HARVARD Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1840, by HILLIARD, GRAY & CO. in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. PREFACE. THIS volume contains the Autobiography of Dr. FRANKLIN as far as he wrote it, with a Continuation to the end of his life. There is a curious circumstance connected with the first publication of the Autobiography. He began to write it in England as early as the year 1771, and from time to time he made such additions as his leisure would permit. While he was in France, as Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States, he showed a copy of it to some of his friends there, and one of them, M. Le Veillard, translated it into French. Not long after Dr. Franklin's death, this French translation appeared from the Paris press. It was then retranslated, by some unknown but skilful hand, into English, and published in London; and this retranslation is the Life of Franklin, which has usually been circulated in Great Britain and the United States, and of which numerous editions have been printed. And even to this day it continues to be read, and to be quoted by respectable writers, as if it were the author's original work; although the fact of its being a translation is expressly stated in the Preface to the first edition, and although twenty-five years have elapsed V since the Autobiography was published from the original manuscript, by Franklin's grandson. In the present volume it is printed from the genuine copy. Notes have been added to illustrate some parts, and the whole is divided into chapters, of suitable length, for the convenience of readers. In writing the Continuation, it has been the author's aim to follow out the plan of the Autobiography, by confining himself strictly to a narrative of the principal events and incidents in Franklin's life, as far as these could be ascertained from his writings, his public acts, and the testimony of his contemporaries. In executing this task, he has had access to a large mass of papers left by Franklin, including his correspondence with many persons in various parts of the world, and also to copious materials, of much value, procured in England, France, and the United States, all of which were for several years in his possession, while he was preparing for the press a new and complete edition of Franklin's Works. As he has spared no pains in his researches, or in his endeavours to make their results useful to the public, he trusts that his efforts have not beer wholly without success, and that they will be regarded as having added something to the tribute justly due to the memory of the philosopher, statesman, and philanthropist, whose fame is an honor not more to the land of his birth, than to the age in which he lived. NOVEMBER, 1843. CONTENTS. Origin and Genealogy of his Family. - His Birth. - His Mother. Employments in his Boyhood. - Anecdote. Father. Epitaph on his Father and Mother. - Fond of reading. - Apprenticed to his Brother to learn the Printer's Trade.- Writes Ballads.Intimacy with Collins.-Practises Composition. - Adopts a vegetable Diet. -Studies the Socratic Method of Disputation. Concerned in publishing a Newspaper. Disa- grees with his Brother.-Leaves Boston and takes Passage in a Page Journey to Philadelphia. Adventure in a Boat. - Dr. Brown.- Burlington. His first Appearance in Philadelphia. - Quaker Meeting. Seeks for Employment as a Printer. Commences Work in Keimer's Office. — Forms Acquaintances. - Patronized by Sir William Keith, Governor of Pennsylvania. - First Inter- view with him. - Keith proposes to set him up in Business.-*- Returns to Boston. His Father disapproves Keith's Plan. Voyage to New York. - Incident on the Passage from Newport. - Meets his Friend Collins in New York. - They go together to Philadelphia. - Collins's ill Conduct causes a Separation. - Keith insists on executing his original Plan, and proposes sending him Sails for London, accompanied by Ralph.-On his Arrival delivers Letters supposed to be written by the Governor.-Discovers that Keith had deceived him. His Money exhausted. - Engages to work as a Printer at Palmer's, in Bartholomew Close.- Writes and prints a metaphysical Tract. - Frequents a Club, consisting of Dr Mandeville and Others.- Disagreement with Ralph and Separation. Removes to Watts's Printing-house, near Lincoln's Inn Fields. Habits of the Workmen.-His Expenses of Living. -Feats of Activity in Swimming. - Enters into Mercantile Bus- - Voyage from London to Philadelphia. - His Mercantile Plans de- feated by the Death of Mr. Denham. Accepts an Offer from Keimer to superintend his Printing Establishment. - Description of the Workmen in the Printing-house. Resolves to separate from Keimer, and commence Business on his own Account.— Engraves the Plates for Paper Money in New Jersey, and prints the Bills. His Views of Religion. Account of his London Pamphlet. A New Version of the Lord's Prayer, with Explan- the "Busy Body.". Establishes a Newspaper. - Partnership with Meredith dissolved. Writes a Tract on the Necessity of a Paper Currency.-Opens a Stationer's Shop. His Habits of Industry and Frugality. Courtship. - Marriage. Origin of the Philadelphia Library.-Mode of obtaining Subscrip- tions.-Thrives in his Business. Anecdote of the Silver Spoon and China Bowl.-Religious Sentiments and Remarks on Preach- ing. Scheme for arriving at Moral Perfection. Explanation of the Scheme. List of Virtues enumerated, and Rules for Prac- tising them.-Division of Time, and the Occupation of each Hour. 98 |