YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY Gift of

Mrs. Edward Allen Wilson

THE

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

OF

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,
POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC,
AND OTHER PAPERS.

Bt benjamin FRANKLIN.

KBW YOBK: y^

A. L. BUET, PUBLI8HBB.

INTRODUCTION.

Benjamin Franklin's autobiography ends with the
year 1757, when he was sent to England as represent
ative of the Asserably of Philadelphia. His services
were found to be so valuable that he was appointed
agent also for the States of Massachusetts, Maryland,
and Georgia. The Royal Society of England not only
made him one of its Fellows, but also awarded to hira
a gold medal. He received honorary doctorates from
the universities of Oxford, Edinburgh, and St. An
drews ; and he was made an Associate of the Acaderay
of Paris. Having returned to America in 1762, he
was again sent to England to assist in laboring to
avert war between the raother country and the trans
atlantic colonies. After strenuous efforts, that were
made in vain, Franklin returned to Philadelphia in
1775, and was thenceforth active araong those leaders
of opinion who secured the Declaration of Independ
ence of the thirteen United States on the 14th of
July, 1776. Franklin then went to Paris as minister
for the United States of America. In Paris he secured
the aid of France in the coming struggle. When the
struggle ended with the signing of a treaty of peace
that conceded independence, Franklin, then seventy^
six years old, signed for the United States the treaty
wbich he had assisted in negotiating. Three years
later be went hack to America, where he took part in

iv IHTRODUOTION.
the revision of the Articles of Union. He died full of
years and honors on the 17th of April, 1790, at the age
of eighty-four.
After his death a general mourning for two months
was ordered by Congress as a tribute to the memory
of one of the best and wisest of those who had assisted
in the forming of the thirteen States into a nation. H. M.

CONTENTS.

I VLQ*
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin  1
Poor Richard's Almanac  215
Plan for Saving One Hundred Thousand Pounds  282
Necessary Hints to Those that would be Rich  284
Advice to a Toung Tradesman  286
Digging for Hidden Treasure  289
Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America  240
A Petition of the Left Hand  265
The Whistle  267
Dialogue Between Franklin and the Goat  200
The Art of Procuring Pleasant Dreams   268
The Ephemera: An Emblem of Human Life  274
To Miss Georgiana Shipley, on the Loss of Her American
Squirrel  277
Familiar Letters:
L To Miss Jane Franklin  279
n. To Mrs. Jane Mecom  280
IIL To Mrs. Deborah Franklin  '.  284
IV. To Miss Hubbard  ¦.  285
V. To Mrs. Jane Mecom*  ••• 287
VL To Miss Stevenson  288
VIL To Miss Stevenson  •  296
VIIL To MlsB Stevenson  298
IX. To Mrs. Stevenson  800
X. To Benjamin Webb  -^  808
XL To Samuel Mather  •  804
301. To the Bev. Dr. Lathrop...,  805

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

CHAPTER I.

I HAVE ever had a pleasure in obtaining any little
anecdotes of my ancestors. You may remember the
inquiries I made among the reraains of my relations
when you were with me in England, and the journey
I undertook for that purpose. Imagining it raay be
equally agreeable to you to learn the circurastances of
my life, raany of which you are unacquainted with,
and expecting the enjoyraent of a few weeks' uninter
rupted leisure, I sit down to write thera. Besides,
there are sorae other induceraents that excite rae to
this undertaking. Frora the poverty and obscurity in
which I was born and in which I passed ray earliest
years, I have raised myself to a state of affluence' and
some degree of celebrity in the world. As constant
good fortune has accompanied me even to an advanced
period of life, my posterity will perhaps be desirous of
learning the means which I employed, and whioh,
thanks to Providence, so well succeeded with me.
Tbey may also deem them fit to be imitated, should
any of them find themselves in similar circumstances.
Tbis good fortune, when I reflect on it (which is

3 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
frequently the case), has induced me sometiraes to sa^
that if it were left to my choice 1 should have no
objection to go over the same life frora its beginning
to the end; requesting only the advantage authors
have of correcting in a second edition the faults of the
first. So would I also wish to ohange some incidents
of it for others more favorable. Notwithstanding, if
this condition was denied I should still accept the offer
recoraraencing the same life. But as this repetition is
not to be expected, that which resembles most living
one's life over again seems to be to recall all the cir
cumstances of it, and, to render this remembrance
more durable, to record them in writing.
In thus eraploying rayself, I shall yield to the inclina
tion, so natural to old raen, of talking of theraselves
and their own actions ; and I shall indulge it without
being tiresorae to those who, from respect to my age,
might conceive themselves obliged. to listen to me,
since they will be always free to read me or not.
And lastly (I may as well confess it, as the denial of
it vvould be believed by nobody), I shall, perhaps, not
a little gratify my own vanity. Indeed, I never heard
or saw the introductory words, " Without vanity I
may say," etc, but sorae vain thing imraediately
followed. Most people dislike vanity in others, what
ever share they have of it theraselves ; but I give it-
fair quarter wherever I meet with it, being persuaded
that it is often productive of good to the possessor and
to others who are within his sphere of action ; and
therefore, in many cases, it would not be altogether
absurd if a man were to thank God for his vanity
among the other comforts of life.
And now 1 speak of thanking Qod, I desire with all

\ \

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 8
humility to acknowledge that I attribute the mentioned
happiness of ray past life to his divine providence,
which led me to the means I used and gave the success.
My belief of this induces me to hope, though I must
not preisume, that the same goodness will still be
exercised toward rae in continuing that happiness or
enabling me to bear a fatal reverse, which I may ex
perience as others have done ; the complexion of my
future fortune being known to Him only in whose
power it is to bless us, even in our afflictions.
Some notes which one of my uncles, who had the
same curiosity in collecting family anecdotes, once put
into my hands, furnished rae with several particulars
relative to our ancestors. Frora these notes 1 learned
that they lived in the same village, Ecton, in
Northamptonshire, on a freehold of about thirty acres,
for at least three hundred years, and how much longer
could not be ascertained.
This sraall estate would not have suflBced for their
raaintenance without the business of a sraith which
had continued in the faraily down to ray uncle's' tirae,
the eldest son being always brought up to that era
ployraent; a custora which he and ray father followed
with regard to their eldest sons. When I searched
the registers at Ecton I found an account of their
raarriages and burials from the year 1555 only, as the
registers kept did not commence previous thereto.
I, however, learned frona it that I was the youngest
son of the youngest son for five generations back. My
grandfather, Thomas, who was born in 1598, lived at
Ecton till he was too old to continue his business,
when he retired to Banbury, in Oxfordshire, to the
house of bis son John, with whora my father served

i A UTOBIOORAPHY OF
an approntlcoship. There my uncle died and lies
buried. We saw his grave-stone In 1768, His oldest
son Thoraas lived in the house at Ecton, and left It,
with the land, to his only daughter, who, with her
husband, one Fisher, of Wellingborough, sold it to Mr.
Isted, now lord of the manor thoro. My grandfather
had four sons, who grew up, viz., Thomas, John,
Benjarain, and Josiah. Being at a distance frora my
papers, I will give you what account I can of thera
from memory ; and if my papers are not lost in my
absence, you will flnd among them many more
particulars. Thomas, my oldest uncle, was bred a smith under
his father, but being ingenious and encouraged in
leaming, as all his brothers wore, by an Esquire
Palmer, thon tho principal inhabitant of that parish, ho
qualillod himself for tho bar and booamo a oonsidorablo
raan in the county ; was chief mover of all public-
spirited enterprises for the county or town of North
ampton, as well as of his own village, of which many
instances wore related of him ; and ho was much taken
notice of and patronized by Lord Halifax. He died in
1702, the 6th of January, four years to a day before I
was born. The recital which some elderly persons
made to us of his character I remember stcjwk you as
something extraordinary, from its similarity with what
you knew of me, "Had he died," said you, '* four
years later on the sarae day, one might have supposed
a transmigration," John, my next uncle, was bred a dyier, I believe of
wool. Benjamin was bred a silk-dyer, serving an
apprenticeship in London. He was an ingenious man.
I reraeraber when I was a boy he came to my father's in

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 6
Boston and resided in the house with us for several
years. There was ahvays a particular affection
between ray father and hira, and I was his godson. He
lived to a great age. He left behind him two quarto
voluraes of manuscript of his own poetry, consisting of
fugitive pieces addressed to his friends. He had
invented a short-hand of his own, which he taught me;
but not having practiced it I have now forgotten it.
He was very pious and an assiduous attendant at the
sermons of the best preachers, which he reduced to
writing according to his raethod, and had thus collected
several voluraes of thera.
He was also a good deal of a politician; too much so,
perhaps, for his station. There fell lately into my
hands, in London, a collection he had raade of all the
principal political pamphlets relating to public affairs
from the year 1641 to 1717. Many of the voluraes are
wanting, as appears by their nurabering ; but there still
remain eight voluraes in folio and twenty in quarto
and in octavo. A dealer in old books had raet with
thera, and knowing rae by narae, having bought books
of hira, he brought thera to rae. It would appear that
my uncle must have left thera here when he went to
Araerica, which was about fifty years ago. I found
several of his notes in the raargins. His grandson,
Sarauel Franklin, is still living in Boston.
Our humble family early erabraced the reforraed
religion. Our forefathers continued Protestants
through the reign of Mary, when they were soraetimes
in danger of persecution on account of their zeal
against popery. They had an English Bible, and to
conceal it and place it in safety, it was fastened open
with tapes under and within the cover of a joint stool.

6 AUTOBIOaRAPHT OF
When my great-grandfather wished to read it to his
faraily, he placed the joint stool on his knees and then
turned over the leaves under the tapes. One of the
children stood at the door to give notice if he saw the
apparitor coraing, who was an offlcer of the spiritual
court. In that case the stool was turned down again
upon its feet, when the Biblo remained concealed under
it as before. This anecdote I had frora Uncle Benja
min. The faraily continued all of the Church of
England till about the end of Charles the Second's reign,
when some of the rainisters that had been ousted for
their non-conformity, holding conventicles in North-
araptonshire, ray Uncle Benjarain and my father Josiah
adhered to thera, and so continued all their lives. The
rest of the family remained with the Episcopal Church.
My father married young, and carried his wife, with
three children, to New England about 1685. The
conventicles being at that tirae forbiddyn by law and
frequently disturbed in the meetingSj some consider
able men of his acquaintances deterrained to go to that
country, and he was prevailed with to accorapany
thera thither, where they expected to enjoy the exer-
cise of thoir religion with freedora. By the same wife
my father had four children more born there, and by
a second ten others — in all seventeen; of whora I
reraember to have seen thirteen sitting together at his
table, who all grew up to 3'ears of raaturity and were
raarried. I was the youngest son and the youngest of
all the children except two daughters. I vvas born in
Boston, in New England. My mother, the second
wiIq of my father, vvas Abiah Folger, daughter of
Peter Folger, one of the first settlers of New England,
of whora honorable mention is made by Cotton Mather

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 7
in his ecclesiastical history of that country, entitled
"Magnalia Christi Americana,'^' as "a godly and
learned Englishman," if I reraeraber the words rightly,
I was informed he wrote several small occasional
works, but only one of. them was printed, which I
reraeraber to have seen several years since. It was
written in 1675. It was in familiar verse, according
to the taste of the times and people, and addressed to
the government there. It asserts the liberty of con
science in behalf of the Anabaptist, the Quakers, and
other sectaries that had been persecuted. He attrib
utes to this persecution the Indian wars and other
calaraities that had befallen the cpuntry, regarding
them as so many judgments of God to punish so
heinous an offense and exhorting the repeal of those
laws, so contrary to charity. This piece appeared to
me as written with raanly freedora and a pleasing
siraplicity. The six lines I reraember, but have
forgotten the preceding ones of the stanza; the purport
of them was that his censures proceeded from good
will, and therefore he would be known to be the
author : •• Because to be a libeler
I bate it with my heart.
From Sherbon Town* where now I dwell,
My name I do put here;
Without oflfense your real friend.
It is Peter Folger."
My elder brothers were all put apprentices to
different trades. I was put to the grararaar school at
eight years of age, my father intending to devote me
* Id the Island of Nantucket.

8 AUTOBIOORAPET OF
as the tithe of his sons to the service of the Ohuroh.
My early readiness in learning to read, which must
have been very early, as I do not remember when I
could not read, and the opinion of all his friends that
I should certainly make a good scholar, encouraged
him in this purpose of his. My Uncle Benjamin, too,
approved of it, and proposed to giv&me his short-hand
voluraes of serraons to set up with if I would learn his
short-hand. I continued, however, at the grararaar
school rather less than a year, though in that tirae I
had risen gradually from the middle of the class of
that year to be at the head of the same class, and was
removed into the next class, whence I was to be placed
in the third at the end of the year.
But my father, burdened with a numerous family,
was unable, without inconvenience, to support the
expense of a college education. Considering, more
over, as he said to one of his friends in my presence,
the little encouragement that line of life afforded to
those educated for it, he gave up his first intentions,
took rae frora the grararaar school, and sent me to a
school for writing and arithraetic, kept by a then
famous man, Mr. George Brownwell. He was a skill
ful master and succeeded in his profession, employing
the mildest and most encouraging methods. Under
hira I learned to write a good hand pretty soon, but I
failed entirely in arithraetic. At ten years old I was
taken to help ray father in his business, which was
that of a tallow-chandler and soap-boiler ; a business
to which he was not bred, but had assumed on his
arrival in New England, because he found that his
dyeing trade, being in little request, would not main
tain his faraily. Accordingly I was employed in cutting

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 9
wicks for the candles, filling the molds for cast candles,
attending the shop, going of errands, etc.
I disliked the trade and had a strong inclination to
go to sea, but ray father declared against it. But
residing near the water 1 was rauch in it and on it. I
learned to swira well and to raanage boats, and when
erabarked with other boys I was comraonly allowed to
govern, especially in any case of difficulty ; and upon
other occasions I was generally the leader araong the
boys, and soraetiraes led thera into scrapes, of whichi
will raention one instance, as it shows an early project
ing publio spirit, though not then justly conducted.
There was a salt marsh which bounded part of the
mill-pond on the edge of which, at high water, we used
to stand to fish for minnows. By much trarapling we
had raade it a mere quagmire. My proposal was to
build a wharf there for us to stand upon, andl showed
my comrades a large heap of stones whioh were
intended for a new house near the marsh and which
would very well suit our purpose. Accordingly in the
evening, when the workraen were gone horae, I assera
bled a number of my playfellows, and we worked
diligently like so many emmets, soraetiraes two or
three to a stone, till we brought them all to make our
little wharf. The next morning the workmen were
surprised at missing the stones, whioh had formed our
wharf. Inquiry was made after the authors of this
transfer; we were discovered, coraplained of, and
corrected by our fathers ; and though I demonstrated
the utility of our work, inine convinced me that that
which was not honest could not be truly useful.
I suppose you may like to know what kind of a man
my father was. He had an excellent constitution, was of

10 A UTOBIOORAPHY OF
a middle stature, well set, and very strong. He conld
draw prettily and was skilled a little in music. His
voice was sonorous and agreeable, so that when he
played on his violin and sung withal, as he was accus
toraed to do after the business of the day was over, it
was extreraely agreeable to hear. He had some knowl
edge of mechanics, and on occasion was very handy
with other tradesmen's tools. But his great excel
lence was his sound understanding and his solid judg
ment in prudential matters, both in private and publio
affairs. It is true he was never eraployed in the latter,
the numerous family he had to educate and the strait
ness of his circurastances keeping hira close to his
trade, but I reraeraber well his being frequently visited
by leading men, who consulted hira for his opinion in
publio affairs and those of the church he belonged to,
showing a great respect for his judgment and advice.
He was also much consulted by private persons
about their affairs when any difficulty occurred, and
frequently chosen an arbitrator between contending
parties. At his table he liked to have, as often as he
oould, some sensible friend or neighbor to converse
with, and always took care to start some ingenious or
useful topic for discourse which might tend to improve
the minds of his children. By this means he turned
our attention to what was good, just, and prudent in
the conduct of life, and little or no notice was ever
taken of what related to the victuals on the table,
whether it was well or ill dressed, in or out of season,
of good or bad flavor, preferable or inferior to this oi
that other thing of the kind ; so that I was brought
up in suoh a perfect inattention to those matters as to
be quite indifferent what kind of food was set before

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. \x
rae. Indeed, I am so unobservant of it that to this
day I can scarce tell a few hours after dinner of what
dishes it consisted. This has been a great convenience
to rae in traveling, where ray corapanions have been
soraetiraes very unhappj' for want of a suitable grati
fication of their raore delicate, because better instructed,
tastes and appetites.
My raother had likewise an excellent constitution ;
she suckled all her ten children. I never knew either
my father or mother to have any sickness but that of
which they died ; he at eighty -nine and she at eighty-
five years of age. They lie buried together at Boston,
where I some years since placed a marble over their
grave with this inscription :
JOSIAP FRANKLIN
and
ABIAH his wife,
Lie here interred.
They lived lovingly together in wedlock,
Fifty-five years;
And without an estate or any gainful employment,
By constant labor, and honest industry,
(With God's blessing,)
Maintained a large family comfortably;
And brought up thirteen children and seven grandchildren
Reputably.
From this instance, Reader,
Be encouraged to diligence in thy calling,
And distrust not Providence.
He was a pious and prudent man,
She a discreet and virtuous woman.
Their youngest son, ,
In fllifd regard to their memory, *
Places. this stone.
J. F. bom 1665; died 1744. Mt. 89.
A. F. bom 1667: died 1763, Mi. M.

13 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
By my rambling digressions I perceive rayself to be
grown old. I used to write more methodically. But
one does not dress for private company as for a publio
ball. Perhaps it is only negligence.
To return : I continued thus employed In my father's
business for two years, that is, till I was twelve years
old ; and my brother John, who was bred to that busi
ness, having loft my father, married and set up for
hiraself at Bhode Island, thore was every appearance
that I was destined to supply his place and become a
tallow-chandler. But my dislike to the trade continu
ing, my father had apprehensions that if he did not
put me to one more agreeable I should break loose
and go to sea, as my brother Josiah had done, to bis
groat vexation. In consequence, he took me to walk
with him and see joiners, bricklayers, turners, braziers,
etc., at thoir work, that he might observe my inclina
tion and endeavor to fix it on somo trade or profession
that would keep me on land. It has ovor since boon
a pleasure to me to soo good workmen handle their
tools. And it has beon often usoful to mo to havo
learned so much by it as to bo able to do somo trifling
jobs in the house when a workman was not at hand,
and to construct little machines for my experiments at
the moment when the intention of making theso was
warm in my mind. My father deterrained at last for
the cutler's trade, and placed rae for some days on
trial with Samuel, son to ray Uncle Benjamin, who
was bred to that trade in I^ondon and had just estab
lished himself in Boston. But tho sum he oxaotod as
a fee for my apprenticeship displeased my father, and
I was taken home again.
From my infancy I was passionately fond of read-

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 13
ing, and all the money that came into ray hands was
laid out in the purchasing of books. I was very fond
of voyages. My first acquisition was Bunyan's vvorks
in separate little volumes. I afterward sold thera to
enable me to buy R. Burton's "Historical Collec
tions," They were sraall chap-men's books,* and cheap,
forty voluraes in all. My father's little library con
sisted chiefly of books in poleraic divinity, raost of
which I read. I have often regretted that at a time
when I had such a thirst for knowledge raore proper
books had not fallen in ray way, since it was resolved
I should not be bred to divinity. There vvas araong
thera Plutarch's "Lives," which I read abundantly,
and I still think that time spent to great advantage.
There was also a book of Defoe's, called " An Essay
on Projects," and another of Dr. Mather's, called " An
Essay to Do Good," which perhaps gave me a turn of
thinking that had an influence on some of the principal
future events of my life.
This bookish inclination at length deterrained ray
father to raake rae a printer, dthough he had already
one son, Jaraes, of that profession. In 1717 ray
brother James returned from England, with a press
and letters, to set up his business in Boston. I liked
it rauch better than that of ray father, but still had a
hankering for the sea. To prevent the apprehended
effect of such an inclination, ray father was irapatient
* Commonly called •• chap-books," a term applied to popular
story-books which in former days used to be hawked about by
chap-men; suchas " Tom Hickathrift," " Jackthe Giant Killer,"
eto. Burton's histories were of rather a better class and com
prised •' The English Hero; or, Sir Francis Drake Revived;"
"Admirable Cariosities," etc,, eto.

14 A UT0B10QRAPH7 OF
to have me bound to my brother. I stood out sorae
time, but at last was persuaded and signed the inden
ture when I was yet but twelve years old. I was to
serve an apprenticeship till I was twenty-one years of
age, only I was to be allowed journeyman's wages
during the last year. In a little time I made a great
progress in the business and became a useful hand to ra}'
brother. I now had access to better books. An ac
quaintance vvith the apprentices of booksellers enabled
nie soraetimes to borrow a sraall one, whioh I was care
ful to return soon and clean. Often I sat up in ray
chamber reading the greatest part of the night when
the book was borrowed in the evening nnd to be re
turned in the raorning, lest it should be found raissing.
After sorae time a raerchant, an ingenious, sensible
raan, Mr, Matthew Adams, who had a pretty collection
of books, frequented our printing-office, took notioe of
rae, and invited me to see his library and very kindly
proposed to loan me such books as I chose to read. I
now took a strong inclination for poetry and wrote
some little pieces. My brother, supposing it might
turn to account, encouraged me and induced me to
compose two occasional ballads. Ono was called " The
Light-House Tragedy," and contained an account of
the shipwreck of Captain Worthilake with his two
daughters ; the other was a sailor's song, on the taking
of the famous Teaoh, or " Blackboard," tho pirate.
They were wretched stuff, in street-ballad style ; and
when they were printed ray brother sent me about the
town to sell them. The first sold prodigiously, the
event being recent and having made a great noise.
This success flattered my vanity ; but my father dis
couraged me by criticising my performances and

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 15
telling me verse-makers were generally beggars.
Thus I escaped being a poet, and probably a very bad
one ; but as prose-writing had been of great use to rae
in the course of my life and was a principal means of
my advancement, I shall tell you how in such a
situation I acquired what little ability I may be
-supposed to have in that way.
There was another bookish lad in the town, John
Collins by name, with whom I was intiraately ac
quainted. We soraetiraes disputed, and very fond vve
were of argument and very desirous of confuting one
another; which disputatious turn, by the way, is apt
to becorae a very bad habit, making people often ex
treraely disagreeable in company by the contradiction
that is necessary to bring it into practice, and thence,
besides souring and spoiling the conversation, it is
•productive of disgusts, and perhaps enmities, with
those who may have occasion for friendship, I had
caught this by reading ray father's books of dispute on
religion. Persons of good sense, 1 have since observed,
seldom fall into it, except lawyers, university raen,
and generally raen of all sorts who have been bred at
Edinburgh, A question was once, soraehow or other, started
. between Collins and rae on the propriety of educating
the feraale sex in learning and their abilities for study.
He was of opinion that it was iraproper and that they
were naturally unequal to it. I took the contrary
side, perhaps a little for dispute's sake. He was
naturally niore eloquent, having a greater plenty of
words, and sometimes, as I thought, I was vanquished
raore by his fluency than by the strength of his
reasons. As we parted without settling the point and

le - AUTOBIOOBAPHT OF
were not to see one another again for some time, I sat
down to put my arguments in writing, which I copied
fair and sent to hira. He answered and I replied.
Three or four letters on a side had passed, when my
father happened to flnd my papers and read them.
Without entering into the subject in dispute, he took
occasion to talk to me about my manner of writing ;
observed that though I had the advantage of my
antagonist in correct spelling and pointing (which he
attributed to the printing-house), I fell far short in
elegance of expression, in method, and in perspicuity,
of which he convinced me by several instances. I
saw the justice of his remarks, and thence grew more
attentive to my manner of writing and determined to
endeavor to improve ray style. At this tirae I met
with an odd volume of the "Spectator." Ihad never
before seen any of them. I bought it, road it over
and over, and was much delighted vvith it, I thought
the writing excellent, and wished if possible to imitate
it. With that view I took some of the papers, and
raaking short hints of the sentiraents in each sentence,
laid them by a few days, and then, without looking at
the book, tried to complete the papers again, by ex
pressing each hinted sentiraent at length, and as fully
as it had been expressed before, in any suitable words
that should occur to me. Then I corapared ray
"Spectator" with the original, discovered sorae of
ray faults, and corrected thera. But I found I wanted
a stock of words or a readiness in recollecting and
using thera, which I thought I should have acquired
before that time if 1 had gone on raaking verses ; since
the continual search for words of the same import,
but of different length to suit tbe raeasure or of

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 17
different sound for the rhyme, would have laid me
under a constant necessity of searching for variety,
and also havo tended to fix that variety in my mind
and make rae raaster of it. Therefore I took some of
the tales in the "Spectator" and turned them into
verse ; and after a time, when I had pretty well
forgotten the prose, turned thera back again.
I also sometiraes jurabled ray collection of hints into
confusion, and after sorae weeks endeavored to reduce
thera into the best order before I began to lorra the
full sentences and coraplete the subject. This was to
teach rae raethod in the arrangeraent of the thoughts.
By coraparing ray work with the original, I discovered
raany faults and corrected thera ; but I soraetiraes had
the pleasure to fancy that in certain particulars of
sraall consequence I had been fortunate enough to
iraprove the raethod or the language, and this en
couraged rae to think that I raight in tfrae corae to be
a tolerable English writer, of which I was extreraely
arabitious. The tirae I allotted for writing exercises
and for reading was at night, or before work began
in the raorning, or on Sundays, when I contrived to
be in the printing-house, avoiding as much as I could
the constant attendance at public worship which my
father used to exact of me when I was under his care,
and which I still continued to consider a duty, though
I could not afford time to practice it.
When about sixteen years of age I happened to meet
with a book, written by one Tryon, recomraending a
vegetable diet. I determined to go into it. My brother
being yet unmarried did not keep house, but boarded
himself and his apprentices in another faraily, My ref us-
iny to 9at flesb oooasioned au inooorenldnoe, and | waq

18 A UTOBIOGRAPH T OF
frequently chid for my singularity. I raade myself
acquainted with Tryon's raanner of preparing sorae of
his dishes, such as boiling potatoes or rice, raaking
hasty-pudding and a few others, and then proposed to
ray brother that if he would give rae weekly half the
raoney he paid for ray board, I would board rayself.
He instantly agreed to it, and I presently found that
I could save half what he paid ine. This was an ad
ditional fund for buying of books ; but I had another
advantage in it. My brother and the rest going from
the printing-house to their meals, I remained there
alone, and dispatching presently my light repast
(which was often no more than a biscuit or a slice of
bread, a handful of raisins or a tart frora the pastry
cook's, and a glass of water), had the rest of the time
till their return for study ; in which I raade the greater
progress from that greater clearness of head and
quicker apprehension whioh generally attend temper
ance in eating and drinking. Now it was that (being
on sorae oocasion raade asharaed of my ignorance in
figures, whioh I had twice failed learning when at
school) I took Cocker's book on " Arithraetic," and
went through the whole by rayself with the greatest
ease, I also read Seller's and Sturny's book on " Navi
gation," which made rae acquainted with the little
geometry it contains ; but I never proceeded far in
that science. I read about this time Locke "On
Human Understanding" and "The Art of Thinking,"
by Messrs. de Port-Koyal.
While I was intent on improving my language I raet
with an English grammar (I think it was Greenwood's),
having at the end of it two little sketches on the arts
of rhetoric and logic, the latter finishing with a dispute

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 19
in the Socratic raethod ; and soon after I procured
Xenophon's " Meraoi*able Things of Socrates," wherein
there are raany examples of the same raethod. I was
charmed with it, adopted it, dropped my abrupt con
tradictions and positive argumentation, and put on the
hurable inquirer. And being then, frora reading
Shaftesbury and Collins, made a doubter, as I already
vvas in many points of our religious doctrines, I found
this method the safest for myself and very embarrass'
ing to those against whom I used it ; therefore I took
delight in it, practiced it continually, and grew very
artful and expert in drawing people even of superior
knowledge into concessions the consequence of which
they did not foresee, entangling thera in difficulties out
of vvhich they could not extricate themselves, and so
obtaining victories that neither myself nor ray cause
always deserved,
I continued this raethod some few years, but grad
ually left it, retaining only the habit of expressing
myself in terms of modest diffidence, never using,
vvhen I advanced anything that may possibly be dis
puted, the words certainly, undoubtedly, or any others
that give the air of positiveness to an opinion ; but
rather say, / conceive or apprehend a thing to be so and
so ; It appears to me, or, / should not think it, so or so,
for such and such reasons ; or, I imagine it to he so; or.
It is so, if I am not mistaken. This habit, I believe,
has been of great advantage to rae when I have had
occasion to inculcate ray opinions and persuade raen
into raeasures that I have been frora tirae to tirae en
gaged in proraoting. And as the chief ends of con
versation are to inform or to he informed, to please or
to persuade, I wish well-meaning and sensible men

20 AUTOBIOOBAPHT OF
would not lessen their power of doing good by a
positive assuming manner that seldom fails to disgust,
tends to create opposition, and to defeat most of those
purposes for which speech was given to us. In fact,
if you wish to instruct others, a positive dogmatical
manner in advancing your sentiraents may occasion
opposition and prevent a candid attention. If you
desire instruction and improveraent frora others, you
should not at the sarae tirae express yourself fixed in
your present opinions. Modest and sensible raen, who
do not love disputation, will leave you undisturbed in
the possession of your errors. In adopting such a
raanner, you can seldora expect to please your hearers
or obtain the concurrence you desire. Pope judiciously
observes —
" Men must be taught as if you taught them not,
And things unknown proposed as things forgot."
He also coraraended it to us
"To speak, though sure, with seeming diffidence."
And he raight have joined with this line that which
he has coupled with another, I think,, less properly —
" For want of modesty is want of sense."
If you ask, Why less properly? I must repeat the
lines, " Immodest words admit of no defense,
For want of modesty is want of sense."
Now, is not the want of sense, where a man is so unfor
tunate as to want it, some apology for his want of
modesty f And would not tbe Unes 8tan4 raore justly
thus f

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. %l
" Immodest words admit but this defense,
That want of modesty is want of sense."
This, however, I should subrait to better judgraents.
My brother had, in 1720 or 1721, begun to print a
newspaper. It was the second that appeared in
Araerica and was called the New England Courant.
The only one before it was the Boston News-Letter. I
reraeraber his being dissuaded by sorae of his friends
from the undertaking as not likely to succeed, one
newspaper being in their judgment enough for Araerica,
At this tirae, 1771, there are not less than twenty -fivo.
He went on, however, with the undertaking. I was
employed to carry the papers to the custoraers after
having worked in coraposing the types and printing off
the sheets.
He had sorae ingenious raen among his friends, wlio
araused theraselves by writing little pieces for this
paper, which gained it credit and raade it raore in de
raand, and these gentlemen often visited us. Hearing
their conversations and their accounts of the approba
tion their papers were received with, 1 was excited to
try ray hand araong thera. But being still a boy, and
suspecting that ray brother would object to printing
anything of mine in his paper if he knew it to be mine,
I contrived to disguise ray hand,, and writing an
annonyraous paper, I put it at night under the door of
the printing-house. It was found in the raorning and
coramunicated to his writing friends when they called
iu as usual. They read it, coraraented on it in ray
hearing, and I had the exquisite pleasure of finding it
met with tbeir approbation, and that in their different
jesses at tbe autbor none were naraed but raen of

23 AUTOBIOOBAPHT OF
sorae character among us for learning and ingenuity.
I suppose that I was rather lucky in ray judges, and
that they were not really so very good as I then be
lieved them to be. Encouraged, however, by this
atterapt, I wrote and sent in the same way to the press
several other pieces that were equally approved ; and I
kept my secret till all my fund of sense for such per
formances was exhausted, and then discovered it,
when I began to be considered a little more by ray
brother's acquaintance.
However, that did not quite please hira, as he
thought it tended to make me too vain. This raight
be one occasion of the differences we began to have
about this time. Though a brother, he considered
hiraself as ray master and me as his apprentice, and
accordingly expected the same services from rae as he
would from another, while I thought he degraded me
too much in some he required of me, who frora a
brother expected raore indulgence. Our disputes were
often brought before our father, and I fancy I was
either generally in the right or else a better pleader,
because the judgment was generally in ray favor.
But my brother was passionate and had often beaten
me, vvhich I took extremely amiss; and thinking ray
apprenticeship very tedious, I was continually wishing
for some opportunity of shortening it, which at length
offered in a raanner unexpected. Perhaps this harsh
and tyrannical treatment of rae raight be a raeans of
impressing rae with the aversion to arbitrary power
that has stuck to rae through ray whole life.
One of the pieces in our newspaper on some political
point, vvhich I have now forgotten, gave offense to the
Assembly. He was taken up, censured, and imprisoned

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 23
for a month by the Speaker's warrant, I suppose be
cause he would not discover the author, I, too, was
taken up and examined before the Council ; but
though I did not give them any satisfaction, they con
tented themselves with adraonishing me, and disraissed
rae, considering rae perhaps as an apprentice who was
, bound to keep his raaster's secrets. During my
brother'sconfinement, vvhich I resentedagood deal, not
withstanding our private differences, I had the raanage
ment pf the paper; and I made bold to give our rulers
some rubs in it, which my brother took very kindly,
while others began to consider rae in an unfavorable
light as a youth who had a turn for libeling and
satire. My brother's discharge was accorapanied witb an
order, and a very odd one, that " James Franklin
should no longer print the newspaper called the
New England Courant." On a consultation held in
our printing-office araong his friends vvhat he should
do in this conjuncture, it was proposed to elude the
order by changing the name of the paper. But my
brother, seeing inconveniences in this, came to a con
clusion, as a better way, to let the paper in future be
printed in the name of Benjamin Franklin ; and in
order to avoid the censure of the Asserably, that
raight fall on hira as still printing it by his apprentice,
he contrived and consented that ray old indenture
should be returned to rae with a discharge on the back
of it, to show in case of necessity ; and in order to
secure to hira the benefit of ray service, I should sign
new indentures for the reraainder of ray tirae, which
were to be kept private. A very flirasy scherae it
was ; however, it was immediately executed, and the

24 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
paper was printed aocordingly, under my name, for
several raonths.
At length, a fresh difference arising betvveen my
brother and rae, I took upon rae to assert ray freedom,
presuming that he would not venture to produce tiie
new indentures. It was not fair in rae to take this
advantage, and this I therefore reckon one of the flrst
errata of my life ; but the unfairness of it weighed
little with me when under the impressions of resent
ment for the blows his passion too often urged hira to
bestow upon me. Though he was otherwise not an
ill-natured man ; perhaps I was too saucy and pro
voking. When he found I would leave him, he took care to
prevent ray getting eraployraent in any other printing-
house of the town by going round and speaking to
every raaster, vvho accordingly refused to give rae work.
I then thought of going to Nevv York, as the nearest
place where there was a printer. And I vvas rather
inclined to leave Boston when I reflected that I had
already made myself a little obnoxious to the govern
ing party, and from the arbitrary proceedings of the
Asserably in my brother's case, it vvas likely I raight,
if I stayed, soon bring rayself into scrapes ; and further,
that ray indiscreet disputations about religion began
to raake rae pointed at vvith horror by good people as
an infidel and atheist, I concluded, therefore, to
remove to New York ; but my father now siding vvith
my brother, I was sensible that if I atterapted to go
openly raeans would be used to prevent rae. My
friend Collins, therefore, undertook to raanage ray-
flight. He agreed with the captain of a New York
sloop to take me, under pretense of my being a young

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 25
raan of his acquaintance that had an intrigue with a
girl of bad character, whose parents would corapel rae
to raarry her, and that I could neither appear nor corae
away publicly. I sold ray books to raise a little
raoney, was taken on board the sloop privately, had a
fair wind, and in three days found rayself at New
York, near three hundred railes frora ray horae, at
the age of seventeen (October, 1723), without the least
recommendation or knowledge of any person in the
place, and very little money in iny pocket.

26 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

OHAPTER IL
The inclination I had had for the sea wak by thie
tirae done away, or I might now have gratified il.
But having another profession and conceiving myself
a pretty good workman, I offered my services to a
printer of the place, old Mr. William Bradford, who
had been the first printer in Pennsylvania, but had
removed thence in consequenceof a quarrel with the
governor, George Keith, He could give me no em
ployment, having little to do and hands enough
already ; but he said, " My son at Philadelphia has
lately lost his principal hand, Aquila Rose, by death ;
if you go thither r believe he may employ you,"
Philadelphia was one hundred miles further. I set
out, however, iu a boat for Amboy, leaving ray chest
and things to follow me round by sea.
In crossing the bay we met with a squall that tore
our rotten sails to pieces, preventing our getting into
the Kill, and drove us upon Long Island. In our way
a drunken Dutchman, who was a passenger too, fell
overboard ; when he was sinking I reached through
the water to his shock pate and drew hira up, so that
we got hira in again. His ducking sobered him a
little and he went to sleep, taking first out of his
pocket a book, which he desired I would dry for him.
It proved to be my old favorite author, Bunyan's
" Pilgrim's Progress," in Dutch, finely printed on good

BENJAMIN FRAtfKLIN. 2"?
paper, copper cuts, a dress better than I had overseen
it wear in it^ own language, I have since found that
it has been translated into most of the languages of
Europe, and suppose it has been raore generally read
than any other book, except perhaps the Bible.
Honest John was the first that I know of who mixed
narration and dialogue : a method of writing very
engaging to the reader, who in the most interesting
parts find himself, as it were, adraitted into the com
pany and present at the conversation. Defoe has
iraitated him successfully in his " Robinson Crusoe,"
in his " Moll Flanders," and other pieces ; and Richard
son has done the sarae in his " Pamela," etc.
On approaching the island we found it was in a
place where there could be no landing, there being a
great surge on the stony beach. So we dropped
anchor and swung out our cable toward the shore.
Some people carae down to the shore and hallooed to
us, as we did to thera ; but the wind was so high and
the surge so loud that we could not understand each
other. There were sorae small boats near the shore,
and we raade signs and called to thera to fetch us ;
but they either did not comprehend us or it was
impracticable, so they went off. Night approaching,
we had no remedy but to have patience till the wind
abated, and in the mean tirae the boatmen and rayself
concluded to sleep if we could ; and so we crowded
into the hatches, where vve joined the Dutchraan, who
vvas still wet, and the spray, breaking over the head of
our boat, leaked through to us, so that we were soon
almost as wet as he. In this manner we lay all night,
vyith very little rest ; but the wind abating the next
day, we made a shift to reach Amboy before night,

28 A UTOBIOGRA PHT OF
having been thirty hours on the water, without
victuals or any drink but a bottle of filthy rum, the
vvater we sailed on being salt.
In the evening I found myself very feverish and
went to bed ; but having read soraewhere that cold
water drunk plentifully was good for fever, I followed
the prescription and sweat plentifully most of the
night. My fever left rae, and in the morning, crossing
the ferry, I proceeded on ray journey on foot, having
fifty railes to go to Burlington, wherelwastold I should
find boats that would earry me the rest of the way to
Philadelphia. It rained very hard all the day ; I was thoroughly
soaked, and by noon a good deal tired ; so I stopped
at a poor inn, where I stayed all night, beginning now
to wish T had never left home, I made so raiserable
a figure, too, that I found, by the questions asked rae,
I was suspected to be some runaway indentured
servant and in danger of being taken up on that sus
picion. However, I proceeded next day and got in
the evening to an inn within eight or ten miles of
Burlington, kept by one Dr. Brown, He entered into
conversation vvith rae vvhile I took sorae refreshment,
and finding I had read a little, becarae very obliging
and friendly. Our acquaintance continued all the
rest of his life. He had been, I imagine, an ambula
tor}' quack doctor, for there was no town in England
nor any country in Europe of which he could not give
a very particular account. He had some letters, and
was ingenious, but he was an infidel, and wickedly
undertook, some years after, to turn the Bible into
doggerel verse, as Cotton had formerly done with
Virgil. By this means he set many facts in a ridicu-

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 29
lous light, and might have done mischief with weak
minds if his work had been published; but it never
was. At his house I lay that night, and arrived the next
morning at Burlington, but had the raortification to
find that the regular boats were gone a Httle before,
and no other expected to go before Tuesday, this
being Saturday. Wherefore I returned to an old
woraan in the town, of whora I had bought sorae
gingerbread to eat on the vvater, and asked her ad vice.
She proposed to lodge rae till a passage by sorae other
boat occurred, I accepted her offer, being rauch
fatigued by traveling on foot. Understanding I was
a printer, she would have had me remain in that town
and follow my business, being ignorant what stock
was necessary to begin with. She was very hospitable,
gave rae a dinner of ox-cheek with great good-will,
accepting only of a pot of ale in return ; and I thought
rayself fixed till Tuesday should corae. However,
walking in the evening by the side of the river, a boat
carae by, vvhich I found was going toward Philadelphia
with several people in her. They took rae in, and as
there was no wind we rowed all the way ; and about
midnight, not having yet seen the city, sorae of the
corapany were confident vve raust have passed it and
vvould row no further ; the others knew not where we
were, so we put toward the shore, got into a creek,
landed near an old fence, with the rails of which we
raade a fire, the night being cold, in October, and there
we reraained till daylight. Then one of the corapany
knew the place to be Cooper's Creek, a little above
Philadelphia, which we saw as soon as vve got out of
the oreek, and arrived there about eight or nine o'clock

30 A UTOBIOOBAPHT OF
on the Sunday morning and landed at Market Street
wharf. I have been the more particular in this description
of ray journey, and shall be so of ray first entry into
that city, that you raay in your mind compare suoh
unlikely beginnings with the figure I have since made
there, I was in my working dress, ray best clothes
coming round by sea. I was dirty, from my being so
long in the boat. My pockets were stuffed out with
shirts and stockings, and I knew no one nor where to
look for lodging. Fatigued with walking, rowing,
and the want of sleep, I was very hungry ; and ray
whole stook of cash consisted in a single dollar, and
about a" shilling in copper coin, vvhioh I gave to the
boatraen for ray passage. At first they refused it, on
account of my having rowed ; but I insisted on their
takino' it, Man is soraetimes more generous when he
has little raoney than when he has plenty ; perhaps to
prevent his being thought to have but little,
I walked toward the top of the street, gazing about
till near Market Street, when I met a boy with bread.
I had often made a raeal of dry bread, and inquiring
vvhere he had bought it, I went immediately to the
baker's he directed rae to. I asked for biscuits, raean
ing suoh as we had at Boston ; that sort, it seems, was
not made at Philadelphia. I then asked for a three
penny loaf and was told they had none. Not knowing
the different prices northe naraes of the different sorts
of bread, I told hira to give me threepenny worth of
any sort. He gave me accordingly three great puffy
rolls, I was surprised at the quantity, but took it, and
having no roora in ray pockets, walked off with a roll
under eaoh arm and eating the other. Thus I went up

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 81
Market Street as far as Fourth Street, passing by the
door of Mr. Read, ray future wife's father; when she,
standing at the door, savv rae, and thought I raade, as
I certainly did, a raost awkward, ridiculous appearance.
Then I turned and Went down Chestnut Street and
part of Walnut Street, eating ray roll all the way ;
and coraing round found rayself again at Market
Street wharf, near the boat I came in, to which I went
for a draughjt of the river water ; and beingfilled vvith
one of my rolls, gave the other two to a woman and
her child that came down the river in the boat with
us and were waiting to go further.
Thus refreshed I walked again up the street, whioh
by this time had raany clean-dressed people in it, who
were all walking the same way. I joined them, and
thereby was led into the great raeeting-house of the
Quakers, near the market. I sat down araong thera,
and after looking round a while and hearing nothing
said, being very drowsy through labor and want of
rest the preceding night, I fell fast asleep and continued
so till the meeting broke upj when sorae one was kind
enough to rouse me. This, therefore, was the firet
house I was in, or slept in, in Philadelphia.
I then walked down toward the river, and looking
in the face of every one, I met a young Quaker raun
whose countenance pleased rae, and accosting hira re
quested he would tell rae vvhere a stranger could get a
lodging. We were then near the sign of the Three
Mariners. ** Here," said he, " is a house where they
receive strangers ; but it is not a reputable one. If thee
wilt walk with rae I'll show thee a better one," and he
conducted rae to the Crooked Billet, in Water Street.
Tbere I got a dinner, and while I was eating several

82 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
questions were asked me, as from my youth and ap
pearance I was suspected of being a runaway.
After dinner, my host having shown rae to a bed, I
laid rayself on it without undressing and slept till six
in the evening, when I was called to supper, I went
to bed again very early and slept very soundly till
next morning. Then I dressed rayself as neat as I
could and went to Andrew Bradford, the printer's. I
found iri the shop the old man his father, vvhom I had
seen at New York, and who, traveling on horseback,
had got to Philadelphia before me. He introduced
me to bis son, who received me civilly, gave me a
breakfast, but told me he did not at present want a
hand, being lately supplied with one ; but there was
another printer in town, lately set up, one Keimer,
who perhaps might employ me ; if not, I should be
welcome to lodge at his house, and ho would give me
a little work to do now and then till fuller business
should offer.
The old gentleman said he would go witb me to the
new printer ; and when vve found him, " Neighbor,"
said Bradford, " I have brought to see you a young
man of your business : perhaps you may want such a
one." He asked me a few questions, put a composing-
stick in ray hand to see how I worked, and then said
he would eraploy me soon, though he had just then
nothing for rae to do. And taking old Bradford, vvhom
he had never seen before, to be one of the townspeople
that had a good-will for him, entered into a con
versation on his present undertaking and prospects;
while Bradford, not discovering that he was the
other printer's father, on Keimer's saying he expected
soon to get the greatest part of the business in his own

BENJAMIN FRANKUN. 33
hands, drew him on, by artful questions and starting
little doubts, to explain all his views, what influence
he relied on, and in what raanner he intended to pro
ceed. I, who stood by and heard all, saw iramediately
that one was a crafty pld sophister and the other a
true novice, Bradford left rae with Keimer, who was
greatly surprised when I told hira who the old man
vvas, ,
The printing-house, I found, consisted of an old
damaged press and a small, worn-out font of English
types, which he was using himself, composing an
"Elegy " on Aquila Rose, before mentioned; an in
genious young raan, of excellent character, rauch
respected in the town, secretary to the Assembly, and
a pretty poet, Keimer made verses too, but very
indifferently. He could not be said to virite tliem, for
his raethod was to compose thera in the types directly
out pf his head. There being no copy, but one pair of
cases, and the " Elegy " probably requiring all the let
ter, np one could help him. I endeavored to put his
press (which he had not yet used and of which he un
derstood nothing) into order to be worked with ; and
promising to come and print off his " Elegy " as soon
as he should have got it ready, I returned to Bradford's,
who gaye rae a little job to do for the present, and
there I lodged and dieted. A few days after Keimer
sent for rae to print off the " Elegy." And now had
got another pair of cases and a pamphlet to reprint,
on which he set me to work.
These two printers I found poorly qualified for their
business. Bradford had not been bred to it and was
very illiterate, and Keimer, though soraething of a
scholar, was a mere compositor, knowing nothing of

34 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
press-work. He had been one of the French prophets
and could act their enthusiastic agitations. At this
tirae he did not profess any particulur religion, but
soraething of all on occasion; was very ignorant of
the world, and had, as I afterward found, a good deal
of the knavo in his coraposition. Ho did not like my
lodging at Bradford's whilo I worked with hira. Ho
had a house, indeed, but without furniture, so ho could
not lodge rae ; but he got me a lodging at Mr. Read's,
before mentioned, who was the owner of his house ;
and my chest of clothes being come by this tirae, I
made rather a more respectable appearance in the eyes
of Miss Read than I had done vvhen she flrst happened
to see rae eating ray roll in the street,
I began now to have some acquaintance araong the
young people of the town that were lovers of reading,
with whora I spent my evenings very pleasantly, and
gained raoney by ray industry and frugality. 1 lived
very contented and forgot Boston as rauch as I could,
and did not wish to be known where I resided except
to ray friend Collins, vvho was in the secret and kept
it faithfully. At length, however, an incident hap
pened that occasioned ray return horae rauch sooner
than I had intended, I had a brother-in-law, Robert
Holraes, raaster of a sloop that traded between Boston
and Delaware. He being at Newcastle, forty railes
below Philadelphia, and hearing Of rae, wrote rae a
letter raentioning the grief of my relations and friends
in Boston at ray abrupt departure, assuring rae of
their good-will to rae, and that everything vvould be
accoraraodated to ray mind if I would return, to which
he entreated me earnestly, I wrote an answer to his
letter, thanked him for his advice, but stated my rea-

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 35
sons for quitting Boston so fully and in such a light as
to convince him that I was not so rauch in the wrong
as he had apprehended.
Sir William Keith, governor of the province, was
then at Newcastle, and Captain Holmes, happening to
be in company with him when my letter came to hand,'
spoke to him of rae and showed him the letter. The
governor read it and seemed surprised when he was
told my age. He said I appeared a young man of
promising parts and therefore should be encouraged ;
the printers at Philadelphia were wretched ones, and
if I vvould set up there he raade no doubt I should suc
ceed ; for his part he would procure rae the public
business and do rae every other service in his power.
This my brother-in-law Holmes afterward told rae in
Boston, but I knew as yet nothing of it ; when one
day Keiraer and I, being at work together near the
window, we saw the governor and another gentleraan
(who proved to be Colonel French, of Newcastle, in the
province of Delaware), finely dressed, corae directly
across the street to our house, and heard thera at the
door. Keiraer ran down iraraediately, thinking it a visit to
hira ; but the governor inquired for rae, carae up, and
, with a condescension and politeness I had been quito
unused to raade hira many corapliraents, desired to
be acquainted with rae, blaraed rae kindly for not hav
ing raade raj'self known to him when I first carae to
the place, and would have rae away with hira to the
tavern, where he was going with Colonel French to
taste, as he said, some excellent Madeira. I was not a
little surprised and Keimer stared with astonishment,
I went, however, with the governor and Colonel French

80 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
to a tavern at the corner of Third Street, and over the
Madeira he proposed ray setting up my business. He
stated the probabilities of niy success, and both he and
Colonel French assured me I should have their
interest and influence to obtain for rae the publio busi
ness of both governraents. And as I expressed doubts
that my father would assist me in it. Sir William said
he would give rae a letter to him, in which he would
set forth the advantages, and he did not doubt he should
deterraine hira to coraply. So it was concluded I should
return to Boston by the first vessel, with the governor's
letter, to ray father. In the raean tirae it was to be
kept a secret, and I wont on working with Keiraer as
usual. The governpr sent for rae now and then to
dine with hira, which I considered a great honor, raore
particularly as he conversed with me in a most affable,
farailiar, and friendly manner.
About the end of April, 1724, a little vessel offered
for Boston. I took leave of Keiraer as going to see
my friends. The governor gave me an ample letter,
saying many flattering things of rae to ray father and
strongly recommending the project of my setting up
at Philadelphia as a thing that would make my for
tune. We struck on a shoal in going down the bay
and sprung a leak ; we had a blustering tirae at sea
and were obliged to purap alraostcontinually, at which
I took ray turn. We arrived safe, however, at Boston
in about a fortnight. I had been absent seven raonths,
and ray friends had heard nothing of rae, for ray
brother Jaraes was not yet returned and had not
written about me. My unexpected appearance sur
prised the faraily ; all were, however, very glad to see
me and raade rae welcome except my brother. I went *

¦ BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 87
to see hira at his printing-house. I vvas better dressed
than ever while in his service, having a genteel new
suit frora head to foot, a watch, and ray pockets lined
vvith near five pounds sterling in silver. He received
rae not very frankly, looked rae all over, and turned
to his work again.
The journeyraen were inquisitive where I had been,
vvhat sort of a country it was, and how I liked it, I
praised It rauch and the happy life I led in it, express
ing strongly my intention of returning to it ; and one
of thera asking what kind of raoney we had there, I
produced a handful of silver and spread it before thera,
which was a kind of raree-show they had not been used
to, paper being the raoney of Boston, Then I took an
opportunity of letting thera see my watch ; and lastly
(ray brother still grura and sullen) gave thera a dollar
to drink and took ray leave. This visit of raine of
fended him extreraely. For when ray raother sorae
tirae after spoke to hira of a reconciliation and of her
wish to see us on good terins together, and that we
raight live for the future as brothers, he said I had
insulted hira in such a raanner before his people that
he could never forget or forgive it. In this, however,
he was raistaken.
My father received the governor's letter with sorae
surprise, but said little of it to rae for sorae tirae.
Captain Holraes returning, he showed it to hira and
asked him if he knew Sir Williara Keith, and what
kind of a raan he was; adding that he must be of
small discretion to think of setting a youth up in busi
ness who wanted three years to arrive at man's estate.
Holmes said what he could in favor of the project, but
my father was decidedly against it and at last gave a

88 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
flat denial. He wrote a civil letter to Sir William,
thanking him for the patronage he had so kindly
offered me, and declined to assist rae as yet in setting
up, I being, in his opinion, too young to be trusted
with the raanageraent of an undertaking so iraportant,
and for whioh the preparation required a considerable
expenditure. My old corapanion Collins, who was a clerk in the
ppst-office, pleased vvith the account I gave hira of my
new country, determined to go thither also ; and while
I waited for my father's deterraination, he set out be
fore me by land to Rhode Island, leaving his books,
which were a pretty collection in ma-theraatics and
natural philosophy, to corae vvith raine and rae to New
York, where he proposed to wait for me.
My father, though he did not approve Sir William's
proposition, was yet pleased that I had been able to
obtain so advantageous a character from a person of
such note vvhere I bad resided, and that I had been so
industrious and careful as to equip rayself so hand
soraely in so short a time ; therefore, seeing no prospect
of an accoraraodation between ray brother and rae, he
gave his consent to ray returning again to Philadelphia,
advised rae to behave respectfully to the people there,
endeavor to obtain the general esteera and avoid
larapooning and libeling, to whioh he thought I had
too much inclination ; telling rae that by steady
industry and prudent parsiraony I raight save enough
by the tirae I was twenty-one to set me up, and that if
1 carae near the raatter he would help rae out with the
rest. This was all I could obtain, except sorae sraall
gifts as tokens of his and ray mother's love, vvhen I
erabarked again for New York, now with their appro
bation and their blessing^^

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 39
The sloop putting in at Newport, Rhode Island, I
visited ray brother John, who had been married and
settled there some years. He received me very
affectionately, for he always loved rae. A friend of
his, one Vernon, having some money due to hira in
Pennsylvania, about tltirty-five pounds currency,
desired I would recover it for hira and keep it till I
had his directions what to eraploy it in. Accordingly he
gave me an order to receive it. This business after
ward occasioned rae a good deal of uneasiness.
At Newport we took in a nuraber of passengers,
among whom were two young women traveling
together and a sensible^ matron-like Quaker lady, with
her servants, I had shown an obliging disposition to
render her some little services, which probably im
pressed her with sentiraents of good-will toward me, for
when she witnessed the daily growing familiarity
between the young women and myself, which they
appeared to encourage, she took me aside and said :
" Young raan, I ara concerned for thee, as thou hast no
friend with thee and seeras not to know rauch of the
vvorld or of the snares youth is exposed to. Depend upon
it, these are very bad woraen: I can see it by all their
actions; and if thee art not upon thy guard they will
draw thee into sorae danger; they are strangers to
thee, and I advise thee, in a friendly concern for thy
welfare, to have no acquaintance vvith them." As 1
seemed at first not to think so ill of them as she did,
she raentioned sorae things she had observed and heard
that had escaped ray notice, but now convinced rae she
was right. I thanked her for her kind advice and
proraised to follow it. When we arrived at New
York they told rae where they lived and invited me to

40 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
oome and see them, but I avoided it ; and it was well
I did, for the noxt day the captain missed a silver
spoon and sorae other things that had been taken out
of his cabin, and knowing that these were a couple of
strurapets, he got a warrant tb searoh their lodgings,
' found the stolen goods, and had the thieves punished.
So though we had escaped a siinkeh rock, whioh we
scraped upon in the passage, I thought this escape of
rather raore importance to rae^
At New York I found ray friend Collins, who had
arrived there sorae time before rae. We had been
intiraate from children and had read the sarae books
together, but he had the advantage of raore tirae for
reading and studying and a wonderful genius for
matheraatical learning, in which he far outstripped
me. While 1 lived in Boston, most of my hours of
leisure for conversation vvere spent with him, and he
continued a sober as well as industrious lad, was much
respected for his learning by several of the clergy and
other gentlemen, and seeraed to proraise raaking a
good figure in life. But during ray absence he had
acquired a habit of drinking brandy, and I found by
his own account, as well as that of others, that he had
been drunk every day since his arrival at New York,
and behaved hiraself in a very extravagant manner.
He had gamed, too, and lost his raoney, so that I was
obliged to discharge his lodgings and defray his
expenses on the road and at Philadelphia, which proved
a great burden to rae.
The then Governor of New York, Burnet (son of
Bishop Burnet), hearing frora the captain that one of
the passengers had a great raany books on board,
desired him to bring me to see hira. I waited on hira,

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 41
and should have taken Collins with me had he been
sober. The governor received me with great civility,
showed me his library, which was a considerable one,
and we had a good deal of conversation relative to
books and authors. This was the second governor
who had done rae the honor to take notice of me, and
for a poor boy like rae it was very pleasing.
We proceeded to Philadelphia. I receiyed in the
way Vernon's raoney, without which we could hardly
have finished our journey. Collins wished to be
eraployed in sorae counting-house ; but vvhether they
discovered his drara-drinking by his breath or by his
behavior, though he had sorae recoramendations he
met with no success in any application, and continued
lodging and boarding at the same house with me, and
at my expense. Knowing I had that raoney of
Vernon's he was continually borrowing of me, still
promising repayment as soon as he should be in
business. At length he had got so much ofit that I •
was distressed to think what I should do in case of
being called on to remit it.
His drinking continued, about which we soraetiraes
quarreled, for vvhen a little intoxicated he vvas very
irritable. Once in a boat on the Delaware, with sorae
other voung raen, he refused to row in his turn. " I
will be rowed horae," said he. " We will not row
you," said I. " You must," said he, " or stay all night
on the water, just as you please." The others said,
" Let us row ; what signifies it ?" But, my raind being
soured with his other conduct, I continued, to refuse.
So he swore he would make rae row or throw rae over
board; and coming along stepping on the thwarts
toward nie, when he came up and struck at me, I

42 AUTOBIOOBAPHT OF
clapped my head under his thighs and, rising, pitched
him headforemost into the river. I knew he was a
good swimraer and so vvas under little concern about
hira ; but before he could get round to lay hold of the
boat we had vvith a fevv strokes pulled her out of bis
reach, and whenever he drew near the boat we asked
him if he would row, striking a few strokes to slide
her away frora him. He was ready to stifle with vex
ation and obstinately would not proraise to row. Find
ing him at last beginning to tire, we drew him into the
boat and brought hira horae dripping wet. We hardly
exchanged a civil word after this adventure. At
length a West India captain, who had a coraraission
to procure a preceptor for the sons of a gentleman at
Barbadoes, raet with hira and proposed to carry him
thither to flll that situation. He accepted, and proraised
to rerait rae vvhat he owed rae out of the flrst raoney
he should receive, but I never heard of hira after.
The violation of my trust respecting Vernon's raoney
was one of the first great errata of my life ; and this
showed that ray father was not rauch out in his judg
raent when he oonsidered rae as too young to manage
business. But Sir Williara, on reading his letter, said
he was too prudent — that there vvas a great difference
in persons, and discretion did not always accompany
years, nor was youth always without it. " But since
he will not set you up I vvill do it myself. Give me
an inventory of the things necessary to bo had frora
England and I will send for thera. You shall repay
rae when you are able. I ara resolved to have a good
printer here, and I ara sure you must succeed," This
was spoken vvith such an appearance of cordiality that
I had not the least doubt of his meaning what he said.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 43
I had hitherto kept the proposition of ray setting up a
secret in Philadelphia, and I still kept it. Had it been
known that I depended on the governor, probably
sorae friend that knew hira better would have advised
me not to rely on hira, as I afterward heard it aS his
known character to be liberal of promises vvhich he
never raeant to keep. Yet, unsolicited as he was by
rae, how could I think his generous offers insincere ?
I believed hira one of the best raen in the world.
I presented hira an inventory of a little printing-
house, amounting, by my coraputation, to about one
hundred pounds sterling. He liked it, but asked rae if
my being on the spot in England to choose the types
and see that everything was good of the kind raight
not be of sorae advantage. "Then," said he, " when
there you raay raake acquaintance and establish cor
respondences in the book-selling and stationery line."
I agreed that this raight be advantageous. "Then,"
said he, " get yourself ready to go by the Annis,"
which was the annual ship, and the only one, at that
tirae usually passing between London and Philadelphia.
But as it would be sorae raonths before the Annis
sailed I continued working with Keiraer, fretting ex
treraely about the raoney Collins had got frora me
and in great apprehensions of being called upon for it
by Vernon ; this, how^ever, did not happen for some
years after.
I believe I have oraitted raentioning that in ray first
voyage frora Boston to Philadelphia, being becalraed
off Block Island, our crew employed theraselves in
catching cod, and hauled up a great nuraber. Till
then I bad stuck to ray resolution to eat nothing that
bad bad life ; and on this occasion I oonsidered, accord*

44 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
ing to my master Tryon, the taking of every flsh as a
kind of unprovoked raurder, since none of thera had
done or oould do us any injury that raight justify this
raassacre. All this soeraed very reasonable. But I had
been formerly a great lover of flsh, and when it came
out of the frying-pan it sraelled adrairably vvell. I
balanced sorae tirae between principle and inclination,
till, recollecting that when the flsh were opened I saw
sraaller flsh taken out pf their storaachs, then, thought
I, " If you eat one another I don't see why vve raay not
eat you ;" so I dined upon cod very heartily, and have
since continued to eat as other people, returning only
now and then occasionally to a vegetable diet. So
convenient a thing it is to bf a rfiaf\(mnhle^j}rfi,nj;itT*,^
aince it enables^ono tofindor make a reason for every
thing ono has_a_mindJ;OjhX- ^^ ^
Keiraer and I lived on a pretty good farailiar footing
and agreed tolerably well, for he suspected nothing of
ray setting up. He retained a great deal of his old
enthusiasra and loved arguraeutation; vve therefore
had raany disputations. I used to work hira so with
with ray Socratic raethod, and had trepanned hira so
often b}' questions apparently so distant frora any
point we had in hand, yet by degrees leading to the
point and bringing hira into difficulties and contra
dictions, that at last he grew ridiculously cautious, and
would hardly ansvver rae the raost comraon question
'without asking first, " What do you intend to infer
from that ?" However, it gave him so high an opinion
of my abilities in the confuting way that he seriously
proposed my being his colleague in a project he had of
setting up a new sect. He vvas to preach the doctrines
and I was to confound all opponents. When he oame

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 45
to explain with rae upon the doctrines I found several
conundruras, which I objected to unless I might have
my way a little too and introduce some of mine.
keiraer wore his beard at full length, because some
where in the Mosaic law it is said, " Thou shalt not
mar the corners of thy heardP He likewise kept the
seventh day. Sabbath; and these two points were
essential with hira. I disliked both, but agreed to them
on condition of his adopting the doctrine of not using
animal food. " I doubt,'' said he, " my constitution
will not bear it." I assured him it would and that he
vvould be the better for it. He was usually a great
eater, and I wished to give myself sorae diversion in
half-starving hira. He consented to try the practice if I
vvould keep hira company, 1 did so, and we held it for
three raonths. Our provisions were purchased, cooked,
and brought to us regularly by a woraan in the neigh
borhood, who had from me a list of forty dishes vvhich
she prepared for us at different times, in which there
entered neither fish, fiesh, nor fowl. This whim suited
ra« the better at this time frora the cheapness of it, not
costing us above eighteen pence sterling each per week.
I have since kept several Lents raost strictly, leaving
the coramon diet for that, and that for the comraon,
abruptly, without the least inconvenience ; so that I
think there is little in the advice of making those
changes by easy gradations. I went on pleasantly, but
poor Keiraer suffered grievously, grew tired of the
project, longed forthe flesh-pots of Egypt, and ordered
a roast pig. He invited rae and tvvo woraen friends to
dine with hira, but, it being brought too soon upon
table, he could not resist the teraptation and ate the
vvhole before we came.

46 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
I bad made some courtship during this tirae to Miss
Read. I had a great respect and affection for her,
and had sorae reasons to believe she had the same for
me ; but as I vvas about to take a long voyage and we
were both very young, only a little above eighteen, it
was thought most prudent by her raother to prevent
our going too far at present, as a raarriage, if it were
to take place, would be more convenient after my re
turn, when I should be, as I hoped, set up in my busi
ness. Perhaps, too, she thought my expectations not
so vvell founded as I iraagined thera to be.
My chief acquaintances at this tirae vvere Charles
Osborne, Joseph Watson, and Jaraes Ralph, all lovers
of reading. The two first vvhere clerks to an eminent
scrivener or conveyancer in the town, Charles Brock-
den, The other vvas a clerk to a merchant. Watson
was a pious, sensible young man, of great integrity ;
the others rather more lax in their princi pies of religion,
particularly Ralph, who, as well as Collins, had been
unsettled by rae, for which they both made rae suffer.
Osborne vvas sensible, candid, frank, sincere, and
affectionate to his friends, but in literary raatters too
foud of criticism. Ralph was ingenious, genteel in his
raanners, and extreraely eloquent. I think I never
knew a prettier talker. Both vvere great adrairers of
poetry and began to try their hands in little pieces.
Many pleasant walks we have had together on Sun
days in the woods on the banks of the Schuylkill,
vvhere we read to one another and conferred on what
we had read.
Ralph vvas inclined to give hiraself up entirely to
poetry, not doubting that he might raake great pro
ficiency in it and even make his fortune by it. He

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 47
pretended that the greatest poets raust, when they
first began to write, bave coraraitted as many faults
as he did. Osborne endeavored to dissuade hini,
assured hira he had no genius for poetry, and ad
vised hira to think of nothing beyond the business he
vvas bred to; that in the raercantile vvay, though he
had no stock, he raight by his diligence and punctual
ity recoraraend hiraself to eraployraent as a factor and
in tirae acquire wherewith to trade on his own account.
I approved for ray part the arausing one's self vvith
poetry now and then, so far as to iraprove one's lan
guage, but no further.
On this it was proposed that we should each of us,
at our next raeeting, produce a piece of our own cora
posing, in order to iraprove by our rautual observa
tions, criticisras, and corrections, As language and
expression were what vye had in view, vve excluded all
considerations of invention by agreeing that the task
should be a version of the eighteenth psalra, which
describes the descent of a Deity. When the tirae of
our raeeting drew nigh, Ralph called on rae first and
let rae know his piece vvas ready. I told hira I had
been busy, and having little inclination had done noth
ing. He then showed rae his piece for my opinion,
and I rauch approved it, as It appeared to rae to have
great raerit. " Now," said he, " Osborne never will
allow the least raerit in anything of raine, but raakes
a thousand criticisms out of raere envy. He is not so
jealous of you. I wish, therefore, you would take this
piece and produce it as yours. I will pretend not tp
have had tirae and so produce nothing. We shall then
hear what he will say to it." It was agreed, and I
iramediately transcribed it, tbat it migbt appear in my
own hand.

48 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
We met. Watson's performance was read ; there were
some beauties in it, but raany defects. Osborne's was
read ; it vvas rauch better. Ralph did it justice ; re
raarked some faults, but applauded the beauties. He
hiraself had nothing to produce. I was backward,
seeraed desirous of being excused, had not had suffi
cient tirae to correct, etc. But no excuse could be ad
raitted ; produce I raust. It was read and repeated.
Watson and Osborne gave up the contest and joined in
applauding it. Ralph only made sorae criticisras and
proposed some amendraents; but I defended ray text.
Osborne was severe against Ralph and told me he was
no better able to criticise than corapose verses. As
these tvvo were returning horae, Osborne expressed
hiraself still raore strongly in favor of what he thought
ray production, having before refrained, as he said, lest
I should think he raeant to flatter rae, "But who
would have imagined," said he, " that Franklin was
capable of such a performance; such painting, such
force, such fire I He has even improved on the original.
In coraraon conversation he seems to have no choice of
words ; he hesitates and blunders, and yet, good God,
how he writes!" When we next met, Ralph discov
ered the trick we had played and Osborne was laughed
at. This transaction fixed Ralph in his resolution of be
coming a poet. I did all I could to persuade hira frora
it, but he continued scribbling verses till Pope cured
hira. He becarae, however, a pretty good prose-writer.
More of hira hereafter. But as I raay not havo occa
sion to raention the other two, I shall just remark here
that Watson died in my arras a few years after, rauch
lamented, being the best of our set. Osborne went to

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 49
the West Indies, where he becarae an erainent lawyer
and raade raoney, but died young. He and I had
raade a serious agreeraent that the one who happened
first to die should, if possible, raake a friendly visit to
the other and acquaint hira how he found things in
that separate state. But he never fulfilled his proraise.
The governor, seeraing to like ray corapany, had rae
frequently at his house, and his setting rae up was
always raentioned as a fixed thing. I was to take
vvith rae letters recommendatory to a nuraber of his
friends, besides the letter of credit to furnish rae vvith
the necessary raoney for purchasing the press, types,
paper, etc. For these letters I was appointed to call
at different tiraes, when they were to be ready ; but a
future tirae was still naraed. Thus we went on till
the ship — whose departure, too, had been several tiraes
postponed — was on the point of sailing. Then vvhen I
called to take ray leave and receive the letters, his sec
retary. Dr. Baird, carae out to me and said the gov
ernor was extremely busy in writing, but would be
down at Newcastle before the ship, and then the letters
would be delivered to me.
Ralph, though raarried, and having one child, had
deterrained to accorapany rae in this voyage. It vvas
thought he intended to establish a correspondence and
obtain goods to sell on coraraission ; but I found after
that having sorae cause of discontent vvith his wife's
relations, he proposed to leave her on their hands and
never return to Araerica. Having taken leave of my
friends and exchanged proraises vvith Miss Read, I
quitted Philadelphia in the ship, which anchored at
Newcastle. The governor was there, but when I went
to his lodging bis secretary carae to rae from bim witb

50 A utobioqra pht 0F
expressions of tbe greatest regret tbat he oould not
then see me, being engaged in business of the utmost
importance, but that he would send tbe letters to me on
board, wishing me heartily a good voyage and a
speedy return, etc, I returned on board a little puzzled,
but still not doubting.

BMJAMIN FRANKLIN. . t\

OHAPTER IIL
Mk. Andrew Hamilton, a celebrated lawyer of
Philadelphia, had taken his passage in the same ship
for hiraself and son, with Mr. Denhara, a Quaker
merchant, and Messrs, Oniam and Russel, raasters of
an iron works in Maryland, vvho had engaged the
great caTsin ; so that Ralph and I were forced to take
up with a berth in the steerage, and none on board
knowing us, were considered as ordinary persons. But
Mr. Harailton and his son (it was Jaraes, since governor)
returned frora Newcastle to Philadelphia, the father
being recalled by a great fee to plead for a seized ship.
And just before we sailed Colonel French coraing on
board and showing me great respect I vvas raore taken
notice of, and, with my friend Ralph, invited by the
other gentlemen to corae into the cabin, there being
now roora. Accordingly we reraoved thither.
Understanding that Colonel French had brought on
board the governor's dispatches, I asked the captain
for those letters that vvere to be under ray care. He
said all were put into the bag together and he could
not tben corae at tbem, but before we landed in Eng
land 1 should have an opportunity of picking
tbem out ; so I was satisfled for the present and
we proceeded on our voyage. We had a sociable
company in the cabin and lived unoomraonly well,
having tbe addition of all Mr. Hamilton's stores, who

e» A UTOBIOQRA PS 7 OF
had laid in plentifully. In this passage Mr. Denham
contracted a friendship for me that continued during
his life. The voyage was otherwise not a pleasant
one, as we had a great deal of bad weather.
When we came into the Channel, the captain kept
his word vvith me and gave rae an opportunity of
exaraining the bag for the governor's letters. I found
sorae upon whioh ray name was put as under my care.
I picked out six or seven that by the handwriting I
thought might be the promised letters, especially as
one of them vvas addressed to Baskett, the king's
printer, and another to sorae stationer. We arrived
in London tho 24th Dooombor, 1724. I waited upon
tho stationer, who carae flrst in my way, dolivoring
the letter as frora Governor Keith. " I don't know
suoh a person," said he ; but opening the letter, " Oh,
this is from Riddlesden, I have lately found him to
be a complete rascal, and I will have nothing to do
with hira nor receive any letters from him." So
putting the letter into ray hand, ho turned on his
heel and loft rae to servo somo customer. I was
surprised to flnd these vvere not the governor's letters,
and after recollecting and coraparing circumstanoos, I
began to doubt his sincerity. I found ray friend
Donham and opened the wholo affair to hira. He lot
mo into Keith's character, told mo thoro was not tho
least probability that ho had written any letters for
rae ; that no one who knovv him had tlio sraallest
dopondonoo on hira ; and ho laughed at tho Idoa of
the governor's giving mo a letter of credit, having, as ho
said, no credit to give. On ray expressing sorae
concern about what I should do, he advised rae to
endeavor getting somo employment in the way of my

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 53
business. "Among the printers here," said he, ''you
vvill iraprove yourself, and when you return to Araer
ica you vvill set up to greater advantage,"
We both of us happened to know, as well as the
stationer, that Riddlesden, the attorney, was a very
knave. He had half-ruined Miss Read's father by
persuading him to be bound for him. By this letter
it appeared' there was a secret scheme on foot to the
prejudice of Mr. Hamilton (supposed to be then
coming over vvith us); that Keith was concerned in it
with Riddlesden. Denham, vvho was a friend of
Hamilton's, thought he ought to be acquainted with
it ; so vvhen he arrived in England, which vvas soon
after, partly from resentment and ill-will to Keith and
Riddlesden and partly frora good-will tp hira, I waited
on hira and gave him the letter. He thanked rae
cordially, the inforraation being of iraportance to hira,
and frora that tirae he becarae ray friend, greatly to
ray advantage afterward on raany occasions.
But what shall we think of a governor playing such
pitiful tricks and iraposing so grossly on a poor
ignorant boy ! It was a habit he had acquired. He
wished to please everybody, and having little to give
he gave expectations. He was othervvise an ingenious,
sensible raan, a pretty good writer, and a good gov
ernor for the people, though not for his constituents,
the proprietaries, whose instructions he soraetiraes dis
regarded. Several of our best laws vvere of his plan
ning and passed during bis adrainistration.
Ralph and I were inseparable corapanions. We
took lodgings together in Little Britain at three
shillings and sixpence a vveek, as much as we could
tben afford. . He found some relations, bnt they were

AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF '
poor and unable to assist hira. He now let me know
bis intentions of remaining in London and that he
never meant to return to Philadelphia. He had
brought no money with him, tho whole he oould
muster having been expended in paying his passage,
I had fiftoon pistoles, so he borrowed occasionally of
me to subsist whilo he was looking out for business.
He first endeavored to get into the play-house, believ
ing hiraself qualifled for an actor; but Wilkes,* to
whom he applied, advised him candidly not to think
of that eraployraent, as it was irapossible he should
succeed in it. Then he proposed to Roberts, a
publisher in Paternoster Row, to write for hira a
weekly paper like the Spectator, on certain conditions,
vvhich Roberts did not approve. Then he endeavored
to get eraployraent as a hackney writer, to copy for
the stationers and lawyers about the Teraple, but
could not flnd a vacancy.
For rayself, I iramediately got into work at Palmer's,
a famous printing-house in Bartholoraew Close, where
I continued near a year. I was pretty diligent, but I
spent with Ralph a good deal of ray earnings at plays
and publio arauseraents. Wo had nearly consuraed all
ray pistoles, and now just rubbed on from hand to
mouth. He seemed quite to have forgotten his vvife
and child, and I by degrees my engageraents with Miss
Read, to whom I never wrote raore than one letter,
and that was to let her know I was not likely soon to
return. This was another of the groat errata of my
life, which I could wish to correct if I were to live it
over again. In fact, by our expenses I was constantly
kept unable to pay my passage.
*A comedian of eminence.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 56
At Palraer's I vvas eraployed in composing for the
second edition of WoUaston's " Religion of Nature,"
Sorae of his reasonings not appearing to rae well
founded, I wrote a little metaphysical piece in which
I made remarks on thera. It vvas entitled " A Dis
sertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and
Pain." I inscribed it to ray friend Ralph ; I printed
ll small number. It occasioned, ray being raore con
sidered by Mr. Palmer as a young raan of sorae
ingenuity, though he seriously expostulated with rae
upon the principles of my paraphlet, which to hira ap
peared aborainable. My printing this paraphlet was
another erratum. While I lodged in Little Britain I
raade an acquaintance with one Wilcox, a bookseller,
whose shop was next door. He had an iramense
collection of second-hand books. Circulating libraries
were not then in use, but we agr^eed that on certain
reasonable terms, which I now have forgotten, I might
take, read, and return any of his books. This I
esteeraed a great advantage, and I raade as much use
of it as I could.
My pamphlet by some means falling into the hands
of one Lyons, a surgeon, author of a book entitled
" The Infallibility of Huraan Judgraent," it occasioned
an acquaintance betvveen us. He took great notice of
rae, called on rae often to converse on those subjects,
carried rae to the Horns, a pale-ale-hpuso in  Lane,
Cheapside, and introduced rae to Dr. Mandevilje,
author of the " Fable of the Bees," who had a club
there, of which he was the soul ; being a raost facetious,
entertaining corapanion, Lyons too introduced rae to
Dr. Pemberton, at Batson's coffee-house, who proraised
to give me an opportunity, sorae tirae or otber^ of

.y

66 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
seeing Sir Isaac Newton, of whioh I was extremely
desirous; but this never happened.
I had brought over a fevv curiosities, among which
the principal vvas a purse raade of the ashestoa, which
purifles by flre. Sir Hans Sloane heard of it, carae to
see rae, and invited me to his house in Bloomsbury
Square, showed rae all bis curiosities, and persuaded
rae to add that to the nuraber ; for which he paid rae
handsoraely. In our house lodged a young woman, a milliner,
who I think had a shop in the Cloisters. She had
been genteelly bred, vvas sensible, lively, and of a raost
pleasing conversation. Ralph read plays to her inthe
evenings, they grew intiraate, she took another lodg
ing, and he followed her. They lived together sorae
tirae ; but he being still out of business and her incorae
not sufficient to raaintain thera with her child, he took
a resolution of going to London to try for a country
school, which he thought hiraself well qualified to un
dertake, as he wrote an excellent hand and vvas a
raaster of arithmetic and accounts. This, however, he
deemed a business below hira, and confident of future
better fortune, vvhen he should be unwilling to have it
known that he vvas once so meanly eraployed, he
changed his narae and did me the honor to assurae
raine ; for I soon after had a letter from hira, acquaint
ing rae that he was settled in a sraall village (in Berk
shire, I think it vvas, where he taught reading and
writing to ten or a dozen boys at sixpence each per
week), recoraraending Mrs. T  to my care and de
siring me to write to him, directing for Mr. FranMin,
schoolmaster, at such a place.
He continued to write to me frequently, sending me

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 67
large specimens of an epic poem which he was then
coraposing, and desiring my reraarks and corrections.
These I gave him from time to time, but endeavored
rather to discourage his proceeding. One of Young's
Satires vvas then just published. I copied and sent
hira a great part of it, which set in a strong light the
folly of pursuing the Muses. All was in vain ; sheets
of the poera continued to corae by every post. In the
mean tirae^ Mrs. T  , having on his account lost her
friends and business, was often in distresses, and used
to send for me and borrow what raoney I could spare
to help to alleviate thera. I grew fond of her company,
and being at that time under no religious restraint,
and taking advantage of ray iraportance to her, I at
tempted to take some liberties with her (another
erratum), vvhich she repulsed, with a proper degree of
resentment. She Wrote to Ralph and acquainted him
with my conduct ; this occasioned a breach between
us ; and vvhen he returned to London he let me know
he considered all the obligations he had beeri under to
me as annulled ; frora which I concluded I was never to
expect his repaying the money I had lent hira or that
I had advanced for hira. This, however, was of little
consequence, as he vvas totally unable, and by the loss
of his friendship I found rayself relieved frora a heavy
burden. I now began to think of getting a little be
forehand, and, expecting better eraployraent, I left
Palraer's to work at Watt's, near Lincoln's Inn Fields,
a still greater printing-house. Here I continued all
tho rest of ray stay in London.
At my first admission into the printing-house I took
to working at press, imagining I felt a want of bodily
exeroise I had been used to in America, where press-

^8 AUTOBIOOBAPHT OF
work is mixed with the composing. I drank only
water ; the other workraen, near fifty in number, were
great drinkers of beer. On occasion I carried up and
down stairs a large form of type in each hand, when
others carried but one in both hands. They wondered
to see, from this and several instances, that the Water-
American, as they called rae, vvas stronger than them
selves, vvho drank strong beer ! We had an ale-house
boy, who attended always in the house to supply the
workraen. My companion at the press drank every
day a pint before breakfast, a pint at breakfast with
his bread and cheese, a pint between breakfast and
dinner, a pint at dinner, a pint in the afternoon about
six o'clock, and another pint when he had done his
day's work. I thought it a detestable custora ; but it vvas
necessary, he supposed, to drink strong beer that he
raight be strong to labor. 1 endeavored td convince
hira that the bodily strength afforded by beer
could only be in proportion to the grain or fiour of the
barley dissolved in the water of vvhioh it was raade ;
that there vvas raore flour in a pennyworth of bread ;
and therefore if he could eat that vvith a pint of vvater
it would give hira more strength than a quart of beer.
He drank on, however, and had four or five shillings
to pay out of his wages every Saturday night for that
vile liquor, an expense I vvas free frora. And thus
these poor devils keep theraselves always under.
Watts, after some weeks, desiring to have rae in the
coraposing-room, I left the press-room ; a new hien
venu for drink, being five shillings, was deraanded of
rae by the compositors. I thought it an imposition, as
I had paid one to the pressman ; the raaster thought
so too and forbade ray paying it. I stood out tvvo or

. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 69
three weeks, was accordingly considered as an excora-
raunicate, and had so raany little pieces of private
malice practiced on me, by mixing my sorts, transpos
ing and breaking my matter, etc., etc, if ever I stepped
out of the room, and all ascribed to the chapel ghost,
which they said ever haunted those not regularly ad
mitted, that notwithstanding the raaster's protection,
I found rayself obliged to coraply and pay the raoney;
convinced of the folly of being on ill-terras with those
one is to live vvith continually.
I vvas now on a fair footing vvith thera and soon ac
quired considerable influence, I proposed some reason
able alterations in the chapel* laws and carried them
against all opposition. From my example a great
raany of them left their rauddling breakfast of beer,
bread, and cheese, finding tbey could with rae be sup
plied frora a neighboring house with a large porringer
of hot-water gruel, sprinkled with pepper, crumbled
vvith bread, and a bit of butter in it, for the price of a
pint of beer, viz., three halfpence. This was a more
corafortable as well as a cheaper breakfast and kept
their heads clearer. Those vvho continued sotting with
their beer all day vvere often, by not paying, out of
credit at the ale-house, and used to raake interest vvith
rae to get beer ; their light, as they phrased it, heing
out. I watched the pay-table on Saturday night and
collected what I stood engaged for thera, having to
pay soraetiraes near thirty shillings a week on their
accounts. . This, and ray being estiraated a pretty good
riggite, tbat is, a jocular verbal satirist, supported my
consequence in the society. My constant attendance
* A printing-house is called a chapd by tbe workmen.

60 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF ,
(I never making a St. Monday) recommended rae to
the master, and my uncoraraon quickness at coraposing
occasioned my being put upon work of dispatch, which
was generally better paid. So I went on now very
agreeably. My lodgings in Little Britain being too remote, 1
found another in Duke Street, opposite to the Romish
chapel. It was up three pair of stairs backward, at
an Italian warehouse. A widow lady kept the house :
she had a daughter, and a maid-servant, and a journey
man who attended the warehouse, but lodged abroad.
After sending to inquire ray character at the house
where I last lodged, she agreed to take rae in at the
sarae rate— three shillings and sixpence a vveek;
cheaper, as she said, frora the protection she expected
in having a raan to lodge in the house. She was a
widow, an elderly woraan ; had been bred a Protestant,
being a olergyraan's daughter, but was converted to
the Catholio religion by her husband, whose raeraorv
she rauch revered; had lived rauch araong people of
distinction, and knew a thousand anecdotes of thera as
far back as the time of Charles II. She was larae in
her knees with the gout and therefore seldora stirred
out of her roora, so soraetiraes wanted corapany ; and
hers vvas so highly arausing to rae that I was sure to
spend an evening with her whenever she desired it.
Our supper was orily half an anchovy each on a very
little slice of bread and butter and half a pint of afe
between us; but the entertainraent was in her conver
sation. My alvvays keeping good hours and giving
little trouble in the family made her unwilling to part
with rae, so that when I talked of a lodging I had
heard of, nearer ray business, for two shillings a vveek

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 61
(which, intent as I was on saving money, made sorae
difference), she bid rae not think of it, for she would
abate rae two shillings a vveek fpr the future ; so I re
raained with her at one shilling and sixpence as long
as I stayed in London.
In the garret of her house there lived a raaiden lady
of seventy, in the raost retired raanner, of whora ray
landlady gave rae this account : that she was a Roraan
Catholic; had been sent abroad when young and
lodged in a nunnery, vvith an intent of becoraing a nun;
but, the country not agreeing with her, she returned
to England, where, there being no nunnery, she had
vowed to lead the life of a nun as near as raight be
done in those circumstances. Accordingly she had
given all her estate to charitable purposes, reserving
only twelve pounds a year to live on ; and out of this
sum she still gave a part in charity, living herself on
water-gruel only and using no fire but to boil it. She
had lived many years in that garret, being permitted
to remain there gratis by successive Catholic tenants
of the house below, as they deeraed it a blessing to
have her there. A priest visited her to confess her
every day. " Frora this I asked her," said ray land
lady, " how she, as she lived, could possibly find so
much eraployraent for a confessor." " Oh 1" said sho,
" it is irapossible to avoid vain thoughts.''^ I was per
mitted once to visit her. She vvas cheerful and polite
and conversed pleasantly. The room was clean, but
had no other furniture than a raattress, a table witb a
crucifix and a book, a stool which she gave rae to sit
on, and a picture over the chimney of St. Veronica
displaying ber handkerchief, with the miraculous
flgure of Christ's bleeding face on it, whicb she ex
plained to me witb great seriousness.

62 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
She looked pale, but was never sick ; and I give it
as another instance on how sraall an incorae life and
health raay be supported.
At Watt's printing-house I contracted an acquaint
ance with an ingenious young raan, one Wy gate, who,
having wealthy relations, had been better educated
than raost printers; was a tolerable Latinist, spoke
French, and loved reading. I taught him and a friend
of his to swim at twice going into the river, and they
soon became good swimraers. They introduced rae to
sorae gentleraen frora the country, who went to
Chelsea by water to see the college and Don Saltero's
curiosities. In our return at the request of the com.
pany, whose curiosity Wygate had excited, I stripped
and leaped into the river and swam from near Chelsea
to Blackfriars; performing in the way many feats of
activity, both upon and under the vvater, and surprised
and pleased those to vvhom they vvere novelties,
I had from a ohild boon delighted with this exorcise,
hnd studied and i)i'actiood Thovonot's motions and
positions and added some of my ovvn, aiming at tho
graceful and easy as vvell as the useful. All thoso I
took this occasion of exhibiting to the company, and
was much flattered by their admiration ; and Wygato,
who was desirous of becoming a master, grow moro
and moro attached to mo on that account, as well as
from the similarity of our studios. Ho at length
proposed to me traveling all over Europe togethor, sup
porting ourselves everywhere by working at our
business, I vvas once inclined to it, but raentioning it
to my good friend Mr. Denham, with whom I often
spent an hour vvhen I had leisuro, he dissuaded me
from it, advising mo to think only of returning to
PonnByivftnJu, wbjpt) ||0 w^ij npW ttbout to do.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 63
I raust record one trait of this good raan's character.
He had formerly been in business at Bristol, but
failed in debt to a number of people, conipounded, and
went to America. There, by a close application to
business as a merchant, he acquired a plentiful fortune
in a few years. Returning to England in the ship
vvith rae, he invited his old creditors to an entertain
raent, at which he thanked them for the easy com
position they had favored hira with ; and when they
expected nothing but the treat, every raan, at the first
reraove, found under his plate an order on a banker
for the amount of the unpaid remainder, with interest.
He now told me he was about to return to Philadel
phia, and should carry over a great quantity of goods
in order to open a store there. He proposed to take
me over as his clerk, to keep his books — in which he
would instruct . me — copy his letters, and attend the
store. He added that as soon as I should be acquainted
with raercantile business he would proraote rae by
sending me with a cargo of flour and bread to the
West Indies, and procure rae coraraissions from others
vvhich vvould be profitable, and if I managed well
would establish me handsomely. The thing pleased
me, for I was grown tired of London, remembered
with pleasure the happy months I had spent in Penn
sylvania, and wished again to see it. Therefore I
iraraediately agreed, on the terras of fifty pounds a
year, Pennsylvania raoney ; less than ray then present
gettingsasa corapositor, but affording a better prospect.
I now took leave of printing, as I thought, forever,
and was daily eraployed in ray nevv business, going
about with Mr. Denham among the tradesraen to
purchase various articles and see thera packed up.

64 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
delivering mesBages, oalllng upon workmen todispatob,
oto. ; and when all was on board I had a few days*
leisure. On one of these days I was, to my surprise,
sent for by a groat man I knew only by name. Sir
William Wyndham, and I waited upon hira. He had
heard, by sorae means or other, of my swimming from
Chelsea to Blackfriars and of ray teaching Wygate
and another young raan to swira in a few hours. He
had two sons about to sot out on thoir travels ; ho
wished to havo thom flrst taught swimming, and
proposed to gratify mo handsomely if I would toaoli
thom, Thoy wero not yot oomo to town and my stay
was uncertain, so I oould not. undertake It, But from
tho inoldont I thought it likely that if I wore to rouiuin
in England and open a swimraing-sohool I might got a
good deal of raoney ; and it struck mo so strongly that
had the overture been made me sooner, probably I
should not so soon have returned to America. Many
years after, you and I had something of more impor
tance to do vvith one of these sons of Sir William
Wyndham, becorae Earl of Egreraont, whioh I shall
mention in its place.
Thus I passed about eighteen months in London ;
most part of the time I worked hard at my business
and spent but little upon myself, except in seeing plays
and in books. My friend Ralph had kept rae poor.
He owed me about twenty-seven pounds, which I was
now never likely to receive ; a great sum out of my
small earnings ! I loved him, notwithstanding, for he
had many amiable qualities. I had improved liiy
knowledge, hovvever, though I had by no means im
proved my fortune; but I had made some very
ingenious acquaintance, whose conversation was of
great advantage to rae, and I had read considerably.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 66

OHAPTER IV.
We sailed from Gravesend on the 23d of July,
1726. For the incidents of the voyage I refer you to
my journal,. where you will find thera all rainutely
related. Perhaps the raost iraportant part of that
journal is iheplan* to be found in it, vvhich I fraraed
at sea, for regulating the future conduct of ray life.
It is the raore reraarkable as being forraed when I was
so young, and yet being pretty faithfully adhered to
quite through to old age.
We landed at Philadelphia the llth of October,
where I found sundry alterations. Keith was no
longer governor, being superseded by Major Gordon ;
I raet him walking the streets as a common citizen.
He seeraed a little asharaed at seeing rae and passed
without saying anything, I should have been as rauch
asharaed at seeing Miss Read had not her friends,
despairing with reason of ray return after the receipt
of ray letter, persuaded her to raarry; another, one
Rogers, a potter, which was done in ray absence.
With him, however, she was never happy, and soon
parted from him, refusing to cohabit with him or bear
bis name, it being now said he had another wife. He
was a worthless fellow, though an excellent work-
*Th\s plan does not exist in the manuscript journal found
among Dr. Franklin's papers, whioh appears, by a note thereon,
to be a "copy made, at Reading, in Pennsylvania, October
M, 1787."

66 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
man, which was the teraptation to her friends. He
got into debt, ran away in 1727 or 1728, went to the
West Indies, and died there. Keiraer had got a better
house, a shop well supplied with stationery, plenty of
new types, and a nuraber of hands, though none good,
and seeraed to have a great deal of business.
Mr. Denhara took a store in Water Street, where
we opened our goods ; I attended the business dili
gently, studied accounts, and grew in a little time
expert at selling. We lodged and boarded together ;
he counseled me as a father, having a sincere regard
for me. I respected and loved him, and vve might
have gone on together very happily, but in the begin
ning of February, 1727, vvhen I had just passed my
twenty-first year, we both vvere taken ill. My dis
temper was a pleurisy, which very nearly carried me
off. I suffered a good deal, gave up the point in my
own mind, and was at the time rather disappointed
when I found rayself recovering; regretting, in sorae
degree, that I raust now, some time or other, have all
that disagreeable vvork to go over again. I forget
what Mr. Denham's distemper vvas ; it held him a long
time and at length carried hira off. He left me a
small legacy in a nuncupative will as a token of his
kindness for me, and he left me once raore to the wide
world ; for the store was taken into the care of his
executors and my employment under hira ended.
My brother-in-law, Holraes, being now in Philadel
phia, advised ray return to my business ; and Keimer
terapted rae, with an offer of large wages by the year,
to corae and take the management of his printing-
house, that he might better attend to his stationer's
shop, I had heard a bad character of hira in London

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 67
from his vvife and her friends, and was not for having
any more to do with him. I wished for employment
as a merchant's clerk, but, not raeeting with any, I
closed again with Keiraer. I found in his house these
hands-: Hugh Meredith, a Welsh Pennsylvanian, thirty
years of age, bred to country work ; he was honest,
sensible, a raan of experience, and fond of reading, but
addicted to drinking. Stephen Potts, a young country
raan of full age, bred to the sarae, of uncommon
natural parts and great wit and humor, but a little
idle. These he had agreed vvith at extreme low wages
per week, to be raised a shilling every three months,
as they vvould deserve by improving in their business ;
and the expectation of these high wages, to corae on
hereafter, was what he had drawn thera in with,
Meredith was to work at press ; Potts at bookbinding,
which he by agreeraent was to teach thera, though he
knew neither one nor the other; John  , a wild
Irishman, brought up to no business, whose services
for four years Keimer had purchased frora the captain
of a ship ; he, too, was to be made a pressman ;
George Webb, an Oxford scholar, whose tinije for four
years he had likewise bought, intending him for a
compositor, of whora raore presently ; and David
Harry, a country boy whora he had taken apprentice.
I soon perceived that the intention of engaging rae
at wages so much higher than he had been used to give.
was to bave these raw cheap hands forraed through
rae ; and as soon as I had instructed thera, they being
all articled to hira, he should be able to do without
rae. I went, however, very cheerfully, put his print
ing-house in order, which had been in great confusion,
and brougbt his bands by degrees to raind tbeir busi
ness and to do it better.

68 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
It was an odd tbing to find an Oxford scholar in the
situation of a bought Servant. He was not more than
eighteen years of age, and he gave me this account of
himself : that he was born in Gloucester, educated at
a grararaar school, and had been distinguished among
his scholars for sorae apparent superiority in perform
ing his part when they exhibited plays ; belonged to
the Wits' Club there and had written some pieces in
prose and verse, which were printed in the Gloucester
newspapers. Thence was sent to Oxford; there he
continued about a year, but not well satisfied, wishing
of all things to see London and becorae a player. At
length receiving his quarterly allowance of fifteen
guineas, instead of discharging his debts he went out
of town, hid his gown in a furze bush, and walked to
London, where, having no friend to advise hira, he fell
into bad company, soon spent his guineas, found no
means of being introduced araong the players, grew
necessitous, pawned his clothes, and wanted bread.
Walking the street very hungry, not knowing what
to do with hiraself, a crimp's bill was put into his hand
offering immediate entertainment and encouragement
to such as would bind theraselves to serve in Araerica.
He went directly, signed the indentures, was put into
the ship and came over, never writing a line to his
friends to acquaint them what vvas becorae of hira. He
was lively, witty, good-natured, and a pleasant cora
panion, but idle, thoughtless, and iraprudent to the
last degree.
John, the Irishman, soon ran away ; with the rest I
began to live very agreeably, for they all respected
me the raore as they found Keimer incapable of in
structing them, and that from rae they learned sorae-

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 69
thing daily. My acquaintance with ingenious people
in the town increased. We never worked on Saturday,
that being Keimer's Sabbath, so that I had tvvo days
for reading. Keimer himself treated rae with great
civility and apparent regard, and nothing now raade
me uneasy but ray debt to Vernon, which I vvas yet
unable to pay, being hitherto but a poor economist.
He, however, kindly made no demand of it.
Our printing-house often wanted sorts, and there
was no letter foundry in America. I had seen types
cast at James' in London, but without much attention
to the raanner ; however, I contrived a mold and raade
use of the letters we had as puncheons, struck the
raatrices in lead, and thus supplied in a pretty tolerable
way aU deficiencies. I also engraved several things
on occasion ; raade the ink ; I was warehouseraan ;
and, in short, quite a factotum.
But however serviceable I raight be, I found that
ray services becarae every day of less iraportance as
the other hands iraproved in their business ; and vvhen
Keiraer paid rae a second quarter's wages, he let rae
know that he felt thera too heavy and thought I should
raake an abateraent. He grew by degrees less civil,
put on raore the airs of raaster, frequently found fault,
vvas captious, and seeraed ready for an outbreaking.
I went on nevertheless with a good deal of patience,
thinking that his incurabered circurastances were
partly the cause. At length a trifle snapped our oon
nection ; for, a great noise happening near the court
house, I put ray head out of the window to see what
was the matter. Keiraer, being in the street, looked
up and saw me, oalled out to rae in a loud voice and
angry tone to mind my business, adding some reproach*

70 A UTOBIOQRAPH T OF
I ful words tbat nettled rae tbe raore for tbeir publicity ;
all the neighbors who were looking out on the same
occasion being witnesses how I was treated. He carae
up iraraediately into the printing-house ; continued the
quarrel, high words passed on both sides, be gave me
the quarter's warning we had stipulated, expressing a
wish that he had not been obliged to give so long a
warning. I told him his wish was unnecessary, for I
would leave him that instant ; and so taking my hat
walked out-of-doors, desiring Meredith, whora I saw
below, to take care of sorae things I left and bring
thera to ray lodgings.
Meredith carae accordingly in the evening, when
we talked ray affair over. He had conceived a great
regard for mo and w^ very unwilling that I should
leave the house while he remained in it. He dissuaded
me from returning to my native couritry, which I be
gan to t-hink of ; reminded rae that Keiraer was in
debt for all he possessed ; that his creditors began to
be uneasj' ; that he kept his shop raiserably, sold often
without a profit for ready raoney, and often trusted
without keeping accounts; that he raust therefore fail,
which would raake a vacancy I raight profit of. I
objected ray want of raoney. He then let rae know
that his father had a high opinion of rae, and frora
sorae discourse that had passed between thera he was
sure would advance raoney to set rae up ifl would
enter into partnership vvith hira. " My tirae," said he,
" will be out with Keiraer in the spring ; by that
tirae we raay have our press and types in from London.
I am sensible I ani no workman. If you like it your
skill in the business shall be set against the stock I
furnish, and we will share the profits equally."

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 71
The proposal was agreeable to rae and I consented ;
his father was in town and approved of it, the raore as
he said I had great infiuence with his son, had prevailed
on hira to abstain long frora drara-drinking, and he
hoped raight break hira of that wretched habit entirely
when we carae to be so closely connected. I gave an
inventory to the father, who carried it to a raerchant ;
the things were sent for, the secret was to be kept till
they should arrive, and in the raean tirae I was to get
work, if I could, at the other printing-house. But I
found no vacancy there, and so reraained idle a few
days, vvhen Keiraer, on a prospect of being employed
to print sorae paper raoney in New Jersey which
vvould require cuts and various types that I only could
supply, and apprehending Bradford raight engage rae
and get the job frora him, sent me a very civil message
that old friends should not part for a few words, the
effect of sudden passion, and wishing me to return.
Meredith persuaded rae to coraply, as it vvould give
more opportunity for his iraproveraent under my daily
instructions ; so I returned, and we went on more
smoothly than for some time before. The New Jersey
job was obtained ; I contrived a copper-plate press for
it, the first that had been seen in the country; I cut
several ornaraents and checks for the bills. We went
together to Burlington, vvhere I executed the whole to
satisfaction, and he received so large a sura for the
vvork as to be enabled thereby to keep hiraself longer
frora ruin.
At Burlington I made acquaintance with many prin
cipal, people of the province. Several of them had
been appointed by the Asserably a coraraittee to attend
the press and take care that no raore bills were printed

72 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
than the law directed. They were, therefore, by turns
constantly with us, and generally he who attended
brought with hira a friend or two for corapany. My
mind having been much, more iraproved by reading
than Keimer's, I suppose it was for that reason my
conversation soeraed to be more valued. They had me
to their houses, introduced rae to their friends, and
showed rae ranch civility ; while he, though the raaster,
was a little neglected. In truth, he was an odd creature,
ignorant of coraraon life, fond of rudely opposing re
ceived opinions, slovenly to extrerae dirtiness, enthusi-
, astic in sorae points of religion, and a little knavish
withal. We continued there near three raonths, and by
that time I could reckon araong ray acquired friends
Judge Allen, Samuel Bustill, the Secretary of the
Province, Isaac Pearson, Joseph Cooper, and several
of the Smiths, merabers of Asserably, and Isaac Decow,
the Surveyor-General. The latter was a shrewd,
sagacious old raan, who told rae that he began for
hiraself, vvhen young, by wheeling clay for the brick-
raakers ; learned to write after he vvas of age ; carried
the chain for surveyors, vvho taught hira surveying,
and he had now, by his industry, acquired a good es
tate ; and said he, " I foresee that you will soon vvork
this raan out of his business and make a fortune in it
at Philadelphia." He had then not the least intima
tion of my intention to set up there or anywhere.
These friends vvere afterward of great use to rae, as I
occasionally was to sorae of thera. They all continued
their regard for rae us long as they lived.
Before I outer upon my publio appearance in busi
ness, it may be vvell to let you knovv tho then state of

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 73
ray raind with regard to ray principles and raorals,
that you raay see how far those influenced the future
events of ray life. My parents had early given, rae
religious irapressions and brought rae through ray
childhood piously in the Dissenting way. But I was
scarce flfteen when, after doubting by turns several
points as I found them disputed in the different books
I read, I began to doubt of the Revelation itself.
Sorae books against deisra fell into ray hands ; they
were said to be the substance of the serraons which
had been preached at Boyle's Lectures. It happened
that they wrought an effect on rae quite contrary to
what was intended by thera. For the arguraents of
the deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared
to rae rauch stronger than the refutations ; in short, I
soon becarae a thorough deist. My arguments per
verted some others, particularly Collins and Ralph,
but each of those having wronged me greatly vvithout
the least corapunction, and recollecting Keith's con
duct toward rae (who was another freethinker) and
my own toward Vernon and Miss Read, which
at tiraes gave rae great trouble, I began to suspect
that this doctrine, though it raight be true, was
not very useful. My London paraphlet, printed in
1725,* which had for its raotto these lines of Dryden :
. " Whatever is, is right. But purblind man
Sees but a part o' the chain, the nearest links;
His eyes not carrying to that equal beam.
That poises all above,"
* Dr. Franklin, in a letter to Benjamin Vaughan, dated Novem
ber Qtb, 1779, gives a further account of this pamphlet in these
words: "It was addressed to Mr. 3. B,, tbat is, James Ralph, tben a

74 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
and which from the attributes of God, bis inflnite
wisdora, goodness, and power, concluded tbat nothing
could possibly be wrong in the world, and that vice
and virtue were erapty distinctions, no such things ex
isting, appeared now not so clever a perforraance as I
once thought it; and I doubted vvhether some error
had not insinuated itself unperceived into ray arguraent
so as to infect all that followed, as is coramon in
metaphysical reasonings.
youth of about my age and my Intimate friend, afterward a polit
ical writer and historian. The purport of it was to prove the
doctrine of fate, from the supposed attributes of God, in some
such manner as this. That in erecting and governing the world,
as he was Infinitely wise he knew what would be beat; inflnitely
good, he must he disposed; and infinitely powerful, he must be
able to execute it. Consequently all is right.
" There were only a hundred copies printed, of which I gave
a few to frienda; aud afterward disliking the piece, as conceiv
ing it might have an ill tendency, I burned the rest, except one
copy, the margin of whioh was flllod with manuscript notes by
Lyons, author of ' The Infalllbilityof Human Judgment, who was
at that time another of my acquaintance in London. I was not
nineteen yeara of ago when it was written. In 1780 I wrote a
plooo on the other sido of tho question, whicli began with laying
for its foundation this fact: 'That almost all men in all ages
and countries have at times made use of prayer.' Tlienco I
reasoned that if all thinga are ordain-ed, prayer muat among the
rest be ordained. But as prayer can procure no change in thinga
that are ordained, prayer muat then be uselesa and an absurdity.
God would therefore not ordain prayi.ng if everything else waa
ordained. But praying exiats, therefore all other thinga are not
ordained, etc. Thia pamphlet waa never printed and the manu
script haa long been lost. The great uncertainty I found in meta
physical reasoniuga disguated me, and I quitted that kind of
reading and study for others more satisfactory."

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 75
I grew convinced that truth, sincerity, and integrity,
in dealings between man and man, were of the utmost
importance to the felicity of life ; and I formed vvritten
resolutions, vvhich still remain in my journal book, to
practice thera ever vvhile I lived. Revelation . had
indeed no weight vvith meas such ; but I entertained an
opinion that though certain actions raight not be bad
hecause they were forbidden by it, or good hecause it
commanded them, yet probably those actions raight be
forbidden hecause they were bad for us, or commanded
hecause they were beneficial to us in their ovvn natures,
all the circumstances of things considered. And this
persuasion, with the kind hand of Providence, or some
guardian angel, or accidental favorable circumstances
and situations, or all together, preserved rae, through
this dangerous time of youth and the hazardous situa
tions I was sometimes in among strangers, remote
frora the eye and advice of ray father, free frora any
willful gross iraraorality or injustice that might have
been expected from my want of religion. I say
willful, because the instances I have raentioned had
something of necessity m thera, frora my youth, inex
perience, and the knavery of others. I had therefore
a tolerable character to begin in the world with. I
valued it properly and determined to preserve it.
We had not been long returned to Philadelphia
before the nevv types arrived frora London, We
settled with Keiraer and left hira by his consent before
he heard of it. We found a house to let near the
raarket and took it. To lessen the rent, which vvas
then but twenty-four pounds a year, though I have
since known it let for seventy, we took in Thoraas
Godfrey, a glazier, and his family, vvho were to pay a

76 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
considerable part of it to us and we to board With
thera. We had scarce opened our letters and put our
press in order, before George House, an acquaintance
of raine, brought a countryraan to us whora he had
raet in the street inquiring for a printer. All our cash
vvas now expended in the variety of particulars we
had boen obliged to procure, and this countryraan's
five shillings, being our first-fruits and coraing so
seasonably, gave rae more pleasure than any crown I
have since earned ; and the gratitude I felt toward
House has made rae often raore ready than perhaps I
othervvise should have been to assist young begin
ners. There are croakers in every country, alvvays boding
its ruin. Such an one there lived in Philadelphia ; a
person of note, an elderly raan with a wise look and a
very grave raanner of speaking ; his narae was Sarauel
Mickle. This gentleman, a stranger to rae, stopped
rae one d?y at ray door and asked rae if I was the
young msr. vvho had lately opened a new printing-
house. Being answered in the affirraative, he said he
was sorry for rae, because it vvas an expensive under
taking and the expense vvould be lost ; for Philadelphia
was a sinking place, the people already half-bankrupts
or near being so ; all the appearances of the contrary,
such as new buildings and the rise of rents, being to
his certain knowledge fallacious, for they were in fact
araong the things that would ruin us. Then he gave
me such a detail of raisfortunes now existing or that
were soon to exist that he left rae half-melancholy.
Had I known him before I engaged in this business,
probably I never should have done it. This person
continued to live in tbis decaying place and to declaim

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 77
in the sarae strain, refusing for raany years to buy a
house tbere because all vvas going to destruction ; and
at last I had the pleasure of seeing hira give five tiraes
as much for one as he might have bought it for wben
be first began croaking.

70 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

OHAPTER V.
I BHOTTLD have raentioned before that in the auturan
of the preceding year I had forraed most of ray
ingenious acquaintance in to a club for rautual iraprove
raent, which we called the Jpnto. We raet on Friday
evenings. The rules that I drew up required that
every raember in his turn should produce one or more
queries on any point of morals, politics, or natural
philosophy, to be discussed by the company ; and onoe
in three raonths produce and read an essay of his
own writing on any subject he pleased. Our debates
were to be under the direction of a president and to
be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after
trnth, without fondness for dispute or desire of victory ;
and to prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness
in opinions or direct contradiction vvere after sorae
time made contraband and prohibited under small
pecuniary penalties.
The first members were Joseph Breintnal, a copier
of deeds for the scriveners, a good-natured, friendly,
raiddle-aged raan, a great lover of poetry, reading all
he could meet with and writing some that was toler
able; very ingenious in raaking little knick-knackeries
and of sensible conversation.
Thoraas Godfrey, a self-taught mathematician, great
in his way and afterward inventor of what is now

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 79
called Hadley'a quadrant,* But he knew little out of
his way and was not a pleasing corapanion ; as, like
most great matheraaticians I have raet vvith, he ex
pected universal precision in everything said, or vvas
forever denying or distinguishing upon trifies, to the
disturbance of all conversation. He soon left us.
Nicholas Scull, a surveyor, afterward surveyor-
general, who loved books and soraetiraes raade a fevv
verses. Williara Parsons, bred a shoemaker, but loving
reading, had acquired a considerable share of maihe-
raatics, which he first studied with a view to astrology
and afterward laughed at it. He also becarae sur
veyor-general. Williara Mauridge, joiner, but a raost exquisite
raechanic, and a solid, sensible man,
Hugh Meredith, Stephen Potts, and George Webb I
have characterized before,
Robert Grace, a young gentleraan of some fortune,
generous, lively, and witty ; a lover of punning and of
his friends.
Lastly, Williara Coleraan, then a raerchant's clerk,
about ray age, who had the coolest, clearest head, the
best heart,. and exactest raorals of almost any man I
have ever raet with. He becarae afterward a raerchant
of great note and otte of our provincial judges. Our
friendship continued without interruption to his death,
upward of forty years ; and the club continued alraost
as longand was the best school of philosophy, morality,
and politics that then existed in the province, for our
• Godfrey's claims to this invention are fully explained and
conflrmed In Miller's " Retrospect of the Eighteenth Century,"
VoL L, pp. 468— 480.

80 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
queries, wbicb were read tbe week preceding tbeir
discussion, put us upon reading with attention on tbe
several subjects, that we raight speak raore to the
purpose; and here, too, vve acquired better habits of
conversation, everything being studied in our rules
which might prevent our disgusting each other. Hence
the long continuance of the club, which I shall have
frequent occasion to speak further of hereafter.
But my giving this account of it here is to show
soraething of the interest I had, every one of these
exerting theraselves in recomraending business to us.
Breintnal particularly procured us frora the Quakers
the printing of forty sheets of their history, the rest
being done by Keiraer, and upon these we worked ex
ceedingly hard, for the price was low. It was a folio,
pro patria size, in pica, with long priraer notes. I
composed a sheet a day and Meredith worked it off at
press. It was often eleven at night, and sometimes
later, before I had finished my distribution for the
next day's work ; for the little jobs sent in by our
other friends now and then put us back. But so de
termined I was to continue doing a sheet a day of the
folio that one night, when having iraposed ray forras
I thought ray day's work over, oneof thera by accident
vvas broken and two pages reduced to pi. I imrae
diately distributed and coraposed it over again before
I went to bed ; and this industry, visible to our neigh
bors, began to give us character and credit. Partic
ularly I vvas told that raention being raade of the nevv
printing-oflBce at the raerchant's every-night club, the
general opinion was that it must fail, there being
already two printers in the place, Keimer and Brad
ford. But Dr. Baird (whom you and I saw raany yee^rs

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. gl
after at his native place, St. Andrew's, in Scotland)
gave a contrary opinion : " For the industry of that
Franklin," said he, " is superior to anything I ever
saw of the kind. I see him still at vvork when I go
horae frora club, and he is at work again before his
neighbors are out of bed." This struck the rest, and
we soon after had offers from one of them to supply
us vvith stationery, but as yet vve did not choose to
engage in shop business.
I mention this industry more particularly arid the
raore freely, though it seems to be talking in ray own
praise, that those of ray posterity who shall read it
raay know the use of that virtue when they see its
effects in ray favor throughout this relation,
George Webb, vvho had found a female friend that
lent hira wherewith to purchase his time of Keimer,
now came to offer himself as a journeyman to us. We
could not then emploj' him; but I foolishly let him
knovv, as a secret, that I soon intended to begin a
newspaper and raight then have work for hira. My
hopes of success, as I told him, were founded on this :
that the then only newspaper, printed by Bradford,
was a paltry thing, wretchedly managed, no way
entertaining, and yet was profitable to him ; I there
fore freely thought a good paper would scarcely fail
of good encourageraent. I requested Webb not to
raention it, but he told it to Keiraer, who iramediately,
to be beforehand with rae, published proposals for one
hiraself, on which Webb was to be eraployed, I was
vexed at this, and to counteract thera, not being able
to coraraence our paper, I wrote several arausing pieces
for Bradford's paper, under the title of " The Busy-
Body," which Breintnal continued sorae months. By

82 A UTOBIOQRAPH TOP
this raeans the attention of the publio was fixed on
that paper, and Keimer's proposals, which vve bur
lesqued and ridiculed, were disregarded. He began bis
paper, however, and before carrying it on three-
quarters of a year, with at raost only ninety subscribers,
he offered it rae for a trifle ; and I, having been ready
some time to go on with it, took it in hand directly,
and it proved in a fevv years extremoly profitable to
rae.* I perceive that I am apt to speak in the singular
number, though our partnership still continued; it
may be that in fact the vvhole management of the
business lay upon me. Meredith vvas no compositor,
a poor pressraan, and seldora sober. My friends
lamented my connection with hira, but I was to raake
the best of it.
Our flrst papers made quite a different appearance
from any before in the province; a bettor typo and
hotter printed ; but some remarks of my writing on
the dispute then going on between Governor Burnet
and tho Massachusetts Assembly struck the principal
people, occasioned the paper and the manager of it to
be rauch talked of, and in a few weeks brought them
all to be our subscribers.
Their exaraple was followed by raany, and our
number went on growing continually. This was one
of the first good effects of ray having learned a little
to scribble. Another was that the leading raen, seeing
a newspaper now in the hands of those who could also
handle a pen, thought it convenient to oblige and on-"
courage rae, Bradford still printed tho votes and
* It was called the Pennsylmnia Gazette. Franklin and More*
dlth began tho paper with No. 40, Sopt«mbor 20tli, 1720.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 83
laws and other public business. He had printed an
address of the House to the governor in a coarse,
blundering manner. We reprinted it elegantly and
correctly and sent one to every member. They were
sensible of the difference, it strengthened the hands of
our friends in the House, and they voted us their
printers for the year ensuing.
Among my friends in the House I raust not forget
Mr, Harailton, before raentioned, who was then
returned from England, and had a seat in it. He
interested himself for rae strongly in that instance, as
he did in many others afterward, continuing his
patronage till his death.
Mr. Vernon about this time put rae in raind of the
debt I owed hira, but did not press me. I wrote to
him an ingenuous letter of acknowledgraent, craving
his forbearance a little longer, vvhich he allowed rae.
As soon as I was able I paid the principal, with the
interest and raany thanks, so that erratum was in sorae
degree corrected.
But now another diflSculty came upon me, which I
had never the least reason to expect. Mr. Meredith's
father, vvho was to have paid for our printing-house,
according to the expectations given me, was able to
advance only one hundred pounds currency, which had
been paid, and a hundred raore were due to the
merchant, who grew impatient and sued us all. We
gave bail, but saw that if the money could not be
raised in time the suit raust soon oome toa judgraent
and execution, and our hopeful prospects must with
us be ruined, as the press and letters must be sold for
payment, perhaps at half-price.
in this distress two true friends, whose kindness I

84 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
have never forgotten nor ever shall forget while I can
reraeraber anything, carae to rae separately, unknown
to eaoh other, and, without any application frora me,
offered each of them to advance rae all the raoney that
should be necessary to enable rae to take the whole
business upon rayself, if that should be practicable ;
but they did not like ray continuing the partnership
with Meredith, who, as they said, was often seen drunk
in the street, playing at low garaes in ale-houses, much
to our discredit. These tvvo friends vvere William
Coleraan and Robert Grace. I told thera I could not
propose a separation vvhile any prospect reraained of
the Merediths fulfilling their part of our agreeraent,
because I thought rayself under great obligations to
thera for what they had done and would do if they
could, but if they finally failed in their perforraance
and our partnership raust be dissolved, I should then
think rayself at liberty to accept the assistance of my
friends. Thus the matter rested for sorae tirae, when I said
to ray partner: "Perhaps your father is dissatisfied
at the part you have undertaken in this affair of ours
and is unwilling to advance for you and me vvhat he
vvould for you. If that is the case tell me, and I vvill
resign the whole to you and go about my business."
"No," said he, "ray father has really been dis
appointed and is really unable, and I ara unwilling to
distress hira further, I see this is a business I am not
fit for, I was bred a farraer, and it was folly in rae
to corae to town and put rayself, at thirty years of age,
an apprentice to learn a new trade. Many of our
Welsh people are going to settle in North Carolina,
where land is cheap, I am inclined to go with them

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 85
and follow ray old eraployraent ; you raay find friends
to assist you. If you take the debts of the company
upon you, return to my father the hundred pounds he
has advanced, pay my little personal debts, and give
rae thirty pounds and a nevv saddle, I will relinquish
the partnership and leave the vvhole in your hands,"
I agreed to this proposal ; it vvas drawn up in writing,
signed and sealed iramediately. I gave hira what he
demanded and he went soon after to Carolina, whence
he sent rae next year two long letters, containing the
best account that had been given of that country, the
cliraate, the soil, and husbandry, for in those raatters
he was very judicious. I printed thera in the paper,
and they gave great satisfaction to the public.
As soon as he was gone I recurred to ray two friends
and, because I vvould not give an unkind preference to
either, I took half of what each had offered and I
wanted of one, and half of the other, paid off the
corapany's debt, and went on with the business in ray
own narae, advertising that the partnership was
dissolved. I think this vvas in or about the year 1729,*
* The dissolution of the partnership was a year later; as
appears by the following agreement, transcribed from the
original in Franklin's handwriting. — Ed.
"Be it remembered, that Hugh Meredith and Benjamin
Franklin have this day separated as partners, and will henceforth
act each on his own account; and that the said Hugh Meredith,
for a valuable consideration by him received from the said
Benjamin Franklin, hath relinquished, and doth hereby relin
quish, to the said Franklin, all claim, right, or property to or in
the printing materials and stock heretofore jointly possessed by
them in partnership ; and to all debts due to them as partners
in the course of their business; which are all from henceforth
the sole property of the said Benjamin Franklin, In witness
whereof, 1 have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of July,
1780. HcOB MEBKonu"

86 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
About this time there vvas a ory araong the people
for raore paper raoney, only fifteen thousand pounds
being extant in the province, and that soon to be sunk.
The wealthy inhabitants, opposed any addition, being
against all paper currency, frora the apprehension that
it vvould depreciate as it had done in Nevv England, to
the injury of all creditors. We had discussed this
point in our Junto, vvhere I vvas on the side of an
addition, being persuaded that the first sraall sum,
struck in 1723, had done rauch good by increasing the
trade, eraployraent and number of inhabitants in the
province, since I now saw all the old houses inhabited
and raany new ones building; whereas I reraembered
well, when I first walked about the streets' of Philadel
phia eating my roll, I savv many of the houses in
Walnut Street, betvveen Second and Front Streets,
with bills on their doors, " To he let," and raany like
wise in Chestnut Street and other streets, which made
me think the inhabitants of the city were, one after
another, deserting it.
Our debates possessed me so fully of the subject
that I wrote and printed an anonymous pamphlet on
it, entitled " The Nature and Necessity of a Paper
Currency." * It was well received by the com-
• " It is little known or set down to the condemnation of
Franklin that, when he was young in business, and stood in need
of sundry articlea in the line of his profession as a printer, he
had the ingenuity to make them for himself. In this way he
founded lettera of lead, engraved various printing ornaments,
cut wood-cuts, made printer's ink, engraved copper-plate vi
gnettes, and made hisplate-presa." — Watson's "Annala of Phila
delphia," p. 618.
Mr. Watson relates another anecdote. He says that the " yel
low willow tree," now BO common throughont the country, was

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 87
mon people in general, but the rich men disliked it, for
it increased and strengthened the claraor for raore
raoney ; and they happening to have no writers araong
thera that were able to answer it, their opposition
slackened and the point was carried by a raajority in
the House. My friends there, who considered I had
been of sorae service, thought fit to reward me by
employing me in printing the raoney ; a very profit
able job and a great help to rae. This vvas another
advantage gained by ray being able to write.
The utility of this currency becarae by time and ex
perience so evident that the principles upon which it
was founded were never afterward rauch disputed, so
that it grew soon to fifty-five thousand pounds, and in
1739 to eighty thousand pounds ; trade, building, and
inhabitants all the vvhile increasing. Though I now
think there are liraits beyond which the quantity raay
be hurtful.
first introduced into America by Franklin. A wicker-basket
made of willow, in which some foreign article had been imported,
he saw sprouting in a ditch, and directed some of the twigs to be
planted. They took root, and from these shoots are supposed to
have sprung all the yellow willows which have grown on this side
of the Atlantic.
Ohaptal ascribes to Franklhi also' the introduction of the agri
cultural use of plaster of Paris into the United States. " As
this celebrated philosopher," says he, " wished that the effects of
this manure should strike the gaze of all cultivators, he wrote in
great letters, formed by the upe of the ground plaster, in a field
of clover lying upon the great road, ' This has been plastered.''
The prodigious vegetation which was developed in the plastered
portion led him to adopt this method. Volumes upon the excel
lency of plaster would not have produced so speedy a revolu
tion. From that period the Americans have imported great
quantities of plastor of Paris. "—Ohaptal's " Agrienltural Chem
istry," Boston edition, p. 78.— En.

88 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
I soon after obtained, thrbugh my friend Hara
ilton, the printing of the Newcastlia paper raoney,
another profitable job, as I then thought it; sraall
things appearing great to those in sraall circurastances,
and these to rae were really great advantages, as
they were great encourageraents. Mr. Harailton
procured for rae also the printing of the laws and votes
of that governraent, which continued in ray hands as
long as I followed the business.
I now opened a small stationer's shop. I had in it
blanks of all kinds, the correotest that ever appeared
araong us. I was assisted in that vvay by ray friend
Breintnal. I had also paper, parchraent, cbnp-raen's
books, etc. One Whiteraarsh, a corapositor I had
known in London, an excellent workraan, now came to
me and worked with me constantly and diligently ;
and I took an apprentice, tha son of Aquila Rose.
I began now gradually to pay offthe debt I was under
for the printing-house. In order to secure my oredit
and oharaoter as a tradesraan, I took care not only to be
in reality industrious and frugal, but to avoid the ap
pearances to the contrary. I dressed plain nnd vvas
seen at no places of idle diversion, I never went out
a-fishing or shooting; a book indeed soraetimes de
bauched me from my work, but that was seldom, vvas
private, and gave no scandal ; and to show that I vvas
not above my business, I soraetiraes brought home the
paper I purchased at the stores through the streets on
a wheelbarrow. Thus being esteenied an industrious,
thriving young man and paying duly for what I
bought, the merchants who iraported stationery solic
ited my custom, others proposed supplying me vvith
books, and I went on prosperously. In the raean tirae.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 89
Keimer's credit and business declining daily, he vvas at
last forced to sell his printing-house, to satisfy his cred
itors. He went to Barbadoes and there lived, some
years in very poor circurastances.
His apprentice, David Harry, whora I had instructed
while I worked vvith him, set up in his place at Phila
delphia, having bought his materials, I was at first
apprehensive of a powerful rival in Harry, as his
friends vvere very able and had a good deal of interest,
I therefore proposed a partnership to hira, which he
fortunately for rae rejected vvith scorn. He was very
proud, dressed like a gentleman, lived expensively,
took much diversion and pleasure abroad, ran in debt,
and neglected his business ; upon which all business
left hira, and finding nothing to do, he followed
Keiraer to Barbadoes, taking the printing-house vvith
him. There this apprentice eraployed his forraer
raaster as a journeyraan ; they quarreled often, and
Harry went continually behindhand and at length vvas
obliged to sell his types and return to country work in
Pennsylvania, The person vvho bought them employed
Keiraer to use thera, but a fevv years after he died.
There reraained now no other printer in Philadel
phia but the old Bradford; but he was rich and easy,
did a little in the business by straggling hands, but
was not anxious about it. However, as he held the
post-oflice, it was iraagined he had better opportunities
of obtaining news, his paper was thought a better
distributer of advertiseraents than raine, and therefore
had many more ; which was a profitable thing to him
and a disadvantage to rao. For though I did, indeed,
receive and send papers by the post, yet the publio
opinion was otherwise ; for what I did send was by

90 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
bribing tbe riders, who took them privately, Bradford
being unkind enough to forbid it, wbich occasioned
sorae resentraent on ray part ; and I thought so meanly
of the practice that vvhen I afterward carae into his
situation I took care never to imitate it.
I had hitherto continued to board with Godfrey,
who lived in a part of my house vvith his wife and
children and had one side of the shop for his glazier's
business, though he worked little, being always ab
sorbed in his matheraatics. Mrs. Godfrey projected a
raatch for me with a relation's daughter, took oppor
tunities of bringing us often together, till a serious
courtship on my part ensued, the girl being in herself
very deserving. The old folks encouraged rae by
continual invitations to supper and by leaving us
together, till at length it vvas tirae to explain. Mrs.
Godfrey raanaged our little treaty. I let her knovv
that I expected as rauch raoney vvith their daughter
as would pay off ray reraaining debt for the printing-
house, which I believe was not then above a hundred
pounds. She brought rae word they had nO such
sura to spare. \ sa,id they raight raortgage their
house in the loan ofiice. The ansvver to this, after
sorae days, was that they did not approve the match ;
that on inquiry of Bradford they had been inforraed
the printing business vvas not a profitable one, the
types would soon be worn, out and more wanted ; that
Keiraer and David Harry had failed one after the
other, and I should probably soon follow thera ; and
therefore I was forbidden the house and the daughter
was shut up.
Whether this was a real change of sentiraent or
only artifice, on a supposition of our being too far

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 91
engaged in affection to retract, and therefore that we
should steal a marriage, which vvould leave thera at
liberty to give or withhold what they pleased, I know
not. But I suspected the raotive, resented it, and
went no raore. Mrs. Godfrey brought rae afterward
some raore favorable accounts of their disposition and
would have drawn rae on again, but 1 declared abso
lutely ray resolution to have nothing more to do with
that faraily. This was resented by the Godfreys, vve
differed, and they removed, leaving me the whole
house, and I resolved to take no raore inraates.
But this affair having turned my thoughts to
raarriage, I looked round me and made overtures of
acquaintance in other places, but soon found that the
business of a printer being generally thought a poor
one, I was not to expect money vvith a wife, unless with
such a one as I should not otherwise think agreeable.
In the mean time, that hard-to-be-governed passion of
youth had hurried me frequently into intrigues with
low women that fell in my Avay, which were attended
vvith sorae expense and great inconvenience, besides a
continual risk to ray health by a distemper, which of
all things I dreaded, though by great good luck I
escaped it,
A friendly correspondence as neighbors had con
tinued between me and Miss Read's family, who all
had a regard for me frora the time of ray first lodging
in their house. I vvas often invited thero and con
sulted in their affairs, wherein I soraetimes was of
service. I pitied poor Miss Read's unfortunate situa
tion, who was generally dejected, seldora cheerful, and
avoided corapany. 1 considered ray giddiness and
inconstancy when in London as, in a great degree, the

92 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
cause of her unhappiness, though the mother was good
enough to think the fault more her own than mine, as
she had prevented our marrying before I went thither
and persuaded the other raatch in ray absence. Our
mutual affection was revived, but there were now-
great objections to our union. That match was indeed
looked upon as invalid, a preceding wife being said
to be living in England, but this could not easily be
proved, because of the distance, etc, ; and though there
vvas a report of his death, it was not certain. Thon,
though it should be true, he had left many debts,
which his successor raight be called upon to pay. We
ventured, however, over all these ditficulties, and I
took hor to wifo September lst, 1780. Nono of tho
inconvoniencos happened that wo had apprehended.
Sho proved a good and faithful helpmate, assisted rae
much by attending to the shop ; we throve together
and ever mutually endeavored to make each other
happy. Thus I corrected that great erratum as well
as I could.
About this tirae our club raeeting, not at a tavern, but
in a little roora of Mr. Grace's set apart for that pur
pose, a proposition vvas made by me that since our
books wore often referred to in our disquisitions upon
the queries, it raight be oonvoniont to us to have thom
all together where we met, that upon occasion they
raight be consulted; and by thus clubbing our books
in a common library vve should, while we likodtokoep
thora together, have each of us the advantage of using
the books of all the other raembers, whioh vvould be
nearly as beneficial as if eaoh owned the whole. It
vvas liked and agreed to, and we filled one end of tho
roora with such books as we could best spare. The

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 93
nuraber was not so great as we expected, and though
they had been of great use, yet sorae inconveniences
occurring for want of due care of thera, the collection,
after about a 3'ear, was separated, and each took his
books horae again.
And now I set on foot ray first project of a public
nature — that for a subscription library. I drew up
the proposals, got thera put into forra by our great
scrivener, Brockden, and by the help of ray friends in
the Junto procured fifty subscribers of forty shillings
eaoh to begin with and ten shillings a year for fifty
years, the term our company was to continue. We
afterward obtained a charter, the company being in
creased to one hundred. This was the raother of all
the North Araerican subscription libraries, now so
nuraerous ; it is becorae a great thing itself and con
tinually goes on increasing. The libraries have ira
proved the general conversation of the Araericans,
raade the coraraon tradesraen and farraers as intelligent
as raost gentleraen from other countries, and perhaps
have contributed in some degree to the stand so
generally made throughout the colonies in defense of
their privileges.

94 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

CHAPTER^*
At the time I established myself in Pennsylvania
there vvas not a good bookseller's shop in any of the
colonies to the southward of Boston. In New York
and Philadelphia the printers vvere indeed stationers,
but they sold only paper, almanacs, ballads, and a few
coraraon school-books. Those who loved reading were
obliged to send for their books frora England ; the
raerabers of the Junto had each a few. We had left
the ale-house vvhere we first raet and hired a room to
hold our club in. I proposed that vve should all of us
bring our books to tbat roora, vvhere they would not
only be ready to consult in our conferences, but be
corae a comraon benefit, each of us being at liberty to
borrow such as he wished to read at home. This was
accordingly done and for some time contented us.
Finding the advantage of this little collection, I pro
posed to render the benefit from the books more cora
mon by commencing a public subscription library. I
drew a sketch of the plan and rules that vvould be
necessary, and got a skillful conveyancer, Mr, Charles
? Down to this period the memoir was written in the year 1771,
and the task was then laid aside for several years. In tho moan
time the manuscript waa shown to several Of the author's friends,
who pressed him to complete what he hud begun. lie accord
ingly yioUlod to thoir solicitations, and to thu part with whicb
this chapter commences he proflxed tho following introductory
remarks and also ^h^ two l9tt«rs to which he alludes.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 95
Brockden, to put the whole in forra of articles of
agreeraent to be subscribed, by which each subscriber
engaged to pay a certain sum down for the first pur
chase of the books and an annual contribution for in
creasing them. So few were the readers at that time
in Philadelphia, and the raajority of us so poor, that I
vvas not able, vvith great industry, to find raore than
fifty persons, mostly young tradesraen, willing to pay
down for this purpose forty shillings each and ten
shillings per annura. With this little fund we began.
The books were iraported. The library was opened
one day in the week for lending thera to subscribers,
on their promissory notes to pay double the value if
not duly returned. The institution soon raanifested
its utility, was iraitated by other towns and in other
provinces. The libraries were augraented by dona
tions, reading became fashionable, and our people,
having no public amuseraents to divert their attention
frora study, became better acquainted vvith books, and
in a few years vvere observed by strangers to be better
instructed and raore intelligent than people in the
sarae rank generally are in other countries.
When we vvere about to sign the above-raentioned
articles, which were to be binding on us, our heirs,
etc., for fifty years, Mr. Brockden, the scrivener, said
to us: " You are young raen, but it is scarcely possible
that any of you will live to see the expiration of the
terra fixed in the instriiiuent." A nuraber of us, how
ever, are yet living ; but the instruraent was after a
few years rendered null by a charter that incorporated
and gave perpetuity to the corapany.
The objections and reluctances I met with in solicit
ing the subscriptions made me soon feel the impropriety

96 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
of presenting one's self as the proposer of any useful
project that raight be supposed to raise one's reputa
tion in the sraallest degree above that of one's neigh
bors, when one has need of their assistance to accora
plish that project. I therefore put rayself as rauch as
I could out of sight, and stated it to be a scherae of
a number of friends who had requested rae to go about
and propose it to such as they thought lovers of read
ing. In this way ray affair went on raore sraoothly,
and I ever after practiced it on such occasions ; and
frora ray frequent successes can heartily recomraend it.
The present little sacrifice of your vanity will after
ward be araply repaid. If it reraains awhile uncertain
to whora the raerit belongs, sorae one more vain than
yourself raay be encouraged to claira it, and then even
envy will be disposed to do you justice by plucking
those assuraed feathers and restoring them to their
right owner.
This library afforded me the raeans of iraproveraent
by constant study, for which I set apart an hour or tvvo
each day, and thus repaired in sorae degree the loss of
the learned education ray father onoe intended for rae.
Reading was the only arauseraent I allowed rayself. I
spent no tirae in taverns, garaes, or frolics of any kind ;
and my industry in my business continued as indefati
gable as it was necessary. I was indebted for my
printing-house, I had a young faraily coraing on to be
educated, and I had two oorapetitors to contend with
for business who vvere established in the place before
me. My circumstances, however, grew daily easier.
My original habits of frugality continuing, and my
father having, among his instructions to rae when a
boy, frequently repeated a proverb of Soloraon,

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 97
" Seest thou, a man diligent in his caUing, he shall stand
hefore kings, he shall not stand hefore mean men," I
thence considered industry as a means of obtaining
wealth and distinction which encouraged rae — though
1 did not think that I should ever literally stand hefore
kings, whjch, however, has since happened ; for 1 have
stood before five, and even had ]the honor of sitting
down with one, the King of Denmark, to dinner.
We have an English proverb that says, " He that
vvould thrive raust ask his vvife," It vvas lucky for rae
that I had one as rauch disposed to industry and
frugality as rayself. She assisted rae cheerfully in ray
business, folding and stitching pamphlets, tending
shop, purchasing old linen rags for tbe paper-makers,
etc. We kept no idle servants, our table was plain and
simple, our furniture of the cheapest. For instance,
ray breakfast for a long tirae was bread and milk (no
tea), and I eat it out of a twopenny earthen porringer
with a pewter spoon. But raark how luxuries vvill
enter farailies and make a progress in spite of principle °.
being called one morning to breakfast, I found it in
a china bowl with a spoon of silver 1 They had been
bought for rae without ray knowledge by ray wife, and
had cost hor the enorraous sura of twenty-three shil
lings, for which she had no other excuse or apology to
raake but that she thought her husband deserved a
silver spoon and china bowl as well as any of his
neighbors. This was the first appearance of plate and
china in our house, which afterward, in a course of
years as our wealth increased, augraented gradually
to several hundred pounds in value.
I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian ;
bnt though some of the dograas of that persuasion,

98 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
such as the etemal decrees of God, election, reprobation,
e<o., appeared to rae very unintelligible, others doubtful,
and I early absented rayself frora the public assera
blies of the sect, Sunday being ray studying day, I
never was without sorae religious principles. I never
doubted, for instance, the existence of a Deity — that
he raade the world and governed it by his providence
— tliat the most acceptable service of God was the
doing good to man — that our souls are iraraortal — and
that all crimes will be punished and virtue rewarded,
either here or hereaf^^^er. These I esteeraed the essen
tials of every religion ; and being to be found in all
the religions vve had in our country, I respected thera
all, though Avith different degrees of respect, as I
found them raore or less raixed with other articles
which, without any tendency to inspire, proraote, or
confirra raorality, served principally to divide us and
raake us unfriendly to one another. This respect to
all, with an opinion that the worst had some good
effects, induced me to avoid all discourse that might
tend to lessen the good opinion another might have of
his ovvn religion ; and as our province increased in
people, and new places of worship were continually
wanted and generally erected by voluntary contribu
tion, my mite for such purpose, whatever raight be
the sect, was never refused.
Though I seldora attended any public worship, I had
still an opinion of its propriety and of its utility when
rightly conducted, and I regularly paid ray annual
subscription for the support of the only Presbyterian
rainister or raeeting we had in Philadelphia. He used
to visit rae soraetiraes as a friend and adraonish rae to
attend his adrainistrations, and I was now and tben

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 99
prevailed on to do' so, once for five Sundays succes
sively. Had he been in my opinion a good preacher,
perhaps I might have continued, notwithstanding the
occasion I had for Sunday's leisure in my course of
study ; but his discourses were chiefly either polemic
arguraents or explications of the peculiar doctrines of
our sect, and vvere all to rae very dry, uninteresting,
and unedifying; since not a single moral principle was
inculcated or enforced, their aim seeraing to bo
rather to raake us Presbyterians than good citizens.
At length he took for his text that verse of the
fourth chapter to the Philippians : " Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely,
or of good report, if there he any virtue, or any praise,
think on these things." And I imagined in a serraon on
such a text, vve could not miss of having sorae raoral
ity. But he confined himself to five points only, as
meant by the apostle : 1. Keeping holy the Sabbath
day. 2. Being diligent in reading the holy Scriptures,
3. Attending duly the public worship. 4. Partaking
of the Sacrament. 5. Paying due respect to God's
ministers. These might be all good things ; but as they
were not the kind of good things that I expected frora
that text, I despaired of ever raeeting with thera from
any other, was disgusted, and attended his preaching
no more, I had some years before coraposed a little
liturgy or forra of prayer for ray own private use (in
1728), entitled « Articles of Belief and ^Acts of Reli
gion." I returned to the use of this and went no
more to the public asserablies. My conduct might be
blamable, but I leave it vvithout atterapting further to
excuse it ; my present purpose being to relate facts
and npt to make apologies for them.

100 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
It was about this time I conceived the bold and
arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I
wished to live without coraraitting any fault at any
time, and to conquer all that either natural inclination,
custom, or corapany raight lead rae into. As I knew,
or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did
not see why I raight not always do the one and avoid
the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task
of more difficulty than I had iraagined. While ray
attention was taken up and care eraployed in guarding
against one fault, I was often surprised b}' another ;
habit took the advantage of itiattention ; inclination
was soraetiraes too strong for reason. I concluded at
length that the raere speculative conviction that it was
our interest to be corapletely virtuous was not suffi
cient to prevent our slipping, and that the contrary
habits raust be broken and good ones acquired and es
tablished before we can have any dependence on a
steady, uniforra rectitude of cohduct. For this pur
pose I therefore tried the following raethod.
In the various enumerations of the moral virtues
I had raet vvith in ray reading, I found the catalogue
raore or less nuraerous, as different writers included
more or fewer ideas under the same narae. Temper
ance, for exaraple, was by sorae confined to eating and
drinking ; vvhile by others it was extended to raean
the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclina
tion, or passion, bodily or mentally, even to our
avarice and ambition. I proposed to myself, for the
sake of clearness, to use. rather more naraes, with
fewer ideas annexed to each, than a few naraes with
more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of
virtues all that at that time occurred to me as necessary

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 101
or desirable, and annexed to each a short precept
which fully expressed the extent I gave to its
meaning. The naraes of virtues, with their precepts, wer© :
1. Tempekanoe. — Eat not to dullness ; drink not to
elevation. 2. SiLENOE, — Speak not but what raay beneflt
others or yourself ; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Oedkk, — Let all your things have their places ;
let each part of your business have its tirae,
4, Resolution. — Resolve to perforra what you
ought ; perforra without fail vvhat you resolve.
5, Frugality. — Make no expense but to do good to
others or yourself ; that is, waste nothing.
6. Industey. — Lose no tirae ; be always eraployed
in soraething useful ; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7, Sincerity. — ^Uso no hurtful deceit; think inno
cently and justly ; and, if you speak, speak accord
ingly- 8, Justice, — Wrong none by doing injuries or
oraitting the benefits that are your duty.
9, Moderation. — Avoid extreraes ; forbear resenting
injuries, so rauch as you think they deserve,
10. Cleanliness. — Tolerate no uncleanliness in
body, clothes, or habitation.
11. Tranquillity. — Be not disturbed at trifles or at
accidents coraraon or unavoidable., -\ ftA.. i^.cHw,''\
12. Chastity. ^^:^^' '"^X^^X^^A^-^^- ^'CZt^^
13. HuMiLrrr.-!— IraJtate Jesus' aild Socrates. ^\^ij,^
My intention being to acquire the habitude of
these virtues, I judged it would be well not to distract
my attention by attempting the whole at once, but to

afl

lOa A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
fix it on one of them at a time ; and when I should be
master of that, then to proceed to another ; and so on
till I should have gone through tbe thirteen. And as
the previous acquisition of some might facilitate the
acquisition of certain others, I arranged thera witb the
view as they stand above. Temperance flrst, as it tends
to procure that coolness and cloarnoss of head whioh
is 80 necessary where constant vigilance was to be
kept up and a guard raaintained against the unremit
ting attraction of ancient habits and tho forco of
perpetual temptations. This being acquired and
established, silence would be moro easy ; and my dosire
being to gain knowledge at the same time that I im*
proved in virtue, and considering that in conversation
it was obtained rather by the use of the ear than of
the tongue, and therefore wishing to break a habit 1
was getting into of prattling, punning, and jesting,
which only made me acooptablo to trifling company,
I gave silence the second place. This and tho next,
order, I expected would allow rae raore tirae for at
tending to my project and my studies. Resolution,
once become habitual, would keep me firm in my
endeavors to obtain all the subsequent virtues ;
frugality and industry veMev'mg me ivom my reraaining
debt, and producing aflluence and indopondonco,
vvould raake moro easy tho practice of sincerity and
justice, etc, etc. Conceiving, then, that, agreeably to
the advice of Pythagoras in his "Golden Verses,"
daily examination would be necessary, I contrived
the following method for conducting that examina
tion. I raade a little book, in which I allotted a page for
each of the virtues, . I ruled each page with red ink.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

103

80 as to have seven colurans, one for each day of the
week, raarking each coluran with a letter for the day.
I crossed these colurans with thirteen red lines, mark-
FORM OF THE PAGES.
TEMPERANCE.
Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

San.

M.

T.

W.

Th.

F.

8.

Tem.

Sil.
*
*
*
*
Ord.
•
*
?
«
*
Res.
?
«
Fra.
?
*
Ind.
*
Sine.
Jas.
Mod.
Clea.
1
Tran.
Chas.
Hum.
ing the beginning of .each line with the first letter of
one of the virtues ; on which line, and in its proper
colomn, I might mark, by a littie black spot, every
104 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
fault I found upon examination to have been com*
mitted rospooting tbat virtue upon that day.^
I determined to give a week's strict attention to
eaoh of the virtues successively. Thus in tbe flrst
week my groat guard was to avoid every day the least
offense against temperance ; leaving other virtues to
their ordinary chance, only marking every evening
the faults of the day. Thus if in the flrst week I
oould keep my flrst line, marked Tem. clear of spots, I
supposed the habit of that virtue so much strengthened
and its opposite weakness that I raight venture
extending ray attention to include the next, and for
the following week keep both lines clear of spots.
Proceeding thus to the last, I could get through a
course complete in thirteen weeks and four courses in
a year. And like him who, having a garden to weed,
does not atterapt to eradicate all the bad herbs at onco,
which would exceed his reach and his strength, but
works on one of the beds at a tirae, and having accora
plished tbe flrst proceeds to tho socond, so I should
have, I hoped, tho encouraging pleasure of seeing on
ray pages the progress raade in virtue, by clearing
successively ray lines of their spots ; till in the end,
by a nuraber of courses, I should be happy in viewing
a clean book after a thirteen weeks' daily examination.
This my little book had for its motto those linos
from Addison's " Cato :"
" Here will I hold. If there's a power above ns
(A.nd that there is, all nature cries aloud
Through all her works), He must delight in virtue;
And that which He delights in must be happy."
• This little book is dated Sunday, lst July, 1788.— W, T. F.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 106
Another frora Cicero :
"0 vitse Philosophia duxl O virtntnm indagatrix expultrlx-
que vitiorum! Unus dies, bene et ex prseceptis tnis actus, peccanti
Immortalitati est anteponendus."
Another frora the Poverbs of Soloraon, speaking of
wisdom or virtue :
" Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand
riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all
her paths are peace."
And conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdora, I
thought it right and necessary to solicit his assistance
for obtaining it; to this end I forraed the following
little prayer, which was proflxed to ray tables of
exaraination for daily use :
"0 powerful GoodnessI bountiful Father! merciful Guide!
Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest.
Strengthen my resolution to perform what that wisdom dictates,
Accept my kind offices to Thy other children as the only return
In my power for Thy continual favors to me."
I used also soraetiraes a little prayer which I took
from Thomson's " Poeras," viz. :
" Father of light and life, thou Good Supremel
O teach me what is good; teach me Thyself!
Save me from folly, vanity,, and vice,
From every low pursuit; and feed my soul
With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure;
Sacred, substantial, never-fading blissl"
The precept of order requiring that every partof my
businesa should ha/ve its aUotted tiine, one page in ray
littlp book contained the appended scheme of employ
ment for the twenty-four hours of a natural day.

106

AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

I entered upon the execution of this plan for self-
exaraination and continued it with occasional inter-
raissions for sorae time. I vvas surprised to find myself
so muflh fuller of faults than I had iraagined; but I had
the satisfaction of seeing thera dirainish. To avoid the
trouble of renewing now and then ray little book,

SCHEME.

Hours.

Morning.
The Question. What
good shall I do this day?

Noon.

Atteenoon,

Evening.
The Question. What
good have I done to-day?

Night.

Rise, wash, and address Power
ful Ooodness! Contrive day's
business and take the resolution
of the day; prosecute thepresent
study and breakfast.
Work.

Read or look over my accounts
and dine.

Work.
Put things in their places.
Supper. Music or diversion or
conversation. Examination of
the day^

Sleep.

vvhich, by scraping out the raarks on the paper of old
faults to raake roora for nevv ones in a new course,
becarae full of holes, I transferred ray tables and
precepts to the ivory leaves of a raeraorandura book,
on which the lines vvere drawn vvith red ink, that raade
a durable stain ; and ou those lines I marked my

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 107
faults with a black-lead pencil, which raarks I could
easily wipe out with a wet sponge. After awhile I
went through one course only in a year, and afterward
only one in several years, till at length I omitted thera
entirely, being employed in voyages and business
abroad with a raultiplicity of affairs that interfered ;
but I always carried ray little book with rae.
My scherae of order gave rae the raost trouble, and
I found that though it raight be practicable where a
raan's business was such as to leave hira the disposition
of his tirae, that of a journeyman printer, for instance,
it was not possible to be exactly observed by a raaster
who raust raix with the world and often receive
people of business at their own hours. Order, too,
with regard to places for things, papers, etc., I found
extreraely difficult to acquire. I had not been early
accustoraed to meihod, and having an exceedingly good
meraory, I was not so sensible of the inconvenience
attending want of raethod. This article, therefore,
cost rae rauch painful attention, and ray faults in it
vexed rae so rauch, and I raade so little progress in
araendment and had sucb frequent relapses, that I vvas
alraost ready to give up the attempt and content ray
self with a faulty character in that respect. Like the
raan who, in buying an ax of a sraith, ray neighbor,
desired to have the whole of its surface as bright as
the edge. The sraith consented to grind it bright for
hira if he would turn the wheel ; he turned, while the
sraith pressed the broad face of the ax hard and
heavily on the stone, which raade the turning of it
very fatiguing. The raan carae every now and then
from tbe wheel to see bow the work went on ; and at
length would take bis ax as it was, without further

108 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
grinding. " No," said the smith, " turn on, tum on,
we shall have it bright by and by ; as yet it is only
speckled." " Tes," said the man, " but I think I like
a speckled ax best!" And I believe this may have been
the case with raany who, having for want of sorae
such means as I employed found the difficulty of
obtaining good and breaking bad habits in other
points of vice and virtue, have given up the struggle
and concluded that " a speckled ax is best." For
something, that pretended to be reason, was every
now and then suggesting to rae that such extrerae
nicety as I exacted of rayself might be a kind of
foppery in morals which, if it wer6 known, would
raake me ridiculous ; that a perfect character raight
be attended with the inconvenience of being envied
and hated ; and that a benevolent man should allow a
few faults in hiraself to keep his friends in counte
nance. In truth, I found rayself incorrigible with respect to
order; and now I ara grown old and my memory bad,
I feel very sensibly the want of it. But on the whole,
though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so
ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I
was, by the endeavor, a better and a happier raan
than I otherwise should have been if I had not
atterapted it ; as those who aim at perfect writing by
iraitating the engraved copies, though they never
reach the wished-for excellence of those copies, their
hand is raended by the endeavor and is tolerable while
it continues fair and legible.
It may be well my posterity should be inforraed
that to this little artifice, with the blessing of God,
their ancestor owed the constant felicity of his lifo

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 109
down to his seventy-ninth year, in vvhich this is writ
ten. What reverses raay attend the reraainder is iu
the hand of Providence ; but if they arrive, the refiec-
. tion on past happiness enjoyed ought to help his bear
ing thera with raore resignation. To temperance he
ascribes his long-continued health and vvhat is still
left to hira of a good constitution ; io industry : SiXiA.
frugality the early easiness of his circurastances and
acquisition of his fortune, with all that knowledge that
enabled hira to be a useful citizen and obtained for
hira sorae degree of reputation araong the learned ; to
sincerity SinA justice ihe confidence of his country and
the honorable eraploys it conferred upon hira; and to
the joint influence of tho whole raass of the virtues,
even in the iraperfect state he was able to acquire
thera, all that evenness of teraper and that cheerful
ness in conversation which raakes his corapany still
sought for and agreeable even to his young acquaint
ance, I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants
may follow the exaraple and reap the benefit.
It will be reraarked that though my scherae was not
wholly without religion, there was in it no raark of any
of the distinguishing tenets of any particular sect. I
had purposely avoided thera ; for being fully persuaded
of the utility and excellency of ray raethod, and that
it raight be serviceable to people in all religions, and
intending some time or other to publish it, I vvould
not have anything in it that should prejudice any one,
of any sect, against it. I proposed writing a little cora
raent on eaoh virtue, in which I would have shown the
advantages of possessing it and the raischiofs attending
its opposite vice. I should have called ray book " Th(9
Art of Virtue," because it would have shown the

1 10 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
raeans and raanner of obtaining virtue, which would
have distinguished it from tho mere exhortation to be
good that does not instruct and indicate the raeans;
but is like the apostle's raan of vrerbal charity, who,.
without showing to the naked and hungry how or
where they raight get clothes or victuals, only exhorted
thera to be fed and clothed (Jaraes, ii., 1 5, 16).
But it so happened that ray intention of writing and
publishing this coraraent was nevor fulfilled. I had,
indeed, frora tirae tO tirae put down short hints of the
sentiraents and reasonings to be raade use of in it, sorae
of which I have still by rae ; but the necessary close
attention to private business in the earlier part of life
and public business since have occasioned my post
poning it. For, it being connected in ray raind
with a great and extensive project that required the
whole man to execute and which an unforeseen suc
cession of eraploys prevented ray attending to, it has
hitherto reraained unfinished.
In this piece it was ray design to explain and enforce
this doctrine, that vicious actions a/re not hurtful be
cause they are forbidden, but forbidden because they are
hurtful, the nature of raan alone considered ; that it
vvas, therefore, every one's interest to be virtuous who
wished co be happy even in this world; and I should
frora this circurastance (there being always in the
world a nuraber of rich raerchants, nobility, states,
and princes who have need of honest instruraents for
the raanageraent of their affairs, and such being so
rare) have endeavored to convince young persons that
no qualities are so likely to make a poor man's fortune
as those ot probity and integrity.
My list of virtues contained at first but twelve ; but

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. HI
a Quaker friend having kindly informed rae that I
was generally thought proud, that ray pride showed
itself frequently in conversation, that I was not con
tent with being in the right vvhen discussing any
point, but was overbearing and rather insolent, of
which he convinced rae by raentioning several in
stances, I deterrained to endeavor to cure rayself, if I
could, of this vice or folly araong the rest ; and I
added humility to ray list, giving an extensive raean
ing to the word.
I cannot boast of ranch success in acquiring the
reality of this virtue, but I had a good deal vvith re
gard to the appearance of it. 1 raade it a rule to for
bear all direct' contradiction to the sentiraents of
others and ail positive assertion of ray ovvn. I even
forbid rayself, agreeably to the old laws of our Junto,
the use of every word or expression in the language
that iraported a fixed opinion ; such as certainly, un
doubtedly, etc., and I adopted instead of thera, I con
ceive, I comprehend, or I imagine, a thing to be so or
so; or it so appears to me at present. When another
asserted soraething that I thought an error, I denied
rayself the pleasure of contradicting hira abruptly and
of showing iramediately sorae absurdity in his propo-
sitioh ; and in answering I began by observing that in
certain cases or circurastances his opinion would be
right, but in the present case there appeared or seemed
to me sorae difference, etc. I soon found the advan
tage of this change in ray raanners ; the conversations
I engaged in went on raore pleasantly. The raodest
way in which I proposed my opinions procured them a
readier reception and less contradiction ; I had less
mortification when I was found to be in the wrong ;

113 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
and I raore easily prevailed with others to give up
tbeir mistakes and join with rae when I happened to
be in the right.
And this raode, which I at first put on with some
violence to natural inclination, becarae at length easy
and so habitual to rae that perhaps for the last fifty
years no one has ever heard a dograatical expression
escape rae. And to tbis habit (after my character of
integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early
so much weight with my fellow-citizens when I pro
posed new institutions or alterations in the old; and
so much influence in public councils when I became a
raember ; for I was but a bad speaker, never eloquent,
subject to much hesitation in my choice of words, hardly
correct in language, and yet I generally carried my
point. In reality there is, perhaps, no one of our natural
passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it,
struggle with it, stifle it, mortify it as much as one
pleases, it is still alive and will every now and then
peep out and show itself ; you will see it, perhaps,
often in this history. For even if I could conceive that
I had completely overcome it, I should probably be
prroud of my humiUty.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. I13

CHAPTER VII.
Having mentioned a great and extensive project
vvhich I had conceived, it seems proper that some ac
count should be here given of that project and its
object. Its flrst rise in ray raind appears in the fol
lowing little paper, accidentally preserved, viz.:
" Observations on my reading hiitory in the library,
May 9th, 1731.
"That the great affairs of the world, the wars and revolutions,
are carried on and effected by parties,
" That the view of these parties is their present general in
terest, or what they take to be such..
" That the different views of these diflerent parties occasion
all confusion.
" That while a party is carrying on a general design, each man
has his particular private interest in view.
"That. as soon as a party has gained its general point, each
member becomes intent upon his particular interest; which,
thwarting others, breaks that party into divisions and occasions
more confusion.
" That few in public affairs act from a mere view of the good
of their country, whatever they may pretond; and though their
actings bring real good to their country, yet men primarily con
sidered that their own and their country's interest were united,
and so did not act from a principle of benevolence.
"That ferwer still in pnblio affairs act with a view to the good
of mankind.
" There seems to me at present to be great occasion for raising
a united party fqr virtue, by forming the virtuous and good men
of all nations into a regular body, to be govemed by suitable

lli AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
good and wise rules, which good and wise men may probably be
more unanimous In their obedience to than common people are
to common laws.
"I at present think that whoever attempts this aright and
is well qualifled oannot fail of pleasing God and of meeting with
success," Revolving this project in my raind as to be under
taken hereaftor, when ray circumstances should afford
me' the necessary leisure, I put down from time to
tirae on pieces of paper suoh thoughts as occurred to
rae respecting it. Most of these are lost ; but I flnd
one purporting to be the substance of an intended
creed, containing, as I thought, the essentials of every
known religion, and being free of everything that
raight shock the professors of any religion. It is ex
pressed in these words, viz.:
" That there is one God, who made all things.
" That he governs the world by his providence,
" That he ought to be worshiped by adoration, prayer, and
thanksgiving. " But that the most acceptable service to God is doing good to
man. "That the soul Is immortal.
" And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice,
either here or hereafter."
My ideas at that tirae vvere that the soot should be
begun and spread at flrst araong young and single
raen only ; that each person to be initiated should
not only declare his assent to such creed, but should
have exercised hiraself with the thirteen weeks' ex
araination and practice of the virtues, as in the before-
raentioned raodel ; that the existence of such a society
should be kept a secret till it was becorae considerable.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 116
to prevent solicitations for the adraission of iraproper
persons ;. but that the raembers shpuld, each of thera,
search araong his acquaintance for ingenious, well-
disposed youths, to whora, vvith prudent caution, the
scherae should be gradually comraunicated. That the
merabers should engage to afford their advice, assist
ance, and support to each other in proraoting one
another's interest, business, and advanceraent in life.
That for distinction we should be called the Society
OF THE Free and Easy. Free, as being, by the general
practice and habits of the virtues, free frora the
dorainion of vice ; and particularly, by the practice of
industry and frugality, free from debt, which exposes
a man to constraint and a species of slavery to his
creditors. This is as much as I can now recollect of the proj
ect, except that I coraraunicated it in part to two
young men who adopted it vvith some enthusiasm;
but ray then narrow circurastances and the necessity
I vvas under of sticking close to ray business occasioned
my postponing the further prosecution of it at that
tirae, and ray raultifarious occupations, public and
private, induced rae to continue postponing, so that
it has been oraitted till I have ne longer strength or
activity left sufficient for such an enterprise. Though
I ara still of opinion it was a practicable scherae, and
might have been very useful by forraing a great
number of good citizens, and I was not discouraged
by the seeming magnitude of the undertaking, as I
have always thought that one man of tolerable abili
ties may work great changes and accomplish great
affairs among mankind if he first forras a good plan,
and cutting off all amusements or other employments

116 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
tbat would divert bis attention, makes the execution
of tbat same plan his sole study and business.
In 1732 I first published my almanac, under the
name of Richard Saunders; it was continued by
me about twenty-flve years and comnTNly oalled
" Poor Richard's Almanac." I endea voreli to make
it both entertaining and useful, and it accordingly
came to be in sucb deraand that I reaped considerable
proflt frora it, vending annually near ten thousand.
And observing that it was generally read, scarce any
neighborhood in. the province being without it, I
considered it as a proper vehicle for conveying in
struction araong the coraraon people, who bought
scarcely any other books, I therefore filled all the
little spaces that occurred betvveen the reraarkable
days in the calendar with proverbial sentences, chiefly
such as inculcated industry and frugality as the raeans
of procuring wealth, and thereby securing virtue; it
being raore difficult for a raan in want to act always
honestly, as, to use here one of those proverbs, it is
hard for an empty sack to stand upright.
These proverbs, which contained the wisdom of
many ages and nations, I asserabled and forraed into
a connected discourse prefixed to the alraanac of 1757
as the harangue of a wise old man to the people
attending an auction. The bringing all these scattered
counsels thus into a focus enabled them to make
greater impression. Tho piece, being universally
approved, was copied in all the newspapers of the
American continent, reprinted in Britain on a large
sheet of paper to be stuck up in houses; tvvo trans
lations were made of it in France, and great numbers
bought by the clergy and gentry to distribute gratis

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. II7
among their poor parishioners and tenants. In Penn
sylvania, as it discouraged useless expense in foreign
superfiuities, sorae thought it had its share of influence
in producing that growing plenty of money which
was observable for several years after its publica
tion. I considered my newspaper also as another means
of coraraunicating instruction, and in that view fre
quently reprinted in it extracts, frora the Spectator and
other raoral writers, and soraetiraes published little
pieces of ray own, whioh had been flrst coraposed for
reading in our Junto. Of these are a Socratic dia
logue tending to prove that whatever raight be his
parts and abilities, a vicious raan could .not properly
be called a raan of sense ; and a discourse on self-
denial, showing that virtue was not secure till its
practice becarae a habitude and was free frora the
opposition of contrary inclinations. These raay be
found in the papers about the beginning of 1735.
In the conduct of ray newspaper I carefully ex
cluded all libeling and personal abuse, whioh is of late
years become so disgraceful to our country. When
ever I was solicited to insert anything of that kind
and the writers pleaded, as they generally did, the
liberty of the press — and that a newspaper was like a
stage-ooaoh, in which any one who would pay had a
right to a place — my answer was that I would print the
piece separately if desired, and the author might
have as many copies as he pleased to distribute him
self, but that I would not take upon me to spread his
detraction, and that having contracted with my sub
scribers to furnish them with what might be either
useful or entertaining, I could not fill tbeir papers

118 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
V
with private altercation, in which they had no concern,
without doing them manifest injustice. Now many
of our printers make no scruple of gratifying the
malice Of individuals by false accusations of the fairest
characters among ourselves, augraenting aniraosity
even to the producing of duels ; and are, raoreover, so
indiscreet as to print scurrilous reflections on the
governraent of neighboring States, and even on the
conduct of our best national allies, which raay be at
tended with the raost pernicious consequences. These
things I raention as a caution to young printers, and
that they raay be encouraged not to pollute their
presses and disgrace their profession by such infaraous
practices, but refuse steadily ; as they raay see by my
exaraple that such a course of conduct will not on the
whole be injurious to their interests.
In 1783 I sent one of ray journeymen to Charleston,
South Carolina, where a printer was wanting. I
furnished him with a press and letters on an agree
ment of partnership, by which I was to receive one-
third of the profits of the business, paying one-third
of the expense. He was a man of learning, but
ignorant in matters of account ; and though he some
times made me reraittances, I could get no account
from him, nor any satisfactory state of our partner
ship while he lived. On his decease the business
was continued by his widow, who, being born and
bred in Holland, where, as I have been informed, the
knowledge of accounts makes a part of female educa
tion, she not only sent rae as clear a stateraent as she
could find of the transactions past, but continued to
account vvith the greatest regularity and exactness
every quarter afterward, and managed the business

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. ' 119
with such success that she not only reputably brought
up a family of children, but at the expiration of the
term vvas able to purchase of me the printing-house
and establish her son in it.
I mention this affair chiefiy for the sake of recora
raending that branch of education for our young
woraen as likely to be of raore use to thera and their
children, in case of widowhood, than either music or
dancing ; by preserving them frora losses by iraposl
tion of crafty raen and enabling thera to continue,
perhaps, a profitable mercantile house, with estab
lished correspondence, till a son is grown up fit to
undertake and go on with it, to the lasting advantage
and enriching of the family.
About the year 1734 there arrived araong us a young
Presbyterian preacher, naraed Heraphill, vvho de
livered with a good voice, and apparently exterapore,
most excellent discourses, which drew together con
siderable numbers of different persuasions, who joined
in adrairing thera. Among the rest I becarae one of
his constant hearers, his serraons pleasing rae, as they
had little of the dograatical kind, but inculcated
strongly the practice of virtue, or what in the re
ligious style are cvMed good wm-ks. Those, however,
of our congregation who considered theraselves as
orthodox Presbyterians disapproved his dootrine, and
vvere joined by raost of the old rainisters, who
arraigned him of heterodoxy before the synod, in
order to have hira silenced. I becarae his zealous
partisan, and contributed all I could to raise a party
in his favor and corabated for him awhile with some
hopes of success. There was much scribbling j^ro and
oon upon the occasion, and flnding that though an

120 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
elegant preacher he was but a poor writer, I wrote
for him two or three pamphlets and a piece in tbe
Gazette of April, 1736. Those paraphlets, as is
generally the case Witb controversial writings, though
eagerly read at the time, were soon out of vogue, and
I question whether a single copy of them now exists.
During the contest an unlucky occurrence hurt his
cause exceedingly. One of our adversaries having
heard him preach a sermon that was rauch adraired,
thought he had soraewhere read the serraon before, or
at least a part of it. On searching, he found that part
quoted at length in one of the British reviews from a
discourse of Dr. Foster's. This defection gave many
of our party disgust, who accordingly abandoned his
cause and occasioned our more speedy discomfiture in
the synod. I stuck by hira, however. I rather ap
proved his giving us good serraons composed by others
than bad ones of his ovvn manufacture, though the
latter was the practice of our comraon teachers, lie
afterward acknowledged to rae that none of those he
preached were his ovvn, adding that his meraory was
such as enabled hira to retain and repeat any serraon
after once reading only. On our defeat he left us in
search elsewhere of better fortune, and I quitted the
congregation, never attending it after, though I con
tinued raany years my subscription for the support of
its ministers.
I had begun in 1733 to study languages. I soon made
myself so rauch a master of the French as to be able
to read the books in that language vvith ease. I then
undertook the Italian. An acquaintance who was
also leaming it used often to tenipt rae to play chess
with him. Finding this took up too much of the tirae

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 121
I had to spare for study, I at length refused to play
any more, unless on this condition, that the victor in
every garae should have a right to impose a task, either
of parts of the grararaar, to be got by heart, or in
translations, whioh tasks the vanquished vvas to per
forra upon honor before our next raeeting. As we
played pretty equally, we thus beat one another into
that language. I afterward, with a little painstaking,
acquired as rauch of the Spanish as to read their books
also. I have already raentioned that I had only one year's
instruction in a Latin school, and that when very
young, after which I neglected that language entirely.
But when I had attained an acquaintance with tho
French, Italian, and Spanish, I vvas surprised to find,
on looking over a Latin Testaraent, that I understood
more of that language than I had imagined; which
encouraged rae to apply rayself again to the study of it,
and I raet with raore success, as those preceding lan
guages had greatly sraoothed my way.
From these circumstances I have thought there is
sorae inconsistency in our comraon raode of teaching
languages. We are told that it is proper to begin first
vvith the Latin, and having acquired that it vvill be
more easy to attain those raodern languages whioh are
derived frora it ; and yet we do not begin with the
Greek in order raore easily to acquire the Latin. Itis
true that if we can claraber and get to the top of a
staircase without using the steps, we shall raore easily
gain thera in descending ; but certainly if we begin
with the loweat we shall with raore ease ascend to the
top ; and I would therefore offer it to the considera
tion of tbose who superintend the education of our

123 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
youth whether, since many of those who begin with
the Latin quitthe sarae after spending sorae years with
out having raade any great proficiency, and what tbey
bave learned becoraes alraost useless, so that their
tirae bas been lost, it would not have been better to
have begun with the French, proceeding to the Italian
and Latin. For though after spending the sarae time
they should quit the study of languages and never
arrive at the Latin, they would, hovvever, bave acquired
another tongue or two that, being in raodern use,
raight be serviceable to thera in coramon life.
After ten years' absence from Boston, and having
become easy in my circurastances, I raade a journey
thither to visit ray relations, which I could not sooner
afford. In returning I called at Newport to see ray
brother Jaraes, then settled there with his printing-
house. Our forraer differences were forgotten and our
raeeting was very cordial and affectionate. He was
fast declining in health, and requested rae that in case
of his death, which he apprehended was not far distant,
I would take horae his son, then but ten years of age,
and bring him up to the printing business. Thifi I
aocordingly ^performed, sending him a fevv years to
sohool before I took hira into the offlce. His raother
carried on the business till he was grown up, vvhen I
assisted him vvith an assortment of new types, those of
his father being in a raanner worn out. Thus it was
that I raade ray brother araple amends fOr the service
I had deprived him of by leaving hirn so early.
In 1736 I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four
years old, by sraall-pox, taken in the conimon vvay. I
long regretted hira bitterly and still regret that I had
not given it to hira by inoculation. This I raention

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. \ 23
for the sake of parents who orait that operation on the
supposition that they should never forgive theraselves
if a child died under it, ray example showing that the
regret may be the sarae either way, and therefore that
the safer should be chosen.
Our club, the Junto, was found so useful and afforded
such satisfaction to the members that some were de
sirous of introducing their friends, which could not
well be done without exceeding what we had settled
as a convenient nuraber, viz., twelve. We had frora
the beginning raade it a rule to keep our institution a
secret, which was pretty well observed ; the intention
vvastoavoid applications of iraproper persons for adrait
tance, sorae of whora, perhaps, we might find it diffi
cult to refuse, T was one of those vvho were against
any addition to our number, but instead of it raade in
writing a proposal that every raember separately
should endeavor to form a subordinate club, with the
same rules respecting queries, etc., and vvithout inforra
ing thera of the connection with the Junto. The
advantages proposed were the improvement of so raany
more young citizens by the use of our institutions ;
our better acquaintance with the general sentiraents of
the inhabitants on any occasion, as the Junto raeinber
might propo.se vvhat queries vve should desire and was
to report to the Junto vvhat passed at his separate
club ; the promotion of our particular interests in busi
ness by more extensive recoramendation, and the
increase of our infiuence in public affairs, and our
povver of doing good by spreading through the several
clubs the sentiraents of the Junto.
The project was approved, and every inember under
took to form bis club ; but they did npt all succeed.

12i AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
Five or six only were completed, which were oalled
by different names, as tho Vir\a, the Union, tbe Band.
They were useful to theraselves and afforded us a good
deal of arauseraent, information, and instruction ;
besides answering, in some considerable degree, our
views of influencing the public on particular occasions,
of vvhich I shall give instances in course of tirae as
they happened.
My first proraotion was my being chosen, in 1736,
clerk of the General Asserably. The choice was
raade that year without opposition ; but the year
following, when I vvas again proposed (the choice, like
that of the raerabers, being annual), a nevv raeraber
made a long speech against me in order to favor some
other candidate. I was, however, chosen, whioh was
the raore agreeable to me, as, besides the pay for the
jmmediate service of clerk, the place gave rae an
opportunity of keeping up an interest araong the
merabers, whioh secured to rae the business of printing
the votes, laws, paper raoney, and other occasional
jobs for the publio that, on the whole, vvere very
profitable. I therefore did not like the opposition of this new
raeraber, who was a gentleraan of fortune and educa
tion, with talents that were likely to give hira in time
great influence in the House, which indeed afterward
happened. I did not, hovvever, aira at gaining his
favor by paying any servile respect to hira, but after
sorae time took this other raethod. Having heard
that he had in his library a certain very scarce and
curious book, I wrote a noto to him expressing my
desire of perusing that book and requesting that he
would do rae the favor of lending it to rae for a few

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 125
days. He sent it imraediately ; and I returned it in
about a week vvith another note expressing strongly
the sense of the favor. When we next raet in the
House he spoke to rae, which he had never done
before, and with great civility ; and he ever after
manifested a readiness to serve rae on all occasions,
so that we becarae great friends, and our friendship
continued to his death. This is another instance of
the truth of an old raaxira I had learned, which says :
'' He that has once done you a kindness will he more
ready to do you another than he whom you yourself have
obliged.^'' And it shows how much more profitable it
is prudently to remove than to resent, return, and
continue iniraical proceedings.
In 1737 Colonel Spotswood, late Governor of
Virginia and then Postraaster-General, being dis
satisfied with the conduct of his deputy at Philadelphia
respecting some negligence in rendering and want of
exactness in fraraing his accounts, took frora hini the
co^nraission and offered it to rae, I accepted it readily
and found it of great advantage ; for though the salary
was sraall, it facilitated the correspondence that ira
proved ray newspaper, increased the nuraber de
raanded, as well as the advertiseraents to be inserted,
so that it carae to afford rae a considerable incorae.
My old corapetitor's newspaper declined proportion
ably, and I was satisfied without retaliating his refusal,
vvhile postraaster, to permit my papers being carried
by the riders. Thus ho suffered greatly from his
neglect in due accounting ; and I mention it asa lesson
to tbose young men who may be employed in manag
ing affairs for, others, that they should always render
accounts and make remittances with great cleamess

126 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
and punctuality. The character of observing such a
conduct is the raost powerful of all recoraraendations
to new eraployments and increase of business.
I began now to turn ray thoughts to publio affairs,
beginning, however, with sraall raatters. The city
watch vvas one of the first things that I conceived to
want regulation. It was managed by the constables
of the respective wards in turn ; the constable sum
moned a nuraber of housekeepers to attend hira for the
night. Those who chose never to attend paid hira six
shillings a year to be excused, vvhich was supposed to
go to hiring substitutes, but vvas in reality rauch raore
than was necessary for that purpose, and raade the
constableship a place of profit ; &nd tho constable,
for a little drink, often got such ragamuffins about
him as a watch that respectable housekeepers did not
choose to raix vvith. Walking the rounds, too, was
often neglected, and raost of the nights spent in
tippling. I thereupon wrote a paper, to be read in
the Junto, representing these irregularities, but insist
ing raore particularly on the inequality of the six-
shilling tax of the constable, respecting the circura
stances of those who paid it ; since a poor widow
housekeeper, all whose property to be guarded by the
watch did not perhaps exceed the value of fifty
pounds, paid as rauch as the wealthiest merchant, who
had thousands of pounds' worth of goods in his stores.
On the whole, I proposed, as a more effectual watch,
the hiring of proper raen to serve constantly in the
business, and as a raore equitable vvay of supporting
the charge, the levying a tax that should be propor
tioned to the property. This idea being approved by
the Junto was coraraunicated to the other clubs, butaa

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 127
originating in each of thera ; and though the plan was
not immediately carried into execution, yet by pre
paring the minds of people for the change it paved the
vvay for the law obtained a fevv years after, when the
raembers of our club vvere grown into raore infiuence.
About this tirae I wrote a paper (first to be read in
the Junto, but it vvas afterward published) on the dif
ferent accidents and carelessnesses by which houses
were set on fire, with cautions against thera and means
proposed of avoiding thera. This was spoken of as a
useful piece, and gave rise to a project, which soon
followed it, of forraing a company for the more ready
extinguishing of fires and rautual assistance in reraov
ing and securing of goods when in danger. Associates
in this scherae were presently found amounting to
thirty. Our articles of agreement obliged every
raeraber to keep always in good order and fit for use a
certain nuraber of leathern buckets, with strong bags
and baskets (for packing and transporting of goods),
which were to be brought to every fire, and vye agreed,
about once a raonth, to spend a social evening to
gether, in discoursing and coraraunicating such ideas
as occurred to us upon the subject of fires as raight be
useful in our conduct on such occasions.
The utility of this institution soon appeared, and
many raore desiring to be admitted than we thought
convenient for one company they were advised to
form another, which was accordingly done, and thus
went on one new company after another tiU tbey be
carae so nuraerous as to include raost of tbe inhabitants
who were raen of property, and now at the tirae of
my writing this, though upward of fifty years since its
establishment, tbat wbicb I first formed, called the

128 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
Union Fire Company, still subsists, though tbe flrst
members are all deceased but one, who is older by a
year tban I am. The fines tbat have been paid by
merabers for absence at the monthly meetings have
been applied to the purchase of fire-engines, ladders,
fire-hooks, and other useful irapleraents for each cora
pany ; so that I question whether there is a city in the
world better provided with the means of putting a
stop to beginning conflagrations, and, in fact, since
these institutions the city has never lost by flre more
than one or tvvo houses at a tirae, and the flaraes have
often been extinguished before the house in which
they began has been half consuraed.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 129

OHAPTER VIII.
In 1739, arrived araong us frora Ireland the Rever
end Mr, Whitefield, who had raade hiraself reraarkable
there as an itinerant preacher. He was at flrst per
raitted to preach in sorae of our churches ; but the
clergy taking a dislike to hira, soon refused hira their
pulpits, and he was obliged to preach in the fields.
The multitudes of all sects and denominations that at
tended his serraons were enorraous, and it vvas a
matter of speculation to me, vvho was one of the num
ber, to observe the extraordinary influence of his
oratory on his hearers, and how much they admired
and respected him, notwithstanding his comraon
abuse of thera, by assuring thera they were naturally
half heasts and half devils. It was wonderful to see
the change soon raade in the raanners of our inhabit
ants, Frora being thoughtless or indifferent about
religion, it seeraed as if all the world were growing
religious, so that one could not walk through the town
in an evening without hearing psalras sung in different
farailies of every street.
And it being found inconvenient to assemble in the
open air, subject to its inclemencies, the building of a
house to meet in was no sooner proposed, and persons
appointed to receive contributions, tban sufficient sums
were soon received to procure the ground and erect
tbe building, which was one hundred feet long and

130 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
seventy broad; and the work was carried on with
sucb spirit as to be finished in a much shorter time
than could have been expected. Both house and
ground were vested in trustees, expressly for the use
of any preacher of any religious persuasion who might
desire to say soraething to the people at Philadelphia,
the design in building being not to accoraraodate any
particular sect, but the inhabitants in general ; so that
even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a
raissionary to preach Mohararaedanisra to us, he would
find a pulpit at his service.
Mr. Whitefield, on leaving us, went preaching all
the vvay through the colonies to Georgia. The settle
ment of that province had been lately begun, but in
stead of being made with hardy, industrious husband
men accustomed to labor, the only people fit for such
an enterprise, it was with families of broken shoj)-
keepers and other insolvent debtors ; raany of indolent
and idle habits, taken out of the jails, who, being set
down in the woods, unqualified for clearing land and
unable to endure the hardships of a new settleraent,
perished in nurabers, leaving raany helpless children
unprovided for. The sight of their raiserable situation
inspired the benevolent heart of Mr. Whitefield with
the idea of building an orphan house there, in vvhich
they raight be supported and educated. Returning
northward, he preaohed up this charity and raade
large collections ; for his eloquence had a wonderful
power over the hearts and purses of his hearers, of
which I rayself vvas an instance.
I did not disapprove of the design, but as Georgia
was then destitute of raaterials and workraen and it
was proposed to send them from Philadelphia at a

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 131
great expense, I thought it would have been better to
have built the house at Philadelphia and brought the
children to it. This 1 advised ; but he was resolute in
his first project, rejected my counsel, and I therefore
refused to contribute. I happened soon after to attend
one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived
he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently
resolved that he should get nothing frora me. I had
in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four
silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded
I began to soften and concluded to give the copper.
Another stroke of his oratory raade rae asharaed of
that and deterrained rae to give the silver ; and he
finished so adrairably that I emptied ray pocket
wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all. At this
serraon there was also one of our club who, being of
ray sentiraents respecting the building in Georgia and
suspecting a collection raight be intended, had by pre
caution eraptied his pockets before he carae frora horae.
Toward the conclusion of the discourse, hovvever, he felt
a strong inclination to give, and applied to a neighbor
who stood near hira to lend hira some money for the
purpose. The request was fortunately raade to per
haps the only raan in the corapany vvho had the firra
ness not to be affected by the preacher. His answer
was, " At any other tirae, friend Hopkinson, I would
lend to thee freely, but not now, for thee seeras to be
out of thy right senses."
Sorae of Mr. Whitefield's eneraies affected to sup
pose that he would apply these collections to his own
private eraolument; but I, who was intimately ac
quainted with hira, being eraployed in printing his
sermons and journals, never had the least suspicion of

182 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
his integrity, but ara to this day decidedly of opinion
that he was in all bis conduct a perfectly honest man;
and raethinks my testimony in his favor ought to bave
the more weight, as we had no religious connection.
He used, indeed, sometimes to pray for my conver
sion, but he never had the satisfaction of believing
that his prayers were heard. Ours was a mere civil
friendship, sincere on both sides, and lasted to his
death. The following instance will show the terras on
which we stood. Upon one of his arrivals frora Eng
land at Boston he wrote to rae that be should corae
soon to Philadelphia, but knew not where he could
lodge when there, as he understood his old friend and
host, Mr. Benezet, was removed to Gerraantown. My
answer was : " You know ray house ; if you can raake
shift with its scanty accoraraodations, you vvill be raost
heartily welcorae." He replied that if I raade that
kind offer for Christ's sake I should not miss of a re
ward. And I returned : " Don't let me be mistaken ;
it was not for Christ s sake, but for your sake." One
of our coraraon acquaintance jocosely remarked that
knowing it to be the custora of the saints when they
received any favor to shift the burden of the obligation
frora off their own shoulders and place it in heaven, I
had contrived to flx it on earth.
The last tirao I saw Mr. Whitefield was in London,
when he consulted mo about his orphan house concern
and hia purpose of appropriating it to the establish
ment of a college.
He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his
words so perfectly that he might be heard and under
stood at a great distance, especially as his auditors

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 133
observed the most perfect silence. He preached one
evening frora the top of the court-house steps, which
are in the raiddle of Market Street and on the w-est
side of Second Street, vvhich crosses it at right angles.
Both streets were filled with his hearers to a consider
able distance. Being araong the hindraost in Market
Street, I had the curiosity to learn how far he could
be heard by retiring backward down the street toward
the river ; and I found his voice distinct till I carae
near Front Street, when sorae noise in that street
obscured it. Imagining then a semicircle, of which
my distance should be the radius, and that it was
filled with auditors, to each of whora I allowed two
square feet, I coraputed that he raight well be heard
by raore than thirty thousand. This reconciled rae to
the newspaper accounts of his having preached to
twenty-five thousand people in the fields, and to the
history of generals haranguing whole arraies, of which
I had soraetiraes doubted.*
By hearing hira often I carae to distinguish easily
between serraons newly composed and those which he
* In the early part of his life Mr. Whitefield was preaching in
an open fleld, when a drummer happened to be present who was
determined to interrupt his pious business, and rudely beat his
drum in a violent manner in order to drown the preacher's voice.
Mr. Whitefield spoke very loud, but was not as powerful as the
instrument. He therefore called , out to the drummer in these
words: "Friend, you and I serve the two greatest masters
existing, but in different callings; you beat up for volunteers for
King George, I for the Lord Jesus. In God's name, then, let us
not interrupt each other; the world is wide enough for both, and
we may get recruits in abundance." This- speech had snch an
effect on the drummer that he went away in great good humor,
and left the preacher in full possession of the field,.

184 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
bad often preached in the course of his travels. His
delivery of the latter vvas so iraproved by frequent
repetition that every accent, every eraphasis, every
raodulation of voice, was so perfectly well turned and
vvell placed that without being interested in the
subject one could not help being pleased with the
discourse; a pleasure of rauch the sarae kind with that
received frora an excellent piece of music. This is an
advantage itinerant preachers have over those who are
stationary, as the latter cannot vvell iraprove their
delivery of a serraon by so raany rehearsals.
His writing and printing frora time to time gave
groat advantage to his eneraies ; unguarded expressions,
and even erroneous opinions, delivered in preaching
raight have been afterward explained or qualified "by
supposing others that raight have accorapanied thera ;
or they raight have been denied ; but litera scripta
manet. Critics attacked his writings violently, and
with so ranch appearance of reason as to dirainish
the nuraber of his votaries and prevent their increase.
So that I ara satisfied that if he had never written
anything he vvould have left behind hira a rauch
raore nuraerous and iraportant sect; and his reputa
tion raight in that case have been still growing
even after his death, as there being nothing of his
writing on which to found a censure and give hira a
lower character, his proselytes would be leftat liberty
to attribute to hira as great a variety of excellences as
their enthusiastic adrairation raight wish hira to have

My business was now constantly augraenting and
ray circurastance growing daily easier, ray newspaper
having becorae very profitable, as being for a tirae

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 136
alraost the only one in this and the neighboring
provinces. I experienced, too, the truth of the obser
vation that *^ after getting the frst hundred pounds itis
more easy to get the second;" money itself being of a
prolific nature.
The partnership at Carolina having succeeded, I was
encouraged to engage in others and to proraote several
of ray workmen, who had behaved vvell, by establish
ing thera in printing-houses in different colonies, on
the same terras with that in Carolina. Most of thera
did well, being enabled at the end of our terra, six
years, to purchase the types of me and go on working
for themselves, by which raeans several farailies were
raised. Partnerships often finish in quarrels ; but I
was happy in this, that raine were all carried on and
ended araicably, owing, I think, a good deal to the
precaution of having very explicitly settled in our
articles everything to be done by or expected from
each partner, so that there was nothing to dispute,
which precaution I would therefore recomraend to all
who enter into partnerships ; for whatever esteem
partners may have for and confidence in eaoh other at
the time of the contract, Little jealousies and disgusts
may arise, with ideas of inequality in the care and
burden, business, etc., which are attended often vvith
breach of friendship and of the connection, perhaps
vvith lawsuits and other disagreeable consequences,
I had, on the whole, abundant reason to be satisfied
with my being established in Pennsylvania. There
were, however, sorae things that I regretted, there
being no provision for defense nor for a coraplete
education of youth; no railitia nor any college. I
therefore, in 1743, drew up a proposal for establishing

186 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
an academy ; and at that tirae, thinking the Bev.
Richard Peters, who was out of eraploy, a flt person
to superintend such an institution, I coraraunicated
the project to hira ; but he, having raore profitable
views in the service of the proprietors, vvhich suc
ceeded, declined the undertaking, and not knowing
another at that time suitable for suoh a trust, I let the
scheme lie awhile dormant. I succeeded better the
next year, 1744, in proposing and establishing a philo
sophical society. The paper I wrote for that purpose
will be found araong ray writings, if not lost with
raany others.
With respect to defense, Spain having been several
years at war against Great Britain and being at
length joined by France, vvhich brought us into great
danger, and the labored and long-continued endeavor
of our governor, Thoraas, to prevail vvith our Quaker
Asserably to pass a railitia law and make other pro
visions for the security of the province having proved
abortive, I proposed to try what might be done by a
voluntary subscription of the people. To promote
this I first wrote and published a paraphlet, en
titled " Plain Truth," in vvhich I stated our helpless
situation in strong lights, with the necessity of union
and discipline for our defense, and proraised to pro
pose in a few days an association, to be generally
signed for that purpose. The pamphlet had a sudden
and surprising effect. I was called upon for the in
strument of association. Having settled the draft of
it with a few friends, I appointed a raeeting of the
citizens in the large building before raentioned. The
house was pretty full. I had prepared a nuraber of
printed copies and provided pens and ink dispersed all

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 137
over the room ; I harangued thera a little on tbe sub
ject, read the paper, explained it, and then distributed
the copies, which were eagerly signed, not the least
objection being raade.
When the corapany separated and the papers were
collected, we found about twelve hundred signatures ;
and other copies being dispered in the country, the
subscribers araounted at length to upward of ten
thousand. These all furnished theraselves as soon as
they could with arras, forraed theraselves into cora
panies and regiraents, chose their own officers, and
raet every week to be instructed in the raanual exercise
and other parts of railitary discipline. The woraen,
by subscriptions araong theraselves, provided silk
colors, vvhich they presented to the corapanies, painted
with different devices and raottoes, which I supplied.*
* The following are the devices and mottoes, as published at
the time:
1. A lion erect, a naked ciraeter in one paw, the other holding
the Pennsylvania scutcheon. Motto: Patria.
2. Three arms, wearing different linen, rulBed, plain, and
checked, the hands joined by grasping eaoh other's wrist, denot
ing the union of all ranks. Motto: Unita Virtus Valet.
8. An eagle, the emblem of victory, descending from the skies.
Motto; A Deo Victoria.
4. The flgure of Liberty sitting on a cube, bolding'a spear wUh
the cap of Freedom on Its point. Motto: Inestimabilia,
5. An armed man with a naked falchion in his band. Motto:
Deus adjuvat Fortes.
6. An elephant, being the emblem of a warrior always on his
guard, as tbat creature Is said, never to lie down and bath hIs'
arms ever In readiness. Motto: Semper Paratus.
7, A city walled round. Motto; Salus Patria Summa Lex.
8. A soldier with his piece reoov^r^, r^ady to present. Motto:
Biopaoem qtuerimui.

138 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
The officers of the corapanies coraposing the Phil
adelphia regiraent being met, chose me for their colonel,
but conceiving myself unfit I declined that station and
recoraraended Mr. Lawrence, a fine person and a raan
of influence, vvho was accordingly appointed, I then
proposed a lottery to defray the expense of building a
battery below the town and furnished with cannon.
It filled expeditiously and the battery vvas soon erected,
the raerlons being fraraed of logs and filled with earth.
We bought some old cannon from Boston; but these
not being sufficient, we wrote to London for raore,
soliciting at the same time our proprietaries for some
assistance, though vvithout rauch expectation of ob
taining it.
9. A coronet and pluoie of feathers. Motto: In Qod we trust.
10. A man with a sword drawn. Motto: Pro Avis et Focis.
11. Three of the associators, marching with their muskets
shouldered and dressed in different clothes, intimating the
unanimity of the different sorts of people in the association.
Motto: Vis Unita Fortior.
12. A musket and sword crossing each other. Motto: Pro
Rege et Orege.
13. Representation of a glory, in the middle of whioh is wrote,
Jehovah Nissi; in English, The Lord our Banner.
14. A castle, at the gate of which a soldier stands sentinel.
Motto: Cavendo Tutus.
15. David, as he advanced against Goliath and slung the stone.
Motto: In Nomine Domini.
16. A lion rampant, one paw holding up a cimeter, another a
sheaf of wheat. Motto: Domine Protege Alimentum.
17. A sleeping lion. Motto: Rouse me if you dare.
18. Hope, represented by a woman, atanding clothed in blue,
holding one hand on an anchor. Motto: Spero per Deum Vincere.
19. Duke of Cumberland aa a general. Motto: Pro Deo et
Oeorgio Rege.
30. A 8^or on horseback. Motto: Piv Libertate Patrice.

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 139
Meanwhile Colonel Lawrence, Mr, Allan, Abraham
Taylor, and myself were sent to New York by the
associators, commissioned to borrow some cannon of
Governor Clinton. He at first refused us peremptorily;
but at a dinner with his Council, where there vvas
great drinking of Madeira wine, as the custora of that
place, then vvas, he softened by degrees and said he
would lend us six.- After a few raore bumpers he ad
vanced to ten, and at length he very good-naturedly
conceded eighteen. They were fine cannon, eighteen-
pounders, vvith their carriages, which vvere soon trans
ported and mounted on our batteries, vvhere the asso
ciators kept a nightly guard vvhile the vvar lasted, and
araong the rest I regularly took ray turn of duty there
as a coramon soldier.
My activity in these operations vvas agreeable to the
governor and Council; they took rae into confidence
and I was consulted by them in every raeasure vvhere
their concurrence vvas thought useful to the associa
tion. Calling in the aid of religion, I proposed to
thera the proclaiming a fast, to promote reformation
and implore the blessing of Heaven on our undertak
ing. They embraced the raotion ; but as it was the
first fast ever thought of in the province, the secretary
had no precedent frora which to draw the proclaraa
tion. My education in New England, where a fast is
proclairaed every year, vvas here of some advantage. I
drew it in the accustomed style; it was translated into
Gerraan, printed in both languages, and circulated
through the province. This gave the clergy of the
different sects an opportunity of infiuencing their con
gregations to join the association, and it would prob
ably have been general araong all but tbe Quakers if
tbe peaoe bad not soon intervened.

140 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
It was thought by sorae of ray friends that by my
activity in these affairs I should offend that sect, and
thereby lose ray interest in the Asserably of tbe
province, where they forraed a great raajority. A
young raan, vvho had likewise some frienda in the
Asserably and wished to succeed rae as their clerk, ac
quainted me that it was decided to displace me at the
next election ; and he, through good will, advised me
to resign as raore consistent with ray honor than being
turned out. My ansvver to hira was that I had read or
heard of sorae public raan who made it a rule never
to ask for an office and never to refuse one when
offered to hira, "I approve," said I, "of this rule,
and shall practice it vvith a sraall addition : I shall
never ask, never refuse, nor ever resign an offlce.
If they will have ray offlce of clerk to dispose of
it to another, they shall take it frora rae. I will
not, by giving it up, lose ray right of some tirae or
other making reprisal on ray adversaries." I heard,
hovvever, no raore of this; I was chosen again unani
mously as clerk at the next election. Possibly, as they
disliked ray late intiraacy with the raerabers of the
Council vvho had joined the governors in all the disputes
about railitary preparations with which the House had
long been harassed, they raight have been pleased if I
would voluntarily have left thera ; but they did not
care to displace rae on account raerely of ray zeal
for the association, and they could not well give
another reason.
Indeed, I had sorae cause to believe that the defense
of the country was not disagreeable to any of thera,
provided they vvere not required to assist in it. And
I found that a rauch greater nuraber of them than I

. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. U\
could have iraagined, though against offensive vvar,
vvere clearly for the defensive. Many pamphlets pro
and con were published on the subject, and some by
good Quakers, in favor of defense; vvhich, I believe,
convinced raost of their young people,
A transaction in our fire corapany gave rae sorae
insight into their prevailing sentiments. It had been
proposed that we should encourage the scherae for
building a battery by laying out the present stock,
then about sixty pounds, in tickets of the lottery. By
our rules no money could be disposed of till the next
meeting after the proposal. The company consisted
of thirty merabers, of whora twenty-two vvere Quakers
and eight only of other persuasions. We eight punc
tually attended the raeetings, but though we thought
sorae of the Quakers vvould join us, vve were by no
raeans sure of a raajority. Only one Quaker, Mr, James
Morris, appeared to oppose the raeasure. He expressed
much sorrow that it had ever been proposed, as he said
Friends were all against it, and it would create such
discord as raight break up the corapany. We told him
that we savv no reason for that ; we were the minority,
and if Friends vvere against the raeasure and outvoted
us, we raust and should, agreeably to the usage of all
societies, subrait. When the hour for business arrived
it was raoved to put this to the vote ; he allowed vve
might. do it by the rule, but as he could assure us that
a nuraber of raerabers intended to be present for the
purpose of opposing it, it would be but candid to allow
a little time for their appearing.
While we were disputing this a waiter carae to tell
me tbat two gentleraen below desired to speak vvith
me. I went down and found there tvvo of our Quaker

142 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
raerabers. They told rae tbere were eight of tbem
asserabled at a tavern just by ; tbat they were deter
rained to corae and vote with us if tbere should be
occasion, which they hoped vvould not be the case, and
desired vve vvould not call for their assistance if we
could do without it, as their voting for such a raeasure
raight erabroil thera with their elders and friends.
Being thus secure of a raajority, I went up, and after
a little seeraing hesitation agreed to a delay of another
hour. This Mr. Morris allovved to be extreraely fair.
Not one of his opposing friends appeared, at which he
expressed great surprise, and at the expiration of the
hour vve carried the resolution eight to one ; and as of
the twenty-two Quakers eight were ready to vote with
us and thirteen by their absence raanifested that they
were not inclined to oppose the raeasure, I afterward
estiraated the proportion of Quakers sincerely against
defense as one to twenty-one only. For these were
all regular raerabers of the society and in good
reputation araong thera, and vvho had notice of vvhat
was proposed at that raeeting.
The honorable and learned Mr, Logan, who had
always been of that sect, wrote an address to them,
declaring his approbation of defensive war, and
supported his opinion by many strong arguraents. He
put into ray hands sixty pounds to be laid out in
lottery Irickets for the battery, vvith directions tb apply
what prizes raight be drawn vvholly to that service.
He told rae the following anecdote of his old raaster,
Williara Penn, respecting defense, ' He carae over
from England when a young man with that proprie
tary, and as his secretary. It was war time, and their
ship was chased by an armed vessel, supposed to be an

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 143
eneray. Their captain prepared for defense, but told
Williara Penn and his eorapany of Quakers that he
did not expect their assistance, and they raight retire
into the cabin, vvhich they did, except Jaraes Logan,
who chose to stay upon deck and was quartered to a
gun. The supposed enemy proved a friend, so there
was no fighting; but vvhen the secretary went down
to coraraunicate the intelligence, Williara Penn rebuked
him severely for staying upon deck and undertaking
to assist in defending the vessel, contrary to the
principles of Friends, especially as it had not been
required by the captain. This reprimand, being before
all the company, piqued the secretary, who answered :
"I being thy servant, vvhy did thee not order me to
corae down ? But thee vvas willing enough that I
should stay and help to fight the ship when thee
thought there was danger."
My being raany years in the Asserably, a raajority
of which was constantly Quakers, gave rae frequent
opportunities of seeing the erabarrassraent given them
by their principle against war whenever application
was raade to thera, by order of the crovvh, to grant
aids for railitary purposes. They were unwilling to
offend governraent, on the one hand, by a direct
refusal, and their friends, the body of the Quakers, on
the other, by a corapliance contrary to their principles,
using a variety of evasions to avoid complying and
raodes of disguising the corapliance when it became
unavoidable. The common raode at last was to grant
raoney under the phrase of its being "/"or the king's
TW(?," and never to inquire how it was applied.
But if the deraand vvas not directly frora the crown,
tbat phrase was found not so proper, and some other

144 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
was to be invented. Thus vvhen powder was wanted
(I think it vvas for the garrison at Louisburg) and tho
governraent at New England solicited a grant of some
from Pennsylvania, which was much urged on tlie
House by Governor Thomas, they vvould not grant
raoney to hny powder, because that vvas an ingredient
of war, but they voted an aid to New England of
three thousand pounds, to be put into the hand of the
governor, and appropriated it for the purchase of
bread, flour, wheat, or other grain. Some of the Coun
cil, desirous of giving the House still further erabar
rassraent, advised the governor not to accept that
provision, as not being the thing he had demanded,
but he replied, '* I shall take the money, for I under
stand very well their meaning ; other grain is gun
powder;" which he accordingly bought, and they
never objected to it.
It was in allusion to this fact that, when in our flre
company we feared the success of our proposal in
favor of the lottery, and I had said to a friend of raine,
one of our raerabers, " If we fail let us raove the pur
chase of a fire engine with the raono}', the Quakers
can have no objection to that ; and then, if you nomi
nate me and I you as a coraraittee for that purpose,
vve vvill buy a great gun, which is certainly a fire
engine." " I see," said he, " you have iraproved by
being so long in the Assembly ; your equivocal project
vvould be just a raatch for their wheat or other grain."
Those erabarrassraents that the Quakers suffered,
frora having established and published it as one of
their principles that no kind of war vvas lawful, and
which, being once published, they could not afterward,
hovvever they raight change their rainds, easily get rid

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 145
of, reminds me of vvhat I think a more prudent con
duct in another sect among us, that of the Dunkers.
I was acquainted with one of its founders, Michael
Weffare, soon after it appeared. He coraplained to me
that they were grievously caluraniated by the zealots
of other persuasions, and charged with abominable
principles and practices to which they were utter
strangers. I told him this had always been the case
with new sects, and that to put a stop to such abuse I
imagined it raight be vvell to publish the articles of
their belief and the rules of their discipline. He said
that it had been proposed among them, but not agreed
to for this reason : "When we were first drawn to
gether as a society," said he, " it had pleased God to
enlighten our minds so far as to see that some doc
trines which were esteemed truths were errors, and
that others which we had esteeraed errors were real
truths. Frora tirae to tirae he has been pleased to
afford us further light, ancl our principles have been
improving and our errors diminishing. Now we are
not sure that we are arrived at the end of this pro
gression and at the perfection of spiritual or theolog
ical knowledge, and we fear that if we should once
print our confession of faith, vve should feel ourselves
as if bound and confined by it, and perhaps be unwill
ing to receive further improveraent, and our successors
still raore so, as conceiving what their elders and
founders had done tobe soraething sacred — never to
be departed frora."
This modesty in a sect is perhaps a single instance
in the history of mankind, every other sect supposing
itself in possession of all truth, and that those who
differ are so far in the wrong; like a man trav-

140 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
eling in foggy weather, those at sorae distance before
hira on the road he sees wrapped up in the fog as well
as those behind hira, and also the people in the fields
on each side, but near hira all appears clear, though, in
truth, he is as rauch in the fog as any of thera. To
avoid this kind of erabarrassraent, the Quakers have
of late years been gradually declining the public
service in the Asserably and in the raagistracy,
choosing rather to quit their power than their
principle. In order of tirae I should have raentioned before
that having, in 1742, invented an open stove for the
better warming of rooras, and at the sarae tirae saving
fuel, as the fresh air vvas warraed in entering, I raade
a present of the model to Mr, Robert Grace, one of
ray early friends, who having au iron furnace found
the casting of the plates for these stoves a profitable
thing, as they were growing in demand. To proraote
that deraand I wrote and published a paraphlet
entitled "An Account of the new-invented Pennsyl
vanian Fire-places, wherein their Construotion and
Manner of Operation are partieularly explained, their
advantages above every other Method of Warraing
Rooras deraonstrated, and all Objections that have
been raised against the Use of them answered and
obviated," eto. This paraphlet had a good effect.
Governor Thomas vvas so pleased with the construc
tion of this stove, as described in it, that he offered to
give me a patent for the sole vending of them for a
term of years, but I declined it from a principle which
has ever weighed with me on such occasions, viz.,
that as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions
of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Ul
others by any invention of ours, and this we should do
freely and generously.
An ironraonger in London, however, assuraing a
good deal of ray paraphlet and working it up into his
ovvn, and raaking sorae sraall changes in the raachine,
which rather hurt its operation, got a patent for it
there, and raade, as I vvas told, a little fortune by it.
And this is not the only instance of patents taken out
of my inventions by others, though not always with
the same success ; which I never contested, as having
no desire of profiting by patents rayself and hating
disputes. The use of these fire-places in very raany
houses, both here in Pennsylvania and the neighboring
States, has been and is a great saving of wood to the
inhabitants.

148 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

OHAPTER IX.
Peaob being concluded and the association business
therefore at an end, I turned my thoughts again to
the affair of establishing an acaderay. The first step
I took was to associate in the design a nuraber of
active friends, of whora the Junto furnished a good
part ; the next was to write and publish a paraphlet,
entitled "Proposals relating to the Education of
Youth in Pennysvlania." This I distributed araong the
principal inhabitants gratis ; and as soon as I could
suppose their rainds a little prepared by the perusal
of it, I set on foot a subscription for opening and
supporting an acaderay ; it was to be paid in quotas
yearly for five years. By so dividing it I judged the
subscription raight be larger ; and I believe it was so,
araounting to no less, if I reraeraber right, than five
thousand pounds.
In the introduction to these proposals I stated their
publication not as an act of raine, but of sorae puhlic-
spirited gentlemen ; avoiding as rauch as I could,
according to ray usual rule, the presenting myself to
the public as the author Of any scherae for their
benefit. The subscribers, to carry the project into iraraediate
execution, chose out of their number twenty-four
trustees, and appointed Mr. Francis, then Attorney-
General, and rayself, to draw up constitutions for the

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 149
governraent of the acaderay ; which being done and
signed, a house vvas hired, raasters engaged, and the
schools opened, I think in the sarae year, 1749,
The scholars increasing fast, the house was soon
found too sraall, and we vvere looking out for a piece
of ground, properly situated, with intent to build,
vvhen accident threw into our way a large house ready
built, which, with a fevv alterations, raight vvell serve
our purpose.- This vvas the building before raentioned,
erected by the hearers of Mr. Whitefield, and was
obtained for us in the following raanner.
It is to be noted that the contributions to this
building being raade by people of different sects, care
vvas taken in the noraination of trustees in whora the
building and ground were to be vested, that a pre
dominancy should uot be given to any sect, lest in
time that predominancy might be a raeans of appro
priating the whole to the use of such sect, contrary to
the original intention. It was for this reason that one
of each sect was appointed, viz., one Church of England
raan, one Presbyterian, one Baptist, one Moravian,
etc., vvho, in case of vacancy by death, were to fill it
by election frora ainong the contributors. The
Moravian happened not to please his colleagues, and
on his death they resolved to have no other of that
sect. The difficulty then was how to avoid having
two of sorae other sect, by raeans of the choice.
Several persons were naraed, and for that reason
not agreed to. At length one raentioned rae, with the
observation that I was raerely an honest raan, and pf
no sect at all, which prevailed with them to choose
me. The enthusiasra which existed when the house
was built bad long since abated, and its trustees bad

160 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
not boon able to procure fresh contributions for paying
the ground-rent and discharging sorae other debts the
building had occasioned, which erabarrassed thera
greatly. Being now a raeraber of both boards of
trustees, that for the building and that for the
acaderay, I had a good opportunity for negotiating
vvith both, and brought thera finally to an agreeraent
by vvhich the trustees for the building vvere to cede it
to those of the acaderay ; the latter undertaking to
discharge the debt, to keep forever open in the build
ing a large hall for occasional preachers, according to
the original intention, and maintain a free school for
the instruction of poor children. Writings vvere accord
ingly drawn ; and on paying the debts the trustees of
the acaderay vvere put in possession of the preraises,
and by dividing the great and lofty hall into stories
and different rooms above and below for the several
schools, and purchasing some additional ground, the
whole vvas soon raade fit for our purpose and the
scholars reraoved into the building. The whole care
and trouble of agreeing vvith the workraan, purchasing
raaterials, and superintending the work fell upon rae ;
and I went through it the raore cheerfully as it did
not then interfere with ray private business, having
the year before taken a very able, industrious, and
honest partner, Mr. David Hall, with whose character
I was vvell acquainted, as he had worked for rae four
years. He took off ray hands all care of the printing-
office, paying rae punctually ray share of the profits.
This partnership continued eighteen years, successfully
for us both.
The trustees of the acaderay, after awhile, were
incorporated by a charter from the governor ; their

* BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 151
funds vvere increased by contributions in Britain and
grants of land from the proprietaries, to vvhich the
Assembly has since made considerable addition ; and
thus was established the present University of Phila
delphia. I have been continued one of its trustees
frora the beginning, now near forty years, and have
had the very great pleasure of seeing a nuraber of the
youth vvho have received their education in it dis
tinguished by their iraproved abilities, serviceable in
public stations, and ornaments to their country.
When I was disengaged myself, as above raentioned,
frora private business, I fiattered rayself that by the
sufficient though raoderate fortune I had acquired I
had found leisure during the rest of ray life for philo
sophical studies and amuseraents. I purchased all
Dr, Spence's apparatus, vvho had corae frora England
to lecture in Philadelphia, and I proceeded in ray
electrical experiraents with great alacrity ; but the
public, now considering rae as a raan of leisure, laid
hold of rae for their purposes, every part of our civil
governraent, and alraost at the sarae tirae, iraposing
some duty upon rae. The governor put rae into the
coraraission of the peace ; the corporation of the city
chose rae one of the Coramon Council and soon after
alderraan ; and the citizens at large elected me a
burgess to represent thera in the Asserably. This
latter station was the raore agreeable to rae, as I grew
at length tired with sitting there to hear the debates,
in which, as clerk, I could take no part, and which
were often so uninteresting that I was induced to
amuse myself with making magic squares or circles,
or anything to avoid weariness; and I conceived my
becoming a member would enlarge my powerof doing

162 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF.
good. I would not, however, insinuate tbat my am
bition was not flattered by all these proniotions ; it
certainly was, for considering my low beginning tbey
were great things to rae, and they were still more
pleasing as being so many spontaneous testiraonies of
the public good opinion, and by me entirely un
solicited. The offlce of justice of the peaoe I tried a little by
attending a few courts and sitting on the bench to
hear causes; but finding that more knowledge of the
comraon law than I possessed vvas necessary to act in
that station with credit, I gradually withdrew frora it,
excusing myself by being obliged to attend the higher
duties of a legislator in the Assembly. My election
to this trust was repeated every year for ten years,
without ray ever asking any elector for his vote or
signifying, either directly or indirectly, any desire of
being chosen. On taking ray seat in the House ray
son vvas appointed their clerk.
The year following, a treaty being to be held vvith
the Indians at Carlisle, the governor sent a raessage
to the House proposing that they should nominate
some of thoir merabers, to be joined with sorae raera
bers of Council, as coraraissioners for that purpose.
The House naraed the Speaker (Mr. Norris) and ray
self, and being coraraissioned we went to Carlisle and
raet the Indians accordingly.
As those people are extreraely apt toget drunk, and
when so are very quarrelsorae and disorderly, we
strictly forbade the selling any liquor to thera ; and
vvhen they coraplained of this restriction, we told thera
that if they would continue sober during the treaty
we would give thora plenty of rum when the business

. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 153
was over. They promised this, and they kept their
promise, because they could get no rura ; and the
treaty was conducted very orderly and concluded to
rautual satisfaction. They then clairaed and received
the rura ; this vvas in the afternoon. They were near
one hundred men, women, and children, and were
lodged in temporary cabins, built in the form of a
square, just without the town. In the evening, hearing
a great noise among thera, the coramissioners walked
to see what was the raatter. We found they had
made a great bonfire in the raiddle of the square;
they were all drunk, raen and women, quarreling and
fighting. Their dark-colored bodies, half-naked, seen
only by the glooray light of the bonfire, running after
and beating one another with fire-brands, accorapanied
by their horrid yellings, forraed a scene the raost re
serabling our ideas of hell that could vvell be iraagined I
There was no appeasing the turault, and we retired to
our lodging. At raidnight a nuraber of thera came
thundering at our door, deraanding raore rura, of which
we took no notice.
The next day, sensible they had raisbehaved in giv
ing us that disturbance, they sent three of their old
counselors to raake their apology. The orator ac
knovvledged the fault, but laid it upon the rum; and
then endeavored to excuse the rura by saying : " The
Great Spirit, who raade all things, raade everything
for sorae use; and whatever use he designed anything
for. that use it should always be put to. Now, when
he raade rura, he said, ' Let this be for the Indians to
get drunk uoith;" and it raust be so." And, indeed, if
it be the design of Providence to extirpate these
savages in order to raake roora for the cultivators of

154 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
the earth, it seeras not impossible that rum may be the
appointed raeans. It has already annihilated all the
tribes vvho forraerly inhabited the sea-coast.
In 1761 Dr. Thomas Bond, a particular friend of
mine, conceived the idea of establishing a hospital in
Philadelphia (a very beneflcent design, which has
been ascribed to me, but was originally and truly his)
for the reception and cure of poor sick persons,
vvhether inhabitants of the province or strangers.
He was zealous and active in endeavoring to procure
subscriptions for it ; but the proposal being a novelty
in America, and at flrst not well understood, he met
but with little success.
At length he carae to rae with the corapliraent that
he found there was no such a thing as carrying a
public-spirited project through without my being con
cerned in it. " For," said he, " I am often askod by
those to whora I propose subscribing, * Have you con
sulted Franklin on this business? And what does he
think of itV And when I tell them that I have not,
supposing it rather out of your line, they do not sub
scribe, but say, They will consider it" I inquired
into the nature and probable utility of this scherae,
and receiving frora hira a very satisfactory explana
tion, I not only subscribed to it rayself, but engaged
heartily in the design of procuring subscriptions from
others. Previously, however, to the solicitation, I
endeavored to prepare tho minds of the people by
writing on the subject in the newspapers, vvhich was
my usual custom in such cases, but which Dp. Bond
had omitted.
The subscriptions afterward were moro free and
generous; but, beginning to flag, I saw thoy would bo

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 155
insufficient without sorae assistance frora the Asserably,
and therefore proposed to petition for it, vvhich was
done. The country raerabers did not at first relish the ,
project. They objected that it could only be service
able to the city, and therefore tbe citizens alone should
beat the expense of it; and they doubted whether
the citizens theraselves generally approved of it. My
allegation, on the contrary, that it raet with such ap
probation as to leave no doubt of our being able to
raise two thousand pounds by voluntary donations,
they considered as a raost extravagant supposition and
utterly irapossible.
On this I formed ray plan ; and asking leave to
bring in a bill for incorporating the contributors
according to the prayer of their petition and granting
thera a blank sura of raoney, which leave was obtained
chiefly on the consideration that the House could
throw the bill out if they did not like it, I drew it so
as to make the iraportant clause a conditional one,
viz.: " And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid,
that when the said contributors shall have raet and
chosen their raanagers and treasurer, and shall have
raised by their contributions a capital stock of two
thousand pounds' value (the yearly interest of which
is to be applied to the accoramodation of the sick
poor in the said hospital, and of charge for diet, at
tendance, advice, and raedicines), and shall make the
same appear to the satisfaction of the Speaker of the
Assembly for the time heing, that then it shall and raay
be lawful for the said Speaker, and he is hereby required
to sign an order on the provincial treasurer for the
payment of tvvo thousand pounds, in two yearly pay
ments, to tbe treasurer of the said hospital, to be

166 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
applied to the founding, building, and fluishing of the
sarae." This condition carried the bill through ; for the
members who had opposed the grant and now con
ceived they might have the credit of being charitable
vvithout the expense agreed to its passage. And then,
in soliciting subscriptions among the people, we urged
the conditional promise of the law as an additional
raotive to give, since every raan's donation would be
doubled ; thus the clause worked both ways. The
subscriptions aocordingly soon exceeded the requisite
sura, and vve clairaed arid received the publio gift,
which enabled us to carry the design into execution.
A convenient and handsome building was soon erected ;
the institution has by constant experience been found
useful and flourishes to this day ; and I do not
reraember any of my political maneuvers the success
of which at the time gave me more pleasure, or
wherein, after thinking of it, I raore easily excused
rayself for having raade sorae use of cunning.
It was about this tirae that another projector, the
Rev. Gilbert Tennent, carae to me with a request that
I would assist him in procuring a subscription for
erecting a new meeting-house. It was to be for the
use of a congregation he had gathered among the
Presbyterians who were originally disciples of Mr.
Whitefield. Unwilling to make myself disagreeable
to my fellow-citizens by too frequently soliciting their
contribution, I absolutely refused. . He then desired 1
would furnish him with the list of the names of per
sons 1 knew by experience to be generous and public-
spirited. I thought it would be unbecoraing in rae, after
their kind corapliance vvith ray solicitations, to raark

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 157
them out to be worried by other beggars, and there
fore refused to give suoh a list. He then desired I
would at least give hira ray advice, "That I will
readily do," said I; "and, in the first place, I advise
you to apply to all those who you know will give
soraething; next, to those who you are uncertain
' vvhether they will give anything or not, and show
thera the list of those vvho have given ; and lastly, do
not neglect those who you are sure will give nothing ;
for in sorae of thera you raay be raistaken," He
laughed and thanked me, and be said he would take
my advice. He did so, for he asked of everybody ;
and he obtained a rauch larger sura than he expected,
with which he erected the capacious and elegant
meeting-house that stands in Arch Street.
Our city, though laid out with a beautiful regularity,
the streets large, straight, and crossing each other at
right angles, had the disgrace of suffering those
streets to remain long unpaved, and in wet weather
the wheels of heavy carriages plowed thera into a
quagmire, so that it vvas difficult to cross them ; and
in dry weather the dust was offensive, I had lived
near what was called the Jersey Market, and saw with
pain the inhabitants wading in mud while purchasing
their pfovisions. A strip of ground down the raiddle
of that raarket was at length paved with brick, so
that being once in the raarket they had firra footing ;
but were often over shoes in dirt to get there. By
talking and writing on the subject, I was at length
instrumental in getting the street paved with stone
between the market and the brick foot paveraent, that
was on the side next the houses. Tbis for some tirae
gave an easy access to the market dry-shod ; but thQ

168 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
rest of the street not being paved, whenever a carriage
carae ont of the raud upon this paveraent it shook off
and left its dirt upon it, and it vvas soon covered with
raire, which was not reraoved, the city as yet having
no scavengers.
After sorae inquiry I found a poor, industrious man,
vvho was willing to undertake keeping the paveraent
clean by sweeping it twice a week, carrying off the
dirt frora before all the neighbors' doors, for the sura
of sixpence per raonth, to be paid by each house. I
then wrote and printed a paper setting forth the
advantages to the neighborhood that raight be
obtained frora this sraall expense ; the greater ease in
keeping our houses clean, so rauch dirt not being
brought in by people's feet ; the benefit to the shops
by raore custora, as buyers could raore easily get at
thera ; and by not having in windy weather the dust
blown in upon their goods, etc., etc. I sent one
of these papers to eaoh house, and in a day or
two went round to see who vvould subscribe an
agreeraent to pay these sixpences; it was unani
raously signed and for a tirae well executed. All the
inhabitants of the city were delighted with the clean
liness of the paveraent that surrounded the raarket, it
being a convenience to all, and this raised a general
desire to have all the streets paved and raade the
people more willing to submit to a tax for that
purpose. After some tirae I drew a bill for paving the city
and brought it into the Asserably. It vvas just before
I went to England, in 1757, and did not pass till I was
gone, and then with an alteration in the raode of
assessment which I thought not for the better, but

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 169
with an additional provision for lighting as well as
paving the streets, which vvas a great iraproveraent.
It was by a private person, the late Mr, John Clifton,
giving a saraple of the utility of laraps, by placing one
at his door, that the people were first irapressed with
the idea of lighting all the city. The honor of this
publio benefit has also been ascribed to rae, but it
belongs truly to that gentleraan. I did but follow his
example, and have only some raerit to claira respecting
the forra of our laraps, as differing frora the globe
laraps we were at first supplied with frora London.
They were found inconvenient in these respects : they
admitted no air below ; the smoke therefore did not
readily go out above, but circulated in the globe,
lodged on its inside, and soon obstructed the light
they were intended to afford ; giving besides the
daily trouble of wiping thera clean ; and an accidental
stroke on one of thera would demolish it and render
it totally useless. I therefore suggested the coraposing
thera of four fiat panes, with a long funnel above to
draw up the sraoke, and crevices adraitting the air
below to facilitate the ascent of the sraoke; by this
means they were kept clean and did not grow dark in
a few hours, as the London laraps do, but continued
bright till raorning ; and an accidental stroke would
generally break but a single pane, easily repaired.
I have sometiraes wondered that the Londoners did
not, frora the effect holes in the bottora of the globe
lamps used at Yauxhall have in keeping them clean,
learn to have suoh holes in their street laraps. But
these boles being made for another purpose, viz., to
communicate flarae more suddenly to the wick by a
Uttle flax hanging down through them, the other use,

160 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
of letting in air, seems not to have been thought of ;
and therefore after tho lamps have been lit a few
hours the streets of London are very poorly illurainated.
The mention of these improveraents puts rae in niind
of one I proposed, when in London, to Dr. Fothergill,
who was araong the best men I have known, and a
great promoter of useful projects. I had observed
that the streets, when dry, were never swept and the
light dust carried away, but it was suffered to accu
mulate till wet weather reduced it to mud ; and then,
after lying some days so deep on the paveraent that
there was no crossing but in paths kept clean by poor
people with brooras, it was vvith great labor raked
together and thrown up into carts, open above, the
sides of vvhich suffered sorae of the slush at every jolt
on the paveraent to shake out and fall ; soraetiraes to
the annoyance of foot passengers. The reason given
for not sweeping the dusty streets vvas that the dust
would fly into the windows of shops and houses.
An accidental occurrence had instructed rae how
rauch sweeping raight be done in a little tirae. I found
at ray door in Craven Street, one raorning, a poor
woraan sweeping ray pavement with a birch broom ;
shie appeared very pale and feeble, as just come out of
a fit of sickness. I asked who employed her to sweep
there ; she said, " Nobody ; but I am poor and in
distress, and I sweeps before gentle folkses' doors and
hopes they will give me something." I bid her sweep
the whole street clean and I would give her a shilling ;
this was at nine o'clock, and at noon she carae for the
shilling. From the slowness I saw at first in her
working I could scarce believe that the work was done
so soon, and sent my servant to examine it, who

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 161
reported that the whole street was swept perfectly
clean and all the dust placed in the gutter, which was
in the raiddle ; and the next rain, washed it quite away,
80 that the pavement and even the kennel were
perfectly clean.
I then judged that if that feeble woraan could sweep
such a street in three hours, a strong, active raan
raight have done it in half the time. And here let me
reraark the convenience of having but one gutter in
such a narrow street, running down its middle, instead
of tvvo, one on each side near the footway. For where
all the rain that falls on a street runs from the sides
and meets in the raiddle, it forras there a current
strong enough to wash away all the mud it meets with ;
but when divided into two channols,it is often too weak
to cleanse either and only makos the mud it finds raore
fluid ; so that the wheels of carriages and feet of
horses throw and dash it upon the foot pavement,
which is thereby rendered foul and slippery, and
soraetiraes splash it upon those vvho are walking. My
proposal, comraunicated to the doctor, vvas as follows :
" For the more effectually cleaning and keeping
clean the streets of London and Westminster, it is pro
posed that the several watchraen be contracted with
to have the dust swept up in dry seasons and the raud
raked up at* other times, each in the several streets
and lanes of his round ; that they be furnished with
brooms and other proper instruraents for these pur
poses, to be kept at their respective stands, ready to
fumish the poor people they raay eraploy in tbe
service. "That in the dry suraraer raonths the dust be all
swept up into heaps at proper distances, before the

162 A UTOBIOQRA PHT OF
shops and windows of houses are usually opened,
when scavengers with closecovered carts shall also
carry it all away.
" That the mud, when raked up, be not left in heaps
to be spread abroad again by the wheels of carriages
and trampling of horses, but that the scavengers be
provided with bodies of carts, not placed upon wheels,
but low upou sliders, with lattice bottoras, which,
being covered vvith straw, will retain the raud thrown
upon them and permit the water to drain from it ;
whereby it witl becorae much lighter, vvater making
the greatest part of the weight. These bodies of carts
to be placed at convenient distances and the mud
brought to them in wheelbarrows, they remaining
where placed till the mud is drained, and then horses
brought to draw thera away,"
I have since had doubts of the practicability of the
latter part of this proposal in all places, on account of
the narrowness of some streets and tbe difliculty of
placing the draining sleds so as not to incumber too
much the passage ; but I am still of opinion that the
forraer, requiring the dust to bo swept up and carried
away before the shops are open, is very practicable
in the suramer, when the days are long ; for in walk
ing through the Strand and Fleet Street one raorning
at seven o'clock, I observed there was not one shop
open, though it had been daylight and the sun up
above three hours; the inhabitants of London choos
ing voluntarily lo live much by candlelight and sleep
by sunshine, and yet often complain, a little absurdly,
of the duty on candles and the high price of tallow.
Some may think these trifling matters not worth
minding or relating; but when they consider that

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 163
though dust blown into the eyes of a single person or
into a single shop in a windy day is but of sraall ira
portance, 3'.et the great nuraber of the instances in a
populous city and its frequent repetition ¦ gives its
weight and consequence, perhaps they will not censure
very severely those who bestow some attention to
affairs of this seeraingly low nature. Huraan felicity
is produced not so rauch by great pieces of good for
tune that seldora happen as by little advantages that
occur every day. - Thus if you teach a poor young raan
to shave hiraself and keep his razor in order, you raay
contribute raore to the happiness of his life than in
giving hira a thousand guineas. This sum raay be soon
spent, the regret only reraaining of having foolishly
consuraed it; but in the other case he escapes the
frequent vexation of waiting for barbers and their
soraetimes dirty fingers, offensive breaths, and dull
razors; he shaves vvhen raost convenient to him, and
enjoys daily the pleasure of its being done vvith a good
instrument. With these sentiments I have hazarded
the fevv preceding pages, hoping they raay afford hints
whioh sorae time or other raay be useful to a city 1
love, having lived raany years in it very happily, and
perhaps to sorae of our towns in Araerica,
Having been some tirae employed by the Postmaster-
General of Araerica as his coraptroller in regulating
several offices and bringing the officers to account, I
was, upon his death in 1753, appointed, jointly vvith
Mr. Williara .Hunter, to succeed hira, by a coraraission
frora the Postraaster-General in England, The Araer
ican office had hitherto never paid anything to that of
Britain. We were to have six hundred pounds a year
between us if we could make tbat sura out of tbe

164 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
profits of the offlce. To do this a variety of improve
ments wero necessary ; some of these were inevitably
at first expensive ; so that in the first four years the
offlce became about nine hundred pounds in debt tous.
But it soon after began to repay us, and before I was
displaced by a freak of the rainisters, of which I shall
speak hereafter, we had brought it to yield three times
as rauch clear revenue to the crown as the post-office
of Ireland. Since that iraprudent transaction they
have received frora it— not one farthing I
The business of the post-office occasioned ray taking
a journey this year to New England, where the College
of Carabridge, of their own motion, presented me vvith
the degree of Master of Arts, Yale College in Connecti
cut had before raade rae a sirailar corapliraent. Thus
without studying in any college I carae to partake of
their honors. They vvere conferred in consideration
of ray iraproveraents and discoveries in the eleotrlo
branch of natural philosophy.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 165

CHAPTER X.
In 1754, war with France being again apprehended,
a congress of coraraissioners frora the different
colonies was by an order of the Lords of Trade to be
assembled at Albany, there to confer with the chiefs
of the Six Nations concerning the means of defending
both their country and ours. Governor Hamilton
having received this order acquainted the House with
it, requesting they would furnish proper presents for
the Indians, to be given on this occasion ; and naming
the Speaker (Mr. Norris) and rayself to join Mr. John
Penn and Mr, Secretary Peters as coraraissioners to
act for Pennsylvania. The House approved the norai
nation and provided the goods for the presents,
though they did not rauch like treating out of the
province; and we raet the other coraraissioners at
Albany about the raiddle of June.
In our way thither I projected and drew up a plan
for the union of all the colonies under one govern
raent, so far as raight be necessary for defense, and
other iraportant general purposes. As we passed
through New York I had there shown ray project to
Mr. Jaraes Alexander and Mr. Kennedy, two gentle
raen of great knowledge in public affairs ; and being
fortified by their approbation, I ventured to lay it be
fore tbe congress. It tben appeared tbat several of
tbe commissioners had formed plans of the same kind.

160 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
A previous question was first taken, whether a union
should be established, vvhioh passed in the affirmative
unanimously. A coraraittee vvas then appointed, one
raeraber frora each colony, to consider the several
plans and report. Mine happened to be preferred
and, with a few araendraents, was aocordingly re
ported. By this plan tho general goverraent vvas to be ad
rainistered by a president-general, appointed and sup
ported by the crown, and a grand council vvas to be
chosen by the representatives of the people of the
several colonies raet in their respective asserablies.
The debates upon it in the congress went on daily,
hand in hand vvith the Indian business. Many objec
tions and difficulties vvere started; but at length they
vvere all overcorae and the plan was unanimously
agreed to, and copies ordered to be transmitted to the
Board of Trade and to the Assemblies of the several
provinces. Its fate was singular; the Asserablies did
not adopt it, as they all thought there vvas too rauch
prerogative 'va.'\i', and in England it vvas judged to
have too much of the democratic. The Board of
Trade did not approve it nor recommend it for the
approbation of his majesty ; but another scherae was
formed, supposed to answer the same purpose better,
whereby the governors of the provinces, with some
raembers of their respective councils, were to meet and
order the raising of troops, building of forts, etc., and
to draw on the treasury of Great Britain for the ex
pense, which was afterward to be refunded by an act
of Parliament laying a tax on America. My plan,
with ray reasons in support of it, is to be found araong
ray political papers that were printed.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 167
Being the winter following in Boston, I had much •
conversation with Governor Shirley upon both the
plans. Part of what passed between us on this
occasion raay also be seen araong those papers. The
different and contrary reasons of dislike to ray plan
raake rae suspect that it was really the true raediura,
and I ara still of opinion it vvould have been happy for
both sides if it had been adopted. The colonies so
united would have been sufficiently strong to have de
fended theraselves ; there would -then have been no
, need of troops frora England ; of course the subsequent
pretext for taxing Araerica and the bloody contest it
occasioned would have been avoided. But suoh rais
takes are not nevv ; history is full of the errors of
states and princes.
" Look round the habitable world; bow few
Know their own good, or, knowing it, pursuel"
Those who govern, having rauch business on their
hands, do not generally like to take the trouble of
Y considering and carrying into execution new projects.
The best public raeasures are therefore seldora adopted
frora previous wisdora, but forced by the occasion.
The Governor of Pennsylvania, in sending it down
to the Asserably, expressed his approbation of the
plan, "as appearing to hira to be drawn up with great
clearness and strength of judgraent, and therefore
recoraraended it as well worthy of their closest and
most serious attention." The House, hpwever, by the
management of a certain meraber, took it up when I
happened to be absent, which I thought not very fair,
and reprobated it without paying any attention to it
at all, to my no small mortification.

168 A UTOBIOQRAPH T OF
In my journey to Boston this year I met at New
York with our new governor, Mr. Morris, just arrived
there frora England, witb whora I had been before
intiraately acquainted. He brought a coramission to
supersede Mr. Harailton, who, tired with the disputes
his proprietary instructions subjected him to, had re
signed. Mr. Morris asked me if I thought he raust
expect as uncorafortable an adrainistration. I said,
"No; you may. On the contrary, have a very cora
fortable one if you will only take care not to
enter into any dispute with the Assembly." " My
dear friend," said he pleasantly, " how can you advise
my avoiding disputes ? You know I love disputing —
it is one of ray greatest pleasures; however, to show
the regard I have for your counsel, I proraise you I
will, if possible, avoid thera." He had sorae reason
for loving to dispute ; being eloquent, an aoute
sophister, and therefore generally suocessful in argu
raentative conversation. He had been brought up to
it from a boy, his father, as I have heard, accustoming
his children to dispute with one another for his diver
sion while sitting at table after dinner; but I think the
practice was not wise, for in the course of ray observa
tion those disputing, contradicting, and confuting
people are generally unfortunate in their affairs.
They get victory soraetiraes, but they never get good
will, which would be of raore use to thera. We
parted, he going to Philadelphia and I to Boston.
In returning I raet at New York with the votes of
the Asserably of Pennsylvania, by which it appeared
that notwithstanding his proraise to rae he and the
House were already in high contention, and it was a
continual battle between them as long as he retained

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 169
the government. I had my share of it, for as soon as
I got back to my seat in the Assembly I was put on
every coraraittee for answering his speeches and
raessages, and by the coraraittees always desired to
raake tho drafts. Our answers, as well as his raes
sages, were often tart and soraetiraes indecently
abusive, and as he knew I wrote for the Asserably,
one might have iraagined that when vve raet we could
hardly avoid cutting throats ; but he was so good-
natured a raan that no personal difference betvveen
hira and rae was occasioned by the contest, and we
often dined together._|
One afternoon, in the height of this publio quarrel,
we raet in the street. "Franklin," said he, "you ranst
go horae with me and spend the evening. I am to
have some company that you will like," and taking me
by the arra led rae to his house. In gay conversation
over our wine after supper he told us, jokingly, that
he rauch adraired the idea of Sancho Panza, vvho,
when it was proposed to give him a government,
requested it raight be a governraent of blacks, as
then, if he oould not agree with his people, he raight
sell thera. One of his friends, who sat next to rae,
said : " Franklin, why do you continue to side with
those daraned Quakers? Had you not better sell
thera ? The proprietor vvould give you a good price."
" The governor," replied I, " has not yet blacked
thera enough." He, indeed, had labored bard to
blacken the Asserably in all his messages, but they
wiped off his coloring as fast as he laid it on, and
placed it, in return, thick upon his own face, so that
finding he was likely to be negrqfied himself, be,
as well as Mr. Hamilton, grew tired of the oontest and
quitted the government.

170 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
These public quarrels were all at bottom owing to
the proprietaries, our hereditary governors, who, when
any expense was to be incurred for the defense of their
province, with incredible meanness instructed their
deputies to pass no act for levying the necessary taxes
unless their vast estates vvere in the sarae act ex
pressly exonerated ; and they had even taken the
bonds of these deputies to observe such instructions.
The Asserablies for three years held out against this
injustice, though constrained to bend at last. At
length Captain Denny, who was Governor Morris'
successor, ventured to disobey those instructions :
how that was brought about I shall show hereafter.
But I am got forward too fast with my story;
there are still some transactions to be mentioned that
happened during the adrainistration of Governor
Morris. War being in a raanner coraraenced with France,
the governraent of Massachusetts Bay projected an
attack upon Crown Point, and sent Mr. Quincy to
Pennsylvania and Mr. Pownall, afterward Governor
Pownall, to Nevv York, to solicit assistance. As I vvas
in the Assembly, knew its temper, and was Mr.
Quincy's countryman, he applied to rae for ray
infiuence and assistance. I dictated his address to
thera, which was well received. They voted an aid of
ten thousand pounds, to be laid out in provisions. But
the governor refusing his assent to their bill (vvhich
included this with other suras granted for the use of
the crown) unless a clause were inserted exempting the
proprietary estate frora bearing any part of the tax
that vvould be necessary, the Assembly, though very
desirous of making their grant to New England

' BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 171
effectual, were at a loss how to accoraplish it. Mr.
Quincy labored hard vvith the governor to obtain hia
assent, but he was obstinate.
I then suggested a raethod of doing the business
vvithout the governor, by orders oh the trustees ofthe
loan offlce, which by law the Asserably had the right
of drawing. There was indeed little or no raoney at
the tirae in the office, and therefore I proposed that
the orders should be payable in a year and to bear
an interest of five per cent. With these orders I
supposed the provisions raight easily be purchased.
The Asserably, with very little hesitation, adopted the
proposal. The orders were iraraediately printed, and
I was one of the committee directed to sign and
dispose of thera. The fund for paying thera was the
interest of all the paper currency then extant in the
province upon loan, together with the revenue arising
frora the excise, which being known to be raore than
sufficient, they obtained credit, and were not only
taken in payraent for the provisions, but raany
moneyed people who had cash lying by them vested it
in those orders, which they found advantageous, as
they bore interest while upon hand and might on any
occa.sion be used as money; so that they were eagerly
all bought up, and in a few week? none of them was
to be seen. Thus this irnportant affair was by ray
raeans corapleted. Mr. Quincy returned thanks to the
Asserably in a handsorae raeraorial, went horae highly
pleased with the success of his erabassy, and ever after
bore for me the most cordial and affectionate friend
ship. Tbe British government, not choosing to permit the
anion of the colonies as proposed at Albany and to

172 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
trust that onion with their defense, lest they should
thereby grow too military and feel their own strength,
suspicion and jealousies at this tirae being entertained
of thera, sent over General Braddock, with two
regiments of regular English troops for that purpose.
He landed at Alexandria, in Virginia, and thence
raarched to Frederictown, in Maryland, were he halted
for carriages. Our Asserably, apprehending frora
sorae inforraation that he bad conceived violent
prejudices against thera, as averse to the service,
wished rae to wait upon him, not as frora thera, but as
Postraaster-General, under the guise of proposing to
settle with hira the raode of conducting with raost
celerity and certainty the dispatches betvveen hira and
the governors, of the several provinces, vvith whora he
raust necessarily have continual correspondence, and
of which they proposed to pay the expense. My son
accorapanied rae on this journey.
We found the general at Frederictown, waiting
irapatlently for the return of those he had sent through
the back parts of Maryland and Virginia to collect
wagons. I stayed with hira several days, dined with
him daily, and had full opportunities of removing his
prejudices by tbe inforraation of what the Asserably
had before his arrival actually done, and wore still
willing to do, to facilitate his operations. When I
vvas about to depart tbe returns of wagons to be
obtained were brought in, by which it appeared that
they araounted only to twenty-five, and not all of
those were in eorviceable condition. The general and
all the officera vvere surprised, declared the expedition
was then at an end, being irapossible, and exclairaed
against the Rjinisters for ignorantly sending thera into

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 173
a country destitute of the raeans of conveying their
stores, baggage, etc., not less than one hundred and
fifty wagons being necessary.
I happened to say I thought it was a pity they had
not been landed in Pennsylvania, as in that country
alraost every farmer had his wagon. The general
eagerly laid hold of my words and said : " Then you,
sir, who are a man of interest there, can probably
procure thera for us, and I beg you will undertake it."
I asked what terras were to be offered the owners of
the wagons, and I was desired to put on paper the
terras that appeared to rae necessary. This I did, and
they were agreed to, and a coramission and instruc
tions accordingly prepared imraediately. What those
terras were will appear in the advertisement I published
as soon asl arrived at Lancaster, which being, frora
the great and sudden effect it produced, a piece of
sorae curiosity, I shall insert it at length as follows :
" Advehtisemknt. " Lancaster, April 26th, 1755.
" Whereas, one hundred and fifty wagons, with four horses to
each wagon, and fifteen hundred saddle or pack horses, are wanted
for the service of his majesty's forces, now about to rendezvous
at Will's Creek ; and his excellency General Braddock having been
pleased to empower me to contract for the hire of the same, I
hereby give notice that I shall attend for that purpose, at Lan
caster, from this day to next Wednesday evening; and at York,
from next Thursday moming till Friday evening; where I shall
be ready to agree for wagons and teams, or single horses, on the
following terms, viz. : 1. That there shall be paid for each wagon,
with four good horses and a driver, flfteen shillings per diem;
and for each able horse with a pack-saddle, or other saddle and
famitnre, two shillings per diem; and for each able horse with
ont a saddle, eighteen pence per diem. 2. That the pay com-

174 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
mence from the time of their Joining the forces, at Will's Oreek,
which must be on or before tbe 20th of May ensuing, and tbat a
reasonable allowance be paid over and above for the time neces
sary for their traveling to Will's Oreek and home again after their
discharge. 8. Each wagon and team and every saddle or pack
horae is to be valued by indifferent persons, chosen between me
and the owner; and in case of the loss of any wagon, team, or
other horse in the service, the price according to such valuation
is to be allowed and paid. 4. Seven days' pay is to be advanced
and paid in hand by me to the owner of each wagon and team or
horse at the time of contracting, if required; and the remainder
to be paid by General Braddock, or by the paymaster of the army,
at the time of their discharge; or from time to time, as it shall
be demanded. 5. No drivers of wagons, or persons taking care
of the hired horaes, are on any account to be called upon to do
the duty of soldiers, or be otherwise employed than in conducting
or taking care of their carriages or horses. 6. All oats, Indian
corn, or other forage that wagons or horses bring to tho camp
more than is necessary for the subsistence of the horses is to be
taken for the use of the army, and a reasonable prico paid forthe
same, " Note. — My son, William FrankUn, is empowered to enter into
like contracts with any person in Oumberland Oounty.
" B, Fbanklin,"
" To ihe Iniiabitants cf the Counties of Lancaster, York, and
Oumberland.
"Friends AND Countrymen: Being occasionally at the camp
at Frederic a few days since, I found the general and officers
extremely exasperated on account of their not being suppUed with
horses and carriages, which had been expected from this province,
as most able to furnish them; but through the dissensions be
tween our governor and Assembly, money had not been provided
nor any steps taken for that purpose.
" It was proposed to send an armed force immediately Into
theae counties, to seize as many of the best carriages and horses
as should be wanted, and compel as many persons into the serv
ice as would be necessary to drive and take care of them.

BENJAMIN I'RANKLIN. 175
"I apprehended that the progress of British soldiers through
these counties .on such an occasion, especially considering the
temper they are in and their resentment against us, would be
attended with many and great inconveniences to the inhabitants,
and therefore more willingly took the trouble of trying first what
might be done by fair and equitable means. The people of these
back counties have lately complained to the Assembly that a suf
ficient currency was wanting; you have an opportunity of receiv
ing and dividing among you a considerable sum; for if the serv
ice of this expedition should continue, as it is more than probable
it win, for one hundred and twenty days, the hire of these wagons
and horses will amount to upward of thirty thousand pounds,
which will be paid you iu silver and gold of the king's money.
"The service wUl be light and easy, for the army will scarce
march above twelve miles per day, and the wagons and baggage
horses, as they carry those things that are absolutely necessary
to the welfare of the army, must march with the army, and no
faster; and are, for the army's sake, always placed where they
can be most secure, whether in a march or in a camp.
" If you are really, as I believe you are, good and loyal sub
jects to his majesty, you may now do a most acceptable service
and make it easy to yourselves; for three or four of such as can
not separately spare from the business of their plantations a
wagon and four horses and a driver may do it together; one fur
nishing the wagon, another one or two horses, and another the
driver, and divide the pay proportionately between ypu. But if
you do not this service to your king and country voluntarily,
when such good pay and reasonable terms are offered to you,
your loyalty will be strongly suspected. The king's business
must be done; so many brave troops, come so far for your de
fense, must not stand idle through your backwardness to do what
may be reasonably expected from ypu; wagons and horses must
be had; violent measures will probably be used; and you will be
left to seek for a recompense where you can flnd it, and your case
perhaps be Uttle pitied or regarded.
" I have no particular interest in this affair, as, except the
satisfaction of endeavoring to do good, I shaU have only my labor
for my pains. If this method of obtaining the wagons and horses
\z not likely to succeed, I am obliged to send word to tbe general

176 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
in fourteen days; and I suppose Sir John Bt. Olair, the hussar,
with a body of soldiers, will immediately enter the province for
the purpose; which I shall be sorry to hear, because I am very
sincerely and truly your friend and well-wisher, "B, Fbanklin."
I received ofthe general about eight hundred pounds,
to be disbursed in advance raoney to the wagon-
owners ; but tbat sura being insufficient, I advanced
upward of two hundred pounds raore ; and in two
weeks the one hundred and fifty wagons, with two
hundred and fifty-nine carrying-horses, were on their
march for the carap. The advertiseraent proraised
payraent according to the valuation in case any wagons
or horses should be lost. The owners, however,
alleging they did not know General Braddock or what
dependence raight be had on his proraise, insisted on
my bond for the performance, which I accordingly
gave them.
While I was at the carap supping one evening
with the officers of Colonel Dunbar's regiraent, he
represented to rae his concern for the subalterns, who,
he said, were generally not in affluence, and could ill
afford in this dear country to lay in the stores that
raight be necessary in so long a raarch through a
wilderness where nothing was to be purchased, I
commiserated their case and resolved to endeavor
procuring them some relief. I said nothing, however,
to him of ray intention, but wrote the next raorning to
the coraraittee of the Asserably, who had the disposition
of sorae public raoney, warraly recoraraending the
case of these officers to their consideration, and pro
posing that a present should be sent thera of neces
saries and refreshraents. My son, who had sorae ex

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 177
perience of a carap life and of its wants, drew up a
list for rae, which I inclosed in ray letter. The cora
mittee approved, and used suoh diligence that, con
ducted by ray son, the stores arrived at the carap as
soon as the wagons. They consisted of twenty parcels,
each containing
6 lbs. loaf sugar. 1 keg containing 20 lbs. good
6 do. Muscovado do, butter.
1 lb. green tea. 2 dozen old Madeira wine.
1 do. bohea do. 2 gallons Jamaica spirits.
6 lbs. ground coffee. 1 bottle flour of mustard,
6 do. chocolate. 2 well-cured hams.
i chest best white biscuit. i dozen dried tongnes.
i lb. pepper. 6 lbs. rice.
1 quart white vinegar. 6 do. raisins.
1 Gloucester cheese.
These parcels, well packed, were placed on as many
horses, each parcel, with the horse, being intended as
a present for one offlcer. They were very thankfully
received and the kindness acknowledged by letters to
me, frora the colonels of both regiraents, in the most
grateful terras. The general, too, was highly satisfied
with ray conduct in procuring hira the wagons, and
readily paid my account of disbursements, thanking
me repeatedly and requesting ray further assistance
in sending provisions after hira. I undertook this also,
and was busily eraployed in it till we heard of his de
feat ; advancing for the service, of ray own raoney,
upward of one thousand pounds sterling, of whioh I
sent him an account. It carae to bis hands, luckily
for rae, a few days before the battle, and he returned
me immediately an order on the payraaster for the
round sum of ond thousand ponnds, leaving the re-

178 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
mainder to the next account. I consider this payment
as good luck, having never been able to obtain tbe
remainder ; of which more hereafter.
This general was, I think, a brave raan, and might
probably bave made a figure as a good officer in some
European war. But he had too rauch self-confidence,
too high an opinion of the validity of regular troops, and
too raean a one of both Araericans and Indians. George
Croghan, our Indian interpreter, joined hira on his
march with one hundred of those people, who might
have been of great use to his array as guides and
scouts if he had treated them kindly ; but he slighted
and neglected thera and they gradually left hira.
In conversation with him one day, he was giving
me sorae account of his intended progress. " After
taking Fort Duquesne," said he, "I ara to proceed to
Niagara ; and havring taken that, to Frontenac, if the
season will allow tirae, and I suppose it will; for
Duquesne can hardly detain rae above three or four
days, and then I see nothing that can obstruct ray
raarch to Niagara." Having before revolved in ray
mind the long line his army must make in their raarch
by a very narrow road, to be cut for thera through
the woods and bushes, and also what I had read of a
forraer defeat of fifteen hundred French vvho invaded
the Illinois country, I had conceived some doubts and
some fears for the event of the carapaign. But I ven
tured only to say : " To be sure, sir, if you arrive well
before Duquesne vvith these fine troops, so well pro
vided vvith artillery, the fort, though corapletely forti
fied and assisted with a very strong garrison, can
probably raake but a short resistance. The only
danger I apprehend of obstruction to your march is

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. '179
from the ambuscades of the Indians, who by constant
practice are dexterous in laying and executing them ;
and the slender line, near four miles long, which your
army must raake, raay expose it to be attacked by
surprise in its flanks and to be cut like a thread into
several pieces, which frora their distance cannot corae
up in tirae to support each other."
He srailed at ray ignorance and replied: "These
savages raay indeed be a forraidable eneray to your
raw Araerican railitia, but upon the king's regular
and disciplined troops, sir, it is irapossible they
should raake any irapression." I was conscious of an
irapropriety in ray disputing with a railitary raan in
raatters of his profession, and said no raore. The
eneray, hovvever, did not take the advantage of his
array which I apprehended its long line of raarch
exposed it to, but let it advance without interruption
till within nine miles of the place ; and then, when
more in a body (for it had just passed a river, where
the front had halted till all vvere come over) and in a
more open part of the woods than any it had passed,
attacked its advance-guard by a heavy fire frora
behind trees and bushes, vvhich was the first intelli
gence the general had of an eneray's being near hira.
This guard being disordered, the general hurried the
troops up to their assistance, which was done in great
confusion through wagons, baggage, and cattle, and
presently the fire carae upon their flank. The offlcers
being on horseback were raore easily distinguished,
picked out as raarks, and fell very fast ; and the sol
diers were crowded together in a huddle, having or
bearing no orders and standing to be shot at till two-
thirds of them were killed, and then, being seized
witb a panic, the remainder fled with precipitation.

180 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
The wagoners took eaoh a horse out of his team
and scampered. Their exaraple was iramediately fol
lowed by others, so that all the wagons, provisions,
artillery, and stores were left to the enemy. The
general being wounded was brought off with diffi
cnlty ; his secretary, Mr. Shirley, was killed by his
side, and out of eighty-six officers sixty-three were
killed or wounded, and seven hundred and fourteen
men killed of eleven hundred. These eleven hundred
had been picked men frora the whole array ; the rest
had been left behind with Colonel Dunbar, who was
to follow with the heavier part of the stores, provi
sions, and baggage. The flyers, not being pursued,
arrived at Dunbar's carap, and the panic they brought
with thera instantly seized hira and all his people.
And though he had now above one thousand raen,
and the eneray who had beaten Braddock did not at
raost exceed four hundred Indians and French to
gether, instead of proceeding and endeavoring to
recover sorae of the lost honor, he ordered all the
stores, aramunition, etc., to be destroyed, that he
raight have more horses to assist his flight toward the
settlements and less lumber to remove. He was there
met with requests from the governors of Virginia,
Maryland, and Pennsylvania that he would post his
troops on the frontiers, so as to afford some protec
tion to the inhabitants, but he continued his hasty
march through all the country, not thinking himself
safe till he arrived at Philadelphia, where tbe inhab
itants could protect him. This whole transaction gave
us Araericans the first suspicion that oUr exalted ideas
of the prowess of British regular troops had not been
well founded.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 181
In their first raarch, too, frora their landing till they
got beyond the settleraents, they had plundered and
stripped the inhabitants, totally ruining sorae poor
farailies, besides insulting, abusing, and confining the
people if they reraonstrated. This was enough to put
us out of conceit of such defenders if we had really
wanted any. How different was the conduct of our
French friends in 1781, who during a raarch through
the raost inhabited part of our country, frora Rhode
Island to Virginia, near seven hundred railes, occa
sioned not the sraallest coraplaint for the loss of a pig,
a chicken, or even an apple.
Captain Orme, who vvas one of the general's aids-
de-carap, and being grievously wounded was brought
off with hira and continued with hira to, his death,
vvhich happened in a few days, told rae that he was
totally silent all the first day, and at night only said :
"Who would have thought it?" That he was silent
again the following day, saying only at last, " We
shall better know how to deal with them another
time," and di^d in a fevv minutes after.
The secretary's papers, with all the general's orders,
instructions, and correspondence, falling into the
enemy's hands, tbey selected and translated into
French a nuraber of the articles, which they printed,
to prove the hostile intentions of the British court
before the declaration of war. Araong these I saw
sorae letters of tbe general to the rainistry, speaking
highly of the great service I had rendered to the
array and recoraraending rae to their notice. David
Hume, who was some years aftorward secretary to
Lord Hertford when minister in France, and after
ward to General Oonway when Secretary of State,

183 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
told he had seen among tbe papers in that office let
ters from Braddock highly recoraraending me. But
the expedition having been unfortunate, my service,
it seeras, was not thought of much value, for those
recomraendations were hever of any use to rae.
As to rewards frora hiraself, I asked only one,
which vvas that he would give orders to his officers
not to enlist any raore of our bought servants and that
he would discharge such as had been already enlisted.
This he readily granted, and several were accordingly
returned to their raasters on ray application. Dunbar,
when the coraraand devolved on hira, was not so
generous. He being at Philadelphia on his retreat, or
rather fiight, I applied to hira for the discharge of the
servants of three poor farmers of Lancaster County
that he had enlisted, rerainding hira of the late general's
orders on that head. He proraised rae that if the
raasters vvould corae to hira at Trenton, where he
should be in a few days on his raarch to New York,
he would there deliver their raen to thera. They
accordingly were at the expense and trouble of going
to Trenton, and there he refused to perform his
proraise, to their great loss and disappointraent.
As soon as the loss of the wagons and horses was
generally known, all the owners carae upon rae for the
valuation whioh I had given bond to pay. Their de
raands gave me a great deal of trouble. I acquainted
them that the money was ready in the paymaster's
hands, but the order for paying it must first be obtained
from General Shirley, and that I had applied for it,
but he being at a distance an answer could not soon
be received, and they raust bave patience. All this,
however, was not sufficient to satisfy thera, and some

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 183
began to sue rae. General Shirley at length relieved
me from this terrible situation by appointing corarais
sioners to examine the claims and ordering payment.
They amounted to near twenty thousand pounds,
which to pay would have ruined me.
Before we had the news of this defeat, the two
Doctors Bond carae to rae with a subscription paper
for raising raoney to defray the expenses of a grand
firework, which it was intended to exhibit at a rejoic
ing on receiving the news of our taking Fort Duquesne.
I looked grave and said it would, I thought, be tirae
enough to prepare the rejoicing vvhen we knew we
should have oocasion to rejoice. They seeraed sur
prised that I did not iramediately coraply with their
proposal. " Why the d — 1 1" said one of thera ; " you
surely don't suppose that the fort will not be taken ?"
"I don't knovv that it will not be taken, but I know
that the events of war are -subject to great uncer
tainty," I gave thera the reasons of ray doubting ;
the subscription was dropped, and the projectors there
by raissed the raortification they would have under
gone if the firework had been prepared, Dr, Bond,
on sorae other occasion afterward, said that he did not
like Franklin's forebodings.

184 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

OHAPTER XI.
GovBBNOB MoKKis, who had continually worried
the Asserably with raessage after raessage before the
defeat of Braddock, to beat thera into the raaking of
acts to raise money for the defense of the province
without taxing among others the proprietary estates,
and had rejected all their bills for not having such an
exempting clause, now redoubled his attacks with
more hope of success, the danger and necessity being
greater. The Assembly, however, continued firm, be
lieving they had justice on their sido, and that it
would be giving up an essential right if they suffered
the governor to araend their raoney bills. In one of
the last, indeed, which was for granting fifty thousand
pounds, his proposed araendraent vvas only of a single
word. The bill expressed that " all estates real and
personal were to be taxed ; those of the proprietaries
not excepted." His araendraent was : for not, read
only. A sraall but very raaterial alteration, Hovv
ever, when the news of the disaster reached England,
our friends there, whora we had taken care to furnish
with all the Asserably's answers to the governor's
raecaages, raised a claraor against tho proprietaries for
their raeannc:3 and injustice in giving thoir governor
suoh instructions ; some going so far as to say that by
obstructing the defense of their province they forfeited
their right to it. They wore intimidated by this, and

. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 186
sent orders to their Receiver-General to add five
thousand pounds of their raoney to whatever sum
might be given by the Assembly for such purpose.
This being testified to the House was accepted in
lieu of their share of a general tax ; and a nevv bill
was. forraed with an exerapting clause, which passed
accordingly. By this act I was appointed one of
the coramissioners for disposing of the money — sixty
thousand pounds. I had been active in raodeling the
bill and procuring its passage, and had at the sarae
time drawn one for establishing and disciplining a
voluntary railitia, whioh I carried through the House
vvithout rauch difficulty, as care was taken in it to
leave the Quakers at liberty. To proraote the associa
tion necessary to form the militia, I wrote a dialogue
stating and answering all the objections I could think
of to suoh a railitia, which was printed, and had, as I
thought, great effect. .
While the several corapanies in the city and country
were forraing and learning their exercise, the governor
prevailed with rae to take charge of our northwestern
frontier, which was infested by the enemy, and
provide for the defense of the inhabitants by raising
troops and building a line of forts. I undertook this
military business, though I did not conceive myself
well qualified for it. He gave rae a coramission with
full powers and a parcel of blank comraissions for
officers, to be given to whora I thought fit. I bad but
little difficulty in raising raen, having soon five hundred
and sixty under my coraraand. My son, who had in
the preceding war been an officer in the army raised
against Canada, was my aid-de-camp and of great use
to me. The Indians bad burned Gnadenhutten, a

186 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
village settled by the Moravians, and raassacred the
inhabitants ; but the place was thought a good situation
for one of the forts.
In order to raarch thither, I asserabled the com
panies at Bethlehera, the chief establishraent of these
people. I was surprised to find it in so good a posture
of defense ; the destruction of Gnadenhutten had raade
thom apprehend danger. Tho principal buildings wore
(lofondod by a stockade; thoy had purchased a
quantity of arms and ammunition from Now York,
and had even placed quantities of small paving-stonos
betvveen the windows of their high stone houses, for
their woraen to throw thera down upon the heads of
any Indians that should atterapt to force into them.
The arraed brethren, too, kept watch and relieved
each other on guard as raethodically as in any garrison
town. In conversation with the bishop, Spangenberg,
I raentioned ray surprise ; for, knowing they had
obtained an act of Parliament exempting them from
military duties in the colonies, I had supposed thoy
wero conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms. He
answered me that it was not one of thoir ostablishod
principles ; but at the time of their obtaining that aot
it was thought to be a principle with many of thoir
people. On this oocasion, however, thoy, to thoir
surprise, found it adopted by but fevv. It seeraed they
were either deceived in theraselves or deceived the
Parliaraent; but coraraon sense, aided by present
danger, will soraetiraes be too strong for whirasical
opinions. It was the beginning of January when we set out
upon this business of building forts. I sent one
detachment toward the Minisink, with instructions to

. BENJAMIN Franklin. 137
erect one for the security of that upper part of the
country ; and another to the lower part, with similar
instructions ; and I concluded to go myself with the
rest of ray force to Gnadenhutten, vvhere a fort was
thought raore imraediately necessary. The Moravians
procured rae five wagons for our tools, stores, and
baggage. Just before vve had left Bethlehera, eleven farraers,
who had been driven frora their plantations by the
Indians, carae to rae requesting a supply of fire-arras,
that they raight go back and bring off their cattle. I
gave thera each a gun vvith suitable araraunition. We
had not raarched many railes before it began to rain,
and it continued raining all day ;- there were no habita
tions on the road to shelter us till we arrived near night
at the house of a German, where, and in his barn, we
were all huddled together, as wet as water oould make
us. It was well vve were not attacked in our raarch,
for our arras vvere of the raost ordinary sort, and our
men could not keep the locks of their guns dry. The
Indians are dexterous in contrivances for that purpose,
which wo bad not. They met that day the eleven
poor farmers above raentioned, and killed ten of thera.
The one that escaped inforraed us that his and his
corapanions' guns would not go off, the priraing being
wet with the rain.
The next day being fair we continued our raarch,
and arrived at the desolated Gnadenhutten, There
was a raill near, round whioh were left several pine
boards, with whioh we soon hutted ourselves ; an
operation the more necessary at that incleraent season,
as we had no tents. Our first work was to bury more
effectually the dead we found there, who had been*
half-interred by the country people.

188 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
The next morning our fort was planned and marked
out, the circumferenoe measuring four hundred and
fifty-five feet, which vvould require as many palisades
to be made, one with another, of a foot diaraeter eaoh.
Our axes, of which we had seventy, were iraraediately
set to work to cut down trees, and our raen being
dexterous in tbe use of thera, great dispatch was raade.
Seeing the trees fall so fast, I had the curiosity to look
at ray watoh vvhen two raen began to cut at a pine ;
in six rainutes they had it upon the ground, and I
found it of fourteen inches diaraeter. Each pine raade
three palisades of eighteen feet long, pointed at one
end. While these were preparing our other raen dug
a trench all round, of three feet deep, in vvhioh the
palisades were to be planted ; and the bodies being
taken off our wagons and the fore and hind wheels
separated by taking out the pin which united the two
parts of the perch, we had ten carriages, with two
horses eaoh, to bring the palisades frora the woods to
the spot. When they were set up our carpenters built
a platforra of boards all round within, about six feet
high, for the men to stand on when to fire through the
loop-holes. We had one swivel gun, which vve mounted
on one of the angles, and fired it as soon as fixed, to
let the Indians know, if any were within hearing, that
we had such pieces ; and thus our fort, if that narae
may be given to so miserable a stockade, was finished
in a week, though it rained so hard every other day
that the men could not work.
This gave rae occasion to observe that wben raen are
eraployed they are best contented ; for on the days
they worked they were good-natured and cheerful,
and with the consciousness of having done a good

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 189
day's work they spent the evening jollily ; but on our
idle days they vvere mutinous and quarrelsorae, flnding
fault with the pork, the bread, etc, and were contin
ually in bad huraor, whioh put rae in raind of a sea-
captain whose rule it was to keep his raen constantly
at work ; and vvhen his raate once told hira that they
had done everything and there was nothing further to
employ thera about, " Oh," said he, " raake thera scour
the anchor." y
This kind of fort, however conteraptible, is a suffi
cient defense against Indians, who have no cannon.
Finding ourselves now posted securely and having a
place to retreat to on occasion, we ventured out in
parties to scour the adjacent country. We raet with
no Indians, but we found the places on the neighbor
ing hills vvhere they had lain to watoh our proceed
ings. There was an art in their contrivance of those
places that seeras worth raentioning. It being winter,
a fire was necessary for thera ; but a common fire on
the surface of the ground would, by its light, have dis
covered their position at a distance. They had, there
fore, dug holes in the ground about three feet in
diaraeter and soraewhat deeper ; we found where they
had, with their haitchets, cut off the charcoal frora the
sides of burnt logs lying in the woods. With these
coals they had raade sraall fires in the bottom of the
holes, and we observed among the weeds and grass the
prints of their bodies, mado by their lying all round
vvith their legs hanging down in the holes to keep their
feet warm, whicb, with them, is an essential point.
Tbis kind of fire so managed oould not discover them,
either by its light, flame, sparks, or even sraoke. It
appeared that the number was not great, apd it seems

190 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
ihey saw we were too many to be attacked by tbem
with prospect of advantage.
We had for our chaplain a zealous Presbyterian
minister, Mr. Beatty, vvho complained to rae that the
raen did not generally attend his prayers and exhorta
tions. Wben they enlisted they were proraised,
besides pay and provisions, a gill of rura a day, vvhich
was punctually served out to thera, half in the raorn
ing and the other half in the evening, and I observed
they were punctual in attending to receive it ; upon
which I said to Mr, Beatty : " It is perhaps below the
dignity of your profession to act as steward of the
rura, but if you were only to distribute it out after
prayers you would have thera all about you." He
liked the thought, undertook the task, and with the
help of a few hands to measure out the liquor executed
it to satisfaction, and never vvere prayers raore gen
erally and raore punctually attended. So that I
think this raethod preferajble to thc punishraent in
flicted by sorae military laws for no^i attendance on
divine service,
I had hardly finished this business and got my
fort well stored with provisions when I received a
letter frora the governor, acquainting rae that he hsd
called the Asserably, and wished ray attendance there
if the posture of affairs on the frontiers was suoh that
ray reraaining there was no longer necessary. My
friends, too, of the Asserably, pressing rae by their
letters to be, If possible, at the raeeting, aQd ray three
intended forts being now completed and the inhab
itants contented to remain on their farras undei" that
protection, 1 resolved to return, the raore willingly as
a New England officer, Colonel Claphara, experienced

* BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 191
in Indian war, being on a visit to our establishment,
consented to accept the coraraand. I gave him a com
mission, and parading the garrison had it read before
thera and introduced hira to thera as an officer who,
frora his skill in railitary affairs, was rauch raore fit to
coraraand thera than rayself, and giving thera a little
exhortation, took ray leave. I was escorted as far as
Bethlehera, where I rested a few days to recover frora
the fatigue 1 had undergone. The first night, lying in
a good bed, I could hardly sleep, it was so different
frora ray hard lodging on the fioor of a hut at Gna
denhutten vvith only a blanket or two.
While at Bethlehera I inquired a little into the
practices of the Moravians ; sorae of thera had accora
panied rae and all were very kind to me. I fpund
they worked for a coraraon stock, eat at coraraon
tables, and slept in common dorraitories, great nura
bers together. In the dorraitories I observed loop
holes at certain distances all along just under the
ceiling, which I thought judiciously placed for change
of air. I went to their church, where I vvas enter
tained vvith good rausic, the organ being accompanied
with violins, hautboys, flutes, clarinets, etc. I under
stood their sermons were not usually preached to
mixed congregations of men, women, and children, as
is our coraraon practice, but that they asserabled,
soraetiraes the married men, at other times their
wives, then the young men, the young woraen, and
the little children ; each division by itself. The ser
raon I heard was to the latter, who carae in and were
placed in rows on benches; the boys under the con
duct of a young raan, their tutor, and the girls con
ducted by a young woman. The discourse seemed

192 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
well adapted to their capacities, and was delivered in
a pleasing, familiar manner, ooaxing them, as it were,
to be good. They behaved very orderly, but looked
pale and unhealthy, which made me suspect they were
kept too much within doors or not allowed sufficient
exercise. I inquired conceming the Moravian marriages,
whether the report was true that they were by lot,
I was told that lots were used only in particular cases ;
that generally when a young man found hiraself dis
posed to raarry he inforraed the elders of his class,
who consulted the elder ladies that governed the
young women. As these elders of the different sexes
were vvell acquainted with the tempers and disposi
tions of their respective pupils, they could best judge
what raatches were suitable, and their judgraents were
generally acquiesced in. But if, for exaraple, it should
happen that tvvo or three young woraen were found to
be equally proper for the young raan, the lot was then
recurred to. I objected if the raatches are not raade
by the rautual choice of the parties, sorae of them
raay chance to be very unhappy. "And so they
may," answered ray inforraer, " if you let the parties
choose for thepaselves." Which indeed I could not
deny. Being returned to Philadelphia, I found the associa
tion went on with great success. The inhabitants
that vvere not Quakers having pretty generally come
into it forraed themselves into companies, and chose
their captains, lieutenants, and ensigns, according to
the new law. Dr. Bond visited rae and gave rae an
account of the pains he had taken to spread a general
good liking of the law, and ascribed ranch to those

, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 193
endeavors. I had the vanity to ascribe all to my
" Dialogue ;" however, not knowing but that he raight
be in the right, I let hira enjoy his opinion, which I
take to be generally the best way in suoh cases. The
offlcers, raeeting, chose rae to be colonel of the regi-
raent,which I tbis tirae accepted. I forget how raany
corapanies we had, but we paraded about twelve hun
dred well-looking raen, with a corapany of artillery,
who had been furnished with six brass field-pieces,
which they had becorae so expert in the use of as to
fire twelve tiraes in a rainute. The first tirae I re
viewed ray regiraent they accorapanied rae to ray
house, and would salute rae with sorae rounds fired
before ray door, which shook down and broke several
glasses of my electrical apparatus. And ray new
honor proved not much less brittle ; for all our cora
raissions were soon after broken by a repeal of the
law in England.
During this short tirae of ray colonelship, being
about to set out on a journey to Virginia, the officers of
ray regiment took it into their heads that it would be
proper for thera to escort me out of town as far as the
Lower Ferry, Just as I was getting on horseback
they oame to ray door, between thirty and forty,
mounted, and all in their uniforras. I had not been pre
viously acquainted with their project, or I should have
prevented it, being naturally averse to the assuraing of
state on any occasion ; and I was a good deal
chagrined at their appearance, as I could not avoid
their accorapanying rae. What made it worse was
that as soon as we began to move they drew their
swords and rode with them naked all the way. Some
body wrote an account of this to the proprietor, and

194 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
it gave bim great offense. No such honor bad been
paid to him vvhen in the province nor to any of his
governors, and he said it was only proper to princes
of the blood royal ; vvhioh may be true for aught I
knovv, who was, and still am, ignorant of the etiquette
in suoh cases.
This silly affair, however, greatly increased his
rancor against me, which was before considerable on
account of ray conduct in the Assembly respecting the
exemption of his estate from taxation, which I had
always opposed very warmly, and not without severe
reflections on the meanness and injustice of contend
ing for it. He accused rae to the ministry as being
the great obstacle to the king's service, preventing by
ray influeuce in the House the proper forra of the bills
for raising raoney ; and he instanced the parade with
ray offlcers as a proof of ray having an intention to
take the governraent of the province out of his hands
by force. He also applied to Sir Everard Fawkener,
the Postmaster-General, to deprive me of ray office.
But it had no other effect than to procure frora Sir
Everard a gentle adraonition.
Notvvithstanding the continual wrangle betvveen the
governor and the House, in vvhich I as a member had
so large a share, there still subsisted a civil intercourse
between that gentleman and myself, and we never had
any personal difference. I have soraetiraes since
thought that his little or no resentraent against me for
the answers it was known I drew up to his raessages
raight be the effect of professional habit, and that,
being bred a lawyer, he raight consider us both as
merely advocates for contending clients in a suit ; he
for the proprietaries and I for the Assembly. He

• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 196
would therefore soraetiraes call in a friendly way to
advise with rae on difficult points, and soraetiraes,
though not often, take my advice.
We acted in concert to supply Braddock's array with
provisions, and vvhen the shocking news arrived of
his defeat the governor sent in haste for rae, to consult
vvith hira on raeasures for preventing the desertion of
the back counties. I forgot now the advice I gave ;
but I think it vvas that Dunbar should be written to
and prevailed with, if possible, to post his troops on
the frontiers for their protection, until by reenforce
raents from the colonies he might be able to proceed
in the expedition. And after ray return frora the
frontier he would have had rae undertake the conduct
of such an expedition with provincial troops for the
reduction of Fort Duquesne, Dunbar and his raen
being otherwise eraployed ; and he proposed to cora
mission rae as general. I had not so good an opinion
of ray railitary abilities as he professed to have, and I
believe his professions raust have exceeded his real
sentiraents ; but probably he might think that my
popularity would facilitate the business with the raen
and infiuence in the Asserably the grant of raoney to
pay for it, and that, perhaps, without taxing the
proprietary. Finding rae not so forward to engage
as he expected, the project was dropped, and he soon
after left the government, being superseded by Cap
tain Denny.
Before I proceed in relating the part I had in
publio affairs under this new governor's administration,
it may not be amiss to give here sorae account of the
rise and progress of my philosophical reputation.
In 1746, being in Boston, I met there with a Dr.

196 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
Spence, who was lately arrived frora Scotland and
showed rae sorae electric experiraents. They were
iraperfectly perforraed, as he was not very expert;
but being on a subject quite new to rae, they equally
surprised and pleased rae. Soon after ray return to
Philadelphia our library corapany received frora Mr.
Peter CoUinson, Fellow of the Royal Society of
London, a present of a glass tube, with sorae account
of the use of it in raaking such experiraents. I eagerly
seized the opportunity of repeating vvhat I had seen
at Boston, and by ranch practice acquired great readi
ness in performing those also which we had an account
of from England, adding a number of new ones. I
say much practice, for my house was continually full
for sorae tirae with pereons who carae to see these new
wonders. To divide a little this incurabrance araong my
friends I caused a nuraber of sirailar tubes to be blown
in our glass-house, vvith which they furnished them
selves, so that we had at length several perforraers.
Araong these the principal vvas Mr. Kinnersley, un
ingenious neighbor, who, being out of business, I
encouraged hira to undertake showing the experi
ments for money, and drew up for hira two lectures,
in which the experiraents were ranged in such order
and accompamed vvith explanations in such method
as that the foregoing should assist in comprehending
the following. He procured an elegant apparatus for
the purpose, in which all the" little machines that I
had roughly raade for rayself were neatly forraed by
instruraent makers. His lectures vvere well attended
and gave great satisfaction ; and after sorae tirae he
went through the colonies, exhibiting them in every

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 197
capital town, and picked up sorae raoney. In the
West India Islands, indeed, it was with difficulty the
experiraents could be raade, frora the general raois
ture of the air.
Obliged as we were to Mr. CoUinson for thepresent
of the tube, etc., I thought it right he should be in
formed of our success in using it, and wrote him sev
eral letters containing accounts of our experiments.
He got thera read in the Royal Society, where they
were not at first thought worth so rauch notice as to
be printed in their " Transactions," One paper which
I wrote for Mr, Kinnersley, on the saraeness of light
ning vvith electricity, I sent to Mr. Mitchel, an
acquaintance of raine and one of the raerabers also of
that society, who wrote rae word that it had been
read, but was laughed at by the connoisseurs. The
papers, hovvever, being shown to Dr. Fothergill, he
thought thera of too rauch value to be stified and ad
vised the printing of thera. Mr. CoUinson then gave
thera to Cave for publication in his Gentleman^ s Maga
zine, but he chose to print thera separately in a para
phlet, and Dr. Fothergill wrote the preface. Cave, it
seems, judged rightly for bis profession, for by the ad
ditions that arrived afterward they swelled to a
quarto volurae, which has had five editions and cost
hira nothing for copy-raoney.
It was, however, sorae time before those papers
were much taken notice of in England. A copy of
them happening to fall into the hands of the Count de
Buffon, a philosopher, deservedly of great reputation
in France and indeed aU over Europe, he prevailed
with M. Dubourg to translate them into French and
they were printed at Paris. The publication offended

198 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
the Abb6 NoUet, preceptor in natural philosophy to
the royal faraily and an able experiraenter, who bad
formed and published a theory of electricity, which
then had tbe general vogue. He could not at first be
lieve that such a work carae frora Araerica, and said
it raust have been fabricated by his eneraies at Paris
to oppose his system. Afterward, having been
assured that there really existed such a person as
Franklin at Philadelphia, whioh he had doubted, he
wrote and published a volume of letters, chiefly
addressed to rae, defending his theory and denying
the verity of ray experiraents and of the positions de
duced frora thera.
I once purposed answering the abb6 and actually
began the answer ; but on consideration that my
writings contained a description of experiraents which
any one raight repeat and verify, and, if not to be
verified, could not be defended, or of observations
offered as conjectures and not delivered dograatically,
therefore not laying rae under any obligation to de
fend thera, and reflecting that a dispute between tvvo
persons, written in different languages, raight be
lengthened greatly by raistranslations, and thence
raisconceptions of one another's raeaning, rauch of one
of the abb6's letters being founded on an error in the
translation, I concluded to let ray papers shift for
theraselves, believing it was better to spend
what tirae I could spare frora public business in raaking
new experiraents than in disputing about those
already raade. I therefore never answered M, Nollet,
and the event gave rae no cause to repent ray silence ;
for ray friend M. Le Roy, of the Royal Acaderay of
Sciences, took up my cause and refuted him ; my book

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 199
was translated into the Italian, German, and Latin
languages, and the doctrine it contained was by de
grees generally adopted by the philosophers of
Europe in preference to that of the abb6, so that he
lived to see hiraself the last of his sect except M.
B  , of Paris, his eleve and iraraediate disciple.
What gave ray book the raore sudden and general
celebrity was the success of one of its proposed ex
periments, raade by MM. Dalibard and De Lor at
Marley, for drawing lightning frora the clouds. This
engaged the. public attention everywhere. M. De
Lor, vvho had an apparatus for experiraental philoso
phy and lectured in that branch of science, undertook
to repeat what he called the Philadelphia experi
raents; and after they were perforraed before the
king and court, all the curious of Paris flocked to see
thera. I will not swell this narrative with an account
of that capital experiraent, nor of the infinite pleasure
I received in the success of a sirailar one I raade soon
after with a kite at Philadelphia, as both are to be
found in the histories of electricity,
Dr, Wright, an English physician, when at Paris
wrote to a friend, who vvas one of the Royal Society,
an account of the high esteera ray experiraents vvere
in among the learned abroad, and of their wonder that
my writings had been so little noticed in England.
^The society on this resuraed the consideration of tbe
letters that had been read to thera, and the celebrated
Dr. Watson drew up a suramary account of them and
of all I had afterward sent to England on the subject,
which he acoompanied with some praise of the writer.
¦ Tbis suramary was then printed in tbeir "Transac
tions ;" and some members of tbe society in London,

200 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
particularly the very ingenious Mr. Canton, having
verified the experiraent of procuring lightning from
the clouds by a pointed rod and acquainted them with
the success, they soon raade rae raore than araends for
tho slight with which they had before treated rae.
Without ray having raade any application for that
honor they chose rae a raeraber, and voted that ]'
should be excused the custoraary payraents, which
would have araounted to twenty-five guineas ; andover
since have given rae their " Transactions " gratis.*
? Dr. FrankUn gives a further account of his election in a
letter to his son. Governor FrankUn, from which the following is
an extract: "London, 19th December, 1767.
" We have had an ugly affair at the Royal Society lately. One
Dacosta, a Jew, who, as our clerk, was intrusted with collecting
our moneys, had been so unfaithful as to embezzle near thirteen
hundred pounds in four years. Being one of the council this
year, as well as the last, I have been employed all the last week
in attending the inquiry into and unraveling his accounts, in
order to come at a f uU knowledge of his frauds. His securities
are bound in one thousand pounds to the society, which they will
pay, but we shall probably lose the rest. He had this year
received twenty-six admission payments of twenty-flve guineas
each, which he did not bring to account.
" While attending to thisa ffair I had an opportunity of looking
over the old council- books and journals of the society, and having
a curiosity to see how I came in, of which I had never been
Informed, I looked back for the minutes relating to it. You
must know it is not usual to admit persons that have not re
quested to be admitted; and a recommendatory certiflcate in
favor of the candidate, signed by at least three of the members, is
by our rule to bo presented to the society, expressing that he is
desirous of that honor, and is so and so qualified. As I never
had asked or expected the honor, I was, as I said before, curious
toseehow the business was managed. I found that the certiflcate,

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 201
They also presented rae with the gold raedal of Sir
Godfrey Copley for the year 1753, the delivery of
which vvas accorapanied by a very handsorae speech of
the president. Lord Macclesfield, wherein I was highly
honored, worded very advantageously for me, was signed by Lord Mao-
clesfleld, then president. Lord Parker, and Lord Willoughby; that
the election was by a unanimous vote; and the honor being
voluntarily conferred by the society, unsolicited by me, it was
thought wrong to demand or receive the usual fees or composi
tion; 80 that my name was entered on the list with a vote of
council that I was not to pay anything. And accordingly
nothing has ever been demanded of me. Those who are admitted
in the common way pay flve guineas admission fees and two
guineas and a half yearly contributions, or twenty-flve guineas
down in lieo of it. In my case a substantial favor accompanied
the honor."— W. T. F.

202 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

OHAPTER XII.
Oub new governor, Captain Denny, brought over
for rae the before-raentioned raedal frora the Royal
Society, which he presented to rae at an entertainraent
given him by the city. He accompanied it with very
polite expressions of bis esteera for rae, having, as he
said, been long acquainted with ray character. After
dinner, when the corapany, as was custoraary at that
tirae, vvere engaged in drinking, he took rae aside in
another roora, and acquainted rae that he had been
advised by his friends in Englaud to cultivate a friend
ship with rae, as one vvho vvas capable of giving hini
the best advice and of contributing raost effectually to
the raaking his adrainistration easy. That he therefore
desired of all things to have a good understanding vvith
rae, and he begged rae to be assured of his readiness
on all occasions to render rae every service that raight
be in his power. He said rauch to rae also of the
proprietor's good disposition toward the province, and
of the advantage it vvould be to us all, and to rae in
particular, if the opposition that had been so long
continued to his raeasures were dropped and harraony
restored between hira and the people, in effecting
which it was thought no one could be more serviceable
than rayself; and I rnight depend on adequate
acknowledgraents and recorapenses. The drinkers,
finding we did not return imraediately to the table,

Benjamin franklin. 203
sent us a decanter of Madeira, which the governor
made a liberal use of, and in proportion became raore
profuse of his solicitations and proraises.
My answers were to this purpose : that ray circura
stances, thanks to God, were such as to raake proprie
tary favors unnecessary to me ; and that, being a
raeraber of the Asserably, I oould not possibly accept
of any ; that, however, I had no personal enmity to
the proprietary, and that vVhenever the public raeasures
he proposed should appear to be for the good of the
people, no one would espouse and forward them more
zealously than rayself ; ray past opposition having been
founded on this, that the measures vvhich had been
urged were evidently intended to serve the proprietary
interest, with great prejudice to that of the people.
That I vvas rauch obliged to hira (the governor) for his
profession of regard to rae, and he raight rely on
everything in ray power to render his administration
as easy to hira as possible, hoping at the same time
that he had not brought with him the same unfor
tunate instructions his predecessors had been hampered
with. On this he did not then explain hiraself ; but when he
afterward carae to do business vvith the Asserably they
appeared again, the disputes vvere renewed, and I vvas
as active as ever in the opposition, being the penman,
first of the request to have a coraraunication of the
instructions, and then of the reraarks upon them,
vvhich raay be found in the voles of the tiraes and in
the "Historical Review " I afterward published. But
between us personally no enraity arose; we were often
together; he was a man of letters, had seen much of
the world, and was entertaining and pleasing in con-

204 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
versation. He gave me information that my old
friend Ralph was still alive ; that he was esteemed one
of tbe best political writers in England ; had been em
ployed in the dispute between Prince Frederick and
the king, and bad obtained a pension of tbroo hundred
pounds a year ; that his reputation was indeed small
as a poet, Pope having damned his poetry in the
" Dunciad ;" but his prose was thought as good as any
raan's. The Asserably finally finding the proprietary ob
stinately persisted in shackling the deputies with in
structions inconsistent, not only with the privileges of
the people, but with the service of the crown, resolved
to petition the king against thera, and appointed me
their agent to go over to England to present and sup
port the petition. The House had sent up a bill to the
governor, granting a sum of sixty thousand pounds
for the king's use (ton thousand pounds of whioh was
subjected to the orders of tho thon general. Lord Lou
doun), which the governor, in compliance with his in
structions, absolutely refused to pass.
I had agreed vvith Captain Morris, of the packet at
New York, for my passage, and ray stores wore put
onboard, when Lord Loudoun arrived at Philadelphia,
expressly, as he told me, to endeavor an accoraraoda
tion between the governor and Assembly, that his
raajesty's service raight not be obstructed by their dis
sensions. Accordingly he desired the governor and
myself to moot him, that he might hear vvhat was to
bo said on both sides. We raet and discussed the busi
ness. In behalf of the Asserably I urged the various
arguments that may be found in the publio papers of
that tirao, whioh wore of my writing and are printed

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 205
with the minutes of the Asserably ; and the governor
pleaded his instructions, the bond he had given to ob
serve thera, and his ruin if he disobeyed, yet seeraed
not unwilling to hazard himself if Lord Loudoun would
advise it. This his lordship did not choose to do,
though I once thought I had nearly prevailed with
him to do it ; but finally he rather chose to urge the
compliance of the Assembly ; and he entreated rae to
use ray endeavors with them for that purpose, declar
ing that he would spare none of the king's troops for
the defense of, our frontiers, and that if we did not
continue to provide for that defense ourselves they
must reraain exposed to the eneray.
I acquainted the House with -what had passed, and
presenting them with a set of resolutions I had drawn
up declaring our rights, that vve did not relinquish our
claira to those rights, but only suspended the exercise
of thera on this occasion through force, against which
we protested, they at length agreed to drop that bill
and frarae another conformable to the proprietary in
structions. This, of course, the governor passed, and
I was then at liberty to proceed on ray voyage ; but
in the raean tirae the packet had sailed with ray sea-
stores, which was sorae loss to rae, and ray only recora
pense was his lordship's thanks for ray service, all
the credit of obtaining the accoraraodation falling to
his share.
He set out for New York before rae, and as the
time for dispatching the packet-boats was at his dis
position and there were two tben remaining there,
one of which, he said, was to sail very soon, I re
quested to know the precise tirae, that I raight not
miss her by any delay of mine. The answer was : " I

206 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
have given out that she is to sail on Saturday next ;
but I may let you knovv, entre nous, that if you are
there by Monday morning you will be in tirae, but do
not delay longer." By sorae accidental hindrance
at a ferry it was Monday noon before I arrived, and I
was rauch afraid she raight have sailed, as the wind
vvas fair ; but I was soon raade easy by the inforraa
tion that she was still in the harbor, and would not
raove till the next day. One would iraagine that I
vvas now on the very point of departing for Europe.
I thought so ; but I vvas not then so well acquainted
vvith his lordship's character, of vvhich indecision was
one of his strongest features. I shall give sorae in
stances. It wafl about the beginning of April that I
carae to Nevv York, and I think it vvas near the end
of June before we sailed. There were then tvvo of
the packet-boats, which bad been long in readiness,
but vvere detained for the general's letters, vvhich
were always to be ready to-morrow. Another packet
arrived. She, too, was detained, and before we sailed
a fourth was expected. Ours was tbe first to be dis
patched as having been there the longest. Passengers
were engaged for all, and sorae extreraely irapatient to
be gone and the raerchants uneasy about their letters,
and for the orders they had given for insurance (it
being war-tirae) and for auturanal goods ; but their
anxiety availed nothing. His lordship's letters were
not ready, and yet whoever waited on hira found him
always at his desk, pen in hand, and concluded he
must needs write abundantly.
Going rayself one raorning to pay my respects, I
found in his antechamber one Innis, a raessenger of
Philadelphia, who had corae thence express, with a

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 20?
packet from Governor Denny for the general. He
delivered to rae sorae letters frora ray friends there,
which occasioned my inquiring when he was to return
and where he lodged, that I might send sorae letters
by hira. He told rae he was ordered to call to raor
row at nine for the general's answer to the governor,
and should set off iraraediately. I put ray letters into
his hands the same day. A fortnight after I met him
again in the same place. " So you are soon returned,
Innis?" "Returned! no, I am not gone yet." "How
so?" "I have called here this and every morning
these two weeks past for his lordship's letters, and
they are not yet ready." " Is it possible, when he is
so great a writer ? for I see hira constantly at his
escritoire." "Yes," said Innis, " but he is like St.
George on the signs, always on horseback and never rides
on." This observation of the raessenger was, it seeras,
well founded ; for when in England I understood that
Mr. Pitt, afterward Lord Chathara, gave it as one reason
for reraoving this general and sending Generals Ara
herst and Wolfe, that the minister never heard from
him and could not know vthat he was doing.
In this daily expectation of sailing, and all the three
packets going down to Sandy Hook to join the fleet
there, the passengers thought it best to be on board,
lest by a sudden order the ships should sail and they be
left behind. There, if I remember, wo were about six
weeks, consuraing our sea-stores and obliged to pro
cure more. At length the fleet sailed, the general and
all bis array on board, bound to Louisbourg, with intent
to besiege and take that fortress ; and all the packet-
boats in company were ordered to attend the general's
ship, reaciy to receive his dispatches when tbey should

208 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
be ready. We vvere out five days before we got a
letter with leave to part, and then our ship quitted the
fleet and steered for England. The other tvvo packets
he still detained, carried thera with hira to Halifax,
where he stayed sorae tirae to exercise the men in
shara attacks upon sham forts, then altered his mind
as to besieging Louisbourg and returned to New York
with all his troops, together with the two packets
above raentioned and all their passengers ! During
his absence the French and savages had taken Fort
George, on the frontier of that province, and the In
dians had raassacred many of the garrison after capit
ulation. On the whole, I wondered much how such a raan
carae to be intrusted with so iraportant a business as
the conduct of a great array ; but having since seen
more of the great world and the raeans of obtaining
and raotives for giving places and eraployraents, ray
wonder is diminished. General Shirley, on whora the
coramand of the army devolved upon the death of
Braddock, would, in ray opinion, if continued in place
have raade a much better carapaign than that of
Loudoun in 1756, which vvas frivolous, expensive, and
disgraceful to our nation beyond conception. For
though Shirley was not bred a soldier, he was sensible
and sagacious in hiraself and attentive to good advice
frora others, capable of forraing judicious plans and
quick and active in carrying them into execution,
Loudoun, instead of defending the colonies with his
great army, left thera totally exposed while he paraded
idly at Halifax, by which raeans Fort George was
lost ; besides, he deranged all our raercantile opera
tions and distressed our trade by a long embargo on

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
the exportation of provisions, on pretense Oi
supplies frora being obtained by the eneray, but m
reality for beating down their price in favor of the
contractors, in whose profits it was said, perhaps from
suspicion only, he had a share ; and when at length
the embargo was taken off, neglecting to send notice
of it to Charleston, where the Carolina fleet was
detained near three months, and whereby their bot
toms were so much daraaged by the worra that a great
part of thera foundered in their passage horae.
Shirley was, I believe, sincerely glad of being re
lieved frora so burdensorae a charge as the conduct of
an array raust be to a raan unacquainted vvith railitary
business. I was at the entertainraent given by the city
of New York to Lord Loudoun on his taking upon him
the coraraand. Shirley, though thereby superseded,
was present also. There was a great corapany of
officers, citizens, and strangers, and some chairs having
been borrowed in the neighborhood, there was one
araong thera very low, which fell to the lot of Mr.
Shirley. I sat by hira, and perceiving it I said :
" They have have given you a very low seat." " No
raatter, Mr. Franklin," said he ; "I find a low seat the
easiest," While I was, as before raentioned, detained at Nevv
York, I received all the accounts of the provisions,
etc., that I had furnished to Braddock, sorae of whioh
accounts could not sooner be obtained frora the differ
ent persons I had eraployed to assist in the business,
I presented them to Lord Loudoun, desiring to be paid
tbe balance. He caused them to be examined by tbe
proper offlcer, who, after comparing every article witb
its voucher, certified them to be rigbt; and bis lord-

210 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
ship proraised to give rae an order on tbe paymaster
for the balance due to me. This was, however, put
off frora tirae to tirae, and though I called often for it
by appointraent, I did not get it. At length, just be
fore my departure, he told rae he had, on better con
sideration, concluded not to raix his accounts with
those of his predecessors. " And you," said he, " when
in England, have only to exhibit your accounts to the
Treasury and you will be paid iraraediately."
I mentioned, but vvithout effect, a great and unex
pected expense I had been put to by being detained so
long at Nevv York as a reason for ray desiring to be
presently paid, and on ray observing that it vvas not
right I should be put to any further trouble or delay
in obtaining the raoney I had advanced, as I charged
no coraraission for ray service, "Oh," said he, "you
raust not think of persuading us that you are no
gainer ; we understand better those raatters and know
that every one conoerned in supplying the array finds
raeans, in the doing it, to fill his own pockets." I
assured him that vvas not ray case and that I had not
pocketed a farthing ; but he appeared clearly not to
believe rae, and indeed, I afterward learned that ira
raense fortunes are often raade in such eraployraents.
As to ray balance, I am not paid it to this day ; of
which more hereafter.
Our captain of the packet boasted rauch, before we
sailed, of the swiftness of bis ship ; unfortunately,
when we came to sea she proved the dullest of ninety-
^ix sail, to his no small raortification. After raany
conjectures respecting the cause, when we vvere near
another ship, alraost as dull as ours, vvhich, hovvever,
gained upon us, the captain ordered all hands to corae

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 211
aft and stand as near the ensign staff as possible. We
were, passengers included, about forty persons.
While we stood there the ship raended her pace and
soon left her neighbor far behind, which proved clearly
what our captain suspected — that she was loaded too
rauch by the head. The casks of water, it seeras, bad
been all placed forward ; these he therefore ordered
to be raoved further aft, on which the ship recovered
her character and proved the best sailer in the fieet.
The captain said she had once gone at the rate of
thirteen knots, which is accounted thirteen railes per
hour. We had on board as a passenger Captain Archi
bald Kennedy, of the Royal Navy, who contended
that it was impossible ; that no ship ever sailed so fast,
and that there raust have been some error in the
division of the log-line or sorae raistake in heaving the
log. A wager ensued between the two captains, to be
decided when there should be sufficient wind. Kennedy
therefore examined the log-line, and being satisfied
with it he deterrained to throw the log hiraself, Sorae
days after, when the wind was very fair and fresh,
and the captain of the packet, Lutwidge, said he
believed she tben went at the rate of thirteen knots,
Kennedy raade the experiraent and owned his wager
lost. The foregoing fact I give for the sake of the
following observation. It has been reraarked as an
iraperfection in the art of ship-building that it can
never be known tiU she is tried whether a new ship
will or will not be a good sailer ; for that tbe raodel
of a good sailing-ship has been exactly foUowed in a
new one, wbich bas been proved on the contrary
remarkably dull I apprehend that this may partly

212 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
be occasioned by tbe different opinions of seamen
rospooting tbe modes of loading, rigging, and sailing
of a ship. Each has his method ; and the samo vessel,
laden by the method and orders of one captain, shall
sail worse than when by the orders of another. Be
sides, it scarce ever happens that a ship is formed,
fitted for the sea, and sailed by the same person. One
men builds the hull, another rigs her, a third loads and
sails her. No one of these has the advantage of
knowing aU the ideas and experience of the others, and
therefore cannot draw just conclusions from a cora
bination of the whole.
Even in the siraple operation of sailing, when at sea
1 have often observed different judgments in tho
officers who comraanded the successive watches, the
wind being the sarae. One would have the sails
triraraed sharper or fiatter than another, so that they
seeraed to have no certain rules to govern by. Yet I
think a set of experiraents raight be instituted, first, to
deterraine the raost proper form of the hull for swift
saUing; next, the best diraensions and raost proper
place for the raasts ; then the forra and quantity of
sails and their position, as the winds may be ; and
lastly, the disposition of the lading. This is an age of
experiments, and I think a set accurately made and
corabined would be of great use.
We ^ere several tiraes chased in our passage, bub
outsailed everything, and in thirty days had soundings.
We had a good observation, and tbe captain judged
hiraself so near our port, Falraoutb, that if we raade a
good run in the night we might be off the mouth of
that harbor in the morning; and by running in the
night might escape the notice of the enemy's priva-

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 213
teers, who often cruised near the entrance of the
Channel, Accordingly aU the sail was set that we
could possibly carry, and the Wind being very fresh
and fair, vve stood right before it and raade great way.
The captain, after his observation, shaped his course,
as he thought, so as to pass wide of the SciUy Rocks ;
but it seeras there is sometimes a strong current setting
up St. George's Channel, which forraerly caused the
loss of Sir Cloudesley Shovel's squadron in 1707. This
was probably also the cause of what happened to us.
We had a watchraan placed in the bow, to whora
they often called, " Look well out hefore there" and he
as often answered " Ay, ay;" but perhaps had his eyes
shut and was half-asleep at the tirae, they soraetiraes
answering, as is said, raeohanically; for he did not see
a light just before us, vvhioh had been hid by the
studding-sails frora the raan at the helra and frora the
rest of the watch, but by an accidental yaw of the
ship was discovered and occasioned a great alarra, wo
being very near it ; the light appearing to rae as large
as a cart-wheel. It was raidnight and our captain fast
asleep ; but Captain Kennedy, juraping upon deck and
seeing the danger, ordered the ship to wear round, all
sails standing ; an operation dangerous to the raasts,
but it carried us clear and we avoided shipwreck, for
we were running fast on the rocks, on which the light
was erected. This deliverance irapressed me strongly
with the utility of light-houses, and made rae resolve
to encourage the building sorae of thera in Araerica if
I should live to return thither.
In the moming it was found by the soundings that
we were near pur port, but a thick fog hid the land
from onr sight. About nine o'clock the fog began to

214 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
rise, and seemed to be lifted up from the water like a
curtain of a theater, discovering underneath the town
of Falmouth, the vessels in the harbor, and the fields
tbat surround it. This was a pleasing spectacle to
those who had been long without any other prospect
than the uniform view of a vacant ocean, and it gave
us the raore pleasure, as we were now free from tho
anxieties vvhioh had arisen.*
I set out iraraediately with my son for London, and
we only stopped a little by the vvay to view Stone
henge on Salisbury Plain, and Lord Pembroke's house
and gardens, with the very curious antiquities, at
WUton, We arrived in London the 27th of July, 1757.
• In a letter from Dr. Franklin to his wife, dated at Falmouth,
the 17th of July, 1757, after giving her a similar account of his
voyage, escape, and landing, he adds: " The bell ringing for
church we went thither immediately, and with hearts full pf
gratitude returned sincere thanks to God for the mercies we had
received. Were I a Roman Catholic, perhaps I should bn this
occasion vow to build a chapel to some saint; but as I am not,
If I were to vow at aU it should be to build a light-house."—
W. T. F.

Bin) OF AirrOBIOOBAFHT.

POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC

AND

OTHER PAPERS.

In the early days of onr country almanacs were a popular
form of literature. Almost every farmer had an almanac hang
ing near the fireplace. These almanacs usually contained a
monthly calendar, movements of the heavenly bodies, and a
variety of information and useful literature. Franklin began
the pubUcation of such an almanac in 1782 and continued it
for twenty-five years, claiming it was written by one Richard
Saunders. In his almanac Franklin began his proverbs with the
phrase Poor Richard aays, as if he were quoting from Richard
Saunders, and thus the almanac came to becalled Poor Richardus
Almanac. "These proverbs," says Franklin, " which contain the wisdom
of many ages and nations, I assembled and formed into a con
nected discourse, prefixed to the almanac of 1767, as the
harangue of a wise old man to the people attending an auction.
The bringing aU these scattered counsels thus into a focus
enabled them to make greater impression. The piece, being
universally approved, was copied in all the newspapers of the
continent and reprinted in Britain on a broadside, to be stuck
up in houses; two translations were made of it in French and
great numbers bought by the clergy and gentry, to distribute
gratis among their poor parishioners and tenants. In Pennsyl
vania, as it discouraged useless expense in foreign superfluities,
some thought it had its share of influence in producing that
growing plenty of money which was observable for severalyears
after its publication."
Tbe pagQS which follow were prefixed to the almanac of 1707.

POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC.

Courteous Readeb : I have heard that nothing
gives an author so great pleasure as to find his works
respectfuUy quoted by other learned authors. This
pleasure I have seldora enjoyed. For though I have
been, if I raay say it without vanity, an erainent
author of almanacs annually now for a full quarter of
a century, ray brother authors in the same way, for
what reason I know not, have ever been very sparing
in their applauses, and no other author has taken the
least notice of rae ; so that did not ray writings pro
duce rae sorae solid pudding, the great deficiency of
praise would have quite discouraged nae.
I concluded at length that the people were the best
judges of ray raerit, for they buy ray works; and be
sides, in ray rarables, where I ara not personally
known I have frequently heard one or other of ray
adages repeated, vvith <w Poor Richard, says at the
end of it. This gave rae sorae satisfaction, as it
showed not only that my instructions were regarded,
but discovered likewise some respect for my author
ity; and I own that to encourage the practice of
remembering and repeating those sentences, I have
sometimes quoted myself with great gravity.
Judge, then, how much I must have been gratified
by an inoident I am going to relate to you. I stopped
my horse lately where a great number of people were

220 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
collected at a vendue of raerchant's goods. The hour
of sale not being corae, they were conversing on the
badness of the tiraes ; and one of the corapany called
to a plain, clean old raan with white locks, " Pray,
Father Abrahara, what think you of the tiraes ? Won't
these heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How shall
we ever be able to pay them? What would you ad
vise us to ?" Father Abrahara stood up and replied ;
" If you would have ray advice, I will give it you in
short ; for ' a word to the wise is enough,' and ' raany
words won't fill a bushel,' as Poor Richard says."
They all joined, desiring hira to speak his raind, and
gathering round hira he proceeded as follows:
Friends and neighbors, the taxes are indeed very
heavy, and if those laid on by the governraent vvere
the only ones we had to pay, we raight the raore easily
discharge thera ; but vve have raany others, and rauch
raore grievous to sorae of us. We are taxed twice as
ranch by our idleness, three tiraes as ranch by our
PEiDB, and four tiraes as rauch by our folly ; and from
these taxes the coraraissioners cannot ease or deliver
us by allowing an abateraent, Hovvever, let us hearken
to good advice, and soraething raay be done for us.
" God helps them that help themselves," as Poor
Richard says in his alraanac of 1733.
It would be thought a hard governraent that should
tax its people one-tenth part of their time, to be em
ployed in its service, but idleness taxes raany of us
rauch raore, if we reckon all tbat is spent in absolute
sloth or doing of nothing, with that whioh is spent in
idle eraployraents or amuseraents that araount to
nothing. Sloth, by bringing on diseases, absolutely
shortens life. " Sloth, like rust, consuraes faster than

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 221
labor wears ; vvhile the used key is always bright," as
Poor Richard says. " But dost thou love life ? then do
not squander tirae, for that's the stuff life is raade of,"
as Poor Richard says.
How rauch raore than is necessary do we spend in
sleep ? forgetting that " the sleeping fox catches no
poultry," and that " there wiU be sleeping enough in
the grave," as Poor Richard says. If tirae be of all
things the raost precious, " wasting of tirae raust be,"
as Poor Richard says, " the greatest prodigality ;"
since, as he elsewhere teUs us, " lost tirae is never found
again," and what we call " tirae enough I always proves
little enough." Let us, then, up and be doing, and
doing to the purpose ; so by diligence shaU we do
raore witb less perplexity, " Sloth raakes all things
difficult, but industry all things easy," as Poor Richard
says ; and " he that riseth late raust trot all day, and
shall scarce overtake his business at night; whUe
laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes
hira," as we read in Poor Riohard ; who adds, " drive
thy business ! let not that drive thee 1" and—
" Early to bed and early to rise
Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
So what signifies wishing and hoping for better
tiraes ? We raay raake these tiraes better if we bestir
ourselves, " Industry need not wish," as Poor Richard
says, and " he that Uves on hope vvill die fasting,"
" There are no gains vvithout pains ; then help, hands I
for I have no lands ;" or, if I have, they are sraartly
taxed. And as Poor Richard likewise observes, " he
that bath a trade bath an estate, and he that hath a
oaUing hath an offioe of profit and honor ;" but then

222 A UTOBIOQRA PHT OF
the trade must be worked at and the calling well fol
lowed,^ or neither the estate nor tbe office wUl enable
us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious we shall
never starve ; for, as Poor Riohard says, " at tbe work
ing-man's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter."
Nor will the bailiff or tbe constable enter, for " industry
pays debts, while despair increaseth thern."
What though you have found no treasure, nor has
any rioh relation left you a legacy, " diligenco is the
mother of good luck," as Poor Richard says, and " God
gives all things to industry."
' ' Then plow deep while sluggards sleep,
And yon shall have corn to seU and to keep,"
says Poor Dick. Work While it is called to-day, for
you knovv not bow rauch you raay be hindered to
morrow; which makes Poor Richard say, "one to
day is worth two to-morrows;" and further, "have
you somewhat to do to-morrow ? Do it to-day !"
If you were a servant would you not be ashamed
tbat a good raaster should catch you idle ? Are you,
then, your own raaster? "Be asharaed to catch your
self idle," as Poor Dick says. When there is so
much to be done for yourself, your faraily, your
country, and your gracious king, be up by peep of
day ! " Let not the sun look down and say, ' Inglorious
here he lies !'" Handle your tools without raittens!
reraeraber that "the cat in gloves catches no raice!"
as Poor Richard says,
'Tis true there is rauch to be done, and perhaps you
are weak-handed ; but stick to it steadily and you will
see great effects; for "constant dropping wears away

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 223
stones ;" and " by diligence and patience the raouse ate
in two the cable;" and "little strokes fell great oaks ;"
as Poor Richard says in his alraanac, the year I can
not just now remember,
Methinks I hear some of you say, " Must a raan
afford himself no leisure V I will tell thee, ray friend,
vvhat Poor Richard says, "employ thy tirae well if
thou raeanest to gain leisure;" and "since thou art not
sure of a rainute, throw not away an hour !" Leisure
is tirae for doing soraething useful ; this leisure the
diligent man will obtain, but the lazy raan never; so
that, as Poor Richard says, " a life of leisure, and a
life of laziness are tvvo things." Do you iraagine that
sloth will afford you raore corafort than labor ? No 1
for, as Poor Richard says, "trouble springs frora idle
ness and grievous toil frora needless ease." " Many,
without labor, would live by their wits only, but
they'll break for want of stock" [raeans]; whereas
industry gives corafort, and plenty, and respect.
" Fly pleasures and they'll follow you ;" " the diligent
spinner has a large shift ;" and
" Now I have a sheep and a cow,
Everybody bids me good-morrow."
AU which is well said by Poor Richard. But with
our industry we raust likewise be steady, settled, and
careful, and oversee our ovvn affairs with oiir own
©yes and not trust too ranch to others ; for, as Poor
Riohard says —
•' I never saw an oft-removed tree
Nor yet an oft-removed family
That throve so well as those that settled be."

And again, " three reraoves are as bad as a fire ;'

.»

224 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
and again, " keep thy shop and thy shop will keep
thee;" and again, "if you would have your business
done, go ; if not, send." And again —
" He that by the plow would thrive,
Himself mnst either hold or drive."
And again, " the eye of the master wiU do more
work than both his bands ;" and again, " want of care
does us more damage than want of knowledge;" and
again, " not to oversee workmen is to leave them your
purse open."
Trusting too much to others' care is the ruin of
raany ; for, as the alraanac says, " in the affairs of this
world raen are saved, not by ifaith, but by the want of
it ;" but a raan's own care is profitable ; for, saith
Poor Dick, " learning is to the studious and riches to
the careful;" as well as "power to the bold" and
" heaven to the virtuous." And further, " if you would
have a faithful servant and one that you like, serve
yourself." And again, he adviseth to circuraspection and care,
even in the sraallest raatters ; because soraetiraes " a
little neglect raay breed great mischief;" adding,
"for want of a nail the shoe vvas lost; for want of a
shoe the horse was lost ; and for want of a horse the
rider was lost ;" being overtaken and slain by the
enemy ; all for want of a little care about a horseshoe
nail! So ranch for industry, my friends, and attention to
one's own business ; but to these vve must add frugality
if we would make our industry raore certainly success
ful. "A raan raay," if he knows not how to save as
be gets, " keep bis nose all his life to tbe grindstone

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 226
and die not worth a groat at last." " A fat kitchen
raakes a lean will," as Poor Richard says ; and
" Many estates are spent in the getting.
Since women for tea * forsook spinning and knitting.
And men for punch forsook hewing and splitting."
If you would be wealthy, says he in another alraanac,
" think of saving as well as of getting. . The Indies
have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are
greater than ber incoraes."
Away, then, with your expensive follies, and you will
not have so much cause to complain of hard times,
heavy taxes, and chargeable families ; for, as poor
Dick says —
" Women and wine, game and deceit.
Make the wealth small and the wants great."
And further, " what raaintains one vice vvould bring
up two children." You raay think, perhaps, that a
little tea or a little punch now and then, a diet a little
raore costlv', clothes a little finer, and a little raore
entertainment now and then, can be no great raatter ;
but reraeraber what Poor Richard says, " raany a
little raakes a raickle ;" and further, " beware of little
expenses ; a sraall leak will sink a great ship ;'* and

again —

" Who dainties love shaU beggars prove ;"

and moreover, " fools make feasts and wise men eat
them." Here are you all got together at this vendue of
fineries and knick-knacks. You caU them goods; but
if you do not take care they will prove evils to some
* Tea at this time was expensive and regarded a loxnry.

226 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
of you. You expect they will be sold cheap, and per
haps tbey raay for less than they cost ; but if you
have no occasion for thera they raust be dear to you.
Reraember what Poor Riohard says : " Buy what thou
hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy
necessaries," And again, "at a great pennyworth
pause awhile." He means that perhaps the cheapness
is apparent only and not real; or the bargain by strait
ening thee in thy business raay do thee raore harm
than good. For in another place he says, " raany
have been ruined by buying good pennyworths."
Again, Poor Richard says, " 'tis foolish to lay out
money in a purchase of repentance ;" and yet this
folly is practiced every day at vendues for want of
minding the alraanac,
"Wise raen," as Poor Richard says, "learn by
others' barras ; fools scarcely by their own ;" but
Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum.* Many a
one, for the sake of finery on the baok, has gone with
a hungry belly and half-starved their farailies. "Silks
and satins, scarlets and velvets," as Poor Richard
says, " put out the kitchen fire," These are not the
necessaries of life ; they can scarcely be called the con
veniences ; and yet, only because they look pretty,
how many want to have them I The artificial wants
of raankind thus become raore nuraerous than the
natural ; and as Poor Dick says, " for one poor person
there are a hundred indigent."
By these and other extravagances the genteel aro
reduced to poverty and forced to borrow of thoso
• He's a lucky fellow who is made prudent by other men's
perils.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 227
whora they forraerly despised, but vvho, through in
dustry and frugality, have raaintained their standing ;
in wliich case it appears plainly that " a plowraan on
his legs is higher than a gentleraan on his knees," as
Poor Richard says. Perhaps they have had a sraall
estate left them, which they knew not the getting of ;
they think, "'tis day and will never be night;" that
"a little to be spent out of so much is not worth
minding" (a child and a fool, as Poor Richard says,
imagine twenty shillings and twenty years can never
be spent) ; but " alvvays taking out of the meal-tub,
and never putting in, soon conies to the bottora,"
Then, as Poor Dick says, " vvhen the well's dry they
know the worth of water." But this they raight have
known before if they had taken his advice. " If you
would know the value of raoney, go and try to bor
row sorae ;" for " he that goes a-borrowing goes a-
Borrowing," and indeed so does he that lends to such
people, vvhen he goes to get it in again.
Poor Dick further advises and says :
" Fond pride of dress is, sure, a very curse;
Ere fancy you consult, consult your purse."
And again, " pride is as loud a beggar as want and a
great deal raore saucy." When you have bought one
fine thing you raust buy ten raore, that your appear
ance raay be all of a piece ; but Poor Dick says, " 'tis
easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all
that follow it." And 'tis as truly folly for the poor to
ape the rioh as for the frog to swell in order to equal
the ox. " Great estates may venture more,
Bnt little boata should keep near«hore."

228 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
'Tis, however, a folly soon punished ; for " pride
that dines on vanity sups on contempt," as Poor
Richard says. And in another place, " pride break
fasted with plenty, dined with poverty, and supped
with infamy."
And after all, of what use is this pride of appear
ance, for which so much is risked, so much is suffered I
It cannot proraote health or ease pain ; it raakes no
increase of raerit in the person ; it creates envy ; it
hastens raisfortune. " What is a butterfly ? At best
He's but a caterpillar drest.
The gaudy fop's his picture just,"
as Poor Richard says.
But what raadness raust it be to run into debt for
these superfluities ! We are offered by the terms of
this vendue six months' credit ; and tbat, perhaps, has
induced some of us to attend it, because we cannot
spare the ready money and hope now to be fine with
out it. But ah 1 think what you do when you run in
debt : you give to another power over your liberty.
If you cannot pay at the time you will be ashamed to
see your creditor ; you vvill be in fear when you speak
to hira ; you wUl raake poor, pitiful, sneaking excuses,
and by degrees corae to lose your veracity and sink
into base, downright lying ; for, as Poor Richard says,
"the second vice is lying, the first is running into
debt ;" and again, to the sarae purpose, " lying rides
upon debt's back ;" whereas a free-born Englishraan
ought not to be asharaed or afraid to see or speak to
any raan Uving. But poverty often deprives a raan of
aU spirit and virtue. " 'Tis hard for an empty bag to
stand upright I" as Poor Richard truly says. What

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 229
would you think of that prince or the governraent
vvho should issue an ediet forbidding you to dress like
a gentleman or gentlewoman, on pain of iraprisonraent
or servitude ? Would you not say that you are free,
have a right to dress as you please, and that such an
edict would be a breach of your privileges and such a
government tyrannical? And yet you are about to
put yourself under such tyranny when you run in
debt for such dress ! Your creditor has authority, at
his pleasure, to deprive you of your liberty by confin
ing you in jail for life or to sell you for a servant ifyou
should not be able to pay hira. When you have got
your bargain you raay, perhaps, think little of pay
raent ; but " creditors," Poor Richard tells us, "have
better raeraories than debtors ;" and in another place
says, " creditors are a superstitious set, great observ
ers of set days and tiraes." The day coraes round
before you are aware, and the deraand is made before
you are prepared to satisfy it ; or, if you bear your debt
in mind, the terra which at first seemed so long vvill,
as it lessens, appear extreraely short. Tirae vvill seera
to have added wings to his heels as vvell as his
shoulders. " Those have a short Lent," saith Poor
Richard, "vvho owe money to be paid at Easter,"
Then since, as he says, " the borrower is a slave to the
lender and the debtor to the creditor," disdain the
chain, preserve your freedom, and maintain your
independency. Be industrious and free ; be frugal
and free. At present, perhaps, you raay think your
self in thriving circurastances, and that you oan boar
a little extravagance without injury ; but—
" For age and want, save while yon may;
Ko moming sun lasts a whole day,"

230 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
As Poor Richard says, gain may be temporary and
uncertain; but ever while you live expense is constant
and certain ; and " 'tis easier to build two chimneys
than to keep one in fuel," as Poor Richard says ; so,
" rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt."
" Get what you can, and what you get hold;
'Tis the stone that will turn all your load into gold,"*
as Poor Richard says ; and when you have got the
philosopher's stone, sure, you will no longer complain
of bad tiraes or the difficulty of paying taxes.
This doctrine, ray friends, is reason and wisdom ;
but, after all, do not depend too rauch upon your own
industry and frugality and prudence, though exceUent
things, for they raay all be blasted without the blessing
of Heaven ; and therefore ask that blessing hurably,
and be not uncharitable to those that at present seem
to want it, but corafort and help them. Reraeraber Job
suffered and vvas afterward prosperous.
And now, to conclude, " experience keeps a dear
school, but fools will learn in no other, and scarce in
that ;" for it is true, " we may give advice, but we
cannot give conduct," as Poor Richard says. How
ever, reraember this : " they that won't be counseled
can't be helped," as Poor Richard says ; and further,
tbat " if you wUl not hear reason she'U surely rap your
knuckles." Thus the old gentleman ended his harangue. The
people heard it and approved the doctrine, and im
mediately practiced the contrary, just as if it had been
? The phUosopher's stone, so called, a mineral having the power
of turning base metals into gold.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 231
a coraraon serraon. For the vendue opened and they
began to buy extravagantly, notvvithstanding all his
cautions and their own fear of taxes. I found the good
raan had thoroughly studied ray alraanacs and digested
all I had dropped on those topics during the course of
twenty-five years. The frequent raention he raade of
rae raust have tired any one else ; but ray vanity was
wonderfully delighted vvith it, though I was conscious
that not a tenth part of the wisdora was ray own whioh
he ascribed to rae, but rather the gleanings that I had
raade of the sense of all ages and nations. However,
I resolved to be the better for the echo of it, and
though I had at first deterrained to buy stuff for a new
coat, I went away resolved to wear my old one a little
longer. Reader, if thou wilt do the sarae, thy profit
wUl be as great as mine. I ara, as ever, thine to serve
thee, B10HA.BD Saundbbs.
JudAf rth, 1767.

232 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

PLAN FOR SAVING ONE HUNDRED THOU-
SAND POUNDS.
Fbom " Poob Riohabo's Almanac," 1766.
As I spent some weeks last winter in visiting my
old acquaintance in the Jerseys, great coraplaints I
heard for want of raoney, and that leave to raake
raore paper bills could not be obtained. Friends and
countryraen, ray advice on this head shall cost you
nothing; and if you will not be angry vvith rae for
giving it, I proraise you not to be offended if you do
not take it.
You spend yearly at least two hundred thousand
pounds, it is said, in European, East Indian, and West
Indian coraraodities. Suppose one-half of this expense
to be in things absolutely necessary, the other half
raay be oalled superfluities, or, at best, conveniences,
which, however, you raight Uve withotit for one little
year and not suffer exceedingly. Now, to save this
half observe these few directions :
1. When you incline to have nevv clothes, look first
well over the old ones and see if you cannot shift with
thera another year, either by scouring, raending, or
even patching if necessary. Reraember, a patch on
your coat and raoney in your pocket is better and raore
creditable than a writ on your back and no raoney to
take it off.
2. Wben you are inclined to buy china ware, chintzes,

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 233
India sUks, or any other of their flirasy, slight raanu
factures, I would not be so bad with you as to insist
on your absolutely resolving against it ; all I advise is
tx) put it off (as you do your repentance) till another
year, and this, in sorae respects, raay prevent an
occasion of repentance.
3. If you are now a drinker of punch, wine, or tea
twice a day, for the ensuing year drink them but once
a day. If you now drink thera but once a day, do it
but every other day. If you do it now but once a
week, reduce the practice to once a fortnight. And
if you do not exceed in quantity as you lessen the
tiraes, half your expense in these articles will be saved.
4. When you incline to drink rura,*fill the glass half
with water.
Thus at the year's end there will be a hundred
thousand pounds raore raoney in your country.
If paper raoney in ever so great a quantity could be
raade, no raan could get any of it without giving
soraething for it. But all he saves in this way wUl bo
his own for nothing and his country actually so much
richer. Then the merchants' old and doubtful debts
may be honestly paid off, and trading becoraes surer
thereafter, if not so extensive.

UH AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

NEOESSAKT HINTS TO THOSE THAT
WOULD BE RIOH.
Wbitten in thb Yuab 1786.
Thb use of money is all tbe advantage there is in
having money.
For six pounds a year you may have the use of ono
hundred pounds, provided you are a raan of known
prudence and honesty.
He that spends a groat a day idly spends idly above
six pounds a year, vvhich is the prioe for the use of
one hundred pounds.
He that wastes idly a groat's worth of his tirae por
day, one day vvith another, wastes the privilege of
using one hundred pounds each day.
He that idly loses five shillings' worth of tirae loses
five shillings, and raight as prudently throw five shil
lings into the sea.
He that loses five shillings not only loses that sum,
but all the advantage that raight be made by turnin;,^
it in dealing, which by the tirae that a young man
becoraes old will araount to a considerable sum of
raoney. Again : he that sells upon credit asks a price for
what he sells equivalent to the principal and interest
of his money for the tirae he is to be kept out of it ;
therefore he that buys upon oredit pays interest
for vvhat he buys, and he tbat pays ready raoney

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 235
raight let that raoney out to use ; so that he that pos
sesses anything he has bought pays interest for the
use of it.
Yet in buying goods it is best to pay ready raoney,
because he that sells upon oredit expects to lose five
per cent, by bad debts ; therefore he charges on all
he sells upon credit an advance that shall raake up
that deficiency.
Those who pay for what tbey buy upon credit pay
their share of this advance.
He that pays ready raoney escapes, or raay escape,
that charge. " A penny saved is two pence clear;
A pin a day's a groat a year."

238 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

ADVIOE TO A YOUNG TRADESMAN.
Wbitten in thb Yeab 1748.
To MY Fbiend, a. B. : As you have desired it ol
me, I write the following hints, which have boen ol
service to rae, and raay, if observed, be so to you.
Reraeraber that tirae is raoney. He that oan earn
ten shillings a day by his labor and goes abroad or
sits idle one-half of that day, though he spends but
sixpence during his diversion or idleness, ought not to
reckon that the only expense ; he has really spent, or
rather thrown away, five shillings besides.
Reraember that credit is money. If a man lots hi;
money lie in my hands after it is due, he gives rao tlu
interest, or so rauch as I can raake of it during that
tirae, .This araounts to a considerable sura where a
raan has good and large credit and makes good use
ofit. Reraeraber that raoney is of tbe prolific, generating
nature. Money can beget raoney, and its offsprin;:
can beget raore, and so on. Five shillings turned i^^
SIX ; turned again it is seven and threepence, and so on
till it becoraes a hundred pounds. The raore there is
of it the raore it produces every turning, so that tlif
profits rise quicker and quicker. He that kills u
breeding sow destroys all her offspring to the thou
sandth generation. He that raurders a crown destroys
all tbat raig^ht have produced even scores of pounds.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 237
Reraeraber that six pounds a year is but a groat a
. day. For this little sum (which may be daily wasted
either in tirae or expense unperceived) a raan of credit
raay, on his own security, have the constant possession
and use of a hundred pounds. So much in stock
briskly turned by an industrious raan produces great
advantage. Reraeraber this saying, " The good payraaster is lord
of another raan's purse." He that is known to pay
punctually and exactly to the tirae he proraises raay at
any tirae and on any occasion raise all the raoney his
friends can spare. This is soraetimes of great use.
After industry and frugality, nothing contributes raore
to the raising of a young raan in the world than punc-
tualit}' and justice in all his dealings ; therefore never
keep borrowed raoney an hour beyond the tirae you
proraised, lest a disappointraent shut up your friend's
purse forever.
The raost trifling actions that affect a raan's credit
are to be regarded. The sound of your hararaer at
five in the raorning or nine at night heard by a
creditor raakes hira easy six raonths longer, but if he
sees you at a billiard-table or hears your voice at a
tavern, when you should be at work, he sends for his
raoney the next day ; deraands it, before he can
receive it, in a lurap.
It shows, besides, that you are raindful of what you
owe ; it raakes you appear a careful as well as an
honest raan, and that stUl increases your credit.
Beware of thinking all your own that you possess
and of Uving accordingly. It is a raistake that many
people who have credit fall into. To prevent this,
keep an exact account for sorae tirae, both of your ex-

238 JL UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
penses and your incorae. If you take the pains a
first to raention particulars, it will have this goo(
effect: you vvill discover how wonderfully small
trifling expenses raount up to large sums, and wil
discern vvhat might have been and raay for the futm .
be saved without occasioning any great inconvenienc(
In short, the way to wealth, if you desire it, is a
plain as the way to raarket. It depends chiefly oi
two words, industry and frugality; that is, vvasl.
neither tirae nor raoney, but raake the best uso (¦
both. Without industry and frugality nothing wii
do, and with thera everything. He that gets all Ik
can honestly and saves all he gets (necessary expense
excepted) will certainly become rich, if that Beiii^
who governs the world, to whom all should look for ;
blessing on their honest endeavors, doth not, in hi
wise providence, otherwise deterraine. An Old Tbadesman.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 239

DIGGING FOR HIDDEN TREASURE.
Fbom "The Busy-Body," a Series of Essays
BY Fbanklin.
One of the greatest pleasures an author can have
is certainly the hearing his wprks applauded. The
hiding frora the vvorld our names vvhile we publish
our thoughts is so absolutely necessary to this self-
gratification that I hope my well-wishers will congrat
ulate me on ray escape frora the many diUgent but
fruitless inquiries that have of late been raade after
rae. Every raan vvill ovvn that an author, as such,
ought to be tried by the merit of his productions
only ; but pride, party, and prejudice at this time run
so very high that experience shows we form our
notions of a piece by the character of the author. Nay,
there are sorae very hurable politicians in and about
this city who will ask on whioh side the writer is be
fore they presurae to give their opinion of the thing
written. This ungenerous way of proceeding I was
well aware of before I published ray flrst speculation,
and therefore concealed ray narae. And I appeal to
the raore generous part of the vvorld if I have, since
I appeared in the character of the Busy-Body, given
an instance of my siding with any party raore than
another in the unhappy divisions of ray country ; and
I have, above all, this satisfaction in rayself, that
neither affection, aversion, nor interest has biased roe

240 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF.
to use any partiality toward any raan or set of raei
but wbatsover I find 'nonsensical, ridiculous, or ii
raorally dishonest I have and shall continue open
to attack, with the freedom of an honest man ai
a lover of my country.
I profess I can hardly contain myself, or presei
the gravity and dignity that should attend the ct
serial office, vvhen I hear the off-hand and unaccoui
able expositions that are put upon some of my woi
through the raalicious ignorance of sorae and the v;i
pride of raore than ordinary penetration in others ;oi
instance of which raany of ray readers are acquaint!
vvith. A certain gentleraan has taken a great deal
pains to write a key to the letter in ray No. W
[upon annoyances frora chUdren], wherein he has ii
geniously converted a gentle satire upon tedious ai
irapertinent visitants into a libel on some of the go
ernraent. This I raention only as a speciraen of tl
taste of the gentleraan I ara, forsooth, bound to plea
in ray speculations ; not that I suppose ray iraparti;'
ity will ever be called in question on that accoun
Injustices of this nature I could coraplain of in man
instances ; but I ara at present diverted by the reccs
tion of a letter which, though it regards rae only i
my private capacity as an adept, yet I venture i
publish it for the entertainment of my readers :
"To Censoe Mokum, Esq., Busy -Body-General of tli
Province of Pennsylvania and the Counties *
Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex upon Delaware.
" Honorable Sir : I judge by your lubcubration
that you are not only a lover of truth and equity, bn
a man of parts and learning and a raaster of scienc(

BENJA MIN FRA NKLIN. 241
as such I honor you, Knovv then, most profound sir,
that I have from my youth up been a very indefatiga
ble student in and admirer of that divine science
astrology, Ihave read over Scot, Aibertus Magnus,
and Cornelius Agrippa about three hundred times, and
vvas in hopes, by ray knowledge and industry, to gain
enough to have recorapensed rae for my raoney ex
pended and tirae lost in the pursuit of this learning.
You cannot be ignorant, sir (foryour intimate, second-
sighted correspondent knows all things), that there are
large suras of raoney hidden underground in divers
places about this town and in many parts of the
country ; but, alas ! sir, notwithstanding I have used
all the raeans laid down in the iraraortal authors before
raentioned, and when the}' failed the ingenious Mr.
P-d-1, vvith his raercurial wand and magnet, I have
still failed in ray purpose. This, therefore, I send, to
propose and desire an acquaintance with you ; and I
do not doubt, notvvithstanding my repeated ill-fortune,
but vve may be exceedingly serviceable to each other
in our discoveries, and that if we use our united en
deavors the time will come when the Busy-Body, his
second-sighted correspondent, and your very bumble
servant wUl be three of the richest raen in the prov
ince. And then, sir, what raay we not do? A word
to the wise is sufficient. I conclude, with all demons
strable respect, yours and Urania's votary,
" Titan Pleiades."
In the evening, after I had received this letter, I
made a visit to ray second- sigh ted friend and com
municated to him the proposal. When he had read it
he assured me that, to bis certain knowledge, there is

2i2 AUTOBIOQRAPHY OF
not at tbis tirae so much as one ounce of silver or gol<
hid underground in any partof this province ; for thai
the late and present scarcity of money had obUged
tbose who were living, and knew whore they had
formerly hid any, to take it up and use it in their own
necessary affairs ; and as to all the rest, which wa>
buried by pirates and others in old times who wen
never likely to corae for it, he hiraself had dug it all
up and applied it to charitable uses; and tbis be de
sired rae to publish for the general good. For, as \u
acquainted me, there are among us great nurabers ol
honest artificers and laboring people, vvho, fed with a
vain hope of growing suddenly rich, neglect their
business, alraost to the ruining of theraselves and
farailies, and voluntarily endure abundance of fatigue
in a fruitless search after iraaginary hidden treasure.
They wander through the woods and bushes by day
to discover the raarks and signs ; at midnight they re
pair to the hopeful spots vvith spades and pickaxes ;
full of expectation, they labor violently, trembling at
the same time in every joint, through fear of certain
malicious dera.ons who are said to haunt and guard
suoh places. At length a mighty hole is dug and per
haps several cart-loads of earth thrown out; but, alas !
no keg or iron pot is found. No seaman's chest
cramraed with Spanish pistoles or weighty pieces ot
eight I They conclude that through sorae mistake in
the procedure, some rash word spoken, or sorae rule of
art neglected, the guardian spirit had povver to sink it
deeper into the earth and convey it out of their reach.
Yet when a raan is once infatuated he is so far from
being discouraged by ill success that he is rather ani
raated to double his industry, and will try again and

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 243
again in a hundred different places, in hopes at last of
meeting with sorae lucky hit that shall at onee suf
ficiently revvard him for all his expenses of time and
labor. This odd huraor of digging for raoney, through a
belief that rauch has been hid by pirates forraerly fre
quenting the river, has for several years been mighty
prevalent araong us ; insorauch that you can hardly
walk half a raile out of the town on any side without
observing several pits dug with that design, and per
haps sorae lately opened. Men, otherwise of very
good sense, have been drawn into this practice through
an overweening desire of sudden wealth and an easy
credulity of what they so earnestly wished raight be
true ; while the rational and most certain methods of
acqiiiring riches by industry and frugality are neg
lected or forgotten. There seems to be some peculiar
charm in the conceit of finding money ; and if the
sands of Schuylkill vvere so much raixed with sraall
grains of gold that a man raight in a day's tirae, with
care and application, get together to the value of
half a crown, I raake no question but we should find
several people employed there that can with ease earn
five shillings a day at their proper trades.
Many are the idle stories told of the private success
of sorae people, by which others are encouraged to
proceed ; and the astrologers, with whora the country
swarras at this tinae, are either in the belief of these
things theraselves or find their advantage in persuad
ing others to believe them ; for they are often con
sulted about the critical times for digging, the raethods
of laying the spirit, and the like whiraseys, whioh
renders them very necessary to and very much caressed
by tbe poor, deluded money-hunters.

244 AUTOBIOQRAPHY OF
There is certainly soraething very bewitohing in tl.
pursuit after mines of gold and sUver and other vali
able metals, and many have been ruined by it. A se
captain of my acquaintance used to blarae the Engli.
for envying Spain their raines of silver, and too mu(
despising or overlooking the advantages of their ow
industry and raanufactures. " For ray part," says In
" I esteera the Banks of Nevvfoundland to be a nioi
valuable possession than the raountains of Potosi ; an
vvhen I have been there on the fishing account hav
looked upon every cod pulled up into the vessel as
certain quantity of sUver ore, vvhich only requin
carrying to the next Spanish port to be coined int
pieces of eight; not to raention the national profit o
fitting out and eraploying such a nuraber of ships an.
searaen," Let honest Peter Buckrara, who has long withou
success been a searcher after hidden raoney, refiect o:
this and be reclairaed frora that unaccountable folly
Let hira oonsider that every stitch he takes when he i
on bis shopboard is picking up part of a grain of gol.
that vvill in a few days' tirae araount to a pistole ; an.
let Faber think the sarae of every nail he drives w
every stroke with his plane, Sucb thoughts raay raalo
thera industrious, and, in consequence, in tirae the\
raay be wealthy. But how absurd it is to neglect a
certain profit for such a ridiculous whimsey ; to spend
whole days at the George in company vvith an idir
pretender to astrology, contriving schemes to discovei
what vvas never hidden, and forgetful how carelessly
business is raanaged at horae in their absence ; to
leave their wives and a warra bed at raidnight (no
raatter if it rain, hail, snow, or blow a hurricane, pro

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 246
vided that be the critical hour) and fatigue theraselves
with the violent exercise of digging for what they
shall never find, and perhaps getting a cold that raay
cost their lives, or at least disordering theraselves so as
to be fit for no business besides for sorae days after.
Surely this is nothing less than the raost egregious
folly and raadness
I shall conclude with the words of ray discreet
friend Agricola, of Chester County, vvhen he gave his
son a good plantation. " My son," said he, " I give
thee now a valuable parcel of land ; I assure thee I
have found a considerable quantity of gold by digging
tbere ; thee mayest do the same; but thee raust care
fully observe this, never to dig more than plow-
deep."

246 AUTOBIOQRAPHY OF

REMARKS CONCERNING THE SAVAGES
OF NORTH AMERIOA.
Savaoes vve oaU thera, because their manners differ
from ours, vvhich we think the perfection of oivUity ;
they think the sarae of theirs.
Perhaps if we could exaraine the raanners of differ
ent nations with irapartiaUty wo should find no people
BO rude as to be without any rules of politeness, or
none so polite as not to have sorae reraains of rude
ness. The Indian men, when young, are hunters and war
riors ; when old, counselors ; for all their governraent
is by the counsel or advice of the sages. There is no
force, there are no prisons, no officers to corapel obe
dience or inflict punishraent. Hence they generally
study oratory, the best speaker having the raost infiu
ence. The Indian woraen till the ground, dress the
food, nurse and bring up the children, and preserve
and hand down to posterity the raeraory of public
transactions. These eraployments of men and woraen
are accounted natural and honorable. Having few
artificial wants, they have abundance of leisure for
improveraent by conversation. Our laborious raanner
of life, corapared with theirs, they esteem slavish and
base ; and the learning on which vve value ourselves
they regard as frivolous and useless. An instance of
this occurred at the treaty of Lancaster, in Pennsyi-

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 247
vania, anno 1744, betvveen thegovernmentof Virginia
and the Six Nations.* After the principal business
was settled, the coraraissioners frora Virginia ac
quainted the Indians by a speech that there vvas at
WiUiarasburg a coUege, with a fund for educating
Indian youth ; and that if the chiefs of the Six Na
tions would send down half a dozen of their sons to
that college, the governraent would take care that
they should be well provided for and instructed in all
the learning of the white people. It is one of the In
dian rules of politeness not to answer a public propo
sition the sarae day that it is raade ; they think it
would be treating it as a light raatter, and that they
show it respect by taking tirae to consider it as of a
raatter important. They therefore deferred their an
swer till the day following, when their speaker began
by expressing their deep sense of the kindness of the
Virginia governraent in raaking thera that offer ; "for
we know," says he, " that you highly esteera the kind
of learning taught in those colleges, and that the
maintenance of our young raen while with you would
ho very expensive to you. We are convinced, there
fore, that you raean to do us good by your proposal,
and vve thank you heartily. But you, vvho are wise,
raust knovv that different nations have different con
ceptions of things ; and you will therefore not take it
araiss if out* ideas of this kind of education happen
not to be the sarae with yoUrs. We have had sorae
experienoe of it. Several of our young people were
formerly brought up at the coUeges of the northern

* The Six Nations were six tribes of Indians formed in a
league, also known as the Iroquois.

248 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
provinces ; tbey were instructed in aU yonr sciences ;
but when they carae back to us they were bad run
ners, ignorant of every raeans of Uving in the woods,
unable to bear either cold or hunger, knew neither
how to buUd a Cabin, take a deer, nor kill an enemy,
spoke our language iraperfectly; were therefore
neither fit for hunters, warriors, nor counselors — they
were therefore totally good for nothing. We are,
hovvever, not the less obliged by your kind offer,
though we decline accepting it ; and to show our
grateful sense of it, if the gentleraen of Virginia will
send us a dozen of their sons we will take great care
of their education, instruct thera in all we know, and
raake raen of thera."
Having frequent occasions to hold councils, tbey
have acquired great order and decency in conducting
thera. The old men sit in the foremost ranks, the
warriors in the next, and the woraen and children in
the hindraost. The business of the woraen is to take
exact notice of vvhat passes, iraprintit in their raerao
ries (for they have no writing), and coraraunicate it to
their children. They are the records of the council,
and they preserve the tradition of the stipulations in
treaties a hundred years back ; which, when we cora
pare with our writings, we always find exact. He
that would speak rises. The rest observe a profound
silence. When he has finished and sits down, they
leave hira five or six rainutes to recollect that if he
has oraitted anything he intended to say or has
anything to add he raay rise again and deUver it. To
interrupt another, even in coraraon conversation, is
reckoned highly indecent. How different this is
frora the conduct of a poUte British House of Cora-

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 249
mons, where scarce a day passes without some con
fusion, that makes the Speaker hoarse calling to
order; and how different from the mode of conver
sation in many polite corapanies of Europe, where, if
you do not deliver your sentence with great rapidity,
you are cut off in the raiddle of it by the irapatient
loquacity of those you converse with and never suffered
to finish itl
The politeness of these savages in conversation
is Indeed carried to excess, since it does not per
rait them to contradict or deny the truth of what
is asserted in their presence. By this means they
indeed avoid disputes; but then it becomes difficult
to know their rainds or what irapression you raake
upon thera. The missionaries vvho have atterapted
to convert them to Christianit}' all complain of
this as one of the great difficulties of their raission.
The Indians hear with patience the truths of the
Gospel explained to thera and give their usual
tokens of assent and approbation. You would think
they were convinced. No suoh raatter. It is raere
civility. A Swedish rainister having asserabled the chiefs
of the Susquehanna Indians raade a serraon to thera,
acquainting thera with the principal historical facts
on wbich our religion is founded — such as the fall of
our first parents by eating an apple, the coming of
Christ to repair tho mischief, bis rairacles and suffer
ing, etc. When he bad finished an Indian orator
stood up to thank hira. " What you have told us,"
says he, " is all very good. It is indeed bad to eat
apples. It is better to raake thera aU into cider. We
are rauch obliged by your kindness in coming so far

250 AUTOBToORAPHT OF
to toU us those things which you have heard from
your mothers. In return, I will tell you sorae of tbose
we have heard frora ours. *In the beginning, our
fathers had only the flesh of aniraals to subsist on, and
if their hunting was unsuccessful they were starving.
Two of our young hunters having killed a deer raade
a fire in the woods to boil sorae parts of it. When
they were about to satisfy their hunger, they beheld a
beautiful young woraan descend frora the clouds and
seat herself on that hill vvhich you see yonder araong
the Blue Mountains. They said to each other, "It is
a spirit that perhaps has sraelt our broiling venison
and wishes to eat of it ; let us offer some to her."
They presented her with the tongue; she was pleased
with the taste of it and said : " Your kindness shall be
rewarded ; corae to this place after thirteen raoons, and
you will find soraething that will be of great benefit in
nourishing you and your children to the latest gener
ations." They did so, and to their surprise found
plants they had never seen before, but which frora
that ancient tirae have been constantly cultivated
araong us to our great advantage. Where her right
hand had touched the ground they found maize;
where her left had touched it they found kidney-
beans.'" The good raissionary, disgusted with this
idle tale, said : " What I delivered to you were sacred
truths ; but what you tell rae is mere fable, fiction and
falsehood." The Indian, offended, replied: "My
brother, it seems your friends have not done you
justice in your education; they have not well in
structed you in the rules of coraraon civility. You
saw that we, who understand and practice those rules,
believed aU your stories ; why do you refuse to beUeve
ours ?"

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 251
When any of thera corae into our towns our people
are apt to crowd thera, gaze upon thera, and incora-
mode thera where they desire to be private ; this they
esteera great rudeness and the effect of the want of
instruction in the rules of civility and good raanners.
"We have," say they, " as rauch curiosity as you, and
when you corae into our towns we wish for opportuni
ties of looking at you ; but for this purpose we hide
ourselves behind bushes vvhere you are to pass and
never intrude ourselves into your corapany."
Their raanner of entering one another's village has
likewise its rules. It is reckoned uncivil in traveling
strangers to enter a village abruptly vvithout giving
notice of their approach. Therefore as soon as they
arrive within hearing they stop and halloo, reraaining
there untU invited to enter. Two old raen usually
corae out to thera and lead thera in. There is in every
village a vacant dweUing, called the strangers' house.
Here they are placed, vvhile the old raen go round
frora hut to hut acquainting the inhabitants that
strangers are arrived, who are probably hungry and
weary ; and every one sends thera vvhat he can spare
of victuals and skins to repose on. When the stran
gers are refreshed pipes and tobacco are brought ;
and then, but not before, conversation begins, with in
quiries who they are, whither bound, what news, etc.,
and it usually ends with offers of service, if the
strangers have occasion for guides, or any necessaries
for continuing their journey ; and nothing is exacted
for the entertainraent.
The sarae hospitality, esteeraed araong thera as a
principal virtue, is practiced by private persons, of
vvhich Conrad Weiser, our interpreter, gavo me the

252 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
foUowing instance. He bad been naturalized among
the Six Nations and spoke well the Mohawk language.
In going through the Indian country, to carry a raes
sage frora our governor to the council at Onondaga,
he called at the habitation of Canassetego, an old
acquaintance, vvho erabraced hira, spread furs for hira
to sit on, and placed before hira sorae boiled beans and
venison and raixed sorae rura and water for his drink.
When he was well refreshed and had lit his pipe,
Canassetego began to converse with hira ; asked hira
how he had fared the raany years since they had seen
each other, whence he then carae, what occasioned the
journey, etc. Conrad answered all his questions, and
when the discourse began to flag the Indian, to con
tinue it, said : " Conrad, you have lived long araong
the white people and knovv soraething of their custoras.
I have been soraetiraes at Albany, and have observed
that once in seven days they shut up their shops and
asserable all in the great house. Tell rae what it is for.
What do they do there?" "They raeet there," says
Conrad, " to hear and learn good things." " I do not
doubt," says the Indian, " that they tell you so — they
have told rae the sarae; but I doubt tbe truth of vvhat
they say, and I will tell you ray reasons. - I went lately
to Albany to sell ray skins and buy blankets, knives,
powder, rura, eto. You know I used generally to deal
vvith Hans Hanson, but I was a little inclined this time
to try some other merchants. However, I called first
upon Hans and asked hira vrhat he would give for
beaver. He said he could not give any raore than four
shillings a pound ; • but,' says he, ' I cannot talk on
business now : this is tho day when we meet together
to learn good things, and I am going to meeting,' So

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 253
I thought to myself, * Since I cannot do any business
to-day, I raay as well go to the raeeting too,' and I
went with hira. There stood up a raan in blaok and
began to talk to the people very angrily. I did not
understand what he said ; but perceiving that he looked
rauch at rae and at Hanson, I iraagined be was angry
at seeing rae there ; so I went out, sat down near the
house, struck fire and lit ray pipe, waiting tiU the
raeeting should break up. I thought, too, that the
raan had raentioned soraething of beaver, and I sus
pected it raight be the subject of their raeeting. So
vvhen they carae out I accosted ray raerchant. * Well,
Hans,' says I, * I hope you have agreed to give raore
than four shillings a pound,' * No,' says he ; * I cannot
give so rauch ; I oannot give raore than three shUlings
and sixpence.' I then spoke to several dealers, but
they all sang the sarae song — three and sixpence-
three and sixpence. This raade it clear to me that my
suspicion was right ; and that whatever they pretended
of raeeting to learn good things, the real purpose was
to consult how to cheat Indians in the price of beaver.
Consider but a little, Conrad, and you raust be of ray
opinion. If they raet so often to learn good things,
they would certainly have learned sorae before this
tirae. But they are still ignorant. You know our
practice. If a white raan in traveUng through our
country enters one of our cabins, we all treat hira as I
do you : we dry hira if he is wet; we warra him if he
is cold and give him raeat and drink that he raay aUay
his thirst and hunger; and we spread soft furs for
hira to rest and sleep on. We deraand nothing in
return. But if I go into a white raan's bouse at Albany
and ask for victuals and drink, thoy say : • Where is

254 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
your money V and if I have none tbey say : * Get ont,
you Indian dog !' You see they bave not learned those
little. good things that vve need no meetings to be in
structed in, because our mothers taught them to us
when we were children ; and therefore it is impossible
their meetings shoiild be, as they say, for any such
purpose or have any such effect : they are only to
contrive the cheating of Indians in the prioe of beaver."

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 256

A PETITION OF THE LEFT HAND.
TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENCY OF EDUCA
TION.
I ADDRESS myself to all the friends of youth, and
conjure thera to direct their compassionate regards to
ray unhappy fate, in order to reraove the prejudices of
which I ara the victira. There are twin sisters of us ;
and the two eyes of raan do not raore reserable nor
are capable of being upon better terms vvith eaoh other
than ray sister and rayself, were it not for the partial
ity of our parents, who raake the raost injurious dis
tinctions between us. Frora ray infancy I have been
led to oonsider ray sister asa being of a more elevated
rank, I was suffered to grow up without the least in
struction, whUe nothing was spared in her education.
She had raasters to teach her writing, drawing, rausic,
and other accoraplishraents ; but if by chance I touched
a pencil, a pen, or a needle, I was bitterly rebuked ;
and raore than once have I been beaten for being awk
ward and wanting a graceful raanner. It is true, ray
sister associated me with her upon sorae occasions ;
but she always raade a point of taking the lead, caU
ing upon rae only from necessity or to figure by her
side. But conceive not, sirs, that my coraplaints are in
stigated raerely by vanity. No, ray uneasiness is
occasioned by an object mucb more serious. It is the

256 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
practice in our family that the whole business of pro
viding for its subsistence falls upon my sister and
myself. If any indisposition should attack my sis
ter — and I mention it in confidence upon tbis occa
sion that she is subject to the gout, the rheumatism,
and cramp, without making mention of other acci
dents—what would be the fate of our poor family ?
Must not the regret of our family be excessive at
having placed so great a difference between sisters
who are so perfectly equal? Alasl we raust perish
frora distress ; for it would not be in my povver even
to scrawl a suppliant petition for relief, having been
obliged to employ the hand of another in transcrib
ing the request which I have now the honor to
prefer to you.
Condescend, sirs, to make my parents sensible of
tbe injustice of an exclusive tenderness, and of the
necessity of distributing their care and affection
araong all their chUdren equally. I ara, with a pro
found respect, sirs, your obedient servant, Thb Lbft Hand,

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 257

THE WHISTLE.*
I RECEIVED ray dear friend's two letters, one for
Wednesday, one for Saturday. This is again Wednes
day. I do not deserve one for to-day, because I have
not answered the forraer. But, indolent as I ara, and
averse to writing, the fear of having no raore of your
pleasing epistles if I do not contribute to the corre
spondence obliges rae to take up ray pen ; and as Mr.
B. has kitidly sent rae word that he sets out to-raorrow
to see you, instead of spending this Wednesday even
ing, as 1 have done its naraesakes, in your delightful
corapany, I sit down to spend it in thinking of you, in
writing to you, and in thinking over and over again
your letters,
I ara charraed with your description of Paradise
and with your plan of living there, and I approve
rauch of your conclusion that in the raean time we
should dravV all the good we can frora this world. In
ray opinion, we raight all draw raore good frora it than
we do and suffer less evils if vve would take care not
to give too much for whistles. For to me it seeras
that raost of the unhappy people we raeet with are
becorae so by neglect of that caution.
You ask what I raean ? You love stories and will
excuse my telling one of myself.
? This was written by Franklin to Madame Brillon November
10th, 1779, when he was envoy to the court of France.

268 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
When I was a child of seven years old my friends
on a holiday filled my pocket with coppers. I went
directly to a shop were they sold toys for children,
and being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I
met by the way in the hands of another boy, I volun
tarily offered and gave all ray raoney for one. I tben
came horae and went whistling all over the house,
rauch pleased with ray whistle, but disturbing all the
faraily. My brothers and sisters and cousins, under
standing the bargain I had raade, told me I had given
four tiraes as ranch for it as it vvas worth, put me in
raind what good things I raight have bought with the
rest of the raoney, and laughed at rae so much for my
folly that I cried with vexation ; and the refiection
gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me
pleasure. This, however, was afterward of use to rae, the ira
pression continuing on ray mind, so that often when I
was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing I said to
myself, don't give too much for the whistle : and I
saved my raoney.
As I grew up, carae into the world, and observed
the actions of raen, 1 thought I raet with many, very
many, who gave too much for the whistle.
When I saw one too ambitious to court favor, sac
rificing his time in attendance on levees, his repose,
his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, to attain
it, I have said to myself, this raan gives too rauch for
his whistle.
When I saw another fond of popularity constantly
eraploying hiraself in poUtical bustles, neglecting bis
own affairs and ruining thera by that neglect, he pays,
indeed, said I, too rauch for his whistle.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, 359
If I knew a miser who gave up any kind of a com
fortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to
others, aU the esteem of his fellow-citizens and the
joys of benevolent friendship for the sake of accumu
lating wealth, poor man, said I, you pay too much for
your whistle.
When I raet with a raan of pleasure sacrificing
overy laudable iraproveraent of the raind or of his for
tune to raere corporal sensations, and ruining his
health in their pursuit, raistaken raan, said I, you are
providing pain for yourself instead of pleasure; you
give too ranch for your whistle.
If I see one fond of appearance or fine clothes, fine
houses, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his
fortune, for which he contracts debts and ends his
career in a prison, alasl say I, he has paid dear, very
dear, for his whistle.
When I see a beautiful, sweet-terapered girl raar
ried to an ill-natured brute of a husband, what a
pity, say I, that she should pay so ranch for a
whistle 1
In short, I conceive tbat great part of the raiseries
of raankind are brought upon thera by the false esti
mates they have made of the value of things, and by
their giving too rauch for their whistles.
Yet I ought to have charity for these unhappy peo
ple when I consider that with all tbis wisdora of
which I ara boasting there are certain things in tbe
world so terapting, for exaraple, the apples of King
John, whioh happily are not to be bought ; for if they
wore put up to sale by auction, I raight very easily be
led to ruin myself in the purchase, and find that I had
onoe more given too much for tbe whistle. B. Fbanklik.

260 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

DIALOGUE BETWEEN FRANKLIN AND
THE GOUT.
Midnight, October 22d, 1780.
FranMin. Eh I oh I eh I What have I done to
merit these cruel sufferings ?
Gout. Many things : you have ate and drunk too
freely and too rauch indulged those legs of yours in
their indolence.
FranMin. Who is it that accuses rae ?
Gout. It is I, even I, the Gout.
FranMin. What I ray eneray in pereon f
Gout. No, not your eneray.
FranMin. I repeat it — ray eneray ; for you would
not only torraent ray body to death, but ruin ray good
narae ; you reproach rae as a glutton and a tippler ;
now all the world, that knows rae, will allow that I
ara neither the one nor tbe other.
Gout. The world raay think as it pleases ; it is
alvvays very coraplaisant to itself and soraetiraes to Its
friends ; but I very well know that the quantity of
raeat and drink proper for a man who takes a reason
able degree of exercise would be too much for an
other who never takes any.
FranMin. I take — eh 1 oh ! — as much exercise —
eh ! — as I can. Madam Gout. You know ray seden
tary state, and on that account it would seera, Madam

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 261
Gout, as if you might spare me a Uttle, seeing it is not
altogether ray own fault.
Gout. Not a jot ; your rhetoric and your politeness
are thrown away ; yOur apology avails nothing. If
your situation in life is a sedentary one, your arause
ments, your recreations, at least, should be active.
You ought to walk or ride, or if the weather prevents
that, play at bUliards. But let us exaraine your course
of life. While the raornings are long and you have
leisure to go abroad, what do you do ? Why, instead
of gaining an appetite for breakfast by salutary ex
ercise, you arause yourself with books, paraphlets, or
newspapers vvhich coraraonly are not worth the reading.
Yet you eat an inordinate breakfast — four dishes of
tea, with cream, and one or two buttered toasts, with
slices of hung beef, which, I fancy, are not things the
raost easily digested. Iraraediately afterward you sit
down to write at your desk or converse with persons
who apply to you on business. Thus the tirae passes
till one without any kind of bodily exercise. But all
this I could pardon, in regard, as you say, to your sed
entary condition. But what is your practice after
dinner? Walking inthe beaiitiful gardens of those
friends with whora you have dined would be the choice
of a raan of sense ; yours is to be fixed down to chess,
where you are found engaged for two or three hours 1
This is your perpetual recreation, which is the least
eligible of any for a sedentary raan, because, instead
of accelerating the raotion of tho fluids, the rigid atten
tion it requires helps to retard the circulation and ob
struct internal secretions. Wrapped in the speculations
of this wretched garae, you destroy your constitution.
What oan be expected frora such a course of living

262 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
but a body replete Witb stagnant humors, ready to faU
a prey to all kinds of dangerous maladies, if I, the
Gout, did not occasionally bring you relief by agitat
ing those humors and so purifying or dissipating thera ?
If it was in some nook or alley in Paris, deprived of
walks, that you played awhile at chess after dinner,
this raight be excusable ; but the sarae taste prevails
with you in Passy, Auteuil, Montraartre, or Savoy-
places where there are the finest gardens and walks, a
pure air, beautiful woraen, and raost agreeable and in
structive conversation ; all of wbich you raight enjoy
by frequenting the walks. But these are rejected for
this aborainable garae of chess. Fie, then, Mr. Frank
lin 1 But araid my instructions I had almost forgot to
adrainister my wholesome corrections; so take that
twinge — and that!
FranMin. Oh ! eh ! oh 1 oh-b-h I As much in
struction as you please. Madam Gout, and as raany
reproaches ; but pray, raadara, a truce vvith your cor
rections !
Gout. No, sir, no. I will not abate a particle of
what is so rauch for your good ; therefore 
Franklin. Oh ! eh-h-b ! It is not fair to say I
take no exercise, when I do very often, going out to
dine and returning in ray carriage.
Gout. That, of all imaginable exercises, is the most
slight and insignificant, if you allude to the motion of
a carriage suspended on springs. By observing the
degree of heat obtained by different kinds of motion,
we raay forra an estiraate of the quantity of exercise
given by each. Thus, for exaraple, if you turn out to
walk in winter with cold feet, in an hour's tirae you
wiU be in a glow all over; ride on horseback, the sarae

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 263
effect will scarcely be perceived by four hours' round
trotting ; but if you loll in a carriage, such as you
have raentioned, you raay travel all day, and gladly
enter the last inn to warra your feet b}' the fire. Flat
ter yourself, then, no longer that half an hour's airing
in your carriage deserves the narae of exerofse. Provi
dence has appointed few to roll in carriages, whUe he
has given to all a pair of legs, whicb are raachines
infinitely raore coraraodious and serviceable. Be grate
ful, tben, and raake a proper use of yours. Would
you know how they forward the circulation of your
fluids in the very action of transporting you frora
place to place, observe, when you walk, that all
your weight is alternately thrown frora one leg to
the other ; this occasions a great pressure on the ves
sels of the foot and repels their contents ; vvhen re
lieved, by the weight of being thrown on the other
foot, the vessels of the first are allowed to replenish,
and by a return of this weight this repulsion again
succeeds; thus accelerating the circulation of the
blood. The heat produced in any given tirae depends
on the degree of this acceleration; the fiuids are
shaken, the humors alternated, the secretions facUi
tated, and all goes well ; the cheeks are ruddy and
health is established. Behold your fair friend at
Auteuil,* a lady who received from bounteous nature
more really useful science than half a dozen suoh
pretenders to philosophy as you have been able to
extraot from all your books. When she honors you
vvith a visit it is on foot. She walks all hours of the
day and leaves indolence and its concomitant maladies

* Madame Helvetius.

264 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
to be endured by her horses. In tbis see at onoe the
preservative of her health and personal charms. But
when you go to Auteuil you must have your carriage,
though it is no further from Passy to Auteuil than
frora Auteuil to Passy.
FranMin. Your reasonings grow very tiresome.
Gout. I stand corrected. I will be silent and con
tinue my office ; take tbat, and that.
FranMin. Ohl oh-h I Talk on, I pray you !
Gout. No, no. I have a good number of twinges
for you to-night, and you may be sure of sorae more
to-morrow. Franklin. What, vvith suoh a fever ! I shall go
distracted. Oh I eh I Can no one bear it for me?
Gout. Ask that of your horses ; they have served
you faithfully.
FranMin. How oan you so cruelly sport with my
torments? Gout. Sport 1 I ara very serious. I have here a
list of offenses against your own health distinctly
written, and can justify every stroke inflicted on you.
FranMin. Read it, then.
Gout. It is too long a detail, but I will briefly
mention sorae particulars.
FranMin. Proceed. I am all attention.
Gout. Do you reraeraber how often you have
proraised yourself the following raorning a walk in
the grove of Boulogne, in the Garden de la Muette, or
in your own garden, and havo violated your proraise,
aUeging at one tirae it was too cold, at another too
warra, too windy, too racist, or what else you pleased,
when in truth it was too nothing but your inseparable
love of ease ?

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 265
Franklin. That, I confess, may have happened
occasionally, probably ten tiraes in a year.
Gout. Your confession is very far short of the
truth; the gross araount. is one hundred and ninety-
nine tiraes.
Franklin. Is it possible ?
Gout. So possible that it is fact ; you raay rely
on the accuracy of ray stateraent. You know M.
Brillon's gardens and what fine walks they contain ;
you know the handsorae fiight of a hundred steps
whioh lead frora the terrace above to the lawn below.
You have been in the practice of visiting this araiable
faraily twice a week after dinner, and it is a maxira of
your own that " a man may take as ranch exercise in
walking a raile, up and down stairs, as in ten on level
ground." What an opportunity was here for you to
have had exercise in both these ways! Did you
erabrace it, and how often ?
Franklin. I cannot iramediately answer that ques
tion. Gout. I will do it for you. Not onoe.
FranMin. Not once ?
Gout. Even so. During the suraraer you went there
at six o'clock. You found the charming lady, with
her lovely children and friends, eager to walk with
you and entertain you with their agreeable conversa
tion ; and what has been your choice ? Why, to sit
on the terrace, satisfy yourself with the fine prospect,
and passing your eye over the beauties of the garden
below, without taking one step to descend and walk
about in tbem. On tbe contrary, you call for tea and
the chess-board ; and lo 1 you are occupied in your
seat tiU nine o'clock, and tlwit besides two hours* play

266 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
after dinner; and then, instead of walking home,
which would have bestirred you a little, you step into
your carriage. How absurd to suppose that all this
carelessness can be reconcilable with health without
ray interposition !
FranMin. I ara convinced now of the justness of
Poor Richard's reraark that " Our debts and our sins
are alvvays greater than we think for."
Gout. So it is. You philosophers are sages in your
maxiras and fools in your oonduct.
Franklin. But do you charge araong ray crimes
that I return in a carriage frora M. Brillon's ?
Gout. Certainly ; for having been seated all tbe
while, you cannot object the fatigue of the day, and
cannot want, therefore, the relief of a carriage.
Franklin. What, then, would you have me do with
my carriage ?
Gout. Burn it if you choose : you would at least get
heat out of it once in this way ; or, if you dislike that
proposal, here's another for you : observe the poor
peasants who vvork in the vineyards and grounds
about the villages of Passy, AuteuU, ChaiUot, etc.;
you may find every da}' araong these deserving crea
tures four or five old raen and woraen, bout and per
haps crippled by weight of years and too long and too
groat labor. After a most fatiguing day these people
have to trudge a mde or tvvo to their sraok}'^ huts.
Order your coachraan to set thera down. This is an
act that will be good for your soul ; and at the sarae
tirae after your visit to the Brillons, if you return on
foot, that vvill be good for your body.
FranMin. Ah ! how tiresome you are 1
Gout. Well, then, to ray offioe ; it should not be
forgotten that I ara your physician. There !

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 267
FranMin. Oh-b-h ! What a devil of a physician !
Gout. How ungrateful you are to say so ! Is it not
I vvho, in the character of your physician, have saved
you frora the palsy, dropsy, and apoplexy ? one or
other of which would have done for you long ago but
for rae,
Franklin.- I subrait and thank you for the past, but
entreat the discontinuance of your visits for the future ;
for in ray raind one had better die than be cured so
dolefully. Permit rae just to hint that I have also uot
been unfriendly to you. I never feed physician or
quack of any kind to enter the list against you ; if,
then, you do not leave rae to ray repose, it may be
said you are ungrateful too.
Gout. I can scarcely acknowledge that as an ob
jection. As to quacks, I despise them ; they raay kill
you indeed, but cannot injure rae. And as to regular
physicians, they are at last convinced that the gout, in
such a subject as you are, is no disease, but a reraedy ;
and wherefore cure a reraedy ? But to our business ;
there 1
FranMin. Oh ! oh ! for Heaven's sake leave rae,
and I proraise faithfully never raore to play at chess,
but to take exercise daily and live temperately.
Gout. I knovv you too well. You promise fair, but
after a few raonths of good health you wiU return to
your old habits ; your fine proraises will be forgotten
like the forras of the last year's clouds. Let us, then,
finish the account, and I will go. But I leave you
with an assurance of visiting you again at a proper tirae
and place ; for ray object is your good, and you are
sensible now that I am your real friend.

268 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF

THE ART OF PROCURING PLEASANT
DREAMS.
INSOBIBED TO MISS  , BEING WBITTEN AT HEB
BEQUEST.
As a great part of our life is spent in sleep, during
wbich we have soraetiraes pleasant and soraetiraes
painful drearas, it becomes of sorae consequence to
obtain the one kind and avoid tbe other ; for whether
real or iraaginary, pain is pain and pleasure is pleas
ure. If vve can sleep without drearaing, it is well tbat
painful drearas are avoided. If, while we sleep, we
can have any pleasant drearas, it is, as the French say,
autant de gagne, so rauch added to the pleasure of
life. To this end it is, in the first place, necessary to be
careful in preserving health by due exercise and great
teraperance ; for in sickness the iraagination is dis
turbed, and disagreeable, soraetimes terrible, ideas are
apt to present themselves. Exercise should precede
raeals, not iraraediately follow them ; the first pro
motes, the latter, unless moderate, obstructs digestion.
If, after exercise, we feed sparingly, the digestion wUl
be easy and good, tbe body lightsome, the teraper
cheerful, and all the animal functions perforraed
agreeably. Sleep, vvhen it follows, will be natural and
undisturbed, while indolence, with full feeding, occa
sions nightraares and horrors inexpressible; we fall

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 269
from precipices, are assaulted by wild beasts, murderers,
and demons, and experience every variety of distress.
Observe, however, that the quantities of food and
exercise are relative things : those who raove rauch
may, and indeed ought to, eat raore ; those who use little
exercise should eat little. In general, raankind, since
the iraproveraent of cookery, eat about twice as rauch
as nature requires. Suppers are not bad if we have
not dined ; but restless nights follow hearty suppers
after full dinners. Indeed, as there is a difference in
constitutions, sorae rest well after these raeals ; it costs
thora only a frightful dreara and an apoplexy, after
which they sleep till doorasday. Nothing is more
coraraon in the newspapers than instances of people
who, after eating a hearty supper, are found dead
abed in the raorning.
Another raeans of preserving health to be attended
to is the having a constant supply of fresh air in your
bedcharaber. It has been a great mistake, the sleeping
in rooms exactly closed and the beds surrounded by
curtains. No outward air that may come in to you is
so unwholesome as the unchanged air, often breathed,
of a olose charaber. As boiling water does not grow
hotter by long boiling if the particles that receive
greater heat can escape, so living bodies do not
putrify if the particles, so fast as they becorae putrid,
can be thrown off. Nature expels them by the pores
of the skin and lungs, and in a free, open air they are
carried off ; but in a close room we receive them again
and again, though tbey become raore and raore corrupt.
A nuraber of persons crowded into a small roora thus
spoil tbe air in a few rainutes, and even render it
mortal as tbe Blaok Hole at Calcutta. A single per

270 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
son is said to spoil only a gallon of air pOr minute,
and therefore requires a longer time to spoil a chara-
berful ; but it is done, however, in proportion, and
raany putrid disorders hence have their origin. It is
recorded of Methuselah, who, being the longest liver,
raay be supposed to have best preserved his health,
that he slept always in the open air; for when he
had lived five hundred years an angel said to hira :
"Arise, Methuselah, and build thee an house, for thou
shalt Uve yet flve hundred years longer," But Methu
selah answered and said : " If I ara to live but five
hundred years longer, it is not worth while to build
rae an house ; I will sleep in the air, as I have been
used to do." Physicians, after having for ages con
tended that the sick should not be indulged with
fresh air, have at length discovered that it raay do
thera good. It is therefore to be hoped that they
may in time discover likewise that it is not hurtful to
those who are in health, and that we raay then be cured
of the aerophobia that at present distresses weak rainds,
and raakes thera choose to be stifled and poisoned
rather than leave open the window of a bedcharaber
or put down tbe glass of a coach.
Confined air, when saturated with perspirable raat
ter, vvill not receive more, and that raatter raust
reraain in our bodies and occasion diseases; but it
gives us sorae previous notice of its being about to be
hurtful by producing certain uneasiness, slight indeed
at first, such as with regard to the lungs is a trifiing
sensatipn and to the pores of the skin a kind of
restlessness vvhich is difficult to describe, and few that
feel it know the cause of it. But we raay recollect
that soraetimes, on waking in the night, vve have, if

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 271
warmly covered, found it difficult to get asleep again.
We turn often, vvithout finding repose in any position.
This fidgetiness (to use a vulgar expression for want
of a better) is occasioned wholly by uneasiness in the
skin, owing to the retention of the perspirable raatter,
the bedclothes having received their quantity, and
being saturated, refusing to take any more. To be
corae sensible of this by an experiment, let a person
keep his position in the bed; throw off the bedclothes,
and suffer fresh air to approach the part uncovered of
his body ; he vvill then feel that part suddenly re
freshed, for the air will iraraediately relieve the skin
by receiving, licking up, and carrying off the load of
perspirable raatter that approaches the warm skin, in
receiving its part of that vapor, receives therewith a
degree of heat that rarefies and renders it lighter, by
cooler and therefore heavier fresh air, which for a
moraent supplies its place, and then, being likewise
changed and warraed, gives way to a succeeding quan
tity. This is the order of nature to prevent aniraals
being Infected by their own perspiration. He will
now be sensible of the difference between the part ex
posed to the air and that which, reraaining sunk in
the bed, denies tbe air access ; for this part now raan
ifests its' uneasiness raore distinctly by the cora
parison, and the seat of the uneasiness is raore plainly
perceived tban when the whole surface of the bodj;-
vvas affected by it.
Here, tben, is pne great and general cause of
unpleasing drearas. For when the body is uneasy
the mind wUl be disturbed by it, and disagreeable
ideas of various kinds wiU in sleep be the natural
consequences. The remedies, preventive and curative,
foUow,

272 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
1. By eating moderately (as before advised for
health's sake) less perspirable matter is produced in
a given time; hence the bedclothes receive it longer
before they are saturated, and we may therefore sleep
longer before we are made uneasy by their refusing to
receive any more.
2. By using thinner and more porous bedclothes,
which wiU suffer the perspirable matter raore easily
to pass tbrough thera, we are less incommoded, such
being longer tolerable.
3. When you are awakened by this uneasiness and
find you oannot oasUy sleep again, get out of bed, beat
up and turn your pillow, shake the bedclothes well,
with at least twenty shakes, then throw the bed open
and leave it to cool ; in tbe mean while, continuing
undressed, walk about your charaber tiU your skin has
had tirae to discharge its load, which it will do sooner
as the air raay be dryer and colder. When you begin
to feel tbe cold air unpleasant, then return to your
bed and you wiU soon fall asleep, and your sleep will
be sweet and pleasant. AU the scenes presented to
your fancy will be, too, of the pleasing kind. I am
often as agreeably entertained with them as by the
scenery of an opera. If you happen to be too indolent
to get out of bed, you may, instead of it, lift up your
bedclothes with one arm and leg, so as to draw in a
good deal of fresh air, and by letting them fall force
it out again. This, repeated twenty tiraes, wiU so
clear them of the perspirable matter they have im
bibed as to permit your sleeping weU for some tirae
afterward. But this latter raethod is not equal to the
forraer. Those who do not love trouble and can afford to

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 278
have two beds will find great luxury in rising, when
they wake in a hot bed, and going into the cool one,
Suoh shifting of beds would also be of great service to
persons ill of a fever, as it refreshes and frequently
procures sleep. A very large bed that will adrait a
reraoval so distant frora the first situation as to be
cool and sweet raay in a degree answer the sarae end.
One or two observations raore will conclude this
little piece. Care raust be taken, when you lie down,
to dispose your pillow so as to suit your raanner of
placing your head and to be perfectly easy; then
place your lirabs so as not to bear inconveniently hard
upon one another, as, for instance, the joints of your
ankles ; for though a bad position raay at first give
but little pain and be hardly noticed, yet a continu
ance wiU render it less tolerable, and the uneasiness
may corae on while you are asleep and disturb your
iraagination. These are the rules of the art. But
though they will generally prove effectual in produc
ing the end intended, there is a case in which the
raost punctual observance of thera vvill be totally fruit
less. I need not raention the case to you, ray dear
friend ; but ray account of the art would be iraperfect
without it. The case is when the person who desires
to have pleasant drearas bas not taken caro to pre
serve, what is necessary above aU things,
A Good Consoibnoe.

274 A UTOBIOQRAPH T OF

THE EPHEMERA :
AN EMBLEM OP HUMAN LIFE.
To Madamk Bbiixon, of Pasbt.
Written in 1778,
You may reraeraber, my dear friend, that when we
lately spent that happy day in the deUghtful garden
and sweet society of the Moulin Joly, I stopped a little
in one of our walks and stayed sorae tirae behind the
corapany. We had been shown numberless skeletons
of a kind of little fly, called an ephemera, whose
successive generations, we were told, were bred and
expired within the day. I happened to see a living
company of them on a leaf who appeared to be en
gaged in conversation. You know I understand all
tbe inferior animal tongues. My too great applica
tion to the study of them is the best excuse I can give
for the little progress I bave made in your charraing
language. I listened through curiosity to the dis
course of these little creatures ; but as they, in their
national vivacity, spoke three or four together, I could
make but little of their conversation. I found, however,
by some broken expressions that I heard now and
then, they were disputing warraly on tbe merit of two
foreign musicians, one a cousin, the other a mosoheto;
in whioh dispute they spent their time, seemingly as re
gardless of the shortness of life as if they bad been

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 275
sure of living a raonth. Happy people ! thought I ;
you are certainly under a wise, just, and raild govern
raent, since you have no public grievances to coraplain
of, nor any subject of contention but the perfections
and imperfections of foreign rausic. I turned ray
head from thera to an old gray-headed one, vvho was
single on another leaf and talking to hiraself. Being
araused with bis soliloquy, I put it down in writing,
in hopes it will likewise arause her to whora I ara so
rauch indebted for the raost pleasing of all amuse
raents, her delicious company and heavenly harmony.
" It was," said he, " the opinion of learned philoso
phers of our race who lived and flourished long before
ray tirae that this vast world, the Moulin Joly, could
not itself subsist raore than eighteen hours ; and I
think there was sorae foundation for that opinion,
since by the apparent raotion of the great lurainary
that gives life to all nature, and which in ray time has
evidently declined considerably toward the ocean at
the end of our earth, it raust then finish its course, be
extinguished in the waters that surround us, and leave
the world in cold and darkness, necessarily producing
universal death and destruction. I have lived seven
of those hours, a great age,, being no less than four
hundred and twenty rainutes of tirae. How very few
of us continue so long! I have seen generations born,
fiourish, and expire. My present friends are the chil
dren and grandchildren of the friends of ray youth,
who are now, alas 1 no raore. And I raust soon follow
them ; for by the course of nature, though stUl in
health, I cannot expect to live above seven or eight
minutes longer. What now avails aU my toU and
labor in araassing honey-dew on this leaf which I

276 A UTOBIOQRAPH T OF
oannot live to enjoy t What tbe politloal struggles I
have been engaged in for the good of my compatriot
inhabitants of this bush, or my philosophical studies
for the benefit of our race in general ? for in politics
vvhat can laws do without morali^? Our present race
of ephomeree wiU in a courseof rainutes becorae corrupt,
like those of other and older bushes, and consequently
as wretched. And in philosophy how sraall our
progress ! Alas ! art is long and life is short. My
friends would comfort me with the idea of a name,
they say, I shall leave behind me, and they tell me I
have lived long enough to nature and to glory. But
what will fame be to an ephemera who no longer
exists ? And what will becorae of all history in the
eighteenth hour, when the world itself, even the whole
Moulin Joly, shall corae to its end and be buried in "
universal ruin ?"
To me, after all my eager pursuits, no solid pleasures
now reraain but the reflection of a long life spent In
meaning well, the sensible conversation of a fevv good
lady ephemerae, and now and tben a kind sraile and a
tune from the ever-amiable hnllante. B. Fbanklin.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 277

TO MISS GEORGIANA SHIPLEY,
On THE Loss OF HER AmEBIOAN SqUIRBEL, WHO, ESCAPING
FROM HIS Cage, was Killed by a Shepherd's Dog.
London, 26th Septeraber, 1772,
Deab Miss : I laraent with you raost sincerely the
unfortunate end of poor Mungo. Fevv squirrels were
better accoraplished, for he had a good education, had
traveled far, and seen rauch of the world. As he had
the honor of being, for his virtues, j'our favorite, he
should not go, like comraon skuggs, without an elegy
or an epitaph. Let us give him one in the raonuraental
style and measure, wbich, being neither prose nor
verse, is perhaps the properest for grief ; since to use
comraon language would look as if we were not
affected, and to raake rhymes would seem trifiing in.
sorrow. EPITAPH.
Alas! poor Mungol
Happy wert thou, hadst thou known
Thy own felicity.
Bemote from the flerce bald eagle,
Tyrant of thy native woods.
Thou hadst naught to fear from his piercing talons,
Nor from the murdering gun
Of the tbongbtless sportsman.
Safe in tby wired castle.
Grimalkin never could annoy theo.

27a AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
Daily wert thou fed with the choicest viands,
By the fair hand of an indulgent mistress;
But, discontented.
Thou wouldst have more freedom.
Too soon, alast didst thou obtain it;
And wandering,
Thon art fallen by the fangs of wanton, cruel Bangerl
Learn hence.
Ye who blindly seek more liberty,
Whether subjects, sons, squirrels, or daughters,
That apparent restraint may be real protection.
Yielding piece and plenty
With security.
You see, my dear raiss, how rauch raore decent and
proper this broken style is than if we were to say by
way of epitaph — Here Skugg
Lies snug
As a bug
In a rug.
And yet, perhaps, there are people in the world of so
little feeling as to think tbat this would be a good
enough epitaph for poor Mungo,
If you wish it, I shall procure another to succeed
hira ; but perhaps you wUl now choose sorae other
arauseraent. Reraeraber rae affectionately to all the good faraily,
and beUeve me ever your affectionate friend,
B. Fbankun.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 270

FAMILIAR LETTERS.
I.
TO MISS JANE FBANKLIN,
Philadelphia, Gth January, 1726-27.
Dbab Sister: I am highly pleased with the ac
count Captain Freeman gives rae of you, I alvvays
judged by your behavior when a chUd that you
would raake a good, agreeable woraan, and you
know you were ever ray peculiar favorite, I have
been thinking what would be a suitable present for
rae to raake and for you to receive, as I hear you
are grown a celebrated beauty. I had alraost de
terrained on a tea-table; but when I oonsidered
that the character of a good housewife was far
preferable to that of being only a pretty gentlewoman,
I concluded to send you a spinning-wheel, which I
hope you will accept as a sraall token of ray sincere
love and affection.
Sister, farewell, and reraeraber that raodesty, as
it makes tbe most homely virgin araiable and charra
ing, so the want of it infaUibly renders the most
perfect beauty disagreeable and odious. But when
that brightest of feraale virtue shines araong other
perfections of body and raind in the sarae per
son it makes the woman more lovely tban an

28(? A UTOBIOQRAPH Y OF
angeL Elouse this freedom and use the same with
me. I am, dear Jenny, your loving brother, B. Fbankuk.

IL
TO MBS. JANE MEOOM.*
Philadelphia [date uncertain],
Deab Sisteb: I received your letter with one
for Benny and one for Mr, Parker, and also two of
Benny's letters of coraplaint, which, as you observe,
do not araount to much. I should bave had a very
bad opinion of him if he had written to you those
accusations of his master which you raention, be
cause from long acquaintance with his master, who
Uved sorae years in ray house, I knovv hira to be a
sober, pious, and conscientious raan ; so that New
port, to whora you seera to have given too rauch
oredit, must have wronged Mr, Parker very much in
his accounts, and have wronged Bonny, too, if he says
Benny told him such things, for I am confident ho
never glid.
As to the bad attendance afforded him in the small-
pox, I beUeve, if the negro woraan did not do her
duty, her raaster or mistress would, if they had
known it, have had that raatter raended. But Mrs.
Parker was herself, if I ara not raistaken, sick at that
time, and her child also. And though he gives that
woraan a bad character in general, all he charges ber
with in particular is that she never brought hira what
?Formerly Miss Jane Franklin.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 281
he called for directly, and soraetiraes not at all. He
had the distoraper favorably, and yet I suppose was
bad enough to be, like other sick people, a little im
patient, and perhaps might think a short timo long,
and soraetiraes call for things not proper for one in
his condition.
As to clothes, I ara frequently at New York, and I
never saw hira unprovided with what was good, decent,
and sufficient. I was there no longer ago than March
last, and he was then vvell clothed and made no com
plaint to rae of any kind. I heard both his raaster
and raistress call upon hira on Sunday raorning to get
ready to go to raeeting, and tell hira of his frequently
delaying and shuffling till it was too late, and he raade
not the least objection about clothes, I did not think
it anything extraordinary that be should be sorae
tiraes willing to evade going to naeeting, for I be
lieve it is the case with all boys, or alraost all, I have
brought up four or five rayself, and have frequently
observed that if their shoes were bad they vvould
say nothing of a new pair till Sunday raorning, just as
the bell rung, when, if you asked thera vvhy they did
not get ready, the ansvver was prepared, " I have no
shoes,'' and so of other things, hats and the like ; or
if they knew of anything that wanted raending, it vvas
a secret till Sunday raorning, and soraetiraes, I believe,
they would rather tear a little than be without the
excuse. As to going on petty errands, no boys love it, but
all raust do it. As soon as they becorae fit for better
business they naturally get rid of that, for the raaster's
interest coraes in to their relief. I raake no doubt
but Mr. Parker wiU take another apprentice as soon

283 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
as he oan meet with a likely one. In the mean timo
I should be glad if Benny would exorcise a little
patience. Tbere is a negro woraan tbat does a great
many of those errands.
1 do not think his going on board the privateer
arose from any difference between hira and his raaster
or any ill-usage he had received. When boys see
prizes brought in and quantities of raoney shared
araong the raen and their gay living, it fill their heads
with notions that half-distract thera and put them
quite out of conceit with trades and the dull ways
of getting raoney by working. This, I suppose, was
Ben's case, the Catherine being just before arrived
witb three rich prizes ; and that the glory of having
taken a privateer of the enemy, for which both officers
and men were highly extolled, treated, presented, etc.,
worked strongly upon his imagination, you vvill see by
his ansvver to ray letter, is not unlikely. I send it to
you inclosed, I wrote hira largely on the occasion,
and though he raight possibly, to excuse that slip to
others, complain of his place, you may see he says
not a syllable of any such thing to rae. My only son,
before I permitted hira to go to Albany, left ray house
unknown to us all and got on board a privateer, frora
whence I fetched hira. No one iraagined it was hard
usage at horae tbat made hira do this. Every one
that knows rae thinks that I ara too indulgent a
parent as well as a raaster.
I shall tire you, perhaps, with the length of this
letter, but I am the raore particular in order, if pos
sible, to satisfy your raind about your son's situation.
His raaster has, by a letter this post, desired rae to
write to hira about his staying out of nights, sometiraes

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 283
aU night, and refusing to give an account where he
spends his tirae or in vvhat company. This I had not
heard of before, though I perceive you have. I do
not wonder at his correcting him for that. If he vvas
my own son I should think his raaster did not do his
duty, by hira if he oraitted it, for to be sure it is the
high-road to destruction. And I think the correction
very light and not likely to be very effectual if the
strokes left no raarks.
His raaster says further as follows: "I think I
can't charge my conscience with being rauch short of
ray duty to hira. I shall now desire you, if you have
not done it already, to invite hira to lay his coraplaints
before you, that I may know how to reraedy thera."
Thus far the words of his letter, which giving me a
fair opening to inquire into the affair, I shall accord
ingly do it, and I hope settle everything to all your
satisfacUons. In the mean tirae I have laid by your
letters both to Mr. Parker and Benny, and shall not
send thera till I hear again frora you, because I think
your appearing to give ear to such groundless stories
raay give offense and create a greater misunderstand
ing, and because I think what you write to Benny
about getting hira discharged raay unsettle his raind,
and therefore improper at this time.
I have a very good opinion of Benny in the main,
and have great hopes of his becoraing a worthy raan,
his faults being only such as are coraraonly inoident
to boys of his years, and he has raany good qualities,
for which I love hira, I never knew an apprentice
contented with the clothes allowed hira by his raaster,
let tbem be what tbey would, Jeraray Franklin,
wben witb me, was always dissatisfied and grurabling.

284 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
When I was last in Boston his aunt bid him go to a shop
and please himself, wbich the gentleraan did, and
bought a suit of clothes on ray account dearer by one-
half tban any I ever afforded rayself, one suit ex
cepted; which I don't raention by way of coraplaint
of Jeramy, for he and I are good friends, but only to
show you the nature of boys.
I am, with lovo to brother and all yours and duty
to mother, to whom I have not time now to write,
your affectionate brother, B. Fbanklin.

in.
TO MBS. DEBOBAH FBAKKLIN.
Gnadenhutten, 25th January, 1766.
Mt deab Child : This day week we arrived here.
I wrote to you the sarae day and once since. We all
continue well, thanks be to God. We have been hin
dered with bad weather, yet our fort is in a good de
fensible condition, and we bave every day raore con
venient living. Tvvo raore are to be built, one on each
Bide of this, at about fifteen railes' distance, I hope
both wiU be done in a vveek or ten days, and then 1
purpose to bend ray course homeward.
We have enjoyed your roast beef and this day
began on the roast veal. All agree that they are
both tbe best that ever were of the kind. Your citi
zens, that have their dinner hot and hot, know
nothing of good eating. We find it in much greater
perfection when the kitchen is four-score milog from
tbe dining-room.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 285
The apples are extremely welcorae and do bravely
to eat after our salt pork ; the rainoed pies are not yet
corae to hand, but I suppose we shall find them
among the things expected up from Bethlehem on
Tuesday ; the capillaire is excellent, but none of us
having taken cold as yet, we have only tasted it.
As to our lodging, 'tis on deal feather-beds, in warm
blankets, and rauch raore corafortable than when vve
lodged at our inn the first night after we left horae ;
for the woraan being about to put very darap sheets
on the bed, we desired her to air thera first ; half an
hour afterward she told us the bed was ready and the
sheets well aired. I got into bed, but juraped out
iraraediately, finding thera as cold as death and partly
frozen. She bad aired thera indeed, but it was out
upon tbe hedge. I was forced to wrap rayself up in
my great-coat and woolen trousers. Everything else
about the bed was shockingly dirty.
As I hope in a little time to be with you and my
faraily and chat things over, I now only add that I
am, dear Dobby, Your affectionate husband, B. Fbanklin.

XV.

to miss hubbabd.*

Philadelphia, 23d February, 1756.
' I condole with you. We have lost a most dear and
valuable relation. But it is the wiU of God and nature
• This letter was occasioned by th? deRtb of Dr. Franklin'^
t^rotll&r, Mr, ^obn FrAuldiQi

286 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
that these mortal bodies be laid aside when tbe soul is
to enter into real life. This is rather an embryo stato,
a preparation for living, A raan is not corapletely born
untu ho be dead. Why, then, should vve grieve that a
new child is born araong the iraraortals, a new raember
added to their happy society ?
We are spirits. That bodies should be lent us
while they can afford us pleasure, assist us in acquiring
knowledge, or in doing good to our fellow-creatures,
is a kind and benevolent act of God. When they be
come unfit for these purposes and afford us pain instead
of pleasure, instead of an aid becorae an incurabrance,
and answer none of the intentions for which thoy
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. We ourselves, in sorae cases,
prudently choose a partial death. A raangled, painful
lirab which cannot be restored we willingly cut off.
He who plucks out a tooth parts vvith it freely, since
the pain goes vvith it ; and he who quits the whole
body parts at once with all pains and possibilities of
pains and diseases which it was liable to or capable of
raaking hira suffer.
Our friend and vve were invited abroad on a part}'
of pleasure vvhich is to last forever. His chair was
ready first and he is gone before us. We could not
all conveniently start together, and why should you
and I be grieved at this, since vve are soon to follow
and knovv where to find hira ? Adieu, B. Fbanklin.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 287

TO MRS. JANE MEOOM.
New York, 19th April, 1757.
Deab Sister : I wrote a few lines to you yesterday,
but omitted to ansvver yours relating to sister Douse.
As having their own way is one of the greatest com
forts of Ufe to old people, I think their friends should
endeavor to accoraraodate thera in that as well as in
anything else. When they have long lived in a house
it becoraes natural to thera ; they are alraost as closely
connected with it as the tortoise with his shell ; they
die if you tear thera out of it ; old folks and old
trees, if you reraove thera, 'tis ten to one that you kill
thera ; so let our good old sister be no more irapor
tuned on that head. We are growing old fast our
selves and shall expect the sarae kind of indulgence^ ;
if we give thera we shall have a right to receive them
in our turn.
And as to her few fine things, I think she is in the
right not to sell thera, and for the reason she gives,
that they will fetch but little ; when that little is
spent they would be of no further use to her ; but
perhaps the expectation of possessing thera at her
death raay raake that person tender and careful of her
and helpful to her to the araount of ten tiraes their
value. If so they are put to the best use they possibly
can be.
I hope you visit sister as often as your affairs will
permit and afford her what assistance and corafort
you can in her present situation. Old age, infirmities,
and poverty, joined, are afflictions enough. Tbe

288 A UTOBIOQRA PHT OF
neglect and slights of friends and near relations should
never be added. People in her circurastances are apt
to suspect this, soraetiraes without cause ; appearances
should, therefore, be attended to in our conduct toward
thera, as well as realities, I write by this post to
Cousin Williaras to continue his care, whioh I doubt
not he vvill do.
We expect to saU in about a week, so that I can
hardly hear from you again on this side the water ;
but let rae have a line frora you now and then while I
ara in London. I expect to stay there at least a
twelveraonth. Direct your letters to be left for raeat
the Pennsylvania Coffee-house, Birchin Lane, London.
My love to all, frora, dear sister.
Your affectionate brother, B, Fbanklin.
P. S. — April 25. We are still here and perhaps raay
be here a week longer. Once raore adieu, my dear
sister.

VL
TO MISS STEVENSON.
Paris, 14th September, 1767.
Deab Polly : I ara always pleased with a letter
frora you, and I flatter rayself you raay be soraetimes
pleased in receiving one frora rae, though it should be
of Uttle iraportance, such as this, vvhich is to consist of
a few occasional reraarks raade here and in ray journey
hither. Soon after I left you in that agreeable society at
Broraley, I took the resolution of raaking a trip with

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 289
Sir John Pringle into France, Wo set out on the
28th past. AU the way to Dovor vve were furnished with
pos^chaises, hung so as to lean forward, the top coraing
down over one's eyes Uke a hood, as if to prevent one's
seeing the uoontry; which being one of ray great
pleasures, I was engaged in perpetual disputes with the
innkeepers, hostlers, and postilions about getting the
straps taken up a hole or two before and let down as
rauch behind, they insisting that the chaise leaning
forward was an ease to the horses and that the con
trary would kill thera. I suppose the chaise leaning
forward looks to thera like a willingness to go forward,
and that its hanging back shows reluctance. They
added other reasons that were no reasons at all, and
raade me, as upon a hundred other occasions, alraost
wish that raankind had never been endowed vvith a
reasoning faculty, since they know so little how to
raake use of it and so often raislead themselves by it,
and that they had been furnished with a good sensible
instinct instead of it.
At Dover, the next raorning, we erabarked for
Calais with a nuraber of passengers who had never
before been at sea. They would previously raake a
hearty breakfast, because if the wind should fail we
raight not get over till supper-tirae. Doubtless they
thought that when they had paid for their breakfast
they had a right to it, and that when they had swal
lowed it they were sure of it. But they had scarce
been out half an hour before the sea laid claim to it,
and they were obliged to deliver it up. So that it
seems there are uncertainties, even beyond those be
tween the oup and tho lip. If ever you go to sea, take
my advice and Uve sparingly a day or two beforehand.

290 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF
The sickness, if any, wUl be lighter and sooner over.
We got to Calais that evening.
Various impositions we suffered from boatraen, por
ters, and tbe Uke, on both sides the water. I know
not which are tbe most rapacious, the EngUsh or
French ; but the latter have, with their knavery,
the raost politeness.
The roads we found equally good witb ours in Eng
land ; in sorae places paved with sraooth stones, like
our new streets, for raany railes together, and rows of
trees on eaoh side, and yet there are no turnpikes.
But then poor peasants complained to us grievously
that they vvere obliged to work upon the roads fully
tvvo raonths in the year, without being paid for their
labor. Whether tbis is truth or whether, like English
raen, they grumble, cause or no cause, I have not yet
been able to fully inforra rayself.
The woraen we saw at Calais, on tbe road, at Bou
logne, and in the inns and villages, were generally of
dark complexions ; but arriving at Abbeville we found
a sudden change, a multitude of both women and raen
in that place appearing reraarkably fair. Whether
this is owing to a sraall colony of spinners, wool-
corabers, and weavers brought hither frora Holland
with the woolen raanufactory about sixty years ago,
or to their being less exposed to tbe sun than in other
places, tbeir business keeping thera much within doors,
I knovv not. Perhaps, as in sorae other cases, different
causes raay club in producing the effect, but the effect
itself is certain. Never was I in a place of greater in
dustry, wheels and looras going in every house.
As soon as we left Abbeville the swarthiness re
turned. I speak generally; for there are some fair

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 291
women at Paris, who, I think, are not whitened by
art. As to rouge, they don't pretend to imitate nature
in laying it on. There is no gradual diminution of the
color, frora the full bloora in the middle of the cheek
to the faint tint near the sides, nor does it show itself
differently in different faces. I have not had the
honor of being at any lady's toilette to see how it is
laid on, but I fancy I can tell you how it is or raay be
done. Cut a hole of three inches in diaraeter in a
piece of paper, place it on the side of your face in suoh
a manner as that the top of the hole raay be just under
the eye, then vvith a brush dipped in the color paint
face and paper together ; so when the paper is taken
off there vvill reraain a round patch of red exactly the
forra of the hole. This is the raode, frora the ac
tresses on the stage upward, through all ranks of
ladies to the princesses of the blood ; but it stops
there, the queen not using it, having in the serenity,
complacence, and benignity that shine so erainently
in or rather through her countenance sufficient beauty,
though now an old vvoraan, to do extremely well
without it.
You see I speak of the queen* as if I had seen her ;
and so I have, for you must know I have been at court.
We went to Versailles last Sunday and had the honor
of being presented to the king ; he spoke to both of us
very graciously and very cheerfully, is a handsome
man, has a very lively look, and appears younger than
he is. In the evening we were at the Grand Concert,
where the family sup in publio. The table was half a
hoUow square, the service gold. When either mado a
* Wife ol Louis XV.

292 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
sign for drink tbe word was given by one of the
waiters. A boir pour le roi or a hoir pour la reine.
Then two persons carae from within, the one with
wine and the other with water in carafes ; each drank
a little glass of what he brought, and theh put both
the carafes with a glass on a salver and then presented
it. Their distance frora each other was such that
other chairs raight have been placed between any tvvo
of thera. An offlcer of the court brought us up through
the crowd of spectators, and placed Sir John so as to
stand between the queen and Madarae Viotoire. The
king talked a good deal to Sir John, asking raany
questions about our royal faraily, and did rae too the
honor of taking sorae notice of rae ; that is saying
enough, for I would not have you think rae so rauch
pleased with this king and queen as to havea whit less
regard than I used to have for ours. No French raan
shall go beyond rae in thinking ray ovvn king and
queen the very best in the vvorld and the raost araiable.
Versailles has had infinite suras laid out in building
it and supplying it with water, Sorae say the expenses
exceeded eighty millions sterUng. The range of build
ings is iraraense ; the garden front raost raagnificent,
all of hewn stone ; the nuraber of statues, figures, urns,
etc., in marble and bronze of exquisite workmanship,
is beyond conception. Bui; the water-works are out of
repair, and so is great part of the front next the town,
looking with its shabby, half-brick walls and broken
windows not much better than the houses in Durhara
Yard. There is, in short, both at Versailles and Paris,
a prodigious raixture of raagnificence and negligence,
with every kind of elegance except that o'f cleanliness
and what wo caU tidiness ; though I raust do Paris the

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 293
justice to say that in two points of cleanliness they
exceed us. The water they drink,, though frora the
river, they render as pure as that of the best spring by
filtering it through cisterns filled vvith sand, and the
streets witb constant sweeping are fit to walk in,
though there is no paved footpath. Accordingly raany
well-dressed people are constantly seen walking in
thera. The crowds of coaches and chairs for this
reason is not so great. Men as well as woraen carry
urabrellas in their hands, vvhich they extend in case of
rain or too rauch sun ; and a raan with an urabrella
not taking up raore than three foot square or nine
square feet of the street, when, if in a coach, he vvould
take up two hundred and forty square feet, you can
easily conceive that though the streets here are narrow,
they raay be less incurabered. They are extreraely
well paved, and tbe stones, being generally cubes,
when worn on one side raay be turned and becorae
new. The civilities we everywhere receive give us the
strongest irapressions of French politeness. It seeras
to be a point settled here universally that strangers
are to be treated with respect, and one has just the
same deference shown one bere by being a stranger as
in England by being a lady. The customhouse officers
at Port St, Denis, as we entered Paris, were about to
seize two dozen of exceUent Bordeaux wine given us
at Boulogne, and which we brought with us ; but as
soon as they found we were strangers it was iraraedi
ately reraitted on that account. At the Church of
Notre Darae, where we went to see a raagnificent iUu
mination, with figures, etc., for the deceased dauphin
ess, we found an immense crowd, who were kept out

294 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
by guards ; but the officer being told that we were
strangers from England, be imraediately adraitted us,
acoompanied and showed us everything. Why don't
we practice this urbanity to Frenchmen ? Why should
they be allovved to outdo us in anything ?
Here is an exhibition of painting, like ours in Lon
don, to wbich multitudes flock daily, I ara not con
noisseur enough to judge vvhich has raost raerit. Every
night, Sundays not excepted, here are plays or operas ;
and though the weather has been hot and the houses
full, one is not incoraraoded by tbe heat so much as
with us in winter. They must have sorae way of
changing the air tbat we are not acquainted with. I
shall inquire into it.
Traveling is one way of lengthening life, at least in
appearance. It is but about a fortnight since we left
London, but the variety of scenes vve have gone
through raakes it seera equal to six raonths' living in
one place. Perhaps I have suffered a greater change,
too, in ray own person than I could have done in six
years at horae. I had not been here six days before
ray tailor and perruquier had transforraed me into a
Frenchman, Only think what a figure I make in
a little bag-wig and with naked ears ! They told
rae I was becorae twenty years younger and looked
very gaUant.
This letter shall cost you a shiUing, and you may
consider it cheap vvhen you refiect that it has cost rae
at least fifty guineas to get into the situation that
enables rae to write it.
Besides, I raight, if I had stayed at horae, have
won perhaps tvvo shillings of you at cribbage. By
tbe way, now I raention cards, let me teU you

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 295
that quadriUe is now out of fashion here, and
English whist all the raode at Paris and the court.
And pray look upon it as no small matter, that,
surrounded as I ara by the glories of the vvorld and
arauseraents of all sorts, I reraeraber you and Dolly
and all the dear, good folks at Broraley. 'Tis true I
can't help it, but must and ever shaU reraeraber you
all with pleasure.
Need I add that I am particularly, my dear, good
friend. Yours most affectionately, B. Fbanklin.

VIL
to miss STEVENSON.
Craven Street, 28th September, 1768.
Deab Polly : The objection you make to rectifying
our alphabet, that "it will be attended with incon
veniences and difficulties," is a natural one ; for it al
ways occurs when any reforraation is proposed,
whether in religion, government, laws, and even down
as low as roads and wheel-carriages. The true ques
tion, then, is, not whether there will be any difficulties
or inconveniences, but whether the difficulties may not
be surmounted and whether the conveniences will not,
on the whole, be greater than the inconveniences. In
this case the difficulties are only in the beginning of
the practice. When they are overcorae the advan
tages are lasting. To either you or rae, who speU well
in the present mpde, I imagine the difficulty of cbang-

296 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
ing tbat mode for tbe new is not so great but that we
might perfectly get over it in a week's time.
As to those who do not spell well, if the two diffi
culties are corapared — ^naraely, that of teaching thera
true spelling in the present raode, and tbat of teaching
thera the nevv alphabet and the new spelling according
to it — I ara confident that the latter would be by far
tbe least. Tbey naturally fall into the new raethod
already, as rauch as the iraperfection of their alphabet
wiU adrait of. Their present bad spelling is only bad
because contrary to the present bad rules. The diffi
culty of learning to spell vvell in tbe old way is so
groat that few attain it, thousands and thousands writ
ing on to old age without ever being able to acquire
it. It is, besides, a difficulty continually increasing, as
the sound gradually varies raore and raore frora the
spelling ; and to foreigners it makes the learning to
pronounce our language as written in our books al
most impossible.
Now, as to the inconveniences you mention : the first
is that " all our etymologies would be lost, and con
sequently vve could not ascertain the meaning of raany
words." Etyraologies are at present very uncertain ;
but, sucb as they are, the old books would still pre
serve thera and etyraologists would there find thera.
Words in the course of time change their meanings,
as well as their spelling and pronunciation, and vve do
not look to etymology for their present meanings. If
I should call a raan a knave and a villain, he would
hardly be satisfied with my telling him that one of the
words originally signified only a lad or servant, and
the other an under-plowman, or the inhabitant of a
viUage, Itis from present usage oiily thftt tbe meau-
ing of words is to be deterrained,

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 297
Your second inconvenience is tbat " the distinction
between words of different raeaning and sirailar sound
would be destroyed." That distinction is already
destroyed in pronouncing thera, and you rely on tho
sense alone of the sentence to ascertain which of the
several words sirailar in sound we intend. If this is
sufficient in the rapidity of discourse it wiU be rauch
raore so in written sentences, which may be read
leisurely and attended to raore particularly in case of
difficulty than you can attend to a past sentence
while a speaker is hurrying you along with new ones.
Your third inconvenience is that "aU the books
already written would be useless." This inconvenience
would only corae on gradually in a course of ages.
You and I and other now Uving readers would hardly
forget the use of thera. People vvould long learn to
read the old writing, though they practiced the new ;
and the inconvenience is not greater tiian vvhat has
actually happened in a sinular case in Italy. Formerly
its inhabitants all spoke and wrote Latin ; as the
language changed the speUing followed it. It is true
that at present a raere unlearned Italian cannot read
the Latin books, though they are still read and under
stood by many. But if the spelling had never been
changed he vvould now have found it rauch more
difficult to read and write his own language, for
written words vvould have no relation to sounds ; they
would only have stood for thihgs ; so that if he would
express in writing the idea he has when he sounds
the word Vescovo, he raust use the letters Episcopus.
In short, whatever tbe difficulties and inconveniences
now are, tbey wiU be raore easily surraounted now than
hereafter; and some time or other it must be done, or

298 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
our writing vvUl becorae the sarae with the Chinese as
to the difficulty of learning and using it, and it would
already have been such if we had continued tho
Saxon spelling and writing used by our forefathers.
I am, my dear friend, Yours affectionately, B. Fbanklin.

VIIL
to miss stevenson. Ootobeb, 1768.
I SEB very clearly the unhappiness of your situation,
and that it does not arise frora any fault in you. I
pity you raost sincerely. I should not, however, have
thought of giving you advice on this occasion if you
had not requested it, beUeving, as I do, that your own
good sense is raore tban sufficient to direct you in
every point of duty to others and yourself. If, then,
I should advise you to anything that raay be contrary
to your own opinion, do not iraagine that I shall con
deran you if you do not follow such advice. I shall
only think that, frora a better acquaintance with the
circurastances, you forra a better judgraent of what is
fit for you to do.
Now I conceive with you that  , both frora
her affection to you and frora the long habit of having
you with her, vvould really be raiserable vvithout you.
Her teraper, perhaps, was never of the best, and when
that is tbe case age seldora raends it. Much of her
unhappiness raust arise frora thence ; and since wrong
turns of mind, when confirraed by tirae, are almost as

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

399

Uttle in our power to cure as those of the body, I
think with you that her case is a oompassionable
one. If she had, though by her own iraprudence, brought
on herself any grievous sickness, I know you would
think it your duty to attend and nurse her with
fiUal tenderness, even were your own health to be
endangered by it. Your apprehension, therefore, is
right, that it raay be your duty to live with her,
though Inconsistent vvith your happiness and your
interest: but this can only raean present interest and
present happiness ; for I think your future greater and
raore lasting interest and happiness will arise frora the
refiection that you have done your duty, and frora the
high rank you will ever hold in the esteem of all that
know you for having persevered in doing that duty
under so raany and great discourageraents.
My advice, then, raust be that you return to her as
soon as the tirae proposed for your visit is expired ;
and that you continue, by every raeans in your power,
to raake the reraainder of her days as corafortable
tober as possible. Invent arauseraents for her; be
pleased when she accepts of thera and patient vvhen
she, perhaps peevishly, rejects thera. I knovv this is
hard, but I think you are equal to it; not frora any
servility of teraper, but frora abundant goodness. In
the raean tirae all your friends, sensible of your pres
ent uncorafortable situation, should endeavor to ease
your burden by acting in concert with you, and to
give her as many opportunities as possible of enjoying
the pleasures of society for your sake.
Nothing is more apt to sour the temper of aged
people tban the apprehension that they are neglected.

800 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
and they are extreraely apt to entertain suoh sus
picions. It was therefore tbat I proposed asking
ber to be of our late party ; but your raother dis
liking it the raotion was dropped, as sorae others have
been, by ray too great easiness, contrary to ray judg
raent. Not but that I was sensible her being with us
raight have lessened our pleasure, but I hoped it raight
have prevented you sorae pain.
In fine, nothing can contribute to true happiness
thatis inconsistent vvith duty; nor oan a course of
action conforraable to it be finally without an araple
reward, for God governs and he is good. I pray
hira to direct you; and, indeed, you vvill never be
without his direction if you humbly ask it and show
yourself always ready to obey it.
Farewell, ray dear friend, and believe rae ever sin
cerely and affectionately yours, B. Fbankun.

IX.
TO MBS, STEVENSON. 25th Januaey, 1779.
It is always witb great pleasure when I think of
our long-continued friendship, which had not the least
interruption in the course of twenty years (sorae of the
happiest of ray life) that I spent under your roof and
in your corapany. If I do not write to you as often
as I used to do when I happened to be absent frora
you, it is owing partly to the presput difficulty of sure
coraraunication, and partly to an apprehension of sorae
inconvenience that ray correspondence raight possibly

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 801
occasion you. Be assured, my dear friend, that my
regard, esteem, and affection for you are not in the
least impaired or diminished, and that if circum
stances would perrait nothing would afford rae so
rauch satisfaction as to be with you in the same house,
and to experience again your faithful, tender care
and attention to ray interests, health, and comfortable
living, which so long and steadily attached me to you
and which I shall ever reraeraber with gratitude,
I tbought I bad raentioned to you before (and I be
Ueve I did, though ray letter raay have raiscarried)
that I received the white cloth suit, the sword, and the
saddle for Teraple, all in good order. I raention thera
now again because Polly tells rae you had not heard
of their arrival. I wore the clothes a good deal last
sumraer. There is one thing raore that I wish to
have if you should raeet with an opportunity of send
ing it. I raean the copper pot lined with silver, to
roast fowls in by raeans of a heater. I should also be
glad of tbe piece of elephant's tooth. It is old ivory,
perhaps of the time before the fiood, and would be a
rarity to pome friends here. But I doubt you will not
be able to send thera.
I rejoice to learn that your health is established
and that you live pleasantly in a country town, with
agreeable neighbors, and have your dear children
about you. My love to every one of thera. I long to
see them and you ; but the times do not perrait me the
hope of it. Why do you never write to me ? I used
to love to read your letters, and I regret your long
silence. They were seasoned vvith good sense and
friendship, and even your speUing pleased rae. PoUy
knows I think the worst speUing the best. I do not

302 AUTOBIOQRAPHT OF
write to her by this conveyance. You will let her
know that I acknowledge the receipt of her pleasing
letter dated the llth instant. I shall now only ob
serve to you upon it that I know not how the pat
ent can be taken out in Jacob's narae. I ara sure he
had no claim to it; for when I first proposed to
him the making of such wheels at Mr. Viney's in
the country, he objected to it as irapracticable.
But Mr. Viney, who seized tbe thought and carried
it into execution, had certainly the best right to
the patent. I wish be would send rae a good draw
ing, with the proportions of the little carriage with
horses whioh his children carae once in to see us.
How do they all do, and particularly ray little, patient
Bessura ?
Since ray coraing here I have been told that
Mr. Henley, tbe linen draper, had said, on ray
going to Araerica, that I had gone away in his
debt. I can hardly believe it. Let rae know if you
have heard such a thing, and what is the raeaning of
it. I thought he had been fully paid, and still think
so, and shall till I ara assured of the contrary. Let
rae know, at the sarae time, how ray account stands
with you.
You wish to know how I live. It is in a fine house,
situated in a neat village, on high ground, half a raile
frora Paris, with a large garden to walk in. I have
abundance of acquaintance, dine abroad six days in
seven. Sundays I reserve to dine at horae with such
Araericans as pass this way ; and I then have my
grandson Ben, vvith sorae other Araerican children
frora the school.
If being treated with all the politeness of France

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

303

and the apparent respect and esteem of all ranks,
from the highest to the lowest, can makea man happy,
I ought to be so. Indeed, 1 have nothing to complain
of but a Uttle too much business and the want of that
order and economy in my faraily vvhich reigned in it
when under your prudent direction. My paper gives
me only room to add that I am ever
Yours raost affectionately, B, Fbanklin,

TO benjamin WEBB.
Passy, 22d April, 1784,
I EECEIVED yours of the 16th instant and the me
raorial it inclosed. The account they give of your
situation grieves rae. I send you herewith a bill for
ten louis d'ors. I do not pretend to give such a sum ;
I only lend it to you. When you shall return to your
country with a good character, you cannot fail of get
ting into sorae business that wiU in time enable you
to pay aU your debts. In that case, when you raeet
with another honest man in sirailar distress you raust
pay me by lending this sura to hira ; enjoining him to
discharge the debt by a like operation when he shaU
be able and shall raeet with such another opportunity,
I hope it raay thus go through raany hands before it
meets witb a knave that will stop its progress. This
is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a Uttle
money. I am not yet rioh enough to afford much in
good works, and so am obliged to be cunning and

804 A UTOBIOQRA PH T OF
make the most of a little. With best wishes for
the success of your memorial and your future
prosperity, I am, dear sir, your most obedient serv
ant, B. Fbanklin.

XI.
TO SAMUEL MATHBB. Passt, May 12th, 1784.
I BBOETVBD your kind letter, with your excellent ad
vice to the people of tbe United States, which I read
with great pleasure and hope it will be duly regarded.
Such writings, though they may be lightly passed over
by many readers, yet if they make a deep irapression
on one active raind in a hundred tbe effects may be
considerable. Perrait rae to raention one little instance
which, though it relates to rayself, will not be quite
uninteresting to you. When I was a boy I raet with
a book entitled "Essays to Do Good," which I think was
written by your father.* It had been so little regarded
by a forraer possessor that several leaves of it were
torn out ; but the reraainder gave rae such a turn of
thinking as to have an influence on ray conduct through
life, for I have always set a greater value on the char
acter of a doer of good than on any other kind of
reputation ; and if I have been, as you seem to think,
a useful citizen, the pubUc owes the advantage of it to
that book.
You mention your being in your seventy-eighth
* Cotton Mather.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 305
year. I ara in ray seventy-ninth year ; we are grow
ing old together. It is now more than sixty years since
I left Boston, but I remember well both your father
and grandfather, having heard them both in the pulpit
and seen them in their houses. The last time I savv
your father was in the beginning of 1724, when I
visited hira after ray first trip to Pennsylvania. He
received rae in his library, and on ray taking leave
showed rae a shorter vvay out of the house through a
narrow passage whicb vvas crossed by a beara over
head. We vvere still talking as I withdrew, he ac
corapanying rae behind, and I turning partly toward
hira, when he said hastily, " Stop, stop !" I did not
understand hira till I felt ra}'^ head hit against the
beara. He was a man that never missed any occasion
of giving instruction, and upon this he said to rae :
"You are young and have the world before you;
stoop as you go through it, and you wUl raiss raany
hard thuraps." This advice, thus beat into ray head,
has frequently been of use to rae ; and I often think
of it wben I see pride raortified and raisfortunes
brought upon people by their carrying their heads too
high. Yours with esteem, B Fbanklin.

XIL
TO THB EEV. DB, LATHBOP, BOSTON.
Philadelphla, 31st May, 1788.
RbvbbbndSib: I received your obliging favor of
the 6th instant by Mr. HUlard, with whose conversa-

306 AUTohoQRAPHT OF
tion I was rauch pleased, and would have been glad to
have bad more of it if he would have spared it to rae ;
but the short tirae of his stay has prevented. You
need raake no apology for introducing any of your
friends to me. I consider it as doing me honor as
weU as giving rae pleasure. I thank you for the
paraphlet of the Huraane Society. In return, please
to accept one of the sarae kind, which was published
while I resided in France. If your society have not
hitherto seen it, it raay possibly afford them usoful
hints. It would certainly, as you observe, be a very great
pleasure to me if I could once again visit ray native
town and walk over tbe grounds I used to frequent
when a boy, and vvhere I enjoyed raany of the inno
cent pleasures of youth, which would be so brought to
ray reraerabrance, and where I raight find sorae of
my old acquaintance to converse with. But when I
consider bow well I am situated here, with everything
about rae that I can call either necessary or conven
ient, the fatigues and bad accoraraodations to be raet
with and suffered in a land journey, and the unpleas
antness of sea voyages to one who, although he has
crossed the Atlantic eight tiraes and raade raany
smaller trips, does not recollect his having ever been
at sea without taking a firm resolution never to go to
sea again ; and that, if I vvere arrived in Boston, I
should see but little of it, as I could neither bear walk
ing nor riding in a carriage over its pebbled streets ;
and, above all, that I should find very fevv indeed of
my old friends living, it being now sixty-five years
since I left it to settle here — aU this considered, I say,

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 307
it seems probable, though not certain, that I sbaU
hardly again visit that beloved place. Bnt I enjoy
the corapany and conversation of its inhabitants when
any of them are so good as to visit rae ; for besides
their general good sense, which I value, the Boston
manner, turn of phrase, and even tone of voice and
accent in pronunciation, all please and seem to re
fresh and revive me.
I have been long impressed with the same senti
ments you so well express of the growing felicity of
raankind, frora the iraprovements in philosophy,
raorals, politics, and even the conveniences of comraon
living, and the invention and acquisition of new and
useful utensils and instruments, so that I have sorae
tiraes alraost wished it Ir'ic' ^een ray destiny to be
born two or three centuries hence ; for invention and
iraproveraent are prolific and beget raore of their kind.
The present progress is rapid. Many of great ira
portance, now unthought of, will before that period
be produced ; and then I might not only enjoy their
advantages, but have ray curiosity gratified by know
ing vvhat they are to be. I see a Uttle absurdity in
what I have just written ; but it is to a friend who
wiU wink and let it pass, while I raention one reason
more for such a wish, which is that if the art of
physio shaU be improved in proportion to other arts,
we raay then be able to avoid diseases and Uve as
long as the patriarchs in Genesis, to which I suppose
we should have Uttle objection.
I ara glad ray dear sister has so good and kind a
neighbor. I sometimes suspect she may be backward
in acquainting me with circumstances in whioh I

308 A UTOBIOQRAPHT OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
might be more useful to her. If any such should
occur to your observation, your raentioning them to
me will be a favor I shall be thankful for.
With great esteera, I have the honor to be, rever
end sir, your most obedient and most humble servant.
B. Feankun.

THX I2n>.

A. L BURT'S PUBLICATIONS
For Young People
BY popular writers,
97-99-101 Reade Street, New York,
Bonnie Prince Charlie : A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden. By
a. A. Hentt. With 12 full-page illustrations by Gordon
BnowNH. 12mo, cloth, price |] .00.
The Bdvontures of tbe eon of a Scotch officer in French service.
The boy, brought up by a GlaBgow bailie, is arested for aiding a
Jacobite agent, escapes, is wrecked on the French coast, reaches
Paris, and serveb with the French army at Dettingen. He kills
his father's foe In a duel, and escaping to the coast, shares the
adventures of Prince Charlie, but finally settles happily In Scot
land, "Ronald, the hero. Is Tery like the hero of ' Quentin Durward.' The lad'a
joumey across France, and his hairbreadth escapes, make up as (food a nar
rative or the kind as we have ever read. For freshness of treatment and
variety of Incident Mr. Henty has surpassed himself."— Specfator.
With Clive in India ; or, the Beginnings of an Empire. By
G. A. Hentt. With 13 full-page Illustrations by Gordon
Browne. 18mo, cloth, price fl.OO.
The period between the landing of Clive as a young writer In
India and the close of his career was critical and eventful In tbe
extreme. At ils commencement the English were traders existing
on sufferance of the native princes. At its close tbey were masters
of Bengal and uf the greater part of Southern India. The author
has given a tuli and accurate account of the events of that stirring
time, and battles and sieges follow each other in rapid succession,
while he combines with bis narrative a tale of daring and adven
ture, which gives a lifelike interest to the volume. '
" He has taken a period of Indian history of the most vital Importanbe,
•nd he haa embroidered on the historical factsastory which of Itself Isdeeply
Interesting. Young people assuredly wUI be delighted with the volume. —
Scotsman. /¦'
The Lion ofthe North : A Tale of Gustavus Adolphus and the
Wars of Religion. By G. A. Hentt. With full-page Illas.
trations by John SchOnbero. 12mo, cloth, price |1.00.
In this story Mr. Hen'y gives the history of the first part of tb*
Thirty Years' War. The issue hnd its Importance, which has ex-
tended to the present day, as it established religious freedom
In Germany. The army of the cbivalrons king of Sweden was
largely composed of Scotchmen, and among these was the hero of
the story.
* The tale Is a clever and Instructive piece of history, and as boys may W
frosted to read it oonSoienUoudy.theyou hardly tall tobe proflted.''-2Vm«a

A. Ii. BURrS P OBLIGATIONS.

The Dragon and the Raven ; or. The Days of King Alfred. By
G. A. Hentt. With fnll-page Illustrations by C. J. Stani-
LAND, R.I. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
In this story the author gives an account of the flerce straggle
between Saxon and Dane for eupremacy in England, and presents
a vivid picture of the misery and ruin to whicli the country waa
reduced by the ravages of the sea-wolves. The hero, a young
Haxon thane, takes part in all the battles fought by King Alfred.
He is driven from his home, takes to the sea and resists tue Danes
on their own element, and being pursued by them up thu Seine,
is present at the long and desperate siege of Paris.
" Treated In a manner moat attractive to the boyish reader." — /Ithenaum.
The Young Carthaginian : A Story of the Times of Hannibal.
By G. A. Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by C. J. Stani-
LAND, R.I. 12mo, cloth, price |1.00.
Boys reading tbe history of the Punic Wars have seldom a keen
appreciation of tbe merits of the contest. That it was at first a
Struggle for empire, and afterward for existence on the part oi
Cartbage, that Hannibal was a great and skillful general, that he
defeated tbe Romans at Trebia, Lake Trasimenus, and Cannes,
and all but took Ri>me, represents pretty nearly tbe sum total of
tbeir knowledge. To let tbem know more about this momentous
struggle for the empire of tbe world Mr. Henty bas written thia
story, which not only givea in graphic style a brilliant descrip
tion of a most interesting period of history, but is a tale of ex
citing adventure sure to secure the interest of the reader.
" Well constructed and vividly told. From first to last nothing stays tha
Interest of tbe narrative. It bears us along as on a Istream whose current
varies in direction, but never loses its force."— Saf uraoj/ Review.
In Freedom's Cause : A Story of Wallace and Bruce. ByG. A.
Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by Gordon BrowhB.
12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
In this story tbe author relates the stirring tale of the Scottish
War of Independence. The extraordinary valor and personal
Erowesa of Wallace and Bruce rival the deeds of the mythical
eroes of chivalry, and indeed at one time Wallace was ranked
with these legendary personages. The researches of modern
historians have shown, however, that he was a living, breathing
man — and a valiant champion. The hero of tbe tale fought under
both Wallace and Bruce, and while the strictest historical accuracy
has been maintained with respect to public events, the work ia
full of "hairbreadth 'scapes" and wild adventure.
" It is written in the author's best style. Full of the wildest and most re
markable achievements, It is a tale of great Interest, which a boy, onc« he has
begun It, will not willingly put on one aide."— ITU 8choolma$ter.

A. L. BURT'S PUBLICATIONS. 8
With Lee in Virginia: A Story of the American Civil War. By
G. A. Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by Gordon
Browne. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
The story of a young Virginian planter, who, afti r bravely
proving his sympathy with the slaves of brutal masters, serves
with no less courage and entbuslasiu under Lee and Jackson
through the most exciting events of the struggle. He has many
hairbreadth escapes, is sovcal times wounded and twice taken
prisoner; but bis courage and readiness and, in two cases, the
devotion of a black servant and of a runaway slave whom he had
assisted, bring him safely through all ditficulties.
" One of the best stories for lads which Mr. Henty has yet written. The
picture Is full of life and color, and the stirring and romantic incidents are
skillfully blended with the personal Interest and charm of the story."-
Btandard. By England's Aid ; or. The Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-
1604). By G. A. Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by
Alfred Pearse, and Maps. 12mo, cloth, price fl.OO.
The story of two EngllHh lads whr) go to Holland as pages in
the service of one of " tbe tigbtlng Veres." After many adven
tures by sea and land, one of the lads finds biinself on board a
Spanish ship at tbe time of the defeat of tbe Armada, and epcapes
only to fall intothe hands of the Corsairs. He Is successful in
getting back to 8|ialn under tbe protection of a wealthy merchant,
and regains liis native country after tbe capture of Cadiz.
" It Is an admirable book for youngsters. It overflows with stirring Inci
dent and exciting adventure, and the color of the era and of the scene are
flnely reproduced. The IUustrations add to Its attractiveness."— Bo»f on
Gazette,By Right of Conquest ; or, With Cortez in Mexico. By G. A.
Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by W. S. Stacet, and
Two Maps. 12mo, cloth, price $1.50.
The conquest of Mexico by a small band of resolute men under
the magnificent leadership of Cortez is always rightly ranked
among the most romantic and daring exploits in history. With
this as the groundwork of his story Mr. Henty has Interwoven the
adventures of an English youth, Roger Hawkshaw, the sole sur
vivor of the good ship Swan, which had sailed from a Devon port
to challenge the mercantile supremacy of the Spaniards in the
New World. He is beset by many perils ainong the natives, but
is saved by his own judgment and strength, and hy the devotion
of an Aztec princes?. At last by a ruse he obtains the protection
of the Spaniards, and after the fall of Mexico hi succeeds in re
gaining his native shore, with a fortune and a charming Azteo
bride. " ' Bt Bight of Conquest ' is the nearest approach to a nerfeotly suooessf Ul
blstoHcal &le tbat Ur. Henty has yet pubmMi."— Academy.

A. L. BURT'S PUBLICATIONS.

Ib the Keign of Terror : The Adventures of a Westminster Boy.
By 0. A. Hentt. With full-page Illustrctions by J. ScbOn-
BERO. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
Harry Sandwith, a Westminster boy, becomes a resident at tha
tnhatean of a French marquis, and afti r varioua adventures accom.
yanies tho family to Paris at tbe crisis of the Revolution. Im
prisonment and death reduce tbeir number, and tbe hero finds
nimself beset by perils with the three young daughters of the
I'Ouse iu his charge. After hairbreadth escapes they reach Nan
tes. Tbere the ^ iris are condemned to death In the coffln-^hips,
but are sav^d by the unfailing courage of their boy protector.
" Harry Sandwith, the Westminster boy, may fairly be said to beat Mr.
Hent>'s record. Hia adventures will delight boys by the audacity and peril
they depict. . . , The story Is one of Mr. Henty'a test."— ^'afurdajf
ReiHei*.With Wolfe in Canada ; or. The Winning of a Continent. By
G. A. Hentt. With full-page IlluBtrations by Gordon
Browne. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
In tbe present volume Mr. Henty gives an account of the strug
gle between Britain and France for supremacy in the North
American continent. On the issue of this war depended uot only
the destinies of North America, but to a large extent those of the
mother countries themselves. Tbe fall of Quebec decided that
the Anglo-Saxon race should predominate in the New World;
that Britain, and not France, should take the lead among the
nations of Europe; and tbat English and American commerce, the
English language, and English literature, should spread right
round the globe.
" It la not only a lesson In history as instructively as It is graphically told,
but also a deeply Interesting and often thrilling tale of adventure and peril by
flood and &eld."—lUuatrated London Newt.
True to the Old Flag: A Tale of the American War of Inde
pendence. By G. A. Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by
Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
In this stoiT the author has gone to the accounts of oflBcers who
took part In the conflict, and lads will find that in no war in which
Americi&n and British soldiers have been engaged did they behave
witb greater courage and good conduct. The historical portion of
tbe book being accompanied with numerous thrilling adventures
witb tbe redskins on the shores of Lake Huron, a story of exciting
interest is interwoven with the general narrative and carried
tbrough the l>ook.
" Does Justice to the pluck and determination of the British soldiers durioK
the unfortunate struggle against American emancipation. ' The son of an
American loyalist, who remains true to our flag, falls among the hostUe red
skins In that very Huron country which lias been endeared to ua by the ex
ploits ot Hawkeye and Ctilnj;acugook."—T7i« 'Time*.

A. L. BURT'S PUBLICATIONS.

The Lion of St. Mark : A Tale of Venice in the Fourteenth
Century. By G. A. Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by
Gordon Browne. 12mo. cloth, price $1.00.
A story of Venice at a period when her strength and splendor
were put to the severest tests. Tbe hero displays a fine sense and
manliness which carry him safely through an atmosphere of In
trigue, crime, and bloodshed. He contributes largely to the vic
tories of the Venetians at Porto d'Anzo and Cbioggia, and flnally
wins the band of tbe daughter of ono of the chief men of Venica
" Every boy should read ' The Lion of St. JIark.' Mr. Henty has never pro
duced a story more delightful, more wholesome, or more vivacious."— Satur
day Review.
A Final Reckoning: A Tale of Bush Life in Australia. ByG. A.
Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by W. B. Wollen.
12mo, cloth, price $1.00,
Tbe hero, a young English lad. after rather a stormy boyhood,
emigrates to Australia, and gets employment as an officer in tbe
mounted police. A few years of active work on tbe frontier,
where he bas many a brush with both natives and bushrangers,
gain bim promotion to a captaincy, and he eventually settles
down to the peaceful life of a squatter.
" Mr. Henty has never published a more readable, a more carefully con
structed, or a better written story ttian thlB."— Spectator,
Under Drake'.'; Flag : A Tale of the Spanish Main. By G. A.
Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne.
12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
A story of the days when England and Spain struggled for tbe
supremacy of the sea. The heroes sail as lads with Drake in tbe
Paciflc expedition, and in his great voyage of circumnavigation.
The historical portion of the story Is absolutely to be relied upon,
but this will perhaps be less attractive than the great variety of
exciting adventure through which the young heroes pass In the
course of their voyages.
" A book of adventure, where the hero meets with experience enough, one
would think, to tum his hair gray."— Horper'* Monthly Magazine.
By Sheer Pluck ; A Tale of the Ashantl War. By G. A. Hentt.
With full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo,
cloth, price $1.00.
The author has woven, in a tale of thrilling Interest, all the de
tails of the Ashanti campaign, of which he was himself a witness.
His hero, after many exciting adventures in the interior, is de
tained a prisoner by the king just before the outbreak of the war,
but escapes, and accompanies tbe English expedition on tbeir
march to Coomassie.
" Mr. Henty keeps up hls reputation as • writer of boys' stories. ' Br Shwr
Flock ' wUl be eagerly nad."--Athen«euin.

A. L. BURT'S PUBLICATIONS.

By Pike and Dyke : A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Bepabllc
By O. A. Hentt,. With full-page Illustrations by Matnabo
' 'Brown, and 4 Maps. 12mo, cloth, price $1.00.
In this story Mr. Henty traces the adventures and brave deeds
of an English l>oy In the household of the Hblest man of his age-
William the Silent. Edward Martin, the son of an English sea
captain; enters the service of the Prince as a volunteer, and is era
ployed by htm In many dangerous and responsible missions, Inthe'
discharge of which he passes through the great siege-; of the time
He ultimately settles down as Sir Edward Martin.
" Boys with a turn for historical research will be enchanted with the txx)tt
while the rest who only care for adventure. will tie students in spite of them
selves."— Sf. Jamet' Oazette,
St. George for England : A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers. By
G. A. Hentt. With full-page Illustrations by Gordon
Browne. 12uio, cloth, price $1.00.
No portion of English history is more crowded with great events
than that of tbe reign of Edward III. Cressy and Poitiers; the
destruction of tbe Spanish fleet; tbe plague of the Black Death;
tbe Jacquerie rising; these are treated by tbe author In " St.
George for England." Tbe hero of the story, although of good
family, begins life as a London apprentice, but after countless ad<
ventures aud perils becomes by valor and good conduct the squire,
and at last the trusted friend of thu Black Prince.
" Mr. Henty haa developed for himself a type of historical nov for twva
which bids fair to luppiement, on their behalf, the historical la! jrs ot Sir
Walter Scott in the land of fiction."— r/ie Standard.
Captain's Kidd's Gold; Tb« True Story of an Adventurous Sailor
Boy. By James Franklin Fitts. 12rao, cloth, price $1.00.
There is something fascinating to tbe average youth in tbe very
Idea of burled treasure. A vision arises before his eyes of swarthy
Portuguese and Spanish rascais, with black beard.s and gleaming
eyes — sinister-looking fellows who once on a tirae haunted the
Spanish Main, sneaking out from some hidden creek In their long,
low schooner, of picaroonisb rake and sheer, to attack an unsus
pecting trading craft. TUere were many famous sea rovers in
their day, but none raore celebrated tban Capt. Kidd. Perhaps
the most fascinating tale of all is Mr. Fitts' true story of an adven
turous American boy, who receives from bis dying father an
ancient bit of vellum, whicb tbe latter obtained in a curious way.
The document bears obscure directions purporting to locate a cer
tain Island In the Bahama group, and a consideriAjle treasure
buried there by two of Kidd's crew. Tbe hero of this book,
Paul Jones Garry, is an aiubitious, persevering lad, of salt-water
New England ancestry, and bis efforts to reach tbe island and
secure tlie money form one of the most absorbing tales for ooi
youth that has come from the press.

YALE UNIVERSITY

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