The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Illustrated by Tales, Sketches, and Anecdotes — John Shaqi
The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Illustrated by Tales, Sketches, and AnecdotesGoodrich, Samuel G. (Samuel Griswold)
History
The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Illustrated by Tales, Sketches, and Anecdotes
Goodrich, Samuel G. (Samuel Griswold)
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790; Statesmen -- United States -- Biography
_Management of his Newspaper. Study of the Languages. Chess-playing.
The Preacher Hemphill. Stealing Sermons. Visit to Boston. Visits his
Brother James at Newport. Usefulness of the Junto. Formation of new
Clubs. Franklin chosen Clerk of the General Assembly. Anecdote._
1. Besides his almanac, Franklin considered his newspaper as a very
valuable means of circulating instruction and good advice among the
people. For this purpose he frequently reprinted in it extracts from
the Spectator, a work written a good many years ago, by several
distinguished English authors. It is a collection of pieces on moral
and popular subjects, in a very pleasant style, and first published in
single numbers of a few pages each.
2. In conducting his paper, Franklin was very careful to avoid all
abuse of particular persons. Whenever he was requested to publish any
thing of the kind, his answer was, that he would print the piece by
itself, and give the author as many copies for his own use as he
desired. He very wisely considered that his subscribers expected him
to furnish them with useful and entertaining pieces, and not with
abuse and violent discussions about things with which they had nothing
to do.
3. In 1733, Franklin sent one of his apprentices to Charleston, South
Carolina, where a printer was wanted. He furnished him with a press
and types, and was to receive one third of the profits of the
business. After the death of this man, who was very irregular in
settling his affairs with Franklin, the business was continued by his
widow. This woman had been born and educated in Holland, where females
were taught a knowledge of accounts. She managed the establishment
with a great deal of prudence and success, and was in time able to
purchase the printing office, and establish her son in it.
4. In 1733, Franklin began the study of foreign languages. He soon
obtained such a knowledge of the French, as to read books in that
language with perfect ease. After this he undertook the Italian. An
acquaintance, who was also learning it, often tempted him to play
chess. Finding this took up too much time, Franklin refused to play
any more, except upon one condition. This was, that whichever of them
should beat, should have a right to impose a task upon the other;
either of part of the grammar to be got by heart, or in translations.
5. These tasks they were bound in honor to perform before the next
meeting. The two friends played with about equal skill and success,
and in this way soon beat each other into a pretty good knowledge of
the Italian. Franklin next undertook Spanish, and learned enough to
read books in that language with considerable ease.
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