The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin: [AutobiographyW. Duane, 1818 |
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Page vii
... present volume . But even what has formerly been printed of this part , can scarcely lay any claim to originality , since the English edition is no more than a translation from the French , which of itself is a profess ed version of a ...
... present volume . But even what has formerly been printed of this part , can scarcely lay any claim to originality , since the English edition is no more than a translation from the French , which of itself is a profess ed version of a ...
Page xiv
... present of Cooke's váy- ages from the British government , 399 --- Private journal , 400 --- Requests leave to retire from the court of France on account of his age , 400 --- The congress refuse his resignation , 402 --- Curious letter ...
... present of Cooke's váy- ages from the British government , 399 --- Private journal , 400 --- Requests leave to retire from the court of France on account of his age , 400 --- The congress refuse his resignation , 402 --- Curious letter ...
Page xxi
... present his protest , 346- .. letter to Franklin , 347 --- interview with , 348 . Washington , general , letter of congratulation to Franklin on his return to America , 463 . Watch , the city , established by Franklin , 109 . Watson ...
... present his protest , 346- .. letter to Franklin , 347 --- interview with , 348 . Washington , general , letter of congratulation to Franklin on his return to America , 463 . Watch , the city , established by Franklin , 109 . Watson ...
Page 18
... present opinions ; modest and sensible men who do not love disputation will leave you undisturbed in the possession of your errors . In adopting such a manner , you can seldom expect to please your hearers , or obtain the concurrence ...
... present opinions ; modest and sensible men who do not love disputation will leave you undisturbed in the possession of your errors . In adopting such a manner , you can seldom expect to please your hearers , or obtain the concurrence ...
Page 26
... introduced me to his son , who receiv- ed me civilly , gave me a breakfast , but told me he did not at present want a hand , being lately supplied with one : but there was another printer in town lately set up , one 26 MEMOIRS OF.
... introduced me to his son , who receiv- ed me civilly , gave me a breakfast , but told me he did not at present want a hand , being lately supplied with one : but there was another printer in town lately set up , one 26 MEMOIRS OF.
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Common terms and phrases
acknowlege acquainted act of parliament affairs afterwards America answer appeared appointed arrived assembly attended Boston Boston port act Britain British character colonies common conduct congress continued copy court crown defence desire disposition duty endeavor engaged England favor France Franklin friends gave give governor hands honor inhabitants interest Keimer king knowlege letter liberty London lord Chatham lord Dartmouth lord Hyde lordship majesty majesty's Massachusetts means measures ment minister neral never obliged obtained occasion opinion paper parliament Passy peace Pennsylvania perhaps person petition Philadelphia pounds sterling present printing proposed proprietary province Quakers racter reason received repeal respect sent sentiments soon Stamp Act supposed thing Thomas Whately thought thousand pounds tion took town treaty William Temple Franklin wish writing
Popular passages
Page 475 - I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that GOD governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ' except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.
Page 89 - Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; ie, waste nothing. 6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions. 7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Page 519 - The Body Of Benjamin Franklin, Printer, (Like the cover of an old book, Its contents torn out, And stript of its lettering and gilding,) Lies here, food for worms. But the work shall not be lost, For it will, as he believed, appear once more, In a new and more elegant edition, Revised and corrected By THE AUTHOR.
Page 474 - In this situation of this Assembly, groping, as it were, in the dark, to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when .presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to illuminate our understandings?
Page 2 - Most people dislike vanity in others, whatever share they have of it themselves ; but I give it fair quarter wherever I meet with it, being persuaded that it is often productive of good to the possessor, and to others that are within his sphere of action ; and therefore, in many cases, it would not be altogether absurd if a man were to thank God for his vanity among the other comforts of life.
Page 89 - Temperance, for example, was by some confined to eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice and ambition. I proposed to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use rather more names, with fewer ideas annexed to each, than a few names with more ideas...
Page 450 - ... scholars of every faculty, cultivators of the earth, merchants, artisans, manufacturers, and fishermen, unarmed and inhabiting unfortified towns, villages, or places, and in general all persons whose occupations are for the common subsistence and benefit of mankind, shall be allowed to continue their respective employments unmolested in their persons.
Page 87 - I was now and then prevailed on to do so, once for five Sundays successively. Had he been in my opinion a good preacher, perhaps I might have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I had for the Sunday's leisure in my course of study; but his discourses were chiefly either polemic arguments, or explications of the peculiar doctrines of our sect, and were all to me very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying, since not a single moral principle was inculcated or enforced, their aim seeming to be rather...
Page 85 - Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings ; he shall not stand before mean men...
Page 92 - Here will I hold. If there's a power above us (And that there is, all Nature cries aloud Through all her works), he must delight in virtue ; And that which he delights in must be happy.