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Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin; Written by Himself. [Vol. 2 of 2]: With his Most Interesting Essays, Letters, and Miscellaneous Writings; Familiar, Moral, Political, Economical, and Philosophical, Selected with Care from All His Published Productions, and Comprising Whatever Is Most Entertaining and Valuable to the General ReaderFranklin, Benjamin

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Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin; Written by Himself. [Vol. 2 of 2]: With his Most Interesting Essays, Letters, and Miscellaneous Writings; Familiar, Moral, Political, Economical, and Philosophical, Selected with Care from All His Published Productions, and Comprising Whatever Is Most Entertaining and Valuable to the General Reader

Name: Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin; Written by Himself. [Vol. 2 of 2]: With his Most Interesting Essays, Letters, and Miscellaneous Writings; Familiar, Moral, Political, Economical, and Philosophical, Selected with Care from All His Published Productions, and Comprising Whatever Is Most Entertaining and Valuable to the General Reader
Author: Franklin, Benjamin

Franklin, Benjamin

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790; Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 -- Correspondence; Statesmen -- United States -- Biography

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




WRITINGS OF FRANKLIN

       *       *       *       *       *

ESSAYS,

HUMOROUS, MORAL, ECONOMICAL, AND POLITICAL.

       *       *       *       *       *

THE WAY TO WEALTH,

_As dearly shown in the practice of an old Pennsylvania Almanac,
entitled, "Poor Richard Improved."_

  COURTEOUS READER,

I have heard that nothing gives an author so great pleasure as to find
his works respectfully quoted by others. Judge, then, how much I must
have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. I
stopped my horse lately where a great number of people were collected at
an auction of merchants' goods. The hour of the sale not being come,
they were conversing on the badness of the times; and one of the company
called to a plain, clean old man, with white locks, "Pray, Father
Abraham, what think you of the times? Will not these heavy taxes quite
ruin the country? How shall we ever be able to pay them? What would you
advise us to?" Father Abraham stood up and replied, "If you would have
my advice, I will give it you in short; for _A word to the wise is
enough_, as Poor Richard says." They joined in desiring him to speak his
mind; and, gathering round him, he proceeded as follows:

"Friends," said he, "the taxes are indeed very heavy, and if those laid
on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more
easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous
to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times
as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from
these taxes the commissioners cannot ease or deliver us, by allowing an
abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and something may be
done for us: _God helps them that help themselves_, as Poor Richard
says.

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