BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 29 



connected discourse under the title of The Way to IVeallh, 

 a production which has become so extensively popular that 

 many of our readers are probably familiar with it 



We shall quote, in his own words, the account he gives 

 us of the manner in which he pursued one branch of his 

 studies : — 



'I had begun,' says he, 'in 1733 to study languages. I 

 soon made myself so much a master of the French, as to 

 be able to read the books in that language with ease. I then 

 undertook the Italian. An acquaintance, who was also 

 learning it, used often to tempt me to play chess with him. 

 Finding this took up too much of the time I had to spare 

 for study, I at length refused to play any more, unless on 

 this condition, that the victor in every game should Jiive 

 a right to impose a task, either of parts of the grammar to 

 be got by heart, or in translations, etc., which tasks tlie 

 vanquished was to perform upon honour before our next 

 meeting. As we played pretty equally, we thus beat one 

 another into that language. I afterwards, with a little pains- 

 taking, acquired as much of the Spanish as to read their books 

 also. I have already mentioned that I had had only one 

 year's instruction in a Latin school, and that when very young, 

 after which I neglected that language entirely. But when I 

 had attained an acquaintance with the French, Italian, and 

 Spanish, I was surprised to find, on looking over a Latin 

 Testament, that I understood more of that language than 

 I had imagined, wlaich encouraged me to apply myself again 

 to the study of it; and I met with the more success, as 

 tliose preceding languages had greatly smoothed my way.' 



In 1736 he was chosen clerk of the General Assembly, 

 and being soon after appointed deputy-postmaster for the 



