afflictions enough. The neglect and slights of friends and near relations should never be added. People in her circumstances are apt to suspect these-sometimes without cause; and appearances should, therefore, be attended to, in our conduct toward them, as well as realities."

Writing again at New York, in May, 1757, to Mrs. Mecom, in reply to inquiries from her respecting a young woman with whom her son Benjamin had become acquainted in Philadelphia and whom he intended to marry, and whose good qualities as "a sweet-tempered, good girl," with "a housewifely education," both Franklin and his wife well knew, he remarks: "Your sister and I have a great esteem for her; and if she will be kind enough to accept of our nephew, we think it will be his own fault if he is not as happy as the married state can make him. The family is a respectable one, but whether there be any fortune I know not; and as you do not inquire about that particular, I suppose you think, with me, that where everything else desirable is to be met with, that is not very material. If she does not bring a fortune, she will help to make one. Industry, frugality, and prudent economy, in a wife, are to a tradesman, in their effects, a fortune."

One or two more extracts, covering somewhat broader ground, will make a fit and interesting close to this exhibition of Franklin's private sentiments and family ties. They are from a rather long letter dated the 6th of June, 1753, and usually cited as addressed to his friend Whitefield, the famous preacher; though Dr. Sparks, on looking at the original draft, found it endorsed by Franklin's own pen as addressed to one Joseph Huey. Referring to an expression of thanks from the person addressed, for some kindness done him by Franklin, the latter remarks that the only return he should desire would be an

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equal readiness, on his part, "to serve any other person who might need his assistance, and so let good offices go round; for mankind are all of one family ;" and he then proceeds as follows:

"For my own part, when I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon myself as conferring favors, but as paying debts. In my travels, and since my settlement, I have received much kindness from men, to whom I shall never have any opportunity of making the least direct return; and numberless mercies from God, who is infinitely above being benefited by our services. Those kindnesses from men, I can therefore only return on their fellow-men; and I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help his other children, my brethren. For I do not think that thanks and compliments, though repeated weekly, can discharge our real obligations to each other, and much less those to our Creator. You will see in this my notion of good works, that I am far from expecting to merit heaven by them. By heaven we understand a state of happiness, infinite in degree, and eternal in duration. I can do nothing to deserve such rewards. He that, for giving a draught of water to a thirsty person, should expect to be paid with a good plantation, would be modest in his demands compared with those who think they deserve heaven for the little good they do on earth. Even the mixed, imperfect pleasures we enjoy in this world, are rather from God's goodness than our merit: how much more such happiness of heaven! . . . . The worship of God is a duty; the hearing and reading of ser mons may be useful; but if men rest in hearing and praying, as too many do, it is as if a tree should value itself on being watered and putting forth leaves, though it never produced any fruit. Your great Master thought much less of these outward appearances and professions than

many of his modern disciples. He preferred the doers of the word to the mere hearers; the son that seemingly refused to obey his father, and yet performed his commands, to him that professed his readiness, but neglected the work; the heretical but charitable Samaritan, to the uncharitable though orthodox priest and sanctified Levite; and those who gave food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, raiment to the naked, entertainment to the stranger, and relief to the sick, though they never heard of his name, he declares shall in the last day be accepted; when those who cry, Lord! Lord!' and who value themselves upon their faith, though great enough to perform miracles, but have neglected good works, shall be rejected."

Just before going to the frontier, it will be recollected, Franklin had procured the passage of a law, framed by himself, for raising a military force by voluntary enlistment; and had written and published a pamphlet, answering current objections to the measure, and commending it to the public approbation. On his return to Philadelphia he found the people, excepting the Quakers, very generally in favor of the new law, and companies enough enrolled and officered to form a large regiment. At a meeting of the officers of these companies, shortly after his return, they chose him for their colonel, and he accepted the station. The regiment mustered at its first review upward of a thousand men, rank and file, besides an artillery company over a hundred strong, with four brass field-pieces, which they soon learned to handle with dexterity and effect. At the close of the review they escorted their colonel home, and, in firing their salute, the field-pieces made such a concussion as to break several articles of glass belonging to his electrical apparatus. In relating these incidents, Franklin adds that his new honors proved not much less brittle, inasmuch as all