Benjamin Franklin : $b Representative selections, with introduction, bibliograpy, and notesFranklin, Benjamin
General
Benjamin Franklin : $b Representative selections, with introduction, bibliograpy, and notes
Franklin, Benjamin
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
I presented him an Inventory of a little Print[8] House, amounting by my
Computation to about 100£ Sterling. He lik'd it, but ask'd me if my
being on the Spot in England to chuse the Types and see that every thing
was good of the kind, might not be of some Advantage. Then, says he,
when there, you may make Acquaintances and establish Correspondencies in
the Bookselling and Stationary Way. I agreed that this might be
advantageous. Then, says he, get yourself ready to go with Annis; which
was the annual Ship, and the only one at that Time usually passing
between London and Philadelphia. But it would be some Months before
Annis sail'd, so I continu'd working with Keimer, fretting about the
Money Collins had got from me; and in daily Apprehensions of being
call'd upon by Vernon, which however did not happen for some Years
after.--
I believe I have omitted mentioning that in my first Voyage from Boston,
being becalm'd off Block Island, our People set about catching Cod and
haul'd up a great many. Hitherto I had stuck to my Resolution of not
eating animal Food; and on this Occasion, I consider'd with my Master
Tryon, the taking every Fish as a kind of unprovoked Murder, since none
of them had or ever could do us any Injury that might justify the
Slaughter. All this seem'd very reasonable.--But I had formerly been a
great Lover of Fish, and when this came hot out of the Frying Pan, it
smelt admirably well. I balanc'd some time between Principle and
Inclination: till I recollected, that when the Fish were opened, I saw
smaller Fish taken out of their Stomachs: Then thought I, if you eat one
another, I don't see why we mayn't eat you. So I din'd upon Cod very
heartily and continu'd to eat with other People, returning only now and
then occasionally to a vegetable Diet. So convenient a thing it is to be
a _reasonable Creature_, since it enables one to find or make a Reason
for every thing one has a mind to do.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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