BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 80. General Popularity.-No other American, excepting only the Father of his Country, is more interesting to people of every class than Benjamin Franklin. His popularity has been extraordinary. Since his death, a little more than a hundred years ago, no decade has passed without the publication of a biography or a new edition of his works. His "Autobiography," the most popular historical work of America, possesses a perennial interest. It is replete not only with interesting incident, but also with genial humor and profound practical wisdom. 81. Youth and Education.-The facts of his life are so well known that it is not necessary to dwell upon them. He was born in Boston, Jan. 17, 1706—the youngest of an old-fashioned family of ten children. From his father, who was a candlemaker and soap-boiler, he inherited not only a strong physical constitution, but his "solid judgment in prudential matters." He attended the free grammar schools of Boston about a year, and gave promise of becoming a good scholar; but owing to the straitened circumstances of his father, he was taken away in order to cut wicks, mould candles, and run errands-all which he heartily disliked. 82. Fondness for Reading. From childhood he was passionately fond of reading, and he used the little money that came into his hands to buy books. His first purchase was Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," which after being read and re-read was sold to buy Burton's "Historical Collections ". -a class of writings of which he was specially fond. Among the books of this early reading were Plutarch's "Lives" and Mather's " Essay to do Good," which he specially mentions as exerting a salutary influence upon his mind and character. He did not escape the common temptation of bookish youths to attempt poetry, and wrote two ballads which, in spite of a flattering success at the time, he afterwards characterized, and no doubt justly, as "wretched stuff." From the danger of becoming a sorry poet he was timely rescued by his father, who with Philistine coldness called his attention to the fact that "verse-makers were generally beggars." 83. Fluency and Style. But his literary instincts were not to be quenched; and though he gave up poetry, he cultivated prose with great ardor. To increase his fluency, he was accustomed to engage in discussion with another literary lad by the name of Collins; but he had the good sense to escape the disputatious habit which this practice is in danger of developing, and which wise people, he tells us, seldom fall into. He modelled his style after Addison's Spectator, which was then a novelty in the colonies. But he had too much force of mind and character to become a mere imitator; and through a laborious apprenticeship he developed a style that is admirable for its simplicity, clearness, and force. 84. First Literary Effort. He was early encouraged in his literary efforts. At the age of twelve he had been apprenticed to his brother James to learn the printing business. Here he worked on the New England Courant, the second newspaper that appeared in America. Some of the contributors occasionally met in the office to discuss the little essays that had appeared in the paper. Having caught the mania for appearing in print, and fearing to have his productions rejected if the authorship were known, he disguised his hand, wrote an anonymous paper, and slipped it at night under the door of the printing-house. It was found next morning, and discussed by the little company that called in as usual. "They read it," he says, "commented on it in my hearing, and I had the exquisite pleasure of finding it met with their approbation, and that, in their different guesses at the author, none were named but men of some character among us for learning and ingenuity." It is not strange that he continued his anonymous communications for some tiine. 85. In Philadelphia.--The apprenticeship, though not till he had mastered the printer's trade, came to an abrupt termination. Long dissatisfied with the ill-treatment received from his brother, who was a high-tempered, overbearing man, he at last ran away at the age of seventeen. He landed first at New York; and failing to find employment there, he continued his journey to Philadelphia. The figure he cut that first Sunday morning as he walked the streets with a roll under each arm, and excited the laughter of the young lady he afterwards married, is familiar to every one. He found employment, and attracted the notice of Governor Keith, who after a time persuaded him to go to England for a printer's outfit. 86. In England.—On reaching England, he found that he had been duped by Keith, who belonged to that class of men lavish in promises but miserly in help. The letter of credit which the governor had promised was wanting. In his embarrassment, Franklin was advised by a prudent business man whom he had met on the vessel, to seek employment at his trade. Among the printers here," his friend argued, "you will improve yourself, and when you return to America, you will set up to greater advantage." This advice he wisely followed, and successively worked in two large printing-houses, where he used his eyes to good advantage. He practised his usual industry and temperance, and commanded the respect of his associates. 87. Return to Philadelphia. After spending eighteen months in London, where his life morally was far from being a model, he received an advantageous offer to return to Philadelphia and enter a store as clerk. After a promising beginning, this arrangement was in a few months brought to an end by the merchant's death. Franklin then returned to printing, and engaged with Keimer, for whom he had worked before going to England. The deficiencies of the printing-office were supplied by Franklin's ingenuity; for he cast type, prepared engravings, made ink, was "warehouse man, and, in short, quite a factotum." But as he taught the other workmen of the office, among whom were " a wild Irishman ” and “an Oxford scholar," his services became less necessary; and on the first opportunity his employer provoked a quarrel, and brought the engagement to an end. This led to Franklin's setting up for himself; and he now entered upon a career of uninterrupted prosperity, which was to continue for more than sixty years. 88. The Junto.-But in the midst of his business projects, he did not neglect his literary culture. He formed a club, which was called the Junto, and to which most of his friends of literary taste belonged. Its object was mutual improvement by means of essays and discussions. For greater convenience of reference, a library was formed, each member of the club loaning such books as he could spare. Afterwards Franklin started a subscription library, the first of its kind in America. The club continued for nearly forty years, and was the best school of philosophy, morality, and politics in the province. 89. Self-Control and Humility.-Beyond most men, Franklin had the power of self-control. He was thus able from early manhood to bring his conduct under the direction of principles which he had deliberately adopted in the light of reason. When he was told by à Quaker friend that he was generally thought to be proud, and when he was satisfied of the fact by the evidence adduced (it would have been hard to convince most men), he at once added humility to the list of virtues in which he was to exercise himself; and he succeeded in acquiring at least its outward expression. He gave up his dogmatic manner in conversation and argument; and in place of positive assertion, he formed the habit of introducing his opinions with modest diffidence. He recognized the truth of Pope's lines: "Men must be taught, as if you taught them not, 90. Habit of Modest Statement. He accustomed himself to introduce his statements with "I conceive," "I apprehend," "It appears to me at present," and other similar expressions. "And this mode," he says, "which I at first put on with some violence to natural inclination, became at length easy, and so habitual to me, that perhaps for the last fifty years no one has ever heard a dogmatical expression escape me. And to this habit (after my character of integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early so much weight with my fellow citizens, when I proposed new institutions, or alterations in the old; and so much influence in public councils, when I became a member; 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." All which is delightfully frank, and takes us, as it were, behind the scenes. I 91. Shrewdness and Industry.-To return to his printing business, he pushed it with great shrewdness and energy, and with his usual frankness he lets us into what he considers the secret of his success. "In order to secure my credit and character as a tradesman, I took care not only to be in reality industrious and frugal, but to avoid the appearances to the contrary. I dressed plain, and was seen at no places of idle diversion. never went out a fishing or shooting; a book, indeed, sometimes debauched me from my work, but that was seldom, was private, and gave no scandal; and to show that I was not above my business, I sometimes brought home the paper I purchased at the stores, through the streets on a wheelbarrow. Thus being esteemed an industrious, thriving young man, and paying duly for what I bought, the merchants who imported stationery solicited my custom; others proposed supplying me with books, and I went on prosperously." 92. Newspaper Publisher.-As opportunity afforded, he judiciously increased his business, publishing a newspaper which |
