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FRANKLIN SEAL
FRANKLIN SEAL
"He was therefore, feasted and invited to all the court parties. At these he sometimes met the old Duchess of Bourbon, who, being a chess player of about his force, they very generally played together. Happening once to put her king into prize, the Doctor took it. 'Ah,' says she, 'we do not take kings so.' 'We do in America,' said the Doctor."— Thomas Jefferson...
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B E N J A M I N F R A N K L I N
B E N J A M I N F R A N K L I N
vii 1 Ancestry and Early Life in Boston 3 Beginning Life as a Printer 21 Arrival in Philadelphia 41 First Visit to Boston 55 Early Friends in Philadelphia 69 First Visit to London 77 Beginning Business in Philadelphia 99 Business Success and First Public Service 126 Plan for Attaining Moral Perfection 146 Poor Richard's Almanac and Other Activities 169 Interest in Public Affairs 188 Defense of the Province 201 Public Services and Duties 217 Albany Plan of Union 241 Quarrels with the Proprietary
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The Story of the Autobiography
The Story of the Autobiography
The account of how Franklin's Autobiography came to be written and of the adventures of the original manuscript forms in itself an interesting story. The Autobiography is Franklin's longest work, and yet it is only a fragment. The first part, written as a letter to his son, William Franklin, was not intended for publication; and the composition is more informal and the narrative more personal than in the second part, from 1730 on, which was written with a view to publication. The entire manuscri
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I ANCESTRY AND EARLY YOUTH IN BOSTON
I ANCESTRY AND EARLY YOUTH IN BOSTON
Twyford , [3] at the Bishop of St. Asaph's , 1771. block-d EAR SON: I have ever had pleasure in obtaining any little anecdotes of my ancestors. You may remember the inquiries I made among the remains of my relations when you were with me in England, and the journey I undertook for that purpose. Imagining it may be equally agreeable to you to know the circumstances of my life, many of which you are yet unacquainted with, and expecting the enjoyment of a week's uninterrupted leisure in my present
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II BEGINNING LIFE AS A PRINTER
II BEGINNING LIFE AS A PRINTER
block-F ROM a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books. Pleased with the Pilgrim's Progress , my first collection was of John Bunyan's works in separate little volumes. I afterward sold them to enable me to buy R. Burton's Historical Collections ; they were small chapmen's books, [16] and cheap, 40 or 50 in all. My father's little library consisted chiefly of books in polemic divinity, most of which I read, and have since often regr
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III ARRIVAL IN PHILADELPHIA
III ARRIVAL IN PHILADELPHIA
block-M Y inclinations for the sea were by this time worne out, or I might now have gratify'd them. But, having a trade, and supposing myself a pretty good workman, I offer'd my service to the printer in the place, old Mr. William Bradford, who had been the first printer in Pennsylvania, but removed from thence upon the quarrel of George Keith. He could give me no employment, having little to do, and help enough already; but says he, "My son at Philadelphia has lately lost his principal hand, Aq
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IV FIRST VISIT TO BOSTON
IV FIRST VISIT TO BOSTON
block-S IR 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 me, and show'd him the letter. The governor read it, and seem'd surpris'd when he was told my age. He said I appear'd a young man of promising parts, and therefore should be encouraged; the printers at Philadelphia were wretched ones; and, if I would set up there, he made no doubt I should succeed; for his part, he would p
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V EARLY FRIENDS IN PHILADELPHIA
V EARLY FRIENDS IN PHILADELPHIA
block-K EIMER and I liv'd on a pretty good familiar footing, and agreed tolerably well, for he suspected nothing of my setting up. He retained a great deal of his old enthusiasms and lov'd argumentation. We therefore had many disputations. I used to work him so with my Socratic method, and had trepann'd him so often by questions apparently so distant from any point we had in hand, and yet by degrees led to the point, and brought him into difficulties and contradictions, that at last he grew ridi
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VI FIRST VISIT TO LONDON
VI FIRST VISIT TO LONDON
block-T HE governor, seeming to like my company, had me frequently to his house, and his setting me up was always mention'd as a fixed thing. I was to take with me letters recommendatory to a number of his friends, besides the letter of credit to furnish me with the necessary money for purchasing the press and types, paper, etc. For these letters I was appointed to call at different times, when they were to be ready; but a future time was still named. Thus he went on till the ship, whose departu
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VII BEGINNING BUSINESS IN PHILADELPHIA
VII BEGINNING BUSINESS IN PHILADELPHIA
block-W E sail'd from Gravesend on the 23rd of July, 1726. For the incidents of the voyage, I refer you to my Journal, where you will find them all minutely related. Perhaps the most important part of that journal is the plan [50] to be found in it, which I formed at sea, for regulating my future conduct in life. It is the more remarkable, as being formed when I was so young, and yet being pretty faithfully adhered to quite thro' to old age. We landed in Philadelphia on the 11th of October, wher
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VIII BUSINESS SUCCESS AND FIRST PUBLIC SERVICE
VIII BUSINESS SUCCESS AND FIRST PUBLIC SERVICE
block-a BOUT this time there was a cry among the people for more paper money, only fifteen thousand pounds being extant in the province, and that soon to be sunk. [59] The wealthy inhabitants oppos'd any addition, being against all paper currency, from an apprehension that it would depreciate, as it had done in New England, to the prejudice of all creditors. We had discuss'd this point in our Junto, where I was on the side of an addition, being persuaded that the first small sum struck in 1723 h
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IX PLAN FOR ATTAINING MORAL PERFECTION
IX PLAN FOR ATTAINING MORAL PERFECTION
block-I T was about this time I conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I had imagined. [66] While my care was employ'd in guar
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X POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
X POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
block-I N 1732 I first publish'd my Almanack, under the name of Richard Saunders ; it was continu'd by me about twenty-five years, commonly call'd Poor Richard's Almanac . [74] I endeavour'd to make it both entertaining and useful, and it accordingly came to be in such demand, that I reap'd considerable profit from it, vending annually near ten thousand. And observing that it was generally read, scarce any neighborhood in the province being without it, I consider'd it as a proper vehicle for con
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XI INTEREST IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
XI INTEREST IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
block-I BEGAN now to turn my thoughts a little to public affairs, beginning, however, with small matters. The city watch was one of the first things that I conceiv'd to want regulation. It was managed by the constables of the respective wards in turn; the constable warned a number of housekeepers to attend him for the night. Those who chose never to attend, paid him six shillings a year to be excus'd, which was suppos'd to be for hiring substitutes, but was, in reality, much more than was necess
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XII DEFENSE OF THE PROVINCE
XII DEFENSE OF THE PROVINCE
block-I HAD, on the whole, abundant reason to be satisfied with my being established in Pennsylvania. There were, however, two, things that I regretted, there being no provision for defense, nor for a compleat education of youth; no militia, nor any college. I therefore, in 1743, drew up a proposal for establishing an academy; and at that time, thinking the Reverend Mr. Peters, who was out of employ, a fit person to superintend such an institution, I communicated the project to him; but he, havi
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XIII
XIII
block-P EACE being concluded, and the association business therefore at an end, I turn'd my thoughts again to the affair of establishing an academy. The first step I took was to associate in the design a number of active friends, of whom the Junto furnished a good part; the next was to write and publish a pamphlet, entitled Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania . This I distributed among the principal inhabitants gratis; and as soon as I could suppose their minds a little
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XIV ALBANY PLAN OF UNION
XIV ALBANY PLAN OF UNION
block-I N 1754, war with France being again apprehended, a congress of commissioners from 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 receiv'd 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)
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XV QUARRELS WITH THE PROPRIETARY GOVERNORS
XV QUARRELS WITH THE PROPRIETARY GOVERNORS
block-I N my journey to Boston this year, I met at New York with our new governor, Mr. Morris, just arriv'd there from England, with whom I had been before intimately acquainted. He brought a commission to supersede Mr. Hamilton, who, tir'd with the disputes his proprietary instructions subjected him to, had resign'd. Mr. Morris ask'd me if I thought he must expect as uncomfortable an administration. I said, "No; you may, on the contrary, have a very comfortable one, if you will only take care n
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XVI BRADDOCK'S EXPEDITION
XVI BRADDOCK'S EXPEDITION
block-T HE British government, not chusing to permit the union of the colonies as propos'd at Albany, and to trust that union with their defense, lest they should thereby grow too military, and feel their own strength, suspicions and jealousies at this time being entertain'd of them, sent over General Braddock with two regiments of regular English troops for that purpose. He landed at Alexandria, in Virginia, and thence march'd to Frederictown, in Maryland, where he halted for carriages. Our Ass
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XVII FRANKLIN'S DEFENSE OF THE FRONTIER
XVII FRANKLIN'S DEFENSE OF THE FRONTIER
block-W HILE the several companies in the city and country were forming, and learning their exercise, the governor prevail'd with me to take charge of our North-western 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, tho' I did not conceive myself well qualified for it. He gave me a commission with full powers, and a parcel of blank commissions for officers, to be given t
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XVIII SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS
XVIII SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS
block-b EFORE I proceed in relating the part I had in public affairs under this new governor's administration, it may not be amiss here to give some account of the rise and progress of my philosophical reputation. In 1746, being at Boston, I met there with a Dr. Spence, who was lately arrived from Scotland, and show'd me some electric experiments. They were imperfectly perform'd, as he was not very expert; but, being on a subject quite new to me, they equally surpris'd and pleased me. Soon after
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XIX AGENT OF PENNSYLVANIA IN LONDON
XIX AGENT OF PENNSYLVANIA IN LONDON
block-O UR new governor, Captain Denny, brought over for me the before mentioned medal from the Royal Society, which he presented to me at an entertainment given him by the city. He accompanied it with very polite expressions of his esteem for me, having, as he said, been long acquainted with my character. After dinner, when the company, as was customary at that time, were engag'd in drinking, he took me aside into another room, and acquainted me that he had been advis'd by his friends in Englan
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ELECTRICAL KITE
ELECTRICAL KITE
[Philadelphia], Oct. 19, 1752. Sir, As frequent mention is made in public papers from Europe of the success of the Philadelphia experiment for drawing the electric fire from clouds by means of pointed rods of iron erected on high buildings, &c., it may be agreeable to the curious to be informed, that the same experiment has succeeded in Philadelphia , though made in a different and more easy manner, which is as follows: Make a small cross of two light strips of cedar, the arms so long as
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THE WAY TO WEALTH
THE WAY TO WEALTH
(From "Father Abraham's Speech," forming the preface to Poor Richard's Almanac for 1758.) It would be thought a hard Government that should tax its People one-tenth Part of their Time , to be employed in its Service. But Idleness taxes many of us much more, if we reckon all that is spent in absolute Sloth , or doing of nothing, with that which is spent in idle Employments or Amusements, that amount to nothing. Sloth , by bringing on Diseases, absolutely shortens Life. Sloth, like Rust, consumes
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THE WHISTLE
THE WHISTLE
Passy , November 10, 1779. I am charmed with your description of Paradise, and with your plan of living there; and I approve much of your conclusion, that, in the meantime, we should draw all the good we can from this world. In my opinion, we might all draw more good from it than we do, and suffer less evil, if we would take care not to give too much for whistles. For to me it seems, that most of the unhappy people we meet with, are become so by neglect of that caution. You ask what I mean? You
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A LETTER TO SAMUEL MATHER
A LETTER TO SAMUEL MATHER
Passy , May 12, 1784. Revd Sir, It is now more than 60 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 saw your father was in the beginning of 1724, when I visited him after my first trip to Pennsylvania. He received me in his library, and on my taking leave showed me a shorter way out of the house through a narrow passage, which was crossed by a beam overhead. We were still talk
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The last and most complete edition of Franklin's works is that by the late Professor Albert H. Smyth, published in ten volumes by the Macmillan Company, New York, under the title, The Writings of Benjamin Franklin . The other standard edition is the Works of Benjamin Franklin by John Bigelow (New York, 1887). Mr. Bigelow's first edition of the Autobiography in one volume was published by the J. B. Lippincott Company of Philadelphia in 1868. The life of Franklin as a writer is well treated by J.
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