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ILLUSTRATED
ILLUSTRATED
1889. The life of Benjamin Franklin is stranger than fiction. Its realities surpass the idealities of novelists. Imagination would scarcely venture to portray such victories over poverty, obscurity, difficulties, and hardships. The tact, application, perseverance, and industry, that he brought to his life-work, make him an example for all time. He met with defeats; but they inspired him to manlier efforts. His successes increased his desire for something higher and nobler. He was satisfied only
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BOYHOOD TO MANHOOD.
BOYHOOD TO MANHOOD.
"I am tired of so much persecution under the reign of our corrupt king," said a neighbor to Josiah Franklin, one day in the year 1685, in the usually quiet village of Banbury, England, "and I believe that I shall pull up stakes and emigrate to Boston. That is the most thriving port in America." "Well, I am not quite prepared for that yet," replied Franklin. "Our king is bad enough and tyrannical enough to make us all sick of our native land. But it is a great step to leave it forever, to live am
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II.
II.
"The fifteenth!" remarked Josiah Franklin to a relative, as he took the fifteenth child into his arms. "And a son, too; he must bear the name of his Uncle Benjamin." "Then, we are to understand that his name is Benjamin?" answered the relative, inquiringly. "Yes, that is his name; his mother and I settled that some time ago, that the next son should bear the name of my most beloved brother, who, I hope, will remove to this country before long." "Well, a baby is no curiosity in your family," rema
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III.
III.
When Benjamin was seven years old he had not been to school a day. Yet he was a good reader and speller. In manhood he said: "I do not remember when I could not read, so it must have been very early." He was one of those irrepressible little fellows, whose intuition and observation are better than school. He learned more out of school than he could or would have done in it. His precocity put him in advance of most boys at seven, even without schooling. It was not necessary for him to have school
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IV.
IV.
Uncle Benjamin was so deeply interested in his namesake that he wrote many letters about him. Nearly every ship that sailed for Boston brought a letter from him to the Franklin family, and almost every letter contained a piece of poetry from his pen. One of his letters about that time contained the following acrostic on Benjamin's name: "Be to thy parents an obedient son; Each day let duty constantly be done; Never give way to sloth, or lust, or pride, If free you'd be from thousand
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V.
V.
Mr. Franklin's finances did not improve. It was clearer every day to him that he would not be able to keep Benjamin in school. Besides, in a few months, John, who had learned the tallow-chandler's business of his father, was going to be married, and establish himself in that trade in Providence. Some body must take his place. It was quite impossible for his father to prosecute his business alone. "I see no other way," remarked Mr. Franklin to his wife; "I shall be obliged to take Benjamin out of
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VI.
VI.
While Benjamin was attending Mr. Brownwell's school, his "Uncle Benjamin," for whom he was named, came over from England. His wife and children were dead, except his son Samuel, who had immigrated to this country. He had been unfortunate in business also, and lost what little property he possessed. With all the rest, the infirmities of age were creeping over him, so that nearly all the ties that bound him to his native land were sundered; and so he decided to spend the remnant of his days in Bos
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VII.
VII.
Mr. and Mrs. Franklin canvassed the subject thoroughly, and wisely decided that Benjamin might engage in some other pursuit. "To be successful a man must love his calling," remarked Mr. Franklin, "and Benjamin hates his. He appears to go to each day's work with a dread, and as long as he feels so he will not accomplish any thing." "You have come to a wise decision, I think," responded "Uncle Benjamin." "Ordinarily a boy should choose his own occupation. He may be instructed and assisted by his p
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VIII.
VIII.
At the time Benjamin was in the candle-factory his brother James was in England learning the printer's trade. He spent several years there, until he had mastered the business, intending to return to Boston and establish that trade. He returned about the time that Benjamin was concluding his disgust with candle-making, and was well under way at the time he abandoned the cutler's trade. James brought press, type, and all the et ceteras of a complete outfit with him from England. "How would you lik
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IX.
IX.
We delay the narrative, at this point, to introduce a subject that Franklin often referred to as influencing his early life. In his "Autobiography," he said: "At his table he [his father] liked to have, as often as he could, 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
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XI.
XI.
Benjamin had been in the printing office about three years when his brother decided to publish a newspaper. It was a doubtful enterprise from the outset, and friends tried to dissuade him from it. But he viewed the matter from his own standpoint, as the Franklins were wont to do, and the paper was started. It was called "THE NEW ENGLAND COURANT," and the first number was issued Aug. 21, 1721. Only three papers in the whole country were published before this. The first one was The Boston News-let
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XII.
XII.
Mr. Parton says of the Courant , "It was a most extraordinary sheet. Of all the colonial newspapers, it was the most spirited, witty, and daring. The Bostonians, accustomed to the monotonous dullness of the News-letter , received, some with delight, more with horror, all with amazement, this weekly budget of impudence and fun. A knot of liberals gathered around James Franklin, physicians most of them, able, audacious men, who kept him well supplied with squibs, essays, and every variety of sense
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XIII.
XIII.
Coleridge divided readers into four classes, thus: "The first may be compared to an hour-glass, their reading being as the sand; it runs in, and it runs out, and leaves not a vestige behind. A second class resembles a sponge, which imbibes every thing, and returns it merely in the same state, only a little dirtier. A third class is like a jelly-bag, which allows all that is pure to pass away, and retains only the refuse and the dregs. The fourth class may be compared to the slave in the diamond
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XIV.
XIV.
Having delayed the narrative to learn of the books that helped to make him the man he became, it is necessary to delay further to see how he practised writing composition, both prose and poetry, in his early life, thus laying the foundation for the excellence of his writings in manhood. Benjamin was not more than seven years old when he began to write poetry. His "Uncle Benjamin's" frequent poetic addresses to him inspired him to try his hand at the art, and he wrote something and forwarded to h
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XV.
XV.
"The Legislature is calling you to an account," said a customer to James Franklin, as he entered the office. "The officials can't put up with your cutting criticisms." "I am aware of that. I heard that they were going to haul the Courant over the coals; but I do not see what they can do about it." "They can stop your printing it, I suppose. It would be an intolerant act, of course; but governments have never been tolerant towards the press, you know." "The day is coming when they will be," respo
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XVI.
XVI.
For six months the Courant continued its attacks upon the government, after the editor came out of prison. It took up also, the inconsistencies of church members, and discussed them with great plainness. But the number of the paper for Jan. 14, 1723, was too much for aristocratic flesh and blood, and almost too much for blood that was not aristocratic. The Council was incensed, and adopted the following order: "IN COUNCIL, Jan. 14, 1723. "WHEREAS, The paper, called The New England Courant of thi
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XVII.
XVII.
"What book have you there, Ben?" inquired John Collins, some time before the newspaper enterprise was started. "Lord Shaftesbury's work. I have been looking into it for some time; and Anthony Collins' work, too," answered Benjamin. "I suppose that my father would say they are not quite Orthodox; but they are very interesting, and I think their views are reasonable." "I have been questioning your Orthodoxy for some time, Ben, but I thought you would come out all right in the end, and so I have sa
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XVIII.
XVIII.
"I tell you how it is, John," exclaimed Benjamin, under great excitement; "I have withstood my brother's ill treatment as long as I am going to. I shall leave him." "How is that, Ben? I thought your brother would treat you with more consideration after you immortalized yourself as an editor. I knew you had a hard time with him before the Courant was started." John Collins knew somewhat of Benjamin's troubles, the first two years of his apprenticeship. "He has been worse since my prominence on th
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XIX.
XIX.
On arriving at New York, Benjamin's first thought was of work. His pocket was too near empty to remain idle long; so he called upon Mr. William Bradford, an old printer, who removed from Philadelphia to New York some months before. "Can I find employment in your printing office?" he inquired. "I am not in need of extra help, I am sorry to say," answered Mr. Bradford. "My business is light, and will continue to be so for the present, I think. Are you a printer?" "Yes, sir. I have worked at the bu
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XX.
XX.
Benjamin was very hungry, and he was considering how he could appease his hunger, when he met a boy who was eating a piece of bread. "That is what I want," he said to the boy; "where did you get that?" "Over there, at the bake-shop," the boy replied, pointing to it. "Thank you," and Benjamin hurried on. He had eaten nothing since he dined with the shop-woman in Burlington, on the day before. Besides, bread was a staple article with him. He had made many a meal of plain bread in his brother's pri
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XXI.
XXI.
"Your press is rather dilapidated, I see," remarked Benjamin to Mr. Keimer, after he had looked it over. "Second-hand, I conclude?" "Yes, I had to buy what I could get cheap, as I had little money to begin with. I guess it can be fixed up to answer my purpose." "That is so; it can be improved very much with little expense," replied Benjamin. "Do you understand a printing press well enough to repair it?" "I can repair that one well enough; I see what is wanted. You can't do good work with it as i
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XXII.
XXII.
Not many days after Benjamin replied to the letter of Captain Homes, an unusual scene transpired at Keimer's office. "There's Governor Keith on the other side of the street," said Keimer to Benjamin, as they stood looking out of the window. "That tall man with a gentleman walking with him." "I see," replied Benjamin. "I should think they were coming here." "Sure enough, they are crossing the street; they must be coming here; I wonder what for." And Keimer ran down stairs to meet them before the
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XXIII.
XXIII.
Benjamin hastened to the corner of Hanover and Union Streets, where the sign of the familiar blue ball hung, and entered with a fluttering heart. "Benjamin!" exclaimed his father, "can that be you?" and he grasped one of his hands in both of his. "How glad I am to see you!" "No more glad than I am to see you," responded the son, shaking his father's hand heartily. "I am glad to get home." The words were scarcely off his tongue when his mother appeared upon the scene. "Mother!" "O, Benjamin!" And
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XXIV.
XXIV.
John left Boston two or three days before Benjamin. The sloop in which Benjamin sailed stopped at Newport, where his brother John lived, affording him the opportunity to visit him. John was well-nigh overcome by the sight of Benjamin, for whom he ever had the most sincere affection. Their meeting was as glad to him as it was unexpected. There he met a Mr. Vernon, who said: "I have a bill of thirty-five pounds currency in New York, which I have no doubt can be collected readily—could you collect
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XXV.
XXV.
Benjamin continued to work for Keimer, who did not suspect that his employee was planning to set up business for himself. Keimer was a very singular, erratic man, believing little in the Christian religion, and yet given to a kind of fanaticism on certain lines. " Thou shalt not mar the corners of thy beard ," he quoted from the Mosaic law, as a reason for wearing a long beard, when Benjamin inquired of him: "Then you think that passage means 'Thou shalt not shave,' if I understand you?" asked B
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XXVI.
XXVI.
"I'm thinking of going to England with you," said Ralph to Benjamin, one day in October, 1724. "You don't mean it." "I do mean it. I am thinking seriously of going." "I shall be delighted to have your company, but the news is almost too good to be true," continued Benjamin. "I have been looking the matter over ever since you told me that you expected to go; and now it is settled in my own mind that I shall go." "Going out for your employer?" "No, going out to establish a correspondence, if possi
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XXVII.
XXVII.
A letter from Ralph to Benjamin informed the latter that the former was settled in a small village called Berkshire, where he was teaching about a dozen boys in reading and writing at a sixpence each per week, —not a very flattering position, but, in the circumstances, better than none. What surprised Benjamin, however, was that Ralph had changed his name, and was known in that village as Franklin. He had assumed Franklin's name, thinking that such a position was not honorable for James Ralph to
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XXVIII.
XXVIII.
We have seen that James Ralph and Benjamin parted company. Ralph had more brains than heart. His intellectual powers were greater than his principles. The reader may ask what became of him. After continuing poor and unsuccessful, engaging in several literary ventures that did little more than aggravate his poverty, and changing from one kind of work to another, good fortune seemed to become his portion. Mr. Parton says: "As a political writer, pamphleteer, and compiler of booksellers' history, h
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XXIX.
XXIX.
One of the first places that Benjamin visited was the printing house of Keimer, where he worked before leaving the country. Keimer had made up his mind that Benjamin would never return to America, so that when he entered the printing office he was startled. "Why, Ben! can it be you?" he exclaimed in wonder. "I began to think that you would never be seen in Philadelphia again." "Why did you think so?" "Because you planned to be back here a long time ago; I concluded that you had forsaken us." "No
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XXX.
XXX.
Benjamin began to reflect much upon his religious opinions (or, rather, irreligious), on his return voyage from England, as related to the errors and mistakes of his life. He had much time, during those three long, wearisome months, to study himself, past and present. Evidently he came to possess a more correct knowledge of himself on that voyage than he ever had before. He was so sincere in the matter that he drew up a number of rules by which to regulate his future life. A year and more afterw
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XXXI.
XXXI.
It would require several months for the printing outfit ordered from England to reach Philadelphia. In the mean time, Benjamin was considering what to do; and, while canvassing the field, he received the following note from Keimer: "PHILADELPHIA, 10 Dec., 1727. " Dear Sir ,—It is not wise for old friends like you and I to separate for a few words spoken in passion. I was very hasty, and am sorry for it. I want my old foreman back again at the old price. I have plenty of work, and if you think we
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XXXII.
XXXII.
"Time is money," Doctor Franklin wrote in age. It was what he practised when he conducted his printing business in Philadelphia. One day a lounger stepped into his shop, and, after looking over the articles, asked: "What is the price of that book?" holding it up in his hand. Benjamin had commenced to keep a few books on sale. "One dollar," answered the apprentice in attendance. "One dollar," repeated the lounger; "can't you take less than that?" "No less; one dollar is the price." Waiting a few
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XXXIII.
XXXIII.
"I shall have to publish an almanac to be in fashion," remarked Franklin to his old friend Coleman. "Every printer in this country issues one, so far as I know." From this point, we shall drop the Christian name, Benjamin, and use the surname, Franklin. "A good theme to discuss in the Junto," replied Coleman. "You would publish a better one than the country ever had, if you should undertake it." "I shall make one that differs from all issued hitherto, in some respects. I have devoted considerabl
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XXXIV.
XXXIV.
Franklin, in 1736, was chosen Clerk of the General Assembly, and in 1737 appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia. The first position assured him all the Government printing, and introduced him to influential men, who would very naturally become the patrons of his printing house. The second position was of great value to his newspaper, as it "facilitated the correspondence that improved it, and increased its circulation" quite largely, thus making it a source of considerable income. Members of the J
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XXXV.
XXXV.
"I have a proposition to make to you, an important one," remarked Franklin to David Hall, who had worked for him four years. "Come into the office, and I will tell you what it is." Hall followed him into the office, wondering what the proposition could be. When they were seated, Franklin continued: "I must have a partner in this business; and I think you are just the man I want, if we can agree upon the terms. I desire to be released from the care of the printing office, that I may pursue my sci
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