FRANKLIN. 
in his mind by perufing a work on the fubje@. He 
offered his brother to maintain himfelf for half the fum oad 
for his board, and even with this he was able to make favings 
to purchafe what books he wanted. In his brother he found 
a harfh mafter, and Benjami rie indignant at the treatment 
which he peed from.him in the way of bufinefs. The 
brother had fet up a newpaper in which the fa ag con- 
‘trived to infert fome papers and effays anonymoufly, that 
were read and highly pee a by oo of the beit judg- 
‘ment and tafte inthe town. The your egan now 
feel his importance, which was ftill more apical on him 
‘by ha¥ing the paper publifhed in his own name, that of his 
‘brother, for fome political offence, having been interdiéted 
by the flate. his indentures were 
cancelled, and rom thence 
to Philadelphia.. Here he contraéted an acquaintance with 
fome young men of a literary turn, in w rhofe fociety he {pent 
his evenings and improved his tafte. At v deed he ob- 
tained the notice of fir William Keith, mnor, who 
In confequence of this 
rent to Ne r 
him fupport and preteCtion. Franklin attempted to gair 
a aid from his parents, but was difappointed ; the 
gove uaded him to make a voyage to ngla d 
to furnith him falf ee - aac = a new pri -O Hic : 
e embraced the pro 
‘Ralph he failed = eee in os a 
‘he exchanged promifes of fidelity with Mils Read of Phila- 
delphia, with en father he had lodged. Upon his ar ae 
in London, Mr. Franklin found that governor Keith, u 
“whofe ict of credit and recommendation he had relied, fed 
entirely deceived him. He was now sie aa ae Ww ‘ork asa 
journeyman printer, and obtained emp loy office 
an Bartholomew-clofe. His friend did oe 0 pear find the 
‘means of fubfiftence, and was a co ] 
nftant drain upon the earn- 
ings of Franklin. In this great el the morals of the young 
‘travellers were — much alp baad Jece or acted 
mporeny t that he 
ranklin was as ‘Tittle attentive to the pro- 
to perfuade them that there was more 
real fuftenance in a penny roll than in a pint of porter ; at 
firlt the plan of economy which he propofed was wested with 
contempt or ridicule, but in the end he was able to induce 
Several of them to fubftitute a warm and nourifhing brealfat 
‘in the ee of flimulating liquors. In 172¢ 
Philadelphia, where he firft engaged himfelf as clerk in a 
eee houfe ; and in the courfe of a year he became the 
faperintendant of Keimer’ 8 printing-office, w here hé acquired 
fo much efteem, and fo far improved -his connections, that he 
xefolved to embark in bufinefs for himfelf. He entered into 
. : a 
Jor the concern, which was no doubt very {mall ; for Franklin 
e returned to _ 
to the fubje@, and in a thort 
oly of money fufficient , 
‘rica.’ 
me more “difpoted, en ote I ene otheewile i. 
ao to encourage young beginners in trade.”? i i 
ultry and ee Sean obtained him the notice 
ie buiinefs a ba aoe soy people in the place. He infti- 
tuted a club u nam “the Ju ‘the pur- 
ae of the dite ree of politica and philofophical queftions, 
which proved an excellent fchool for the mutual im 
of its fevaral members. The telt propofed to 
date before his admiffion was this ; “ Do you fincerely declare 
that you love mankind in general, of what profeflion or re- 
ligion foever ? Do you think any perfon ought to be harmed 
in his body, name, or goods, for mere fpeculative opinions, 
or his external way of worfhip ? Do you love truth for truth’s 
fake ; and will you endeavour’ impartially to. find and receive 
it yourfelf, and communicate it to others.” Mr. Franklin 
and his partner selene to fet up a new public paper, which: 
his own e er and printer caufed to fucceed, and 
fthe votes and laws of 
the affembly. 
the partner{hip, and Franklin me : ea friends who en gu 
him to undertake the whole concern in his own ha an 
add to it the bufinefs of a ftationer. A difcuffion concern 
ing a new — of paper-money-taking place, he wrote an 
mphlet in favour of the mealure which was, 
asl with aa and which contributed to fuccefs 
the meafure, and to the profperity of the writer. In 1730 
he married the lady to whom he had pledged his vows before 
he embarked for England, although, oe his negle&t of her;, 
fhe had been before married toa pane ead. -The efta- 
c lib one a? the ufeful projects 
which fie broug te S effet in 1731, an 
the fatisfaction: of feein ance to that flour 
which i 1732 he began to publifh 
“Poor Richard’s almanac,’? a work which be ecame remar 
able by the number of excellent prudential-maxims occafion- 
ally inferted in it, calculated, by their concifenefs, to be 
- readily and ae imprefled on the memory. They have 
when he. was ae clérk to the getieral affembly 
of Pen ie nia ; an office which he held for feveral years, 
till he was at length eletted a br hi le a In the follow- 
ing year he obtained, the able office of poft-maft 
to the city of a In ae he improved 
of the city, with refpe& to the dreadful oe of fire, by 
forming a fociety called a fire compan hic 
wards added an affurance office againft loffes by fire. 
French war of 1744 he ftood forth and propofed a plan of 
voluntary affociation for defence, which was fhortly joined 
a 10,000 Dae ons. Frank 
in was ee ofen colonel ey the 
Col- 
or experiments 
Franklin, with ome of his fr ends, immediately began to apply: 
oe valuab 2 
and highly important -difcoye ae an account 9 ich he. 
publifhed in three pieces, entitled « New experiments and 
obfervations in EleGrici city, made at ain Ame-. 
Philadelphia 
Although we may geacaly refer to : 
IGAR, 
