Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Two pages from _Poor Richard's Almanac_ for 1736. Size of original. Reproduced from a copy at the New York Public Library. _IV Mon._ June hath xxx days. Things that are bitter, bitterrer than Gall Physicians say are always physical: Now Women's Tongues if into Powder beaten, May in a Potion or a Pill be eaten, And as there's nought more bitter, I do muse, That Women's Tongues in Physick they ne'er use. My self and others who lead restless Lives, Would spare that bitter Member of our Wives. 1 3 _fine weather_, 4 Le 4 36 8 Moon set 10 12 aft 2 4 Ascension Day 5 19 4 35 8 _He that can have_ 3 5 Mars Sat. Ven. _Sudden_ 6 Vi 4 35 8 _Patience, can_ 4 6 _showers_ 6h 19 4 35 8 _have what he_ 5 7 _of Rain_. 7 Li 4 35 8 First Quarter. 6 C Eraudi 8 19 4 35 8 _will._ 7 2 Trine Mars Merc. _thunder_, 9 Sc 4 35 8 Le. Vi. Li. 8 3 _perhaps hail._ 10 17 4 35 8 Sun ent. Cn. today 9 4 7* rise 2 15 10 Sa 4 34 8 making longest 10 5 _very hot_, 11 13 4 34 8 day 14 h. 51 m. 11 6 St. Barnabas. 12 26 4 34 8 Full Moon 12 day, 12 7 _then rain_. 1 Cp 4 34 8 at 1 morn. 13 C Whitsunday. 2 20 4 35 8 Moon rise 8 20 aft. 14 2 2h Aq 4 35 8 _Now I've a sheep_ 15 3 K. Geo. II. procl 3 15 4 35 8 _and a cow, every_ 16 4 ff. Sun Sat. _wind, rain_, 4 27 4 35 8 _body bids me good_ 17 5 Sxtil Sat. Merc. _hail and_ 5 Pi 4 35 8 _morrow._ 18 6 _thunder_ 6 21 4 35 8 Moon rise 11 10 af. 19 7 Day shorter 2 m. 6h Ar 4 35 8 20 C Trinity Sund. 7 15 4 36 8 Last Quarter 21 2 _If we have rain about_ 8 27 4 36 8 _God helps them_ 22 3 _the Change_, 9 Ta 4 36 8 _that help themselves_ 23 4 _Let not my reader_ 10 22 4 36 8 24 5 St. John Bap. 10 Gm 4 36 8 Moon rise 2 morn. 25 6 7* rise 1 8 11 18 4 37 8 _Why does the_ 26 7 vc Sun Jup. _think it_ 12 Cn 4 37 8 _blind man's wife_ 27 C _strange._ 1 16 4 38 8 New moon 27 day, 28 2 Sxtil Sat. Mars _hail and_ 2 Le 4 38 8 near noon. 29 3 St. Peter & Paul 2h 15 4 39 8 _paint herself._ 30 4 Square Mars Ven. _rain_. 3 Vi 4 40 8 Moon sets 9 30 _V Mon._ July hath xxxi days. Who can charge _Ebrio_ with Thirst of Wealth? See he consumes his Money, Time and Health, In drunken Frolicks which will all confound, Neglects his Farm, forgets to till his Ground, His Stock grows less that might be kept with ease; In nought but Guts and Debts he finds Encrease. In Town reels as if he'd shove down each Wall, Yet Walls must stand, poor Soul, or he must fall. 1 5 Day short 11 mi. 4 15 4 40 8 _None preaches_ 2 6 7* rise 12 32 5 Li 4 41 8 _better than the_ 3 7 _windy weather._ 6 15 4 41 8 _ant, and she says_ 4 C 2 Sund. p Trinit 6h Sc 4 42 8 First Quarter. 5 2 Vc Jup. Ven. _now_ 7 14 4 43 8 _nothing._ 6 3 _pleasant weather_ 8 27 4 44 8 Moon sets 12 30 m 7 4 _some days_ 9 Sa 4 45 8 _The absent are_ 8 5 _together,_ 10 23 4 48 8 _never without_ 9 6 _but inclines to_ 10 Cp 4 47 8 _fault, nor the_ 10 7 _falling_ 11 18 4 48 8 _present without_ 11 C 3 Sund. p. Trin. 12 Aq 4 49 8 Full moon 11 day, 12 2 Sxtil Sat. Merc. weather. 1 13 4 50 8 2 afternoon. 13 3 Dog-days begin 2 25 4 50 8 sun in Leo 14 4 Days 14h. 20 m 2h Pi 4 51 8 Moon rise 8 35 aft. 15 5 St. _Swithin_. 3 19 4 52 8 _excuse._ 16 6 Le 1 Li 4 Ar 4 53 8 17 7 conj. Sun Merc. _rain_ 5 13 4 54 8 _Gifts burst_ 18 C 7* rise 11 40 6 25 4 55 8 _rocks_ 19 2 _hail or rain,_ 6h Ta 4 56 8 Last Quarter. 20 3 Sxtil Sun Sat. thunder. 7 19 4 57 8 Moon rise 11 52 af 21 4 7* rise 11 18 8 Gm 4 57 8 _If wind blows on_ 22 5 _then high_ 9 14 4 58 8 _you thro' a hole,_ 23 6 _wind._ 10 27 4 59 8 _Make your will_ 24 7 opp. Sun Jupiter 10 Cn 4 59 8 _and take care of_ 25 C St. James. 11 25 5 0 7 _your soul._ 26 2 _hail_ 12 Le 5 1 7 New moon 26 day, 27 3 Moon near cor Leo 1 24 5 2 7 near 8 aftern 28 4 opp. Jup. Ven. _a clear_ 2 Vi 5 3 7 Moon sets 8 aftern 29 5 _air; and fine_ 2h 24 5 4 7 _The rotten Apple_ 30 6 _weather_ 3 Li 5 5 7 _spoils his_ 31 7 7* rise 10 40 4 23 5 6 7 _Companion._ [Transcriber's note: Zodiac signs, aspects and symbols of the planets have been replaced by their names and/or by their standard abbreviations. Ar=Aries, Ta=Taurus, Gm=Gemini, Cn=Cancer, Le=Leo, Vi=Virgo, Li=Libra, Sc=Scorpio, Sa=Sagittarius, Cp=Capricorn, Aq=Aqua, Pi=Pisces, Oppos=Opposition, Trine=Trine, Squr=Square, Conj=Conjunction, Sxtil=Sextile, Qucnx= Quincunx. Merc=Mercury, Ven=Venus, Mars=Mars, Jup=Jupiter, Sat=Saturn Ura=Uranus, Nep=Neptune, Plu=Pluto.] I considered my newspaper, also, as another means of communicating instruction, and in that view frequently reprinted in it extracts from the Spectator, and other moral writers; and sometimes publish'd little pieces of my own, which had been first composed for reading in our Junto. Of these are a Socratic dialogue, tending to prove that, whatever might be his parts and abilities, a vicious man could not properly be called a man of sense; and a discourse on self-denial, showing that virtue was not secure till its practice became a habitude, and was free from the opposition of contrary inclinations. These may be found in the papers about the beginning of 1735.[75] [75] June 23 and July 7, 1730.--Smyth. In the conduct of my newspaper, I carefully excluded all libeling and personal abuse, which is of late years become so disgraceful to our country. Whenever 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-coach, in which anyone 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 himself, but that I would not take upon me to spread his detraction; and that, having contracted with my subscribers to furnish them with what might be either useful or entertaining, I could not fill their papers 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, augmenting animosity even to the producing of duels; and are, moreover, so indiscreet as to print scurrilous reflections on the government of neighboring states, and even on the conduct of our best national allies, which may be attended with the most pernicious consequences. These things I mention as a caution to young printers, and that they may be encouraged not to pollute their presses and disgrace their profession by such infamous practices, but refuse steadily, as they may see by my example that such a course of conduct will not, on the whole, be injurious to their interests. In 1733 I sent one of my journeymen to Charleston, South Carolina, where a printer was wanting. I furnish'd him with a press and letters, on an agreement 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, and honest but ignorant in matters of account; and, tho' he sometimes made me remittances, I could get no account from him, nor any satisfactory state of our partnership 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 inform'd, the knowledge of accounts makes a part of female education, she not only sent me as clear a state as she could find of the transactions past, but continued to account with the greatest regularity and exactness every quarter afterwards, and managed the business with such success, that she not only brought up reputably a family of children, but, at the expiration of the term, was able to purchase of me the printing-house, and establish her son in it. I mention this affair chiefly for the sake of recommending that branch of education for our young females, as likely to be of more use to them and their children, in case of widowhood, than either music or dancing, by preserving them from losses by imposition of crafty men, and enabling them to continue, perhaps, a profitable mercantile house, with establish'd 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 among us from Ireland a young Presbyterian preacher, named Hemphill, who delivered with a good voice, and apparently extempore, most excellent discourses, which drew together considerable numbers of different persuasions, who join'd in admiring them. Among the rest, I became one of his constant hearers, his sermons pleasing me, as they had little of the dogmatical kind, but inculcated strongly the practice of virtue, or what in the religious stile are called good works. Those, however, of our congregation, who considered themselves as orthodox Presbyterians, disapprov'd his doctrine, and were join'd by most of the old clergy, who arraign'd him of heterodoxy before the synod, in order to have him silenc'd. I became his zealous partisan, and contributed all I could to raise a party in his favour, and we combated for him awhile with some hopes of success. There was much scribbling pro and con upon the occasion; and finding that, tho' an elegant preacher, he was but a poor writer, I lent him my pen and wrote for him two or three pamphlets, and one piece in the Gazette of April, 1735. Those pamphlets, as is generally the case with controversial writings, tho' eagerly read at the time, were soon out of vogue, and I question whether a single copy of them now exists.[76] [76] See "A List of Books written by, or relating to Benjamin Franklin," by Paul Leicester Ford. 1889. p. 15.--Smyth. During the contest an unlucky occurrence hurt his cause exceedingly. One of our adversaries having heard him preach a sermon that was much admired, thought he had somewhere read the sermon before, or at least a part of it. On search, he found that part quoted at length, in one of the British Reviews, from a discourse of Dr. Foster's.[77] This detection gave many of our party disgust, who accordingly abandoned his cause, and occasion'd our more speedy discomfiture in the synod. I stuck by him, however, as I rather approv'd his giving us good sermons composed by others, than bad ones of his own manufacture, tho' the latter was the practice of our common teachers. He afterward acknowledg'd to me that none of those he preach'd were his own; adding, that his memory was such as enabled him to retain and repeat any sermon after one reading only. On our defeat, he left us in search elsewhere of better fortune, and I quitted the congregation, never joining it after, tho' I continu'd many years my subscription for the support of its ministers. [77] Dr. James Foster (1697-1753):-- "Let modest Foster, if he will excel Ten metropolitans in preaching well." --Pope (Epilogue to the Satires, I, 132). "Those who had not heard Farinelli sing and Foster preach were not qualified to appear in genteel company," Hawkins. "History of Music."--Smyth. I had begun in 1733 to study languages; I soon made myself so much a master of the French as to be able to read the books with ease. I then undertook the Italian. An acquaintance, who was also learning it, us'd often to tempt me to play chess with him. Finding this took up too much of the time I had to spare for study, I at length refus'd to play any more, unless on this condition, that the victor in every game should have a right to impose a task, either in parts of the grammar to be got by heart, or in translations, etc., which tasks the vanquish'd was to perform upon honour, before our next meeting. As we play'd pretty equally, we thus beat one another into that language. I afterwards with a little painstaking, acquir'd as much of the Spanish as to read their books also. I have already mention'd 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 the French, Italian, and Spanish, I was surpris'd to find, on looking over a Latin Testament, that I understood so much more of that language than I had imagined, which encouraged me to apply myself again to the study of it, and I met with more success, as those preceding languages had greatly smooth'd my way. From these circumstances, I have thought that there is some inconsistency in our common mode of teaching languages. We are told that it is proper to begin first with the Latin, and, having acquir'd that, it will be more easy to attain those modern languages which are deriv'd from it; and yet we do not begin with the Greek, in order more easily to acquire the Latin. It is true that, if you can clamber and get to the top of a staircase without using the steps, you will more easily gain them in descending; but certainly, if you begin with the lowest you will with more ease ascend to the top; and I would therefore offer it to the consideration of those who superintend the education of our youth, whether, since many of those who begin with the Latin quit the same after spending some years without having made any great proficiency, and what they have learnt becomes almost useless, so that their time has been lost, it would not have been better to have begun with the French, proceeding to the Italian, etc.; for, tho', after spending the same time, they should quit the study of languages and never arrive at the Latin, they would, however, have acquired another tongue or two, that, being in modern use, might be serviceable to them in common life.[78] [78] "The authority of Franklin, the most eminently practical man of his age, in favor of reserving the study of the dead languages until the mind has reached a certain maturity, is confirmed by the confession of one of the most eminent scholars of any age. "'Our seminaries of learning,' says Gibbon, 'do not exactly correspond with the precept of a Spartan king, that the child should be instructed in the arts which will be useful to the man; since a finished scholar may emerge from the head of Westminster or Eton, in total ignorance of the business and conversation of English gentlemen in the latter end of the eighteenth century. But these schools may assume the merit of teaching all that they pretend to teach, the Latin and Greek languages.'"--Bigelow. After ten years' absence from Boston, and having become easy in my circumstances, I made a journey thither to visit my relations, which I could not sooner well afford. In returning, I call'd at Newport to see my brother, then settled there with his printing-house. Our former differences were forgotten, and our meeting was very cordial and affectionate. He was fast declining in his health, and requested of me that, in case of his death, which he apprehended not far distant, I would take home his son, then but ten years of age, and bring him up to the printing business. This I accordingly perform'd, sending him a few years to school before I took him into the office. His mother carried on the business till he was grown up, when I assisted him with an assortment of new types, those of his father being in a manner worn out. Thus it was that I made my brother ample amends for the service I had depriv'd him of by leaving him so early. [Illustration: "Our former differences were forgotten, and our meeting was very cordial and affectionate"] In 1736 I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four years old, by the small-pox, taken in the common way. I long regretted bitterly, and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation. This I mention for the sake of parents who omit that operation, on the supposition that they should never forgive themselves if a child died under it; my example showing that the regret may be the same either way, and that, therefore, the safer should be chosen. Our club, the Junto, was found so useful, and afforded such satisfaction to the members, that several were desirous of introducing their friends, which could not well be done without exceeding what we had settled as a convenient number, viz., twelve. We had from the beginning made it a rule to keep our institution a secret, which was pretty well observ'd; the intention was to avoid applications of improper persons for admittance, some of whom, perhaps, we might find it difficult to refuse. I was one of those who were against any addition to our number, but, instead of it, made in writing a proposal, that every member separately should endeavour to form a subordinate club, with the same rules respecting queries, etc., and without informing them of the connection with the Junto. The advantages proposed were, the improvement of so many more young citizens by the use of our institutions; our better acquaintance with the general sentiments of the inhabitants on any occasion, as the Junto member might propose what queries we should desire, and was to report to the Junto what pass'd in his separate club; the promotion of our particular interests in business by more extensive recommendation, and the increase of our influence in public affairs, and our power of doing good by spreading thro' the several clubs the sentiments of the Junto. The project was approv'd, and every member undertook to form his club, but they did not all succeed. Five or six only were compleated, which were called by different names, as the Vine, the Union, the Band, etc. They were useful to themselves, and afforded us a good deal of amusement, information, and instruction, besides answering, in some considerable degree, our views of influencing the public opinion on particular occasions, of which I shall give some instances in course of time as they happened. My first promotion was my being chosen, in 1736, clerk of the General Assembly. The choice was made that year without opposition; but the year following, when I was again propos'd (the choice, like that of the members, being annual), a new member made a long speech against me, in order to favour some other candidate. I was, however, chosen, which was the more agreeable to me, as, besides the pay for the immediate service as clerk, the place gave me a better opportunity of keeping up an interest among the members, which secur'd to me the business of printing the votes, laws, paper money, and other occasional jobbs for the public, that, on the whole, were very profitable. I therefore did not like the opposition of this new member, who was a gentleman of fortune and education, with talents that were likely to give him, in time, great influence in the House, which, indeed, afterwards happened. I did not, however, aim at gaining his favour by paying any servile respect to him, but, after some time, took this other method. Having heard that he had in his library a certain very scarce and curious book, I wrote a note to him, expressing my desire of perusing that book, and requesting he would do me the favour of lending it to me for a few days. He sent it immediately, and I return'd it in about a week with another note, expressing strongly my sense of the favour. When we next met in the House, he spoke to me (which he had never done before), and with great civility; and he ever after manifested a readiness to serve me on all occasions, so that we became great friends, and our friendship continued to his death. This is another instance of the truth of an old maxim I had learned, which says, _"He that has once done you a kindness will be 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 inimical proceedings. In 1737, Colonel Spotswood, late governor of Virginia, and then postmaster-general, being dissatisfied with the conduct of his deputy at Philadelphia, respecting some negligence in rendering, and inexactitude of his accounts, took from him the commission and offered it to me. I accepted it readily, and found it of great advantage; for, tho' the salary was small, it facilitated the correspondence that improv'd my newspaper, increas'd the number demanded, as well as the advertisements to be inserted, so that it came to afford me a considerable income. My old competitor's newspaper declin'd proportionately, and I was satisfy'd without retaliating his refusal, while postmaster, to permit my papers being carried by the riders. Thus he suffer'd greatly from his neglect in due accounting; and I mention it as a lesson to those young men who may be employ'd in managing affairs for others, that they should always render accounts, and make remittances, with great clearness and punctuality. The character of observing such a conduct is the most powerful of all recommendations to new employments and increase of business. XI INTEREST IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS 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 necessary for that purpose, and made the constableship a place of profit; and the constable, for a little drink, often got such ragamuffins about him as a watch, that respectable housekeepers did not choose to mix with. Walking the rounds, too, was often neglected, and most of the nights spent in tippling. I thereupon wrote a paper to be read in Junto, representing these irregularities, but insisting more particularly on the inequality of this six-shilling tax of the constables, respecting the circumstances 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 much 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 men to serve constantly in that business; and as a more equitable way of supporting the charge, the levying a tax that should be proportion'd to the property. This idea, being approv'd by the Junto, was communicated to the other clubs, but as arising in each of them; and though the plan was not immediately carried into execution, yet, by preparing the minds of people for the change, it paved the way for the law obtained a few years after, when the members of our clubs were grown into more influence.