FRANKLIN: 745 
spending about 18 months in this: manner, and increa= Franklis. 
sing considerably his stock of knowledge by means of the ““\—™ 
much time for his favourite pursuits. . « When my bro- 
his workmen left the printing-house to go to 
longs, A.xtnbined behind :. and diepoching! tay Peon! 
meal, which frequently consisted of a biscuit only,.or.a 
slice of bread and a bunch of raisins, or a bun from the 
pastry-cook’s, with a glass of water, I had the rest of the 
time, till their return, for study ; and my progress there- 
in was proportioned to that clearness of ideas and quick- 
ness of conception, which are the fruit of temperan 
ce in 
eating and By perusing the works of Shaftes- 
bury and Collins, he became a sceptic in religion, and 
began to adopt the Socratic method of reasoning, es- 
fession, * merited.” 
Having sent to the newspaper, printed by his brother, 
several ae pieces, which were very favourably 
received by the critics of the place, he became a little 
more sensible of his own attainments, and could less easi- 
ly brook the severe treatment which he frequently expe- 
rienced as an apprentice. His brother, being of a pas- 
sionate temper, and his own impertinence sometimes ser- 
ving as a sufficient provocation, he was often punished 
blows. Having, besides, given offence, by the free- 
dom of some of his pieces in newspapers, both to 
to quit at once the service of his er, and the place of 
his nativity ; but, of being able to gain his fa- 
his books could enable him to raise. Being -disappoint- 
ed in his hopes of employment in that city, he proceeded 
to Philadelphia, where he arrived after a fatiguing journey, 
weary and hungry, without an acquaintance in the place, 
and with no greater stock of money than a Dutch dollar 
in his pocket. He soon found employment as a journey- 
man printer ; and his literary attainments having attract- 
‘ed the notice of the governor, Sir William Keith, he was 
eucouraged, by the flattering promises of his patron, to 
conceive the design of commencing business on his own 
aceount ; and at after a short delay, he accepted the 
offer of the governor to advance the necessary sum for 
his establishment in business, and sailed for London to 
purchase the materials of his intended printing-office. 
Upon his arrival in London, he found himself du 
ef false professions ; and discovered that his friend Sir 
William Keith was either unable, or had never intended 
to furnish him with those letters of credit.and recom- 
mendation upon which he relied. He therefore ie i 
ed himself as a journeyman printer in London, that he 
might improve his knowledge of the profession ; and ne- 
ver failed to recommend himself to those whom.he ser- 
ved, by his assiduous application to business, After 
VOL. IX. PART II, 
acquaintance which he made with several literary cha- 
racters, and the opportunities of reading which he en- 
joyed, he engaged himself as clerk to Mr Denham, a 
merchant of Philadelphia, and returned with him to that 
city in October 1726. But, in the beginning of the fol- 
lowing year, he was deprived of this excellent friend by 
death, and was once more obliged to resume his occupa- 
tion of printer, under his first employer in Philadelphia. 
In a short time, however, he opened a printing office in 
partnership with one of his fellow printers ; and, by in- 
defatigable.industry, soon acquired a sufficiency of funds 
and of friends to undertake the whole of the business. 
About this time, he mentions, in his Memoirs, that he 
had for several years been completely unsettled in his 
belief of religious principles, and even of moral obliga- 
tions ; but having witnessed in many of his companions, 
the demoralizing influence of such opinions, he became 
practically convinced of the importance at least of truth 
and probity in the transactions of human. life; ‘and, 
though uninfluenced by any respect for revelation, he 
was preserved by the good effects, it may be supposed, 
of his pious education, from gross immorality or injus- 
tice, and confirmed in a serious resolution to pursue a 
course of undeviating uprightness. He soon’ acquired 
the reputation of a most industrious and punctual trades- 
man, and his friends and employers daily increased. 
He instituted, in 1728, a literary society named the 
Junto, which subsisted during the space of 40 years, and 
became the foundation of the American Philosophical 
Society. At the same time, he published a new periodi- 
cal paper, to which he drew the attention of the public 
by his own ability in writing ; and particularly brought 
himself into notice, by a pamphlet on the Nature and 
Necessity of a Paper Currency. iegthr 
In 1730 he entered into the married state, and con« 
tinued to. prosper in business, to improye in knowledge, 
and to advance in public usefulness. He was chosen, 
first, printer, then clerk, and at length member of As- 
sembly, in which he represented the city of Philadelphia 
for 14 years successively. He was indefatigable in sug- 
gesting various useful improvements and institutions for 
the benefit of the community: and particularly contri« 
buted to the formation of a “ Library Company” in 1731 ; 
the establishment of an insurance office against damages 
by fire, in 1738 ; the enrolment of volunteers for the de- 
fence of the country in 1744 ; the foundation of an aca- 
demy and charitable school in 1749, which afterwards 
was erected intoa college or seminary of ee learning ; 
and the endowmentof the Pennsylvania Hospitalin 1750. 
He accomplished a beneficial reform in the police of the 
city; ministered to the daily comfort of his fellow citi- 
zens, by his improved plans of chimnies and fire places ; 
and essentially promoted the interests of frugality and in- 
dustry among the lower orders, by the publication of 
Poor Richard’s Almanack, In the midst of these hum- 
ble labours, he gave abundant evidence of his penetra- 
ting philosophical genius, by prosecuting a course of in- 
teresting experiments and discoveries on the subject of 
electricity, which, about the middle of the last century, 
hhad engaged so much of the attention of scientific en« 
quirers: (See Evecrriciry.) But, from the time that 
he became a member of the Assembly of Pennsylvania, in 
1747, his attention was so much directed to public af- 
fairs, that the greater part of the remainder of his life 
5B 
