The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Containing Several Political and Historical ... - Benjamin Franklin - Google Books

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CONTENTS

TEN VOLUMES.

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VOLUME I.

LIFE OF FRANKLIN.

Origin and Genealogy of his Family. - His Birth. — His Mother.

Employments in his Boyhood. Anecdote. Character of his

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

Sloop for New York.

Journey to Philadelphia. Adventure in a Boat. Dr. Brown.-

Burlington. His first Appearance in Philadelphia.

Meeting. Seeks for Employment as a Printer.

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

to London to purchase Types.- Returns to the Use of animal

Food. - · Anecdotes of Keimer. His Associates, Osborne, Wat-

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son, Ralph.—Their Exercises in Composition. Resolves to visit

England, as advised by Governor Keith.

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-

iness with Mr. Denham. Sir William Wyndham.

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-

atory Remarks. Forms a Partnership with Hugh Meredith in

the Printing Business.

The Junto. Description of its original Members.- Franklin writes

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.

Amusing Anecdote. The Art of Virtue. A Treatise on

that Subject proposed.

Scheme of a Society for extending the Influence of Virtue.

in one God, the Immortality of the Soul, and future Rewards and

Punishments. Poor Richard's Almanac. - Rules for conducting

a Newspaper. Controversy concerning Hemphill, the Preach-

er. — Studies the French, Italian, and Spanish Languages. — Visits

Boston. The Junto. Chosen Clerk of the Assembly. — Ap-

pointed Postmaster of Philadelphia. - Suggests Improvements in

the City Watch.- Establishes a Fire Company.

Forms an Intimacy with Whitefield. — Building erected for Preach-

V ers of all Denominations. — Character of Whitefield, his Oratory

and Writings. - Partnerships in the Printing Business. — Propos-

es a Philosophical Society. - Takes an active Part in providing

Means of Defence in the Spanish War. - Forms an Association

for that Purpose. — Sentiments of the Quakers. James Logan.

Anecdote of William Penn. - The Sect called Dunkers.- Re-

ligious Creeds.-New-invented Fireplace.

Proposals relating to the Education of Youth.-Subscriptions for that

Object.— An Academy established. — Appointed one of the Trus-

tees for managing it. - Partnership with David Hall. - Electrical

Experiments. Chosen a Member of the Assembly. - A Com-

missioner for making a Treaty with the Indians. — Pennsylvania

Hospital. Writes in Favor of it, and procures Subscriptions. —

Advice to Gilbert Tennent. Suggests Plans for cleaning, paving,

and lighting the Streets of Philadelphia. - Project for cleaning

the Streets of London. -Appointed Postmaster-general for Amer-

ica. Receives the Degree of Master of Arts from Harvard and

Attends a General Convention at Albany, as a Delegate from Penn-

sylvania. - Proposes a Plan of Union for the Colonies, which is

adopted by the Convention. - Interview with Governor Shirley

at Boston. Conversations with Governor Morris on Pennsylvania

Affairs. Assists Mr. Quincy in procuring Aids for New Eng-

land. Visits General Braddock's Army in Maryland. — Procures

Horses and Wagons to facilitate the March of the Army. — Ob-

tains Supplies for the Officers. - Character of Braddock. — Ac-

count of his Defeat in the Battle of the Monongahela. Braddock

commends his Services in Letters to the Government. These

Services poorly rewarded. - Society for the Relief and Instruction

of Germans in Pennsylvania.

Appointed One of the Commissioners for appropriating the public

Money for military Defence. - Proposes a Militia Bill, which pass-

es the Assembly.—Commissioned to take Charge of the Frontier,

and build a Line of Forts.- Marches at the Head of a Body of

Troops. Account of the March. — Operations at Gnadenhutten.

-Indian Massacres. - Moravians at Bethlehem. Returns to

Philadelphia. — Chosen Colonel of a Regiment. — Journey to Vir-

ginia. - Declines accepting the Governor's Proposal to lead an

Expedition against Fort Duquesne. - Account of his Electrical

Discoveries. Chosen a Member of the Royal Society. - Receives

the Copley Medal.

Conversations with Governor Denny. - Disputes between the Gov-

ernor and Assembly. - Deputed by the Assembly to present a Pe-

tition to the King, and to act in England as an Agent for Penn-

sylvania. Meets Lord Loudoun in New York. Anecdotes illus-

trating his Character. Sails from New York. - Incidents of the

Voyage. Arrives in England.

BY JARED SPARKS.

State of Affairs in Pennsylvania. - Defects of the Government. -

Legislation. Conduct of the Proprietaries.-Object of Franklin's

Agency in England. — Collinson, Miss Stevenson, Strahan, Gov-

ernor Shirley, Beccaria, Musschenbroek. — Franklin's Interview

with the Proprietaries. He causes a Letter to be published re-

specting Pennsylvania. Delays in his public Business. He

travels in various Parts of England. - Visits the Place in which

his Ancestors were born. - Forms an Acquaintance with Bas-

kerville. Publishes the "Historical Review of Pennsylvania.".

Authorship of that Work. .

229

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Franklin advises the Conquest of Canada. - His Scheme adopted by

the Ministry. Journey to Scotland. - Lord Kames, Robertson,

Hume. "Parable against Persecution." First published by

Lord Kames.- How far Franklin claimed to be its Author. - His

Mission brought to a favorable Termination. - Lord Mansfield's

Agency in the Affair. - Franklin's Sentiments in Regard to Can-

ada. Writes a Pamphlet to show that it ought to be retained at

the Peace. Tour to the North of England. - Receives Public

Money for Pennsylvania. - Tour in Holland. - Experiments to

prove the Electrical Properties of Tourmalin. - Cold produced

by Evaporation. - Ingenious Theory for explaining the Causes

of Northeast Storms. Invents a Musical Instrument, called the

Armonica. His Son appointed Governor of New Jersey. - Re-

turns to America.

Receives the Thanks of the Assembly.— Tour through the Middle

and Eastern Colonies. - Engages again in Public Affairs, - Mas-

sacre of Indians in Lancaster. Franklin's Pamphlet on the Sub-

ject, and his Agency in pacifying the Insurgents. - Colonel Bou-

quet's Account of his Public Services. - Disputes revived between

the Governor and the Assembly. — Militia Bill defeated. The

Governor rejects a Bill in which the Proprietary Estates are taxed.

— The Assembly resolve to petition the King for a Change of Gov-

ernment. Petition drafted by Franklin. Chosen Speaker of the

Assembly. Norris, Dickinson, Galloway.-Scheme for Stamp

Duties opposed by the Assembly. - Franklin is not elected to the

Assembly. Appointed Agent to the Court of Great Britain. -

Sails for England.

Origin of the Stamp Act.

Franklin's Opposition to it. His Re-

marks on the Passage of the Act, in a Letter to Charles Thomson.

-False Charges against him in Relation to this Subject. Dean

Tucker. Effects of the Stamp Act in America. - Franklin's Ex-

amination before Parliament. Stamp Act repealed. — Mr. Pitt.—

Declaratory Act. — American Paper Currency. - Franklin's An-

swer to Lord Hillsborough's Report against it. - New Scheme

for taxing the Colonies by supplying them with Paper Money.—

Franklin travels in Holland and Germany. - His Ideas of the Na-

ture of the Union between the Colonies and Great Britain. - Plan

of a Colonial Representation in Parliament. - Franklin visits Paris.

-His "Account of the Causes of the American Discontents."-

Change of Ministry. Lord Hillsborough at the Head of the

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