_Library of the Junto. A public Library established. Franklin
studies. His Frugality. Anecdote of the Bowl and Spoon. His Scheme of
arriving at Moral Perfection. Table of Precepts. Franklin's Remarks
upon it. Poor Richard's Almanac._
1. At the time Franklin first established himself in Pennsylvania,
there was not a good bookseller's shop any where to the south of
Boston. In New York and Philadelphia, the printers were stationers,
but they kept only paper, almanacs, ballads, and a few common school
books. Those who loved reading were obliged to send for their books
from England.
2. The members of the Junto had, each of them, a few volumes. They had
hired a room, in which to hold their meetings, and Franklin proposed
that they should all bring their books to that room. In this manner
they would not only be ready for them to consult and refer to, but
would become a common benefit, by allowing each one to borrow such as
he wished to read at home.
3. This was accordingly done, and for a while answered their purpose
very well. Finding the advantage and convenience of this little
collection, Franklin proposed to render the benefit more general, by
commencing a public subscription library. He drew a sketch of the plan
and rules that would be necessary, and had them put into the form of
articles to be subscribed. By these articles, each subscriber agreed
to pay a certain sum for the first purchase of the books, and a yearly
contribution for increasing them.
4. The number of readers, at that time, in Philadelphia, was so small,
that it was with great difficulty Franklin was able to procure fifty
subscribers, willing to pay forty shillings to begin with, and ten
shillings a year for a contribution. With this number the library was
commenced. The books were imported, and lent out to subscribers. Great
advantages were derived from the institution, and it was soon imitated
in other places.
5. In this library, Franklin found means of continual improvement. He
set apart an hour or two in each day for study, and in this way, in
some degree, made up for the loss of a learned education. Reading was
his only amusement. His attention to business was as strict as it was
necessary. He was in debt for his printing house, and had an
increasing family; with two rivals in his business, who had been
established before him. Notwithstanding all this, however, he grew
more easy in his circumstances every day.
6. His early habits of frugality continued. He often thought of the
proverb of Solomon, which his father had impressed on him while a
boy--"Seest thou a man diligent in his calling? he shall stand before
kings, he shall not stand before mean men." Industry appeared a means
of obtaining wealth and distinction, and the thought encouraged him to
new exertions. We shall see, by and by, that little as his father
expected it, the son really came to stand, with honor, in the presence
of monarchs.
7. His wife was, fortunately, as well inclined to industry and
frugality as he was himself. She assisted him in his business, folding
and stitching pamphlets, tending shop, and purchasing old linen rags
for the paper-makers. They kept no idle servants, their table was
simply furnished, and their furniture was plain and cheap.
8. "My breakfast," says Franklin, "was for a long time bread and milk
(no tea), and I ate it out of a twopenny earthen porringer, with a
pewter spoon: but mark how luxury will enter families, and make a
progress in spite of principle; being called one morning to breakfast,
I found it in a china bowl, with a spoon of silver. They had been
bought for me, without my knowledge, by my wife, and had cost her the
enormous sum of three and twenty shillings; for which she had no other
excuse or apology to make, but that she thought her husband deserved a
silver spoon and china bowl as well as any of his neighbors. This was
the first appearance of plate and china in our house, which
afterwards, in a course of years, as our wealth increased, augmented
gradually to several hundred pounds in value."
9. It was about this time that Franklin formed the bold and difficult
project of arriving at moral perfection. As he knew, or thought he
knew, what was right and wrong, he did not see why he might not always
do the one and avoid the other. For this purpose, he made a table of
the different virtues, with certain rules and precepts annexed to
them. Some of these were as follows:
1. _Temperance._--Eat not to dulness: drink not to elevation.
2. _Silence._--Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself:
avoid trifling conversation.
3. _Order._--Let all your things have their places: let each part
of your business have its time.
4. _Resolution._--Resolve to perform what you ought: perform,
without fail, what you resolve.
5. _Frugality._--Make no expense but to do good to others or
yourself; that is, waste nothing.
6. _Industry._--Lose no time: be always employed in something
useful: cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. _Sincerity._--Use no hurtful deceit: think innocently and
justly: and if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. _Justice._--Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the
benefits that are your duty.
9. _Moderation._--Avoid extremes: forbear resenting injuries so
much as you think they deserve.
10. _Cleanliness._--Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or
habitation.
11. _Tranquility._--Be not disturbed at trifles, nor at accidents
common or unavoidable.
10. To acquire a habit of practising these virtues, he determined to
give a week's strict attention to each of them in succession. Thus, in
the first week, he took care to avoid even the slightest offence
against temperance, and strictly marked every fault in a little book
he kept for that purpose. This book he continued to keep for a great
number of years; till, in the pressure of public business, he was
obliged to give it up entirely.
11. "It is well," he wrote in his old age, "my posterity should be
informed that to this little artifice their ancestor owed the constant
felicity of his life, down to his seventy-ninth year, in which this is
written. What reverses may attend the remainder is in the hand of
Providence: but if they arrive, the reflection on past happiness
enjoyed ought to help his bearing them with more resignation."
12. "To _Temperance_ he ascribes his long continued health, and what
is still left to him of a good constitution. To _Industry_ and
_Frugality_, the early easiness of his circumstances, and acquisition
of his fortune, with all that knowledge that enabled him to be an
useful citizen, and obtained for him some degree of reputation among
the learned. To _Sincerity_ and _Justice_, the confidence of his
country, and the honorable employs it conferred upon him: and to the
joint influence of the whole mass of the virtues, even in the
imperfect state he was able to acquire them, all that evenness of
temper and that cheerfulness in conversation, which makes his company
still sought for, and agreeable even to his young acquaintance: I
hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example,
and reap the benefit."
13. In 1732, Franklin first published his almanac, under the name of
Richard Saunders. It was continued by him about twenty-five years, and
was commonly called Poor Richard's Almanac. He endeavored to make it
both entertaining and useful, and it accordingly came to be in great
demand. As it was generally read, and as the poor people bought hardly
any other books, Franklin thought it would be a good means to
circulate instruction among them. He, therefore, filled all the odd
spaces with proverbs and wise sayings.
14. These proverbs contained the experience and wisdom of many nations
and ages. In 1757, Franklin collected them into a discourse prefixed
to the almanac for that year. In this discourse, he represented an old
man talking to a number of people who were attending a sale at
auction. The hour for the sale not having come, the company were
conversing on the badness of the times.
15. One of them called out to a plain, clean old man, with white
locks, "Pray, father Abraham, what think ye of the times? Won't these
heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How shall we be ever able to pay
them? What would you advise us to do?" Father Abraham stood up, and
replied, "If you'd have my advice, I'll give it to you in short; 'for
a word to the wise is enough; and many words won't fill a bushel,' as
Poor Richard says."
16. The old man then went on to advise them to be industrious and
economical; and, in the course of his advice, repeated all of the wise
sayings of Poor Richard. In this manner they were all collected into a
single paper, called The Way to Wealth. This piece was very much
approved, copied into all the American newspapers, reprinted in Great
Britain, and translated into the French language. Large numbers of it
were, in this manner, distributed, and undoubtedly did a good deal of
service.
* * * * *
2. What plan did Franklin propose for the formation of a library?
3. How did it succeed? How did Franklin propose to extend its
advantages?
4. How many subscribers were obtained?
5. Did Franklin still pursue his studies, and how? Did his early
habits continue? What was the proverb so often repeated by his father?
7. What was the conduct of his wife?
8. Describe Franklin's breakfast, and give his humorous account of the
first appearance of luxury in his house.
9. What was Franklin's favorite project at this time? Repeat the table
of virtues, and the precepts annexed to them.
10. How did he attempt to acquire a habit of these virtues?
12. To what does Franklin ascribe his long continued health? the ease
of his circumstances? the confidence and honor he received from his
country?
13. When did he first publish his almanac? How long was it continued?
How did he endeavor to make it useful?
14. What was prefixed to the almanac for 1757?
16. How was _The Way to Wealth_ approved?