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
A friendly Correspondence as Neighbours and old Acquaintances, had
continued between me and Mrs. Read's Family, who all had a Regard for me
from the time of my first Lodging in their House. I was often invited
there and consulted in their Affairs, wherein I sometimes was of
service.--I pity'd poor Miss Read's unfortunate Situation, who was
generally dejected, seldom chearful, and avoided Company. I consider'd
my Giddiness and Inconstancy when in London as in a great degree the
Cause of her Unhappiness; tho' the Mother was good enough to think the
Fault more her own than mine, as she had prevented our Marrying before I
went thither, and persuaded the other Match in my Absence. Our mutual
Affection was revived, but there were now great Objections to our Union.
That Match was indeed look'd upon as invalid, a preceding Wife being
said to be livin[g] in England; but this could not easily be prov'd,
because of the Distance[.] And tho' there was a Report of his Death, it
was not certain. The[n] tho' it should be true, he had left many Debts
which his Successor might be call'd [on] to pay. We venture['d] however,
over all these Difficulties, and I [took] her to Wife Sept. 1. 1730.[10]
None of the Inconveniencies happen[ed] that we had apprehended, she
prov'd a good and faithful Helpmate, assisted me much by attending the
Shop, we throve together, and have ever mutually endeavour'd to make
each other happy. Thus I corrected that great _Erratum_ as wel[l] as I
could.
About [th]is Time our Club meeting, not at a Tavern, but in a little
Room of Mr. Grace's set apart for that Purpose; a Proposition was made
by me that since our Books were often referr'd to in our Disquisitions
upon the Queries, it might be convenient to us to have them all together
where we met, that upon Occasion they might be consulted; and by thus
clubbing our Books to a common Library, we should, while we lik'd to
keep them together, have each of us the Advantage of using the Books of
all the other Members, which would be nearly as beneficial as if each
owned the whole. It was lik'd and agreed to, and we fill'd one End of
the Room with such Books as we could best spare. The Number was not so
great as we expected; and tho' they had been of great Use, yet some
Inconveniencies occurring for want of due Care of them, the Collection
after about a Year was separated, and each took his Books home again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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