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When we turn from Franklin's labored pieces to his letters, we find that they, too, are worthy of notice. They abound in worldly wisdom, in shrewd observations, in good-humor, good stories, good sense, all set forth in plain English and in an easy, flowing style. In them is displayed to perfection the independence of thought, the sagacity, the direct and simple reasoning, the happy faculty of illustration by homely objects and parallel cases; that invincible self-control which neither obstinacy, nor stupidity, nor duplicity, nor wearisome delay could ever break down; and, what is better than all, the fearless truthfulness so characteristic of the man. Where all are good, to choose is hard. But it is idle to expect that the readers of our time will peruse the stout volumes into which Mr. Sparks has gathered a part of them. It may therefore be well to name a few which may be taken as samples of all, and these few are: the letter on the habits and treatment of the aged; that on early marriages; the account of his journey to Paris; the three on the Wilkes mob in London; the moral algebra; that containing the apologue on the conduct of men toward each other; that on the art of producing pleasant dreams; that on the Cincinnati; that to Mr. Percival on dueling; to his daughter on ex

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

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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."

INDEX.

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,
270.

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Bath, Earl of, 171.
Bellamy, the pirate, 15.
Bethlehem, 164. Moravian Indians
at, 173.

Bible: Franklin's paraphrase of
David's Lamentation, 85, 86. Of
a chapter of Job, 87-89. The par-
able against persecution, 90, 91.
"Parable on Brotherly Love," 91,
92.

Biddle, James, 195.

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.

raphy, 266, 267.

Biloxi, 160.

"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, 92.
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.

"Busybody" papers, 49-53.

Ca Ira, 222.

Campbell, John, 12. First news-
paper reporter, 14.

Canada: Early struggle for, 55, 56,
57. Capture of Louisburg, 140.
Question of surrendering Canada,
168-171.

Capefigue's estimate of Franklin,

223.

"Captivity among the Indians,”
Mary Rowlandson's, 8.
Carey, Matthew, 242.
Caricatures of Franklin, 183, 184,
195.
Carlisle, 173.

Carmichael, William, 232.
Catechism, Franklin's abridgment,
92.

Cave, E., 155.

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.
Lady of Victory," 56.
Buttonwood," 79.
Clericus, 26.

"Our

"Old

"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.

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