travagance; to Mason Weems on the ordination of American Protestant Episcopal clergymen; and that to Samuel Mather. To these should be added the two letters on how to do the most good with a little money, because of the sound advice they contain and the excellent practice they recommend.
To say that his life is the most interesting, the most uniformly successful, yet lived by any American, is bold. But it is nevertheless strictly true. Not the least of the many glories of our country is the long list of men who, friendless, half-educated, poor, have, by the sheer force of their own abilities, raised themselves from the humblest beginnings to places of eminence and command. Many of these have surpassed him. Some have speculated more deeply on finance, have been more successful as philanthropists, have made greater discoveries in physics, have written books more commonly read than his. Yet not one of them has attained to greatness in so many ways, or has made so lasting an impression on his countrymen. His face is as well known as the face of Washington, and, save that of Washington, is the only one of his time that is now instantly recognized by the great mass of his countrymen. His maxims are in every man's mouth. His name is, all over the country, bestowed on
counties and towns, on streets, on societies, on corporations. The stove, the lightning-rod, and the kite, the papers on the gulf stream, and on electricity, give him no mean claims to be considered a man of science. In diplomacy his name is bound up with many of the most famous documents in our history. He drew the Albany Plan of Union. He sent over the Hutchinson Letters. He is the only man who wrote his name alike at the foot of the Declaration of Independence, at the foot of the Treaty of Alliance, at the foot of the Treaty of Peace, and at the foot of the Constitution under which we live. Nor is he less entitled to distinction in the domain of letters, for he has produced two works which of their kind have not yet been surpassed. One is "Father Abraham's Speech to the People at the Auction." The other is "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin."
ABRAHAM'S ADDRESS, Father, 114-
126. Popularity of, 127-129. In
French, 128, 221, 224.
Academy and Charitable School,
135, 149-152. Becomes University
of Pa., 152.
"Account of the Supremest Court,
etc., in Pa.," 246, 247.
Adams, John, 210. Sketch of life
at Passy, 227. Sent out in place
of Deane, 281. Reception at Bor-
deaux, 231, 232.
Adams, Abigail: sketch of Mme.
Helvetius, 234, 235.
Addison, 19, 24.
"Address to the Freeholders," 180.
"Address to the Public," etc., 246.
Advertiser, The Public (London),
Franklin's writings in, 203-206.
Afterwit, Anthony, 77.
Albany. Colonies bidden to send
delegates to a conference at, 161.
Franklin's Plan of Union at, 162.
Failure of the Plan, 163.
Alliance, The French, 231.
Allouez, 160.
Almanacs: Kalendarium Pennsilva-
niense, 37, 38. Value of, 97, 98.
Early almanacs in Phila., 99, 100.
Character of, 100-101.
"Poor
Richard," 102-129.
American cause, popularity of, in
France, 223, 224, 230, 231.
"American Citizen," 252-263.
"American Magazine," 129–135.
Andrews, Jedidiah, 79, 80.
Anecdotes of Franklin: "Tar Bar-
rel," "Other Grain," 140. The
Fire Engine, 147.
"Answer to Mr. Franklin's Re-
marks," 187.
"Argus." Charges against Temple
Franklin, 263.
"Art of Virtue," 172.
Assembly of Pennsylvania: Gov-
ernor asks it to arm the province,
137. Reply of the assembly, 138.
Action after the capture of Louis-
burg, 140. Action after outrages
by the privateers, 141, 142. Sends
Franklin to an Indian conference
at Carlisle, 157. Sends him to
Braddock, 163. Thanks Franklin,
164. Quarrels with the proprie-
tary family, 165. Sends a remon-
strance to the King, 167. Cen-
sures the proprietary family, 180.
Debate on reassembling, 181. Ad-
dress voted, Norris will not sign,
181. Franklin chosen speaker,
182. Election for, 184, 188. Frank-
lin defeated, 185, 186. Chooses
Franklin agent, 187.
Association for defense of Philadel-
phia, 144-148.
Atkins, Samuel, 37, 38, 39.
Autobiography, Franklin's: Begins
to write it, 251, 252. Manuscript
lost and found, 252, 253. Contin-
ued, 253. Part of it published at
Paris, 254-256. English editions,
258, 259. The Life by Stuber, 259,
260. Temple Franklin trades the
original manuscript, 266. Recov-
ered by Mr. Bigelow, 266, 267.
Value of, 268. Popularity of, 269,
Bache, Richard: Deputy U. S. post-
master general, 158. Marries
Sarah Franklin, 215.
Bache, B. F., 215, 238.
Bagatelles, 236-238.
Ballads: Popularity of, 17, 18.
Franklin's, 14, 18.
Baker, Miss Polly, Speech, 272.
"Banks" of paper money, 57-59.
Battery, The Association, 146-148.
Brillon, Madame, 233.
Brownell, George, 3, 4.
Buckner, John, sets up a press in
Va., 37.
Bucks County (Pa.), petition the
assembly for paper currency, 59.
Buffon, Count de, 156.
Buisson, publishes the Autobiog-
raphy, 254, 255.
Burke, William, 171.
Burlington, 34, 35.
Bigelow, John: Edits the Autobiog- Burton's "Historical Collections," 8.
"Blackbeard," the pirate, 16, 17.
Franklin's ballad on, 14.
"Body of Divinity," Willard's, 5.
"Bonhomme Richard," 221. Used
in the schools, 224.
Books: In library of Josiah Frank-
lin, 5. In Boston Public Library,
6. In Harvard Library, 7. Number
printed, 1706-1719, 8. Franklin's
efforts to get, 18, 19. Books read
by him, 19, 20.
Book of Common Prayer: Sir F.
Dashwood's abridgment,
Franklin contributes to, 92.
Bordeaux, reception of Adams at,
231, 232.
Boston: Description of 1706, 2, 3.
Benjamin Franklin born at, 3.
Library at, 6, 7. Pilgrim's Prog-
ress printed at, 8. "Publick
Occurrences" published at, 11.
"The News Letter," 12, 13. "Bos-
ton Gazette" started, 13. "New
England Courant" begun, 21.
Cotton Mather introduces inocu-
lation, 22. Is abused, 22, 23.
"Courant" persecuted, 27-29.
James Franklin forbidden to print,
29. Benjamin Franklin leaves Bos-
ton, 33. "Votes and Proceedings,"
etc, preface by Franklin, 205, 206.
Braddock, Edmund, 163, 164.
Bradford, William, Franklin applies
to, for work, 33. First printer in
the Middle Colonies, 36. Sketch
of, 37. His struggle for liberty of
the press, 37-39.
Bradford, Andrew, 39. Asked to
print Sewel's History of the
Quakers, 46. His " Weekly Mer-
cury," 47. Starts American Mag-
azine, 129-135.
Brebœuf, 160.
Breintnal, Joseph, 53.
"Brief State of the Province of
Pa," 180.
Censorship of the Press in Massa-
chusetts, 27-30. In Pennsylva-
nia, 38, 39.
Chester County (Pa.), petition for
more shillings on the dollar, etc.,
58.
"Choice of a Mistress," 266.
Churches: The Old South, 2. "Our
Lady of Victory," 56.
"Old
Buttonwood," 79.
Clericus, 26.
"Club for the Propagation of Sense
and Good Manners," 30-32.
Colonies: State of, in 1706, 1-3.
Printing in, 7, 8. Literature, 8.
Newspapers, 11-13. Pirates, 14-
18. Liberty of the Press, 26-29.
Almanacs in, 37, 38, 97-100. Wars
of, 55-57. Issue paper money,
56-60.
"Collection of English Proverbs,"
Ray's, Franklin borrows from,
112, note.
Collison, Peter, 155.
"Comparison of Great Britain and
America," 225.
Conestoga Indians: On the Manor,
173. Massacre of, 174, 175.
Congress: Franklin delivers their
Declaration of Rights, 214. Frank-
lin a member of, 216, 217. Send
Franklin to France, 217, 218-220.
Send Adams out and recall Deane,
231. Appoint Franklin sole min-
ister, 232.
Accept his resigna-
tion, 240.
Connecticut, issues paper bills, 57.
Constables in old times, 83.
Constitutions of the States: Trans-
lated by Dubourg, 224. Forbid-
den to be published, 230. French
estimate of, 224.
Conyngham, Gustavus, 229-239.
"Cool Thoughts," 180, 181.
Copley medal given to Franklin,
156.
Courant, The New England: Start-
ed by James Franklin, 21. Char-
acter of, 23. Articles contributed
by Franklin, 23-26. Notice of
pirates off Block Island, 26, 27.
Editor of, in jail, 27, 28. Remarks
on the conduct of Governor
Shute, 28, 29. Franklin forbid-
den to print, 29. Benjamin
Franklin becomes printer, 30.
Dr. Janus, 30-32.
Coxe, D. His plan of union for the
colonies borrowed by Franklin,
162, 163.
Crequi, Marquise de, 223.
and Critico, 78. Socrates and
Glaucon, 78.
Dialogue between X, Y, and Z,
165.
Dialogue between two Presbyte-
rians, 78.
Dialogue between Britain, France,
etc., 225.
Dialogue between Franklin and the
Gout, 236.
Dickinson, John, 181. His speech,
182. Called "The Maybe,'
182.
Tries to defeat Franklin, 186, 187.
Dictionary: Publication of Cham-
bers's, begun in Keimer's news-
paper, 48. Ended, 65.
Dogood, Silence, Essays of, 23-26.
Dollar, Spanish, petition to increase
number of shillings in, 58, 59.
Donegal, 174.
"Drinkers' Dictionary," 78.
Duane, William, edits Franklin's
works, 261.
Dubourg, Barbeu, translates Frank-
lin's electrical writings, 156.
Meets Franklin, 207. Translates
his writings, 207. Difficulty of,
207, 208. Letter to Franklin, 219.
Translates the State Constitu-
tions, 224. Forbidden to publish,
230.
Duel, relative to Hutchinson Let-
ters, 211.
Credit bills in the colonies, 55, 57- Economists, The, 206.
"Edict of the King of Prussia,”
204, 205.
Cuba, call for volunteers to plun- Edinburg Review, charges against
der, 138, 139.
Cushing, Thomas, 210.
Dalibard, draws electricity from the
clouds, 156.
Dashwood, Sir Francis, abridges
the Book of Common Prayer, 92.
David, paraphrased by Franklin,
Deane, Silas, 219, 229, 230, 231.
Declaration of Rights, 214.
Denman, befriends Franklin, 44.
D'Estaing, 231.
Defense of Printers, 75, 76,
De Foe: Keimer publishes his Re-
ligious Courtship, 48.
Delaware, outrages on the river,
140, 141, 142.
De Lor, 156.
Dialogues between Philocles and
Horatius, 78. Between Socrates
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