The Autobiography of Benjamin FranklinMacmillan, 1927 - 243 pages |
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Page viii
... character . His friendly association with a number of the leading men of England , including Priestley , Hume , and Adam Smith , effectually dissipated whatever pro- vincial traces he still retained , and he returned home a well ...
... character . His friendly association with a number of the leading men of England , including Priestley , Hume , and Adam Smith , effectually dissipated whatever pro- vincial traces he still retained , and he returned home a well ...
Page 4
... He died in 1702 , January 6 , old style , just four years to a day before I was born . The account we received of his life and character from some old peopere Ecton , I remember , struck you as something extraor- 4 Autobiography of.
... He died in 1702 , January 6 , old style , just four years to a day before I was born . The account we received of his life and character from some old peopere Ecton , I remember , struck you as something extraor- 4 Autobiography of.
Page 8
... character . I continued , however , at the grammar- school not quite one year , though in that time I had risen gradually from the middle of the class of that year to be the head of it , and farther was removed into the next class above ...
... character . I continued , however , at the grammar- school not quite one year , though in that time I had risen gradually from the middle of the class of that year to be the head of it , and farther was removed into the next class above ...
Page 10
... character . He had an excellent constitu- tion of body , was of middle stature , but well set , and very strong ; he was ingenious , could draw prettily , was skilled a little in music , and had a clear , pleasing voice , so that when ...
... character . He had an excellent constitu- tion of body , was of middle stature , but well set , and very strong ; he was ingenious , could draw prettily , was skilled a little in music , and had a clear , pleasing voice , so that when ...
Page 23
... character among us for learning and ingenuity . I suppose now that I was rather lucky in my judges , and that perhaps they were not really so very good ones as I then esteem'd them . Encourag'd , however , by this , I wrote and con- vey ...
... character among us for learning and ingenuity . I suppose now that I was rather lucky in my judges , and that perhaps they were not really so very good ones as I then esteem'd them . Encourag'd , however , by this , I wrote and con- vey ...
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Common terms and phrases
accordingly acquaintance acquir'd affairs afterwards America appear'd arriv'd Art of Virtue ask'd Assembly attended began Benjamin Franklin Boston bred brother brought call'd captain character conduct continu'd continued dispute Dunciad Ecton employ'd England father form'd Franklin friends gave give good-natur'd governor hands horses improv'd inhabitants instructions Jonathan Shipley Keimer length letters Little Britain lived lodging London Lord Loudoun Madeira wine means ment never occasion occasion'd officers opinion paper Pennsylvania perhaps persons Philadelphia pieces porringer present printed printer printing-house propos'd proposed proprietaries province Quakers Ralph receiv'd refus'd religion return'd Riddlesden sail says sect seem'd sent shillings ship sometimes soon Stephen Potts street thing thought thousand pounds thro tion told took us'd virtue waggons William Penn William Temple Franklin work'd writing wrote young youth
Popular passages
Page 114 - Here will I hold. If there's a power above us (And 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.
Page 18 - By comparing my work afterwards with the original, I discovered many faults and amended them ; but I sometimes had the pleasure of fancying that, in certain particulars of small import, I had been lucky enough to improve the method or the language, and this encouraged me to think I might possibly in time come to be a tolerable English writer, of which I was extreamly ambitious.
Page 14 - Essays 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 determined my father to make me a printer, though he had already one son (James) of that profession. In 1717 my brother James returned from England with a press and letters to set up his business in Boston. I liked it much better than that of my father, but still had a hankering for the sea. To prevent the apprehended effect of such...
Page 106 - Seest thou a man diligent in his calling, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men...
Page 16 - We sometimes disputed, and very fond we were of argument, and very desirous of confuting one another, which disputatious turn, by the way, is apt to become a very bad habit, making people often extremely disagreeable in company by the contradiction that is necessary to bring it into practice ; and thence, besides souring and spoiling the conversation, is productive of disgusts and perhaps enmities, where you may have occasion for friendship.
Page 142 - The request was fortunately made to perhaps the only man in the company who had the firmness not to be affected by the preacher. His answer was, "At any other time, friend Hopkinson, I would lend to thee freely ; but not now, for thee seems to be out of thy right senses.
Page 2 - Most people dislike vanity in others, whatever share they have of it themselves ; 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 that 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.
Page 31 - ... fear of being thought to have but little. Then I walked up the street, gazing about till near the markethouse I met a boy with bread. I had made many a meal on bread, and, inquiring where he got it, I went immediately to the baker's he directed me to, in Second-street, and ask'd for bisket, intending such as we had in Boston; but they, it seems, were not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked for a three-penny loaf, and was told they had none such. So not considering or knowing the difference of...
Page 109 - It was about this time I conceiv'd 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.
Page 115 - Father of light and life ! thou Good Supreme ! 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 bliss...