Waters. I have Land, and raise Corn. With this, if I feed a Family that
does nothing, my Corn will be consum'd, and at the end of the Year I
shall be no richer than I was at the beginning. But if, while I feed
them, I employ them, some in Spinning, others in hewing Timber and
sawing Boards, others in making Bricks, &c. for Building, the Value of
my Corn will be arrested and remain with me, and at the end of the Year
we may all be better clothed and better lodged. And if, instead of
employing a Man I feed in making Bricks, I employ him in fiddling for
me, the Corn he eats is gone, and no Part of his Manufacture remains to
augment the Wealth and Convenience of the family; I shall therefore be
the poorer for this fiddling Man, unless the rest of my Family work
more, or eat less, to make up the Deficiency he occasions.
Look round the World and see the Millions employ'd in doing nothing, or
in something that amounts to nothing, when the Necessaries and
Conveniences of Life are in question. What is the Bulk of Commerce, for
which we fight and destroy each other, but the Toil of Millions for
Superfluities, to the great Hazard and Loss of many Lives by the
constant Dangers of the Sea? How much labour is spent in Building and
fitting great Ships, to go to China and Arabia for Tea and Coffee, to
the West Indies for Sugar, to America for Tobacco! These things cannot
be called the Necessaries of Life, for our Ancestors lived very
comfortably without them.
A Question may be asked; Could all these People, now employed in
raising, making, or carrying Superfluities, be subsisted by raising
Necessaries? I think they might. The World is large, and a great Part of
it still uncultivated. Many hundred Millions of Acres in Asia, Africa,
and America are still Forest, and a great Deal even in Europe. On 100
Acres of this Forest a Man might become a substantial Farmer, and
100,000 Men, employed in clearing each his 100 Acres, would hardly
brighten a Spot big enough to be Visible from the Moon, unless with
Herschell's Telescope; so vast are the Regions still in Wood unimproved.
'Tis however, some Comfort to reflect, that, upon the whole, the
Quantity of Industry and Prudence among Mankind exceeds the Quantity of
Idleness and Folly. Hence the Increase of good Buildings, Farms
cultivated, and populous Cities filled with Wealth, all over Europe,
which a few Ages since were only to be found on the Coasts of the
Mediterranean; and this, notwithstanding the mad Wars continually
raging, by which are often destroyed in one year the Works of many
Years' Peace. So that we may hope the Luxury of a few Merchants on the
Seacoast will not be the Ruin of America.
One reflection more, and I well end this long, rambling Letter. Almost
all the Parts of our Bodies require some Expence. The Feet demand Shoes;
the Legs, Stockings; the rest of the Body, Clothing; and the Belly, a
good deal of Victuals. _Our_ Eyes, tho' exceedingly useful, ask, when
reasonable, only the cheap Assistance of Spectacles, which could not
much impair our Finances. But _the Eyes of other People_ are the Eyes
that ruin us. If all but myself were blind, I should want neither fine
Clothes, fine Houses, nor fine Furniture. Adieu, my dear Friend, I am
Yours ever
B. FRANKLIN.
P.S. This will be delivered to you by my Grandson. I am persuaded you
will afford him your Civilities and Counsels. Please to accept a little
Present of Books, I send by him, curious for the Beauty of the
Impression.
TO GEORGE WHATELY[123]
Passy, May 23, 1785.
DEAR OLD FRIEND,
... I must agree with you, that the Gout is bad, and that the Stone is
worse. I am happy in not having them both together, and I join in your
Prayer, that you may live till you die without either. But I doubt the
Author of the Epitaph you send me was a little mistaken, when he,
speaking of the World, says, that
"he ne'er car'd a pin
What they said or may say of the Mortal within."
It is so natural to wish to be well spoken of, whether alive or dead,
that I imagine he could not be quite exempt from that Desire; and that
at least he wish'd to be thought a Wit, or he would not have given
himself the Trouble of writing so good an Epitaph to leave behind him.
Was it not as worthy of his Care, that the World should say he was an
honest and a good Man? I like better the concluding Sentiment in the old
Song, call'd _The Old Man's Wish_, wherein, after wishing for a warm
House in a country Town, an easy Horse, some good old authors, ingenious
and cheerful Companions, a Pudding on Sundays, with stout Ale, and a
bottle of Burgundy, &c., &c., in separate Stanzas, each ending with this
burthen,
"May I govern my Passions with an absolute sway,
Grow wiser and better as my Strength wears away,
Without Gout or Stone, by a gentle Decay;"
he adds,
"With a Courage undaunted may I face my last day,
And, when I am gone, may the better Sort say,
'In the Morning when sober, in the Evening when mellow,
He's gone, and has not left behind him his Fellow;
For he governed his Passions, &c."'
But what signifies our Wishing? Things happen, after all, as they will
happen. I have sung that _wishing Song_ a thousand times, when I was
young, and now find, at Fourscore, that the three Contraries have
befallen me, being subject to the Gout and the Stone, and not being yet
Master of all my Passions. Like the proud Girl in my Country, who wished
and resolv'd not to marry a Parson, nor a Presbyterian, nor an Irishman;
and at length found herself married to an Irish Presbyterian Parson.
You see I have some reason to wish, that, in a future State, I may not
only be _as well as I was_, but a little better. And I hope it; for I,
too, with your Poet, _trust in God_. And when I observe, that there is
great Frugality, as well as Wisdom, in his Works, since he has been
evidently sparing both of Labour and Materials; for by the various
wonderful Inventions of Propagation, he has provided for the continual
peopling his World with Plants and Animals, without being at the Trouble
of repeated new Creations; and by the natural Reduction of compound
Substances to their original Elements, capable of being employ'd in new
Compositions, he has prevented the Necessity of creating new Matter; so
that the Earth, Water, Air, and perhaps Fire, which being compounded
form Wood, do, when the Wood is dissolved, return, and again become Air,
Earth, Fire, and Water; I say, that, when I see nothing annihilated, and
not even a Drop of Water wasted, I cannot suspect the Annihilation of
Souls, or believe, that he will suffer the daily Waste of Millions of
Minds ready made that now exist, and put himself to the continual
Trouble of making new ones. Thus finding myself to exist in the World, I
believe I shall, in some Shape or other, always exist; and, with all the
inconveniencies human Life is liable to, I shall not object to a new
Edition of mine; hoping, however, that the _Errata_ of the last may be
corrected.
... Adieu, my dear Friend, and believe me ever yours very
affectionately,
B. FRANKLIN.
TO JOHN BARD AND MRS. BARD
Philadelphia, November 14, 1785.
DEAR FRIENDS,
I received your kind letter, which gave me great pleasure, as it
informed me of your welfare. Your friendly congratulations are very
obliging. I had on my return some right, as you observe, to expect
repose; and it was my intention to avoid all public business. But I had
not firmness enough to resist the unanimous desire of my country folks;
and I find myself harnessed again in their service for another year.
They engrossed the prime of my life. They have eaten my flesh, and seem
resolved now to pick my bones. You are right in supposing, that I
interest myself in every thing that affects you and yours, sympathizing
in your afflictions, and rejoicing in your felicities; for our
friendship is ancient, and was never obscured by the least cloud.
I thank you for your civilities to my grandson, and am ever, with
sincere and great esteem and regard, my dear friends, yours most
affectionately,
B. FRANKLIN.
TO JONATHAN SHIPLEY
Philadelphia, Feb. 24^th, 1786.
DEAR FRIEND,
I received lately your kind letter of Nov. 27th. My Reception here was,
as you have heard, very honourable indeed; but I was betray'd by it, and
by some Remains of Ambition, from which I had imagined myself free, to
accept of the Chair of Government for the State of Pennsylvania, when
the proper thing for me was Repose and a private Life. I hope, however,
to be able to bear the Fatigue for one Year, and then to retire.
I have much regretted our having so little Opportunity for Conversation
when we last met. You could have given me Informations and Counsels that
I wanted, but we were scarce a Minute together without being broke in
upon. I am to thank you, however, for the Pleasure I had after our
Parting, in reading the new Book[124] you gave me, which I think
generally well written and likely to do good; tho' the Reading Time of
most People is of late so taken up with News Papers and little
periodical Pamphlets, that few now-a-days venture to attempt reading a
Quarto Volume. I have admir'd to see, that, in the last Century, a
Folio, _Burton on Melancholly_, went through Six Editions in about
Twenty Years. We have, I believe, more Readers now, but not of such
large Books.
You seem desirous of knowing what Progress we make here in improving our
Governments. We are, I think, in the right Road of Improvement, for we
are making Experiments. I do not oppose all that seem wrong, for the
Multitude are more effectually set right by Experience, than kept from
going wrong by Reasoning with them. And I think we are daily more and
more enlightened; so that I have no doubt of our obtaining in a few
Years as much public Felicity, as good Government is capable of
affording.
Your NewsPapers are fill'd with fictitious Accounts of Anarchy,
Confusion, Distresses, and Miseries, we are suppos'd to be involv'd in,
as Consequences of the Revolution; and the few remaining Friends of the
old Government among us take pains to magnify every little Inconvenience
a Change in the Course of Commerce may have occasion'd. To obviate the
Complaints they endeavour to excite, was written the enclos'd little
Piece,[125] from which you may form a truer Idea of our Situation, than
your own public Prints would give you. And I can assure you, that the
great Body of our Nation find themselves happy in the Change, and have
not the smallest Inclination to return to the Domination of Britain.
There could not be a stronger Proof of the general Approbation of the
Measures, that promoted the Change, and of the Change itself, than has
been given by the Assembly and Council of this State, in the nearly
unanimous Choice for their Governor, of one who had been so much
concern'd in those Measures, the Assembly being themselves the unbrib'd
Choice of the People, and therefore may be truly suppos'd of the same
Sentiments. I say nearly unanimous, because, of between 70 and 80 Votes,
there were only my own and one other in the negative.
As to my Domestic Circumstances, of which you kindly desire to hear
something, they are at present as happy as I could wish them. I am
surrounded by my Offspring, a Dutiful and Affectionate Daughter in my
House, with Six Grandchildren, the eldest of which you have seen, who is
now at a College in the next Street, finishing the learned Part of his
Education; the others promising, both for Parts and good Dispositions.
What their Conduct may be, when they grow up and enter the important
Scenes of Life, I shall not live to _see_, and I cannot _foresee_. I
therefore enjoy among them the present Hour, and leave the future to
Providence.
He that raises a large Family does, indeed, while he lives to observe
them, _stand_, as Watts says, _a broader Mark for Sorrow_; but then he
stands a broader Mark for Pleasure too. When we launch our little Fleet
of Barques into the Ocean, bound to different Ports, we hope for each a
prosperous Voyage; but contrary Winds, hidden Shoals, Storms, and
Enemies come in for a Share in the Disposition of Events; and though
these occasion a Mixture of Disappointment, yet, considering the Risque
where we can make no Insurance, we should think ourselves happy if some
return with Success. My Son's Son, Temple Franklin, whom you have also
seen, having had a fine Farm of 600 Acres[126] convey'd to him by his
Father when we were at Southampton, has drop'd for the present his Views
of acting in the political Line, and applies himself ardently to the
Study and Practice of Agriculture. This is much more agreable to me, who
esteem it the most useful, the most independent, and therefore the
noblest of Employments. His Lands are on navigable water, communicating
with the Delaware, and but about 16 Miles from this City. He has
associated to himself a very skillful English Farmer lately arrived
here, who is to instruct him in the Business, and partakes for a Term
of the Profits; so that there is a great apparent Probability of their
Success.
You will kindly expect a Word or two concerning myself. My Health and
Spirits continue, Thanks to God, as when you saw me. The only complaint
I then had, does not grow worse, and is tolerable. I still have
Enjoyment in the Company of my Friends; and, being easy in my
Circumstances, have many Reasons to like Living. But the Course of
Nature must soon put a period to my present Mode of Existence. This I
shall submit to with less Regret, as, having seen during a long Life a
good deal of this World, I feel a growing Curiosity to be acquainted
with some other; and can chearfully, with filial Confidence, resign my
Spirit to the conduct of that great and good Parent of Mankind, who
created it, and who has so graciously protected and prospered me from my
Birth to the present Hour. Wherever I am, I hope always to retain the
pleasing remembrance of your Friendship, being with sincere and great
Esteem, my dear Friend, yours most affectionately,
B. FRANKLIN.
P.S. We all join in Respects to Mrs. Shipley, and best wishes for the
whole amiable Family.
TO -------- [127]
Phila. July 3, 1786 [?].
DEAR SIR,
I have read your Manuscript with some Attention. By the Argument it
contains against the Doctrines of a particular Providence, tho' you
allow a general Providence, you strike at the Foundation of all
Religion. For without the Belief of a Providence, that takes Cognizance
of, guards, and guides, and may favour particular Persons, there is no
Motive to Worship a Deity, to fear its Displeasure, or to pray for its
Protection. I will not enter into any Discussion of your Principles,
tho' you seem to desire it. At present I shall only give you my
Opinion, that, though your Reasonings are subtile, and may prevail with
some Readers, you will not succeed so as to change the general
Sentiments of Mankind on that Subject, and the Consequence of printing
this Piece will be, a great deal of Odium drawn upon yourself, Mischief
to you, and no Benefit to others. He that spits against the Wind, spits
in his own Face.[128]
But, were you to succeed, do you imagine any Good would be done by it?
You yourself may find it easy to live a virtuous Life, without the
Assistance afforded by Religion; you having a clear Perception of the
Advantages of Virtue, and the Disadvantages of Vice, and possessing a
Strength of Resolution sufficient to enable you to resist common
Temptations. But think how great a Proportion of Mankind consists of
weak and ignorant Men and Women, and of inexperienc'd, and inconsiderate
Youth of both Sexes, who have need of the Motives of Religion to
restrain them from Vice, to support their Virtue, and retain them in the
Practice of it till it becomes _habitual_, which is the great Point for
its Security. And perhaps you are indebted to her originally, that is,
to your Religious Education, for the Habits of Virtue upon which you now
justly value yourself. You might easily display your excellent Talents
of reasoning upon a less hazardous subject, and thereby obtain a Rank
with our most distinguish'd Authors. For among us it is not necessary,
as among the Hottentots, that a Youth, to be receiv'd into the Company
of men, should prove his Manhood by beating his Mother.
I would advise you, therefore, not to attempt unchaining the Tyger, but
to burn this Piece before it is seen by any other Person; whereby you
will save yourself a great deal of Mortification from the Enemies it may
raise against you, and perhaps a good deal of Regret and Repentance. If
men are so wicked as we now see them _with religion_, what would they be
_if without it_. I intend this Letter itself as a _Proof_ of my
Friendship, and therefore add no _Professions_ to it; but subscribe
simply yours,
B. F.
SPEECH IN THE CONVENTION; ON THE SUBJECT OF SALARIES[129]
[Delivered June 2, 1787]
SIR,
It is with Reluctance that I rise to express a Disapprobation of any one
Article of the Plan, for which we are so much obliged to the honourable
Gentleman who laid it before us. From its first Reading, I have borne a
good Will to it, and, in general, wish'd it Success. In this Particular
of Salaries to the Executive Branch, I happen to differ; and, as my
Opinion may appear new and chimerical, it is only from a Persuasion that
it is right, and from a Sense of Duty, that I hazard it. The Committee
will judge of my Reasons when they have heard them, and their judgment
may possibly change mine. I think I see Inconveniences in the
Appointment of Salaries; I see none in refusing them, but on the
contrary great Advantages.
Sir, there are two Passions which have a powerful Influence in the
Affairs of Men. These are _Ambition_ and _Avarice_, the Love of Power
and the Love of Money. Separately, each of these has great Force in
prompting Men to Action; but when united in View of the same Object,
they have in many Minds the most violent Effects. Place before the Eyes
of such Men a Post of _Honour_, that shall at the same time be a Place
of _Profit_, and they will move Heaven and Earth to obtain it. The vast
Number of such Places it is that renders the British Government so
tempestuous. The Struggles for them are the true Source of all those
Factions which are perpetually dividing the Nation, distracting its
Councils, hurrying it sometimes into fruitless and mischievous Wars, and
often compelling a Submission to dishonourable Terms of Peace.
And of what kind are the men that will strive for this profitable
Preëminence, thro' all the Bustle of Cabal, the Heat of Contention, the
infinite mutual Abuse of Parties, tearing to Pieces the best of
Characters? It will not be the wise and moderate, the Lovers of Peace
and good Order, the men fittest for the Trust. It will be the Bold and
the Violent, the men of strong Passions and indefatigable Activity in
their selfish Pursuits. These will thrust themselves into your
Government, and be your Rulers. And these, too, will be mistaken in the
expected Happiness of their Situation; for their vanquish'd competitors,
of the same Spirit, and from the same Motives, will perpetually be
endeavouring to distress their Administration, thwart their Measures,
and render them odious to the People.
Besides these Evils, Sir, tho' we may set out in the Beginning with
moderate Salaries, we shall find, that such will not be of long
Continuance. Reasons will never be wanting for propos'd Augmentations,
and there will always be a Party for giving more to the Rulers, that the
Rulers may be able in Return to give more to them. Hence, as all History
informs us, there has been in every State and Kingdom a constant kind of
Warfare between the Governing and the Governed; the one striving to
obtain more for its Support, and the other to pay less. And this has
alone occasion'd great Convulsions, actual Civil Wars, ending either in
dethroning of the Princes or enslaving of the People. Generally, indeed,
the Ruling Power carries its Point, and we see the Revenues of Princes
constantly increasing, and we see that they are never satisfied, but
always in want of more. The more the People are discontented with the
Oppression of Taxes, the greater Need the Prince has of Money to
distribute among his Partisans, and pay the Troops that are to suppress
all Resistance, and enable him to plunder at Pleasure. There is scarce a
King in a hundred, who would not, if he could, follow the Example of
Pharaoh,--get first all the People's Money, then all their Lands, and
then make them and their Children Servants for ever. It will be said,
that we do not propose to establish Kings. I know it. But there is a
natural Inclination in Mankind to kingly Government. It sometimes
relieves them from Aristocratic Domination. They had rather have one
Tyrant than 500. It gives more of the Appearance of Equality among
Citizens; and that they like. I am apprehensive, therefore,--perhaps too
apprehensive,--that the Government of these States may in future times
end in a Monarchy. But this Catastrophe, I think, may be long delay'd,
if in our propos'd System we do not sow the Seeds of Contention,
Faction, and Tumult, by making our Posts of Honour Places of Profit. If
we do, I fear, that, tho' we employ at first a Number and not a single
Person, the Number will in time be set aside; it will only nourish the
Foetus of a King (as the honourable Gentleman from Virg^a very aptly
express'd it), and a King will the sooner be set over us.
It may be imagined by some, that this is an Utopian Idea, and that we
can never find Men to serve us in the Executive Department, without
paying them well for their Services. I conceive this to be a Mistake.
Some existing Facts present themselves to me, which incline me to a
contrary Opinion. The High Sheriff of a County in England is an
honourable Office, but it is not a profitable one. It is rather
expensive, and therefore not sought for. But yet it is executed, and
well executed, and usually by some of the principal Gentlemen of the
County. In France, the Office of Counsellor, or Member of their
judiciary Parliaments, is more honourable. It is therefore purchas'd at
a High Price; there are indeed Fees on the Law Proceedings, which are
divided among them, but these Fees do not amount to more than three per
cent on the Sum paid for the Place. Therefore, as legal Interest is
there at five per cent, they in fact pay two per cent for being allow'd
to do the Judiciary Business of the Nation, which is at the same time
entirely exempt from the Burthen of paying them any Salaries for their
Services. I do not, however, mean to recommend this as an eligible Mode
for our judiciary Department. I only bring the Instance to show, that
the Pleasure of doing Good and serving their Country, and the Respect
such Conduct entitles them to, are sufficient Motives with some Minds,
to give up a great Portion of their Time to the Public, without the mean
Inducement of pecuniary Satisfaction.
Another Instance is that of a respectable Society, who have made the
Experiment, and practis'd it with Success, now more than a hundred
years. I mean the Quakers. It is an establish'd Rule with them that they
are not to go to law, but in their Controversies they must apply to
their Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Meetings. Committees of these sit
with Patience to hear the Parties, and spend much time in composing
their Differences. In doing this, they are supported by a Sense of Duty,
and the Respect paid to Usefulness. It is honourable to be so employ'd,
but it was never made profitable by Salaries, Fees, or Perquisites. And
indeed, in all Cases of public Service, the less the Profit the greater
the Honour.
To bring the Matter nearer home, have we not seen the greatest and most
important of our Offices, that of General of our Armies, executed for
Eight Years together, without the smallest Salary, by a patriot whom I
will not now offend by any other Praise; and this, thro' Fatigues and
Distresses, in common with the other brave Men, his military Friends and
Companions, and the constant Anxieties peculiar to his Station? And
shall we doubt finding three or four Men in all the United States, with
public Spirit enough to bear sitting in peaceful Council, for perhaps an
equal Term, merely to preside over our civil Concerns, and see that our
Laws are duly executed? Sir, I have a better opinion of our Country. I
think we shall never be without a sufficient Number of wise and good Men
to undertake, and execute well and faithfully, the Office in question.