Physical and Meteorological Observations, Conjectures, and Suppositions 232 To Dr. Perkins.�Water-spouts and Whirlwinds compared 240 To Alexander Small.�On the Northeast Storms in North America 254 To Dr. Lining.�On Cold produced by Evaporation 256 To Peter Franklin.�On the Saltness of Seawater 263 To Miss Stephenson.�Salt Water rendered fresh by Distillation.�Method of relieving Thirst by Seawater 264 To the same.�Tendency of Rivers to the Sea.�Effects of the Sun's Rays on Cloths of different Colours 266 To the same.�On the Effect of Air on the Barometer, and the Benefits derived from the Study of Insects 270 To Dr. Joseph Priestley.�Effect of Vegetation on Noxious Air 273 To Dr. John Pringle.�On the Difference of Navigation in Shoal and Deep Water 274 To Oliver Neale.�On the Art of Swimming 277 To Miss Stephenson.�Method of contracting Chimneys.�Modesty in Disputation 281 To M. Dubourg.�Observations on the prevailing Doctrines of Life and Death 282 Lord Brougham's Portrait of Dr. Franklin 285 A U T O B I O G R A P H Y OF B E N J A M I N F R A N K L I N With Illustrations By E. Boyd Smith CONTENTS Introduction vii The Autobiography 1 I. Ancestry and Early Life in Boston 3 II. Beginning Life as a Printer 21 III. Arrival in Philadelphia 41 IV. First Visit to Boston 55 V. Early Friends in Philadelphia 69 VI. First Visit to London 77 VII. Beginning Business in Philadelphia 99 VIII. Business Success and First Public Service 126 IX. Plan for Attaining Moral Perfection 146 X. Poor Richard's Almanac and Other Activities 169 XI. Interest in Public Affairs 188 XII. Defense of the Province 201 XIII. Public Services and Duties 217 XIV. Albany Plan of Union 241 XV. Quarrels with the Proprietary Governors 246 XVI. Braddock's Expedition 253 XVII. Franklin's Defense of the Frontier 274 XVIII. Scientific Experiments 289 XIX. Agent of Pennsylvania in London 296 Appendix Electrical Kite 327 The Way to Wealth 331 The Whistle 336 A Letter to Samuel Mather 340 Bibliography 343 ILLUSTRATIONS Franklin at the Court of Louis XVI Frontispiece Page Portrait of Franklin vii Pages 1 and 4 of The Pennsylvania Gazette, Number XL, the first number after Franklin took control xxi First page of The New England Courant of December 4-11, 1721 33 "I was employed to carry the papers thro' the streets to the customers" 36 "She, standing at the door, saw me, and thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, ridiculous appearance" 48 "I took to working at press" 88 "I see him still at work when I go home from club" 120 Two pages from Poor Richard's Almanac for 1736 171 "I regularly took my turn of duty there as a common soldier" 204 "In the evening, hearing a great noise among them, the commissioners walk'd out to see what was the matter" 224 "Our axes ... were immediately set to work to cut down trees" 278