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fects proposed: 1 hope, however, that if the inhabi.

tants of the two cities should not think fit to undertake the execution, they will at least accept the offer of these donations, as a mark of my good will, token of my gratitude, and testimony of my desire to be useful to them even after my departure. I wish, indeed that they may both undertake to endeavour the execution of my project, because I think, that, though unforseen difficulties may arise, expedients will be found to remove them, and the scheme be found practicable. If one of them accepts the money with the conditions, and the other refuses, my will then is, that both sums be given to the inhabitants of the city accepting; the whole to be applied to the same purposes, and under the same regulations directed for the separate parts; and if both refuse, the money remains of course in the mass of my estate, and it is to be disposed of therewith, according to my will made the seventeenth day of July, 1788.

My fine crab-tree walking-stick, with a gold head curiously wrought in the form of the Cap of Liberty, I give to my friend, and the friend of mankind, General Washington. If it were a sceptre, he has merited it, and would become it.

ESSAYS

HUMOROUS, MORAL, AND
LITERARY.

ON EARLY MARRIAGES.
To John Alleyn, Esq.

DEAR JACK,

You desire you say, my impartial thoughts on the subject of an early marriage. by way of answer to the numberless objections that have been made by numerous persons to your own. You may remember, when you consulted me on the occasion, that I thought youth on both sides to be no objection. Indeed, from the marriages that have fallen under my observation, I am rather inclined to think, that early ones stand the best chance of happiness. The temper and habits of the young are not yet become so stiff and uncomplying, as when more advanced in life; they form more easily to each other, and hence, many occasions of disgust are removed. And if youth has less of that prudence which is necessary to manage a family, yet the parents and elder friends of young married perBons are generally at hand to afford their advice, which amply supplies that defect; and, by early marriage, youth is sooner formed to regular and useful life; and possibly some of those accidents, or connexions, that might have injured the constitution, or reputation, or both, are thereby happily prevented. Particular circumstances of particular persons, may possibly sometimes make it prudent to delay entering into that state; but, in general, when nature has rendered our bodies fit for it, the presumption is in nature's favour, that she has not judged amiss in inak· ·

لاو

ing us desire it. Late marriages are often attended,
too, with this further inconvenience, that there is not
the same chance that the parents shou'd live to sec
their offspring educated. "Late children,"
says the
Spanish proverb, are early orphans." A melan-
choly reflection to those whose case it may be! With
us in America, marriages are generally in the morn-
ing of life; our children are therefore educated and
settled in the world by noon; and thus, our business
being done, we have an afternoon and evening of
cheerful leisure to ourselves, such as our friend at
present enjoys By these early marriages we are
blessed with more children; and from the mode
among us, founded by nature, of every mother suck-
ling and nursing her own child, more of them are
raised. Thence the swift progress of population
among us, unparalleled in Europe. In fine,
glad you are married, and congratulate you most
cordially upon it. You are now in the way of be
coming a useful citizen; and you have escaped the
unnatural state of celibacy for life-the fate of many
here, who never intended it, but who having too
long postponed the change of their conditions, find,
at length, that it is too late to think of it, and so live
all their lives in a situation that greatly lessens a
man's value. An odd volume of a set of books,
bears not the value of its proportion to the set; what
think you of the odd half of a pair of scissors; it
can't well cut any thing; it may possibly serve to
scrape a trencher.

am

Pray make my compliments and best wishes acceptable to your bride. I am old and heavy, or 1 should ere this have presented them in person. I shall make but small use of the old man's privilege, that of giving advice to younger friends. Treat your wife always with respect; it will procure respect to you, not only from her, but from all that observe it. Never use a slighting expression to her, even in jest: for slights in jest, after frequent bandyings, are apt to end in angry earnest. Be studious in your profession, and you will be learned. Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich. Be sober and tempe rate, and you will be healthy. Be in general virtu

ous, and you will be happy. At least, you will, by such conduct, stand the best chance for such conI pray God to bless you both! being

sequences.

ever your affectionate friend,

B. FRANKLIN.

ON THE DEATH OF HIS BROTHER,

MR. JOHN FRANKLIN.

TO MISS HUBBARD.

I CONDOLE with you. We have lost a most dear and valuable relation. But it is the will of God and nature, that these mortal bodies be laid aside, when the soul is to enter into real life. This is rather an embryo state, a preparation for living. A man is not completely born until he be dead. Why then should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals, a new member added to their happy society? We are spirits. That bodies should be lent us, while they can afford us pleasures, assist us in acquiring knowledge, or doing good to our fellow creatures, is a kind and benevolent act of God. When they become unfit for these purposes, and afford us pain instead of pleasure, instead of an aid becomes an incumbrance, and answer none of the intentions for which they were given, it is equally kind and benevolent that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. We ourselves, in some cases, prudently choose a partial death. A mangled painful limb, which cannot be restored, we willingly cut off He who plucks out a tooth, parts with it freely, since the pain goes with it: and he who quits the whole body, parts at once with all pains, and possibilities of pains and diseases, it was fiable to, or capable of making him suffer.

Our friend and we are invited abroad on a party of pleasure, which is to last for ever. His chair was ready first and he is gone before us. We could not ll conveniently start together; and why should you

and I be grieved at this, since we are soon to follow, and know where to find him?

Adieu,

B. FRANKLIN.

TO THE LATE

DOCTOR MATHER, OF BOSTON.

. REV. SIR,

I RECEIVED your kind letter, with your excellent advice to the people of the United States, which I read with great pleasure, and hope will be duly regarded. Such writings, though they may be lightly passed over by many readers, yet if they make a deep impression on one active mind in a hundred, the effects may be considerable.

Permit me to mention one little instance, which, though it relates to myself, will not be quite uninteresting to you. When I was a boy, I met with a book entitled "Essays to do good," which I think was written by your father. It has been so little regarded by a former possessor, that several leaves of it were torn out; but the remainder gave me such a turn of thinking, as to have an influence on my conduct through life; for I have always set a greater value on the character of a doer of good, than any other kind of reputation; and if I have been, as you seem to think, a useful citizen, the public owes the advantage of it to that book.

You mention your being in your seventy-eighth year. I am in my seventy-ninth. We are grown old together. It is now more than sixty years since I left Boston; but I remember well both your father and grandfather, having heard them both in the pulpit, and seen them in their houses. The last time I saw your father was the beginning of 1724, when I visited

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