BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
The most interesting American who ever lived was born in 1706 and died in 1790. The Boston-born son of a tallow chandler had two years of schooling and a few years of apprenticeship under his older brother’s stern watch before he fled New England at age seventeen and found himself almost penniless and yet ever resourceful in Philadelphia. He became a printer, writer, businessman, community activist, militiaman, scientist, diplomat and philosopher, as well as a family man, philanderer and social animal. Though extraordinary, our most famous and respected citizen was regarded in Europe as America’s “representative man.” As much as any American, he helped develop the idea of “American” as a national identity, and through his official and unofficial diplomacy in the 1750s and ’60s tried to bring about colonial compromise with England before he became the budding Revolution’s most eloquent and important spokesman.
An Apology for Printers (1731)
In this first selection, from a Philadelphia newspaper, we see Franklin’s teasing and testy defense of freedom of speech.
BEING FREQUENTLY CENSUR’D and condemn’d by different Persons for printing Things which they say ought not to be printed, I have sometimes thought it might be necessary to make a standing Apology for my self, and publish it once a Year, to be read upon all Occasions of that Nature. Much Business has hitherto hindered the execution of this Design; but having very lately given extraordinary Offence by printing an Advertisement with a certain N.B. at the End of it, I find an Apology more particularly requisite at this Juncture, tho’ it happens when I have not yet Leisure to write such a thing in the proper Form, and can only in a loose manner throw those Considerations together which should have been the Substance of it.
I request all who are angry with me on the Account of printing things they don’t like, calmly to consider these following Particulars:
1. That the Opinions of Men are almost as various as their Faces; an Observation general enough to become a common Proverb, So many Men so many Minds.
2. That the Business of Printing has chiefly to do with Mens Opinions; most things that are printed tending to promote some, or oppose others.
3. That hence arises the peculiar Unhappiness of that Business, which other Callings are no way liable to; they who follow Printing being scarce able to do any thing in their way of getting a Living, which shall not probably give Offence to some, and perhaps to many; whereas the Smith, the Shoemaker, the Carpenter, or the Man of any other Trade, may work indifferently for People of all Persuasions, without offending any of them: and the Merchant may buy and sell with Jews, Turks, Hereticks, and Infidels of all sorts, and get Money by every one of them, without giving Offence to the most orthodox, of any sort; or suffering the least Censure or Ill-will on the Account from any Man whatever.
4. That it is as unreasonable in any one Man or Set of Men to expect to be pleas’d with every thing that is printed, as to think that nobody ought to be pleas’d but themselves.
5. Printers are educated in the Belief, that when Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter: Hence they chearfully serve all contending Writers that pay them well, without regarding on which side they are of the Question in Dispute.
6. Being thus continually employ’d in serving all Parties, Printers naturally acquire a vast Unconcernedness as to the right or wrong Opinions contain’d in what they print; regarding it only as the Matter of their daily labour: They print things full of Spleen and Animosity, with the utmost Calmness and Indifference, and without the least Ill-will to the Persons reflected on; who nevertheless unjustly think the Printer as much their Enemy as the Author, and join both together in their Resentment.
7. That it is unreasonable to imagine Printers approve of every thing they print, and to censure them on any particular thing accordingly; since in the way of their Business they print such great variety of things opposite and contradictory. It is likewise as unreasonable what some assert, That Printers ought not to print any Thing but what they approve; since if all of that Business should make such a Resolution, and abide by it, an End would thereby be put to Free Writing, and the World would afterwards have nothing to read but what happen’d to be the Opinions of Printers.
8. That if all Printers were determin’d not to print any thing till they were sure it would offend no body, there would be very little printed.
9. That if they sometimes print vicious or silly things not worth reading, it may not be because they approve such things themselves, but because the People are so viciously and corruptly educated that good things are not encouraged. I have known a very numerous Impression of Robin Hood’s Songs go off in this Province at 2s. per Book, in less than a Twelvemonth; when a small Quantity of David’s Psalms (an excellent Version) have lain upon my Hands above twice the Time.
10. That notwithstanding what might be urg’d in behalf of a Man’s being allow’d to do in the Way of his Business whatever he is paid for, yet Printers do continually discourage the Printing of great Numbers of bad things, and stifle them in the Birth. I my self have constantly refused to print any thing that might countenance Vice, or promote Immorality; tho’ by complying in such Cases with the corrupt Taste of the Majority, I might have got much Money. I have also always refus’d to print such things as might do real Injury to any Person, how much soever I have been solicited, and tempted with Offers of great Pay; and how much soever I have by refusing got the Ill-will of those who would have employ’d me. I have heretofore fallen under the Resentment of large Bodies of Men, for refusing absolutely to print any of their Party or Personal Reflections. In this Manner I have made my self many Enemies, and the constant Fatigue of denying is almost insupportable. But the Publick being unacquainted with all this, whenever the poor Printer happens either through Ignorance or much Persuasion, to do any thing that is generally thought worthy of Blame, he meets with no more Friendship or Favour on the above Account, than if there were no Merit in’t at all. Thus, as Waller says,
Poets loose half the Praise they would have got Were it but known what they discreetly blot;
Yet are censur’d for every bad Line found in their Works with the utmost Severity.
I come now to the particular Case of the N.B. above-mention’d, about which there has been more Clamour against me, than ever before on any other Account.—In the Hurry of other Business an Advertisement was brought to me to be printed; it signified that such a Ship lying at such a Wharff, would sail for Barbadoes in such a Time, and that Freighters and Passengers might agree with the Captain at such a Place; so far is what’s common: But at the Bottom this odd Thing was added, N.B. No Sea Hens nor Black Gowns will be admitted on any Terms. I printed it, and receiv’d my Money; and the Advertisement was stuck up round the Town as usual. I had not so much Curiosity at that time as to enquire the Meaning of it, nor did I in the least imagine it would give so much Offence. Several good Men are very angry with me on this Occasion; they are pleas’d to say I have too much Sense to do such things ignorantly; that if they were Printers they would not have done such a thing on any Consideration; that it could proceed from nothing but my abundant Malice against Religion and the Clergy: They therefore declare they will not take any more of my Papers, nor have any farther Dealings with me; but will hinder me of all the Custom they can. All this is very hard!
I believe it had been better if I had refused to print the said Advertisement. However, ’tis done and cannot be revok’d. I have only the following few Particulars to offer, some of them in my Behalf, by way of Mitigation, and some not much to the Purpose; but I desire none of them may be read when the Reader is not in a very good Humour.
1. That I really did it without the least Malice, and imagin’d the N.B. was plac’d there only to make the Advertisement star’d at, and more generally read.
2. That I never saw the Word Sea-Hens before in my Life; nor have I yet ask’d the meaning of it; and tho’ I had certainly known that Black Gowns in that Place signified the Clergy of the Church of England, yet I have that confidence in the generous good Temper of such of them as I know, as to be well satisfied such a trifling mention of their Habit gives them no Disturbance.
3. That most of the Clergy in this and the neighbouring Provinces, are my Customers, and some of them my very good Friends; and I must be very malicious indeed, or very stupid, to print this thing for a small Profit, if I had thought it would have given them just Cause of Offence.
4. That if I have much Malice against the Clergy, and withal much Sense; ’tis strange I never write or talk against the Clergy my self. Some have observed that ’tis a fruitful Topic, and the easiest to be witty upon of all others. I can print any thing I write at less Charge than others; yet I appeal to the Publick that I am never guilty this way, and to all my Acquaintance as to my Conversation.
5. That if a Man of Sense had Malice enough to desire to injure the Clergy, this is the foolishest Thing he could possibly contrive for that Purpose.
6. That I got Five Shillings by it.
7. That none who are angry with me would have given me so much to let it alone.
8. That if all the People of different Opinions in this Province would engage to give me as much for not printing things they don’t like, as I can get by printing them, I should probably live a very easy Life; and if all Printers were every where so dealt by, there would be very little printed.
9. That I am oblig’d to all who take my Paper, and am willing to think they do it out of meer Friendship. I only desire they would think the same when I deal with them. I thank those who leave off, that they have taken it so long. But I beg they would not endeavour to dissuade others, for that will look like Malice.
10. That ’tis impossible any Man should know what he would do if he was a Printer.
11. That notwithstanding the Rashness and Inexperience of Youth, which is most likely to be prevail’d with to do things that ought not to be done; yet I have avoided printing such Things as usually give Offence either to Church or State, more than any Printer that has followed the Business in this Province before.
12. And lastly, That I have printed above a Thousand Advertisements which made not the least mention of Sea-Hens or Black Gowns; and this being the first Offence, I have the more Reason to expect Forgiveness.
I take leave to conclude with an old Fable, which some of my Readers have heard before, and some have not.
A certain well-meaning Man and his Son, were travelling towards a Market Town, with an Ass which they had to sell. The Road was bad; and the old Man therefore rid, but the Son went a-foot. The first Passenger they met, asked the Father if he was not ashamed to ride by himself, and suffer the poor Lad to wade along thro’ the Mire; this induced him to take up his Son behind him: He had not travelled far, when he met others, who said, they were two unmerciful Lubbers to get both on the Back of that poor Ass, in such a deep Road. Upon this the old Man gets off, and let his Son ride alone. The next they met called the Lad a graceless, rascally young Jackanapes, to ride in that Manner thro’ the Dirt, while his aged Father trudged along on Foot; and they said the old Man was a Fool, for suffering it. He then bid his Son come down, and walk with him, and they travell’d on leading the Ass by the Halter; ’till they met another Company, who called them a Couple of sensless Blockheads, for going both on Foot in such a dirty Way, when they had an empty Ass with them, which they might ride upon. The old Man could bear no longer; My Son, said he, it grieves me much that we cannot please all these People; Let us throw the Ass over the next Bridge, and be no farther troubled with him.
Had the old Man been seen acting this last Resolution, he would probably have been call’d a Fool for troubling himself about the different Opinions of all that were pleas’d to find Fault with him: Therefore, tho’ I have a Temper almost as complying as his, I intend not to imitate him in this last Particular. I consider the Variety of Humours among Men, and despair of pleasing every Body; yet I shall not therefore leave off Printing. I shall continue my Business. I shall not burn my Press and melt my Letters.
—The Pennsylvania Gazette (June 10, 1731)
Poor Richard’s Almanack
After a “preface” by Franklin, which we have excerpted from the posthumously published Part 3 of his Autobiography, we share a selection of several dozen of Poor Richard’s sayings. Franklin, writing in the character of “Poor Richard,” derived and recomposed his sayings from many sources, among them religious texts, folk wisdom and proverbs. In his bestselling annual publication, “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” Franklin “filled all the little Spaces that occurr’d between the Remarkable Days in the Calendar, with Proverbial Sentences.” They became a basis for what we think of as characteristic American practical philosophy.
IN 1732 I first published my Almanack, under the Name of Richard Saunders; it was continu’d by me about 25 Years, commonly call’d Poor Richard’s Almanack. I endeavor’d to make it both entertaining and useful, and it accordingly came to be in such Demand that I reap’d considerable Profit from it, vending annually near ten Thousand. And observing that it was generally read, scarce any Neighborhood in the Province being without it, I consider’d it as a proper Vehicle for conveying Instruction among the common People, who bought scarce any other Books. I therefore filled all the little Spaces that occurr’d between the Remarkable Days in the Calendar, with Proverbial Sentences, chiefly such as inculcated Industry and Frugality, as the Means of procuring Wealth and thereby securing Virtue, it being more difficult for a Man in Want to act always honestly, as (to use here one of those Proverbs) it is hard for an empty Sack to stand upright. These Proverbs, which contained the Wisdom of many Ages and Nations, I assembled and form’d into a connected Discourse prefix’d to the Almanack of 1757, as the Harangue of a wise old Man to the People attending an Auction. The bringing all these scatter’d Counsels thus into a Focus, enabled them to make greater Impression. The Piece being universally approved was copied in all the Newspapers of the Continent, reprinted in Britain on a Broadside to be stuck up in Houses, two Translations were made of it in French, and great Numbers bought by the Clergy & Gentry to distribute gratis among their poor Parishioners and Tenants. In Pennsylvania, as it discouraged useless Expense in foreign Superfluities, some thought, it had its share of Influence in producing that growing Plenty of Money which was observable for several Years after its Publication.
1733
The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.
God works wonders now & then;
Behold! a Lawyer, an honest Man!
Beware of the young Doctor & the old Barber.
Nothing more like a Fool, than a drunken Man.
Great Talkers, little Doers.
Hunger never saw bad bread.
A good Wife lost is God’s gift lost.
1734
He does not possess Wealth, it possesses him.
Better slip with foot than tongue.
He that knows nothing of it, may by chance be a Prophet; while the wisest that is may happen to miss.
No man e’er was glorious, who was not laborious.
Laws like to Cobwebs catch small Flies,
Great ones break thro’ before your eyes.
Where there’s Marriage without Love, there will be Love without Marriage.
If you wou’d have Guests merry with your cheer,
Be so your self, or so at least appear.
There have been as great Souls unknown to fame as any of the most famous.
Take this remark from Richard poor and lame,
Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.
A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.
1735
A lie stands on one leg, truth on two.
To be humble to Superiors is Duty, to Equals Courtesy, to Inferiors Nobleness.
A man is never so ridiculous by those Qualities that are his own as by those that he affects to have.
Necessity never made a good bargain.
Approve not of him who commends all you say.
Sal laughs at every thing you say. Why? Because she has fine Teeth.
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
1736
None preaches better than the ant, and she says nothing.
Do not do that which you would not have known.
Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.
Fish & Visitors stink in 3 days.
The absent are never without fault, nor the present without excuse.
Creditors have better memories than debtors.
Lovers, Travellers, and Poets, will give money to be heard.
He that speaks much, is much mistaken.
’Tis easy to see, hard to foresee.
Diligence is the Mother of Good-Luck.
1737
The greatest monarch on the proudest throne, is oblig’d to sit upon his own arse.
Don’t go to the doctor with every distemper, nor to the lawyer with every quarrel, nor to the pot for every thirst.
Well done is better than well said.
He that can compose himself, is wiser than he that composes books.
1738
There are three faithful friends, an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.
Eat to please thyself, but dress to please others.
Buy what thou hast no need of; and e’er long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.
As we must account for every idle word, so we must for every idle silence.
If you do what you would not, you must hear what you would not.
You may be more happy than Princes, if you will be more virtuous.
Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.
None but the well-bred man knows how to confess a fault, or acknowledge himself in an error.
Each year one vicious habit rooted out, In time might make the worst Man good throughout.1
Since I cannot govern my own tongue, tho’ within my own teeth, how can I hope to govern the tongues of others?
Search others for their virtues, thy self for thy vices.
Who has deceiv’d thee so oft as thy self?
Wink at small faults; remember thou hast great ones.
Write with the learned, pronounce with the vulgar.
If you wou’d not be forgotten
As soon as you are dead and rotten,
Either write things worth reading,
Or do things worth the writing.
Reading makes a full Man, Meditation a profound Man, discourse a clear Man.
1739
Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden but it is forbidden because it’s hurtful. Nor is a Duty beneficial because it is commanded, but it is commanded, because it’s beneficial.
Blessed is he that expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
Hear no ill of a Friend, nor speak any of an Enemy.
He that falls in love with himself, will have no Rivals.
1740
Observe all men; thy self most.
When you speak to a man, look on his eyes; when he speaks to thee, look on his mouth.
Fear not Death; for the sooner we die, the longer shall we be immortal.
To bear other People’s Afflictions, every one has Courage enough, and to spare.
Lend Money to an Enemy, and thou’lt gain him, to a Friend and thou’lt lose him.
An open Foe may prove a curse;
But a pretended friend is worse.
There are lazy Minds as well as lazy Bodies.
A wolf eats sheep but now and then,
Ten Thousands are devour’d by Men.
Who says Jack is not generous? he is always fond of giving, and cares not for receiving.—What? Why; Advice.
Those who in quarrels interpose,
Must often wipe a bloody nose.
None are deceived but they that confide.
1741
Learn of the skilful: He that teaches himself, hath a fool for his master.
Quarrels never could last long,
If on one side only lay the wrong.
If you would keep your Secret from an enemy, tell it not to a friend.
1742
Have you somewhat to do to-morrow; do it to-day.
To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish.
1743
How many observe Christ’s Birth-day! How few, his Precepts! O! ’tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.
Experience keeps a dear school, yet Fools will learn in no other.
Let all Men know thee, but no man know thee thoroughly: Men freely ford that see the shallows.
Speak with contempt of none, from slave to king,
The meanest Bee hath, and will use, a sting.
The World is full of fools and faint hearts; and yet every one has courage enough to bear the misfortunes, and wisdom enough to manage the Affairs of his neighbour.
1744
He that has not got a Wife, is not yet a compleat Man.
If you’d lose a troublesome Visitor, lend him Money.
What you would seem to be, be really.
Drive thy Business, or it will drive thee.
God heals, and the Doctor takes the Fees.
Fear God, and your Enemies will fear you.
Make haste slowly.
Those who are fear’d, are hated.
Tart Words make no Friends: a spoonful of honey will catch more flies than Gallon of Vinegar.
Sloth (like Rust) consumes faster than Labour wears: the used Key is always bright.
1745
Many complain of their Memory, few of their Judgment.
’Tis easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.
All blood is alike ancient.
You may talk too much on the best of subjects.
It’s common for Men to give 6 pretended Reasons instead of one real one.
1746
It’s the easiest Thing in the World for a Man to deceive himself.
The Tongue is ever turning to the aching Tooth.
Dost thou love Life? then do not squander Time; for that’s the Stuff Life is made of.
1747
There is no Man so bad, but he secretly respects the Good.
A good Example is the best sermon.
A Mob’s a Monster; Heads enough, but no Brains.
The Devil sweetens Poison with Honey.
A Slip of the Foot you may soon recover:
But a Slip of the Tongue you may never get over.
Write Injuries in Dust, Benefits in Marble.
A Father’s a Treasure; a Brother’s a Comfort; a Friend is both.
What is Serving God? ’Tis doing Good to Man.
1748
When you’re good to others, you are best to yourself.
1749
Drink does not drown Care, but waters it, and makes it grow faster.
Many Foxes grow grey, but few grow good.
A Man in a Passion rides a mad Horse.
The wise Man draws more Advantage from his Enemies, than the Fool from his Friends.
Doing an Injury puts you below your Enemy; Revenging one makes you but even with him; Forgiving it sets you above him.
Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it is.
All would live long, but none would be old.
1750
Genius without Education is like Silver in the Mine.
What signifies knowing the Names, if you know not the Nature of Things.
Glass, China, and Reputation, are easily crack’d, and never well mended.
There are three Things extreamly hard, Steel, a Diamond and to know one’s self.
1751
To-day is Yesterday’s Pupil.
Friendship increases by visiting Friends, but by visiting seldom.
Who judges best of a Man, his Enemies or himself?
Not to oversee Workmen, is to leave them your Purse open.
1752
If Man could have Half his Wishes, he would double his Troubles.
The busy Man has few idle Visitors; to the boiling Pot the Flies come not.
Success has ruin’d many a Man.
1753
Anger is never without a Reason, but seldom with a good One.
A Pair of good Ears will drain dry an hundred Tongues.
Serving God is Doing Good to Man, but Praying is thought an easier Service, and therefore more generally chosen.
He that is of Opinion Money will do every Thing, may well be suspected of doing every Thing for Money.
1754
The learned Fool writes his Nonsense in better Language than the unlearned; but still ’tis Nonsense.
1755
The Master’s Eye will do more Work than both his Hands.
Diligence overcomes Difficulties, Sloth makes them.
A long Life may not be good enough, but a good Life is long enough.
Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn.
The Doors of Wisdom are never shut.
Who is wise? He that learns from every One.
Who is powerful? He that governs his Passions.
Who is rich? He that is content.
Who is that? Nobody.
1756
Laziness travels so slowly, that Poverty soon overtakes him.
Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.
1757
Work as if you were to live 100 Years, Pray as if you were to die To-morrow.
It is Ill-Manners to silence a Fool, and Cruelty to let him go on.
1758
Silence is not always a Sign of Wisdom, but Babbling is ever a Mark of Folly.
He that’s content, hath enough; He that complains, has too much.
Great Modesty often hides great Merit.
Half the Truth is often a great Lie.
Autobiography [“Arriving at moral Perfection”] (1793)
In the most noted passage from his posthumously published Autobiography, Franklin describes what has become the most famous of all systematic resolutions at self-improvement. He began “the bold and arduous Project of arriving at moral Perfection” in 1733, when he was 27.
IT WAS ABOUT this time I conceived the bold and arduous Project of arriving at moral Perfection. I wish’d to live without committing any Fault at any time; I would conquer all that either Natural Inclination, Custom, or Company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a Task of more Difficulty than I had imagined: While my Care was employ’d in guarding against one Fault, I was often surpriz’d by another. Habit took the advantage of Inattention. Inclination was sometimes too strong for Reason. I concluded, at length, that the mere speculative Conviction that it was our Interest to be compleatly virtuous, was not sufficient to prevent our Slipping; and that the contrary Habits must be broken, and good Ones acquired and established, before we can have any Dependence on a steady, uniform Rectitude of Conduct. For this purpose I therefore contrived the following Method.—
In the various Enumerations of the moral Virtues I had met with in my Reading, I found the Catalogue more or less numerous, as different Writers included more or fewer Ideas under the same name. Temperance, for example, was by some confined to Eating & Drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other Pleasure, Appetite, Inclination, or Passion, bodily or mental, even to our Avarice & Ambition. I propos’d to myself, for the sake of Clearness, to use rather more Names, with fewer Ideas annexed to each, than a few Names with more ideas; and I included under Thirteen Names of Virtues all that at that time occurred to me as necessary or desirable, and annex’d to each a short Precept, which fully expressed the Extent I gave to its Meaning.
These names of Virtues, with their Precepts were:
1. TEMPERANCE.
Eat not to Dullness. Drink not to Elevation.
2. SILENCE.
Speak not but what may benefit others or your self. 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; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY.
Lose no Time.—Be always employ’d 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 Extreams. Forbear resenting Injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS.
Tolerate no Uncleanness in Body, Clothes or Habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY.
Be not disturbed at Trifles, or at Accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY.
Rarely use Venery but for Health or Offspring; Never to Dullness, Weakness, or the Injury of your own or another’s Peace or Reputation.
13. HUMILITY.
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
My intention being to acquire the Habitude of all these virtues, I judg’d it would be well not to distract my Attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I should be Master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on, till I should have gone through the thirteen. And as the previous Acquisition of some might facilitate the Acquisition of certain others, I arranged them with that view, as they stand above. Temperance first, as it tends to procure that Coolness & Clearness of Head, which is so necessary where constant Vigilance was to be kept up, and Guard maintained against the unremitting Attraction of ancient Habits, and the force of perpetual temptations. This being acquired & established, Silence would be more easy; and my Desire being to gain Knowledge at the same time that I improved in Virtue, and considering that in conversation it was obtained rather by the use of the ears than of the tongue, & therefore wishing to break a Habit I was getting into of Prattling, Punning & Joking, which only made me acceptable to trifling Company, I gave Silence the second place. This and the next, Order, I expected would allow me more time for attending to my project and my studies. Resolution, once become habitual, would keep me firm in my Endeavors to obtain all the subsequent virtues; Frugality & Industry freeing me from my remaining Debt, & producing Affluence & Independence, would make more easy the Practice of Sincerity & Justice, &c., &c. Conceiving then, that, agreeably to the Advice of Pythagoras in his Golden Verses, daily Examination would be necessary, I contriv’d the following method for conducting that examination.
I made a little Book, in which I allotted a Page for each of the virtues. I rul’d each page with red Ink, so as to have seven Columns, one for each Day of the Week, marking each column with a letter for the day. I crossed these columns with thirteen red Lines, marking the beginning of each Line with the first Letter of one of the Virtues, on which line & in its proper Column, I might mark, by a little black Spot, every Fault I found upon Examination to have been committed respecting that Virtue upon that Day.
I determined to give a Week’s strict Attention to each of the Virtues successively. Thus in the first Week my great Guard was to avoid every the least Offence against Temperance, leaving the other Virtues to their ordinary Chance, only marking every Evening the Faults of the Day. Thus if in the first Week I could keep my first line marked T clear of Spots, I suppos’d the Habit of that Virtue so much strengthen’d and its opposite weaken’d, that I might venture extending my Attention to include the next, and for the following Week keep both Lines clear of Spots. Proceeding thus to the last, I could go thro’ a Course compleat in Thirteen Weeks, and four Courses in a Year.—And like him who having a Garden to weed, does not attempt to eradicate all the bad Herbs at once, which would exceed his Reach and his Strength, but works on each one of the Beds at a time, & having accomplish’d the first proceeds to a second, so I should have (I hoped) the encouraging Pleasure of seeing on my Pages the Progress I made in Virtue, by clearing successively my Lines of their Spots, till in the End by a Number of Courses, I should be happy in viewing a clean Book after a thirteen Weeks daily Examination. . . .
. . . I always carried my little Book with me. My Scheme of Order gave me the most Trouble, and I found, that tho’ it might be practicable where a Man’s Business was such as to leave the Disposition of his Time, that of a Journeyman Printer, for instance, it was not possible to be exactly observ’d by a Master, who must mix with the World, and often receive People of Busines at their own Hours.—Order, too with regard to Places for Things, Papers, &c., I found extreamly difficult to acquire. I had not been early accustomed to it, & having an exceeding good Memory, I was not so sensible of the Inconvenience attending Want of Method. This Article therefore cost me so much painful Attention & my Faults in it vex’d me so much, and I made so little Progress in Amendment, & had such frequent Relapses, that I was almost ready to give up the Attempt, and content my self with a faulty Character in that respect. Like the Man who in buying an Ax of a Smith my Neighbour, desired to have the whole of its Surface as bright as the Edge; the Smith consented to grind it bright for him if he would turn the Wheel. He turn’d while the Smith press’d the broad Face of the Ax hard & heavily on the Stone, which made the Turning of it very fatiguing. The Man came every now & then from the Wheel to see how the Work went on; and at length would take his Ax as it was without further Grinding. No, says the Smith, Turn on, turn on; we shall have it bright by and by; as yet ’tis only speckled. Yes, says the Man; but—I think I like a speckled Ax best.—And I believe this may have been the Case with many who having for want of some such Means as I employ’d found the Difficulty of obtaining good, & breaking bad Habits, in other Points of Vice & Virtue, have given up the Struggle, & concluded that a speckled Ax was best. For something that pretended to be Reason was every now and then suggesting to me, that such extream Nicety as I exacted of my self might be a kind of Foppery in Morals, which if it were known would make me ridiculous; that a perfect Character might be attended with the Inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent Man should allow a few Faults in himself, to keep his Friends in Countenance. In Truth I found myself incorrigible with respect to Order, and now I am grown old, and my Memory bad, I feel very sensibly the want of it. But on the whole, tho’ I never arrived at the Perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was by the Endeavor made a better and a happier Man than I otherwise should have been, if I had not attempted it. As those who aim at perfect Writing by imitating the engraved Copies, tho’ they never reach the wish’d for Excellence of those Copies, their Hand is mended by the Endeavor, and is tolerable while it continues fair & legible. . . .
My List of virtues contain’d at first but twelve; but a Quaker Friend having kindly inform’d me that I was generally thought proud; that my Pride showed itself frequently in Conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any Point, but was overbearing, & rather insolent, of which he convinced me by mentioning several instances; I determined endeavoring to cure myself, if I could, of this Vice or Folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list, giving an extensive Meaning to the word.—I cannot boast of much Success in acquiring the reality of this Virtue, but I had a good deal with regard to the Appearance of it. I made it a Rule to forbear all direct Contradiction to the Sentiments of others, and all positive Assertion of my own. I even forbid myself, agreeably to the old Laws of our Junto, the Use of every Word or Expression in the language that imported a fix’d Opinion, such as certainly, undoubtedly, &c., and I adopted, instead of them, I conceive, I apprehend, or I imagine a thing to be so or so; or it so appears to me at present. When another asserted something that I thought an Error, I denied myself the Pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of showing immediately some Absurdity in his Proposition; and in answering I began by observing that in certain Cases or Circumstances his Opinion would be right, but in the present case there appear’d or seem’d to me some difference, &c. I soon found the Advantage of this Change in my Manners; the Conversations I engaged in went on more pleasantly. The modest way in which I propos’d my Opinions procured them a readier Reception and less Contradiction; I had less Mortification when I was found to be in the wrong, and I more easily prevailed with others to give up their Mistakes & join with me when I happened to be in the right. And this Mode, which I at first put on with some Violence to natural Inclination, became at length so easy, and so habitual to me, that perhaps for these fifty years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical Expression escape me. And to this Habit (after my Character of Integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early so much Weight with my Fellow-Citizens when I proposed new Institutions, or Alterations in the old, and so much Influence in public Councils when I became a Member; for I was but a bad Speaker, never eloquent, subject to much hesitation in my choice of Words, hardly correct in Language, and yet I generally carried my Points.
In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural Passions so hard to subdue as Pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself. You will see it, perhaps, often in this History; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome it, I should probably be proud of my Humility.
SOURCE: Benjamin Franklin. Autobiography, Part 2. Edited by John Bigelow. Philadelphia: J. P. Lippincott & Co., 1868.
1. See The Autobiography, Part 2, page 33, below.