of disappointment when. I found myielf likely to recover, and regretted that I had ftill to experience, fooner or later, the fame dif- agreeable fcene again. I have forgotten what was Mr. Denham's diforder; but it was a tedious one, and he at lair, funk under it. He left me a frnall legacy in his will, as a teflimony of his friendihip ; and I was once more abandoned to myielf in the wide world, the warehoufe being confi- ded to the care of the teilamentary executor, who dif- HlifTed me. Wly brother-in-law, Holmes, who happened to be at Philadelphia, adviied me to return to my former pro- feifion ; and Keimer offered me a very confiderable fa- lary if I would undertake the management of his print- ing-office, that he might devote himfelf entirely to the fuperintendance of his {hop. Kis wife and relations in London had given me a bad character of him ; and I was loath, for the prefent, to have any concern with him. lendeavouied to get employment as a clerk to a merchant ; but not readily finding a iituation, I was induced to accept Keimer's propofal. The following were the perlbns I found in his print? ing-houfe; Hugh Meredith a Pennfylvanian, about thirty-five years of age. He had been brought up to husbandry, was honeil, fenfible, had fome experience, and was fond of reading ; but too much addicted to drinking. Stephen Potts, a young ruftic, juft broke from fchool, and of rullic education, with endowments rather above the common order, and a competent portion of under- (landing and gaiety ; but little idle. Keimer had en- gaged thefe two at very low wages, which he had pro- miied to raiie every three months a (billing a week, provided DR. FRANKLIN, 69 provided their improvement in the typographical art mould merit it. This future increaie of wages was the bait he made uleof to enfnare them. Meredith was to work at the prefs, and Potts to bind books, which he had engaged to teach them, though he underftood nei- ther himfelf. John Savage, an Irifhman, who had been brought up to no trade, and whole fervice, for a period of four years, Keimer had purchafed of the captain of a Ihip. He was alfo to be a preflman. George Webb an Oxford fcholar, whofe time he had in like manner bought for four years, intending him for a compofitor. I (hall fpeak more of him pre- fently. Laftly, David Harry, a country lad, who was ap- prenticed to him. I loon perceived that Keimer's intention, in engag-- ing me at a price fo much above what he was accuf- tomed to give, was, that might form all thefe raw journeymen and apprentices, who fcarcely colt him any thing, and who, being indentured, would as loon as they (hould be iuniciently in (trucked, enabled him to do without me* I neverthelefs adhered to my agreement. I put the office in order, which was in the utmoft con- fuiion, and brought his people by degrees, to pay at- tention to their work, and to execute it iw a more maf- terly manner. It was lingular to fee an Oxford fcholar in the con- dition of a purchafed fervant. He was not more than eighteen years of age ; and the following are the par- ticulars he gave me of himfelf. Born at Gloucefler, he had been educated at a grammar fchool, and had diC. tinguifhed himfelf among the fcholars by his fuperior itvle of acting, when they reprefented dramatic per- formances. He was member of a literary club in the town ; and fome pieces of his compofition, in profe as well as in verfe, had been inferted in the Gloucefler papers. From hence he was fent to Oxford, where he remained about •a year : but he was not contented, and wiflied above all F 70 THE LIFE OF all things to fee London, and become an actor. At length having received fifteen guineas to pay his quar- ter's board, he decamped with the money from Oxford, hid his gown in a hedge, and travelled to London. There, having no friend to direct him he fell into bad company, foon fquandered his fifteen guineas, could find no way of being introduced to the adors, became contemptible, pawned his clothes, and was in want of bread. As he was walking along the ftreets, almoft famifhed with hunger, and not knowing what to do, a recruiting bill was put into his hand, which offered an immediate treat and bounty-money to whoever was difpofed to ferve in America. He inftantly repaired to the houfe of rendezvous, inlifted hlmtelf, was put on board a fhip and conveyed to America, without ever writing to inform his parents what was become of him. His mental vivacity, and good natural dif- pofition, made him an excellent companion ; but he was indolent, thoughtlefs, and to the lafl degree im- prudent. John, the Irifhman, foon ran aw 7 ay. I began to live very agreeable with the reft. They refpected ine, and the more lb as they found Keimer incapable of inftrudl- ing them, and as they learned fomething from me eve- ry day. We never worked on a Saturday, it being Keimer's fabbath ; fo that I had two days a week for reading. I increafed my acquaintance with perfons of know- ledge and information in the town. Keimer himfeif treated me with great civility, and apparent efteem ; and I had nothing to give me uneafmefs but my debt to Vernon, which I was unable to pay, my favings as yet being very little. He had the gooduefs, however, not to afk me for the money. Our prefs was frequently in want of the necefTary quantity of letter ; and there was no fuch trade as that of letter-founder in America. I had feen the practice of this art at the houfe of James, in London ; but had at the fame time paid it very little attention. I how- ever contrived to fabricate a mould. I made ufe ot fuch DR. FRANKLIN. 7 1 ibch letters as we had for punches, founded new letters of Lead in matrices of clay, and thus fupplied in a tolerable manner, the wants that were mofl prefling. I alfo, upon occafion, engraved various ornaments, made ink, gave an eye to the fhop ; in fhort, I was in every refpeet the. factotum. But ufeful as I made my- felf, I perceived that my fervices became every day of lefs importance, in proportion as the other men im- proved ; and when Keimer paid me my fecond quarter's wages, he gave me to underftand that they were too heavy, and that he thought I ought to make an abate- ment. He became by degrees lefs civil, and aitumed more the tone of mailer. He Frequently found fault, was difficult to pleafe, and feemed always on the point of coming to an open quarrel with me. I continued, however, to bear it patiently, conceiv- ing that his ill humour was partly occasioned by tie derangement and embarraffment of his affairs. At laft a flight incident broke our connection. Hearing a roife in the neighbourhood, I put mv head out of the window to fee what was the matter. Keimer being lit the ftreet, obferved me, and in a loud and angry tone told me to mind my work ; adding fome reproachful words, which piqued me the more as they were uttered in the (beet, and the neighbours, whom the fame noife had attracted to the windows, were witneffes of the manner in which I was treated. Pie immediately came up to the printing-room, and continued to ex- claim againft me. The quarrel became warm on both fides, and he gave me notice to quit him at the expi- ration of three months, as had been agreed between us ; regretting that he was obliged to give me fo long a term. I told him that his regret was fuperfluous, as I was ready to quit him inftantly ; I took my hat and came out of the houffe, begging Meredith to take care of fome things which I left, and bring them to my lodgings. Meredith came to me in the evening. We talk- ed for fome time upon the quarrel that had taken place. He /2 THX LIFE OP He had conceived a great veneration for me, and was forry I fhould quit the houfe while he remained in it. He difluaded me from returning to my native country* as I began to think of doing. He reminded me that Keimer owed more than he pofTeffed ; that his credi- tors began to be alarmed ; that he kept his fhop in a wretched (rate, often felling things- at prime coil for the fake of ready money, and continually giving cre- dit without keeping anyaeeounts} that of confequence he mud very foon fail, which would occafion a vacancy from which I might derive advantage. I objected my want of money* Upon which he informed me that his father had a very high opinion cf me, and, from a conversation that had paiTed between them, he wa3 fure that he would advance whatever might be ne- ceiTary to eftablifh us, if I was willing to enter into partnership with him. " My time with Keimer,' , add- ed he, " will be at an end next fpring. In the mean time we mayfend to London for our prefs and types. I know that I am no workman ; but if you agree to the propofal ? yourikill in the bufinefs will be ba^CCi by the capital I will furnifh, and we will (hare the pro- fits equal \yj* His propofal was reafonable, and 1 fell in with it. His father who was then in the town, approved of it. He knew that I had fome afcendency over his fon, as I had been able to prevail on him to ahQain a long time from drinking brandy ; and he hoped, that when more clofely connected with him, I iiioald cure him entirely cf this unfbrtuuajte habit. I gave the father a lift of what it would be necefia- iy to import from London. He took it to a mer- chant, and the o:der was given. We agreed to keep the fecret till the arrival cf the materials, and I was in the mean time to procure work, if pofhble, in ano- ther printing-hcufe ; but there >as no place vacant, and I remained idle. After fome days, Keimer hav- ing the expectation of being employed to print fome New-Jerfey money-bills, that would require types and engravings which I only could furnilh, and fearful that Bradford by engaging me, might deprive him cf the undertakinrr D R. F R A N KLI N. 73 undertaking, lent me a very civil meffage telling me that old friends ought not to be difunited on account of a few words, which were the effect only of a mo- mentary paffion, and invited me to return to him. Meredith perfuaded me to comply with the invitation, particularly as it would afford him more opportunities of improving himfelf in the bufineis by means of my initruclions. I did lb, and we lived upon better terms than before our feparation.. He obtained the New-Jerfey bufinefs ; and in order to execute it, I conftructed a copper-plate printing- prefs y the £111: that had been feen in the country. I engraved various ornaments and vignettes for the bills; and we repaired to Burlington together, where I exe- cuted the whole to the general fatisfaction ; and he received a fum of money for this work, which enabled him to keep his head above water for a coniiderable time longer. At Burlington I formed acquaintance with the prin~ cipal perfonages of the province ; many of whom were commiflioned by the afTembly to fuperintend the prefs, and to fee that no more bills were printed than the law had prescribed. Accordingly they were conftant- ]y with us, each in his turn ; and he that came com- monly brought with him a friend or two to bear him company. My mind was more cultivated by reading than Keimer's ;. and it was for this reafon, probably, that they let more value on my converfation. They took me to their houfes, introduced me to their friends and treated me with the greateft civility ; while Kei- mer, though matter, faw himfelf a little neglected. He was, in fa and afked me if I was the young man who had lately, fat up a new printing-houfe. Upon my anfwering in the affirmative, he faid that he was very ferry for me, as it was an expenfive undertaking, and the money that had been laid out upon it would be loft, Philadel- phia being a place falling into decay \ its inhabitants having all or nearly all of them, been obliged to call together their creditors. That he knew from un- doubted fact, the circumilanc.es which might lead us to fuppofe the contrary, fuch as new buildings and the advanced price of rent, to be deceitful appearances, which in reality contributed to haflen the general ruin f and he gave me fo long a detail 'of misfortunes, actually exiiling, or winch were foon to take place, that he left me almoft in a flate of defpair. Had I known this man before I entered into track* I mould doubtlefs ne- ver have ventured. He however continued to live ia this place of decay, and to declaim in the fame flyle, refuting for many years to buy a houfe, becaufe all '%^»o ° v >in rr tn ™i'eck : dSld. ill the ?F'd I fed £he fatis.- faction to fee him pay five times as much for one as it would cofl him had he pin chafed it w hen he firft began his lamentations. I ought to have related, that, during the autumn of the preceding year, I had united the majority of well-informed perfons of my acquaintance into a club which we called by the name of the Junto, and the object of which was to improve our underflandings. We met every Friday evening. The regulations I drew up, obliged every member to propofe, in his turn, one or morequeflions upon fomepoi-nt of molarity, po- litics, or philofophy, which were to be difcuffed by the fociety ; and to read once in three months, an effay of his own compofition, on whatever fubject he plea- fed. Our debates were under the direction of a prefi- dent, and were to be dictated only by a fincere defire of truth; the pleafure of difputing, and the vanity of triumph having no fhare in the bufine-fs ; and in order u> prevent undue warmth, every expreilion which im- plied ?8 THE LIFE OF plied obftinate adherence to an opinion and all direct contradi&ion, were prohibited under fmall pecuniary penalties. The firfl members of our club were Jofeph Breint- »*l, whofe occupation was that of a fcrivener. He was a middle-aged man, of a good natural difpofnion itrongly attached to his friends, a great lover of poet- ry, reading every thing thatcame in his way, andwri- tmg tolerably well, ingenious in many little trifles, ana of an agreeable converfation. Thomas Godfrey, a lkilful, though felf-taught ma- thematician, and who was afterwards the inventor of what now goes by the name of Hadley's dial ; but he had little knowledge out of his own line, and was in- supportable in company, always requiring, like the majority of mathematicians that have fallen in my way r an unufual precifion in every thing that is faid, con- tinually contradidmg or making trifling diflw&iens ; a fu re way of defeating all the ends of converfation. He very foon left us. Nicholas Scull, a furveyor, and who became after- wards furveyor-general. He was fond of books, and wrote verfes. William Parfons brought up to the trade of a (hoe- maker, but who having a tafre for reading, had ac- quired a profound knowledge of mathematics. He firft fludied them with a view to aftrologv, and was afterwards the firft to laugh at his folly. He alfo be- came furveyor-general. William Mawgridge, a joiner, and a very excellent mechanic; and in other refpe&s a man of folid under- ftandiner. Hugh Meredith, Stephen Potts, and George Webb, of whom I have already fp-ken. Robert Grace a young man of fortune ; generous, animated and witty ; fond of epigrams, but more fond ot his friends. And ladly, William Coleman, at that time a mer- chant's clerk, and nearly of my own age. He had a cooler and clearer head, a better heart, and more fcru- puious DR. FRAKKL IX. 79 pulous morals, than almoft any other perfon I ha\e ever met with. He became a very refpe&able mei- chant, and one of our provincial judges. Our friend- ihip iubfifted, without interruption, for more than for- ty years, till the period of his death ; and the club .continued to exift almofl as long. This was the beft fchool of politics and philofophy that then exifted in the province ; for our cjueflions, which were read a week previous to their diicuflion, induced us to perufe attentively fuch books as were writ- ten upon the iubje&s propofed, that we might be able to fpeak upon them more pertinently. We thus ac- quired the habit of converting more agreeably ; every object being difcufied conformably to our regulations, and in a manner to prevent mutual dilgufl. To this circumitance may be attributed the long duration of ,the club ; which I (hall have frequent occalion to men- tion as I proceed. I have introduced it here, as being one of the means on which I had to count for fuccefs in my bufmefs ; every member exerting himfelfto procure work for us. Breintnal among others, obtained for us, on the part of the Quakers, the punting of forty (beets of their hiftory ; of which the reft was to be done by Keimer. .Our execution of this work was by no means mafterly j as the price was very low. It was in folio, upon pro patria paper, and in the pica letter, with heavy notes in the f mailed type. I compofed a fneet a day, and .Meredith put it to the prefs. It was frequently eleven o'clock at night fometimes later, before 1 had finiihed my dinYibution for the next day's talk ; for the little things which our friends occasionally lent us, kept us back in this work : but I was fo determined to coro- pofe a lheet a day, that one evening, when my form was impofed, and my day's work, as I thought, at an end, an accident having broken this form, and de- . ranged two complete folia page?, I immediately dif- tributedj and compofed them anew before I went to .bed. This So tHE LIFE OP This unwearied induftry, which was perceived by our neighbours, began to acquire us reputation and cre- dit. I learned among other things, that our new print- ing-houfe being the fubjeel of conversation at a club of merchants, who met every evening, it was the ge- neral opinion that it would fail ; there being already two printing-houfes in the town, Keimer's and Brad- ford's* But Dr. Bard, whom you and 1 had occallon to fee, many years after, at his native town of St* Andrews in Scotland, was of a different opinion, "The induftry of this Franklin (faid he) is iupenor to any thing of the kind I have ever witnelfed. I fee him (till at work when I return from the club at night, and he is at it again in the morning before his neighbours are out of bed." This account {truck the reft of the af- fembly, and (hortly after one of its members came to our houfe, and offered to fupply us with articles of (btionary ; but we wifhed not as yet to embarrafs our- felves with keeping a ihop. It is not for the fake of applaufe that 1 enter lb freely into the particulars of my induftry, but that fucli of my descendants as ihali read thefe memoirs may know the ule cf this virtue, by feeing in the recital of my 4ife the effects it opera- ted in my favour. George Webb, having found a friend who lent him the necelfary turn to buy out his time of Keimer, came one day to offer himfelf to us as a journeyman. We could not employ him immediately ; but I fooliihly told him, under the role, that I intended fhortly to publiPi a new periodical paper, and that we mould then have work for him. My hopes of fuccefs, which I imparted to him, were founded on the circumftance, that the only paper we had in Philadelphia at that time, and which Bradford printed, was a paltry thing, mi- ferably conducted, in no refpeel a muling, and which yet was profitable. 1 confequently iuppofed that a good work of this kind could not fail of fuccefs. Webb betrayed my fecret to Keimer, who, to prevent me, immediately publifhed tbe prospectus of a paper that he intended to inftitute himfelf, and in which Webb was •to be engaged. I was DR. FRANKLIN. 8l I was exafperated at this proceeding, and., -with a view to counteract them, not being able at prefent to i nftitute my own paper, I wrote fome humorous pieces m •Bradford's, under the title of the Bufy Body ;* and which was continued for feveral months by Breintnal. I hereby fixed the attention of the public upon Brad- ford's paper, and the prospectus of Keimer, which we turned into ridicule, was treated with contempt. He began notwithstanding, his paper; and after continu- ing it for nine months, having at moil not more than ninety fubfcribers, he offered it to me for a mere tri- fle. I had for fome time been ready for fuch an en- gagement ; I therefore inftantly took it upon myfelf, and in a few years it proved extremely profitable to me. I perceive that I am apt to fpeak in the firft perfon, though our partnership (till continued. It is perhaps, becaule in fact, the whole bufinefs devolved upon me. Meredith was no compoiitor, and but an indifferent preiTman : and it was rarely that he abftained from ha id drinking. My friends were lorry to fee me con- nected with him ; but I contrived to derive from it the utmoft advantage the cafe admitted. Our firft number produced no other effect than any other paper which had appeared in the province, as to type and printing ; but fome remarks, in my peculiar ttyle of writing, upon the difpute which then prevailed between governor Burnet, and the MalTachutetts af- lembly, (truck fome peribns as above mediocrity, cauied the paper and its editors to be talked of, and in a few weeks induced them to become our fubfcri- bers. Many others followed their example; and our fubfcription continued to increafe. This was one of the firlt good effeds of the pains I had taken to learn to * A manuscript note in the file of the American Mer* cury, preserved in the Philadelphia library, says, that Fran/din wrote the first Jive numbers and part of the eighth. G 82 THE LIFE OF to put iry ideas on paper. I derived this farther advan- tage from .t, thatihe leading men pf the place, feeing in the author of this publication^ man fo well able to life his pen, thought it right to patronife and encou- rage me. The votes, laws and other public pieces, were print- ed by Bradford. An addrefs of the houfe of affcmbly to the governor, had been executed by him in a very coarfe and incorrect manner. We reprinted it with accuracy and neatnefs, and lent a copy to every mem- ber. They perceived the difference ; and it fo flrengthened the influence of our friends in the af- fembly, that we were nominated its printer for the fol- lowing year. Among thefe friends I ought not to forget one mem- ber in particular Mr. Hamilton, whom I have men- tioned in a former part of my narrative, and who was now returned from England. He warmly interefted himfelf for me on this occafion, as he did likewife on many others afterwards; having continued his kindneis to me till his death. About this period Mr. Vernon reminded me of the debt I owed him, but without prefting me for pay- ment. I wrote him a handfome letter on the occafi- on, begging him to wait a little longer, to which lie confented and as foon as I was able, I paid him, prin- cipal and in te re ft, with many expreflions of gratitude ; fo that this error of my life was in a manner atoned for. But another trouble now happened to me, which I had not the fmalleft reafon to expect. Meredith's fa- ther, who, according to our agreement, was to defray the whole expence of our printing materials, had only paid a hundred pounds. Another hundred was fiill due, and the merchant being tired of waiting, com- menced a fuit againft us. We bailed the action, but with the melancholy profpect, that, if the money was not forthcoming at the time fixed, the affair would come to iflue, judgment be put in execution, our de- lightful hopes be annihilated, and ourfelves entirely ruin- ed : DR, FRANKLIN. 83 ed ; as the type and prefs muft be fold, perhaps at half their value, to pay the debt. In this diftrefs, two real friends, -. whofe generous conduct I have never forgotten, and never (hall forget while I retain the remembrance of any thing, came to me feparately, without the knowledge of each other, and without my having applied to them. Each offered me whatever fum might be necevTary to take the buii- nefs into my own hands, if the thing was practicable, as they did not like I (hould continue in partnerfhip with Meredith, who, they faid, was frequently feen drunk in the flreets, and gambling at'ale-houfes, which very much injured our credit. Thele friends were William Coleman and Robert Grace. 1 told them that while there remained any probability that the Merediths would fulfil their part of the compact, I could not propofe a reparation ; as I conceived rnyielf to be under obligations to them for what they had done al- ready, and were (till difpofed to do if they had the power : but in the end (hould they fail in their en- gagement, and our partnerfhip be difiolved, I f hould then think myfelf at liberty to accept the kindnefs of ray friends. Things remained for feme time in this ftate. At hfl I faid one day to my partner, " your father is per- haps diffatisfied with your having a (hare only in the bufinefs, and is unwilling to do for two, what he would do for you alone. Tell me frankly if that be the cafe, and I will refign the whole to you, and do for myfelf as well as I can." — " No (faid he) my father has real- ly been difappointed in his hopes ; he is not able to pay, and I wifh to put him to no further inconvenience. I fee that I am not at all calculated for a printer ; I was educated as a farmer, and it was abfurd in me to come here, at thirty years of age, and bind myfelf ap- prentice to a new trade. Many of my countrymen are going to fettle in North-Carolina, where the foil is exceedingly favourable. I am tempted to go with them, and to refume my former occupation. You will doubdefs find friends who will- affift you. If you will take 84 THE LIFE OF take upon yourfelf the debts of the partnerfhip, return my father the hundred pounds he has advanced, pay my little perfonal debts, and give me thirty pounds and a new faddle, I will renounce the partnerfhip, and confign over the whole flock to you." I accepted this propofal without hefi cation. It was committed to paper, and figned and fealed without de- lay. I gave him what he demanded, and he departed ibon after for Carolina, from whence he fent me, in the following year, two long letters, containing the beft accounts that had yet been given of that country* 2s to climate, foil, agriculture, &c. for he was w«ll verfed in thefe matters. I ptiblifhed them in my newfpaper, and they were received with great fatis- faclion. As foon as he was gone I applied to my two friends, and not wifhing to give a difobliging preference to ei- ther of them, I accepted from each half what he had offered me, and which it was neceflary I would have. I paid the partnerfhip debts, and continued the bufinefs on my own account; taking care to inform the public, by advertifement, of the partnerfhip being diflblved. This was, I think, in the year 1729, or thereabout. Nearly at the fame period the people demanded 2^ new emiffion Cf ^r/moiiey: tne exiltmg and only one that had taken place in the province, and which amounted to fifteen thoufand pounds, being foon to ex- pire. The wealthy inhabitants, prejudiced againft eve- iv fort of paper currency, from the fear of its depre- ciation, of which there had been an inftance in the province of New-England, to the injury of its holders, i ,ongly eppofed the meal u re. We had dii cuffed this affair in our junto, in which I was on the fide of the new emiflion ; convinced that the fir ft (mall fum, fa- bricated in 1723, had done much good in the province, by favouring commerce, induftry and population, fince all the houfes were now inhabited, and many others building ; whereas 1 remembered to have feen, when iirft I paraded the ftreets of Philadelphia eating my roll, the majority of thofe in Walnut-ftreet, Second-ftreet, Fourth DR. FRANKLIN. 8j Fourth-ftreet, as well as a great number in Chefnut and other ftreets, with papers on thern fignifying that they were to be let; which made me think at the time that the inhabitants of the town were defeating it one after another. Our debates made me fo fully matter of the fubjecl, that I wrote and publiihed an anonymous pamphlet, entitled An Enquiry into the Nature and necefllty of a Paper Currency. It was very well received by the lower and middling clafs of people ; but it difpleafed the opulent, as it increased the clamour in favour of the new cmiffion. Having, however, no writer among them capable of anfwering it; their oppofition became lefs violent ; and there being in the houfe of affembly a majority for the meafure, it palTecl. The friends I had acquired in the houfe, perfuaded that I had done the country effential ferve on this occafion, rewarded me by giving me the printing of the bills. It was a lucrative employment, and proved a very feafonable help to me ; another advantage which I derived from having habituated myfelf to write. Time and experience fo fully demonftrated the uti- lity of paper currency, that it never after experienced any conliderable oppodtion ; fo that it foon amounted to 55, oool. and in the year 1739 t0 8o,oool. It has fince vifen, during the laft war, to 350,000!. trade, buildings and population having in the interval conti- nually increafed ; but I am now convinced that there are limits, beyond which, paper money would be pre- judicial. I foon after obtained, by the influence of my friend Hamilton, the printing of the Newcaftle paper money, another profitable work, as I then thought it, little things appearing great to perfons of moderate fortune ; and they were really great to me, as proving great en- couragements. He alfo procured me the printing of the laws and votes of that government which I retain- ed as long as I continued in the bufinefs. I now opened a fmall ftatiouer's (bop, I kept bonds 'and agreements of all kinds, drawn up in a more accu- rate G a 86 THE LIFE OF rate form than had yet been feen in that part of the world : a work in which I was affiHed by my friend Brientnal. I had alio paper, parchment, paiteboard, books, Sec. One Whitemafh, an excellent compolitor, whom I had known in London, came to offer himfelf. I engaged him, and he continued conftantly and dili- gently to work with me. I alfo took an apprentice, the ion of Aquila Rofe. I began to pay, by degrees, the debt I had contract- ed ; and in order to infure my credit and character as a tradefman, I took care not only to be really induf- trious and frugal, but alfo to avoid every appearance of the contrary. I was plainly dreffed, and never feen in any place of public amufement. I never went a iifhing or hunting: A book indeed inticed me feme- times from my work, but it was feldom, by Health, and occafioned no fcandal ; and to fhow that I did not think myfelf above my profeffion, I conveyed home fometimes in a wheelbarrow the paper I purchased at the warehoufes. I thus obtained the reputation of being an induf- trious young man, and very punctual in his payments. The merchants who imported articles of ftationary, fo- licited my cuftom ; others offered to furnifh me with books, and my little trade went on profperouily. Meanwhile the credit and bufinefs of Keimer dimi- uifhed every day, he was at lall forced to fell his ftock to fatisfy his creditors ; and he betook himfelf to Bar- badoes, where he lived for fome time in a very impo- verifhed {late. His apprentice, David Harry, whom I had inftrudted while I worked with Keimer, having bought his materials, fucceeded him in the bufinefs. I was apprehenfive, at firft, of finding in Harry a power- ful competitor, as he was allied to an opulent and re- fpectable family ; I therefore propofed a partnership, which, happily for me, he rejedled with difdain. He was extremely proud, thought himfelf a fine gentle- man, lived extravagantly, and puriued amufements which fuffered him to be fcarcely ever at home ; of conference he became in debt, neglected his bufinefs, and DK, F R A X K L I N. 87 and bufinefs neglected him. Finding in a (host time nothing to do in the country, he followed Keicner ta> Barbadoes, carrying his printing materials with him. There the apprentice employed his old mailer as a journeyman. They were continually quarrelling ; and Harry ftill getting in debt, was obliged at lalt to fell his pre is and types, and return to his old occupation of hufbandry in Pennfylvania. The perfon who pur- chafed them, employed Keimer to manage the bufi- nefs ; but he died a few years after. I had now at Philadelphia no competitor but Brad- ford, who, being in eafy circumftances, did not engage in the printing of books, except now and then as work- men chanced to offer themfelves ; and was not anxious to extend his trade. He had, however, one advan- tage over me, as he had the direction of the poll-office, and was of coniequence fuppofed to have better oppor- tunities of obtaining news. His paper was alfo fup- pofed to be more advantageous to advertifing* cuftom- ers ; and in confequence of that fuppofitian, his adver- tifements were much more numerous than mine : this was a fource of great profit to him, and difadvantage- ous to me. It was to no purpofe that I really procur- ed other papers, and diflributed Sly own, by means of the pofl ; the public took for granted my inability in this refpedl ; and I was indeed unable to conquer it in any other mode than by bribing the poft-boys, who ierved me only by Health, Bradford being fo illiberal as to forbid them. — This treatment of his excited my refentment ; and my difguft was fo rooted, that, when I afterwards fucceeded him in the poll-office, I took care to avoid copying his example. I had hitherto continued to board with Godfrey, who, with his wife and children, occupied part of my houfe, and half of the fhop for his bufinefs 5 at which indeed he worked very little, being always abforbed by mathematics. Mrs. Godfrey formed a wifh of marry- ing me to the daughter of one of her relations. She contrived various opportunities of bringing us together, till flie faw that I was captivated 3 which was not dif- ficulty 88 THE LIFE F ficult, the lady in queftion poffe fling great peri merit. The parents encouraged my addreffes, by in- viting me continually to tapper, and leaving us toge- ther, till at laft it was time to come to an explanation. Mrs. Godfrey undertook to negotiate our little treaty. I gave her to understand, that I expected to receive with the young lady a fum oi money that would ena- ble me at leaft to difcharge the remainder of my debt' for my printing materials. It was then, 1 believe, not more than a hundred pounds. She brought me for anlvver, that they bad no inch fum at their difpolal. I obfervedthat it might eafily be obtained, by a mort- gage on their houfe. The reply of this was, after a few days interval, that they did not approve of the match ; that they had coniulted Bradford, and found that the bufmefs of a printer was not lucrative ; that my letters would foon be worn out, and mud be fup- plied by new ones; that Keimer and Harry had failed, and that, probably, I fliould do fo too. Accordingly they forbade me the .houfe, and the young lady was confined; I know not if they had really changed their minds, or if it was merely an artifice, fuppofing our af- fections to be too ^ar engaged for us to defift, and that wefhould contrive to many fecretly, which would leave them at liberty to give or not as they pleafed. But, fufpectiug this motive, I never went again to their houfe. Some time after Mrs. Godfrey informed me that they were favourably difpofed towards me, and wifhed me to renew 7 the acquaintance ; but 1 declared a firm refolution never to have any thing more to do with the family. The Godfrey's exprefled feme rcfentiwent at this ; and as we could no longer agree, they changed their reiidence, leaving me in poiTeffion of the whole houfe. I then refolved to take no more lodgers. This affair having turned my thoughts to marriage, I look- ed around me, and made overtures of alliance in other quarters; but I foon found that the profeffion of a printer being generally looked upon as a poor trade, I could expert no money with a wife, at leait if I wish- ed I) R. FRANKLIN, 89 ed her to poftefs any other charm. Meanwhile, that paflion of youth, fo difficult to govern, had often drawn me into intrigues with defpicable women, who fell in my way ; which were not unaccompanied with ex- pence and inconvenience, befides the perpetual rifk of injuring my health, and catching a difeafe which I dreaded above all things. But I was fortunate enough to efcape this danger. As a neighbour and old acquaintance, I kept up a friendly intimacy with the family of Mils Read. Her parents had retained an affection for me from the time of my lodging in their houfe. I was often invited thither ; they confulted me about their affairs, and I had been fometimes ferviceable to them. I was touch- ed with the unhappy fituation of their daughter, who was almoft always melancholy, and continually feeking folitude. I regarded my forgetful nefs and inconftancy, during my abode in London, as the principal caufe of her misfortune ; though her mother had the candour to attribute the fault to herfelf, rather than to me, be- caufe, after having prevented our marriage previous to my abfence, (he had induced her to marry another in my abfence. *»&. ,w».vca; Out tfcfffc fXtttCt! great obftacles to our union. Her marriage was con- fidered, indeed, as not being valid, the man having, it was faid, a former wife dill living in England ; but of this it was difficult to obtain a proof at fo great a > diftance ; and though a report prevailed of his being dead, yet we had no certainty of it ; and fuppofing it to be true, he had left many debts, for the payment of which his fucceffbr might be fued. We ventured ne- verthelefs, in ipite of all thefe difficulties, and I mar- ried her on the firft of September 1730. None of the inconveniences we had feared happened to us — She proved to me a good and faithful companion, and con- tributed eflentially to the fuccefs of my (hop. We profpered together, and it was our mutual ftudy to render each other happy. Thus I corrected, as well as I coulJj this great error of my youth. Our 90 THE LIFE OF Our club was not at that time eftahlifhed at a tavern. We held "our meetings at the houfe of Mr. Grace, who appropriated a room to the purpofe. Some member obferved one day, that as our books were fre- quently quoted in the courfe of our difcuflions, it would be convenient to have them collected in the room in which we attembled, in order to be confultcd upon occaiion ; and that, by thus forming a common library of our individual collections, each would have the advantage of uung the books of all the other mem- bers, which would nearly be the fame as if he poflelTed them all bimfeif. The idea was approved, and we ac- cordingly brought fuch books as we thought we could fpare, which were placed at the end of the club -room. They amounted not to fo many as we expected ; and though we made considerable ufe of them, yet fome inconveuiencies refulting, from want of care, it was agreed, after about a year, to deitroy the collection ; and each took away fuch books as belonged to him. It was now that I fir ft dated the idea of eftabliTh- ing, by fubfcription, a public library. 1 drew up the propofals, had them ingrofled in form by Brockden the attorney, and my project Succeeded, as will be feen in the fequel ************** [The life of Dr. Franklin, as written by himfelf, fo far as it has been communicated to the world* breaks oiF in this place. We underftand that it was conti- nued by him fomewhat further, and we hope that the remainder will, at fome future period, be communica- ted to the public. We have no hefitation in fuppo- fing that every reader will find himfelf greatly intereft- ed by the frank fimplicity and the philoibphical dis- cernment by which thefe pages are fo eminently cha- racterised. We have therefore thought proper, in order as much as poflible to relieve his regret, to Sub- join the following continuation, by one of the doclor's intimate friends. It is extracted from an American B R. FR A N K L I X. 91 periodical publication, and was written by the late Dr. .Stuber* of Philadelphia,] THE promotion of literature had been little at- tended to in Pennfylvania. Moft of the inhabi- tants were too much immerfed in bufinefs to think of fcientific periuils ; and thofe few, whofe inclinations led them to lludy, found it difficult to gratify them, from the want of fufficiently large libraries. In fuch circumdances, the eftabli foment of a public library was .an important event. This was firfl let on foot by Franklin, * Dr. Stuber was born in Philadelphia, of German parents. He was sent, at an early age, to the universi- ty, where his genius, diligence, and amiable temper soon acquired him the particular notice and favour of those under whose immediate direction he was placed. Af- ter passing through the common course of study, in a much shorter time than usual, he left the university, at the age of sixteen, with great reputation. Not long after, be entered on the study of Physic ; and the zeal with which he pursued it, and the advances he made, gave his friends reason to form the most fatter ing pros- pects of his future eminence and usefulness in the pro- fession. As Dr. Stuber 1 s circumstances were very mo- derate, he did not think this pursuit well calculated to answer them. He therefore relinquished it, after he had obtained a degree in the profession, and qualified himself to practise with credit and success ; and im- mediately entered on the study of Law. In pursuit of the last mentioned object, he was prematurely arrested, before he had an opportunity of reaping the fruit of those talents with which he was. endowed, and of a youth spent in the ardent and successful pursuit of useful and ele- gant literature. 92 THE LIFE Of Franklin, about the year 1731. Fifty perfons Tub- imbed forty (hillings each, and agreed to pay ten ihillings annually. The number increaled ; and in 1742, the company was incorporated by the name of 4k The Library Company of Philadelphia." Several other companies were formed in this city in imitation of it. Thefe were all at length united with the li- brary company of Philadelphia, which thus received a confiderable acceflion of books and property. It now contains about eight thoufand volumes on all fubjects, a philolbphical apparatus, and a good beginning to- wards a collection of natural and artificial curioiities, belides landed property of confiderable value. The company have lately built an elegant houle in Fifth- ftreet, in the front of which will be ere&ed a marble Itatue of their founder, Benjamin Franklin. This inltitution was greatly encouraged by the friends of literature in America and in Great Britain. The Penn family dillinguifhed themfelves by their donati- ons. Amongft the earlieft friends of this inftitution ttiuft be mentioned the late Peter Goliinfon, the friend andconeipondent of Dr. Franklin. He not only made confiderable prefents himieif, and obtained others from his friends, but voluntarily undercook to manage the hulineis of the company in London, recommending books, purchaling and [hipping them. His exteniive knowledge, and zeal for the promotion of fcience, ena- bled him to execute this important truft with the greateft advantage. Pie continued to perform thefe iervices for more than thirty years, and uniformly re- fufed to accept of any compeniation. During this time, he communicated to the directors every informa- tion relative to improvements and difcoveries in the arts, agricuiuue, and philoibphy. The beneficial influence of this inilitution was foon evident. The cheapneis of terms rendered it acceflible to every one. Its advantages were not confined to the opulent. The citizens in the middle and lower walks of life were equally partakers of them. Hence a degree of information was extended amongft all dall- es DR, FRANKLIN. 93 es of people, which is very unufual in other places. The example was loon followed. Libraries were efta- bUfhed in various places, and they are now become very numerous in the United States, and particularly in Pennfylvania. It is to be hoped that they will be flill more widely extended, and that information will be every where increafed. This will be the beft fecu- rity for maintaining our -liberties. A nation of well- informed men, who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them, cannot be enflaved. It is in the regions of ignorance that ty- ranny reigns. It flies before the light of fcience. Let the citizens of America, then, encourage inftitutions calculated to difFufe knowledge amongft the people ; and amongil thefe, public libraries are not the lead important. In 1732, Franklin began to publim Poor Richard's Almanack. This was remarkable for the numerous and valuable conciie maxims which it contained, all tending to exhort to induftry and frugality. It was continued for many years. In the almanack for the laft year, all the maxims were collected in an addrefs to the reader, entitled, The Way to Wealth. This has been tranflated in various languages, and inferted in different publications. It has alio been printed on a large fheet, and mav be feen framed in many houfes in this city. This addrefs contains, perhaps the bed practical fyftem of ceconomy that ever has appeared. It is written in a manner intelligible to every one, and which cannot fail of convincing every reader of the juftice and propriety of the remarks and advice which it contains. The demand for this almanack was fo great, that ten thoufand have been fold in one year ; which muft be confidered as a very large number^ efpecially when we reflect, that this country was, at that time, but thinly peopled. It cannot be doubted that the fa- lutary maxims contained in thefe almanacks muft have made a favourable impreffion upon many of the readers of them. It H 94 THE LIFE OF It was not long before Franklin entered upon his polkical career. In the year 1736 he was appointed clerk to the general affernbly of Pennfylvania ; and was re-elecled by iucceeding affemblies for feveral years, until he was chofen a reprefentative for the city of Philadelphia. Bradford was poffeiTed of fome advantages over Franklin, by being poft-mafter, thereby having an op- portunity of circulating his paper more exteniively, and thus rendering it a better vehicle for advertife- rnents, &c. Franklin,- in his turn, enjoyed thefe ad- vantages, by being appointed poft-mafter of Philadel- phia in 1737. Bradford, wh le in office, had a&ed ungenerouily towards Franklin, preventing as much as poffible the circulation of his paper* He had now an opportunity of retaliating ; but his nobleneis of foul preventing him from making ufe of it. The police of Philadelphia had early appointed watchmen, whofe duty it was to guard the citizens againft the midnight robber, and to give an immedi- ate alarm in cafe of fire. This duty is, perhaps, one of the moft important that can be committed to any fet of men. The regulations, however, were not fuffi- ciently ftricl:. Franklin faw the dangers anting from this caufe, and fuggefted an alteration, fo as to o- blige the guardians of the night to be more watchful over the lives and property of the citizens. The pro- priety of this was immediately perceived, and a reform was effected. There is nothing more dangerous to growing cities than fires. Other caufes operate ilowly, and almoft imperceptibly, but thefe in a moment render abortive the labours of ages. On this account there fhould be, in all cities, ample provifions to prevent fires from fpreading. Franklin early faw the neceffity of thefe ; and, about the year 1738, formed the firft fire-com- pany in this city. This example was foon followed by others ; and there are now numerous fire companies in the city and liberties. To thefe may be attributed ia a great degree the activity in extinguifhing fires, for which DR. FRANKLIN. 95 which the citizens of Philadelphia are diftinguifhed, and the inconfiderable damage which this city has fuftained from this caufe. — Some time after, Franklin fuggeft- ed the plan of an affociation for injuring houfes from lofles by fire, which was adopted ; and the aiTociation continues to this day. The advantages experienced from it have been great. From the firft eftablifhment of Pennfylvania, a fpirit of difpute appears to have prevailed amongft its inha- bitants. During the life-time of William Penn the con- {titution had been three times altered. After this pe- riod, the hiftory of Pennsylvania is little elfe than a re- cital of the quarrels between the proprietaries, or their governors, and the aiTenibly. The proprietaries con- tended for the right of exempting their land from taxes; Yo which the afl&j&bly would by no means con- fent. This fubject of dilpute interfered In aimed every que (lion, and prevented ihe mqft falutary laws from being enacted. This at Times fubjecled the people to great inconveniences. In the year 1744, during a war between France and Great Britain, foroe French and Indians had made inroads upon the frontier inhabitants of the province, who were unprovided for fuch an at- tack. It became neceffary that the citizens fhould arm for their defence. Governor Thomas recommend- ed to the affembly, who were then fitting to pals a militia law. To this they would agree only upon con- dition that he fliould give his aflent to certain lawn, which appeared to them calculated to promote the fil- tered of the people. As he thought thefe laws would be injurious to the proprietaries, he refufed his aflent to them ; and the affembly broke up without pairing a militia law. The fituation of the province was at this time truly alarming : expofed to the continual inroads of an enemy, and detlitute of every means of defence. At this crifis Franklin ftepped forth, and propofed to a meeting of the citizens of Philadelphia, a plan of a voluntary aiTociation for the defence of the province. This was approved of, and figned by twelve hundred perfcr.s immediately. Copies of it were circulated throughout 96 THE LIFE OF throughout the province ; and in a fhort time the num- ber of iigners amounted to ten thoufand. Franklin was choien colonel of the Philadelphia regiment ; but did not think proper to accept of the honour. Purfuits of a different nature now occupied the great - eft part of his attention for fome years. He engaged in a courfe of electrical experiments, with all the ar- dor and third for difcovery which characterized the phi- lofophers of that day. Of all the branches of experi- mental philofophy, electricity had been lead explored. The elective power of amber is mentioned by Theo- phraftus and Pliny, and, from them by later naturalifts. In the year 1600, Gilbert, an Englifh phyfician, en- larged confiderably the catalogue of fubftances which have the property of attracting light bodies. Boyle, Otto Gueiicke, a burgom after of Magdeburg b, cele- brated as the inventor of the air pump, Dr. Wall, and Sir Ifaac Newton added fome facts; Guericke firft ob- served the repulfive power of electricity, and the light and noiie produced by it. In 1709, Hawkefbcc communicated fome important cbfervations and experiments to the world. For feve- ral years electricity was entirely neglected, until Mr. Gray applied himielf to it, in 1728, with great aflidui- ty. He and his friend Mr. Wheeler, made a great variety of experiments ; in which they demonftrated, that electricity may be communicated from one bedy to another, even wiihout being in contact, and in this may be conducted to a great diftance. Mr. Gray afterwards found, that by fufpending rods of iron by or hair lines, and bringing an excited tube under them, (parks might be drawn, and a light perceived at the extiemjties in the dark. M-. Du Faye, intendant of the French king's gardens, made a number of expe- riments, which added not a little to the fcience. He made the difcovery of two kinds of electricity, which he called vitreous and resinous ; the former produced by rubbing glais, the latter from excited fulphur, iealing wax, Sec. But this idea he afterwards gave up as er- roneous. Between the years 1739 and 1742, Defagu- Fiers DR. FRANKLIN. 97 Hers made a number of experiments, but added little of importance. He firft ufed the terms conductors and electrics, per se. In 1742, feveral ingenious Germans- engaged in this fubject. Of thefe the principal were, profelfor Boze of Whittemberg, profeffor Winkler of Leipfic, Gordon, a Scotch Benedictine monk, profefTor of philoibphy at Erfurt, and &>;. Ludolf of Berlin. The refult of their refearches aftoniihed the ohilofophers of Earope. Their apparatus was large, and by means of it they were enabled to collect large quantities of electricity, and thus to produce phenomena which had been hitherto unobferved. They killed final I birds, and fet fpirits on fire. Their experiments excited the curiofity of other philofophers. Collinfon about the year 1745) fent to the library company of Phila- delphia an account of thefe experiments, together with a tube, and. directions how to ufe it. Franklin, with fome of his friends, immediately engaged in a courfe of experiments ; the refult of which is well known. He was enabled to make a number of important difco- veries, and to propoie theories to account for various phenomena ; which have been univerfally adopted, and which bid fair to endure for ages. His obiervations he communicated, in a feries of letters, to his friend Collinlbn ; the firft of which is dated March 28th> 1747. In thefe he makes known the power of points in drawing and throwing off the electrical matter, which had hitherto efcaped the notice of electricians. He alfo made the grand difcovery of a phis and minus^ or of a positive and negative (tate of electricity. We give him the honour of tins, without hefitation ; al- though che Engl i in have claimed it for their country- man Dr. Watfoii. Watfon's paper is dated January 2-1, 174S } Franklin's July 11, 1747 ; feveral months prior. Shortly after, Franklin, from his principles of plus and minus ftace, explained, in a fatisfactory man- ner, the phenomena of the Leyden phial, firft obferved by Mr. Ckineas, or by profeiTor Mufchenbfoeck of Leyden, which had much perplexed philofophers. He fhewed cl. .:Ie, when charged, contain- ed [ z 98 THE LIFE OF ed no more electricity than before, but that as much was taken from the one fide as was thrown on the other; and that, to difcharge it nothing was neceffary but to make a communication between the two fides, by which the equilibrium might be reiiored, and that then no iigns of electricity would remain. He afterwards demunftrated, by experiments, that the electricity did not refide in the coating, as had been fuppofed, but in the pores of the glafs itfelf. After a phial was charged, he removed the coating, and found that upon applying a new coating the fhock might ft ill be received. In the year 1749, he firft fuggefted his idea of explaining the phenomena of thunder-gufts, and of the aurora borealis, upon electrical principles* He points out many particulars in which lightning and electricity agree ; and he adduces many fads, and rea- ibning from facts, in fupport of his pofitions. In the fame year he conceived the aftonilhingly bold and grand idea of afcertaining the truth of his doctrine, by actu- ally drawing down the forked lightning, by means of fharp-pointed iron rods railed into the region of the clouds. Even in this uncertain ftate, his paflion to be ufeful to mankind difplays itfelf in a powerful manner* Admitting the identity of electricity and lightening, and knowing the power of points in repelling bodies charged with electricity, and in conducting their fire iilently and imperceptibly, he fuggcfts the idea of fe- curing houfes, fhips, &x. from berng damaged by light- Ring, by erecting pointed iron rods, which fhould rife ibme feet above the moft elevated part, and delcend fome feet into the ground or the water. The effect of thefe, he concluded, would be either to prevent a ftroke by repelling the cloud beyond the ftriking diftance, or by drawing off the electrical fire which it contained; or, if they could not effect this, they would at leaft conduct the ftroke to the earth, without any injury to the building. It was not until the fummer of 1752, that he was enabled to complete his grand and unparalleled diico- very by experiment. The plan which he bad original* «7 DR, FRANKLIN. CQ ly propofed, was to erecl on fome high tower, or other elevated place, a centry-box, from which fhould rife a pointed iron rod, infulated by being fixed in a cake of rolin. Electrified clouds palling over this, would he conceived, impart to it a portion of their electricity, which would be rendered evident to the lenies by {parks being emitted, when a key, a knuckle, or other con- ductor, was prefented to it. Philadelphia at this time afforded no opportunity of trying an experiment of this kind. Whillt Franklin was waiting for the erection ot a ipire, it occurred to him, that he might have more rea- dy accefs to the region of clouds by means of a com- mon kite. He prepared one by attaching two crofs flicks to a filk handerchief, which -would not fuffer fo much from the rain as paper. To this upright (lick was fixed an iron point. The firing was, as ufual, of hemp, except the lower end, which was filk. Where the hemp firing terminated, a key was faftened. With this apparatus, on the appearance of a thunder-gufl ap- proaching, he went out into the commons, accompani- ed by his ion, to whom alone he communicated his in- tentions, well knowing the ridicule which too general- ly for the interefl of fcience, awaits unfuccefsful ex- periments in philofophy. He placed himfelf under a flied to avoid the rain. His kite was raifed. A thunder cloud pafled over it. No (ign of electricity appeared. He almofl defpaired of fuccefs ; when fuddenly he obferved the loofe fibres of his firing to move towards an erect pofition. He now prefented his knuckle to the key, and received a ilrong fpark. How exquifite mud his fenfations have been at this moment 1 On this experiment depended the fate of his theory. If he iucceeded, his name would rank high arnongft thole who have improved fcience ; if he failed, he mull inevitably be fubje&ed to the derifion of mankind, or, what is worie, their- pity, as a well-meaning man, but a weak, {\l\y pro- jector. The anxiety with which he looked for the re- iult of his experiment, may eafily be conceived. Doubts and dcfpair had begun to prevail; when the faft 100 THE LIFE OF fa£t was aftertained in fo clear a manner, that even the mo ft incredulous could no longer withhold their af- fent. Repeated ibarks were drawn from the key, a phial was charged, a (hock given, and all the experi- ments made, which are ufually performed with electa* city. About a month before this period fome ingenious Frenchman had completed the difcovery, in the man- ner originally propofed by Dr. Franklin. The letters which he lent to Mr. Cottinfon, it is faid, were re- fa fed a place amongfr the papers of the Royal Society of London. However, this may be, Collinibn publiih- ed them in a leparate volume, under the title of Experiments and Observations on Electricity, made at Philadelphia in America, They were read with avi- dity, and fooH translated into different languages. A very incorrect. French translation fell into the hands of the celebrated Buffon, who,. 'not withstanding the dif- advantages under which the work laboured, was much pleafed with it, and repeated the experiments with fuc- cefs. He prevailed noon his friend, M. D'Alibard, to give his countrymen a more correct tranfiation of the work of the American electrician. This contri- buted much towards fpreading a knowledge of Fr; lin's principles in France. — The king, Louis XV", hearing of thefe experiments expreiTed a wifll to be a fpecftator of them. A courie of experiments was given at the feat of the Due D'Ayen, at St. Germaine, by M. Dc- Lor. The applaufes .vhich the king beftowed upon Franklin, exciced in Buffon, D'Alibard, and De Lor, an earneft defne of afcertaining the truth of his theory of thunder-gutts. Buffon erected his ap- paratus on the tower of Mbntbar. M. D'Alibard at Mary-la-ville, and De Lor at his houfe in the Estra- pade at Paris, fome of the higheft ground in that capital- D'Alibard's machine firit fhewed figns of electricity. On the ioth of May, 1752, a thunder qloud pafted over it, in the abfence of M. D'Alibard ; and a dumber of fp:-n ks were drawn from it by Coiffier, a joiner, with whom D'Alibard bad left directions how tc BJl. FRANKLIN. 101 to proceed, and by M. Raulet, the prior of Mary-la- ville. An account of this experiment was given to the Royal Academy of Sciences, in a memoir by M. D'Alibard, dated May 13th, 1752. On the 18th of May, M. De Lor proved equally iuccefsrul with the apparatus erected at his own houie. Thefe difcoveries foon excited the philofophers of other parts of Europe to repeat the experiment. Amongft thefe, none 11 g- nalized themfelves more than father Bcccaria of Tu- rin, to whofe observations fcicoce is much indebted. Even the cold Regions of RuiTia were penetrated by the ardor for difcovery. ProfeiTor Richman bade fair to add much to the flock of knowledge on this fubjecl, when an unfortunate flalli from his rod put a period to his txnlcr.ee. — The friends of frier, ce will long re- member, with regret the amiable martyr to electri- Gity ' liy thefe experiments Franklin's theory was efta- bliihed in the molt firm manner. When the truth of it could no longer be doubted, the vanity of men en- deavoured to detract from its merit. That an Ame- rican, an inhabitant* of the obfcure city of Philadel- phia, the name of which was hardly known, mould be able to make difcoveries, and to frame theories, which had efcaped the notice of the enlightened philofophers of Europe, was too mortifying to be admitted. He mu ft: certainly have taken the idea from fcmebody elfe. An American, a being of an inferior order, make dif- coveries ! Impoflible. It was faid, that the Abbe Nollet, in 1748, had fuggefted the idea of the fimilarl- ty of lightning and electricity, in his Lecons de Phy- sique. It is tine, that the Abbe mentions the idea, but he throws it out as a bare conjecture, andpropofes no mode of afcertaining the truth of it. He himielf acknowledges, that Franklin firir. entertained the bold thought of bringing lightning from the heavens, by means of pointed rods fixed in the air. The fimilarity of eleclricity and lightning is fo ftrong, that we need not be furprifed at notice being taken of it, as foon as electrical phenomena became familiar. We find k mentioned 102 THE LIFE OF mentioned by Dr. Wall and Mr. Gray, while the fcience was in its iu fancy. But the honour of form- ing a regular theory of thunder-guOs, of fuggefting a mode of determining the truth of it by experiments, and of putting thefe experiments in practice, and thus eftablifhing his theory upon a firm and fclid bafis, is in- contcftibly due to Franklin. D'Ahbard ; who made the experiments in France, fays, that he only followed the track which Franklin had pointfd o^t. It has been of late aiTerted, that the honour of com- pleting the experiment with the electrical kite, does not belong to Franklin. Some late Englifh para- graphs have attributed it to feme Frenchman, whofe name they did not mention ; and the Abbe Berthelon gives it to M. De Romas* i w the p-Hcrr t rf Nerac ; the Englifh paragraphs probably refer to the fame perfori. But a very flight attention will con- vince us of the injuftice of this procedure : Dr. Frank- lin's experiment was made in June 1752: and his let- ter, giving an account ofit, is dated October 19, 1752, M. De Romas made his firu attempt on the 14th of ^ a y T 753> Dut was no - fuccefsful until the 7th of June; a year after Franklin had completed the dif- covery, and when it was known to all the philofophers in Europe. Befides thefe great principles, Franklin's letters on electricity contain a number of facte and hints, which have contributed greatly towards reducing this branch of knowledge to a fcience. His friend, Mr. Kinnerf- ly, communicated to him a difcovery of the different kinds cf electricity excited by rubbing glafs and ful- pher. This, we have faid, was firft obferved by M. Du Faye ; but it was for many years neglected. The philofophers were difpofed to account for the pheno- mena, rather from a difference in the quantity of elec- tricity collc&ed; and even Du Faye himfelf feems at lad to have adopted this DocVme. Franklin at fijfl: entertained the fame idea ; but upon repeating the ex- periments, he perceived that Mr. Kinnerfley was right; and that the vitreous and resinous electricity of Da DR. FRANKLIN. IO3 Faye were nothing more than the positive and nega- tive dates which he had before obierved ; that the glais globe charged positively, or increafed the quantity of electricity on the prime conductor, whilft the globe of fulpher diminithed its natural quantity, or charged ne- gatively. Thefe experiment, and obfervations opened a new field for investigation, upon which electricians entered with avidity ; and their labours have added much to the (lock of our knowledge. In September, 1752, Franklin entered upon a courfe of experiments, to determine the (late of electricity in the clouds. From a number of experiments he formed this conclufion : " that the clouds of a thunder-gull are mod commonly in a negative (late of electricity, but lometimes in a pofnive (late ;" and from this it follows, as a neceiTary confequence, " that, for the mod part, in thunder-Prrokes, it is the earth that ftrikes into the clouds, and not the clouds that ftrike into the earth." The letter containing thefe obfervations is dated in September, 1753 ; and yet the diicovery of afcending thunder has been faid to be of a modern date and has been attributed to the Abbe Beriholon, who published his memoir on the iubjedl in 1776. Franklin's letters have been tranilated into mod of the European languages, and into Latin. In propor- tion as they have become known, his principles have been adopted. Some oppofition was made to his theo- ries, particularly by the Abbe Nolle t, who was, how- ever, but feebly fupported, whilft the fir ft philosophers of Europe ftepped forth in deie::ce of Franklin's prin- ciples ; amongft whom D'Alibard and Beccai ia were the moft dift'mgui fhed. The oppofition has gradually ceafed, and the Franklin fyftern is now univerfally adopted, where fcience flourifhes. The important practical ufe which Franklin made of his difcoveries, the fecuring of houfes from injury by lightning, has been already mentioned. Pointed conducters are now very common in America ; but prejudice has hitherto prevented their general intro- duction rnto Europe, notwithftanding the moft un- doubted 104 THE LIFE OF doubted proofs of their utility have been given. But mankind can with difficulty be brought to lay afide eftablifhed practices, or to adopt new ones. And per- haps we have more reafon to be furprifed that a prac- tice, however rational, which was propoied about for- ty years ago, fhould in that time have been adopted in lb many places, than that it has not univerfally prevailed. It is only by degrees that the great body of mankind can be led into new practices, however falutary their tendency. It is now nearly eight years fince inoculation was introduced into Europe and A- merica ; and it is fo far from being general at prefent, that it will, perhaps, require one or two centuries to render it fo. In the year 1745, Franklin publiflied an account of his new invented Pennsylvania fire-places, in which he minutely and accurately (tates the advantages and dis- advantages of different kinds of fire-places ; and en- deavours to fhew that the one which he defcribes is to be preferred to any other. This contrivance has given rife to the open (loves now in general life, which how- ever differ from it in conduction, particularly in not having an air-box at the back, through which a con- stant iupply of air, warmed in its pail age, is thrown into the room. The advantages of this are, that as a ftream of warm air is continually flowing into the room, lefs fuel is neceffary to preferve a proper temperature, and the room may be fo tightened as that no air may enter through cracks; the confequences of which are colds, toothaches, &c. Although philofophy was a principal object of Frank- lin's purfuit for feveral years, he confined himfelf not to this. In the year 1747, he became a member of the general afTembly of Pennfylvania, as a burgefs for the city of Philadelphia. Warm dilputes at this time fubfifted between the aiTembly and the proprietaries; each contending for what they conceived to be their juft rights. Franklin, a friend to the rights of man from his infancy, foon diftinguiPned himfelf as afteady opponent of the unjuft fchemes of the proprietaries. — - He DR. FRANKLIN, 105 He was foon looked up to as the head of the oppofni- on ; and to him have been attributed many of the fpi- rited replies of the afTembly, to the meffages of the go- vernors. His influence in the body was very great. This arofe not from any fuperior powers of eloquence ; l>e fpoke but feldom, and he never was known to make any thing like an elaborate harrangue. His fpeeches often confided of a fingle v fer.tence, or of a well-told {lory, the moral of which was always obvioufly to the point. He never attempted the flowery fields of ora- tory. His manner was plain and mild. His ftyle in fpeaking was, like that of his writings, remarkably conciie. With this plain manner, and his penetrating and folid judgment, he was able to confound the mofl eloquent and fubtle of his adverfaries, to confirm the opinions of his friends, and to make converts of the unprejudiced who had oppofed him. With a (ingle obiervation, he has rendered of no avail an elegant and lengthy difcourfe, and determined the fate of a quefti- on of importance. But he was not contented with thus fupporting the rights of the people. He w if lied to render them per- manently lee ure, which can only be done by making their value properly known ; and this mull depend up- on increasing and extending information to every clafs of men. We have already feen that he was the found- er of the public library, which contributed greatly to- wards improving the minds of the citizens. But this was not fufiicient. The fchools then fubfifting were in general of little utility. The teachers were men ill qualified for the important duty which they had under- taken ; and, after all, nothing more could be obtained than the rudiments of a common Englifh education. Franklin drew up a plan ol an academy, to be ere&ed In the city of Philadelphia, fuited to u the (late of an infant country ;" but in this, as in all his plans, he confined not his views to the prefent time only. He looked forward to the period when an inftitution on an enlarged plan would become necefYary. With this view he confidered his academy as i( a foundation for pofterity I 106 THE LIFE OF posterity to erecl a feminary of learning, more exten- sive, and fuitable to future circumilances." In pur- suance of this plan, the confiitutions were drawn up and figned on the 13th of November 1749. In theie twenty-four of the moft refpedtable citizens of Phila- delphia were named as truftees. In the choice of theie, and in the formation of his plan, Franklin is faid to have consulted chiefly with Thomas Hopkinfon, Efq. Rev. Pvichard Peters, then fecretary 01 the province, Tench Francis, Efq. attorney-general, and Dr..Phineas Bond. The following article (hews a fpirit of benevolence worthy of imitation ; and, for the honour of our city, we hope that it continues to be in force. a In cafe of the inability of the rector^ or any maf- ter, (eftablifhed on tbe foundation by receiving a cer- tain ialary) through ficknefs, or any other natural .in- firmity, whereby he may be reduced to poverty, the truftees (hall have power to contribute to his fupport, in proportion to his diftrefs and merit, and the flock in their hands." The. laft claufe of the fundamental rules is exprefted in language fo tender and benevolent, fo truly parent- al, that it will do everlafting honour to the hearts and heads of the founders. " It is hoped and expected that the truftees will make it their pleafure, and in.fome degree their bufinefs, to vifit the academy often ; to encourage and countenance the youth, countenance and afTifl the mafters, and by all means in their power advance the ufefulnefs and reputation of the deftgn, that they will look on the ftudents as, in fome meafure, their own children, treat them with familiarity and affection ; and when they have behaved well, gone through their ftudies, and are to enter the world, they fhall zealoufly unite, and make all the intereft that can be made, to promote and efta- blifh them, whether in buiinefs, offices, marriages, or any other thing for their advantage, preferable to ajl pther perfons whatfoever, even of equal merit." The DR. FRANKL1X. I07 The confiitutions being figned and made public] with the names of the gentlemen propofing themielves as truftees and founders, the defign was fo well appro- ved of by the public-ipirited citizens of Philadelphia, that the fum of eight hundred pounds per annum, for five years, was in the courfe of a few weeks fubfcribed for carrying the plan into execution ; and in the be- ginning of January following (viz. 175s) three of the fchools were opened, namely, the Latin and Greek: fchools, the Mathematical and the Englifh fchools- In purfaance of an article in the original plan, a fchool for educating fixty boys and thirty girls (id the char- ter fince called the Charitable School) was opened, and amidd all the difficulties with which the truftees have ftruggled in reipect to their funds has ftiil been conti- nued full for the fpace of forty years ; fo that allowing three years education for each boy a:;d girl admitted into it, which is the general rule, at lead twelve hun- dred children have received in it the chief part of their education, who might otherwife, in a great me afu re- have been left without the means of inftrucYion. And- many of thole who have been thus educated, are now to be found among the mo ft ufefui and reputable citi- zens of this ftate. The inftitution, thus fuccefsfully begun, continued daily to flourifh, to the great fa tisfadYion of D\\ Fiank- lin ; who notwithstanding the multiplicity of his other engagements and purfuits at that bufy ftage of bis life, was a conftant attendant at the monthly vifitations and examinations of the fchools, and made it his particular ftudy, by means of his extenfrve correfpondence abroad, to advance the reputation of the feminary, and to draw ftudents and fcholars to it from different paitsof Ame- rica and the Weft Indies. Through the interpolition of his benevolent and learned friend, Peter Gollinfon, of London, upon the application of the truftees, a char- ter of incorporation, dated July 13, 1753, was obtain- ed from the honourable proprietors of Pennfylvania, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Efqrs. accompanied with a liberal benefadion cf five hundred pounds Her- X08 THE LIFE OF ling ; and Dr. Franklin now began in good earneft to pleafe himfclf with the hopes of a fpeedy accomplifh- ment of his originaj defign, viz, the eftablifhment of a perfect inftitution, upon the plan of the European colleges and univerfities ; for which his academy was intended as a nurfery or foundation. To elucidate this fact, is a matter of confiderable importance in refpect to the memory and character of Dr. Franklin, as a philofopher, and as the friend and patron of learning and fcience ; for, notwithstanding what is exprefsly declared by him in the preamble to the conititutions, viz. that the academy was begun for u teaching the Latin and Greek languages, with all ufeful branches of the arts and fciences, fuitable to the Mate of an in- fant country, and laying a foundation for pcfterity to erect a feminary of learning more extenlive, and iuit- ahie to their future circumftances ;" yet it has been iiiggefted of late, as upon Dr. Franklin's authority ? that the Latin and Greek, or the dead languages, are an incumbrance upon a fcheme of liberal education, and that the ingrafting or founding a college, or more extenfive feminary, upon his academy, was without his approbation or agency, and gave him discontent* If the reverfe of this does not already appear, frorrc what has been quoted above, the following letters will put the matter beyond difpute. They weic written by him to a gentleman, who had at that time publiffi- ed the idea of a college, fuited to the circumftances of young country, (meaning New- York) a copy of which having been fent to Dr. Franklin for his opinion, give rife to that correfpondenee which terminated about a year afterwards, in e reeling the college upon the foun- dation of the academy, and eftablifhing that gentleman as the head of both, where he Hill continues, after a period of thirty-fix years, to prefide with did ingui (lied reputation. From thefe letters alfo, the flate of the academy, at . that time, will be feen. Pbihd* , DR. PRANKLI N. IOQ Phi lad. April 19, J 75 3. Sir, I received your favour of the 1 ith inftant, with your new* piece on Education, which I (hall carefully perufe, and give you my fentiments of it, asyoudefire,- by next poft. I believe the young gentlemen, your pupils, may be entertained and inftru&ed here, in mathematics and philofophy, to fa tisf action. Mr. Alifonf (who w T as educated at Glafgow) has been long accuftomed to teach the latter, and Mr. Grew| the former ; and I think their pupils make great progrefs. Mr. Allifon has the care of the Latin and Greek fchool, but as he has now three good affiRants,|| he can very well afford fome hours every day for the inlfrucYion of thofe who are engaged in higher frudies. The mathematical fchool is pretty well furnifhed with inftruments. The Englifli library is a good one ; and we have belonging to it a middling apparatus for experimental philofophy, and purpoie fpeedily to complete it. 1 he Loganian library, one of the heft collections in America, will fhortly be opened ; fo that neither books nor inftru- ments will be wanting ; and as we are determined al- ways to give good falaries, we have reafon to believe we may have always an opportunity of enuring good mailers ; upon which, indeed, the fuccefs of the whole depends. We are obliged to you for your kind offers, in this refped, and when you are fettled in England, we may occafionally make ufe of your friendfiiip and judgment. — If * General idea of the college of Marania. t The Rev. and learned Mr. Francis Alison, after- wards D. D. and vice-provost of the college. \ Mr. Theophitus Grew, afterwards- professor of ma- thematics in the college. || Those assistants were at that time Mr. Charles, Thomson, late secretary of congress y Mr* Paul Jacksoiiy and Mr* Jacob Ditcbe. I 2 110 THE LIFE Of If it fuits your conveniency to vifit Philadelphia be- fore you return to Europe, 1 fhall be extremely glad to fee and converfe with you here, as well as to cor- refpond with you after your fettlement in England ; for an acquaintance and communication with men of learning, virtue and public fpirit, is one of my greateil enjoyments. I do not know whether you ever happened to fee the firft propofals I made for erecting this academy. I fend them inclofed. They had (however imperfect) the de- fired fuccefs, being followed by a fubfcription of four thousand pounds, towards carrying them into execution* And as we are fond of receiving advice, and are daily improving by experience, I am in hopes we fhall, in a few years, fee a perfect institution. I am very refpectfully, Sec. B. FRANKLIN. Mr. W. Smith, Long-Ifland. Philad. May ^d, 1753* Sir, Mr. Peters has juft now been with me, and we have compared notes on your new piece. We find nothing in the fcheme of education, however excellent, but what is, in our opinion, very practicable. The great difficulty will be to find the Aratus,* and other fuita- ble perfbns, to carry it into execution ; but fuch may he had if proper encouragement be given. We have both received great pleafure in the perufal of it. For my part, I know not when I have read a piece that has more affected me — ib noble and juft are the fenti- ments * The name given to the principal or head of the ideal college, the system of education in which hath ne- vertheless been nearly realized, or followed as a model 9 in the college and academy of Philadelphia, and soma other American seminaries^ for many years past . DR. FRANKLIN. Ill ments, fo warm and animated the language ; yet as cenfure from your friends may be of more ufe, as well as more agreeable to you than praife, I ought to men- tion, that I wifh you had omitted not only the quota- tion from the Review,* which you are now juitly dif- fatisfiecL with, but thole expreilions of refentment a- gainft your adverfaries, in pages 65 and 79. In fucii cafes, the nobleft victory is obtained by neglect, and by fliiaing on. Mr. Allen has been out of town thefe ten days ; but before he went he directed me to procure him fix copies of your piece. Mr. Peters has taken ten. He pur- poled to have written to you ; but omiis it, as he ex- pects fo ^on to have the pleafure of feeing you here. He defires me to prefent his affectionate compliments to you, and to aiTure you that yon will be very welcome to him. I fhall only fay, that you may depend on my doing all in my power to make your vifit to Philadel- phia agreeable to you. I am, &x. B. FRANKLIN. Mr. Smith. PbilacL Nov. 2~tb, 1 753. DEAR SIR, Having written you fully, via Briftol, I have now little to add. Matters relating to the academy remain in statu quo. The truftees would be glad to fee a rector eftablifhed there, but they dread entering into new engagements till they are out of debt ; and I have not * The quotation alluded to (from the London Month- ly Review for 17 49, ) was judged to reflect too severe- ly on the discipline and government of the English uni- versities of Oxford and Cambridge, and was expunged from tb? following editions of this work. 112 THE L I F £ T not yet got them wholly over to my opinion, that a good profeffor, or teacher of the higher branches of learning would draw fo many fcholars as to pay great part, if not the whole of his falary. Thus, unlefs the proprietors (of the province) mall think fit to put the finifning hand to our inititution, it mud, I fear, wait fome few years longer before it can arrive at that (late of perfection, which to me it feems now capable of; and all the pleafure I promifed myfelf in feeing you fettled among us, vanifhes into fmoke. But good Mr. Collinfon writes me word, that no endeavors of his fhall be wanting ; and he hopes, with the archbifhop's afliftance, to be able to prevail with our proprietors*. I pray God grant them fuccefs. My fon prefents his afiection&te regards, with dear fir, Yours, Sec. B. FRANKLIN. P. S. I have not been favoured with a line from youflnce your arrival in England. Philadelphia, April 18th, 1754. Dear Sir, I have had but one letter from you fince your arri- val in England, which was n fhort one, via. Boiton, da- ted October 18th, acquainting me that you had wi it- ten * Upon the application of archbishop Herring and P. Collinson, esq. at Dr. Franklin's request, (aided bj the letters of Mr. Allen and Mr. Peters J the Bon. Thomas Penn, esq. subscribed an annual sum, and afterwards gave at least , 5000/ to the founding or engrafting the college up*n the academy* DR. FRANKLIN. IIJ ten largely by Gapt. Davis — Davis was loft, and with him your letters, to my great difappointment. — Mef- nard and Gibbon have ftnce arrived here, and I hear nothing from you. — My comfort is, an imagination that you only omit writing becaufe you are coming, and purpofe to tell me every thing viva voce* So not knowing whether this letter will reach you, and hop- ing either to lee or hear from you by the Myrtilla, capt. Buddon's fhip, which is daily expected, I only add, that I am, with great efteem and affection, Yours, &c. B. FRANKLIN. Mr, Smith. About a month after the date of this lad letter, the gentleman to whom it was addrefTed arrived in Phila- delphia, and was immediately placed at the head of the feminary: whereby Dr. Franklin, and the other truf- tees were enabled to profecute their plan, for perfect- ing the inftitution, and opening the college upon the large and liberal foundation on which it now (lands ; for which purpofe they obtained their additional char- ter, dated May 27th, 1755. Thus far we thought it proper to exhibit in one view Dr. Franklin's tervices in the foundation and ef- tablifhment of this feminary. He foon afterward embarked for England, in the public fervice of his country ; and having been generally employed abroad in the like fervice, for the greateft part of the remain- der of his life (as will appear in our fubfequent ac- count of the fame) he had but few opportunities of taking any further active part in the affairs of the fe- minary, until his final return in the year 1785, when he found its charters violated, and his ancient colleagues the original founders, deprived of their truft, by an a£t of the legiflature, and although his own name had been inferted among the new truftees, yet he declined to take 114 T H E L I Ft OF take his feat among them, or any concern in the ma- nagement of their affairs, till the inRitution was re- stored by law to its original owners. He then afTem- bled his old colleagues at his own houfe, and being chofen their prefident, all their future meetings were at his requeft, held there, till within a few months of his death, when with reluctance, and at their defire r left he might be too much injured by his attention to their bufinefs, he futfered them to meet at the col- lege. Franklin not only gave birth to many ufeful infli- tutions himfelf, but he was alio inftru mental in pro- moting thofe which had originated with other men. About the year 1752, . an eminent phyfician of this city, Dr. Bond, confidering the deplorable (Tate of the poor, when vifited with difeafe, conceived the idea of eftaWi fhing an hbfpitad. Notwithfran ding very great., exertions on his part, he was able to interefl few peo- ple lb far in his benevolent plan, as to obtain fubfcrifM tions from them. Unwilling that his fcheme fhoulct prove abortive, he fought the aid of Franklin, who readily engaged in the bufinefs, both by ufmg his in- fluence with his friends, and by Rating the advantage- ous influence of the propofed inftitution in his paper. Thefe efforts were attended with fuccefs. Con fide r»- ble fums were fubferibed ; but they were full (hoit of what wasj necefiary Franklin new made another exer- tion. He applied to the aflembly ; and, after fame oppofition obtained leave to bring in a bill, fpecifying that as foon as two thoufand pounds were fubferibed, the fame fum fiiould be drawn from the trea fury by the fpeaker's warrant, to be applied to the .purpoles of the inftitution. The oppofition, as the fum was granted upon a contingency which they fuppofed would never take place, were filent, and the hill palled. The friends of the plan now redoubled their efforts, to obtain fub- fieri p tions to the amount dated in the bill, and were foon fuccefsful. This was the foundation of the Perm- iVtvauia Hofpital, which, with the Bettering-houfe and Difpenfary DR. FRANKLIN. II5 Difpenfary, bears ample teftimony of the humanity of the citizens of Philadelphia. Dr. Franklin had conducted himfelf fo well in the office of pott-matter, and had (hown himfelf to be fo well acquainted with the bulinefs of that department that it was thought expedient to raife him to a more dignified Ration. In 1753 he was appointed deputy pole- matter-general for the Britifh colonies. The pro- tits ariiing from the pottage of the revenue, which the crown of Great Britain derived from the colonies. In the hands of Franklin, it is faid, that the pott-office in America yielded annually thrice as much as that of Ireland. The American colonies were much expofed to de- predations on their frontiers, by the Indians ; and more particularly whenever a war took place between France and. England. The colonies, individually, were either too weak to take efficient meafures for their own de- fence, or they were unwilling to take upon themfelves the whole burden of erecting forts and maintaining garriions, whilft their neighbours, who partook equally with themlelves of the advantages, contributed no- thing to the expence. Sometimes alfo the difputes, which fubfifled between the governors and affemblies, prevented the adoption of means of defence ; as we have feen was the cafe in Pennfylvania in 1745. To devife a plan of union between the colonies, to regu- late this and other matters, appeared a defirable ob- ject. To accomplifh this, in the year 1754, commif- iioners from New-Hamp(hire, MafTachuletts, Rhode- Illand, New-Jerfey, Pennfylvania, and Maryland, met at Albany. Dr. Franklin attended here, as a com- rniiTioner . from Pennfylvania, and produced a plan, which, from the place of meeting, has been ufually termed " The Albany Plan of Union." This pro- pofed, that application mould be made for an a£t of -parliament, to ettablifh in the colonies a general go- vernment, to be adminitteredby a prefident-general, ap- pointed, by the crown, and by a grand council, con- fiding of members chofen by the reprefentatives of the different Il6 THE LIFE 0"F different colonies ; their number to be indirect propor- tion to the fums paid by each colony into the general treafury, with this reftricYion, that no colony fhould have more than feven, norlefs than two reprefentatives. The whole executive authority was committed to the prefident-general. The power of legiilation was lodg- ed in the grand council and prefident-general jointly ; his confent being made necefTary to palling a bill into a law. The power veiled in the prefident and council were, to declare war and peace, and to conclude trea- ties with the Indian nations ; to regulate trade w T ith, and to makepurchafes of vacant lands from them, either in the name of the crown, or of the union : to fettle new colonies, to make laws for governing thefe until they mould be erected into feparate governments, and to raife troops, build forts, fit out armed veffels and ufe other means for the general defence : and, to effect thefe things, a power was given to make laws laying fuch duties, imports, or taxes, as they fhould find ne- cefTary, and as would be leaft burdenfcme to the peo- ple. All laws were to be fent to England for the king's approbation ; and nnlefs disapproved of within three years, were to remain in force. All officers in the land or £ea fervice were to be nominated by the prefident-general, and approved of by the general council ; civil officers were to be nominated by the council, and approved by the prefident. Such are the outlines of the plan propofed, for the consideration of the congrefs, by Dr. Franklin. After feveral days' dif- cuffion, it was unanimoufly agreed to by the commif- fioners, a copy tranfmitted to each affembly, and one to the king's council. The fate of it was lingular. It was difapproved of by the minifrry of Great Britain* becaufe it gave too much power to the reprefentatives of the people; and it was rejected by every aiTembly, as giving to the prefident-general, the reprefentative of the crown, an influence greater than appeared to them proper, in a plan of government intended for freemen. Perhaps this rejection, cu both fides, is the ftrongefl: I proof that could be adduced of the excellence of it, as I iuited I D R> FRANKLIN. II Jr firited to the fituation of America and Great-Britain at that time. It appears to have fleered exa&ly in the middle, between the oppofite interefts of both. Whether the adoption of this plan would have pre- vented the feparation of America from Great-Britain, is a queftion which might afford much room for fpecula- tion. It may be faid, that, by enabling the colonies to de- fend themfelves, it would have removed the pretext upon which the (lamp-act., tea-ac~t, and other acls of the Britifh parliament, were pafled; which excited a fpirit of oppofition, and laid the foundation for the feparation of the two countries. But, on the other hand, it muft be admitted, that the reftridtion laid by Great Britain upon our commerxe, ohliging us to felt our produce to her citizens only, and to take from them various articles, of which, as our manufactures were difcouraged, we flood in need, at a price greater than that for which they could have been obtained from x>ther nations, mud inevitably produce diflatisfacHon, even though no duties were impofed by the parlia- ment: a circumftance which might ft ill have taken place. Befides, as the preiident-general was to be appointed by the crown, he muft, of neceffity, be de- voted to its views, and would therefore, refufe his af- fent to any laws, however falutary to the community, which had the moft remote tendency to injure the in- terefts of his fovereign. Even fhould they receive his aflentj the approbation of the king was to be necefla- ry ; who would indubitably, in every inftance, prefer the advantage of his home dominions to that of his colonies. Hence would enfue perpetual difagreements between the council and the prelident-general, and thus, .between the people of America and the crown of Great Britain : While the colonies continued weak, they would be obliged to fubmit, and as ibon as they ac- quired ft rength they would become more urgent in their demands, until, at length, they would (hake off the yoke, and declare themfelves independent. Whilftthe French were in pofleffion of Canada, their irade with the natives extended very far \ even to the back K Il8 THE XIFE OJ back of the Eritifh fettlements. They were difpofed, from time to time, to eftablilh pofts within the territo- ry, which the Britifh claimed as their own. Indepen- dent of the injury to the fur-tiade, which was consider- able, the colonies fuffered this further inconvenience, that the Indians were frequently infti gated to commit depredations on their frontiers. In the year 1753, en- croachments were made upon the boundaries of Vir- ginia. Remonftrances had no effect. In the enfuing year, a body of men was lent out under the command of Mr. Walhingtog, who, though a very young man, had, by his conduct in the preceding year, ihewn him- felf worthy of fuch an important truft. Whilft march- ing to take pofleflion of the poll at the junction of the Allegany and Monongahela, he was informed that the French had already erected a fort there. A detach- ment of their men marched againft him. He fortified himfelf as ftrongly ~as time and circumftances would permit. A fuperiority of numbers Icon obliged him to fui render Fort Necessity. He obtained honourable terms for himfelf and men, and returned to Virginia. The government of Great-Britain now thought it ne- cefiary to interfere. In the year 1755, General Brad- dock, with fome regiments of regular troops, and pro- vincial levies, was lent to difpolfefs the Fiench of the pofts upon which they had feized. After the men were all ready, a difficulty occurred, which had nearly prevented the expedition. This was the want of wag- gons. Franklin now ftepped forward, and with the affiftance of his fon, in a little time procured a hun- dred and fifty. Braddock unfortunately fell into an ambufcade, and perifhed, with a number of his men. Wafhington, who had accompanied him as an aid-de- camp, and had warned him, in vain of his danger, now difplayed great military talents in effecting a re- treat of the remains of the army, and in forming a junction with the rear, under colonel Dunbar, upon whom the chief command now devolved. With feme difficulty they brought their little body to a place of fafety ; but they found it neceffary to deftroy their waggons DR. FRANKLIN 119 waggons and baggage to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. For the waggons which he had furnifhed, Franklin had given bonds to a large amount. The owners declared their intentions of obliging him to make a reditution of their property. Had they put their threats in execution, ruin mud inevitably have been the confequence. Governor Shi rely, finding' that he had incurred thefe debts for the fervice of go- vernment, made arrangements to have them difcharg- ed, and. releafed Franklin from his difagreeable fitua- tion.. The alarm -fpread through the colonies, .after the defeat of Braddock, was very great. Preparations to arm were every where made. In Pennfylvania, the prevalence of the quakcr i nte reft: prevented the adoption of any fyftem of defence which would compel the citizens to bear arms. Franklin introduced into the aflembly a bill for orga- nizing a militia, by which every man was allowed to take arms or not, as to him (hould appear fit. The quakers, being thus left at liberty, differed the bill to pafs ; for although their principles would not fuiFerthern to fight, they had no objections to their neighbours fighting for them. In confequence of this act a very refpedtable militia was formed. The fenfe of impend- ing danger infuled a military fpirit in all, whofe religi- ous tenets were not oppofed to war. Franklin was appointed colonel of a regiment in Philadelphia, which confided of iaoo men. The north- wedern frontier being invaded by the ene- my, it became necefiary to adopt meafures for its de- fence. Franklin was directed 'by the governor to take charge of this bufinefs. A power of raifmg men, and of appointing officers to command them, w T as veded in him. He foon levied a body of troops, with which he repaired to the place at which their prefence was ne- celTary. Here he built a fort, and placed the garrifon in fuch a podure of defence, as would enable them to withdand the inroads to which the inhabitants had previously been expofed. He remained here for fome rtime, in order the more completely to difcharge the truft I2G T H E L I F E O F trud committed to him. Some budnefs of importance rendered his pretence neceffary in the aflembly, and he returned to Philadelphia.. The defence of her colonies was a great expence to Great Britain. The mod effectual mode of leffening thrs was, to put arms into the hands of the inhabitants and to teach them their ufe. But England wi died not that the Americans fhould become acquainted with their own drength. She was apprehenlive, that, as icon as this period arrived, they would no longer fubmit to that monopoly of their trade, which to them was highly injurious, but extremely advantageous to the mother country. In comparifon with the profits of this, the expence of maintaining armies and dates to defend them was trifling. She fought to keep them de- pendent upon her for protection, the bed plan which could be deviled for retaining them in peaceable fub- (eclion. The leaft appearance or a military fpirit Ava* therefore to be guarded againd, and, although a war then raged, the act organizing a militia was difapprov- ed of by the minifhy. The regiments which had been formed under it were difbanded, and the defence of the province entrufled to regular troops. The difputes between the proprietaries and the peo- ple continued in full force,, although a war was raging on the frontiers. Not even the fenfe of danger waj fiiihxier.t to reconcile, for ever fo (hort a time, their' jarring intereds. The stflfembly dill infilled upon the jaftice of taxing the proprietary eftates, but the gove-* nors condantly, refilled to give their affent to this, meafure, without which no bill could pafs into a law. Enraged at the obdinacy, and what they conceived to be unju.d proceedings of their opponents, the affemWy tit length determined to apply to the mother country for relief. A petition was addreffed to the king, in council, dating the iqconveniencies under which the inhabitants laboured, from the attention of the proprie- taries to their private intereds, to the neglect of the general welfare of the community, and praying for re- drefs. Franklin was appointed to prefent t*his addrefs DRr FRANKLIN. IZI as agent for the province of Pennfylvania, and depart- ed from America in June 1757. In conformity to the inihuriions which he had received from the legiilature, held a conference with the proprietaries, who then re- fided in England, and endeavomed topi evail upon them to give up the long-cowtefted point. Finding that they would hearken to no terms of accommodation, he laid his. petition before the council. During this time gover- nor Denny alien ted to a law impofing a tax, in which no difcrimination was made in favour of the efrates of the Penn family. They, alarmed .at this intelligence, and Franklin's exertions, ufed their utmofl exertions to prevent the royal fanction being given to this law, which they reprefented as highly iniquitous, defigned to throw the burden of fupporting government on them, and calculated to produce ttu molt ruinous confequences to them and their poiteriiy. The caufe was amply dif- cuffed before the privy council. The Penns found here ibme ftrenuous advocates; nor were there wanting fome who warmly efpoufed the fide of the people* After ionte time fpent in debate, a propofai was made, that Franklin fhould folemnly engage, that the avTefT- ment of the tax lhould be fo made, as that the pro- prietary e Rates fhould pay no more than a due propor- tion. This he agreed to perform, the Penn family- withdrew their oppofnion, and tranquility was thus once more reflored to the province^ The. mode in which this difpute was determined is . a (hiking proof of the high opinion entertained of Franklin's integrity and honour, even by thole who confidered him as inimical to their views. Nor was their confidence ill-founded. The afleflment was made upon the ftricteit principles of equity; and the proprietary eftates bore only a proportionable fhare of the expencesof fupporting government. After the completion of this important huGnefs, Franklin remained at the court of Great Britain, as agent for the province of Pennfylvania. The exten- five knowledge which he pofTeiTed of the Gtuation of ies, and the regard which he always manifefr- K 2 122 TH E L IFE OF e&ipr their interefts, occafioned his appointment to the' fame office by the colonies of Maffachufetts, Mary- land, and Georgia. His conduct, in this fituatioiv was fuch as rendered him ftill more dear to his country- men. He had now an opportunity of indulging in the fo- ciety of thofe friends, whom his merits had procured him while at a diftance. The regard which they had entertained for him was rather encreafed by a perfo- nal acquaintance. The oppofition which had been made to his difcoveries in philofophy gradually ceaied, and the rewards of literary merit were abundantly con- ferred upon him. The royal fociety of London, which had at firft refuted his performances admiffion into its tranfadtions, now thought it an honour to rank him among its fellows. Other focieties of Europe were equally ambitious of calling him a member. The uni- versity of St* Andrew's, in Scotland, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws. Its example was followed by the univerfities of Edinburgh and of Ox- fordr His correfpondence was fought for by the moft eminent philofophers of Europe. His letters to thefe abound with true fcience, delivered in the moft fimple unadorned manner. The province of Canada was at this time in the pof- feffion of the French, who had originally fettled it. The trade with the Indians, for which its fituation was very convenient, was exceedingly lucrative. The French traders here found a market for their commo- 1 dities, and received in return large quantities of rich furs, which they difpofed cf at a high price in Europe. WhiliAthe pofleilion of this country was highly advan- tageous to France, it was a grievous inconvenience to the inhabitants of the Britilh colonies. The Indians were almofl generally defirous to cultivate the friend- ship of the French, by whom they were abundantly fupplied with arms and ammunition. Whenever a war happened, the Indians were ready to fall upon the fron- tiers ; and this they frequently did, even when Great Britain and France were at peace. From thefe con- fide rati on s y I) R. FRANKLIN. 123 Gderations, it appeared to be the intereft of Great Britain to gain the pofieflion of Canada. But the im- portance of fuch an acquiHtion was not well underftood in England. Franklin about this time publifhed his Canada pamphlet, in which he, in a very forcible man- ner, pointed out the advantages which would refuit from the conqueft of this province. An expedition againft it was planned, and the com- mand given to General Wolfe. His fuccefs is well known. At the treaty in 1762, France ceded Cana- da to Great Britain, and by her ceffion of Louifiana, at the fame . time, relinquifhed all her povTeilions on the continent of America. Although Dr. Franklin was now principally occupied with political purfuits, he found time for philofophical .ftudies. He extended his electrical refearches, and made a variety of experiments, particularly on the tour- malin. The lingular properties which this (lone pof- feffes of being electrified on one fide pofitively, and on the other negatively, by heat alone, without friction 7 had been but lately obferved, Some experiments on the cold produced by evapora- tion, made by Dr. Cullen, had been communicated to Dr. Franklin by Profeffor Simpibn of Glafgow. Theie he repeated, and found that, by the evaporation ol ether in the exhaufted receiver of an air-pump, fo great a degree of cold was produced in a fummer'sday, that water was converted into ice. This dileovery he applied to the folution of a aumber of phenomena, par- ticularly a lingular fad, which philoibphers had en- deavoured in vain to account for, viz. that the tem- perature of the human body, when in health, never ex- ceeds 96 degrees of Farenlieit's thermometer, although the atmofphere which furrounds it may be heated to a? much greater degree. This he attributed to the in- created perfpiration, and confequent evaporation, pro- duced by the heat. In a letter to Mr. Small of London, dated in May 1760, Dr. Franklin makes a number of obfervations, tending to fliew that, in North America, north-eaft ftorms 12-4 THE L I P-E C F ftorms begin in the fouth-wePt parts. It appears, fronr actual oblervation, that a north-cad (loin, which ex- - tended a considerable ciiftance, commenced in Phila- delphia nearly four hours before it was felt at Bofton. He endeavoured to account for this, by fuppofing that, from heat, fomc rarefaction takes place about the gulf of Mexico, that the air further north being cooler rufhes in, and is Succeeded by the cooler and denier air ftill further north, and that thus a continued current is at length produced. The tone produced by rubbing the brim of a drink- ing glafs with a wet finger had been generally known. A Mr. Puckeridge, an Irifhman, by placing on a table, a number of glafs of different fizes, and tuning them by partly filling them with water, endeavoured to form an infVdiment capable of playing tunes. He was pre- vented by an untimely end, from bringing his inven- tion to any degree of perfection. After his death fome improvements were made upon his plan. The fweelneis of the tones induced Dr. Franklin to make, a vaiiety of experiments; and he at. length formed, that elegant inihument which he has Culled the At- ?nonica. In the fummer of 1762 he returned to America.— ; On his parage he cbferved the lingular effect produced by the agitation of a \efTeI, containing oil floating on water. The fut face of the oil remains fmcoth and un- dillurbed, whi-lft the water is agitated with the utmofr. commotion. No iatisfaCiory explanation of this ap» peaiance has, we believe, ever been given. Dr. Franklin -eceived the thanks of the afTembly of Pennfylvania, if - as well for the faithful difcharge of his duty to that province in particular, as for the many and important fervices done to America in general, during his refidence in Great-Britain." A compenfa- tion of 500c!. Pennfylvania currency, was alfo decreed, "him for his fervices during fix years. During his abfence he had been annually elected member of the afTembly, On his return to Pennfyl- vania D K. rUANKLlN. 125: vania he again took his feat in this body, and continue ed a (ready defender of the liberties of the people. In December 1^62, a circumftance which caufed great alarm in the province took place. A number of Indians had refrded in the county of Lancafter, and conducted themfelves uniformly as friends to the white inhabitants. Repeated depredations on the frontiers had exafperated the inhabitants to fuch a degree, that they determined on revenge upon every Indian. A number of perfons, to the amount of 120, principally inhabitants of Donnegal and Peckftan.g or Paxton tdwnfhips, in the county of York, affembled ; and, mounted on horfeback, proceeded to the fettlement of thefe barmlefs and defencelefs Indians, whole number had now reduced, to about twenty. The Indians re- ceived intelligence of the attack which was intended againft them, but difoelieved it. Confidering the wrnte people as their friends; they apprehended no dan- ger from them. When the party anived at the Indi- an fettlement, they found only feme women and chil- dren, and a few old men, the reft being abfent at work. They murdered all whom they found, and amongft others the chief Shahae?, who had been always diftin- guifhed for bis i» iendfhip to the whites. Tins bloody deed excited much indignation in the well difpofed part cf the community. The remainder of thefe unfortunate Indians, who, by abfence, had efcaped the maffacre, were conducted to Lancafter, and lodged in the gaol, as a place of fe- curity. The governor iffued a proclamation, expreff- ing the ftrongeft disapprobation of the action, offering a reward for the diicovery cf the perpetrators of the deed, and prohibiting all injuries to the peaceable In- dians in future. But, notwithstanding this, a party cf the fame men fhortly after marched to Lancafter, broke open the gaol, and inhumanly butchered the in- nocent Indians who had been placed there for Security. Another proclamation was iffued, but lud no effect A detachment maiched down to Philadelphia, for the exprefs purpofe of murdering feme friendly Indians who 126 THE LIFE OF who had been removed to the city for fafety. A num* ber of the citizens armed in their defence. The Qua- kers, whofe principles are oppofed to fighting, even in their own defence, were moil active upon this occafi- on. The rioters came to Germantown. The gover- nor fled for fafety to the houfe of Dr. Franklin, who, with fome others, advanced to meet the Paxton boys, as they were called, and had influence enough to pre- vail upon them to relinquifh their undertaking, and vcr turn to their homes. The diiputes between the proprietaries and the af- fembly, which, for a time, had fubGded, were again revived. The proprietaries were diifatisfied with the conceflfions made in favour of the people, and made great ftruggles to recover the privilege of exempting their eflates from taxation, which they had been in- duced to give up. In 1763 the affembly pafTed a militia bill, to which the governor refufed to give his ailent, unlefs the af- fembly would agree to certain amendments which he propofed. Thefe confuted in increafmg the Sues, and, in feme cafes, fubllituting death for fines. He wifhed , too tlm the officers fhould be appointed altogether, by J >imfe If, and not be nominated by the people, -as the bill had propofed. Thefe amendments the affembly confiacred as inconfiftent with the fpirit of liberty.— r> . They would not adopt them; the. governor was obfli- nate, and the bill was loir. Thefe, and various ether circurnflances, increafed the uneafinefs which fubfifted between the proprietaries and the aiTembly to fuch a degree, that, in 1764, a petition to the king was agreed to by the hcufe, pray- ing an alteration from a proprietary to a regal govern- . rcent. G-reat oppofition was made to this meafure, not only in the houfe, but in the public prints. A fpeech of Mr. Dickenfon, on the fubjecl:, was publifhed, with . a preface by Dr. Smith, in which great pains were taken to (hew the impropriety and impolicy of this pro- . ceeding. A fpeech of Mr. Galloway, in reply to Mr. Dickenfon, was publifhed, accompanied with a preface DR. FRANKLIN. 127 preface by Dr. Franklin ; in which he ably oppofed the principles laid down in the preface to Mr. Dick- enfon's fpeech. This application to the throne produ- ced no effect. The proprietary government Was ftili continued. At the election for a new affembly, in the fall of 1764, the friends of the proprietaries made great ex- ertions to exclude thofe of the adverfe party, and ob- tained a fmail majority in the city of Philadelphia. Franklin now loft his feat in the honfe, which he had held for fourteen years. On the meeting of the af- fembly, it appeared that there was ftill a decided majo- rity of Franklin's friends. He was immediately ap- pointed provincial agent, to the great chagrin of his enemies, who made a folemn proteft againft his ap- pointment ; which was refufed admifTion upon the mi- nutes, as being unprecedented. It was, however, pub- Kfhed in the papers, and produced a fpirited reply from tim juft before his departure for England. The diliurbances produced in America by Mr. Gren- v'ille's (lamp-act, and the oppoinion made to it, are well known. Under the marquis of Kcekingham's ad- miniftration, it appeared expedient to endeavour to calm the minds of the colonics ; and the repeal of the odious tax was contemplated. Amongft oilier means of collecting information en the difpofition of the peo- ple to fubmit to it, -Dr. Franklin was called to the bar of the houfe of commons. The examination which lie here underwent was publHhed, and contains a ftri- king proof of the extent and accuracy of his informa- tion, and the facility with which he communicated his fentiineuts. He represented facts in ib ttrong a point of view, that the inexpediency of the act mult have appeared clear to every unprejudiced mind. The act, after fome oppofition, was repealed, about a year after it was enacted, and before it had ever been carried in- to execution. In the year 1766, he made a vifjt to Holland and many, and received the greateft marks of attention from men of fcieuce. In his palfage through Holland, he I.2& THE LIFE OF he learned from the watermen the efFe£L which a dimi- nution of the quantity of water in canals has, in impe- ding the progreis of boats* Upon his return to Eng- land, he was led to make a number of experiments; all of which tended to confirm theobfervation. Thefe, with an explanation of the phenomenon, he commu- nicated in a letter to his friend, Sir John Pringle, which is contained in the volume of his philofophical pieces. In the following year he travelled into France^ where he met with a no lefs favourable reception than he had experienced in Germany. He was introduced to a number of literary characters, and to the king Louis XV. Several letters written by Hutchmfon, Oliver* and others, to peribns in eminent Rations in Great Britain, came into the hands of Dr. Franklin. Thefe contained the mod violent invectives againft the leading characters of the Rate of MalTachufetts, and Rrenuoufiy adviled the profecution of vigorous mea- sures, to compel the people to obedience to the mea- iiires of the miniftry. Thefe he tranfmitted to the le- giflature, by whom they were pubhfhed. AtteRed copies of them were fent to -Great Britain, with an addrefs, praying the king to difcharge from ofnce per- lons who had rendered themfelves \'o obnoxious to the people, and who had (hewn themfelves fo unfriendly to their intereRs. The publication of thefe letters produced a duel be- tween Mr. Whately and Mr. Temple ; each of whom was fufpected of having been inRrumental in procuring them. To prevent any further difputes en this fuh- ject, Dr. Franklin, in one of the public papers, declar- ed that he had lent them to America, ±>ut would give no information concerning the manner in which he had obtained them ; nor was this ever discovered. Shortly after, the petition cf the Maffachufetts af- iembly was taken up for examination, before the privy council. Dr. Franklin attended, as agent for the ai- ,fe«ibly ; and here a torrent of the moR violent and un- warranted D £. FRANKLIN. 12C) warranted abufe was poured upon him by the folicitor- general, We'dderburne, who was engaged as council for Oliver and Hutchinfon. The petition was declared to be fcandalous and vexatious, and the prayer of it refilled* Although the parliament of Great-Britain had re- pealed the ftainp-act, it was only upon the principle of expediency. They dill infilled upon their right to tax the colonies ; and, at the lame time that the iVamp- act was repealed, an act was patted, declaring the right of parliament to bind the colonies in all cafes whatfoever This language was ufed even by the mod ftrenuous oppofers of the ft amp-act ; and, amongfr. o- thers, by Mr. Pitt. This right was never recognized 'by the colonics ; but, as they flattered themfelves that it would not be exercifed, they were not very active in remonftrating againft it. Had this pretended right been differed to remain dormant, the colonics would cheerfully have furuifhed their quota of fupplies, in the mode to which they had been.accuftomed : that is, by acts of their own afleinblies, in coniequence of requi- sitions from the fecretary of (late. If this practice had been purfued, fuch was the difpofition of the co- lonies towards the mother country, that, notwithstand- ing the difadvantages under which they laboured, from reftraints upon their trade, calculated folely for the benefit of the commercial and manufacturing interefls of Great Britain, a feparation of the two countries .might have been a far diftant event. The Americans, from their earlieft infancy, were taught to venerate a people from whom they were delcended ; whofe language, laws and manners were the fame as their own. They looked up to them as models of perfecti- on ; and, in their prejudiced minds, the mod enlight- ened nations of Euiope were considered as almoft bar- barians, in companion with Englifhmen. The name of an Englishman conveyed to an American the idea of every thing good and great. Such femiments in- filled into them in early life, what but a repetition of unjuft treatment could have induced them to enter- tain L I30 THE LIFE OF tain the mod didant thought of reparation ! The du- ties on glais, paper, leather' painters' colours, tea, Sec. the disfranchisement of lime of the colonies; the obdruction to the meafures of the legillature, in others, by the king's governors ; the contemptuous treatment of their humble remondrances, dating their grievances, and praying a redrefs of them, and other violent and oppreflive meafures, at length excited ar- dent fpirit of oppcfition. Indead of endeavouring to allay this by a mere lenient conduct, the miniftry feemed refclutely bent upon reducing the colonies to the moll flavidi obedience to their decrees. But this tended only to aggravate. Vain were all the efforts made ufe of to prevail upon them to lay afide their defigns, to- convince them of the impolTibility of carry- ing them into effed, and of the mifchievous cbnie- quences which mud enfue from a continuance of the attempt. They perfevered, with a degree of inflexibi- lity fcarcely paralleled. The advantages which Great Britain derived from her colonies were fo great, that nothing but a degree of infatuation, little fhort of madnefs, could have pro- duced a continuance of meafures calculated to keep up a fpirit of uneafinels, which might occafion the flight- ed wifh for a feparation. When we confider the great improvements in the fcience of government, the gene- ral difiufion of the principles of liberty amongd the people of Europe, the effects which thefe have already produced in France, and the probable confequences ■which will refult from them ellewhere, all of which are the offspring of the American revolution, it can- not but appear drange, that events of fo great mo- ment to the happinefs of mankind, fhould have been ultimately occafionedby the wickednefs or ignorance of a Britidi mini dry. Dr. Franklin left nothing untried to prevail upon the minidry to confent to a change of meafures. In private converfations, and in letters to perfons in go- vernment, he continually expatiated upon the impoli- cy and injudice of their conduct towards America ; and and dated ; that, notwuhdanding the attachment of the colon ids DR. FRANKLIN. I3I colonics to the mother country, a repetition of ill treat- ment mufl ultimately alienate their affections. They Hftened not to his advice. They blindly perfevered in . their own fchemes, and left to the colonics no alterna- tive, but oppofition or unconditional fubmiffion. The latter accorded not with the principles of freedom, which they had been taught to revere. To the former they were compelled though reluctantly, to have recourfe. Dr. Franklin, fi nding all efforts to reftore harmony between Great Britain and her colonies ufelefs, return- ed to America in the year 1775 ; juft after the com- mencement of hoflilities. The day after his return he was elected by the legiflature of Pennfylvania a member of congrefs. Not' long after his election a committee was appointed, confiding of Mr. Lynch, Mr. Harrifon, and himfelf, to vint the camp of Cam- bridge, and, in conjunction with the commander in chief, to endeavour to convince the troops whofe term of inliftment was about to expire, of the neceflity of their continuing in the fields and perfevering in the caufe of their country. In the fall of the fame year he vifited Canada, to endeavour to unite them in the common caufe of li- berty ; but they could not be prevailed upon to cppofe the meafures of the Britilh government. M. Le Roy, in a letter annexed to Abbe Fauchet's eulogium of Dr. Franklin, itates, that the ill fuccefs of this negociation was occafioned, in a great degree, by religious animoit- ties, which fubfiiled between the Canadians and their neighbours ; fome of whom had at different times burnt their chapels. When Lord Howe came to America, in 1776 vett- ed with power to treat with the colonifts, a correfpon- dence took place between him and Dr. Franklin, on the fubject of a reconciliation. Dr. Franklin was af- terwards appointed, together with John Adams and Edward Rutiedge, to wait upon the commiffioners, in order to learn the extent of their power. Thefe were found to be only to grant pardons upon fubmiffion. Thefe 13 2 THE LIFE OF Tbefc were terms which would not be accepted ; and the object of the commifiioners could not be obtained. The momentous queftion of independence was (hort- ly after brought into view ; at a time when the fleets and armies, which were fent to enforce obedience, were truly formidable. With an army, numerous in- deed, but ignorant of discipline, and entirely unskilled in the art of war, without money, without a fleet, with- out allies, and with nothing but the love of liberty to fupport them, the colonics determined to fe pa rate from a country from which they had experienced a repeti- tion of injury and infult. In this queRiou, Dr. Frank- lin was decidedly in favour of the meafure propofed, and had great influence in bringing over others to his fentiments. The public mind had been pretty fully orepared for this event, by Mr. Paine's celebrated pamphlet Common Sense* There is good realbn to believe that Dr. Frank- lin had no inconfiderable (hare, at leaft, in furnilhing materials for this work. In the convention which affembled at Philadelphia in 1776, for the purpofe of eftablifhing a new form of government for the (late of Pennfylvania, Dr. Frank- lin 'vaschofen prefident. The late conftitution of this fiate, which v.'*s the refult of their deliberations, may be confidered as a digeft of his principles of govern- ment. The fmgle legiflature, and the plural executive^, feem to have been his favourite tenets. In the latter end of 1776, Dr. Franklin was ap- pointed to affift in the negoeiations which had been let on foot by Silas Deane at the court of France. A conviction of the advantages of a commercial inter- •courfe with America, and a defire of weakening the Britifh empire by difmembering it, firft induced the French court to liflen to propofals of an alliance* But they fhewed rather a reluclance to the meafure, which, by Dr. Franklin's addrefs, and particularly by the fuccefs of the American arms againll general Bur- goyne, was at length overcome; and in February 1778, a treaty of alliance, offenfive and defenfive, was con- cluded ; DR. FRANKLIN. 133 eluded ; in conference of which France became invol- ved in the war with Great-Britain. Perhaps no perfon cold have been found more capa- ble of rendering eiTential fervices to the United States at the court of France, than Dr. Franklin. He was well known as a philofopher, and his character was held in the higheft ellimation. He was received with the greateft marks of refpect by all the literary .cha- racters; and this refpect was extended amongfl all clalTes of man. His perfon al influence was hence very confiderable. To the e^eds of this were added thole of various performances which he publifhed, tending to eftablifh the credit and character of the United States. To his exertions in this way, may, in no fmall degree, be afcribed the fuccefs of the loans negociated in Hol- land and France, which greatly contributed to bring- ing the war to a happy concluiion... The repeated ill fuccefs of their arms, and more, particularly the capture of 'Comwallis and his army, at length convinced the Britiih nation of the impoffibility of reducing the Americans to fubjection. The tra- ding interefl particularly became very clamorous for peace. The miniitry were unable longer to oppofe their wifhes. Provincial articles of peace were agreed tOj and figned at Paris on the 30th of November, -1782, by L>w Franklin, Mr. Adams, Mr. Jay, and Mr. Laurens, on the part of the United States; and by Mr. Ofwakl on the part of Great Britain. Thefe formed the bafts of the definitive treaty, which was concluded the 30th of September 1783, and figned by Dr. Franklin, Mr. Adams, and Mr. Jay, on the one part, and by Mr. David Hartley on the other. On the 3d of April 1783, a treaty of amity and commerce, between the United States and Sweden, was concluded at Paris, by Dr. Franklin and the Gouht Von Krutz. A fimilar treaty with Pruffia was concluded in * 1785, not long before Dr. Franklin's departure from Europe. Dr. L 2 134 THE LIFE OF Dr. Franklin did not fuffer his political purfuits to engrofs his whole attention. Some of his perform- ances made their appearance in Paris. The object of thefe was generally the promotion of induftry and csco- 3)omy. In the year 1784* when animal magnetifm made great noife in the world, particularly at Paris, it was thought a matter of fuch importance, that the king appointed commiflioners to examine into the founda- tion of this pretended fcience. Dr. Franklin was one of the number. After a fair and diligent examination, in the courfe of which Mefmer repeated a number of experiments, in the pretence of the commiflioners, Ibme of which were tried upon themielves, they deter- mined that it was a mere trick, intended to impofe upon the ignorant and credulous — Mefmer was thus interrupted in his career to wealth and fame, and a moll iniblent attempt to impofe upon the human un- derftanding baffled. The important ends of Dr. Franklin's million being completed by the eftabliihment of American independ- ence, and infirmities of age and difeafe coming upon him, he became defirous of returning to his native country. Upon application to congrefs to be recalled, Mr. Jefferfon was appointed to fucceed him, in 1783. Sometime hi September of the fame year, Dr. Frank- lin arrived in Philadelphia. He was ihortly after chofen member of the fupreme executive council for the city ; and foon after was elected prefident of the fame. When a convention was called to meet in Philadel- phia, in 1787, for the purpofe of giving more energy to the government of the union, by reviling and amend- ing the articles of confederation, Dr. Franklin was appointed a delegate from the State of Penniylvania. He figned the conilitution which they propoied for the union, and gave it the mod unequivocal marks of his approbation. A fociety for political enquiries, of which Dr. Frank- lin was prefident, was eilablifhed about this period. — The DR. FRANKLlIf, I35 The meetings were held at his houfe. Two or three effays read in the fociety were published. It did not long continue. In the year 1787, two focieties were efiablifhed in Philadelphia, founded on principles of the moft liberal and refined humanity — the Philadelphia Society for al- leviating the miseries of public prisons ; and the Pen?:- sylvania Society fir promoting the abolition of slave rj\ the relief @f free negroes unlawfully held in bondage, and the improvement of the condition of the African race. Of each of thefe Dr. Franklin was preikknt. The labours of thele bodies have been crowned with great fuccefs ; and they continue to profecute, with unwearied diligence, the laudable deiigns for which they were inftitutcd. Dr. Franklin's increafing infirmities prevented his regular attendance in the council-chamber; and, in 1788, he retired wholly from public life. His conhVitution had been a remarkable good one. He had been little iubjeel to difeafe, except an attack of the gout occalionally, until the year 1781, when he was firit attacked with the iymptoms of the calculous complaint, which continued during his life. During the intervals of pain from this grievous difeafe, he fpent many cheerful hou.s, converfing in the moft a- greeable and initrucYive manner. His faculties were entirely unimpaired, even to the hour of his death. His name, as prefident of the Abolition Society, was figned to the memorial prefented to the Houfe of Keprefentatives of the United States, on the 12th of February 1789, praying them to exert the full extent of power vetted m them by the conftitution, in dis- couraging the traffic of the human tpecies. This was his iaft public ad. In the debates to which this me- morial gave rife, feveral attempts were made to juftify the trade. In the Federal Gazette of March 25 th there appeared an elTay, figned HiProricus, written by Dr. Franklin, in which he communicated a fpeech, faid to have been delivered in the Divan of Algiers in 1687, in oppofition to the prayer of the petition of a fe& t> I36 THE LIFE GF feci called Eriko, or purifk, for the abolition of piracy and flavery. This pretended African fpeech was an excellent parody of one delivered by Mr. Jackfon of Georgia. AH the arguments urged in favour of negro flavery, are applied with equal force, to juflify the plundering and enflaving the Europeans. It affords, at the fame time, a dem on ft ration of the utility of the arguments in defence of the fkve trade, and of the ftrength of mind and ingenuity of the author, at his advanced period of life. It fumifhed too a no lefs convincing proof of his power of imitating the ftyle of other times and nations, than his celebrated parable againft periecution. And as the latter led many to iearch the Scriptures with a view to find it, io the former cauied many perfons to iearch the book-flores and libraries, for the work from which it was laid to- be extracted.* In the beginning of April following, he was attack- ed with a lever and complaint of his bread, which terminated his exiftence. r i he following account of his hit illnefs was written by his friend and pbyfician Dr. Jones. " i he (lone, with which he had been afHicted for feveral years, had for the Lift twelve months confined him chiefly to his bed; and during the extreme painful paroxyfms, he was obliged to take large doles of lau- danum to mitigate his tortures — (till, in the intervals cf pain, he net only amufed himielf with reading and convening with his family, and a few friends who viiked him, but was often employed in doing bufmefs cf a public as well as private nature, with various per- fons who waited on him for that purpofe ; and in every inllance difp'ayed, not only that readinefs and difpofi- tion of doing good, which was the dilhnguilhing cha- ra&efiftic of his hie, but ihe fulleft and clcareit poflef- fion of his uncommon mental abilities ; and not unfre- quently indulged himielf in thbie jeux cV esprit and en- tertaining anecdotes, which were the delight of all who heard him. "About This speech will be found in ihe volume of Essay DL FRANKLIN, X$!j tl About fixteen days before his death, he was feized with a feverrfh indifpo£tion, without any particular fymptoms attending it, till the third or fourth day when he complained of a pain in his left breaft, which increafed till it became extremely acute, attended with a cough and laborious breathing. During this (late, when the feverity of his pains fometimes drew forth a groan of complaint, he would obferve— that he was afraid he did not bear them as he ought — acknowledg- ed his grateful fenfe of the many bleflings be had re- ceived from that Supreme Being, who had railed him from fmall and low beginnings to fuch high rank and Confideration among men — and made to doubt but his pre fen t afflictions were kindly intended to wean him from a world, in which he was no longer fit to act the part afligned him. In this frame of body and mind he cantin»ed till live days before his death, when his pain and difficulty of breathing intirely left him, and his family were flattering themfelves with the hopes of his recovery, when an impoithumatioii, which had formed itfelf in- his lungs, fuddenly burft, anddifcharg- ed a great quantity of matter, which he continued to throw up while he had fufficient ftiength to do it; but, as that failed, the organs of refpi.ation became gradu- ally opprefled — a calm lethargic ftate fucceeded and on the 171b of April, 1790, about eleven o'clock at night, he quietly expired, cfofiug a long and ufeful life of eighty-f-L-r years and three months, " It may not be amifs to add to the above account, that Dr. Franklin, in the year 1735, nac ^ a fevere p!eu- rify, which terminated in an abfeefs of the left lobe of his lungs, and he was then aim oft fu (located with the quantity and fuddennefs of the difcharge. A fecond attack of fimilar nature happened fome years after this, from which he foon recovered, and did not appear to fuffer any inconvenience in his refpiration from thefe 4ifeafe$," I38 THE LIFE OF The following epitaph on himself was written him many years previous to his death ; THE BODY of Benjamin Franklin, Printer, (Like the cover of an old book, Its contents torn out And ftript of its lettering and gilding) Lies here food for worms ; Yet the work itfelf (It all not be loft, For it will (as he believed) appear once more, In a new And more beautiful edition,. Corrected and amended by The Author. ExfRAcfs frcm the Last Will and Testament of Dk. Franklin. WITH regard to my books, thofe I had in France, and thofe I left in Philadelphia, being now aflembled together here, and a catalogue made of them, it is my intention to difpofe of the fame as follows : My hifrory of the academy of Sciences, in fixty or feventy volumes quarto, I give to the philofophical fo- ciety of Philadelphia, of which I have the honour to be prefident. My collection in folio of Les Arts tf Les Metiers, I give to the philofophical fociety, efta- blifhed in New-England, of which I am a member. — My quarto edition of the fame Arts and Metiers, I give DR. FRANKLIN. I39 give to the library company of Philadelphia. .Such and fo many of my books as I fhall mark, in the laid catalogue, with the name of my grandfon, Benjamin Franklin Bache, I do hereby give to him : and iiich and fo many of my books, as I fhall mark in the faid catalogue with the name of my grandfon, William Bache, I do hereby give to him : and fuch as fhall be marked with the name of Jonathan Williams, I here- by give to my coufin of that name- The reiidue and remainder of all my books, manufcripts and papers, I do give to my grandfon William Temple Franklin. — My (hare in the library company of Philadelphia, I give to my grandfon, Benjamin Franklin Bache, con- fiding that he will permit his Brothers and fillers to fhare in the ufe of it. I was born in Bofton, New-England, and owe my .firft inftrucYionsin literature to the free grammar-fcbools eftablifhed there. I therefore give one hundred pounds fterling to my executors, to be by them, the furvivors or furvivor of them, paid over to the managers or di- rectors of the free fchools in my native town of Bof- ton, to be by them, or the perfon orperfons who fhall have the fuperintendance and management of the faid fchools, put out to intereft, and fo continued at in- terell for ever ; which intereft annually fhall be laid out in filver medals, and given as honorary rewards annually by the directors of the faid free fchools, for the encouragement of fcholarfhip in the faid fchools, belonging to the faid town, in fuch manner as to the •difcretion of the felecl men of the faid town (hail feem jneet. Out of the falary that may remain due to me, as prelident of the Hate, I give the lum of two thouiand pounds to my executors, to be by them, the furvivors or furvivor of them, paid over to fuch perfon or per- fbns as the legillature of this ftate, by an act of af- fembly, fhall appoint to receive the fame, in truft, to be employed for making the Schuylkill naviga-ble. During the number of years I was in bufinefs as a flationer, printer, and poihnafter, a great many fmall fuaia 140 THE LIFE OF fums became due to me, for books, advertifements, poflage of letters, and other matters, which were not collected, when, in 1757, I was Tent by the affembly to England as their agent — and, by fubfequent ap- pointments continued there till 1775 — when, on my return, I was immediately engaged in the affairs of congrefs, ar.d fent to France in 1776, where I remain- ed nine years, not returning till 17 £5 ; and the laid debts net being demanded in fuch a length of time, are become in a manner obfelete, yet are nevevthelefs juftly due. — Thefe as they are flated in my great folio ledger, E. I bequeath to the contributors of the Penn- iylvania hoipital ; hoping that thefe debtors, and the descendants of fuch as are deceafed, who now, as I find, make fome difficulty of Satisfying fuch antiquated demands as juft debts, may however be induced to pay or give them as charity to that excellent inftituti- on. I am fenfible that much muft inevitably te loft ; but I hope fomething conliderable may be recovered. It is poffible too that feme of the parties charged may have exifiing eld unfettled accounts againfl me ; in which cafe the managers of the laid hofpital will allow and deduct the amount, and pay the balance, if they find it againft me. I requeft my friends Henry Hill, Efq. John Jay, Efq. Francis Hopkinfon, Efq. and Mr. Edward Out- field, of Bonfield, in Philadelphia county, to be the executors of this my laft will and teftament, and I hereby nominate and appoint them for that purpofe. I would have my body buried with as little cxpencc or ceremony as may be. • Philadelphia, July 17, 1788. CODICIL. DR. FR-ANKLLV, 141 CODICIL. I Benjamin Franklin, in the foregoing or annexed - <1aft will and teltamenf, having further conlidered the fame, do think proper to make and publifh the follow- ing codicil, or addition thereto ; It having long been a fixed political opinion of mine, that in a democratical ftate there ought to be no offices of profit, for the realbns I had given in an arti- cle of my drawing in our constitution, it was my inten- tion, when I accepted the office of preGdent, to devote the appointed ialary to fome public ufe : Accordingly I had already, before I made my laft will, in July laft, given large turns of it to colleges, fchools, building of ■churches, &c. and in that will I bequeathed two thou- fand pounds more to the ftate, for the purpofe of ma- king the Schuylkill navigable;, but undemanding fince, that luch a ium will do but little towards accomplish- ing fuch a work, and that the project is not likely to be undertaken for many years to come — and having ^entertained another idea, which I hope may be found more extenfively ufeful, I do hereby revoke and annul the bequeft and dire& that the certificates I have for what remains due to me of that ialary, be fold towards railing the fum of rwo thoufand pounds fterling, to be difpofed of as I am now about to order. It has been an opinion, that he who receives an ef- tate from his anceftors, is under fome obligation to tranfmit the feme to pofterity. This obligation lies not on me, who never inherited a (hilling from any an- ceftor or relation. I (hall, however, if it is not dimi- nished by fome accident before my death, leave a con-- liderable eftate among my descendants and relations. The above cbfervation is made merely as fome apolo- gy to my family, for by making bequefts that do not appear to have any immediate relation to their advan- tage. I was M 142 THE LIFE CF I was born in Bofton, New-England and owe my full inftru&oins in literature to the free grammar- fchools eftablifhed there. I have therefore confidered thoie fchools in my will. But I am under obligations to the Hate of MafTa- chufetts, for having, unafked, appointed me formerly their agent, with a handibme falary, which continued fome years: and although I accidentally loft in their fervice, by tranfmitting governor Hutchinfon ? s letters, much more than the amount of what they gave me, I do not think that ought in the lead to diminiQi my gratitude. I have confidered that, among artifans, good apprentices are moll likely to make good citizens ; and having my fe If been bred to a manual art, printing, in my native town, and afterwards aflifted to let up my bulinefs in Philadelphia by kind loans of money from two friends there, which was the foundation of my fortune, and of all the utility in life that may be al'cribed to me — I with to be ufeful even after my death, ifpoflible, in forming and advancing other young men, that may be ferviceable to their country in both thefe towns. To this end I devote two thoufand pounds fterhng, which I give, one thoufand thereof to the inhabitants of the town of Bolton, in Maffachufetts, and the other thoufand to the inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia, in truft, to and for the ufes, intents, and purpofes, herein after mentioned and declared. The faid fum of one thoufand pounds fterling, if ac- cepted by the inhabitants of the town of Bofton, fhall be managed under the direction of the felect-men, uni- ted with the minifters of the oldeft epifcopalian, con- gregational, and prefbyterian churches, in that town, who are to let out the fame upon interefl at five per cent, per annum, to fuch young married artificers, un- der the age of twenty-five years, as have ferved an ap- prenticeibip in the faid town, and faithfully fulfilled the duties required in their indentures, fo as to obtain a good moral charader, from at lead two refpe&able ci- tizens, who are willing to become fureties in a bond, with dr, franSlin, 143 with the applicants, for the repayment of the money fo lent, with intsreft, according to the terms herein af- ter prefcribed ; all which bonds are to be taken for Spanifh milled dollars, or the value thereof in current gold coin ; and the managers fhall keep a bound book, or books, wherein fhall be entered the names of thofe who fhall apply for, and receive the benefit of this in- ftitution, and of their fureties, together with the fums lent, the dates, and other neceflary and proper records refpecYmg the bufinefs and concerns of this inflitution : and as thefe loans are intended to affift young married artificers in fetting up their bufinefs, they are to be proportioned by the discretion of the managers, fo as not to exceed fixty pounds flerling to one perfoit, nor to be Iefs than fifteen pounds. And if the number of appliers fo entitled fhould be fo large as that the fum will not fuffer to afford to each as much as might otherwife not be improper, the proportion to each fhali be diminifhed, fo as to afford to every one fome affiPiance. Thefe aids may there- fore be fmall at firft, but as the capital increases by the accumulated intereft, they will be more ample. And in order to ferve as many as poffible in their turn, as well as to make the repayment of the principal borrowed more eafy, each borrower fhall be obliged to pay with the yearly intereil one tenth part of the principal ; which fums principal and intereil fo paid in, fhall be again let out to frefh borrowers. And it is prefumed, that there will be always found in Bofton virtuous and benevolent citizens, willing to beftow a part of their time in doing good to the rifing generation, by fuper- intending and managing this inftitution gratis; it is hoped that no part of the money will at any time lie dead, or be diverted to other purpofes, but be continu- ally augmented by the intereft,in which cafe there may in time be more than the occafion in Bofton fhall re- o^ire ; and then fome may be fpared to the neigh- bouring or other towns in the faid Rate of MafTachu- fetts, which may defire to have it, fuch towns engag- ing to pay punctually the intereft, and fuch proportions of *44 THE LIFE OF of the principal annually to the inhabitants of the town of Bolton, if this plan is executed, and fucceeds, as projected, without interruption, for one hundted years, the fum will be then one hundred and thirty- one thoufand pounds ; of w r hich I would have the ma- nagers of the donation to the town of Bcfton then lay out, at their difcretion, one hundred thoufand pounds in public works, which may be judged of molt general utility to the inhabitants ; iuch as fortifications, bridges, aqueducts, public buildings, baths, pavements, or what- ever may make living in the town more convenient to its people, and render it more agieeable to {hangers re- torting thither for health, or a temporary refidence. The remaining thirty-one thoufand pounds I would have continued to be let out to intereft, in the manner above directed, for one hundred years; as I hope it will have been found that the inftitution has had a good effect on the conduct of youth, and been of fer- vice to many worthy characters and ufeful citizens. At the end of this fecond term, if no unfortunate ac- cident has prevented the operation, the fum will be four millions and fixty-one thoufand pounds fterling ; of which I leave one million and fixty-one thoufand pounds to the difpofition and management of the in- habitants of the town of Bolton, and the three millions to the difpofition of the government of the ftate ; not prefuming to carry my views any farther. All the directions herein given refpecting the dif- pofmon and management of the donation to the inha- bitants of Bofton, I would have obferved refpecting that to the inhabitants of Philadelphia ; only, as Phi- ladelphia is incorporated, I requelt the corporation of that city to undertake the management, agreeable to the laid directions ; and I do hereby veR them with full and ample powers for that purpofe. And having conudered that the covering its ground-plat with build- ings and pavements, which carry off molt rain, and prevent its (baking into the earth, and renewing and purifying the fprings, whence the water of the wells mult gradually grow worfe, and in time be unfit for ufe, DR. FRANKLIN* ^45 ufe, as I 'find has happened in all old cities; I re- commend, that, at the end of the firil hundred years, if not done before, the corporation of the city employ a part of the hundred thoufand pounds in bringing by pipes the water of Wiflahickon-creek into the town, fo as to fupply the inhabitants, which I apprehend may be done without great difficulty, the level of thai: creek being much above that of the city, and may be made higher by a dam. I alio recommend making the Schuylkill completely navigable. At the end of the fecond hundred years, I would have the difpofition of the four millions and fixty-one thoufand pounds di- vided between the inhabitants of the city of Philadel- phia and the government of Pennfylvania, in the fame manner as herein diiedted with refpecl to that of the in- habitants of Bofton and the government of Maflachu- fetts. It is my defire that this inftitution mould take place, and begin to operate within one year after my deceafe ; for which purpofe due notice mould be pub- licly given, previous to the expiration of that year, that for thole whofe benefit this eftablifhment is in- tended may make their refpective applications; and I hereby direct my executors, the furvivors and furvivor of them, within fix months after my deceafe, to pay over the faid fum of two thoufand pounds fterling to fuch perfons as (hall be duly appointed by the feledt men of Bofton, and the corporation of Philadelphia, to receive and take charge of their refpe&ive fums of one thoufand pounds each for the purpoles aforefaid. Con- iidering the accidents to which all human affairs and projects are fubject in fuch a length of time, I have perhaps too much flattered myfelf with a vain fancy, that thefe difpofitions, if carried into execution, will be continued without interruption, and have the effects propofed ; I hope however, that, if the inhabitants of the two cities mould not think fit to undertake the execution, they will at leaft accept the offer of thefe donations, as a mark of my good will, token of my gratitude, and teftimony of my defire to be ufeful to them even after me departure. I will), indeed, that they M z I46 THE LIFE OF, &CC. they may both undertake to endeavour the execution of my project, becaufe I think, that, though unfore- feen difficulties may arife, expedients will be found to remove them, and the fcheme be found practicable. If one of them accepts the money with the conditions, and the other refutes, my will then is, that both lums be given to the inhabitants of the city accepting ; the whole to be applied to the fame purpofes, and under the fame regulations directed for the feparate parts ; and if both refufe, the money remains of couife in the mafs of my eftate, and it is to be difpofed of therewith, according to my will made the feventeenth day of July 1788. My fine crab-tree walking-fiick, with a gold head curioufly wrought in the form of the cap of Liberty, I give to my friend, and the friend of mankind, Gene ral Wafliington. If it were a fceptre, he has merited it, and would become it. EULOGIUM N BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, l. l. d. &o DELIVERED IN THE ROTUNDA, on the 21 st of July ', 1790, IN THE NAME OF THE COMMONS OF PARIS ; In presence of the Deputies to the Legislative Assem- bly y and of all the Departments in the Kingdom, the Mayor, the Commandant General of the National Guards, the Representatives of the Commons, the Presidents of the districts, and the Electors of the Cab it ah BY THE ABBE FAUCHET, NOW CONSTITUTIONAL BISHOP OF THE DEPART- MENT OF CALVADOS, AND A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CONVENTION. THE Reprefentatives of the Commons of Paris faffed a vote on the twenty-fecond of July, 1790, in conlequence of which it was ordered, that this Eulo- 1 fhould be printed, and prefented to the National \.b!y of France, and the Gongrefs of America. [ 149 3 EULOGIUM K BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ; Pronouncedly the Abbe Fauchet', in the Name of the Commons of Paris. A SECOND creation has taken place ; the ele- ments of focicty begin to combine together; the moral univerie is now feen iftuing from chaos ; the genius of Liberty is awakened, and fprings up ; (he (beds her divine light and creative powers upon the two hemif- pheres : A great nation, aftonifned at feeing herfelf free, ftretches her arms from one extrenvty of the earth to the other, and embraces the firft nation that became fo: The foundations of a new city are created in the two worlds; brother nations haflen to inhabit it ; it is the city of mankind ! One of the firft founders of this univerfal city was the immortal Franklin, the deliverer of America. The fecond founders, who accelerated this great work, made it worthy of Europe— The legiflators of France have rendered the moft folemn homage to his memory. They have faid — " A friend of humanity " is dead ; mankind ought to be overwhelmed with " forrow! Nations have hitherto only worn mourn- ct ing for Kings ; let us affume it for a Man, and let " the tears of Frenchmen mingle with thofe of Ame- " rican c , IJO EULOGIUM ON u ricans, in order to do honour to the memory of one " of the Fathers of Liberty 1" The city of Paris, which once contained this philo- fopher within its wails, which was intoxicated with the pleafure of hearing, admiring, and loving him ; of gathering from his lips the maxims of moral legiflati- on, and of imbibing from the effufions of his heart a paffion for the public welfare, rivals Boflou and Phi- ladelphia, his two native cities (for in one he was born as it were a man, and in the ether a legislator,) in its profound attachment to his merit and his glory. It has commanded this funeral folemnity, in order to perpetuate the gratitude ai;d the grief of this third country, which, by the courage and activity with which it has profited of his lefTons, has (hewn itfelf worthy of having him at once for an infrru&or and a model. In felecYing me for the interpreter of its wifhes, it has declared, that it is Ids to the talents of an orator, than the patriotifm of a citizen, the zeal of a preacher of liberty, and the fenfibility cf a friend of men, that it hath confided this folemn function. In this point of view, I may fpeak with a holy confidence ; for I have the public opinion, and the teftimony of my own con- ference, to fecond my wifhes. Since nothing elfe is wanting than freedom, and fenfibility, for that fpecies of eloquence which this eulogium requires, I am -fatis- fied ; for I already po fiefs them. My voice fnall extend to France, to America, to pofterity ; I am now to do juftice to a great man, the founder of tranf- Atlantic freedom ; I am to praife him in the name of the mother-city of French liberty ; I myfelf alfo am a man ; I am a freeman ; I poilefs the lufFrages of my fellow-citizens : This is enough ; my difcourfe fnall be immortal ! PART DR, FRANKLIN. 151 PART I. THE academies, the philofophical focieties, the learned affociations which have done themfelves honour bv infcribing the name of Franklin in their records, can bed appreciate the debt due to his genius, for ha- ving extended the power of man over nature, and pre- tented new and fublime ideas, in a ftyle fimple as truth, and pure as light. It is not the naturalilt and the philofopher that the orator of the commons of Paris ought to defcribe ; it is the man, who hath accelerated the-progrefs of foe i- al order ; it the legislator, who hath prepared the li- berty of nations ! Benjamin Franklin was born at the commencement of the prefent century, in Bofton, the capital of New- England. His father, perfecuted in his own country on ac- count of his religious opinions (for the Englifh, fo wa- vering in regard to religion, and who have fo often changed it by act of Parliament, at the nod of corrupt Kings, or fanatical chiefs, have always been, and are at this very day, perfecutors ;) his father, I fay, took refuge in the new world, where the church of England, not having as yet intruded her intolerant folicitude, permitted the liberty of confcience. His profedion wasobfcure ; but it is from this very obicurity that it is glorious for him to have elevated himfelf to the head of his nation, and to become the chief, as it were, of mankind. He who was deftined to be the founder and the pre- fident of the Philofophical Society of Philadelphia, the creator and the foul or." the Congrefs of America, was at firft brought up to the trade of a tallow-chandler. The celebrated orator Flechier began life among our- felves precifely in the fame manner : It may be confi- dered as a prodigy that, under the feudal ariftocracy, he lliould have ever become a rich Biftop ! The here- ditary Nobles, the titled families (it is but yefterday, as *5* EULOGIUM ON as it were they have ce a fed to exift in France,) regard- ing his elevation with a degree of furprife, mingled with (corn, were unable to conceive how a Mimfter dared to confer a Biihopric upon a plebeian. — " Duke," replied the Bifhop of Nifmes to one cf his contempo- raries, who reproached him with the occupation of his father, " this is in truth what diltinguifhes us from I have bore with this unbeliever ; I have nonriflied <> and clothed him all this time, notwithstanding his « fhall be fo without, and even in fpite of yon. If u you do not annul your opprefiive laws, we fhall con- M tinue to make new ones independent of ycu. If you ** endeavour to fubjugate us, we fhall triumph. Your u armies ? They are not numerous enough ? Your " navy ? All the navies upon earth are not capable of u making us fubmit to your will. Make your electi- < 4 on between our love and our hate ; we have already * made our choice between the liberty that is to com- (i bine us, and thofe chains with which we are to be w manacled." This affords but a feeble image of the dignified con- duct of Franklin in the face of all England. Cyneas beheld at Rome, in that Senate which governed Italy, an affembly of gods, and trembled ! Franklin beheld at London, in that fenate which commanded the feas of two worlds, a corrupted legiflature, and w r as undif- mayed. The ambaflador of ThelTaly fpoke in the name of a King, and what was a King before the Roman people ! But the agent of Philadelphia fpoke as a man in the name of men, whom he was about to ren- der free ! and free men have ever been refpe&ed as the firft of human beings by the Englifh ! He retired honoured by the nation, but detefted by the Court^ convinced that a parliament fold to the miniftry DR. FRANKLIN. 167 miniftry would {mite America with the fceptre of def- potifin, and fupport their wrongs by the fwords of mercenaries ; that his countrymen would be forced to defend their own rights, to confummate their independence, and to vindicate the caule of human nature. Returned to his native continent, he revolved all thefe ideas in his bofom at Philadelphia, Wafhington and Adams enter into his views ; the firft congrefs is convocated and avTembled ; Franklin, or rather the Genius of Liberty, prefides at it ; every thing is re- folved upon ; new laws are enacled, but the princi- ples of them already exift ; all the colonics are citi- zens ; the patriot troops are about to be called forth ; they are already formed all the citizens are fol- oiers. The philofopher of humanity, the friend of peace, .Franklin, had upwards of ten years before* prepared all the plans of the infurgent army. The number and order of the regiments and companies, the pay, the inflruclions, all the military details, written by his own hand two lustres before the infurrecYion, and depofited in the archives of Philadelphia, attcft at once the extent and forefight of his ideas. Advance, Englishmen ; arm your fleets ; pour in the warriors of your three kingdoms ; tranfport the mercenaries of Germany to America, now become free ; for Franklin prefides in her councils, and Wafh- ington regulates her armies ! Wifdom, and at length victory, declare again ft you. By means of thofe manceuvers which difplay at once the fkill and the ferocity of your bands of robbers, you redouble the energy of freemen, add to the horror againft tyrants, and enfure to the United States but greater triumphs. The contraft exhibited by the humanity of the citizens of America in the midft of moll of your mod difgraceful defeats, and the fury of your fervile troops in their flight but impious fucceffes, (ball change your glory to opprobrium, and the blood of a few peaceable men, immolated to your rage, fhali furnifh. l6S EULOGIUM ON furnifh the feeds of victory for the combatants of liberty 1 I (hall not here enter into the expofmon of the fagacious conduct, the profound combinations, the un- expected refources, he invincible refiftanee, the deci- five adtions, the prodigies of glory, which have im- mortalized the campaigns of the armies of Inde- pendence. They did not pofTefs any metal, but iron ; any mi- litary knowledge, but courage ; any experience in combats, but a genius fitted for victory ; anydifci- pline proceeding from long previous ieparation, but a General, who was all of a fudden the creator of an army. From men who wifh to become free, from Frank- lin who direcls, from Washington who commands, what is not to be expected ? However, even iron at laft is wanting ; it is procu- red from Europe. Officers are not in iufficient abun- dance ; they are invited from France. Franklin, now in the feventieth year of his age, had juft returned from Canada, where he had been drawn, during the molt rigorous feaibn of the year, by the interefts of the revolution, and, in the courfe of his j .vumey, had traverfed, in company with Montgomery, the rivers and the lakes, at that time covered with ice. lie is now appointed to proceed to France, in order to auift the efforts of Deane, and invite thole fuccours which they were to procure from a generous people, who had fubmitted, during a dilhouourable peace, to a/1 the haughty pride, and all the intolerable outrages, of the Englifh miniitiy, He departs inftantly, although he did not polTef: a fmgle piece of gold ; for his country was deftitute of money. He arrives at Paris with a cargo of to- bacco, in the fame manner as when Holland deter- mined to become free, her deputies arrived at BrtuTels with a convoy of herrings, in order to pay their ex- pen ces. Admiration BR FRANKLIN 169 Admiration preceded, attachment followed him. Every tongue celebrated his name ; every look was fixed upon, every heart leaped at the fight of him : Pie fpoke, he was liflened to, and he fucceeded. The treaty of commerce with the infurgents is pioclaimed; ammunition and warlike inftruments are fent from our ports — America receives them with gratitude ; the free men of the new, have now allies in the old world; they are (bon alio to have rivals, emulous to imitate, and, if poffible, to excel them. At the voice of Franklin, at the voice of glory, ap- pears young Fayette, or rather difappear in Europe! Shew thyfelf to America, attonifhed at thy noble da- ring ; France (hall not learn thy flight but with the news of thy firft victory in the country of liberty. The furious Englilh every where attacked our vef- fels; but they no longer pofieiTed the advantage of thole perfidious dratagems which they had formerly made ufe of, before a declaration of war. Our naval armaments were in readinefs : Orvilliers and Efraing command them. In one quarter* of the globe the Englifh fleet experiences an invincible re- finance, and finds its only relburce to confift in flight; to anotherf it meets with a lignal defeat; and the WefUIndia Iilands| are obliged to receive into their ports thofe troops which were deftined to conquer them. Paul Johns,* an American commander, takes feveral prizes upon the very coafts of Great Britain Rocham- bean leads the French legions in the United States ; La Fayettej is the hero of the two nations : Wafh- ington is the arbiter of victory. The 1 This alludes to the engagement off Us bant. At Grenada. I Tobago, &c. ^ * This officer, so celebrated during the American nvar^ died lately in great poverty at Paris. t The subsequent conduct of this General bas con* verted the eulogiums of the patriot British of Calvados into anathemas. z IyO IULGGIUM ON The independence of America is con furn mated ; England, in its turn, is conft rained to fue for peace. The foveieignty of a great people is acknowledged, and from the banks of the Seine, Franklin, the har- binger, the director, and the very foul of this fublime novelt in the univerfe, conferring all the glory upon thofe who had the heroifm of acquiring it by means of arms, receives with the calmnefs of a philofopher, the felicitations of America, of Fiar.ce, of the Engliih patriots themfelves, and of all thofe men who feel the goodlike workings of humanity. The Ibvereignty of the nation is eftablimed ; this then is the moment to perfect their laws. The am- bafTador of America was its legiflator : He had al- ready prepared, and he now tranimits to his fellow- citizens the conftitution of Pennfylvania, connects it with all the eftablidiments of the confederated dates. The rights of man are developed, for the fir ft time, in laws fimple and beneficent as thofe of nature the rights of citizens are elevated on the fundamental bafis of fociety. The organization of the public power is combined with the private intereft of every man, and the univerfal good of humanity, with the individual advantage of every patriot, and the general profperity of the country. The inftitutions of Franklin are unanimoufly hailed as the code of wifdom and beneficence. We have adopted them into the new laws of France, and we ought to regard their author as one of the founders of this facred conftitution, which is about to attain all the elevation of reafon and of juftice, all the perfecti- on of focial and natural order, and which will one clay be the Pharos of the human kind. Here, Gentlemen, the intereft of this difcourfe be- comes augmented. It is my intention to compare America become independent, with France now free, and to prefage, from thefe cir cum fiances, the deftinies of the univerfe. I have already faid, and I repeat it again — The Anglo-Americans were the firft great people who pof- iefied DL FRANKLIN. I*] 1 IcPftd die plenitude of liberty ; the firft that prepared itfelf to enjoy the perfection of freedom is the French cation j and in both thefe points of view Franklm is the firft legiiiator of the world. Let the prefent and future generations hear and judge ! In Switzerland a fenato-ial ariitocracy domineers; in Holland the Stadtholdeiate tends towards defpo- tiiai ; in England the people poffefs a corrupt, and bat an inadequate, representation: i he MiniQer regulates the elections ; a Hoafe of Peers, arrells every thing at its will : the Court, by means of money, obtains mo- ney ; by money, iurFrages : In fhort, in whatever point oi: view you are pleafed to confider the public welfare, the King* hath an abfolute power over it. If there is a country in the world where there is a phantom of Liberty idolized by the people, and no real Liberty which they can love, it is there. Bjt this very phan- tom had hitherto fomething venerable in it. The imaginations of the Englifh, exalted by the tempora- ry glory of their country, beholding around her no- thing but nations of Haves, who wifhed to continue fuch, they, with good realbn, have looked upon them- felves, until now, as the people who poffefied the firft rank in the univerie. Franklin once laid to the Englifh nation, " Admit (i all the men who belong to your government in the (i different parts of the globe, to a free competition i* for, and an equal repreientation in your legiilature ; " Let the King alone fway the executive fceptre, and ' never be permitted to ft retch it forth but in the 4i name of thole laws made by the reprefentatives, and u contented to by the colonies and provinces ; you will " then poflefs the fupreme lbcial unity, and the grand " monarchy of liberty. The univerie will all ailimi- M late to your empire, or at leaft all the earth will be w eager to imitate fuch a beautiful model: you will '( thus have the glory of commencing the happinefs of " the world, and eniuring the fraternity cf the human « kind." He 172 EUL-OGIUK N He fpoke to thofe who were refolved to be deaf, who would not hear him, and who embraced nothing but a chimera of liberty in their own ifland, which they ob- (linately perfifted in fupporttng by a tyrannical domi- nation abroad. But America inclined her head, and liftened to his voice. France, although (till crouching under her old and heavy fetters, ruminating even then in her thoughts the great leffons of Mably and Rouffeau, lent an at- tentive ear and faid — (i Ihe moment will arrive, it " faft approaches, when that which England had not " the wifdom to undertake, I fhall have the glory to " execute. " In the mean time, the new States organize them- felves into a federate republic. Every other fpecies of government was impracticable. The perfection arifing from unity could not be expecled from a mul- titude of independent provinces, of which each pof- lefled the ibvereign right of adopting whatever form it pleafed. The mutual neceffity of allying and connecting it- felf together, fo as to form but one people, gave rife to the Congref?, which is.deftinecl to regulate thofe vafl: objects that intereft the whole of the States. Each province poueiTes its own proper legifiative af- lembly, and aifo an independent power of executing its own decrees. I repeat it once more, the Genius of liberty reigns theie in her full plenitude of glory ; the union is hap- py, but the unity is not abfclute, and cannot be lb. How is it poffible to inftitute a fupieme chief? Each of the United States has an equal right to it ; and mofl horrid difTenfions would inevitably refult from the ible idea of a King. The creation of a free monarchy, the rr.oft peifedl of all poffible governments, was referred for us. Hail, France ! vaft, yet united, country; rear up thy immerife ivdy ; break thy chains ; let the thunder of thy liberty fnap them in twain ; let the Baftile and all the fortreffcs of defpotiim fall and difappear ; let Fayette DR. FRANKLIN. 173 Fayette pre fen t himfelf as the foldier of his country ; the fon of France, the pupil of Wafhington ; he fhall continue a citizen until his death : Let the elected re- presentatives of all the claftes of the empire, no longer form feparate orders, and let there be an abfolute equa- lity, and, with free competition of voices, a fole legif- lature. Let them fpeak in the name of the whole nation, and let the nation reply — " This is our will I'* Beloved chief of the French I Monarch, who, in fpite of thyfelf, haft hitherto pofTefied but the falfe grandeur of the nation, ceafe to be the powerlefs idol of a fmall and abhorred cast of opprefting defpots, and become the refpected fovereign of twenty millions of freemen. Afcend, and thou will be the firft Prince in the world, whoever poiTelTed that glory — afcend the throne of the laws, and fee not, within the large hori- zon of this empire, aught but that liberty which gives and maintains thee in full povTeiilon of thy all power- ful fceptre. Thou governeft citizens ; thou ruleft over men ; thou arc a King, and the only one upon earth ! This perfection of human genius has hitherto been wanting ; it was neceffary that France mould arife in order to reiblve the problem of ages, to organize focial orxkr, and in abfciute unity, and to prefent to her a chief imps (Table as a Divinity, and, like him, invaria- ble in his iuftice ! Eternal Ruler of human occurrences! who, accord- ing to thy promife, wilt difpofe every thing in favour of our infant liberty,* it is thou who haft accumulated in fi fence thofe remarkable, prodigious and miraculous events, in order to operate the creation of our happi- nefs. But, in the combination of all thy benefits, the greateft is, that thou haft given us a Franklin, and connedled us with an America; the moil propitious, is * Tu autetn eliminator virttUis rent la dlsponis nos. Sap, 12, 18. 174 EULOGIUM, &X. is that thou haft placed in the balance of the deftinies, the genius of the National AfTembly, and the patriot- ilm of Bailly* and La Fayette ; the moft happy is, that thou hail in one day given liberty to the capital and the provinces, and diipoled a King to embrace it. O memorable fuccefs ! The furrounding nations can fcarce give credit to the truth of it ; but they be- gin to be moved at the fight ; their doubts feem to evan porate, and they at length believe that they may be Tyrants tremble ; their reign has patted away ; we have now brotheis in fentiment over all the earth. But a little longer, and, in a mutual independence and equal affection, the nations of the unrverie will be afloni flied at being happy, and at finding themfelves Frenchmen ! Venerable old man, auguft philofopher, legiflator of the felicity of thy country, prophet of the fraternity of the human race, what extatic happinefs embellifhed the end of thy career ! From thy fortunate afylum, and in the midfl of thy brothers who enjoyed in tran- quility the fruit cf thy virtues, and the luccefs of thy genius, thou haft fuilg longs of deliverance. The laft looks which thou cad around thee, beheld America happy, France, on the other fide of the ocean, free, and a lure indication of the approaching freedom and happinefs of the world. The United States, looking upon themfelves as thy children, have bewailed the death of the father of their republic: France, thy family by adoption, has honour- ed thee as the founder of her laws; and the human race has revered thee as the univerfal patriarch who has formed the alliance of nature with fociety. Thy remembrance belongs to ail ages ; thy memory to all nations ; thy glory to eternity I * Then Mayor of Paris* C '75 1 :jr.:j?f.;.jcr.jx..^T;aT;.jf;.;rf..:je?:::H..:xf..;: ESSAYS, HUMOUROUS, MORAL, AND LITERARY, &c. Yc ON EARLY MARRIAGES. TO JOHN ALLEYNE, ESQ^ DEAR JACK, OU defire, you fay, my impartial thoughts on the fubjedt of an early marriage, by way of aniwer to the numberlefs objections that have been made by nume- rous peribns to your own. You may remember when you confulted me on the occafion, that I thought youth on both fides to be no objection. Indeed, from the marriages that have fallen under my obfervation, I am rather inclined to think, that early ones ft and the bell chance of happinefs. The temper and habits of the young arc not yet become fo flifF and uncom- plying, as when more advanced in life ; they form more eafily to each other, and hence many occafions of dif- gu flare removed. And if youth has lefs of that pru- dence which is neceflary to manage a family, yet the parents and elder friends of young married peribns are generally at hand to afford their advice, which amply gl fupplies 1*]6 ESSAYS. fupplies that defecl: ; and by early marriage, youth is iboner formed to regular and ufeful life ; and poflibly ibme of thole accidents or connections, that might have injured the conftitution or reputation, or both, are thereby'happily prevented. Particular circumftances of particular perfons, may pofiibly fometimes make it prudent to delay entering into that ftate ; but in ge- neral, when nature has rendered our bodies fit for it, the preemption is in nature's favour, that (he has not judged amiis in making us detiie it. Late marriages are often attended, too, with this further inconveni- ence, that there is not the fame chance that the pa- rent fhall live to fee their offspring educated. " Late children," fays the Spanifh proverb, M are early or- phans." A melancholy reflection to thofe whofe cafe it may be! With us in America, marriages are ge- nerally in the morning of life ; our children are there- fore educated and fettled in the woild by noon ; and thus, our bufinefs being done, we have an afternoon and evening of chearful leifure to ourfelves, fuch as our friend at prefent enjoys. By thefe early marriages we are blefied with more children ; and from the mode among us, founded by nature, of eve: y mother fuck- ling and nurfmg her own child, more cf them are railed. Thence the fwift progrefs of population among us, unparalleled in Europe. In fine, I am glad you are married, and congratulate you molt cordially upon it. You are now in the way of becoming a ufeful citizen ; and you have e leaped the unnatural flate of celibacy for life — the fate of many here, who never intended it, but who having too long; pcflponed the change of their condition, find, at length, that it is too late to think of it, and fo live all their lives in a fitu- ation that greatly leflens a man's value. An cdd vo- lume of a fet of books bears not the value of its propor- tion to the fet : what think you ot the odd half of a pair of fchTors? it can't well do any thing ; it may pof- fibly ferve to fcrape a trencher. Pray make my compliments and beft wifhes accepta- ble to your bride. I am old and heavy, or I fhould ere ESSAYS. 177 ere this have prefented them in perfon. I (hall make but fmall ufe of the old man's previlege, that of giving advice to younger friends. Treat your wife always with refpeel: ; it will procure refpect to you, not only from her, but from all that obferve it. Never ufe a flighting exprefiion to her, even in jeft ; for flights in jeft, after frequent bandyings, are apt to end in angry earned. Be ftudious in your profeffion, and you will be learned. Be induftrious and frugal, and you will be rich. Be fober and temperate, and you will be healthy. Be in general virtuous, and you will be hap- py. At leaft, you will, by fuch condudl, (land the bell chance for fuch confequences. I pray God toblefs you both ! being ever your affectionate friend, B. FRANKLIN, ON THE DEATH OF HIS BROTHER, Mr. JOHN FRANKLIN. TO MISS HUBBARD, X CONDOLE with you. We have loft a mod dear and valuable relation. But it is the will of God and nature, that thefe mortal bodies be laid afide, when the foul is to enter into real life. This is rather an embryo ftate, a preparation for living. A man is not completely born until he be dead. Why then fhould we grieve that a new child is born among the immor- tals a new member added to their happy fociety ? We are fpirits. That bodies mould be lent us, while they can afford us pleafure aflift us in acquiring knowledge, or doing good to our fellow-creatures, is a kind and benevolent A P 1/8 E S S A V S. benevolent acl of God. When they become unfit For thefe purpofes, and afford us pain inftead ofpleafure, inftead of an aid become an incumbrance, and anfwer none of the intentions for which they were given, it is equally kind and benevolent that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. AVe ourfelve?, in ibme cafes, prudently choofe a par- tial death. A mangled painful limb, which cannot be reflored, we willingly cut off. He who plucks out a tooth, parts with it freely, fince the pain goes with it : and he who quits the whole body, parts at once with all pains, and poflibilities of pains and difeafes, it was liable tc, or capable of making him luffer. Our friend and we were invited abroad on a party of pleafure, which is to lafc for ever. His chair was rea- dy firft ; and he is gone before us. We could not all conveniently ftart together : and why fhouldyou and I be grieved at this, fince we are foon to follow, and know where to find him ? Adieu, B. FRANKLIN. TO THE LATE DOCTOR MATHER, OF BOSTON. REV, SIR, JL RECEIVED your kind letter, with your excel- lent advice to the United States, which 1 read with great pleafure, and hope it will be duly regarded. Such writings, though they may be lightly palled over by many readers, yet, if they make a deep impreffion on one a&ive mind in a hundred, the effects may be confiderable, _ Permit E SSAYS, 179 Permit me to mention one little inftance, which, though it relates to myfelf, will not be quite uninter- eftingto you. When I was a boy, I met with a book entitled, " Eflays to do good," which I think was writ- ten by your father. It had been fo little regarded by a former pofTeiTor, that feveial leaves of it were torn out ; but the remainder gave me fuch a turn of thinking, as to have an influence on my conduct through life : for I have always let a greater value on the character of a duer of good, than any other kind of reputation : and if I have been, as you feem to think, a ufeful citizei , the public owes the advantage of it to that book. You mention your being in your feventy-eighth year. I am in my feventy-ninth. We are grown old' together. It is now more than lixty years fi :ce I left Bofron ; but I reniemfcer well both your father and grandfather, having heard them both in the p and feen them in their hcufes. The laft time I law your father was in the beginning of 1724 when I vifit- ed him after my firfb trip to Pennfylvania : he receiv- ed me in his library ; and on my taking leave, (hewed me a fhorter way out of the houfe, through a narrow paflage, which was crolTed by a beam over head. We were Hill talking as I withdrew, he accompanying me behind, and I turning partly towards him, when he faid haflily, « Stoop, Stoop!" I did not underftand him till I felt my hand hit againft the beam. He was a man who never miffed any occafion of giving inftrudtion : and upon this he laid to me : " You are young and have the world before you : floop as you go through it, and you will mifs many hard thumps." This ad- vice thus beat into my heart, has frequently been of ufe to me ; and I often think of it, when I fee pride mortified, and misfortunes brought upon people by their carrying their heads too high. I long much to fee again my native place ; and once hoped to lay my bones there. I left it in 1723. I vifited it in 1733, 1743, 1755, and 1763 ; and in 1773 I was in England. In 1775 I had a fight of it, but could l8o ESSAYS. could not enter, it being in pofTeffion of the enemy. I did hope to have been there in 17S3, but could net obtain a difmiflion from this employment here ; and now I fear I fliall never have that happinefs. My bed wifhes however attend my dear country, u esto per- petua." It is now bleffed with an excellent conftitu- tion : may it lad for ever ! This powerful monarchy continues its friendfhip for the United States. It is a friendfhip of the utmod importance to our fecurity, and fhould be carefully cultivated, Britain has not yet well digeded the lots of its dominion over us ; and has dill at times fome flattering hopes of recovering it. Accidents may in- creafe thofe hopes, and encourage dangerous attempts. A breach between us and France would infallibly bring the Englifh again upon our backs : and yet we have fome wild beads among our countrymen, who are en- deavouring to weaken that connection. Let us preferve our reputation, by performing our engagements ; our credit, by fulfilling our contracts ; and our friends, by gratitude and kindnefs : for we know not how foon we may again have occafion for all of them. With great and fincere edeem, I have trie honour to be, lleverer.d Sir, Your mod obedient and mod humble fervant, Passy, May 12, } 1784. > B. FRANKLIN", ESSAYS. 181 THE WHISTLE. A TRUE STORY. WRITTEN TO HIS NEPHEW. w. HEN I was a child, at feven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a (hop where they ibid toys for chil- dren ; and being charmed with the found of a whistle, that 1 met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntas ily offered him all my money for one. I then came home, and went a whittling all over the houfe, much pleafed with my whistle, but difturbing all the family. My brothers, and lifters, and coufins, under- (landing the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth. i his put me in mind what good things I might have bought with the reft of my money ; and they laughed at me fo much for my folly, that I cried with vexation ; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleafure. This however was afterwards of ufe to me, the im- preffion continuing on my mind: fo that often, when I was tempted to buy fome unneceflary thing, I faid to myfelf, Don't give too much for the whistle; and fo I faved my money. As I grew up, came into the world, and obferved the actions of men, 1 thought I met with many, very many, who gave too much for the whistle* When I law any one too ambitious of court favours, facrificing his time in attendance on levees, his repofe, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, to at- tain P 2 T82 essays. tain it, I have faid to myfelf, This man gives much for bis whistle. When I faw another fond of popularity, conftantly employing himfelf in political buftles, neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect: He pays, indeed fays I, too much for bis whistle. If I knew a miferwho gave up every kind of com- fortable living, all the pleaiure of doing good toothers, all the efteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendfhip, for the fake of accumulating wealth : Poor man, fays I, you do indeed pay too much for your whistle* When I meet a man of pleafure, facrificing every laudable improvement of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal fenfations ; Mistaken man, fays I. you are providing pain for yourself instead of pleasure. you give too much for your whistle. If I fee one fond of fine clothes, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends his career in prifon ; Alas* fays ], be has paid dear* very dear for his whistle. When I fee a beautiful, fweet-tempcred girl, mar- ried to an ill-natured brute of a hufband ; What a pity it is* fays I, that she has paid so much for a whistle I In (hort, I conceived that great part of the mife- ries of mankind were brought upon them by the falfe eftinmes they had made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles* ESSAY 3. 183 A PETITION. TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE SUPERIN- TENDENGY OF EDUCATION. JL ADDRESS myfelf to all the friends of youth, and conjure them to direct their companionate re- gards to my unhappy fate, in order to remove the pre- judices of which 1 am the victim. There are twin filters of us : and the two eyes of man do not more refemble, nor are capable of being upon better terms with each other, than my fitter and myfelf, were it not for the partiality of our parents, who make the moil injurious diftinclions between us. From my in- fancy 1 have been led to coniider my fitter as a being of more elevated rank. I was differed to grow up without the leaft inftruction, while nothing was fpared in her education. She had mailers to teach her wri- ting, drawing, mufic, and other accompliftiments ; but if by chance I touched a pencil, a pen or a needle, I was bitterly rebuked; and more than once have I been beaten for being auk ward, and wanting a graceful manner. It is true, my fitter affociated me with her upon fome occafions ; but fhe always made a point of taking the lead, calling upon me only from neceifity, or to figure by her fide. But conceive not, Sirs, that my complaints are in- ftigated merely by vanity — No ; my uneafinefs is oc- caiioned by an object much more ferious. It is the practice in our family, that the whole bulinefs of pro- viding for its fubfdtence fulls upon my lifter and myfelf. If any indifpofition fliould attack my filler — and 1 men- tion 184 ESSAYS. tion it in confidence, upon this occanon, that fhe is fubject to the gout, the rheum atifm and cramp, with- out making mention of other accidents— what would be the fate of our poor family? Mull not the regret of our parents be exceflive, at having placed fo great a difference between filters who are fo perfectly equal I Alas! we mutt perifh from didrefs: for it would not be in my power even to fcrawl a fuppliant petition for relief, having been obliged to employ the hand of another in tranfcribing the requeft which I have now the honour to prefer to you. Gondefcend, Sirs, to make my parents fenfible of the injultice of an exclufive tendernefs, and of the neceflity of diftributing their care and affection among all their children equally. I am, with a profound refpeft, Sirs, Your obedient fervant, THE LEFT HAND. THE HANDSOME and DEFORMED LEG. JL HERE are two forts of people in the world, who, with equal degrees of health and wealth, and the other comforts of life, become the one happy, and the other miieiable. This arifes very much from the different views in which they confider things, perfons, and events ; and the effect of thole different views upon their own minds. In whatever fituation -men can be placed, they may find conveniences and inconveniences ; in whatever company; ESSAYS. I05 company, they may find perfons and converfation more or lefs pleafing : at whatever table, they may meet with meats and drinks of better and vvorie tafte, dimes better and worfe d re fifed : in whatever climate, they will find good and bad weather : under whatever go- vernment, they may find good and bad laws, and good and bad adminiftration of thole laws ; in whatever poem, or work of genius, they may fee faults and beau- ties : in almofi: every face and every perfon, they may difccver fine features and defe&s, good and bad qualities Under thefe circumftances, the two forts of people above mentioned, fix their attention, thofe who are diipofed to be happy, on the conveniencies of things the pleafant pait of converfation, the well dreffed dilhes, the goodnefs of the wines, the fine weather, kc. and enjoy all with cheerful nefs. Thofe who are to be unhappy, think and fpeak only of the contrari- es. Hence they are continually discontented them- felves, and by their remaiks, four the pleafures of Society ; cfFend personally many people, and make themfelves every where difagreeable. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, fuch uahappy perfons would be the more to be pitied. But as the diipofiti- on to criticife, and to be difgufted, is, perhaps, taken up -originally by imitation, and is, unawares, grown into a habit, which, though at prefent ftrong, mayne- verthelefs be cured, when thofe who have it are con- vinced of its bad effects on their felicity ; I hope this little admonition may he of fervice to them, and put them on changing a habit, which, though in the exer- cife it is chiefly an act of imagination, yet has ferious confequences in life, as it brings on real griefs and misfortunes. For as many are offended by, and no- body loves, this fort of people ; no one (hews them more than the moft common civility and refpecl, and fcarcely that; and this frequently puts them out of humour, and draws them into difputes and contenti- ons. If they aim at obtaining fome advantage in rank or fortune nobody vvifhes them fuccefs, or wilt ftir l86 ESSAYS. ftir a ftep, or fpeak a word to favour their pretentions. If they incur public cenfure or difgrace, no one will defend or excufe, and many join to aggravate their mifconducl:, and render them completely odious. If thefe people will not change this bad habit, and con- defcend to be pleafed with what is pleafing, without fretting themfelves and others about the contraries, it is good for others to avoid an acquaintance with them ; which is always difagreeable, and fometimes very in- convenient, efpecially when one finds one's felf entang- led in their quarrels. An old philofophical friend of mine was grown, from experience, very cautious in this particular, and care- fully avoided any intimacy with fueh people. He had, like* other philofophers, a thermometer to (hew him the heat of the weather; and a barometer, to mark when ft was likely to prove good or bad ; but there being no inflrument invented to difcover, at firR fight, this impleaftng difpofition in aperfon, he, for that pur- pofe, made ufe of his legs ; one of which was remark- ably handfome, the other, by fome accident, crooked and deformed. If a ftranger, at the firft interview, regarded his ugly leg more than his handfome one, he doubted him. If he fpoke of it, and took no notice of the handfome leg, that was vuflicient to determine my philofopher to have no further acquaintance with him. Every body has not this two-legged inflrument : but every one, with a little attention, may obferve figns of that carping, fault-finding d;fpofition, and take the fame refolution of avoiding the acquaintance of thofe infected with it. I therefore advife thofe critical, querulous, difcontented, unhappy people, that if they wifh to be refpedled and beloved by others, and happy in themfelves, they ftiould leave off looking at the ugly leg* ESSAYS. 187 CONVERSATION OF A COMPANY of EPHEMERA; JWITH THE SOLILOQUY OF ONE ADVANCED IN AGE. TO MADAME BRILLIANT. Y< OU may remember, my dear friend, that when we lately fpent that happy day, in the delightful gar- den and fweet fociety of the Moulin Joly, I ftopt a little in one of our walks, and {laid fome time behind the company. We had been (hewn numberlefs Skele- tons of a kind of little fly, called^'an Ephemerae, whofe fucceflive generations, we were told, were bred and expired within the day. I happened to fee a living company of them on a leaf, who appeared to be en- gaged in converfation. You know I underfland all the inferior animal tongues: my too great application to the ftudy of them, Is the belt excufe I can give for the little progrefs, I have made in your charming lan- guage. I liflened through curiofity to the difcourfe of thefe little creatures ; but as they, in their natural vivacity, fpoke three or four together, I could make but little of their converfation, I found, however, by fome broken exprefiions that I heard now and then, they were difputing warmly on the merit of two for- eign muficians, the one a cousin, the other a muscJbe- to ; in which difpute they fpent their time, feemingly as regardlefs of the (hortnels of life as if they had been lure l88 ESSAYS. fure of living a month. Happy people, thought I, yon live certainly under a wife, juft, and mild govern- ment, fince you have no public grievances to com- plain of, nor any fubject of contention, but the per- fections or imperfections of foreign mufic. I turned my head from them to an old grey-headed one who was fingle on another leaf, and talking to himfelf. Being amufed with his foliloquy, I put it down in wri- ting, in hopes it will like wife amufe her to whom I am fo much indebted for the molt, pleafingof all amufe - ments, her delicious company, and heavenly harmony. " It was," fays he, u the opinion of learned philofo- phers of our race, who lived and fiourimed long before my time, that this vaft world the Moulin Joly could not itfelf fubfiil more than eighteen hours; and I think there was fome foundation for that opinion ; fince, by the apparent motion of the great luminary, that gives life to all nature, and which in my time has evident- ly declined confide r ably towards the ocean at the end of our earth, it muir. then finifh its courfe, be extin- guifhed in the waters that furround us, and leave the world in cold and darknefs, necelTanly producing uni- verfai death and deftruction. I have lived feven of thofe hours ; a great age, being no lels than 420 minutes of time. How very few of us continue fo long I I have feen generations born, fiouriih and ex- pire. My prefent friends are the children and grand- children of the friends of my youth, who are now, alas, no more I And I mult foon follow them ; for, by the courfe of nature, though {fill in health, I cannot ex- ioedt to live above feven or eight minutes longer. What now avails all my toil and labour, in amafiing honey-due on this leaf, which I cannot live to enjoy ! What the political flruggles I have been engaged in, for the good of my compatriot inhabitants of this bum, or my philoibphicai ftud.es, for the benefit of our race in general! for in politics (what can laws do without morals?) our prefent race of ephemerae will in a courfe of minutes became corrupt, like thofe of other and older bufnes, and consequently as wretched: And in philofophy ESSAYS. 189 philofophy how fmall our progrefs ! Alas ! art is long and life is fhort ! My friends would comfort me with the idea of a name, they fay, I (halt leave behind me ; and they tell me I have lived long enough to nature and to glory. But what will fame be to an ephemerae who no longer exifts ? and what will become of all hiftory in the eighteenth hour, when the world itfelf, even the whole Moulin Jolj, (hall come to its end, and be buried in univerfal ruin ?" Tome, after all by eager purfuits, no folid pleafures now remain, but the reflection of a long life fpent in meaning well, the ienfible converfation of a few good lady ephemera, and now and then a kind fmile and a tune from the ever amiable Brilliant. B. FRANKLIN. MORALS of CHESS. JL LAYING at chefs is the mod ancient and moft univerfal game known among men ; for its original is beyond the memory of hiftory, and it has, for number- lefs ages, been the amufement of all the civilized na- tions of Afia, the Perfians, the Indians, and the Chinefe. Europe has had it above a thoufand years ; the Spaniards have fpread it over their part of America, and it begins lately to make its appearance in thefe ftates. It is fo interefting in itfelf, as not to need the view of gain to induce engaging in it ; and thence it is never played for money. Thofe, therefore, who have leifure for fuch diverfions, cannot find one that is more innocent ; and the following piece, written with a view to correct (among a few young friends) fome little improprieties in the practice of it, fhews, at the fame time, that it may, in its effects on the mind, be not Q I90 ESSAYS. not merely innocent, but advantageous, to the van- quished as well as the victor. The game of chefs is not merely an idle amufe- ment. Several valuable qualities of the mind, ufeful in the courfe of human life, are to be acquired or ftrengthened by it, fo as to become habits, ready on all occa&ons. For life is a kind of chefs, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adverfa- ries to contend with, and in which there is a v aft varie- ty of good and ill events, that are in fome degree, the effects of prudence or the want of it. By playing at chefs, then, we may learn, I. Foresight, which looks a little into futurity, and confiders the confequences that may attend an action ; for it is continually occuring to the player, u If I move this piece, what will be the advantage of my new fituation ? What ufe can my adverfary make of it to annoy me ? What other moves can I make to fupport it, and to defend myfelf from his attacks I" II. Circumspecti&n, which furveys the whole chefs- board, or fcene of action, the relations of the feveral pieces and fituations, the dangers they are refpectively expofed to, the feveral poffibilities of their aiding each other, the probabilities that the adverfary may take this or that move, and attack this or the other piece, and what different means can be uled to avoid his ftroke, or turn its confequences againfthim. III. Caution, not to make our moves too haftily, This habit is bed: acquired by obferving ftricUy the laws of the game, fuch as, " If you touch a piece, you w muft move it fomewhere ; if you fet it down, you " muft let it {land ;" and it is therefore beft that thefe rules fhould be obferved, as the game thereby becomes more the image of human life, and particularly of war ; in which, if you have incautioufly put yourfelf into a bad and dangerous pofition, you cannot obtain your enemy's leave to withdraw your troops, and place them more fecurely, but you muft abide all the confequences of your raftinefs. And, ESSAYS. 191 And, laftly, we learn by chefs the habit of no* being discouraged by present bad appearances in the state of our affairs, the habit of hoping for a favourable change, and that of persevering in the search of resources* The game is fo full of events, there is fuch a variety cf turns in it, the fortuce of it is fo fubjecl to fudden viciflitudes, and one fo frequently, after long contem- plation, difcovers the means of extricating onefelffrom a fuppofed infurmountable difficulty ; that one is en- couraged to continue the cooteft to the lafr, in hopes of victory by our own ikill, or at lead of giving a (Tale mate, by the negligence of our adverfary. And who- ever confiders, what in chefs he often fees inflances of, that particular pieces of fuccefs are apt to produce prefumption, and its confequent inattention, by which, the lofs may be recovered, will learn n6t to be too much difcouraged by the prefent fuccefs of his adver- fary, nor to defpair of final good fortune) upon every little xheck he receives in the purfuit of it. That we may therefore, be induced more frequent- ly t® choofe this beneficial amufement, in preference to others, which are not attended with the fame ad- vantages, every circumftance which may increafe the pleafures of it fhould be regarded : and every action or word that is unfair, difrefpectful, or that in any way- may give uneafinefs, mould be avoided, as contrary to the immediate intention of both the flayers, which is to pafs the time agreeably. Therefore, firft, if it is agreed to play according to the ftrict rules : then thofe rules are to be exactly cb- ferved by both parties, and fhould not be infifted on for one fide, while deviated from by the other for this is not equitable. Secondly, if it is agreed not to obferve the rules exactly, but one party demands indulgences, he fhould then be as willing to allow them to the other. Thirdly, no falie mnve fhould ever be made to ex- tricate yourfelf out of a difficulty, or to gain an advan- tage. There can be nopleafure in playing with a per- fon once detected in fuch unfair practice. Fourthly, 192 ESSAYS. Fourthly, if your adverfary is long in playing, you ought not to hurry him, or exprefs an)' uneafinefs at his delay. You fhould not Ting, nor whittle, nor look at your watch, nor take up a book to read, nor made a tapping with your feet on the floor, or with your fingers on the table, nor do any thing that may dis- turb his attention. For all thcfe things difpleafe, and they do not fiiow your ikill in playing, but your crafti- nefs or your rndenefs. Fifthly you ought not to endeavour to amufe and deceive your adverfary, by pretending to have made bad moves, and faying that you have now loft the game, in order to make himfecure and carelefs, arid in- attentive to your fchemes ; for this is fraud and deceit, not fkill in the game. Sixthly, you muft not, when you have gained a vic- tory, ufe any triumphing or infulting exprefiion, nor fhow too much pleafure ; but endeavour to confole your adverfary, arid make him lefs dilTaUsfied with himfelf, by every kind of civil exprelTion that maybe uied with tiuth, fuch as, rt You underftand the game ?* better than I, but you are a little inattentive ;" or " you play too faft ; (i or you had the beft of the <; game, but fome thing happened to divert your thoughts, u and that turned it in my favour." Seventhly, If ycu are a fpe&ator while others play, obferve the mo ft pei feci ftlence. For if you give ad- vice, you offend both parties ; him againft whom you give it, becauie it may caufe the lofs of his game ; him in whofe favour you give it, becauie, though it be good, and he follows it, he lofes the pleafure he might have had, if you had permitted him to think until it had occurred to himfelf. Even after a move, or moves, you muft not, by replacing the pieces, fhow how it might have been placed better: for that difpleafes, and may occafton difputes and doubts about their true iituation. All talking to the players leffens or diverts their attention, and is therefore unpleafing. Nor fhould you give the leaft hint to either party, by any kind of noife or motion. If you do, you are unworthy to ESSAYS. I93 to be a fpectator. If you have a mind to exercife or fhow your judgment, do it in playing your own game, when you have an opportunity, not in criticidng, or meddling with, or compelling the play of others. Laftly if the game is not to be played rigoroufly, according to the rules above mentioned, then moderate your defire of victory over your adverfary, and be pleafed with one over yourfelf. Snatch not eagerly at every advantage offered by his unfkilfulnefs or inat- tention ; but point out to him kindly, that by fuch a move he places or leaves a piece in danger andunfup- ported ; that by another he will put his king in a pe- rilous fituation, &c. By this generous civility (fo op^ pofite to the unfairnefs above forbidden) you may, in- deed, happen to lofe the game to your opponent, but you will win what is better, his eileem, his, refpect, and his affection ; together with the filent approbation^ and good-will of impartial fpectators. THE ART OF PROCURING PLEASANT DREAMS. INSCRIBED TO MISS***, Being written at her request. As 3 a great part of our life is fpent in fleep, during which we have fome times pleafing and lometimes painful dreams, it becomes of fome confequence to ob- tain the one kind and avoid the other ; for, whether real cr imaginary, pain is pain, and pleafure is plea- fure. If we can fkep without dreaming, it is well that 194 ESSAYS. painful dreams are avoided. If, while we fleep, we can have any pleafing dreams, it is as the French fay, tant gagnt) fo much added to the pleafure of life. To this end it is, in the firfl: place, neceffary to be careful in preferving health, by due exercife, and great temperance ; for, ifi ficknefs, the imagination is dif- turbed ; and difagreeable fometimes terrible ideas are apt to prefent themfelves. Exercife fhould precede meals, not immediately follow them; the firft promotes the latter, unlefs moderate, obftrucls digelVion. If, af- ter exercife, we feed fparingly, the digeftion will Be eafy and good, the body lightfome, the temper cheer- ful, and all the animal functions performed agreeably, Sleep, when it follows, will be natural and undifturbed. While indolence, with full feeding, occafion night- mares and horrors inexprefTible : we fall from preci- pices, are affaulted by wild beads, murderers and de- mons, and experience every variety of diftrefs. Ob- ferve, however that the quantities of food and exercife are relative things : thole who move much may, and indeed ought to eat more ; thofe who ufe little exer- cife, fhould eat little. In general, mankind, fmce the improvement of cookery, eat about twice as much as nature requires. Suppers are not bad, if we have not dined ; but reliefs nights naturally follow hearty fup- pers, after full dinners. Indeed as there is a differ- ence in confVitutions, fome reft well after thefe meals; it colts them only a frightful dream, and an apoplexy, after which they deep till doomiday. Nothing is more common in the newfpapers, than inflances of people, who, after eating a hearty fupper, are found dead a- bed in the morning. Another means of preferving health, to be attended to, is the having a conftant fupply of frefh air in your bed-chamber. It has been a great miftake, the keep- ing in rooms exactly clofed, and in beds furroundedby curtains. No outward air, that may come unto you, is fo unwholefome as the unchanged air, often breath- ed, of a clofe chamber. As boiling water does not grow hotter by longer boiling, if the particles that receives ESSAYS. I95 receives greater heat can efcape ; fo living bodies do not putrify, if the particles as faft as they become pu- trid, can be thrown off. Nature expels them by the pores of the fkin and lungs, and in a free open air, they are carried off; but in a clofe room, we receive them again and again, though they become more and more corrupt. A number of perfons crowded into a fin all room, thus fpoil the air in a few minutes, and even render it mortal, as in the Black Hole at Cal- cutta* A (ingle perfon is faid to fpoil only a gallon of air per minute, and therefore requires a longer time to fpoil a chamber full ; but it is done, however, in proportion, and many putrid diforders hence have their origin. It is recorded of Methufalem, who be- ing the longed liver, may be fuppoied to have beffc preferved his health, that he flept always in the open air; for, when he had lived five hundred years, an angel faid to him : u A life, Methufalem ; and build " thee an houfe, for thou ihalt live yet five hur.dred " years longer.'' But Mettufalera anfweredand laid; " If I am to live but five hundred years longer, it is " not worth while to build me an houfe — I will fleep " in the air as I have been ufed to do." Phyficians, after having for ages contended that the fick fhould not be indulged with fern air, have at length dis- covered that it may do them good. It is theefore to be hoped that they may in time di 'cover like wife that ic is not hurtful to thole who are in healih ; and that we may be then cured of the aerophobia that at pre- fent diftreffes weak minds, and make them chooie to be (fined and poifoned, rather than leave open the win- dows of a bed-chamber, or put down the glafs of a coach. Confined air, when faturated with perfpirable mat- ter,* will not receive moie; and that matter mufi re- main * What physicians call the perspirable matter, is that vapour which passes off from our bodies^ from the lungs, and through the pores of the skin. The quantity of this is said to be five eighths of what we eat* 196 ESSAYS. main in our bodies, and occafion difeafes: but it gives ibme previous notice of its being about to be hurtful, by producing' certain uneafinefTes, flight indeed at fir ft,, fuch as, with regard to the lungs, is a trifling fenfa- tion, and to the pores of the fkin a kind of reftleflnefs which is difficult to deicribe, and few that feel it know the caufe of it. But we may recoiled*, that fometimes, on waking in the night, we have, if warmly covered, found it difficult to get afleep again. We turn often without finding repofe in any poiition. This figgetti- nefs, to ufe a vulgar expreflion for want of a better, is occafioned wholly by an uneafmefs in the fkin, owing to the retention of the perfpirable matter the bed clothes having received their quantity, ai-d, being fatu- rated, refufing to take any more. To become fenfible of this by an experiment, let a perfon keep hispofition. in the bed, but throw off the bed-clothes and fufFer frefli air to approach the part uncovered of his body ; he will then feel that part fuddenly refrefhed ; for the air will immediately relieve the fkin, by receiving,, licking up, and carrying off, the load of perfpirable matter that incommoded it. For every portion of cool air that approaches the warm fkin, in receiving its part of that vapour, receives, therewith a degree of heat, that rarefies and renders it lighter, when it will be pufhed away, with its burthen, by cooler, and therefore heavier frefh air ; which, for a moment fup- plies its place, and then, being likewife changed, and warmed, gives way to a fucceeding quantity. This is the order of nature, to prevent animals being infecled by their own perfpiration. He will now be fenfible of the difference between the part expofed to the air, and that which remaining funk in the bed, denies the air accefs : for this part now manifefts, its uneafmefs more difiinclly by the companion, and the feat of the uxi- ealinefs is more plainly perceived, than when the whole furnace of the body was affected by it. Here, then, is one great and general caufe of im- pleading dreams. For when the body is uneafy, the mind will be difturbed by it, and difag'eeable ideas of various ESSAYS. 197 various kinds, will, in fleep, be the natural confe- quences. The remedies, preventative and curative, follow : 1. By eating moderately, (as before advifed for health's fake) lefs perfpirable matter is produced in a given time ; hence the bed-clothes receive it longer before they are faturated; and we may, therefore, fi«ep longer, before we are made uneafy by their re- hifing ro receive any more. 2. By ufing thinner and more porous bed-clothes, which will fuffer the perfpirable matter more eafily to pafs through them, we are lefs incommoded, fuch being longer tolerable. 3. When you are awakened by this uneaGnefs, and find you cannot eafily fleep again, get out of bed, beat up and turn your pillow, (hake the bed-clothes well, with at lead twenty fhakes, then throw the bed open, and leave it to cool ; in the mean while, continuing and 1 eft, walk about your chamber, till your fkin has had time todifcharge its load, which it will do fooner as the air may he drier and colder. When you begin to feel the cold air unpleafant, then return to your bed ; and you will foo'n fall afleep, and your fleep will be fweet and pleasant. AH the fcenes preferred to your fancy, will be of the pleafant kind. I am often as agreeably entertained with them, as by the fcenery of an opera. If you happen to be too indolent to get out of bod, you may, inftead of it, lift up your bed- clothes with one arm and leg, fo as to draw in a good deal of frefh air, and, by letting them fall, force it out again. This, repeated twenty times, will fo clear them of the perfpirable matter they have imbibed, as to permit your fleepingwell for fome time afterwards. But this latter method is not equal to the former. Thofe who do not love trouble, and can afford to have two bed-:, will find great luxury in rifing, when they wake in a hot bed, and going into the cool one. Such (hiftings of beds would alio be of great fervice to peribns ill in a fever, as it refrefbes and frequently procures fleep. A very large bed, that will admit a removal 198 ESSAYS. removal fo diftant from the firfl fituation as to be cool and fweet, may in a degree anfwer the lame end. One or two obfervations more will conclude this little piece. Care mud be taken, when you lie down, to difpofe your pillow fo as to fuit your manner of placing your head, and to be perfectly eafy ; then place your limbs fo as not to bear inconveniently hard upon one another, as for inftance, the joints of your ancles : for though a bad pofition may at firll give but little pain, and be hardly noticed, yet a continuance wilt render it lefs tolerable, and the uneaiinefs may come on while you are aileep and difturb your imagination, Thefe are the rules of the art. But though they will generally prove effectual in producing the end in- tended, there is a cafe in which the mod punctual ob- servance of them will be totally fruitJefs. I need not mention the cafe to you, my dear friend : but my ac- count of the art would be imperfect without it. The cafe is, when the perfon who defires to have pleafant dreams has not taken care to preierve, what is iiecef-- &ry above all things, A GOOD CONSCIENCE. ESSAYS. 199 ADVICE TO A YOUNG TRADESMAN, WRITTEN ANNO 1784. To my Friend A, B. As you have desired it of me^ I write the following hints, which have been of service to me y and may, if observed be so to you. R. ,EMEMBER that time is money. He that can earn ten (hillings a day by his labour, and goes abroad, or fits idle one half of that day, though he fpends but fixpence during his diverfion or idlenels, ought not to reckon that the only expence ; he has really fpent, or rather thrown away, five (hillfngs betides. Remember that credit is money. If a man lets his money lie in my hands after it is due, he gives me the intereff, or fo much as I can make of it during that time. This amounts to a confiderable fum where a man has good and large credit, and makes good ule ofit. Remember that money is of a prolific generating nature. Money can beget money, and its offspring* can beget more, and fo on. Five (hillings turned is fix; turned again, it is feven and three pence; and fo on till it becomes an hundred pounds. The more there is of it, the more it produces every turning, fo that the profits rife quicker and quicker. He that kills a breeding low, deftroys all her offspring to the thoufandth generation. He that murders a crown, deftroys all that it -might have produced, even fcores of pounds* Remember 200 ESSAYS. Remember that fix pounds a year, is bat a groat a day. For this little fum, which may be daily wafted either in time or expence, unperceived, a man of cre- dit may, on his own fecurity, have the conftant poi- feffion and uie of an hundred pounds. So much in flock, briikly turned by an induftrious man, produces great advantages. Remember this faying, " The good paymafter is lord of another man's purfe." He that is known to pay punctually and exa&ly to the time he promifes, may at any time, and on any occafion, raife all the money his friends can fpare. This is fometimes of great uie. After indufhy and frugality, nothing con- tributes more to the raifing of a young man in the world, than punctuality and juftice in all his dealings: therefore never keep borrowed money an hour beyond the time you promifed, left a difappointment ihut up your friend's purfe for ever. The mod trifling actions that affects a man's credit are to be regarded. The found of your hammer at five in the morning, "or nine at night, heard by a cre- ditor, makes him eafy fix months longer ; but if he fees you at a billiard table, or hears your voice at a tavern, when you (hould be at work, he fends for his money the next day ; demands it before he can re- ceive it in a lump. It Ihesvs, beiides, that you are mindful of what you, owe ; it makes you appear a careful, as well as an ho- neft man, and that Hill increafes your credit. Beware of thinking all your own that you pofiefs, and of living accordingly. It is a raiflake that many people who have credit fall into. To prevent this keep an exact account, for fome time, both of your expences and your income. If you take the pains at firft to mention particulars, it will have this good effect; you will difcover how wonderfully fmall trifling expences mount up to large fums, and will difcern what might have been, and may for the future be faved, without occafioning any great inconvenience. In ESSAYS. 20I In fhort, the way to wealth, if you defjre it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality ; that is, wafte neither time nor money, but make the belt life of both. With- out indnftry and frugality nothing will do, and with them every thing. He that gets all he can honefUy, and faves all he gets, (neceffary expences excepted) will certainly become rich— if that Being who governs the world, to whom all mould look for a bleffing on their honeft endeavours, doth not, in his wife Provi- dence, otherwife determine. An OLD TRADESMAN. NECESSARY HINTS TO THOSE THAT WOULD BE RICH. WRITTEN ANNO 1756. T, HE ufe of money is all the advantage there is in having money. For fix pounds a year you may have the ufe of one hundred pounds, provided you are a man of known prudence and honefty. He that fpends a groat a day idly, fpends idly above fix pounds a year, which is the price for the ufe of one hundred pounds. He that waftes idly a groat's worth of his time, per day, one day with another, waftes the privilege of ufing one hundred pounds each day. He that idly lofes five {hillings worth of time, lofes five (hillings, and might as prudently throw five (hil- lings into the lea. R He 202 E S S A Y S. He that lofes five millings, not only lofes that fum, but all the advantage that might be made by turning it in dealing, which* by the time that a young man becomes old, will amount to a confiderable fum of iEoney, , Again : he that fells upon credit, afks a price for what he fells equivalent to the principal and intereft of his money for the time he is to be kept out of it ; therefore, he that buys upon credit, pays intereft for what he buys ; and he that pays ready money, might let that money out to uie : fo that he that poffefYes any thing he has bought, pays intereft for the ufe of it. Yet, in buying goods, it is b^ft to pay ready money, becaufe, he that fells upon credit, expects to lofe five per cent, by bad debts ; therefore he charges, on all he fells upon credit, an advance that (hall make up that deficiency, Thofe who pay for what they buy upon credit pay their fhare of this advance. He that pays ready money, efcapes, or may efcape, that charge. A penny sav'd is two-pence clear ; A pin a day 9 s a groat a year. 1HE WAY TO MAKE MONEY PLENTY IN EVERY MAN'S POCKET. XjlT this time, when the general complaint is that " money is fcarce," it will be an ad of kindnefs to inform the moneylefs how they may reinforce their pockets. I will acquaint them with the true iecret of money-catching — the certain way to fill empty puries — and how to keep them always full. Two fimple rules, well obferyed, will do the bufinefs. Firft, ESSAYS. 203 Firft, let honefty and induftiy be thy conftant com- panions ; and, Secondly, fpend one penny Iefs than thy dear gain. Then (hall they hide-bound pocket foon begin to thrive, and wiU never again cry with the empty belly- ach ; neither will creditors infult thee, nor want op- prefs, nor hunger bite, nor nakednefs freeze thee. The whole hemifphere will fhine brighter, and pleafure fpring up in every corner of thy heart. Now, there- fore, embrace theie rules and be happy. Banifh the bleak wind? of forrow from thy mind, and live inde- pendent. Then (halt thou be a man, and not hide thy face at the approach of the rich, nor fuffcr the pain of feeling little when the fons of fortune walk at thy right hand : for independency, whether with little or much, is good fortune, and placeth thee on even ground with the proudeft of the golden fleece. Oh then, be wife, and let induftry walk with thee in the morning, and attend thee untill thou reached the evening hour for reft. Let honefty be as the breath of thy foul, and never forget to have a penny, when all thy ex- pences are enumerated and paid : then flialt thou reach the point of happinefs, and independence (hall be thy fhield and buckler, thy helmet and crown ; then fliall thy foul walk upright, nor Hoop to the filken wretch becaufe he hath riches, nor pocket an abufc becaufe the hand which oners it wears a ring fet with diamonds. 204 ESSAYS. AN ECONOMICAL PROJECT. [A Translation of this letter appeared in one of the Daily Papers of Paris, about the Tear 1784. The following is the Original Piece, with some Additions and Corrections made in it by the Author.} To the Authors of the Journal. messieurs, Yc OU often entertain us with accounts of new dif- coveries. Permit me to communicate to the public, through your paper, one that has lately been made by myfelf, and which I conceive may be of great utility. I was the other evening in a grand company, where the new lamp of Meffrs. Quinquet and Lange was in- troduced, and much admired for its fplendor ; but a general enquiry was made, whether the oil it confumed, was not in proportion to the light it afforded, in which cafe there would be no faving in the ufe of it. No one prefent could fatisfy us in that point, which all agreed ought to be known, it being a very deferable thing to leffen, if pofTible, the expence of lighting our apartments, when every other article of family expence was fo much augmented. I was pleafed to fee this general concern for ceco- nomy ; for I love ceconomy exceedingly. I went home, and to bed, three or four hours after midnight, with my head full of the fubjetl. An ac- cidental fudden noife waked me about fix in the morn- ESSAYS. 2O5 ing, when I was furprifed to find my room filled with light ; and I imagined at firft, that a number of thofe lamps had been brought into it : but, rubbing my eyes, I perceived the light came in at the windows. I got up and looked out to fee what might be the occafion of it, when 1 faw the fun juft riling above the horizon, from vvhence he poured his rays plentifully into my chamber ; my dome ("tic having negligently omitted the preceding evening to clofe the (nutters. I looked at my watch, which goes very well, and found that it was but fix o'clock ; and ftill thinking it fomething extraordinary that the fun (hould rife fo early, I looked into the almanack; where I found it to be the hour given for his rifing on that day. I looked forward too, and found he was to rife {till ear- lier every day till towards the end of June; and that' at no time in the year he retarded his rifing fo long as till eight o'clock. Your readers, who with me have never feen any figns of funfhine before noon, and fel- dom regard the agronomical part of the almanack, will be as much ailoniflied as I was, when they hear of his riling fo early; and efpecially when I aflure them, that be gives light as soon as be rises. I am convin- cd of this. I am certain of the fad. One cannot be more certain of any facl:. I faw it with my own eyes. Ar.d having repeated this obiervation the three fol- lowing mornings, 1 found always preciiely the fame refult. Yet fo it happens, that when I fpeak of this difco- very to others, I can eafdy perceive by their counte- nances, though they forbear expreili ng it in words, that they do not quite believe me. One, indeed, who is a learned natural philofopher, has allured me, that I mutt certainly be miftaken as to the circumftance of the light coming into my room : for it being well known, as he fays, that there could be no light abroad at that hour, it follows that none could enter from without: and that of confequence, my windows being accidentally left opsn, inftead of letting in the light, only feryed to let out the darknefs : and he ufed many 206 essays; many ingenious arguments to (hew me how I might, by that means, have been deceived. I own that he puzzled me a little, but he did not fatisfy me ; and the fubfequent obfervations I made, as above mention- ed, confirmed me in my firfr. opinion. This event has given rife, in my mind, to feveral ferious and important reflections. I confidered that, if I had not been awakened fo early in the morning, I mould have flept fix hoars longer by the light of the fun, and in exchange have lived fix hours the follow- ing night by candle-light ; and the latter being a much mere expenfive light than the former, my love of oeco- nomy induced me to mufter up what little arithmetic I was mailer of, and to make fome calculations, which I mall give you, after obferving, that utility is, in my opinion, the teft of value in matters of invention, and that adifcovery which can be applied to no ufe, or is not good for fomething, is good for nothing. I took for the bafis of my calculation the fuppofiti- on that there are 100,000 families in Paris, and that thefe families continue in the night half a pound of bougies, or. candles per hour. I think this is a mo- derate allowance, taking one family with another ; for though I believe fome confume lefs, I know that many confume a great deal more. Then eftimating feven hours per day, as the medium quantity between the time of the fun's riling and ours, he rifing during the fix following months from fix to eight hours be- fore noon, and there being feven hours of courfe per night in which we burn candles, the account will ftand thus — In the fix months between the twentieth of March and the twentieth of September, there are Nights ------ 183 Hours of each night in which we burn candles - 7 Multiplication gives for the total num- ber of hours - 1,281 Thefe ESSAYS. 207 Thefe 1,281 hours multiplied by 100,000 the number of inhabitants, give - 128,100,000 One hundred twenty-eight millions and one hundred thou land hours, fpent at Paris by candle-light, which, at half a pound of wax and tallow per hour, gives the weight of - - 64.050,000 Sixty-four millions and fifty thoufand of pounds, which, eftimating the whole at the medium price of thirty fols the pound, makes the fum of ninety-fix millions and feventy-five thoufand livres tournois - - 96,075,000 An immenfe fum ! that the city of Paris might fave every year, by the ceconomy of ufmg iunihine inftead of candles. If it fhould be iaid, that the people are apt to be obftinately attached to old cuiloms, and that it will be difficult to induce them to rife before noon, confe- quently my difcovery can be of little ufe ; I anfwer, Nil clesperandum. I believe all who have common fenfe, as foon as they have learnt from this paper that it is day-light when the fun rifes, will contrive to rife with him ; and, to compel the reft, I would propofe the following regulations : Piift. Let a tax be laid cf a louis per window, on every window that is provided with fhutters to keep out the light of the fun. Second. Let the fame falutary operation of police be made ufe of to prevent our burning candles, that inclined us lafr. winter to be more ceconomical in burn- ing wood ; that is, let guards be placed in the fhops of the wax and tallow-chandlers, and no family be per- mitted to be fupplied with more than one pound cf candles per week. Third. Let guards be polled to ftop all the coaches* Stc. that would pais the ilreets after funfet, except tliofeof phy{kia:.s, furgeons and mkivvives. Fourth 208 ESSAYS. Fourth. Every morning as ibon as the fun riies, let all the bells in every church be fet ringing; and if that is not fufficient, let cannon be fired in every ftreet, and wake the fluggards effectually, and make them open their eyes to fee their true irrtereft. All the difficulty will be in the fir ft two or three days ; after which the reformation will be as natural and eafy as the prefent irregularity : for, ce v'est que le premier pas qui coute. Oblige a maw to rife at four in the morning, audit is more than probable he (hall go willingly to bed at eight in the evening ; and, having had eight hours fleep, he will rife more willing- ly at four the morning following. But this fum of ninety-fix millions and feventy-five thouiand livres is not the whole of what maybe laved by my oec.onomical project. You may obferve, that I have calculated upon only one half the year, and much may be faved in the other, though the days are (hotter, Befides, the im- menfe flock of wax and tallow left unco nfumed during the fummer, will probably make candles much cheaper for the enfiiing winter, and continue cheaper as long as the propofed reformation fhall be fupported. For the great benefit of this difcovei -y, thus freely communicated and bellowed by me on the public, I demand neither place, penfion, exclusive privilege, nor any other rewa:d whatever. I cxpeci only to have the honour of it. And yet I know there are little envi- ous minds who will, as ufual, deny me this, and fay that my invention was known to the ancients, and' pes haps they may bring paffages out of the old books in proof of it. I will not dilpute with thefe people that the ancients knew not the fun would rife at cer- tain hours; they poffibly had, as we have, almanacks that predicted it : but it d> es not follow from thence that they knew be gave light as soon as he rose* This is what 1 claim as my difcovery. If the ancients knew it, it muft long fince have been forgotten, for it certainly was unknown to the moderns, at leaft to the Parifians; which to prove J needufe but one plain fimple argument. They are as well inftruded, judici- ous, ESSAYS. 290 ous, and prudent a people as exift any where in the world, all profeffing, like myfelf, to be lovers of ceco- nomy ; and, from the many heavy taxes required from them by the neceflities of the ftate, have furely reafon to be (Economical. I fay it is impeffihle that fo fenfi- ble a people, under fuch circumftances, fhould have lived fo long by the fmoky, unwholefome, and enor- moufly expentive light of candles, if they had really known that they might have had as much pure light ef the fun for nothing. I am, See. An ABONNK 1 On MODERN INNOVATIONS in the ENGLISH LANGUAGE, and in PRINTING. To Noah Webster,;^. Esq. at Hartford. Philadelphia, Dec. 26, 1789% Dear Sir, RECEIVED, fome time fmce, your Dissertations on the English Language. It is an excellent work, and will be greatly ufeful in turning the thoughts 01 our countrymen to correct writing. Pleale to accept my thanks for it, as well as for the great honour you have done me in its dedication. I ought to have made this acknowledgment fooner, but much indifpofition prevented me, I cannot but applaud your zeal for preferving the purity of our language both in its expreilion and pro- nunciation^ 210 ESSAYS. nunciation, and in corre&ing the popular errors feve- ral of our dates are continually falling into with ref- pedl to both. Give me leave to mention fome of them though poffibly they may already have occurred to you. 1 wifh, however, that in fome future publicati- on of yours you would fet a discountenancing mark upon them. The firft I remember, is the word im- proved. When I left New-England in the year 1723, this word had never been ufed among us, as far as I know, but in the fenfe of ameliorated, or made better except once in a xtry old book of Dr. Mathers, enti- tled, Remarkable Providences, As that man wrote a very obfcure hand, I remember that when I read that word in his book, ufed mftead of the word em- ployed, I conjectured that it was an error of the prin- ter, who had miftaken a fhort / in the writing for cm r and aj; with too fhort a tail' for a v, whereby em- ployed was converted into improved: but when Ire- turned to Bofton in 1733, I found this change had ob- tained favour, and. was then become common ; for I met with it often in perufing the newfpapers, where it frequently made an appearance rather ridiculous. Such, for inftance, as the advertifement of a country houfe to be fold, which had been many years improved as a tavern ; and in the character of a deceafed coun- try gentleman, that he had been, for more than thirty years, improved as juftice of the peace. This ufe of the word improve is peculiar to New England, and not to be met with among any ether fpeakers of Eng- lish, either on this' or the other fide of the water. During my late abfence in France, I find that feve- ral other new words have been introduced into our parliamentary language. For example, I find a verb formed from the fubftantive notice. I should not have noticed this, were it not that the gentleman, &c. Al- fo another verb from the fubftantive advocate ; The gentleman whs advocates, or ivho has advocated that motion, &c. Another from the fubftantive progress, the moft awkward and abominable of the three : The committee b&oing progrelled, resolved to adjourn . The word ESSAYS. 211 word oppo$ed y though not a new word, I find ufed in a new maimer, as, The gentlemen who are oppofed to this measure, to which I have also myself ahv ays been oppofed. If you mould happen to be of my opinion with refpect to thefe innovations, you will uie your au- thority in reprobating them. The Latin language, long the vehicle ufed in diflribut- ing knowledge among the different nations of Europe, is daily more and more neglected ; and one of the modern tongues, viz. French,feems in pointof univerfality, to have fupplied its place. It is fpoken in all the courts of Europe ; and mod of the literati, thofe even who do not fpeak it, have acquired knowledge of it, to ena- ble them eafily to read the books that are written in it. This gives a confiderable advantage to that nati- on. It enables its authors to inculcate and fpread through other nations, fuch fentiments and opinions, on important points, as are mod conducive to its inte- refts, or which may contribute to its reputation, by promoting the common interefls of mankind. It is, .perhaps, owing to its being written in French, that Voltaire's Treatife on Toleration has had ib fudden and fo great an effect on the bigotry of Europe, as almoft entirely to difarm it. The general ufe of the French language has likewife a very advantageous effect on the profits of the bookfelling branch of commerce, it being well known, that the more copies can be fold that are {truck off from one compofition of types, the profits in- creafe in a much greater proportion than they do in making a greater number of pieces in any other kind of manufacture. And at prefent there is no capital town in Europe without a French bookfeller's (hop cor- refponding with Paris. Our Englifh bids fair to ob- tain the fecoud place. The great body of excellent printed fermons in our language, and the freedom of our writings on political fubjects, have induced a great number of divines of different feds and nations, as well as gentlemen concerned in public affairs to uudy it, fo far at lead as to resd it. And if we were to endeavor 212 ESSAYS. endeavour the facilitating its progrefs, the Andy of our tongue might become much more general. Thofc who have employed fome part of their time in learning a new language, muft have frequently obferved, that while their acquaintance with it was imperfect, diffi- culties, fmall in themfelves, operated as great ones in obfrrucling their progrefs. A book, for example, ill printed, or a pronunciation in fpeaking not well arti- culated, would render a fentence unintelligible, which from a clear print, or a difliudl fpeaker, would have been immediately comprehended. If, therefore, we would have the benefit of feeing our language more generally known among mankind, we fhould endeavour to remove all the difficulties, however fmall, that dif- courage the learning of it. But I am lorry to ob- ferve, that of late yeats, thcfe difficulties, inftead of being dim in i fried, have been augmented. In examining the Englifh books that were printed between the reftoration and the acceffion of George the Second, we may obferve, that all fubftances were be- gun with a capital, in which we imitated our mother tongue, the German. This was more particularly ufeful to thofe who were hot well acquainted with the I£nglilh, there being fuch a prodigious number of our words that are both verbs and fubftantives, and fpelt in the fame manner, though often accented differently in pronunciation. This method has, by the fancy of printers, of late years, been entirely laid afide ; from an idea, that funpreffing the capitals fhews the charac- ter to greater advantage ; thofe letters, prominent above the line, diflurbing its even, regular appearance. The effect of this chnnge is fo confide* able, that a learned man in France, who ufed to read our books, though not perfectly acquainted with our language, in converfation with me on the fubjecl of our authors, attributed the greater cbfcurity he found in our mo- dern books, compared with thofe written in the period above mentioned, to change of flyle for the worfe in our writers; of which miftake I convinced him, by- marking for him each fubOantive with a capital, in a paragraph ESSAYS. 213 paragraph, which he then eafily underftood, though before he could not comprehend it. This fhews the inconvenience of that pretended improvement. From the fame fondnefs for an uniform and even appearance of characters in the line, the printers have of late alfo banifhed the italic types, in which words of importance to be attended to in the fenfe of the fen- tence, and words on which an emphafis fhould be put in reading-, ufed to be printed. And lately another fancy has induced other printers to ufe the round s inftead of the long one, which formerly ferved well to diftinguifh a w T ord readily by its varied appearance. Certainly the omitting this prominent letter makes a line appear more even, but it renders it lefs immedi- ately legible ; as the paring of all men's nofes might imooth and level their faces, but would render their phyfiognomies lefs diftinguifhable. Add to all thefe improvements backwards, another modern fancy, that grey printing is more beautiful than black. Hence the Englifli new books are printed in fo dim a charac- ter, as to be read with difficulty by old eyes, unlefs in a very ftrong light, and with good glafles. Who- ever compares a volume of the Gentleman's Magazine, printed between the years 1731 and 1740, with one of thofe printed in the laft ten years, will be convinc- ed of the much greater degree of perfpicuity given by black than by the grey. Lord Chefterfield plea- fantly remarked this difference to Faulkener, the prin- ter of the Dublin Journal, who was vainly making encomiums on his own paper, as the mod: complete of any in the world. " But Mr. Faulkener," fays my lord, « don't you think it might be ftili farther im- " proved, by ufing paper and ink not quite fo near of " a colour." — For all thefe reafons I cannot but wifii that our American printers would, in their editions, avoid thefe fancied improvements, and thereby ren- der their works more agreeable to foreigners in Eu- rope, to the great advantage of our bookfelling com- merce* Farther, S 214 ESSAYS. Farther, to be more fenfible of the advantage of clear and diflinct printing, let usconfider the affiftance it affords in reading well aloud to an auditory. In fo doing the eye generally Hides forward three or four words before the voice. If the fight clearly diftin- guifhes what the coming words are, it gives time to alter the modulation of the voice, to exprefs them properly. But if they are obfcurely printed, or dif- gufted by omitting the capitals and long f's, or other- wife, the reader is apt to modulate wrong, and finding he has done fo, he is obliged to go back and begin the fentence again ; which leffens the pleafure of the hear- ers. This leads me to mention an old error in our mode of printing. We are fenfible that when a quef- tion is met with in the reading, there is a proper vari- ation to be ufed in the management of the voice. We have, therefore, a point, called an interrogation, affixed to the queilion, in order to diftinguifh it. But this is abfurdly placed at its end, fo that the reader does not difcover it till he finds that he has wrongly modulated his voice, and is therefore obliged to begin again the fentence. To prevent this, the Spanilh printers,, more fenfibly, place an interrogation at the beginning as well as at the end of the queftion. We have another error of the fame kind in printing plays, where fome- thing often occurs that is marked as fpaken aside— But the word aside is placed at the end of the fpeech, when it ought to precede it, as a direction to the reader, that he may govern his voice accordingly. ,The practice of our ladies in meeting five or fix toge- ther, to form little bufy parties, where each is em- ployed in fome.ufeful work, while one reads to them, is fo commendable in itfelf, that it deferves the at- tention of authors and printers to make it as pleating as pofnble, both to the readers and hearers. My bed wifhes attend you, being, with fincerc elleem, Sir, your moft obedient and very humble fervant, B. FRANKLIN. ESSAYS. 2X5 -VN ACCOUNT OF THE HIGHEST COURT OF JUDICA- TURE IN PENNSYLVANIA, VIZ. m COURT OF THE PRESS. Power of this Court, XT may receive and promulgate accufations of all kinds, againft all perfons and characters among the citizens of the (late, and even againlt all inferior courts; and may judge, fentence, and condemn to infamy, not only private individuals, but public bo- dies, he, with or without enquiry or hearing, at the court's difcretion- Wbose favour ) cr for whose emolument ibis court is established. In favour of about one citizen in five hundred, who, by education, or practice in fcribbling, has acquired a tolerable ftyJe as to grammar and confhudtion, fo as to bear printing; or who is pofleffed of a prefs and a few types. This five hundredth part of the citizens have the privilege of accufmg and abufing the other four hundred and ninety-nine parts at their pleafure ; or they may hire out their pens and prefs to others, for that purpofe. Practice of this Court. It is not governed by any of the rules of the com- mon courts of law. The accufed is allowed no grand 2l6 ESSAYS^ jury to judge of the truth of the accufation before it is publicly made ; nor is the mean of the accufer made known to him ; nor has he an opportunity of confront- ing the witnelTes againft him, for they are kept in the dark, as in the Spanifh court of inquifition. Nor is there any petty jury of his peers fworn to try the truth of the charges. The proceedings are alio foinetimes ib rapid, that an honeftgood citizen may find himfelf iudcenly and unexpectedly accufed, and in the fame morning judged and condemned, and fentence pro-, nounced againft him that he is a rogue and a villain. Yet if an officer of this court receives the flighted check for mifconduct in this his office, he claims im- mediately the rights of a free citizen by the conftituti- on, and demands to know his accufer, to confront the witnrflcs, and to have a fair trial by a jury of his peers. The foundation of its authority. It is faid to be founded on an article in the flate conltitution, which eftablifhes the liberty of the.prefs —a liberty which every Pennfylvanian would fight and die for, though few of us, 1 believe, have difti.nct ideas of its nature and extent. It feems, Indeed, fcme- what like the liberty of the prels, that felons have, by the common law of England before conviction ; that h, to be either preiTed to death or hanged. If, by the liberty of the pre is, were undeiftood merely the liberty of difcuifi.Bg the propriety of public meafures and po- litical opinions, let us have as much of it as you pleaie ; but if it means the liberty of a (fronting, calumniating, and defaming one another, I, for my part, own myfelf willing to part with my fhare of it, whenever our legis- lators (hall pleafe to alter the law : and fhall cheer- fully confent to exchange my liberty ofabufiug others, for the privilege of not being abufed mvfeif. Sj a y r>. 217 By whom ibis court is commissioned or constituted. It has not any ccm million from the fupreme exe- cutive council, who might previously judge of the abi- lities, integrity, knowledge, &c. of the perfens to be appointed to this great truft of deciding upon the cha- racters and good fame of the citizens: for this court is above that council, and may accufe, judge, and con- demn it at pleafure. Nor is it hereditary, as is the court of- dernier refort in the peerage of England. But any man. who can procure pen, ink, and paper* with a prefs, a few types, and a huge pair of blacking balls, may commifiionate himfelf, and his court is im- mediately efiablifhed in the plenary pofTeffion and ex- ercife of its rights. For if you make the leaft com- plaint of the judge's conduct, he daubs his blacking, balls in your face wherever he me«ts you, and befides tearing your private character to fplinters, marks yon out for the odium of the public, as an enemy to the liberty of the pre Is. Of the natural support of this court. Its fupport is founded in the depravity of fuch miner. as have not been mended by religion, nor improved by^ good education. There is a lu-ft in man no charm can tame. Of loudly publifhing his neighbour's fhaflie. Hence, On eagles' wings, immortal, fcandals fly. While virtuous actions are but born and die, Dryden. Whoever feels pain in hearing a good character of his neighbour, will feel a pleafure in the reverfe. And r of thofe. who defpairing to rife to diftin&ion by their virtues, are happy if others can be deprefied to a level with themfelves, there are a number fufRcient in eve* ry great town to maintain one of thefe courts by their labfcrintion* A /hrewd .obferyer once faid, that in. walking S 2 2l8 ESSAYS. walking the ftreets of a flippery morning, one might fee where the good- natu red people lived, by the a Hies thrown on the ice before the doors : probably he would have formed a different conjecture of the temper of thofe whom he might find engaged in fuch fobfcrip- tions. Of the checks proper to be established against the abuses of power in those courts. Hitherto there are none. But fince fo much has been written and publifhedon the federal conftitutlon ; and the neceflity of checks, in all other parts of good government, has been fo clearly and learnedly explain- ed, I find myfelf fo far enlightened as to fuipect fome check may be proper in this part alfo : but 1 have been at a lofs to imagine any that may not be conftrued an infringment of the facred liberty of the prefs. At length however, I think I have found one, that, in- flead of diminishing general liberty, fhall augment it ; which is, by reftoring to the people a fpecies of liberty of which they have been deprived by cur law, I mean the liberty of the cudgel ! In the rude (late of fociety, prior to the exigence of laws, if one man gave ano- ther ill language, the affronted perfon might return it by a box on the ear ; and if repeated, by a good drubbing ; and this without offending againft any law: but now the right of making fuch returns is denied, and they are punifhed as breeches of the peace, while the right of abufing feems to remain in full force ; the laws made againft it being rendered ineffe&ual by the liberty of the prefs. My propofal then is, to leave the liberty of the prefs untouched, to be exercifed in its full extent, force, and vigour, but to permit the liberty of the cudgel to go with it, pari passu* Thus, my fellow citizens, if an impudent writer attacks your reputation — dearer perhaps to you than your life, and puts his name to the charge, you may go to him as openly and break his head. If he conceals himfelf behind the printer, and you ESSAYS. 219 vou can neverthelefs difcover who he is, you may in like manner, waylay him in the night, attack him be- hind, and give him a good (bobbing. If your adver- fary hires better writers than himfelf, to abufe you more effectually, you may hire brawny porters, ftronger than yourfelf, to aflift you in giviog him a more ef- fectual drubbing. Thus far goes my project., as to a private reientment aud retribution. But if the public fhould ever happen to be affronted, as it ought to be, with the conduct of inch writers, I would not advile proceeding immediately to thefe extremities, but that we fhould in moderation content ou Helves with tar- ring and feathering, and toiling them in a blanket. If, however, it ihoulu be thought that this propefal of mine may difturb the public peace, I would then humbly recommend to our legiflators to take up the confide ration of both liberties, that of the prefs, asd that of the cudgel ; and by an explicit law mark their extent and limits: and at the fame time that they fe- cure the perfon of a citizen from aiYaults, they would like wife provide for the iecuiity of his reputation. PAPER: A POEM. OOME wit of old — fuch wits of old there were — Whofe hints fhow'd meaning, whole allufions care, By one brave ftroke to mark all human kind, Call'd clear blank paper ev'ry infant mind ; When ftill, as op'ning fenfe her dictates wrote, Fair virtue put a feal, or vice a blot. The thought was happy, pertinent, and true ; Methinks a genius might the plan purfue, I, (can you pardon my prefumption ? I — ) No wit, no genius, yet for once will try. Various 2 20 ESSAYS. Various the papers various v/ants produce. The wants of falhion, elegance, and uie. Men are as various : and, if right I fcan, Each fort of paper reprefents tome mar,. Pray note the fop — half powder and half lace— Nice, as a baud-box were his dwelling place ; He's the gilt paper, which apart you (lore, And lock from vulgar hands in the 'icrutaire. Mechanics, fervants, farmers, and fo forth, Are copy paper of inferior worth ; Lefs priz'd. more uieful, for ycurdefk decreed, Free to all pens, and prompt at ev'ry need. The wretch whom av Vice bids to pinch and fpare, Starve, cheat, and pilfer, to enrich an heir, Is coarfe brown paper ; fuch as pedlars choofe To wrap up wares, which better men will ufe. Take next the mifer's contrahV who deilroys Health, fame, and fortune, in a round of joys. Will any paper match him ? Yes, throughout., H's a true sinking paper, paft all doubt. The retail politician's anxious thought Deems this fide always right, and that (lark nought \ He foams with cenfure ; with applaule he raves — A dupe to rumours, and a tool of knaves ; He'll want no type his weaknefs to proclaim, While fuch a thing as fools-cap has a name. The baity gentleman, whole blood runs highj Who picks a quarrel, if you Hep a- wry, Who can't a jeir, or hint, or look endure: What's he? What? Touch-paper to be lure. What are our poets, take them as they fall ; Good, bad, rich, poor, much read, not read at all ; Them and their works in the fame clafs you'll find - y They are the mere ivaste-paper of mankind. Obferve the maiden, innocently fweet, She's fair white-paper, and unfullied meet ; On which the happy man whom fate ordains, May write his name 9 and take her for his pains* On* £ S S A Y S. 2 21- One inftauce more, and only one I'll bring; 1 Tis the great man who fcorns a little thing, Whofe thoughts, whofe deeds, whofe maxims are his own, Form'd on the fellings of his heart alone : True genuine royal-paper is his bread ; Of all the kinds molt precious, pureft, bed. ON THE ART OF SWIMMING. In answer to some inquiries of M* Dabourg* on the subject. I AM apprcbenfive that I (ball not be able to find lei lure for making all the difquifitions and experiments which would be defirable on this fubject, I mud there- fore, content myfelf with a few remarks. r i he fpccific gravity of feme human bodies, in com- panion to that of water, has been examined by M. Robinfon, in our Phiblbphical Tranfactions, volume 50, page 30, for the year 1757. He afferts, that fat pcrfons with (mail bones float mod eafily upon water. The diving bell is accurately defcribed in our Tranf- ac\ions. When I was a boy, I made two oval pallets, each about ten inches long, and fix broad, with a hole for the thumb, in order to retain it fad in the palm of my hand. They much refemble a painter's pallets. In fwimming I pudied the edges of thefe forward, and I ftruck the water with their flat furfaces as I drew * Translator of Dr, Franklin's works into French* 222 £ S S A Y S. drew them back. I remember I fwam fatter by means of thefe pallets, but they fatigued my wrifls. — I alio fitted to the foles of my feet a kind of fandals ; but I •was not fatisfied with them, becaufe I obferved that the ftroke is partly given with the infide of the feet and the ancles, and not entirely with the foles of the feet. We have here waiftcoats for fwim mi ng, which are made of double fail-cloth, with fmall pieces of cork quilted in between them. I know nothing of the scapbandre of M. de la- Chappelle. 1 know by experience that it is a great comfort to a fwimmer, who has a confcderable diilance to go r to turn hirnfelf foretimes on his back, and to vary in other refpe£te the means of. procuring a progreiV- five motion. When he is feized with the cramp in the leg,, the method of driving it away is to give to the parts af-* fecfted a fudden, vigorous, and violent fhcek; .which he may do in the air as he fwims on his back.- During the great heats of iummer there is no dan- ger in bathing, however warm we may be in rivers: which have been thoroughly warmed by the fen. Bu% to throw onefeif into cold fpring water, when the body has been heated by exercife in the fun, is an iropro- dence which may prove fatal. 1 once knew an in- flance of four young men, -who, having worked athar- veft in the heat of the day, with a view of refrefhing themfelves plunged into a fpring of cold water : two died upon the fpot, a third the next morning, and the fourth recovered with great difficulty. A copious draught of cold water, in (imilar circunutances, is fre- quently attended with the fame effect in North Ame- rica. The exercife of fwimming is one of the molt heal- thy and agreeable in the world. After having fwam for an hour or two in the evening, one flecps coolly the whole night, even during the moft ardent heat pf fiirnmer. Perhaps the pores being* ckanfed, the in infenCbh" ESSAYS. 223 isnfible perfpiration increafes and occafions this cool- neis. — It is certain that much fwimmirrg is the means of (topping a, diarrhoea, and even of producing a con- it ipation. With refpecl to^ thole who do not know hovv to fwim, or who are affected with a diarrhoea at a feafon which does not permit them to ufe that ex- ercife, a warm bath by cleaning and purifying the fkin, is found very falutary, and often effecis a radi- cal cure. I ipeak from my own experience, frequent* \y repeated, and that of others to whom I have re- commended this. You will not be difpleafed if I conclude thefe hafly remarks by informing you, that as the ordinary me- thod of fwimming is reduced to the act of rowing with the arms and legs, and is confequently a labouri- ous and fatiguing operation when the fpace of water to be crofFed is confide 1 able; there is a method in which a fwimmer may pais to great diftances with much facility by means of a fail. This difcovery I •fortunately made by accident, and in the following manner : When I was a boy I am u fed my ft If one day with flying a paper kite ; and approaching the bank of --a pond, which was near a mile broad, I tied the firing ■to a ftakej and the kite afcended to a very confidera- ble height above the pond, while I was fwimming. In a little time, being defirous of amufing myfeif with my kite, and enjoying at the fame time the plea- sure of fwimming, I returned ; and looGng from tke flake the (tring with the little Rick which was fatten- ed to it, went again into the water, where I found, that lying on my back, and holding the flick in my hands, I was drawn along the furface of the water ia a very agreeable manner. Having then engaged ano- ther boy to carry my clothes round the pond to a phce which I pointed out to him on the other fide, I began to crofs the pond with my kite, which carried me quite over without the leaft fatigue, and with the greateft pleafu re imaginable. I was only obliged oc- .caiionally to halt a little in my courfe, and refilt its progrcfl 224 ESSAYS. progrefs, when it appeared that, by following too quick, I lowered the kite too much ; by doing which ccca- fjonally I made it rife again. I have never fince that time praclifed this Angular mode of fwimming, though I think it not impofTible to crcfs in this manner from Dover to Calais. The packet-boat, however, is fliil preferable. NEW MODE OF BATHING. EXTRACTS OF LETTERS TO M. DUBOURG. London, July 28, 1768. JL GREATLY approve the epithet you give, in your tet&r of the Stli of June to the new method of ti eating the iinall-pox, which you call the tonic or bracing method ; 1 will take occafion, from it, to men- tion a practice to winch I have accuilomed myielf. You know the cold hath has long been in vogue here as a tonic ; but the (hock of the sold water has al- ways appeared to me, generally f pea king, as too vio- lent ; and I have found it much moie agreeable to my con dilution to bathe in another element, I mean cold air. With this view I rife early almolt every morn- ing, and Ik in my chamber without any clothes what- ever, half an hour or an hour, according to the feafon, either reading cr writing. This practice is not in the Jeall painful, but, on the contrary, agreeable ; and if I return to bed afterwards, before I drefs my ft If, as ionie- tiines happens, I make a fupplement to my night's reft of ESSAYS. 225 of one or two hours of the moft pleafing fleep that can be imagined. I find no ill corfequences whatever re- flating from it, and that at leaft it does not injure my health, if it does not in fa 61 contribute much to itspre- fervation. I fhall therefore call it for the future a bra- cing ov tonic bath. March 10, 1773. I (hall not attempt to explain why damp clothes oc- cafron colds, rather than wet ones, becaufe I doubt the fact ; I imagine that neither the one nor the other contribute to this effect, and that the caufes of colds are totally independent of wet and even of cold. I propofe writing a fhort paper on this fubjecl, the firfl leiture moment I have at my difpofal. In the mean time I can only fay, that having fome fufpicions that the common notion, which attributes to cold the pro- perty of flopping the pores and obftru&ing perfpirati- on, was ill-founded, I engaged a young phyfician, who is making forae experiments with Sandtorius's balance, to eftimate the different proportions of his perfpirati- on, when remaining one hour quite naked, and another warmly clothed. He purfued the experiment in this alternate manner for eight hours iucceffively, and found his perfpiration almoft double during thole hours In which he was naked. OBSERVATIONS Z26 ESSAYS. OBSERVATIONS ON THE GENERALLY PREVAILING DOC- TRINES OF LIFE AND DEATH. Yc TO THE SAME. OUR obiervations on the caufes of death, and the experiments which you propoie for recalling to life thofe who appear to be killed by lightning, dernondrate equally your fagacity and humanity. It appears that the doctrines of life and death, in general, aie yet but little uuderftood. A toad, buried in fand, will live, it is faid, until the fand becomes petrified ; and then, being inclofed in the Hone, it may ftill live for .we know not how many ages. The fadls which are cited in fupport of this opinion, are too numerous and tco circumftantial not to deferve a certain degree of credit. As we are accuftomed to fee all the animals with which we are acquainted eat and drink, it appesj*s to us difficult to conceive how a toad can be fupported in fuch a dun- geon. But if we refi ec'i, that the neceflity of nourish- ment, which animals experience in their ordinary ftate, proceeds from the continual wade of their fubftance by perfpiration : it will appear lefs incredible that feme animals in a torpid (late, perfpiring lefs bexaufe they nfe no exercife, Ihould have lefs need of aliment; and thatothers, which are covered with fcales or fhells, which Hop perfpiration, fuch as laud and fea turtles, ferpents, and iome fpecies of fifh, (honld be able tofubfifta con- iiderable time without any nouriihment whatever. A plant, with its flowers, fades and dies immediately, if expofed to the air without having its roots immerfed in a humid ESSAYS. 227 a humid foil, from which it may draw a fufficient quantity of raoifture, to lupply that which exhales frona its fubftance, and is carried off continually by the air. Perhaps, however, if it were buried in quickiilver, it might preferve, for a considerable fpace of time, its vegetable life, its imell and colour. If this be the cafe, it might prove a commodious method of tranfpofting from diftant countries thofe delicate plants which are unable to iuftain the inclemency of the weather at fea, and which require particular care and attention. I have feen. an inftance of common flies preferved in a manner fomewhat funilar. They had been drown- ed in Madeira wine, apparently about the time when it was bottled in Virginia, to be lent to London. At the opening of one of the bottles, at the houle of a friend where I was, three drowned hies fell into the fi.fl glats which was filled. Having heard it remark- ed that drowned files were capable of being revived by the rays of the fun, I propofed making the experi- ment upon thefe. They were therefore expofed to the fun, upon a fieve, which had been employed to ftrain them out of the wine. In lets than three hours two of them began by degrees to recover life. They commenced by fome convulfive motions in the thighs, and at length they raifed themfelves upon their legs, wiped their eyes with their fore feet, beat and brufhed their wings with their hind feet, and ibon after began to fly, finding themfelves in Old England, without knowing how they came thither. The third continu- ed lifelefs until funfet, when, lofing all hopes of him, he was thrown away. I wifh it were poflible, from this inftance, to in- vent a method of embalming drowned perfons, in fuch a ^manner that they might be recalled to life at any- period, however diftant ; for having a very ardent de- fire to fee and obferve the ftate of America an hun- dred years hence, I fliould prefer to an ordinary death, the being immerfed in a calk of Madeira wine, with a few friends, until that time, then to be recalled to life by the folar warmth of my dear country. But, fincc, in 228 ESSAYS. in all probability, we live in an age too early, and too near the infancy of fcience, to fee fuch an art brought in our time to its perfection, I mud, for the prefent,. content myfelf with the treat, which you are fo kind as to promife me, of the refurreclion of a fowl or a turkey-cock. Precautions to be used by those who are about to undertake a Sea Voyage. V V HEN you intend to take a long* voyage, no- thing is better than to keep it a fecret till the moment of yoar departure. Without this, you will be continual- ly interrupted and tormented by vifits from friends and acquaintances, who not only make you Iofe your valua- ble time, but make you forget a thoufand things which you wifli to remember; fo that when you are embark- ed, and fairly at fea, you recoiled!, with much uneafi- r>zi$) affairs which you have not terminated, accounts which you have not fettled, and a number of th which you propofed to carry with you, and which you find the want of every moment. Would it not be at- tended with the beft confequences, to reform fuch a cuftora ; and fuffer a traveller, without deranging him, to make his preparations in quietneis, to let apart a few days, when thefe are finifhed, to take leave of his friends, and to receive their good wilhes for his happy return ? It is not always in one's power to choofe a captain ; though great part of the pleafure and happinefs of the paflage depends upon this choice, and though one mud for a time be confined to his company, and be in fome meafure under his command. If he is a fecial fenfible man, obliging, and of a good difpofition, you will be fo much the happier. One fometimes meets, with peo- ple* ESSAYS. 229 pie of this defcription, but they are not common ; however, if yours be not of this number, if he be a good feaman, attentive, careful, and active in the management of his veffel, you may difpenfe with the reft, for theie are the mod eilential qualities. Whatever right you may have, by your agreement with him, to the provifions he has taken on board for the ufe of the paife tigers, it is always proper to have fome private ftore, which you may make ufe of occa- fionally. You ought, therefore, to provide good water, that of the (hip being often bad ; but you mull: put it into bottles, without which, you cannot expect to pre- ferve it fweet. You ought alio to carry with you good tea, ground coffee chocolate, wine of the fort you like beft, cyder, dried raifins, almonds, fugar, capillaire, citrons, rum, eggs dipped in oil, portable foup, bread twice baked. With regard to poultry, it is almoft ufeleis to carry any with you, unlefs you re- folve to undertake the office of feeding and fattening them yourfelf. With the little care which is taken of them on board fhip, they are almoft all ikkly, and their flefh, is as tough as leather. All failors entertain an opinion, which has undoubt- edly originated formerly from a want of water, and when it has been found neceffary to be fparing of it, that poultry never know when they have drank enough ; and that when water is given them at difcretion, they generally kill themfelves by drinking beyond meafure. In coniequence of this opinion, they give them water only once in two days, and even then in {mall quan- tities : but as they pour this water into troughs in- clining on one fide, which occafions it to run to the lower part, it thence happens that they are obliged to mount one upon the back of another in order to reach it ; and there are fome which cannot even dip their beaks in it. Thus continually tantalized and torment- ed by third, they are unable to digeft their food, which is very dry, and they foon fall lick and die. Some of them are found thus every morning, and are thrown into the lea j whilft thofe which are killed for the table T 2 are 23O ESSAYS. are fcarcely fit to be eaten. To remedy this incon- venience, it will be neceffary to divide their troughs into i'mall compartments, in fuch a manner that each of them maybe capable of containing water; but this is feldom or never done. On this account, flieep and hogs are to be confidered as the beft frefh provifion that one can have at fea ; mutton there being in general very good, and pork excellent. It may happen that fome of the provifions and (lores which I have recommended may become almofl: ufe- lefs, by the care which the captain has taken to lay in a proper flock ; but in luch a cafe you may difpofe of it to relieve the poor paffengers, who, paying lefs for their pafiage, are ftowed among the common failors, and have no right to the captain's provifions, except luch part of them as is ufed for feeding the crew. — Thefe paffengers are fometimes lick, melancholy, and dejected ; and there are often women and children among them, neither of whom have any opportunity of procuring thofe things which I have mentioned, and of which, perhaps, they have the greateft need. By diftributing among them a part of your fuperfluity, you may be of the greateft affiftance to them. You may reftore their health, fave their lives, and in fhort ren- der them happy ; which always affords the livelieft fen- fat on to a feeling mind. The moft dilagreeable thing at fea is the cookery ; for there is not, properly fpeaking, any profefled cook on board. The worft failor is generally chofen for that purpofe, who for the mod part is equally dirty. Hence comes the proverb ufed among the Englifli iai- lors, that God sends meat, and the Devil sends cooks. Thofe, however, who have a better opinion of Pro- vidence, will think otherwife. Knowing that fea air, and the exercife or motion which they receive from the rolling of the Ihip, have a wonderful effect in whetting the appetite, they will fay that Providence has given failors bad cooks to prevent them from eating too much ; \pr that knowing they would have bad cooks, he has given them a good appetite to prevent them from £ S S A Y S. 23I from dying with hunger. However, if you have no confidence in thefe fuccours of Providence, you may yourfelf, with a lamp and boiler, by the help of a little ipirits of wine, prepare fome food, fuch as ibup, hafh, Sec. A fmall oven, made of tin-plate, is not a ba'd piece of furniture : your fervant may roalt in it a piece of mutton or pork. If you are ever tempted to eat fait beef, which is often very good, you will find that cyder is the beft liquor to quench the third generally caufed by fait meat or fait fiih. Sea-bifcuit, which is too hard for the teeth of fome people, may be foftei-?ed by fteeping it ; but bread double baked is the heft, for being made of good loaf-bread cut into ilices. and baked a fecond time, it readily imbibes water, becomes ibft, and is eafily digefled ; it consequently forms excellent nourifhment, much fuperior to that of bifcuit, which lias not been fermented. I muft here obferve, that this double-baked bread was originally the real bifcuit prepared to keep at fea ; for the word biscuit, in French, iignifies twice baked.* Peafe often boil badly, and do not become feft ; in fuch a cafe, by putting a two-pound (hot into the ket- tle, the rolling of the \eftd, by means of this bullet, will convert the peafe into a kind of porridge, like mudard. Having often feen foup, when put upon the table at fea in broad flat difhes, thrown out on every {\de by the rolling of the veffel, I have wiihed that our tin- men would make our ibup-bafons with divifions or com- partments, forming fmall plates, proper for contain- ing foup for one peribn only. B) this difpofition, the foup, in an extraordinary roll, would not be thrown out of the plate, and wculd not fall into the breads of thofe who are at table, and fcald them. Having en- tertained you with thefe things of little impoitance, permit me now to conclude with fome general reflecti- ons upon navigation. When # Tt is derived from bis again^ and cuit baked. 23 2 ESSAYS. When navigation is employed only for transporting neceflary provifions from one country, where they abound, to another where they are wanting; when by this it prevents famines, which were fo frequent and to fatal before it was invented and became fo common ; we cannot help conlidering it as one of thofe art* which contribute mcft to the happinefs of mankind, But when it is employed to tranfport things of no utility, or articles merely of luxury, it is then uncer- tain whether the advantages refulting from it are fuf- fficient to counterbalance the misfortunes it occafions, by expofing the lives of fo many individuals upon the valt ocean. And when it is ufed to plunder veifels and tranfport flaves, it is evidently only the dreadful means of increafing thofe calamities which afflict hu- man nature. One is aftoniihed to think on the number of veffels and men who are daily expofed in going to bring tea from China, coffee from Arabia, .and fugar and tobac- co from America ; all commodities which our ances- tors lived very well without. The fugar-trade em- ploys nearly a thoufand veUels ; and that of tobacco almoft the fame number. With regard to the utility of tobacco, little can be fa id ; and, with regard to fuga>', how much more meritorious would it be to fa- crifice the momentary pleafure which we receive from drinking it once or twice a-day in our tea, than to encourage the numberleis cruelties that are continually exercifed in order to procure it for us ? A celebrated French moralift faid, that when he coniideied the wars which we foment in Africa to ret negroes, the great number who of courfe peri(h in thefe wars ; the multitude of thofe wretches who die in their paffage, by difeafe, bad air, and bad provifions ; and laftly, how many perifh by the cruel treatment they meet with in a ftate of ilavery ; when he faw a bit of fugar, he could not help imagining it to be covered with fpots of human blood. But, had he added to thefe connderations the wars which we carry on one againft another, to take and retake the iflands that produce ESSAYS. 233 produce this commodity, be would not have fcen the fugar fiinply spotted with blood, he would have beheld it entirely tinged with it. Thefe wars make the maritime powers of Europe, and the inhabitants of Paris and London, pay much dearer for their fugar than thofe of Vienna, though they are almoft three hundred leagues diftattt from the iea. A pound of fugar, indeed, cofts the former not only the price which they give for it, but alfo what they pay in taxes, neceflaiy to fupport thofe fleets and armies which ferve to defend and protect the countries that produce it. ON LUXURY, IDLENESS, and INDUSTRY, From a Letter to Benjamin Vaugban, Esq.* written in 1784. 1 T is wonderful how prepofteroufly the affairs of this world are managed. Naturally one would imagine that the intereft of a few individuals fhould give way to genera! incereft ; but individuals manage their af- fairs with fo much more application, induftry, and addrefs, than the public do theirs, that general inteyeft mofl commonly gives way to particular. We aflemble parliaments and councils, to have the benefit of their collected wifdom ; but we neceffarily have, at the fame time, the inconvenience of their cclle&ed paf- fipns * Present member of Parliament for the borough of Calne, in Wiltshire, between whom and our author there subsisted a very close friendship. 234 ESSAYS. fions, prejudices, and private interefls. By the help of thefe, artful men overpower their wifdcm, and dupe its pofleflbrs ; and if we may judge by the acls, ar- rets, and edicts, all the world over, for regulating com- merce, an affembly of great men is the greatefl: fool upon earth. I have not yet, indeed, thought of a remedy for luxury. I am net lure that in a great date it is capa- ble of a remedy ; nor that the evil is in itfelf always fo great as it is reprefented. Suppofe we include in the definition of luxury all unneceiTary expence, and then let us confider whether laws to prevent fucb ex- pence are poifible to be executed in a great country, and whether, if they could be executed, cur people generally wculd be happier, or even richer. Is not the hope of being cne day able to purchaie and enjoy luxuries, a great fpur to labour and induftry? May not luxury therefore produce more than it coofunies, if, without fuch a f<-ir, people would be, as they are naturally enough inclined to be, lazy and indolent ? To this puipole I remember a circumftanee. The ikipperof'a fhallop, employed between Cape-May and Philadelphia, had done us fo'me fmall iervices, for which he refufed to be paid. My wife undemanding that he had a daughter, lent her a prefent of a new- fdfhioned cap. Three years after, this fkipper being at my houfe with an old farmer of Cape-May, his pui- fenger,. he mentioned the cap, and how much his daughter had been pleafed with it. " Bjt (laid he) it proved a dear cap to our congregation." — " How fo?" — " When my daughter appeared with it at meet- ing, it was fo much admired, that all the girls reiblv- ed to get fuch caps from Philadelphia ; and my wife and I computed that the whole could not have coft lefs than a hundred pounds" — " True, (faid the farmer) but you do not tell all the flory. I think the cap was nevertheiefs an advnntage to us ; for it was the firft thing that put our girls upon knitting worfted mittens forfaleat Philadelphia, that they might have where- withal ESSAYS. 235 withal to buy caps and ribbons there ; and you know that induflry has continued, and is likely to continue and increafe to a much greater value, and anfv/er much better purpofes" — Upon the whole, I was more re- conciled to this little piece of luxury, fi nee not only the girls were made happier by having fine caps, but the Philadelphians by the fupply of warm mittens. In our commercial towns upon the fea-coafr, fortunes will occafionally be made. Some of thofe who grow rich will be prudent, live within bounds, and preferve what they have gained for their pouerity ; others fond of (hewing their wealth, will be extravagant, and ruin themfelves. Laws cannot prevent this ; and perhaps it is not always an evil to the public. A Ihiliing fpent idly by a fool, may be picked up by a wifer perfon, who knows better what to do with it. It is therefore not loft. A vain, filly fellow builds a fine houfe, furnifhes it richly, lives in it expensively, and in a few years ruins himielf ; but ihemafous, carpenters imiths, and other honeft tradefmen, have been by his employ a(iifled in maintaining and,raiiing their families: the farmer has been paid for his labour, and encoura- ged, and the eftate is now in better hands.— In fome cafes, indeed, certain modes of luxury may be a public evil, in the manner as it is a private one. If there be a nation, for inftance that experts its beef and li- nen, to pay for the importation of claret and porter, while a great part of its people live upon potatoes, and wear no Hurts ; wherein does it differ from the fot who lets his family ftarve, and fells his clothes to buy drink ? Our American commerce is, I confefs, a little in this way. We fell our victuals to the iilands for rum and fugar ; the fubftantial neceilaries of life for fupeifluities. But we have plenty, and live well neverthelefs, though, by being foberer, we might be richer. The vaft quantity of foreft land we have yet to clear, and put in order for cultivation, will for a long time keep the body of our nation laborious and frugal. Forming an opinion of our people and their manners, by >36 ESS A Y S. by what is Teen among the inhabitants of the fea-ports, is judging from an improper fample. The people of the trading towns may be rich and luxurious, while the country poffefles all the virtues that tend to pro- mote bappinefs and public prosperity. Thole towns are not much regarded by the country.; they are hard- ly CQiiiidercd as an efTential part of the ftates ; and the experience of the laft war has fbewn that their being in the poffefiion of the enemy did not neceffarily draw on the fubjeclion of the country, which bravely con- tinued to maintain its freedom and independence not- withltanding. It has been computed by fome political arithmeti- cian, that if every man and woman would work for four hours each day on lbmething ufefut, that labour would produce fufficient to procure all the neceffaries and comforts of life ; want and mifery would be ba- nifhed out of the world, and the reft of the twenty-four hours might be leifure and pleafure. What occafions then fo much want and mifery? It is the employment of men and women in works that produce neither the neceiTaries or conveniencies of life, who, with thofe who do nothing, confume neceiTaries railed by the laborious. To explain this : The firit elements of wealth are obtained by labour, from the earth and waters. 1 have land, and raife corn. With this, if I feed a family that does nothing my corn will be confirmed, and at the end of the year I mall be no richer than I was at the beginning. But if, while I feed them, I employ them, fome in fpinning, others in -making bricks, &c. for building, the value of my corn will be arrefled and remain with me, and at the end of the year we may be all better clothed and better lodged. And if, infread of employing a man I feed in making bricks, I employ him in fiddling for me, the corn he eats is gone, and no part of his manufac- ture remains to augment the wealth and convenience of the family ; I (ball therefore be the poorer for this fiddling man, unleis the red of my family work more ESSAYS. 237 more, or eat lefs, to make up the deficiency he oc- cafions. Lcok round the world, and fee the- millions em- ployed in doing nothing, or in fomcthing that amounts to nothing, when the necefTaries and conveniences of life are in queftion. What is the bulk of commerce, for which we fight and deftroy each other, but the toil of millions for fuperfluities, to the great hazard and lofs of many lives, by the conftant dangers of the fea ? How much labour is {pent in building and fitting great (hips, to go to China and Arabia for tea and cof- fee, to the Weft-Indies for fugar, to America for to- bacco ? Thefe things cannot be called the necefTaries of life, for cur anceftors lived very comfortably with- out them. A queftion may be afked ; Could all thefe people now employed in railing, making, or carrying fuper- fluities, be fub lifted' by railing necefTaries ? I think they might. The world is large, and a great part of it fiill uncultivated. Many hundred millions of acres in Afia, Africa, and America, are ftill in a foreft ; and a great deal even in Europe. On a hundred acres of this foreft, a man might become a fubftantial farmer ; and a hundred thoufand men employed in clearing each his hundred acres, would hardly brighten a fpot big enough to be vifible from the moon, unlefs with Herichel's telefcope ; fo vaft are the regions ftill in wood. It is however fome comfort to reflecl:, that, upon the whole, the quantity of induftry and prudence a- mong mankind exceeds the quantity of idlenefs and folly. Hence the increafe of good buildings, farms cultivated, and populous cities filled with wealth, all over Europe, which a few years fmce were only to be found on the coaft of the Mediterranean ; and this notwithftanding the mad wars continually raging, by which are often deftroyed in one year the works of ma- ny years peace. So that we may hope, the luxury of a few merchants on the coaft will not be the ruin of America. One U 238 ESSAYS. One reflection more, and I will end this long ram- bling letter. Almoft all the parts of our bodies re- quire ibmeexpence. The feet demand fhoes ; the legs ftockings ; the reft of the body clothing ; and the belly a good deal of victuals. Our eyes, tho' exceedingly ufeful, afk, when reasonable, only the cheap afliftance of fpe&acles, which could not much impair our finan- ces. But the eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us. If all but myfelf were blind, I fhould want neither fine clothes, fine houies, nor fine furni- ture. ON THE SLAVE TRADE. JLY EADING in the newfpapers the fpeech of Mr. Jackfon in congrefs, againft meddling with the af- fair of flavery, or attempting to mend the condition of flaves, it put me in mind of a fimilar fpeech, made about an hundred years fince, by Sidi Mehemet Ibra- him, a member of the divan of Algiers, which may- be feen in Martin's account of his confulfhip, 1687. It was againft. granting the petition of the fedt called Erika or Purists, who prayed for the abolition of piracy and ilavery, as being unjuft. — Mr. Jackfon does not quote it ; perhaps he has not feen it. If, therefore, fome of its reafonings are to be found in his eloquent fpeech, it may only fhew that men's interefts operate, and are operated on, with furprifing fimilarity, in all countries and climates, whenever they are under fimi- lar circmftances. The African fpeech, as tranilated, is as follows : « Alia ESSAYS. 239 " Alia Bifmillah, he. God is great, and Mahomet is his prophet. " Have thefe Erika confidered the confequences of granting their petition ? If we ceafe our cruifes againft the Chriftians, how fhall we be furnifhed with the commodities their countries produce, and which are fo necefTary for us ? If we forbear to make flaves of their people, whs in this hot climate, are to cultivate our lands ? Who are to perform the common labours of cur city, and Lir families? Muft we not then be our own (laves? And is there not more companion and more favour due to us Muffulmen* than to thofe Chriftian dogs ? — We have now above fifty thoufand ilaves in and r Algiers. This number, if not kept up by frefh fupplies, will foon diminifli, and be gradually annihila- ted. Ji\ then, we ceafe taking and plundering the in- fidel mips, and making ilaves of the feamen and paf- fengers, our lands will become of no value, for want of cultivation ; the rents of houfes in the city will (ink cue half; and the revenues of government, arifing from the fhare of prizes, muft be totally deftroyed ?— And [\k what ? To gratify the whim of a whimfical . who would have us not only forbear making more Haves, but even manumit thofe we have. But who is to indemnify their m afters for the lofs ? Will the ft ate do it ? Is our treafury fufhxient ? Will the Erika do it ? Can they do it ? Or would they, to do what they think juftice to the ilaves, do a greater injuftice to the owners? And if we fet our (laves free, what is to be done with them ? Few of them will return to their native countries; they know too well the great- er hardfhips they muft there be fubjecl to. They will not embrace our holy religion; they will not adopt our manners : our people will not pollute themfelverj by intermarrying with them. Muft we maintain them as beggars in our ftreets ; or fuffer our properties to be the prey of their pillage? For men accuftomed to ilaverv, will not work for a livelihood, when net com- pelled. — And what is there fo pitiable in their prefent condition ? Were they not (laves in their own coun- tries ? 24° ESSAYS. tries? Are not Spain, Portugal, France, and the Italian dates, governed by defpots, who hold all their ftibjecls in flavery, without exception? Even England treats her failors as flaves, for they are, whenever the government pleafes, feized, and confined in (hips of war, condemned, not only to work, but to fight for fmall wages, or a mere fubddence, not better than our ilaves are allowed by us. Is their condition then made worfe by their falling into our hands? No; they have only exchanged one flavery for another ; and I may fay a better ; for here they are brought into a land where the fun of Iflamifm gives forth its light, and mines in full fplendor, and they have an opportu- nity of making themfelves acquainted with the true doctrine, and thereby faving their immortal fouls. — Thofe who remain at home have not that happinefs. Sending the flaves home, then, would be lending them out of light into darknefs* CJ I repeat the quedion, what is to be done with them? I have heard it fuggefted, that they may be planted in the wildernefs, where there is plenty of land for them to fubdd on, and where they may flourifh as a free Hate. But they are, 1 doubt, too little difpofed to labour without compulfion, as well as too ignorant to eftablifh good government : and the wild Arabs would foon moled and dedroy, or again en ft aye them. While ferving us, we take care to pr< thgci with every thing; and they are treated with hu- manity. The labourers in their own countries, are^ as I am informed, worfe fed, lodged, and clothed. — The condition of mod of them is therefore already mended, and requires no farther improvement. Here their lives are in fafety. i hey are not liable to be im- prefied for fcldiers, and forced to cut one another's Chridian throats, as in the wars of their own countries. If feme of the religious mad bigots who now teafe us with their iiliy petitions, have, in a fit of blind zeal, freed their flaves, it was not generofity, it was not humanity that moved them to the action; it was from the confeious burthen of a load of fins, and hope, from the E i S A Y S. 24I the fuppofed merits of Co good a work, to be excufed from damnation. — How grofsly are they rniftaken, in imagining flavery to be difavowed by the Alcoran ? Are not the two precepts, to quote no more, " Mas- ters, treat your flaves with kindneis — Slaves, ferve your mailers with cheerfulnefs and fidelity," clear proofs to the contrary? Nor can the plundering of infidels be in that facred book forbidden ; fince it is well known from it, that God has given the world, and all that it contains, to his faithful Muffulmen, who are to enjoy it, of right, as faft as they can conquer it. Let us then hear no more of this deteflable propo- rtion, the manumiflion of Chriftian flaves, the adopti- on of which would, by depreciating our lands and houfes, and thereby depriving fo many good citizens of their properties, create nniverfal difcontent, and provoke infurrections, to the endangering of govern- ment, and producing general confufion. I have, therefore, no doubt that this wife council will prefer the comfort and happinefs of a whole nation of true be- lievers, to the whim of a few Erika, and difmifs their petition.'* The refult was, as Martin tells us, that the Divan came to this refolution : " That the doctrine, that the " plundering and enflaving the Chrifiians is unjuft, is " at beft problematical ; but that it is the intereft of " this Mate to continue the practice, is clear ; there- of fore, let the petition be rejected." — And it was re- jected accordingly. And (ince like motives are apt to produce, in the minds of men, like opinions and refolutions, may we not venture to predict, from this account, that the pe- titions to the parliament of England for abolifhing- the flave-trade, to fay nothing of other legidatures* and the debates upon them, will have a fimilar coatlufion. March 23) 1790. HISTORICUS, U 2 ESSAYS. OBSERVATIONS ON WAR. B >Y the original law of nations, war and extirpati- on were the punifhment of injury. Humanizing by- degrees, it admitted flavery in (lead of death : a farther flep was the exchange of prifoners inftead of flavery ; another, to reipecl more the property of private per- fons under conqueft, and be content with acquired do- minion. Why fhould not this law of nations go on improving ? Ages have intervened between its feve- ral fleps : but as knowledge of late increaies rapidly, why fhould not thofe fteps be quickened ? Why fhould it not be agreed to, as the future law of nations, that in any war hereafter the following 1 defcription of men fhould be undiilurbed, have the protection of both fides, and be permitted to follow their employments in fecu- rity ? viz. i. Cultivators of the earth, becaufe they labour for the fubfiftence of mankind. 2. Fifhermen, for the fame reafon. 3. Merchants and traders in unarmed (hips, who accommodate different nations by communicating and exchanging the neceffanes and conveniences of life. 4. Artifts and mechanics, inhabiting and working in open towns. It is hardly neceffary to add, that the hofpitals of enemies fhould be unmolefted — they ought to be afiift- ed. It is for the intereft of humanity in general, that the occafions of war, and the inducements to it, fhould be diminifhed. If rapine be abolifhed, one of the en- couragements to war is taken away; and peace there- fore more likely to continue and be lafting. The E S S A Y S. 243 The practice of robbing merchants on the high Teas - — a remnant of the ancient piracy — though it may be accidentally beneficial to particular perfons, is far from being profitable to all engaged in it, or to the nation that authorifes it. In the beginning of a war fome rich fhips are furprifed and taken. This encourages the firlt adventurers to fit out more armed veffels, and many others to do the fame. But the enemy at the fame time become more careful, arm their' merchant fhips better, and render them not fo eafy to be takea ; they go alfo more under the protection of convoys.— Thus, while the privateers to take them are multipli- ed, the veffels fubjecl to be taken, and the chances of profit are diminiuhed ; fo that many cruifes are made, wherein the expences overgo the gains ; and, as is the cafe in other lotteries, though particulars have got prizes, the mafs of adventurers are lofers, the whole expence of fitting out all the privateers during a war being much greater than the whole amount of goods taken. Then there is the national lofs of all the labour of fo many men during the time they have been employ- ed in robbing ; who befides fpend what they get in riot, drunkennefs, and debauchery ; lofe their habits of induftry ; are rarely fit for any fober bufinefs after a peace, and ferve only toincreaie the number of high- waymen and houfe-breakers. Even the undertakers who have been fortunate, are, by fudden wealth, led into expenuve living, the habit of which continues when the means of fupporting it ceafe, and finally ruins them : a jufl punifhment for having wantonly and un- feelingly ruined many honeft innocent traders and their families, whofe fubftance was employed in ferving the common intcreft of mankind. 2 44 ESSAYS, ON THE IMPRESS OF SEA. MEN. Notes copied from Dr. Franklin's w? iting in pencil in the margin of Judge Foster's celebrated argument in favour of the Impressing of Seamen (published in the folio edition of his works. J JUDGE Fofter, p. 158. "Every Man."— The conclufion here from the whole to a part) does not feem to be good logic. If the alphabet Ihould lay, Let us all fight for the defence of the whole ; that is equal, and may therefore be juft. But if they ihould fay, Let A, B, C, and D, go out and fight for us, while we flay at home and fleep in whole fkins ; that is not equal, and therefore cannot be juft. 16, '* Employ." — If you pleafe. The word figni- fies engaging a man to work for me, by offering him fuch wages as aie fufficient to induce him to prefer iny fervice. This is very different from compelling him to work on fuch terms as I think proper. 16. " This fervice and employment, Sec." — Thefe are falfe fa els. His employments and fervice are not the fame — Under the merchant-he goes in an unarmed veffel, not obliged to fight, but to tranfport merchan- dife. In the king's fervice he is obliged to fight, and to hazard all the dangers of battle. Sicknefs on board of king's mips is alfo more common and more mortal* The merchant's fervice too he can quit at the end of the ESSAYS. 245 the voyage ; not the king's. Alfo, the merchant's wages are much higher. lb. " I am very fenfible, &.c." — Here are two things put in companion that are not comparable : viz. injury to feamen, and inconvenience to trade. Inconvenience to the whole trade of a nation will not juftify injuftice to a Tingle Teaman. If the trade would fufFer without his fervice, it is able and ought to be willing to offer him fiich wages as may induce him to afford his fervice voluntarily* Page 159. " Private mifchief mu ft be borne with u patience, for preventing a natic mity.*' — Where i< th : s maxim in law and good pJicy to be 1 ? And how can that be a maxim which is not confident with common {tvSt ? - lf the maxim had been, that private mifchief, which, prevent a national cala- mity, ought to be generoufly compensated by the nation, one might underhand it : bat thai fuch pri- vate mifchiefs are only to be borne with patience, is abfurd! lb. u The expedient, Sec. And, Ike," (Paragraphs 2 and 3.) — Twenty ineffectual or inconvenient fchemes will not juftify one that is unjuft. lb, u Upon the foot of, 8tc." — Your reafoning, indeed, like a lie, (lands but upon cwt fiot ; truth up- on two. Page 160. u Full wages." — Probably the fame they had in the merchant's fervice. Page 174. " I hardly admit, &c." (Paragraph 5) — When this ?uthor fpeaks of impicffmg, page 158, he diminifhes the horror of the practice as much as poiTlble, by prefenting to the mind one failor only fuf- fering hardship (as he tenderly calls it) in fome par- ticular cases only : and he places againft this private mifchief the inconvenience to the trade of the king- dom.— But if, as he fuppofes is often the cafe, the fail- or who is prefled, and obliged to ferve for the defence of trade, at the rate of twenty five {hillings a month, could get three pounds fifteen (hillings in the mer- chant's fervice, you take from him fifty {hillings a month : 246 ESSAYS. month; and if you have 100,000 in your fervice, you rob this honelr induftrious part of fociety, and their poor families of 250,0001. per month, or three millions a year, and at the fame time oblige them to hazard their lives in fighting for the defence of yo^r trade ; to the defence of which all ought indeed to co. bute (and failors among the red) in proportion to their profits by it ; but this three millions is more than their (hare, if they did not pay with their perfons ; but when you force that, methinks you mould excufe the other. Bat it may be fnid, to give the king's feamen mer- chant's wages would coil the nation too much, and call for more taxes. The que Prion then will am to this: whether it be jufl in a community, that the richer part mould compel the poorer to fight in de- fence of them and their properties, for fuch wag they think fit to allow, and punifh them if they re- fufe ? Our author tells us that it is " legal*' I : not law enough to diipute his authorities, but I can- not perfuade myfelf that it is equitable. I will, h ever, own for the prefent, that it may be lawful v neceffary ; but when I contend that it may be ufedfo as to produce the fame good effects — the public security without doing fo much intolerable injuOice as att< the imprefling common feamen. — In order to he bet- ter underftood, I would premife two things; Firft, voluntary feamen may be had for the fervice, if they were fuificiently paid. The proof is, that to ftrve in the fame fnip, and incur the fame danger^ you have no occaficn to imprefs captains, lieutenant , fecond lieu- tenants, midfhipman, purfers, nor many other officers* Why, but that the profits of their places, or the emo- luments expected, are fufneient inducements? The bufinefs then is, to find money, by imprefling, fufnei- ent to make the failors all volunteers, as well as their officers ; and this without any frem burthen upon trade. — The fecond of my premifes is, that twenty- five (hillings a month, with his (hare of fait beef, pork, and peafe-puddingj being found fufficient for the fnb- Gftence ESSAYS. 247 (iftence of a hard-working Teaman, it will certainly be fo for a fedentary fcholar or a gentleman. I would then propofe to form a treafury, out of which encou- ragements to feamen mould be paid. To nil this trea- fury, I would imprefs a number of civil officers, who at prefent have great falaries, oblige them to ferve in their refpeclive offices for twenty-five millings a month, with their fhares of mefs provifions, and throw the reft of their falaries into the teamen's treafury. If fuch a prefs-w arrant were given me to execute, the firft I would prefs fhould be a Recorder of Briftol, or a Mr. Juftice Fofter, becaufe I might have need of his edify- ing example, to ihow how much impreffing ought to be borne with ; for he would certainly find, that though to be reduced to twenty-five (hillings a month might be a private mischief, yet that, agreeably to his maxim of law and good policy, it ought to be borne with patience, for preventing a national calamity. Then I would prefs the reft of the judges ; and, open- ing the red book, I would prefs every civil officer of government from 50I. a year falary, up to 50,000!. which would throw an immenfe fum into our treafury : and thefe gentlemen could not complain, fmce they would receive twenty-five {hillings a month, and their rations ; and this without being obliged to fight. Ladly, I think I would imprefs***. 248 ESSAYS. On the CRIMINAL LAWS, and the PRAC- TICE of PRIVATEERING. Letter to Benjamin Vaughan, Eso^. March 14, 1785. MY DEAR FRIEND, A. .MONG the pamphlets you lately fent me,' was one, entitled, Thoughts on Executive justice. In re- turn fcr that, I fend you one on the fame fubjeft', Observations coneemdnt /> Execution de V Article IT. de la Declaration sur le Vol. They are both addreffed to the judges, and written, as you will fee, in a very different fpirit. The Englifti author is for hanging #// thieves. The Frenchman is for proportioning punish- ments to offences. If ws really believe, as we profefs to believe, that the law of Moles was the law of God, the dictate of divine wifdom, infinitely fuperior to human ; on what principles do we ordain death as the punifhment of an offence, which, according to that law, was only to be punifhed by a reftitution of four-fold ? To put a man to death for an offence which does not deferve death, is it not a murder ? And, as the French writer fays, Doit-on punir un delit contre la societe par un crime centre la nature. Superfluous property is the creature of fociety. Simple and mild laws were fufficient to guard the pro- perty je s s a y s. 249 perty that was merely neceflary. The favage's bow, his hatchet, and his coat of fcins, were fufficiently fe- cured, without law, by the fear of perfonal refentment and retaliation. When, by virtue of the firft laws, part of the fociety accumulated wealth, and grew pow- erful, they enacted others more fevere, and would pro- tect their property at the expence of humanity. This was abufing their power, and commencing a tyranny. If a favage, before he entered into fociety, had been told — u Your neighbour, by this means, may become 44 owner of an hundred deer ; but if your brother, or 14 your fon, or yourfelf, having no deer of your own, 44 and being hungry, fhould kill one, an infamous death 44 muft be the conference:" — he would probably have preferred his liberty, and his common right of killing any deer, to all the advantages of fociety that might be propofed to him. That it is better a hundred guilty perfons mould ef- cape, than that one innocent perfon (hould fuffer, is a maxim that has been long and generally approved ; never, that I know of, controverted. Even the fan- guinary author of the Thoughts; agrees to it, adding well, «* that the very thought of injured innocence, 44 and much more that of suffering innocence, muft 44 awaken all our tendered and mod companionate H feelings, and at the fame time raife our higheft: in- " dignation againft the inlhuments of it. But, (he adds) there is no danger of either, from a ftricl: ad- herence to the laws." Really ! — Is it then impoffible to make an unjuft law ? and if the law itfeif be un- jufl, may it not be the very a inftrument" which ought to u raife the author's and every body's higheft indig- nation ?" I fee, in the laft newfpapers from London, that a woman is capitally convicted at the Old Bailey, for privately dealing out of a (hop fome gauze, value -fourteen (hillings and three pence: Is there any pro- portion between the injury done by a theft, value fourteen (hillings and three pence, and the punifhment of a human creature, by death, on a gibbit? Might not that woman, by her labour, have made the repa- ration X 2J0 ESSAYS. ration ordained by God, in paying fourfold ? Is not all punifhment, inflicted beyond the merit of the of- fence, fo much punifhment of innocence ? In this ligiht, how van: is the annual quantity, of not only injured but suffering innocence, in almoit ail the civilized dates of Europe ! But itfeems to have been thought that this kind of innocence may be pun i (bed by way of preventing crimes. I have read, indeed, of a cruel Turk in Bar- bary, who, whenever he bought a new Christian flave, ordered him immediately to be hung up by the legs, and to receive a hundred blows of a cudgel on the foles of his feet, that the fevere fenfe of the punifhment, and fear of incurring it thereafter, might prevent the faults that fhould merit it. Our author himfelf would hardly approve entirely of this Turk's conduct in the government of ilaves ; and yet he appears to recom- mend fomething like it for the government of Englifh fubjects, when he applauds the reply of Judge Burnet to the convidt horfe-ftealer ; who being afked what he had to fay why judgment of death fhould not pals againft him, and anfwering, that it was hard to hang a man for only dealing a hoife, was told by the judge, u Man, thou art not to be hanged only for (tealing a horfe, but that horfes may not be ftolen." The man's anfwer, if candidly examined, will, I imagine, appear realonable, as being founded on the eternal principle of juftice and equity, that puniibments fhould be pro- portioned to offences, and the judge's reply brutal and unreafonable, though the writer "wifhes all judges to carry it with them whenever they go to the circuit, and to bear it in their minds, as containing a w T ife rea- fon for all the penal ftatutes which they are called up- on to put in execution. It at onee illuftrates, fays he, the true grounds and reaibns of all capital punifh.- ments whatfoever, namely, that erery man's property, as well as his life, may be held facred and inviolate." Is there then no difference in value between property and life? If I think it right that the crime of murder fhould be punifhed with death, not only as an equal punifhmeat ESSAYS. 25I punifhment of the crime, but to prevent other mur- ders, does it follow that I muft approve of the fame punifhment for a little invafion on my property by theft ? If I am not myfelf fo barbarous, fo bloody- minded, and revengeful, as to kill a fellow-creature for (tealing from me fourteen (hillings and three pence, how can I approve of a law that does it? Montefouieu, who was himielf a judge, endeavours to imprefs other maxims. He mult have known what humane judges feel on fuch occafions, and what the effects of thole feelings ; and, fo far from thinking that fevere and exceilive punifhments prevent crimes, he afferts, as quoted by our French writer, that u L'atrocite des loix en emptche I' execution* a Lorsque la peine est sans mesure y on est souvent " oblige de ltd prefer er VimpunitL " La cause des tous les reldcbemens vient de Vim- u punite des crimes y et non de la moderation des u pet ties*" It is faid by thofe who know Europe generally, that there are more thefts committed and punifhed annual- ly in England than in all the other nations put toge- ther. If this be ib, there muft be a caufe or caufes for fuch depravity in our Common people. May not one be the deficiency of juftice and morality in our na- tional government, manifefted in our oppreflive con- duel to fubjecls, and unjufl wars on our neighbours ? View the long-perfifled in, unjufl, monopolizing treat- ment of Ireland, at length acknowledged I View the plundering government exercifed by our merchants in the Indies ; the confifcating war made upon the Ame- rican colonies ; and, to lay nothing of thofe upon France and Spain, view the late war upon Holland, which was feen by impartial Europe in no other light than that of a war in rapine and pillage ; the hopes of an immenie and eafy prey being its only apparent, and probably its true and real motive and encouragement. Juftice %$Z ESSAYS. Juftice is as ftri&ly due between neighbour nations as between neighbour citizens, A highwayman is as much a robber when he plunders in a gang, as when Tingle ; and a nation that makes an unjuft war is only a great gang. After employing your people in robbing the Dutch, is it ftrange that, being out of that em- ploy by peace, they (till continue robbing, and rob one another ? Piraterie^ as the French call it, or priva- teering, is the univerfal bent of the Englilh nation, at home and abroad, wherever fettled. No lefs than fe- vcn hundred privateers were, it is faid, commiflloned in the lalt war ! Thefe were fitted out by merchants, to prey upon other merchants, who had never done them any injury. Is there probably any one of thofe privateering merchants of London, who were fo ready to rob the merchants of Amflerdam, that would not as readily plunder another London merchant of the next ftreet, if he could do it with the fame impunity ! The avidity, the alien! appetens is the fame ; it is the fear alone of the gallows that makes the difference. How then can a nation, which, amongft the honefteft of its people, has fo many thieves by inclination, and whofe government encouraged and commiffioned no lefs than ieven hundred gangs of robbers ; how can fuch a nati- on have the face to condemn the crime in individuals, and hang up twenty of them in a morning! It natu- rally puts one in mind of a Newgate anecdote. One of the prifoners complained, that in the night fome- body had taken his buckles out of his (hoes. u What the devil 1" fays another, H have we then thieves amongft us ? It mull not be fufFered, Let us fearch out the rogue, and pump him to death. There is, however, one lateinftance of an Englifh merchant who will not profit by fuch ill-gotten gain. He was, it feems, part owner of a fhip, which the other owners thought fit to employ as a letter of marque, and which took a number of French prizes. The booty being (hared, he has now an agent here en- quiring, by an advertifement in the Gazette, for thofe who fufFered the lots, in order to make them, as far as ESSAYS. 253 as in him lies, reftitution. This confcientious man is a Quaker. The Scotch Prefbyterians were formerly as tender ; for there is ftill extant an ordinance of the town-council of Edinburgh, made foon after the Re- formation, " forbidding the purchafe of prize goods, under pain of loving the freedom of the burgh forever, with other punifbment at the will of the magistrate ; the practice of making prizes being contrary to good conlcience, and the rule of treating Chriftian brethren as we would wilh to be treated ; and fuch goods ar& nst to be sold by any godly men within this burgh."— The race of thefe godly men in Scotland is probably extinct, or their principles abandoned, fince, as far as that nation had a hand in promoting the war againft the colonies, prizes and confiscations are believed to have been a confiderable motive* It has been for forne time a generally received opi- nion, that a military man is not to enquire whether a war be juft or unjuft ; he is to execute his orders- All princes who are difpofed to become tyrants, mult probably approve of this opinion, and be willing to eftabliih it; but is it not a dangerous one? fince, on that principle, if the tyrant commands his army to at- tack and deftroy, not only an unoffending neighbour nation, but even his own Subjects, the army is bound to obey. A negro Have, in our colonies, being com- manded by his mafter to rob or murder a neighbour, or do any other immoral act, may refufe ; and the ma- gistrate will protect him in his refufal. The flavery then of a foldier is worfe than that of a negro ! A con- fcientious officer, if not retrained by the apprehenfton of its being imputed to another caufe, may indeed re- fign, rather than be employed in an unjuft war, but the private men are (laves for life ; and they are per- haps incapable of judging for themfelves. We can only lament their fate, and (till more that of a tailor, who is often dragged by force from his honeft occupa- tion, and compelled to imbrue his hands in perhaps in- nocent blocd, But methinks it well behoves mer- chants (men more enlightened by thfrir education, and perfectly Xz 2-74 ESSAYS. perfectly free from any fuch force or obligation Jrto cond* der well of the juftice of a war, before they voluntari- ly engage a gang of ruffians to attack their fellow-mer- chants of a neighbouring nation, to plunder them of their property, and perhaps ruin them and their fami- lies, if they yield it: or to wound, maim, and murder them, if they attempt to defend it. Yet thefe things are done by Chriftian merchants, whether a war be juft or unjuft; and it can hardly be juft on both fides. They are done by Englifli and American merchants, who, neverthelefs, complain of private theft, and hang by dozens the thieves they have taught by their own example. It is high time, for the fake of humanity, that aftop were put to this enormity. The United States of America, though better fituated than any European nation to make profit by privateering*, (moft of the trade of Europe with the Weft-Indies palling before their doors) are, as far as in them lies, endeavouring to abolifh the practice, by offering, in all their treaties with other powers, an article, engaging folemnly, that in cafe of future war, no privateer (hall be commiflion- ed on either fide ; and that unarmed merchant-fhips, on both fides, (hall purfue their voyages unmolefted.* This will be a happy improvement of the law of nati- ons. The humane and the juft cannot but wifh gene- ral fuccefs to the propofition. With unchangeable efteem and affection, I am > my dear friend, Ever yours. * This offer having been accepted by the Ute king of Pruffia, a treaty of amity and commerce ivas concluded between that monarch **4 the United States, containing the following humane, philan- thropic article , in the formation of which Dr. Franklin, as one of the American plenipotentiaries } was principally concerned, i>/*. ESSAYS. 2.55 REMARKS CONCERNING THE -SAVAGES OF NORTH AMERICA. OAVAGES we call them, becaufe their manners differ from ours, which we think the perfection of civility ; they think the fame of theirs. Perhaps, if we could examine the manners of dif- ferent nations with impartiality, we fhould find no people fo rude as to be without any rules of politeneis; nor any fo polite as not to have fome remains of rude- nefs, The ART. XXIII. If war Jhouhi arife between the two contrasting parties, the met chants of either country , then refding in the other, Jhall be al- lowed to remain nine months to collet! their debts and fettle their affairs, and may depart freely, carrying off their effecls without molejlation or hindrance I and all women and children, fcholars of every faculty, cultivators of the earth, artifans, manufacturers f and fifhermen, unarmed and inhabiting unfortified towns, villages, cr places, and in general all others whofe occupations are for the common fubffence and bereft of mankind, fhall be allowed to con- tinue their iefpecliie em [>/ry merits, and fiall not be molefied in their per fans, nor Jhall the'n houses or goods be burned, or otherwife de- frayed, nor their fields dtflroy fueh trading veffels^ cr interrupt fuch commerce* ij6 ESSAYS, The Indian men, when young, are hunters and war- riors ; when old, counfettors ; for all their government is by the counfel or advice of fages ; there is no force there are no prifons, no officers to compel obedience, or inflict punifhment. Hence they generally ftudy oratory ; the bed fpeaker having the mod influence. The Indian women till the ground, dreis the food, liurfe and bring up the children, and preferve and hand down to pcfterity the memory of public tranf- adtions. Tiiefe employments of men and women are accounted natural and honourable. Having few arti- ficial wants, they have abundance of leifure for im- provement by converfation. Our laborious manner of life, compared with theirs, they efteem ilavifh and bale; and the learning on which we value ourfelves, they regard as frivolous and ufelefs. An inftance of this occurred at the treaty of Lancafier, in Penniylva- nia, anno 1744, between the government of Virginia and the Six nations. After the principal bufinels was fettled, the commifiioners from Virginia acquainted the Indians by a fpeech, that there was at William f- burg a college, with a fund, for educating Indian youth ; and that if the chiefs of the Six Nations would fend down half a dozen of their fons to that college, the go- vernment would take care that they fhouldbe well provi- ded for, and inftru died in all the learning of the white peo- ple. It is one of the Indian rules of politenefs net to an- fwer a public proportion the fame day that it is made ; they think it would be treating it as a light matter ; and they (hew it refpedl by taking time to conHder it, as of a matter important. They therefoie deferred their anfwer till the day following; when their fpeak- er began, by expreffing their deep fenie of the kind- nefs of the Virginia government, 111 making them that offer; " for we know (f ys he) that you highly efteem the kind of learning taught in thole colleges, and that the maintenance of cur young men, while with you, would be very expenfive to you. We are convinced, therefore,, that you mean to do us g*ocu by your propo- fal, and we thank you heartily. But you who are wile E S S A Y S'. 257 wife mull know, that different nations have different conceptions of things ; and you will therefore not take it amifs, if our ideas of this kind of education happen not to be the fame with yours. We have had ibme experience of it : feveral of our young people were formerly brought up at the cr lieges of the northern provinces ; they were inftru&ed in all your fciences ; but when they came back to us, they were bad run- ners ; ignorant of every means of living in the wocds ; unable to bear either cold or hunger ; knew neither how to build a cabin, take a deer, or kill an enemy ; fpoke our language imperfectly ; were therefore nei- ther fit for hunters, warriors, or counfellors ; they were totally good for nothing. We are however not the lefs obliged by your kind offer, though we decline ac- cepting it: and to (how our grateful lenfe of it, if the gentlemen of Virginia will fend us a dozen of their ions, we will take great care of their education, in- ftrucl: them in all we know, and make men of them." Having frequent occafion to hold public councils, they have acquired great older and decency in con- dueling them. The old men fit in the foremen 1 ranks, the warriors in the next, and the women and children in the hindmoft. The bufinefs of the women is to take exact notice of what pafTes, imprint it in their memories, for they have no writing, and communicate it to their children. They are the records of the council, and they preferve tradition of the ftipulations in treaties a hundred years back ; which, when we compare with our writings, we always find exacl. He that would fpeak, rifes. The reft obferve a profound filence. When he has finifhed, and fits down, they leave him five or fix minutes to recollect, that, if he has omitted any thing he intended to fay, or has any thing to add, he may rife again, and deliver it. To interrupt another, even in common converfation, is reckoned highly indecent. How different this is from the conduct of a polite Britilh Houfe o! Commons, where fcarce a day paffes, without feme confufion* that makes the fpeaker hoarfe in calling tg order ; and how 258 ESSAYS. how different from the mode of converfation in many' polite companies of Europe, where if you do not de- liver your fentence with great rapidity, you are cut off in the middle of it by the impatient loquacity of thofe you converfe with, and never fufFered to finifh it! The politenefs of thefe favages in converfation, is indeed, carried to excels ; fmce it does not permit them to contradict or deny the truth of what is af- ferted in their prefence. By this means they indeed avoid difputes ; but then it becomes difficult to know their minds, or what impreffion you make upon them. The miffionaries who have attempted to convert them to Chriftianity, all complain of this as one of the great difficulties of their miffion. The Indians hear with patience the truths of the gofpel explained to them, and give their ufual tokens of aflent and approbation : you would think they were convinced. No fuch mat- ter. It is mere civility. A Swedifh minister having alTembled the chiefs of the Sufquehannah Indians, made a ferunon to them, acquainting them with the principal hiftorical facts on which our religion is founded: fuch as the fall of our fipft parents by eating an apple; the coming of Quid to repair the mifchief; his miracles and lufterings, Scc» — When he had nnifhed, an Indian orator ftoed up to thank him. " What you have told us," fays he, is all very good. It is indeed bad to eat apples. It is bet- ter to make them all into cyder. We are much obliged by .your kindnefs in coming fo far to tell us thofe things which you have heard from your mothers. In return I will tell you fome of thofe we have heard from ours. " In the beginning, our fathers had only the flefh of animals to fublift on ; and if their hunting was un- fuccefsful, they were ftarving. Two of our young hunters having killed a deer, made a fire in the woods to b/oil fome parts of it. When they were about to fatisfy their hunger, they beheld a beautiful young woman defcend from the clouds, and feat herfelf on that ESSAYS. 259 that hill which you fee yonder among the Blue Moun- tains. Theyfaid to each other, it is a fpirit that per- haps has fmelt our broiling venifon, and wifhes to eat of it : let us offer fome to her, T hey prefented her with the tongue : (he was pleafed with the tafre of it, and laid, your kindnefs mail be rewarded. Come to this place after thirteen moons, and you iliall find fomething that will be of great benefit in nourifhing you and your children to the lateft generations. They did ih y and to their iurprife found plants they had ne- ver feen before ; but which, from that ancient time, have been conftantly cultivated among us, to our great advantage. Where her right hand had touched the ground, they found maize ; where her left hand had touched it, they found kidney-beans ; and where her backfide had fat on it, they found tobacco." The good miflionary, difgufled with this idle tale, faid, What I delivered to you, were facred truths ; but what you tell me, is mere fable, fiction and falfehood." The Indian, offended, replied; ** My brother, it feems your friends have not done you juhice in your educati- on ; they have not well ififtru&ed you in the rules of common civility. You faw that we, who underfrand and practile thole rules, believed all your ftories, why do you refufe to believe ours ?" ♦ When any cf them come into our towns, our people are apt to crowd round them, gaze upon them, and incommode them where they defire to be private ; this theyefteem great rudenefs, and the effect of the want of inirruciion in the rules of civility and good man- ners. (i We have," fay they, " as much curiofity as 44 you, and when you come into our towns, we wifh u for opportunities of looking at you; but for this " purpofe we hide ourfelves behind buihes where you i( are to pafs, and never intrude ourfelves into your " company." Their manner of entering one another's villages has likewife its rules. It is reckoned uncivil in travelling flrangers to enter a village abruptly, without giving notice cf their approach. Therefore, as food as they arrivfe l6o ESSAYS. arrive within hearing, they flop and hollow, remaining there till invited to enter. Two old men ufually come out to them, and lead them in. There is in every vil- lage a vacant dwelling, called the (Grangers* houfe. Here they are placed, while the old men go round from hut to hut, acquainting the inhabitants that flrangers are arrived, who are probably hungry and weary ; and every one fends them what he can fpare of victuals, and fkins to repofe on. When the flrangers are re- frefhed, pipes and tobacco are brought ; and then, but not before, converfation begins, with enquiries who they are, whither bound, what news, &c. and it ufu- ally ends with offers of iervice ; if the Grangers have occafion of guides, or any neceflaries for continuing their journey ; and nothing is exacted for the enter- tainment. The fame hofpitality, eftcemed among them as a principal virtue, is pra&ifed by private perfons ; of which Conrad Weiser, our interpreter, gave me the following inflance. He had been naturalized among the Six Nations, and fpoke well the Mohawk language. In going through the Indian country, to carry a mef- fage from our governor to the council at Onondago, he called at the habitation of Canassetego, an old acquain- tance, who embraced him, fpread furs for him to fit on, placed before him fome boiled beans and venifon, and mixed fome rum and water for his drink. When he was well refrefhed, and had lit his pipe, CanaiTete- go began to converfe with him : afked how he had fared the many years fince they had feen each other, whence he then came, what occafioned the journey, &c. Conrad anfwered all his queftions ; and when the difcourfe began to flag, the Indian, to continue it, faid, " Conrad, you have lived long among the white people, and know fomething of their cuftoms : I have been fometimes at Albany, and have obferved, that once in ieven days they fhut up their (hops, and afiemble all in the great houfe ; tell me what that is for ! What do they do there ?*' " They meet there," fays Conrad, ic to hear and learn good things." " I do not doubt," fays ESSAYS. 26l fays the Indian, " that they tfefl you fo ; they have told me the fame ; but I doubt the truth of what they fay, and I will tell you my reafons. I went lately to Albany, to fell my Ikins, and buy blankets, knives, powder, rum, 8cc. You know I ufed generally to deal with Hans Hanfon ; but I was a little inclined this time to try fome other merchants. However, I called firft upon Hans, and afked him what he would give for beaver. He faid he could not give more than four (hillings a pound ; but, fays he, I cannot talk on bu- iinefs now ; this is the day when we meet together to learn good things, and I am going to the meeting. So I thought to myfelf, iince I cannot do any bufineft to-day, I may as well go to the meeting too, and I went with him. There flood up a man in black, and began to talk to the people very angrily, I did not un- derhand what he faid ; but perceiving that he looked much at me, and at Hanfon, I imagined he was an- gry at feeing me there ; fo I went out, fat down near the houfe, (truck fire, and lit my pipe, waiting till the meeting (hould break up. I thought too that the man had mentioned fomething of beaver, and I fafpedled it might be the fubject of their meeting. So when they came out I accofted my merchant. " Well, " Hans," fays I, I hope you have agreed to give more " than four (hillings a pound." No, " fays he," 1 u cannot give fo much, I cannot give more than three u fnillings and fix-pence." I then fpoke to feveral other dealers, but they all fung the fame fong, three and fix-pence, three aw d fix-pence. This made it clear to me that my fufpicion was right; and that what- ever they pretended of meeting to learn good things^ the purpofc was to confuk how to cheat Indians in the price of beaver. Confider but a little Conrad, and you mull be of my opinion. If they met fo often to learn gGod things, they would certainly have learned fome before this time. But they are dill ignorant. You know our pradlice. If a white man, in travelling through our country, enters one of our cabins, we all treat Y 262 ESSAYS. him as I do you ; we dry him if he is wet ; we warm him if he is cold, and give him meat and drink, that he may allay his thirft and hunger; and we fpreadfoft furs for him to reft and fleep on: we demand nothing in return.* But if I go into a white man's houfe at Albany, and afk for victuals and drink, they fay, Where is your money ? and if I have none, they fay, Get out, you Indian dog. You fee they have not yet learned thofe little good things that we need no meet- ings to be inftrudled in, becaufe our mothers taught them to us when we were children ; and therefore it is impofllble their meetings mould be, as they fay, for any fuch purpofe, or have any fuch effect : they are only to contrive the cheating of Indians in the price of beaver " TO * It is remarkable, that in all ages and countries, hospitality has been allowed as the virtue of those, whom the civilized were pleased to call Barbarians ; the Greeks celebrated the Scythians Jor it. %he Saracens possessed it eminently, and it is to this day the reigning virtue of the wild Arabs. St. Paul too, in the relation of bis voyage and shipwreck on the island of Melita, says, " The barbarous people shewed us no little kindness; "for they kindled ajire, and received us every one, be- "cause of the present rain 9 and because of the cold.'* This note is taken frbm a small collection of Franklin's paper S) printed for Dilly\ ESSAYS. 263 T O M. DUBOURG, Concerning the Dissensions between England and America. London, October 2, 1770. ft SEE with pie a (lire that we hink pretty much alike on the fubje&s of Englifh America. We of the colonies have never infilled that we ought to be ex- empt from contributing to the common expences ne- cefTary to fupport the profperity of the empire. We only a (Vert, that having parliaments of our own, and not having reprefentatives In that of Great Britain, our parliaments are the only judges of what we can and what we ought to contribute in this cafe : and that the Englifh parliament has no right to take our money without our confent. In fad, the Britifh em- pire is not a fingle Itate ; it comprehends many; and though the parliament of Great Britain has arrogated to itfelf the power of taxing the colonies, it has no more right to do fo, than it has to tax Hanover. We have the fame king, but not the fame legiflatures. The difpute between the two countries has already cod England many millions (lerling, which it has lo(r in its commerce, and America has in this refpe£l been a proportionable gainer. This commerce confifted principally of fuperfluities ; objects of luxury and ftifhi- on, which v/e tan well do without ; and the refolution we have formed of importing no more till our grievan- ces are redrefTed, has enabled many of our infant ma- nufacturers 264 ESSAYS. to take root ; and it will not be eafy to make our peo- ple abandon them in future, even mould a connexion more cordial than ever fucceed the prefent troubles. — I have, indeed, no doubt that the parliament of Eng- land will finally abandon its prefent pretentions, and leave to us the peaceable enjoyment of our rights and privileges. B. FRANKLIN. A COMPARISON Of the Cqnduc* of the JxciExr Jejvs, and of tbt A'NTlFEDERALISrS in the UnII'ED SfAfES of America, A ZEALOUS advocate for the propofed Federal Conflitution, in a certain public affembly, faid, that " the repugnance of a great part of mankind to good " government was fuch, that he believed that if an 4C angel from heaven was to bring down a confiituti- 4; on formed there for our life, it would neverthelefs c! meet with violent oppofition." — He was reproved for the fuppdfed extravagance of the fentiment ; and lie did not juftify it. — Probably it might not have im- mediately occurred to him that the experiment had been tried, and that the event was recorded in the molt faithful of all hiftories, the Holy Bible ; otherwife he might, as it feems to me, have fupported his opinion by that unexceptionable authority. The Supreme Being had been pleafed to nourifli up a fingle family, by continued adls of his attentive Pro- vidence, 'till it became a great people : and having refcued them from bondage by many miracles perform- ed ESSAYS. 265 eu by his fervant Mofes, he perfonally delivered to that chofen fervant, in prefence of the whole nation, a conftitution and code of laws for their obfervance ; accompanied and functioned withpromifes of great re- wards, and threats of fevere punifhments, as the con- fequence of their obedience or difobedience. This conftitution, though the Deity himfelf was to be at its head, (and it is therefore called by political writers a Theocracy) could not be carried into execu- tion but by means of his minifters ; Aaron and his ions were therefore commiflioned to be, with Mofes, the firfteftabli fried miniftry of the new government. One would have thought, that the appointment of men. who had diftinguifhed themfelves in procuring the liberty of the nation, and had hazarded their lives in openly oppofing the will of a powerful monarch who would have retained. that nation in ilavery, might have been an appointment acceptable to a grateful people ; and that a conftitution, framed for them by the Deity himfelf, might on that account have, been fecure of an univerfal welcome reception. Yet there were, in ever ry one of the thirteen tribes, fome discontented reftlefs fpirits, who were continually exciting them to reject the propofed new government, and this from various jnotives, Many ftill retained an affection for Egypt, the land of their nativity, and thefe, whenever tjjey felt any in- convenience or hardlhip, through the natural and un- avoidable effect of their change of fituation, exclaimed againil their leaders as the authors of their trouble ; and were not only for returning into Egypt, but for ftoning their deliverers.* Thole inclined to idolatry were difpleafed that their golden calf was deftroyed. Many of the chiefs thought the new conftitution might be injurious to their particular interefts, that the pro- fitable places would be engrossed by the families and, friends * Number s y ckaf* xiv. Y 2 266 E S S A f S. friends of Moses and Aaron, and others equally well- born excluded.*— In Jofephus, and the Talmud, we learn fbme particulars, not fo fully narrated in the fcripture. We are there told, " that Korah was am* bitious of the prieflhood ; and offended that it was conferred on Aaron ; and this, as he faid, by the au- thority of Mofes only, without the consent of the peo- ple. He accufed Mofes of having, by various artifices, fraudulently obtained the government, and deprived the people of their liberties ; and of confpiring with Aaron to perpetuate the tyranny in their family. Thus, though Koran's real motive was the fupplanting of Aaron, he perfuaded the people that he meant only the public good ; and they, moved by his infinuations, began to cry out — " Let us maintain the common li- berty of our respective tribes ; we have freed ourfelves from the flavery impofed upon us by the Egyptians, and fhall we fuffer ourfelves to be made flaves by Mofes ? If we mud have a mafter, it were better to return to Pharaoh, who at leaft fed us with bread and onions, than to ferve this new tyrant, who by his ope- rations has brought us into danger of famine." Then they called in queftion the reality of his conference with God ; and objected to the privacy of the meet- ings, and the preventing any of the people from being prefent at the colloquies, or even approaching the place, as grounds of great fufpicion. They accufed Mofes alfo of peculation ; as embezzling part of the golden fpoons and the filver chargers, that the princes jhad offered at the dedication of the altar,f and the of- ferings of the gold of the common people,! as well as mod * Numbers, chap. xvi> ver. 3. u And they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, Te take too much upon you, seeing all the congregations are holy, every one of them — wherefore ihen lift ye up yourselves above the congregation?" t Numbers, ch» vii* \ Exodus, ch* xxxv.ver. 22. ESSAYS. 267 moft of the poll tax ;* and Aaron they accufed of pocketing much of the gold of which he pretended to have made a molten calf. Befides peculation, they charged Mofes with ambition ; to gratify which pafll- on> he had, they laid, deceived the people, by promif- ing to bring them to a land flowing with milk and ho- ney; inftead of doing which, he had brought them from fuch a land; and that he thought light of this mifchief, provided he could make himielf an absolute prince^ That, to fupport the new dignity with fplen- dor ia his family, the partial poll-tax already levied and given to Aaron| was to be followed by a general one|l, which would probably be augmented from time to time, if he were fufFered to go on promulgating new laws on pretence of new occasional revelations of the divine will, till their whole fortunes were devoured by that ariftocracy." Moles denied the charge of peculation ; and his ac~ cuiers were deftitute of proofs to fupport it ; though faciS) if real, are in the ir nature capable of proof. " I have not," faid he, (.with holy confidence in the pre- fence of God) " I have not taken from this people the value of an afs, nor done them any other injury." — But his enemies had made the charge, and with ibme fuccefs among the populace ; for no kind of accufatiou is fo readily made, or eafily believed, by knaves, as the accuution of knavery. In fine, no lefs than two hundred and fifty of the principal mem, " famous in the congregation, men of * Numbers^ cb. iii, and Exodus K cb. xxx. f Numbers, cb, xvi. ver. 13. i€ Is it a small thing that thou bast brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except tbou make thyself altogether a prince over us?" \ Numbers, cb* Hi* II Exodus, cb. xxx* 268 ESSAYS. renown,"* heading and exciting the mob, working them up to fuch a pitch of phrenfy, that they called out, ilone 'em, flone 'em, and thereby fee lire our li- berties ; and let us choofe other captains that may lead us back into Egypt, in cafe we do not fucceed in re- ducing the Canaanites. On the whole, it appears that the Ifraelites were a people jealous of their newly acquired liberty, which jealoufy was in itfelf no fault ; but that when they fuf- fered it to be worked upon by artful men, pretending public good, with nothing really in view but private intereft, they were led to oppofe the eftablifhment of the new conflitution, whereby they brought upon them- felves much inconvenience and misfortune. It farther appears from the fame ineflimable hiftory, that when, after many ages, the con fti tut ion had become old and much abulcd, and an amendment of it was propofed, the populace, as they hadaccuied Moles of the ambi- tion of making himfelf a prince, and cried out, {lone him, (tone him ; fa, excited by their high-prieds and fcribes, they exclaimed againft the Meiliah, that he aimed at becoming king of the Jews, and cried, cru- cify him, crucify him. From all which we may gather, that popular oppofition to a public meafure, is no proof of its impropriety, even though the oppofition be exci- ted and headed by men of diftincYion. To conclude, I beg I may not be underftood to in- fer, that our general convention was divinely inipired when it formed the new federal conflitution, merely becaufe that conflitution has been unreafonably and vehemently oppofed : yet, I mnfl own, I have fo much faith in the general government of the world by Pro- vidence, that I can hardly conceive a tranfaction cf fuch momentous importance to the welfare of millions now exifling, and to exift in the poflerity of a great nation, (hould be fuffered to pafs without being in fome degree influenced, guided, and governed by that omni- potent, * NumlcrS) ckap. w ESSAYS. 269 potent, omniprefent and beneficent Ruler, in whom all inferior fpirits live, and move, and have their be- ing. THE INTERNAL STATE OF AMERICA, Being a true Description of the Interest and Policy of that vast Continent. r r JL HERE is a tradition, that, in the planting of New-England, the fir ft fettlers>met with many diffi- culties and hardships ; as is generally the cafe when a civilized people attempt eftablifliing themfelves in a wiidernefs country. Being pioufly difpofed, they fought relief from Heaven, by laying their wants and dil ire fif- es before the Lord, in frequent let days of failing and prayer. Conftant meditation and difcturfe on thefe iubjects kept their minds gloomy and difecntented ; and, like the children of Ifrael, there were many difpo- fed to return to that Egypt which perfecution had in- duced them to abandon. At length, when it was pro- pofed in the aiTemblyto proclaim another fail, a far- mer of plain fenfe rcfe, and remarked, that the incon- veniences they fufFered, and concerning which they had fo often wearied Heaven with their complaints, were not lb great as they might have expected, and were c; mini Thing every day, as the colony Arengthened ; that the earth, began to reward their labour, and to furnifh liberally for their lubnfience ; that thefeasand rivers were found full of pfh, the air fweet, and the climate healthy ; and, above all, that they were there in the full enjoyment of liberty, civil and religious :, ore thought, that reflecting and converting on 270 ESSAYS. on thefe fubje&s would be more comfortable, as tend- ing more to make them contented with their fituati- on ; and that it would be more becoming the grati- tude they owed to the Divine Being, if, tnftead of a fall, they mould proclaim a thankfgiving. His advice was taken, and from that day to this they have, in every year, obferved circumftances of public felicity fufficient to furnifh employment for a thankfgiving day, which is therefore conftantly ordered andreligiouf- ly obferved. I fee in the public newfpapers of different ftates frequent complaints of hard times, deadness of trade, scarcity of money , &c. Sec. It is not my intention to affert or maintain that thefe complaints are entirely without foundation. There can be no country or na- tion exiting, in which there will not be feme people fo circumftanced as to find it hard to gain a livelihood ; people who are not in the way of any profitable trade, and with whom money is fcarce, becaufe they have nothing to give in exchange for it; and it is always in the power of a fmall number to make a great cla- mour. But let us take a cool view of the general date of our affairs, and perhaps the profpeel will ap- pear lefs gloomy than has been imagined. The great bufinefs of the continent is agriculture. For one artifan, or merchant, I fuppofe, we have at lead one hundred farmers, and by far the greateft part cultivators of their own fertile lands, from whence many of them draw not only food neceiTary for their fubfiftence, but the materials of their clothing, fo as to need very few foreign fupplies ; while they have a furplus of productions to difpofe of, whereby wealth is gradually accumulated. Such has been the goodnefs of Divine Providence to thefe regions, and fo favour- able the climate, that, fmce the three or four years of hardfhip in the firfl fettlement of our fathers here, a famine or fcarcity has never been heard of amongft us ; on the contrary, though fome years may have been more, and others lefs plentiful, there has always been provifion enough for ourfelve$j and a quantity to fpare ESSAYS. 2.7I fpare for exportation. And although the crops oflaft year were generally good, never w^as the farmer bet- ter paid for the part he can fpare commerce, as the publifhed price currents abundantly teftify. The lands he poflefles are alfo continually rifing in value with the increafe of population ; and, on the whole, he is enabled to give fuch good wages to thole who work for him, that all who are acquainted with the old world mufl agree, that in no part of it are the labouring poor fo generally well fed, well clothed, well lodged, and well paid, as in the United States of America. If we enter the cities, we find that, fince the re- volution, the owners of houfes and lots of ground have had their intereft vaftly augmented in value ; rents have rifen to an aftonifhing height, and thence encou- ragement to increafe building, which gives employment to an abundance of workmen, as does alfo the increa- sed luxury and fplendour of living of the inhabitants thus made richer. Thefe workmen all demand and obtain much higher wages than any other part of the world could afford them, and are paid in ready money. T his rank of people therefore do not, or ought not, to complain of hard times; and they make a very con- fiderable part of the city inhabitants. At the diftance I live from our American fifheries, I cannot fpeak of them with any degree of certainty ; but I have not heard that the labour of the valuable race of men employed in them is worfe paid, or that they meet with lefs fuccefs, than before the revolution. The whale-men, indeed have been deprived of one market for their oil ; but another, I hear, is opening for them, which it is hoped may be equally advantage- ous ; and the demand is conftantly increafing for their fpermaceti candles, which there bear a much higher price than formerly. There remain the merchants and ihop-keepers. Of thefe, though they make but a famll part of the whole nation, the number is considerable, too great indeed for the bufinefs they are employed in ; for the confump- tion of goods in every country has its limits ; the fa- culties 272 ESSAYS. culties of the people, that is, their ability to buy and pay, is equal only to a certain quantity of merchan- dife. If merchants calculate amifs on their propor- tion and import too much, they will of courfe find the fale dull for the overplus, and fome of them will fay that trade languifhes. They mould, and doubtlefs ■will, grow wifer by experience, and import lefs. If too many artificers in town, and farmers from the country, flattering themfelves with the idea of lead- ing eaiier lives, turn [hop-keepers, the whole natural quantity of that bufmefs divided among them all may afford too fmall a (hare for each, and occafion com- plaints that trading is dead ; theie may alio fuppofe that it is owing to fcarcity of money, while in fa£t, it is not fo much from the fewnefs of buyers, as from theexceflive number of fellers, that the mifchief a; and, if every (hop-keeping farmer and mechanic would return to the ufe of his plough and working tools, there would remain of widows, and other women, ihop-keep- ers fufneient for the bufmefs, which might then af- ford them a comfortable maintenance. Whoever has travelled throug;h the various parts of Europe, and obierved how fmalljs the proportion of people in afrmence or eafy circumstances there, com- pared with thofe in poverty and mifery ; the few rich and haughty landlords, the multitude of poor, abject, rack-rented, tythe-paying tenants, and half-paid and half-ftarved ragged labourers ; and views here the hap- py mediocrity that lb generally prevails throughout thefe ftates, where the cultivator works fur himfelf, and fupports his family in decent plenty ; will, me- thinks, fee abundant reafon to blefs Divine Providence for the evident and great difference in our favour, and be convinced that no nation known to us enjoys a greater (bare of human felicity. It is true, that in fome of the ftates there are parties aid difcords ; but let us look back, and afk if we were ever without them ? Such will exift wherever there is liberty ; and perhaps they help to preierve it. By the. collifion of ditferent fentiraents, fparks of truth are ftruck ESSAYS. ^73 flruck out, and political light is obtained. The dif- ferent factions, which at preient divide us, aim all at the public gcod ; the differences are only about the various modes of promoting it. Things, actions, meafures, and objects cf all kinds, prefent themielves to the minds of men in fuch a variety of lights, that it is not poffible we fhould all think alike at the fame time on every fubject, when hardly the fame man re- tains at all times the fame ideas of it. Parties are therefore the common lot of humanity ; and ours are by no means more mifchievous or lefs beneficial than thole of other countries, nations, and ages, enjoying in the fame degree the great bleffing of political li- berty. Some indeed among us are not fa much grieved for the preient (late of our affairs, as apprehenfive for the future. The growth of luxury alarms them, and they think we are from that alone in the high road to ruin. 1 ney obferve, that no revenue is fufrlcient without oeconomy, and that the moft plentiful income of a whole people from the natural productions of their country may be diflipated in vain and needlefs expences, and poverty be introduced in the place of affluence.— This may be poffible. It however rarely happens : for there feems to be in every nation a greater proportion of induitry and frugality, which tend to enrich, than of idlenefs and prodigality, which occnfion poverty; fo that upon the whole there is a continual accumula- tion. Reflect what Spain, Gaul, Germany, and Bri- tain were in the time of the Romans, inhabited by people little richer than our lavages, and confider the wealth they at prefent poffefs, in numerous well-built cities, improved farms, rich moveables, magazines {locked with valuable manufactures, to fay nothing of plate, jewels, and coined money ; and all this, not- withstanding their bad, waiteful, plundering govern- ments, and their mad deflructive wars; and yet lux- ury and extravagant living has never fuffered much re- llraint in thole countries. Then confider the great proportion of indultrious frugal farmers. inhabiting the interior Z 274 ESSAYS. interior parts of thefe American dates, and of whom the body of our nation confifts, and judge whether it is pofllble that the luxury of our fea-poi ts can be fuffici- ent toruinfuch a country— If the importation of fo- reign luxuries could ruin a people, we mould proba- bly have been ruined long ago ; for the Britifh nation claimed a right, and praclifed it, of importing among us not only the fuperfluities of their own production, but thole of every nation under heaven; we bought and confumed them, and yet we flourifhed and grew rich. At prelent our independent governments may do what we could not then do, difcourage by heavy duties, or prevent by heavy prohibitions, fuch impor- tations, and thereby grow richer; — If, indeed, which may admit of difpute, the deiire of adorning ourfelves with fine clothes, polTefling fine furniture, with ele- gant Loufes, he. is not, by ftrongly inciting to labovir and indufrry, the occafion of producing a greater value than is confumed in the gratification of that defire. The agriculture and filheries of |the United States are the great fources of our increafmg wealth. He that puts a feed into the earth is recompenfed, perhaps by receiving forty out of it ; and he who draws a fifli out of our water, draws up a piece of filver. Let us (and there is no doubt but we fhall) be at- tentive to thefe, and then the pow T er of rivals, with all their retraining and prohibiting adls, cannot much hurt us. We are fonsof the earth and feas, aud, like Antaeus in the fable, if in wreftling with a Hercules we now and then receive a fall, the touch of our pa- rents will communicate to us f re f h flrength and vigou:* to renew the conteft. ESSAYS. 275 INFORMATION TO THOSE WHO WOULD REMOVE to AMERICA. M, fc ANY perfons in Europe having, directly or by letters, expreiTed to the writer of this, who is well ac- quainted with North America, their deli re of tranfport- ing and eflablifhing themfelves iji that country ; but who appear to him to have formed, through ignorance, miftaken ideas and expectations of what is to be ob- tained there ; he thinks it may be ufeful, and prevent inconvenient,- expenfive, and fruitiefs removals and voyages of improper perfons, if he gives fome clearer and truer notions of that part of the world, than have hitherto prevailed. He finds it imagined by numbers, that the inhabi- tants of North America are rich ; capable of reward- ing, and difpofed to reward, all forts of ingenuity; that they are at the fame time ignorant of all the fci- ences, and confequently that ftrangers polTefling talents in the belles-lettres, fine arts, &c. mud be highly ef- teemed, and fo well paid as to become eafily rich them- felves ; that there are alfo abundance of profitable of- fices to be difpofed of, which the natives are not qua- lified to fill ; and that having few perfons of family among them, ftrangers of birth muft be greatly re- fpeded, and of courfe eafily obtain the bell of thofe offices, which will make all their fortunes ; that the ernments, to encourage emigration from Europe, not only pay the expence of their perfonal tranfporta- tion, but give lands gratis to ftrangers, with negroes to 2? 6 ESSAYS. to work for them, utenfils of hufbandry, and flocks of cattle. Thcfe are all wild imaginations ; and thoic who go to America with expectations founded upon them, will furely find themfelves difappointed. The truth is, that though there are in that country few people fo miierable as the poor of Europe, there are alfo few that in Europe would be called rich: it is rather a general happy mediocrity that prevails. There are few great proprietors of the foil, and few tenants; mod people cultivate their own lands, or follow feme handicraft or merchandize ; very few rich enough to live icily upon their rents or incomes, or to pay the high prices given in Europe, for paintings ilatacs, architecture and the other works of art that are more uirlous, than nfeful. Hence the natural ger.iufes that have arilen in America, with inch talents, have uni- formly quitted that country for Europe, where they can be more fuitably rewarded. It is true that letters and mathematical knowledge are in efteem there, but they are at the fame time more common than is appre- hended ; there being already exiflingnine colleges, or fthiverfitieS) viz. four in New-England, and one in each of the provinces of New- York, New-Jerfey, Pennfylvaniaj Maryland, and Virginia, all furuifned with learned profeiTors ; befides a number of fmaller cademies : theie educate many of their youth in the ^■ parents. To this may be truly added, that ferious religion, under its various denominations, is not only tolerated, but re- fpecled and practifed. Atheifm is unknown there; infidelity rare and fecret ; fo that perfons may live to a great age in that country without having their piety ihocked by meeting either with an atheilt or an infidel. And the Divine Being teems to have manifefted his Approbation of the mutual" forbearance and kindners with which the different fects treat each other, by the remarkable profperity with which he has been pleaded to favour the whole country. FINAL SPEECH DR. FRANKLIN, far B b 2 $OZ EXAMINATION OF fmg the fupplies requifite for the maintenance of go- vernment among them, they could not long remain in fuch a fituation, the diforders and confuuon occalioned by it mult foon bring them to reafon. Q^ If it fhould not, ought not the right to be in Great-Britian of applying a remedy ? A. A right only to be ufed in luch a cafe, I fhould 3-iave no objection to, fuppofing it to be ufed merely for the good of the people of the colony. Q^ But who is to judge of that, Britain or the colony ? A. Thofe that feel can beft judge. Q^ You fay the colonies have always fubmitted to external taxes, and object to the right of parliament only in laying internal taxes j now can you mew that there is any kind of difference between the two taxes to the colony on which they may be laid ? A. I think the difference is very great. An ex- ternal tax is a duty laid on commodities imported ; that duty is added to the fir ft coft, and other charges on the commodity, and when it is offered to tale, makes a part of the price. If the people do not like it at that price, they refufe it ; they are not obliged to pay it. But an internal tax is forced from the people with- out their confent, if not laid by their own reprefenta- tives. The (lamp-act fays, we fhall have no commerce, make no exchange of property with each other, nei- ther purchafe nor grant, nor recover debts ; we fhall neither marry, nor make our wills, unlefs we pay fuch and fuch funis, and thus it is intended to extort our money from us, or ruin us by the confequences of re- fufing to pay it. Q^ But fuppofing the external tax or duty to be laid on the necelTaries of life imported into your colony, ■will not that be the fame thing in its effects as an in- ternal tax? A. I do not know a fmgle article imported into the northern colonies, but what they can either do without, or make themfelves. Q^ Don't you think cloth from England abfolutely .neceflary to them ? A. No, by no means abfolutely necefiary ; with in- duftry and good management, they may very well fup- ply themfelves with all they want, DR. FRANKLIN. 303 Q^Will it not take a long time to eftablifh that manufacture among them ? and mult they not in the mean while fafFer gieatly ? A, I think not. They have made a furprifing pre- grefs already. And lam of opinion, that before their old clothes are worn out, they will have new ones of their own making. Q^Can they poflibly find wool enough in North America ? A. They have taken fteps to increafe the woo!. They entered into general combinations to eat no more lamb, and very few lambs were killed lad year. This courfe perfifted in will foon make a prodigious difFer- ence in the quantity of wool. And the efiabliming of great manufactories, like thofe in the clothing towns here, is not necelTary, as it is where the bufinefs is to be carried on for the purpofes of trade. The people will all fpin, and work for themfelves, in their own houfes. Q^ Can there be wool and manufacture enough in one or two years ? A. In three years, I think, there may. Q^Does not the fever ity of the winter, in the North- ern Colonies, occaiion the wool to be of bad quality ? A. No ; the wool is very fine and good. Q. In the more Southern Colonies, as in Virginia; don't you know that the wool is coarfe, and only a kind of hair ? A. I don't know it. I never heard it. Yet I havebeen fometimes in Virginia. I cannot fay I ever took par- ticular notice of the wool there, but I believe it is good, though I cannot fpeak pofitively of it ; but Vir- ginia, and the colonies lotith of it, have lefs occafion for wool ; their winters are fhort, and not very fevere, and they can very well clothe the mielves with linen and cotton of their own railing for the reft of the year. Q. Are not the people, in the more northern colo- nies, obliged to fodder their fheep all the winter ? A. In ibme of the mod northern colonies they may be obliged to do it fome part of the winter. Q. Conficlering the resolutions of parliament, as to the right, do you think, if the ftamp-acl ,s repealed^ that the North Americans will be Satisfied J 304 EXAMINATION OP A. I believe they will. Q. Why do you think fo ? A. 1 think the refolutions of right will give them very little concern, if they are never attempted to be carried into practice. The colonies will probably con- fider themfelves in the fame fituation, in that reipect, with Ireland; they koow you claim the fame right with regard to Ireland, but you never exercife iu And they may believe you never will exercife it in the Co- lonies, any more than in Ireland, unlefs on fome very extraordinary occafion. Q^ But who are to be the judges of that extraordi- nary occavion ? Is it not the parliament ? A. Though the parliament may judge of the occa- fion, the people will think it can never exercife fuch right, till repreientatives from the colonies are admitted into parliament, and that whenever the occafion ariies, repreientatives will be ordered. Q^ Did you never hear that Maryland, during the lalt war, had refuted to furniih a quota towards the common defence ? A, Maryland has been much mifreprefented in that matter. Maryland, to my knowledge, never refuiedto contribute, or grant aids to the crown. The afiem- blies every year, during the war, voted confiderable fums, and formed bills to raife them. The bills were, according to the conftitution of that province, lent up to the council, or upper houfe, for concurrence, that they might be prefented to the governor, in order to be enacted into laws. Unhappy difputes between the two houies ariiing, from the defeds of that conftitution principally, rendered all the bills but one or two abor- tive. The proprietary's council rejected them. It is true Maryland did not contribute its proportion, but it was, in my opinion, the fault of the government, not of the people. Q^ vVas it not talked of in the other provinces as a proper meaiure to apply to parliament to compel thern ? A. I have heard fuch diicourfe ; but as it was well known, that the people were not to blame, no fuch application was ever made, nor any ftep taken towards it* Q^ Was it not propofed at a public meeting I A. Not that I know of. BR. FRANKL1L 305 Q. Do you remember the abolifhing of the paper currency in New England, by act of aiTembly? A. I do remember its being abolifhed, in the Maf- fachufett's Bay. Q^ Was not Lieutenant Governor Hutchinfon principally concerned in that transaction ? A. I have heard fo. Qv Was it not at that time a very unpopular law ? A. I believe it might, though I can fay little about it, as I lived at a diftance from that province. Q^ Was not the fcarcity of gold and filver an ar- gument ufed againfc abolifhing the paper? A. I fuppofe it was. Q^ What is the prefent opinion there of that law 1 Is it as unpopular as it was at iirO: ? A. I think it is not. Q^ Have not inftru&ions from hence been forne- times font over to governors, highly oppreflive and un- political ? A. Yes. Q^ Have not fome governors difpenfed with them for that reafon ? A. Yes; I have heard fo. Q^ D.d the Americans ever difpute the cdntroling power of parliament to regulate the commerce ? A, No. Q^ Can any thing lefs than a military force carry the (lamp-act into execution ? A. I do not fee how a military force can be applied to that purpofe. Q^ Why may it not ? A. Suppofe a military force fent into America, they will find nobody in arms; what are they then to do? They cannot force a man to take [lamps who choofes to do without them. They will not find a rebellion ; they may indeed make one. Q. If the act is not repealed, what do you think will be the confequences ? A. A total lofs of the refpedV and affection the people cf America bear to this country, and of all the commerce that depends on that refpedt and affection. Q. How^ can the commerce t*g arfectc.I I 306 EXAMINATION OF A. Yon will find, that if the act is not repealed, they will take very little of your manufactures in a- fhort time., Q. Is it in their power to do without them ? A. I think they may very well do without them. Q^ Is it their in te reft not to take them ? A. The goods they take from Britain are either ne- ceffaries, mere conveniences, or fuperfluities. The firft, as cloth, &c. with a little induftry they can make at home ; the fecond they can do without, till they are able to provide them among theiufelves; and the laft, which are much the greateft part, they will ftrike off; immediately. They are mere articles of famion, pur- chafed and confumed, becaufe the fashion in a reflect- ed country, but will now be detefted and rejected. The lave already ftruck off, by general agree- ment, the ufe of ! I fafliionable in mournings, and .many thouiand pounds worth are fent back as.un- - faleable. CX_ Is it their interefl to make cloth at home ? A. I think they may at prefent get it cheaper from Britain, I mean of the fame finenefs and neatnefs of: workmanlhip ; but when one contMers ether circum- ftances, the reftraints on their trade, and the difficul- ty of making remittances, it is their intereft to make every thing. Q^ Suppofe an act of internal regulations, connected with a tax, hovv would they, receive it ? A. I think it would be objected to. Q^ Then no regulation with a tax would be I mitted to ? A. Their opinion is, that when aids to the Crown are wanted, they are to be afked of the feveral a.. blies, according to the old eftablifhed ufage, who*will as they always have done, grant them freely. A d that their money ought not to be given away without their confent, by perfons at a diftance, unacquainted with their circumftances and abilities. The granting aids to the Crown, is the only means they have of re- commending themfelves to their fovereign, and they think it extremely hard and unjuft, that a body men, in which they have no reprefentatives, fhould make a merit to itfelf of giving and granting what is not DR. F R A X K X I X. 2*1° own, D$t theirs, and deprive them of a right they ef- teem of the utmoft value and importance, as it is the fecurity of all their other rights. Q^ But is net the pod-office, which they have long received, a tax as well as a regulation ? A. No; the money paid for the poftage of a letter is not of the nature of a tax ; it is merely a quantum meruit for a fervice done; no perfbn is compellable to pay the money, if he does not chufeto receive the fer- vice. A man may dill, as before the act, fend his let- ter by afervantj afpecial mefTenger, or a friend, if he thinks it cheaper and fafer. Q^ But do they not confider the regulations of the poit -office, by the acl of laft year, as a tax ? A. By the regulations of laft year the rate of pott- age was generally abated near thirty percent, through all America ; they certainly cannot confider fuch abate- ment as a tax. Q^ If an excife was laid by parliament which they jnight like wife avoid paying, -by not confirming the articles excifed, would they then not object to it ? A. They would certainly object to it, as an excife is unconnected with any fervice done, and is merely an aid which they think ought to be aiked of them, and granted by then*, if they are to pay it, and can be granted for them by no others whatfoever, whom they have not impowered for that purpoie. Q^ You fay they do not object to the right of par- liament inlaying duties on goods to be paid on their importation; now, Is there any kind of difference be- tween a duty on the importation of goods, and an ex- cife on their confumption ? A. Yes ; a very material one ; an excife, for the reaions I have juft mentioned, they think you can have no right to lay within their country. But the fea is yours; you maintain, by your fleets, the lately of na- vigation in it ; and keep it clear of pirates ; you may have therefore a natural and equitable right to fome toll or duty on merchandizes carried through that part of your dominions, towards defraying the expence are at in (hips to maintain the fafely of thai car- riage. 308 EXAMINATION 0? Q^ Does this reafoning hold in the cafe of a duty laid on the produce of their lands exported ? and would they not then object to fuch a duty ? A. If it tended to make the produce fo much dear- er abroad as to lefien the demand for it, to be fure they would object to fuch a duty ; not to your right of laying it, but they would complain of it as a burthen, and petition you to lighten it. Q. Is not the duty paid on the tobacco exported a duty of that kind? A. That, I think, is only on tobacco carried coaft- wife from one colony to another, and appropriated as a fund for fupportiug the college at WilliamfDurgb, in Virginia. Q^ Have not the aiTemblies in the Weft-Indies the fame natural rights with thole in North America? A. Undoubtedly. Q^ And is there not a tax laid there on their fug*ars exported ? A. 1 am not much acquainted with the Weft-In- dies, but the duty of four and a half per cent on fu- gars exported, was, I believe, granted by their own aiTemblies. Q^ How much is the poll-tax in your province laid on unmarried men ? A. It is, I think, fifteen millings, to be paid by every fmgle freeman, upwards of twenty-one years old. Q^ What is the annual amount of all the taxes in Fenniylvania ? A. I fuppofe about 20,000 pounds fisriing. Q^ Suppofing the ftamp-ae\ continued, and enforced, do you imagine that ill humour will induce the Ame- ricans to give as much iov worfe manufactures, of their own, and ufe them, preferably to better of ours? A. Yes, I think fo. People will pay as freely to gratify one paflion as another, their refentment as their pride. Q^ Would the people at BoRon difcontinue their trade ? A. The merchants are a very fmall number com- pared with the body of the people, ar.d mull difcontinue their trade, if nobody will buy their goods. BR. FRANKLIN, 3. Would it not have the effect of exceffive ufury ? A. Yes, as an oppreflion of the debtor. %. How many (hips are there laden annually in North-America with flax-feed for Ireland? A. I cannot fpeak to the number of (hips, but I know that in 1752, 10,000 hogfheads of flax-feed, each containing 7 bufheis, were exported from Phila- delphia to Ireland. I fuppofe the quantity is greatly itrcreafed (ince that time ; and it is underflood that the exportation from New-York is equal to that from Philadelphia. §>. What becomes of the flax that grows with th^t flax-feed ? A. They manufacture fome intocoarfe, and fome into a middling kind of linen. ^. Are there any flitting mills in America? A. I think there are, but I believe only one at prefent employed. I fuppofe they will all be fet to work, if the interruption of the trade continues.. X> R. FRANKLIN. 3II i?. Are there any fulling mills there 1 A. A great many. §>. Did you never hear that a great quantity of ftockings were contracted for the army during the war, and manufactured in Philadelphia ? A. I have heard' fo. g>. If the (lamp act fliould be repealed, would not the Americans think they could oblige the parliament to repeal every external tax law now in force ? A. It is hard to anlwer queftions of what people at fuch a diftance will think. §?. But what do you imagine they will think were die motives of repealing the ad? A. I fuppoie they will think that it was repealed irom a convidtion of its inexpediency ; and they will rely upon it, that while the fame inexpediency fubfift£, y hi will never attempt to make fuch another. ^5 What do you mean by its inexpediency ? H. I mean its inexpediency on ieveral accounts; the power and inability of thole who were to pay the tax ; the general difcontent it has occafiened 5 and the impracticability of enforcing it. §>, If the act mould be repealed, and the legiflature mould {hew its refentment to the oppoiers of the ftamp- aft, would the colonies acquiefce in the authority ctf the Iegiilature ? What is your opinion they would do? A. I don't doubt at all, that if the legiflature repeal the ftamp-aCt, the colonies will acquiefce in the autho- rity. 9i But if the Iegiilature fhould think fit to afce*- tain its right to lay taxes, by any act laying a fmall tax, contrary to their opinion, would they fubmit to pay the tax ? A. The proceedings of the people in America have been eonndered too much together. The proceedings of the aiYemblies have been very different from thofe of the mobs, and mould be diflinguifhed, as having no connection with each other. — The afiemblies have only peaceably reiblved what they take to be their rights ; they have taken no meafures for oppofition by fence, they have not built a fort, raifed a man, or pro- vided a grain of ammunition, in order to fuch cppcil- 312 EXAMINATION OF tion. — The ringleaders of riots they think ought to be punilhed ; they would puwifh them themfelves, if they could. Every ibber ienfible man would wifh to fee rioters punifhed, as otherwife peaceable people have no fecurity of perfon or eftate. But as to any internal tax, how fmall foever, laid by the legif- lature here on the people there, while they have no re- presentatives in this legiflature, I think it will never be fubmitted to— They will oppofe it to the laft — They do not coniider it as at all neceffary for you to raife money on them by your taxes, becaufe they are, afcd always have been, ready to raife money by taxes among themfelves, and to grant large fums, equal to their abilities, upon requifition from the Crown. — They have not only granted equal to their abilities, but, during all the laft war, they granted far beyond their abilities, and beyond their proportion with this country, ycu yourlelves being judges, to the amount of many hundred thoufand pounds, and this they did freely and readily, only on a foitcf pscinife from the fecrerary uf irate, that it ihouid fee recommended to parliament to make them compenfation. It was ae- coidingly recommended to paiiiament, in the mod honourable manner, for therm America has been greatly mifreprefented and abided here ? in papers, and prrnph!ets, and fpeeches, as ungrateful, and unreafon- able, and unjuft, in having put this nation to immenfe expence for their defence, and refining to bear any part of that expence. 1 "he colonies vaifed, paid and clothed, near 25,000 men during the laft war, a number equal to thofe lent from Britain, and far be- yond their proportion ; they went deeply into debt in doing this, and all their taxed eftates are mortgaged, for many years to come, for difcharging that debt. Government here was at that time very ienfible of this. The colonies were recommended to parliament. Every year the King fent down to the houie a writ- ten meiTage to this purpofe, That his Majefty, being highly fenfible of the zeal and vigour with which his faithful iubjecls in North- America had exerted them- itlvcs in defence of his Maje fly's juft rights and pcf- iciT:ons, recommended it to the houfe to take thefam| into coniideration, and enable him to give thera a pro- DR. F R A N K L I N. 313 per compenfation. You will find thofe meffages 0:1 your own journals every year of the war to the very Uft, and you did accordingly give 200,000 pounds an- nually to the Crown, to be diftributed in fuch com- penfation to the colonies. This is the ftrongeit of all proofs that the colonies, far from being unwilling to bear a (hare of the burthen, did exceed their propor- tion ; for if they had done lefs, or had only equalled their proportion, there would have been no room or reafon for compenfation. — Indeed the fums reimburfed them, were by no means adequate to the expence they incurred beyond their proportion ; but they never murmured at that ; they elleemed their Sovereign's approbation of their zeal and fidelity, and the appro- bation of this houie, far beyond any other kind of compenfation ; therefore there was no occafion for this act, to force money from a willing people ; they had not refufed giving money for the purpofes of the act ; no requifition had been made ; they were always wil- ling and ready to do what could reafonably be ex- pected from them, and in this light they wilh to be coniidered. @. But fuppofe Great-Britain fhould be engaged in a war in Europe, would North America contribute to the fupport of it ? A. I do think they would, as far as their circum- fhnces would permit. They connder themfelves as a part of the Britifh empire, and as having one common intereft with it ; they may be looked on here as fo- reigners, but they do not confider themfelves as fuch. They are zealous for the honour and prcfoerity of this nation, and, while they are well ufed, will always be ready to fupport it, as far as their little power goes. — In 1739 they were called upon to affift in the expedi- tion againft Carthagena, and they fent 3000 men to join your army. It is true Carthagena is in America, but as remote from the northern colonies, as if it had been in Europe- They make no -diftinction of wars, as to their duty of affifHng in them. I know the lafl war is commonly fpoke of here as entered into for the, defence, or for the fake of the people of America. I think it is quite mifunderftood. It began about the ~s between Canada and Nova-Scotia, about terri- C c 2 314 EXAMINATION 0F tories to which the Crown indeed laid claim, but were not claimed by any Britifh colony ; none of the lands had been granted to any colonift ; we had therefore no particular concern or intereft in that difpute. As to the Ohio, the conteft there began about your right of trading in the Indian country, a right you had by the treaty of Utrecht, which the French infringed ; they feized the traders and their goods, which were your manufactures ; they took a fort which a compa- ny of your merchants, and their factors and corres- pondents, had erected there, to fecure that trade. — Braddock was lent with an army to re-take that fort (which was looked on here as another incroachment on the king's territory) and to protect your trade. It was not till after his defeat that the colonies were at- tacked. They were before in perfect peace with both French and Indians ; the troops were not therefore lent for their defence. The trade with the Indians though carried on in America, is not an American in— tereft. The people of America are chiefly farmers and planters ; fcarce any thing that they raiie or produce is an article of commerce with the Indians. The In- dian trade is a Britifh intereft; it is carried on with Britifh manufactures, for the profit of Britifh merchants and manufacturers ; therefore the war, as it com- menced for the defence of territories of the Grown, the property of no American, and for the defence of a trade purely Britifh, was really a Britifh war — and yet the people of America made no fcruple of contri- buting their utmoft towards carrying it on, and bring- ing it to a happy conclufion. Q^ Do you think then that the taking poffeflion of the king's territorial rights, and ftrengtheni ng the frontiers, is not an American intereft ? A. Not particularly, but conjointly a Britifh and an American interefte •%. You will not deny that the preceding war, the war with Spain, was entered into for the fake of Ame- rica; was it not cccafioned by captures made in the American leas ? sL Yes ; captures of Chips carrying on the Britifh trade there, with Britifh manufactures. $• V> T as not the late war with the Indians, fmce the peace with France, a war for America only I DR. FRA N KLI X T . 3 1 5 y^. Yes ; it was more particularly for America than the former, but it was rather a confequencc or remains of the former war, the Indians not having* been tho- roughly paciiied, and the Americans bore by much the greateft fhare of the expense* It was put an end to by the army under General Bouquet; there were not above 300 regulars in that army, and above loco Pennfylvamans. §?. Is it not necefiary to fend troops to America, to defend the Americans againlt the Indians ? A. No, by no means; it never was neceflary. They defended themfelves when they were but an handful, and the Indians much more numerous. They conti- nually gained ground, and have driven the Indians over the mountains, without any troops fent to their affiltance from this country. And can it be thought neceflary now to fend troops for their defence from thofe diminiihed Indian tribes, when the colonies are become lb populous, and i"o irrong ? There is not the lead cccafion for it ; they are very able to defend themfelves. ^. Do you fay there were no more than 300 regu- lar troops employed in the late Indian war ? A. Not on the Ohio, or the frontiers of Pennfylva- nia, which was the chief part of the war that affecled the colonies. There were garrifons at Niagara, Fort Detroit, and thofe remote potts kept for the fake of your trade ; I did not reckon them, but I believe that on the whole the number of Americans, or provincial troops, employed in the war, was greater than that of the regulars. I am not certain, but I think fo. a letter from the fecretary of ftate ? A. I mean the ufual way of requisition, in a circu- lar letter from the fecretary of date, by his Majefly's command, reciting the cccaiion, and recommending it to tjjfc colonies -.o grant fuch aids as became their loy- altyj and were iuitabje to their abilities, O^ Did tbe fecretary of fiate ever write for money for the Grown ? A. The requifnions have been to raife, clothe and pay men, which cannot be done without money. Q^ Wuu Id they grant money alone, if calied on I ji* In my opinion they would, money as well as men, when they have money, or can make it. O. If the parliament fhould repeal the flamp-acl, will the affembly of Pennfylvania relcind their refoiu- tions I A. I think not. Q^ Before there was any thought of the (tamp-act, did they wiuh for a repreientation in parliament ? A. No. O. Don't you know that there is, in the Pennfyl- vania charter, an exprefs refervation of the right of parliament to lay taxes there ? A. I know there is a claufe in the charter, by which the king grants that he will levy no taxes on the inha- bitants, unlefs it be with the content qf the affembly, or by act of parliament. Q^ How then could the affembly of Pennfylvania affert, that laying a tax on them by the (ramp-ad an infringement of tbeh* rights i DR. FRANKLIN, 319 Am The)- underftand it thus ; by the fame charter, and othcrwife, they are in titled to all the privileges and liberties of Englifhmen ; they find in the great charters, and the petition and declaration of rights, that one of the privileges of Englifb fubjects is, that they are not to be taxed but by their common confent ; they have therefore relied upon it, from the firft fettle- ment of the province, thatthe parliament never would, nor could, by colour of that claufe in the charter, af- fume a right of taxing them, till it had qualified itfelf to exercife fuch right, by admitting representatives from the people to be taxed, who ought to make a part of that common confent. Q^ Are there any words in the charter that juftify that conftrudlion ? A. The common rights of Englifhmen, as declared by Magna Charta, and the petition of right, all juf- tify it. Q^ Does the diftinction -between internal and exter- nal taxes exift in the words of the charter? A. No, I believe not. Q^ Then may they not, by the fame interpretati- on, object to the parliament's right of external tax- ation ? A. They never have hitherto. Many arguments have been lately ufed here to (hew them that there is no difference, and that if you have no right to tax them internally, you have none to tax them externally, or make any other law to bind them. At prefent they go not reafon fo, but in time they may poffibly be con- vinced bythefe arguments. Q^ Do not the refolutions of the Pennfylvania af- fembly fay all taxes ? Am If they do, they mean only internal taxes ; the fame words have not always the fame meaning here and in the colonies. By taxes they mean internal taxes ; by duties they mean cuftoms ; thefe arc their ideas of the language. Q^ Have you not feen the refolutions of the Maf* fachufetts Bay affembly I Am I have. QU Do they not fay, that neither external nor hi- al taxes can be laid on them by parliament ? 320 EXAMINATION OF A. I don't know that they do ; I believe not. Q^ If the fame colony fhould fay neither tax nor imp)ikion could be laid, does not that province hold the power of parliament can hold neither ? A. I fuppofe that by the word impofition, they do not intend to exprefs duties to be laid on goods im- ported, as regulations of commerce. Ql What can the colonies mean then by impofition asdiftinct from taxes? A* They may mean many things, as imprefling of men, or of carriages, quartering troops on private houies, and the like ; there may be great impotitions, that are not properly taxes. Q. Is not the poit-ofiice rate an internal tax laid by act of parliament? A. I have anfwered that. Q. Are all parts of the colonies equally able to pay taxes ? A. No, certainly ; the frontier parts, which have been ravaged by the enemy, are greatly difabled by that means, and therefore, in fuch cafes, are ufually •favoured in our tax laws* O. Can we, at this dilhnce, be competent judges of what favours are necelTary ? A, The parliament have fuppofed it, by claiming a right to make tax laws for America ; I think it im- poflibie. O. Would the repeal of the (tamp-acl be any dif- conragement of your manufactures \ Will the people fhat have begun to manufacture decline it? A. Yes, I think they will ; efpecially if, at the fame time, the trade is opened again, fo that remittances can be eafily made. I have known feveral inftances that make it probable. In the war before laft, tobac- co being low, and making little remittance, the peo- ple of Virginia went generally into family manufac- tures. Afterwards, when tobacco bore a better price, they returned to the ufe of British manufactures. So fulling mills were very much diluted in the laft war in Pennfylvania, becaufe bills were then plenty, and re- mittances could eafily be made to Britain for Euglifh cloth and other goods. Q. If the flamp-acl fhoulJ be repealed, would it DR. FRANKLIN. '321 induce the affemblies of America to acknowledge the rights of parliament to tax them, and would they erafe their refolutions ? A, No, never. Q. Is there no means of obliging them to erafe thofe refolutions ? A. None that I know of; they will never do it un- lefs compelled by force of arms. Q. Is there a power on earth that can force them to erafe them ? A. No power, how great foever, can force men to change their opinions. Q. Do they conliderthe poll-office as a tax, or as a regulation ? A. Not as a tax, but as a regulation and conveni- ence ; every affembly encouraged it, and fupported it in its infancy, by grants of money, which they would not otherwife have done; and the people have always paid the pottage. Q. When did you receive the inftructions you men- tioned ? A. I brought them with me, when I came to Eng- land, about 15 months fince. Q. When did you communicate that inflruction to the minifler ? A. Soon after my arrival, while the (lamping of America was under confideration, and before the bill was brought in. Q^ Would it be mofl for the intereft of Great-Bri- tain, to employ the hands of Virginia in tobacco, or in manufactures ? A, In tobacco to be fure. Q^ W r hat ufed to be the pride of the Americans? A. To indulge in the fafhions and manufactures of Great Britain. Q. What is now their pride ? A. To wear their old clothes over again, till they can make new ones. Withdrew?* Dd Subscribers* Names. XXDAMS ELIZA A (hb ridge William Auftin Thomas Anderfon George K» Anderfon Andrew Alexander John Axe Frederick Afhbridge William Anfbey George Abbott William H. Alfton Ofburn B Bell Thomas Benfell Engle Bringhurft Robert Beck John Beck Daniel Bailey Barzillai Barrington Thomas Biipham Jofeph Brown Nathaniel Byrne Terence Briggs Jofeph Baldwin John Burkhart Samuel Bomb^rger William, jnu. Bare, .y George Brown William Bryant John Y. Byrne John Barnes John Bonnaud Francois Boyle Phillip Brew ton Robert Bowen James Beatty Samuel Baxter Elizabeth Buchanan Alexander Brolly Thomas Bohlen John Blair William Brown Frederick, Copper- Plate printer, 184 north Second Street. Batchelor William Bird Jofeph Burk David Brown John Brooks James Browne Peter Butt Lewis Bickley George Blake George E. Bradley Charles Barron John Buzby John Bifhop John Biggs Thomas Blair William Blain William Burns Arthur BurEngton Thomas Baker Henry C. Bell Jeremiah Subscribers* Names. -"Bradford William , Barry Jonathan C Cochran George Culin John Carpenter John Chrillie David dimming George Carteret Jofeph W. Connelly Patrick Clot worthy .John Cord tier John Colladay Abraham Coryell Jofeph Carr Robert Carmalt Thomas S. Cochran George Croxford William Cotter:)! Thomas Cummings George Caffin David Conn away Patrick Comly Henry Carpenter Ifaac Corfield Adam Cooper Samuel Courfey Emily Conway Mathias D Davis William Din gee Daniel Dillingham S. Davidfon N. Dupleffis Le Barbier Peter De Noailles Guy Donaldfon James Davis John Diehl Nicholas, jun. Duval Mrs. Dennett Sarah ^Dupleffis P. jun. Darrach James Dewees George W. Dugan Thomas Dinnin Robert Dewees William Davidfon John Douglafs William Dodge John Dubre Eleanora Dean Benjamin Dunn John Duffietd Thomas W. Davmon Jofeph Davis Elizabeth Mrs. Daily Peter Dover John Dungan Levi Dover Andrew E Evans Robert, jun. Evans Oliver Engle Charles Earned Jacob Evans John B. Everhart David Evans Jacob Elliott William Ewing John Eftill Briton Edwards Enoch Eaftburn Mary Elton George F Fletcher Jofeph Forten James French Abraham Forepaugh Frederick Francis Tench Farmer Lewis Fergufon Ebenezer Fotter William A. Fofter Walter Froll Mary Fowler Abraham Folkra Michael Fetter William Fleming Charles Subscribers' Names* Fi flier Nicholas Freeman Benjamin Fulton Margaret G Gibbs Jofiah W. Guyger Gafper Griffith Jofeph Golden Rachel Mrs. Gregg Robert Graham William Garret Philip Gwin Andrew Germon John Gordon William Grum William Gibfon John Goff John Gill Nathaniel m George William Gray John Gillingham Mofes George John Gilbert Matthias H Harwood J -■>!*» Harmer Samuel Hoffman William Heffer Gecrge Hart John Hopkins Jofeph R. Huoley D. Henry Hearmftad John Ha r be Ton Benjamin Haines Mahlon Hecke Adam Hargefheimer John Hurft John Haines Ephraim Hillegas Michael Hozev Iiaac Haffel Mrs. Harken Neil Hopkins John Hoffman Thomas Hale Samuel Henry Hannah Mrs. Hicks Sarah Mrs. Heins Henry Andrew- Harper Jacob Haines George Harbefon Benjamin Hopkins John Hutchinfon Charles Hood George Humphreys Thomas R* Holliday John Haiti ngs John ___ Harper William Hammet William Hanfon Samuel Huckel William Hurly John Inglis Maria Ivorey Matthew Jmbrie James Irving George J Johnfon Jofeph Jones William Jacques William Johnfon. 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