were accustomed to advance; and no one knew better than he, that a man's prosperity depends, not at all upon his virtue, but upon his ability to render the public a service which the public wants rendered. The man most destitute of moral worth whom this land has ever known is he whose prosperity is, this day, the most rooted and immutable, for the simple reason that no one will give his public a three cents' worth which is, at once, better and more agreeable than that which he gives. It was not Franklin's virtue that made him a prosperous citizen: it was his skill, his energy, his knowledge. His virtue it was that made him beloved, and enabled him to love. It was his virtue that rendered his prosperity a blessing to him and to others. It was his virtue that made him that happy and glorious Franklin whom three generations have justly revered.

To return to his studies. When a man spends twelve hours a week at his books, he soon ceases to be satisfied with mere reading. In 1733, Franklin began the study of languages, and soon learned to read French, Italian, and Spanish. His progress in Italian was promoted by his love of the game of chess. A friend, who was also learning the Italian, often lured him from his books by challenging him to play at this game. At length, he refused to play any more except upon condition the victor should impose a task upon the vanquished, such as learning a verb or writing a translation, which task should be performed before the next meeting. As they played about equally, they beat one another into the acquisition of the Italian language.

Having become tolerably proficient in French, Italian, and Spanish, he was led by an accident to undertake the Latin. His experience with this language is worthy the most serious consideration of all persons who are interested in teaching languages, or who contemplate learning them. Looking over a Latin testament, one day, he was surprised to find that his knowledge of the three modern languages, together with his dim recollection of his year's study of Latin at the Boston Grammar-School, enabled him to read the Latin testament with considerable facility. Encouraged by this, he resumed the study of Latin, a language he had always been fond of quoting. If we may judge from the long quotations from various authors in his writings of this period, we must conclude that he read a good deal of Latin.

He became convinced that the true order of acquiring languages

is, the modern first, and the ancient afterwards. "We are told," be says, "that it is proper to begin first with the Latin, and, having acquired that, it will be more easy to attain those modern languages which are derived from it; and yet we do not begin with the Greek in order more easily to acquire the Latin." "I would, therefore," he adds, “offer it to the consideration of those who superintend the education of our youth, whether-since many of those who begin with the Latin, quit the same after spending some years without having made any great proficiency, and what they have learned becomes almost useless, so that their time has been lost-it would not have been better to have begun with the French, proceeding to the Italian and Latin. For though, after spending the same time, they should quit the study of languages and never arrive at the Latin, they would, however, have acquired another tongue or two, that, being in modern use, might be serviceable to them in common life."

This is one of the most valuable of the many valuable suggestions in the writings of Franklin. It may end the controversy between those who say that the ancient languages, and those who think that the modern languages, should be the chief means of educating the young.

Music is mentioned by Franklin as a diversion, but he pursued it with more than the devotion of an ordinary amateur. He appears to have played on several instruments, and to have studied their nature and powers. The harp, the guitar, the violin, and the violoncello, appear to have been the instruments he most affected, until, later in life, he improved the armonica. Leigh Hunt, whose parents once lived at Philadelphia, mentions that Franklin offered to teach his mother the guitar.*

We have seen that Franklin was not well pleased with the preachers of his day. In 1734, came to Philadelphia a young Presbyterian preacher, named Hemphill, who won his decided approval, since he had little to say of dogmas, but eloquently inculcated the practice of virtue. So satisfied was Franklin with his preaching, and so convinced of its utility, that he even became himself one of his regular hearers. The orthodox clergy, disapproving the doctrines of the young stranger, arraigned him before the synod in order to

* Autobiography of Leigh Hunt, i., 180.