Franklin ancestry, 2; from Northamptonshire, 2; religious independence, 2. Franklin, Benjamin. _Early years._ Ancestry, 2; birth, 3; intended at first for the church, 3; assists father as tallow chandler, 4; apprenticed as printer to his brother, 4; "escapes being a poet," 4; bold religious speculations, 5; runs away, 6; begins printing in Philadelphia, 6; receives offer of help from Gov. Temple, 6; fails to induce his father to assist, 7; tricked by Temple into sailing for England, 8; lives in London, 8; "errata" in his career, 9; bad company, 9; infidelity, 9; declines proposal to establish swimming school, 10; returns home, 10; composes epitaph, 11; rise as printer in Philadelphia, 11, 12; publishes "Pennsylvania Gazette," 12, 13; matrimonial projects, 13, 14; marriage, 15; rise in society, 19; establishes a library, 20; effective methods of agitation, 21; publishes Poor Richard's almanac, 21; his management of the Gazette, 24; religious and moral views, 24-33; gains political influence through the Junto, 34; establishment of affiliated clubs, 34; studies languages, 35; clerk of General Assembly, 35; postmaster of Philadelphia, 35; invents a stove, and refuses to patent it, 36; founds a philosophical society, 36; an academy, 37; tries to reorganize night-watch, 38; founds the Union Fire Company, 39; begins organization of military force against French, 39; takes a partner, 39; enters public life, 40; appointed to various offices and elected burgess, 40; commissioner to treat with Indians, 40; assists Dr. Bond in founding hospital, 41; induces legislature to make a contingent grant, 42; his pride over this device, 42; improves cleaning and lighting of streets, 42; appointed head of postal system, his successful management of it, 43; receives degree of Master of Arts from Yale and Harvard, 43; deputy to Indian conference at Albany, 44; proposes a colonial union, 44; his plan adopted, 45; later rejected by England and by colonies, 45; speculations as to possible results if successful, 46; opposes Shirley's plan of a parliamentary tax, 47; proclaims theory of no taxation without consent, 47; points out heaviness of existing indirect taxation, 48; doubts feasibility of colonial representation in Parliament, 48, 49; visits Boston, 49; on committee to supervise military expenditure in Pennsylvania, 50; disapproves of Braddock's expedition, 51; acts in behalf of the Assembly, 52; arranges for transportation for the expedition, 53; obliged to give bonds to owners, 54; in danger of ruin owing to failure of expedition and losses of wagons and horses, 54; escapes with slight losses, 54; reputed to have made money, 55; builds forts on frontier, 56; increased popularity, 56; scheme for settling barrier colonies west of mountains, 57; scientific studies, 59; reputation in Europe, 59, 60.