"12. Chastity. "13. Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates." These are very good so far as they go, and they show that he studied to form a high character,that he earnestly desired to be true to himself and his fellow-men. A youth who will take such a stand for virtue is not likely to fail of securing the public confidence. It is the foreshadowing of his success. 1 XXV. CONCLUSION. E HAVE followed the subject of this volume from the time he paid too dear for his whistle, to the period when he was well established in business. We have seen what his character was as a PRINTER-BOY, and hence his promise of success. He was not perfect by any means; on the other hand, he had marked failings. Yet, underneath the whole, we have discovered certain qualities that are indispensable to eminence in one's vocation. And now it remains to see, briefly, whether the principle we advocate was true in his case, namely, "that the boy is father of the man." To do this, we shall pass over a series of years, and take a succinct view of his position and influence in middle and advanced life. It should be recorded first, however, that the difficulty between himself and his brother James was adjusted, ten years after his first visit to Boston. James had removed and settled in Newport, where he was fast declining in health, and Benjamin went thither to see him. Their past differences were for gotten, and their interview was signalized by mutual forgiveness. It was then that Benjamin promised to take his brother's little son, ten years old, after the father was no more, and bring him up to the printing business. This pledge he fulfilled, doing even more for the lad than he promised, for he sent him to school two or three years before he took him into the office, and finally he established him in business. This, certainly, was a happy termination of a quarrel that was creditable to neither party. The result was decisive evidence that both parties deplored their conduct towards each other. While he was yet a young man, he was promoted to different posts of distinction. He filled various offices in Philadelphia, and served the State of Pennsylvania in several public ways, in all of which he did himself honor. He devoted a portion of his time to philosophical studies, in which he earned a world-wide fame. His mind was ever busy in projects to benefit society, and no work was too humble for him to do for the good of others. At one time he is found inventing a stove for domestic use, called afterward the Franklin stove, with which Governor Thomas was so well pleased, that he offered him a patent for the sole vending of them for a series of years; but Franklin refused it, on the ground, "that, as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we This was an should do freely and generously." other instance of his remarkable generosity, and it reminds us of that incident of his life in France, when an English clergyman asked him for pecuniary assistance. He gave him liberally, remarking, "Some time or other you may have an opportunity of assisting with an equal sum a stranger who has equal need of it. Do so. By that means you may discharge any obligation you may suppose yourself under to me. Enjoin him to do the same on occasion. By pursuing such a practice, much good may be done with little money. Let kind offices go round. Mankind are all of a family." At another time he is engaged in improving the lamps that light the city, and devising ways of cleaning the streets. Then, again, he is originating a system of volunteer militia for the defence of his country. Extinguishing fires, also, is a subject that commands his thoughts, and he organized the first fire company in the land. Again, the education of youth demands his time, and he labors to introduce a system of schools, and finally founds a University. Thus the humblest acts of a good citizen were performed in connection with the noblest deeds of the philosopher and statesman. The following is a brief synopsis of the offices he filled, and the honors he won: HE WAS LEGISLATOR FOR PENNSYLVANIA IN 1732, WHEN ONLY TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF AGE. HE FOUNDED THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. DEPUTY POST-MASTER GENERAL IN 1752. INVENTOR OF LIGHTNING-RODS. WAS ELECTED FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY. COLONEL OF MILITIA. MINISTER TO THE COURT OF ENGLAND IN 1764. MEMBER OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS IN 1775. MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY TO FRANCE IN 1776. CONCLUDED FIRST TREATY FOR AMERICA IN 1778. RECEIVED DEGREE OF LL. D. FROM OXFORD UNI VERSITY. MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY TO FRANCE IN 1778. ONE OF FIVE TO DRAFT THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. HELPED FRAME THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. A LEADER IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. CALLED THE "NESTOR OF AMERICA' 99 BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF FRANCE. ADMITTED TO THE HIGHEST LITERARY ASSEMBLIES OF EUROPE. LIKE WASHINGTON, 66 FIRST IN WAR, FIRST IN PEACE, AND FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN." HONORED AS A GREAT PHILOSOPHER, SAGACIOUS STATESMAN, AND SINCERE PHILANTHROPIST. In reading the history of the United States, no name is more conspicuous than that of Franklin. |