Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

uuld bi distrayid."—hat distinkfyn iz alreadi distrayid in pronaunsin hem; and ui rilyi an hi sens alon av hi sentens to asyrteen, huith av hi several uyrds, similar in saund, ui intend. If his iz syfifient in hi rapiditi av diskors, it uil bi mutfi mor so in riten sentenses, huitfi mê bi red lezfurli, and atended to mor partikularli in kes av difikylti, han ui kan atend to e past. sentens, huyil e spikyr iz hyryiŋ ys alaŋ uih nu uyns.

[ocr errors]

Iur hyrd inkanviniens iz, hat "aal hi buks alredi riten uuld bi iusles." —his inkanviniens uuld onli kym an graduali, in e kors av edfies. Iu and yi, and чhyr nau livig ridyrs, uuld hardli farget hi ius av hem. Pipil uuld log lyrn to riid hi old rчitiŋ, ho hê praktist hi nu.And hi inkanviniens iz nat greter, han huat hes aktuali hapend in a similar kes, in Iteli. Farmerli its inhabitants aal spok and rot Latin; az hi layuedfi thendfid, hi spelig falo'd it. It iz tru hat, at prezent, e miir ynlern'd Italien kanat riid hi Latin buks; ho hé er stil red and yndyrstud byi meni. Byt, if hi speliy had nevyr bin thiendfied, hi uuld nau hev faund it mytfi mor difikylt to rid and ryit hiz on laŋuadfi; far riten uyrds uuld hev had no rilêfiyn to saunds, hê uuld onli hev stud far hins; so hat if hi uuld ekspres in ryitin hi yidia hi hez, huen hi saunds hi uyrd. Vescovo, hi myst iuz hi letterz Episcopus. -In fart, huatever hi difikyltiz and inkanviniensiz nau er, hê uil bi mor iizili syrmaunted nau, han hiraftyr; and sym tyim ar чhyr, it myst bi dyn; ar aur ryitiŋ uil bikym hi sem uih hi Thyiniiz,* az to hi difikylti av lyrniŋ and iuzing it. And it uuld alredi hev bin sytfi, if ui had

[blocks in formation]

kantinud hi Saksyn spelin and ryitig, iuzed by our forfahers.

yi am, myi diir frind, iurs afekfiynetli,

Lyndyn,

Kreven-striit, Sept. 28, 1768.

B. FRANKLIN.1

2

488. TO MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN 2

London, Oct. 5. 1768

MY DEAR CHILD, It feels very strange to me to have Ships and Packets come in, and no Letters from you. But I do not complain of it, because I know the reason is, my having written to you that I was coming home. That you may not have the same disagreable Sensation, I write this Line, tho I have written largely by the late Ships, and therefore have little left to say. I have lately been in the Country to spend a few Days at Friends' Houses, and to breathe a little fresh Air. I have made no very long Journey this Summer as usual, finding myself in very good Health, a greater Share of which I believe few enjoy at my time of Life, but we are not to expect it will be always Sunshine. Cousin Folger, who is just arriv'd from Boston, tells me he saw our Son and Daughter Bache at that Place, and that they were going farther, being very well, which I was glad to hear. My love to them and all Friends, from your ever affectionate Husband, B. FRANKLIN.

1 "This indefatigable gentleman (Dr. Franklin), amidst all his other employments, public and private, has compiled a Dictionary on his Scheme of a Reform, and procured types to be cast for printing it. He thinks himself too old to pursue the plan; but has honored me with the offer of the manuscript and types, and expressed a strong desire that I should undertake the task. Whether this project, so deeply interesting to this country, will ever be effected; or whether it will be defeated by insolence and prejudice, remains for my countrymen to determine." Noah Webster, "Dissertations on the English Language," Boston, 1789, p. 407. — ED.

2 From the original in the Library of Cornell University. — ED.

489. TO MISS MARY STEVENSON1 (P. C.)

DEAR POLLEY,

London, Oct. 28, 1768.

I did not receive your Letter of the 26th till I came home late last night, too late to answer it by the Return of that Post.

I see very clearly the Unhappiness of your Situation, and that it does not arise from any Fault in you. I pity you most sincerely. I should not, however, have thought of giving you Advice on this Occasion, if you had not requested it, believing, as I do, that your own good Sense is more than sufficient to direct you in every Point of Duty to others and yourself. If, then, I should advise you to any thing, that may be contrary to your own Opinion, do not imagine, that I shall condemn you if you do not follow such Advice. I shall only think, that, from a better Acquaintance with Circumstances, you form a better Judgment of what is fit for you to do.

Now, I conceive with you, that your Aunt, both from her Affection to you, and from the long Habit of having you with her, would really be miserable without you. Her Temper, perhaps, was never of the best; and, when that is the Case, Age seldom mends it. Much of her Unhappiness must arise from thence; and, since wrong Turns of the Mind, when confirm'd by Time, are almost as little in our Power to cure, as those of the Body, I think with you, that her Case is a compassionable one.

If she had, though by her own Imprudence, brought on herself any grievous Sickness, I know you would think it your 1 From the original in the possession of T. Hewson Bradford, M.D. — ED.

Duty to attend and nurse her with filial Tenderness, even were your own Health to be endangered by it. Your Apprehension, therefore, is right, that it may be your Duty to live with her, tho inconsistent with your Happiness and your Interest; but this can only mean present Interest and present Happiness; for I think your future, greater, and more lasting Interest and Happiness will arise from the Reflection, that you have done your Duty, and from the high Rank you will ever hold in the Esteem of all that know you, for having persevered in doing that Duty under so many and great Discouragements.

My Advice, then, must be, that you return to her as soon as the Time you propos'd for your Visit is expir'd; and that you continue, by every means in your Power, to make the Remainder of her Days as comfortable to her as possible. Invent Amusements for her; be pleas'd when she accepts of them, and patient when she perhaps peevishly rejects them. I know this is hard, but I think you are equal to it; not from any Servility in your Temper, but from abundant Goodness. In the mean time, all your Friends, sensible of your present uncomfortable Situation, should endeavour to ease your Burthen, by acting in Concert with you, and to give her as many Opportunities as possible of enjoying the Pleasures of Society, for your sake.

Nothing is more apt to sour the Temper of aged People, than the Apprehension that they are neglected; and they are extremely apt to entertain such Suspicions. It was therefore that I did propose asking her to be of our late Party; but, your Mother disliking it, the Motion was dropt, as some others have been, by my too great Easiness, contrary to my Judgment. Not but that I was sensible her being with us

might have lessen'd our Pleasure, but I hop'd it might have prevented you some Pain.

In fine, nothing can contribute to true Happiness, that is inconsistent with Duty; nor can a course of Action, conformable to it, be finally without an ample Reward. For God governs; and he is good. I pray him to direct you; and, indeed, you will never be without his Direction, if you humbly ask it, and show yourself always ready to obey it. Farewell, my dear Friend, and believe me ever sincerely and affectionately yours,

B. FRANKLIN.

490. TO AN UNKNOWN CORRESPONDENT1

DEAR SIR,

London, November 28, 1768.

I received your obliging favour of the 12th instant. Your sentiments of the importance of the present dispute between Great Britain and the colonies appear to me extremely just. There is nothing I wish for more, than to see it amicably and equitably settled.

But Providence will bring about its own ends by its own. means; and if it intends the downfall of a nation, that nation will be so blinded by its pride and other passions, as not to see its danger, or how its fall may be prevented.

Being born and bred in one of the countries, and having lived long and made many agreeable connections of friendship in the other, I wish all prosperity to both; but I have talked and written so much and so long on the subject, that

1 From "The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin" (Duane), Phila., 1817, Vol. VI, p. 288. The name of the person to whom the letter is addressed is not known.- ED.

« ZurückWeiter »