father the hundred pounds he has advanced, pay my little personal debts, and give me thirty pounds and a new saddle, I will relinquish the partnership, and leave the whole in your hands." Franklin accepted this proposition, and, with the aid of his two friends, was soon established in business alone. His patronage increased rapidly, he was soon able to pay off his debts. And in a very short time he commanded the chief printing business of the town. CHAPTER XIX. CONCLUSION. WE have thus far followed the subject of this little 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 forgotten, 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 honour. 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 invention of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously." This was another instance of his remarkable generosity, and it reminds us of that incident of his life in France, when an English clergyman asked him 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 labours to introduce a system of schools, and, finally, founds a University. Thus the humblest acts of a good citizen were performed in connexion with the nobler deeds of the philosopher and states man. The following is a brief synopsis of the offices he filled, and the honours he won : HE WAS LEGISLATOR FOR PENNSYLVANIA IN 1732, WHEN ONLY TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF AGE. HE FOUNDED THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. DEPUTY POSTMASTER-GENERAL IN 1752. H INVENTOR OF LIGHTNING-RODS. WAS ELECTED A FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY. COLONEL OF MILITIA. MINISTER TO THE COURT OF ENGLAND IN 1764. VERSITY. MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY TO FRANCE IN 1778. ONE OF FIVE TO DRAFT THE DECLARATION OF INDEPEND ENCE. HELPED TO FRAME THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. A LEADER IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. CALLED THE "NESTOR OF AMERICA" BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF FRANCE. ADMITTED TO THE HIGHEST LITERARY ASSEMBLIES OF EUROPE. LIKE WASHINGTON, "FIRST IN WAR, FIRST IN PEACE, AND FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN." HONOURED AS A GREAT PHILOSOPHER, SAGACIOUS STATESMAN, AND SINCERE PHILANTHROPIST. In reading the history of the United States, no mame is more conspicious than that of Franklin. His agency is everywhere seen and acknowledged in laying the foundation of her institutions, and achieving her glories. The memory of no patriot and philosopher has been more dear to generations that have come and gone since his day. Abroad, as well as at home, he was honoured. At one time, in France, "prints, medallion portraits, and busts of Franklin were multiplied throughout France; and rings, bracelets, canes, and snuff-boxes, bearing his likeness, were worn or carried quite generally." In England, and other parts of Europe, similar homage was paid to his greatness. Since that period his statue has been erected in the halls of learning and legislation, literary societies have adopted his name, to give them pre-eminence, and numerous towns have been called after him. The author's native place was named in honour of Franklin, who afterwards presented the town with a valuable library that is still in existence. On being informed by a friend that this town had adopted his name, he inquired what sort of a present would be acceptable to the inhabitants, as an acknowledgment of their respect and homage. The friend suggested that a bell might prove a timely gift, as they were erecting a new house of worship. But Franklin thought otherwise, and decided to present a library. He jocosely remarked, in the letter which accompanied the books, that he "supposed a town that would adopt his name, must be more fond of sense than sound.” It would multiply the pages of this volume beyond its designed limits to enumerate all the public posts of honour that Franklin adorned, and all the marks of respect that been paid to his memory. This brief reference to the more prominent of these is sufficient to afford the reader a view of the REMARKABLE MAN, and to illustrate the force of |