4. When did Franklin begin the study of foreign languages? What languages did he study? Relate the anecdote about chess-playing. 6. Who was Hemphill? 7. What did Franklin write in his behalf? 8. How did the preacher ruin his own cause? 9. How long had Franklin been absent from Boston when he determined to revisit it? 10. How was the interview between the brothers at Newport? What request did James make respecting his son? 11. How did Franklin comply with this request? 12. How did the Junto flourish? 13. What new clubs were formed? How? 14. To what office was Franklin elected in 1736? 16. How did Franklin conciliate a member who was opposed to him? 17. What is the old maxim quoted by Franklin? 18. To what office was Franklin appointed in 1737? CHAPTER IX. _Reform of the City Watch. Fire Companies. Rev. Mr. Whitefield. Effects of his Preaching. His Project of building an Orphan House in Georgia. Anecdotes. Franklin's Opinion of him. Franklin's Prosperity. Military Defence of the Province. Formation of Companies._ 1. Franklin now began to turn his attention to public affairs. One of his first efforts in this way was to reform the city watch. This was managed in the different wards by the constables, who assembled a certain number of housekeepers to attend them for the night. Those who did not choose to attend paid six shillings a year to be excused. This made the constableship an office of profit: for, instead of spending the money thus received in hiring other watchmen, it was spent in liquors, by which the constables were able to get a parcel of ragamuffins about them, instead of decent and orderly men. 2. These fellows seldom went the rounds of the watch, but spent most of the night in tippling. In the course of a few years, by the exertions of Franklin and his friends, an entire alteration was produced in the laws upon this subject. About the same time that he began to converse at the _Junto_ on the abuses of the watch, he wrote a paper on the different accidents by which houses were set on fire, and means proposed of avoiding them. 3. This gave rise to a project, which soon followed, of forming a company to assist, with readiness, at fires. Thirty persons were immediately found, willing to join in the scheme. Their articles of agreement obliged every member to keep, always in order and fit for use, a certain number of leathern buckets, with strong bags and baskets for packing and carrying goods, which were to be brought at every fire. They also held a monthly meeting, to converse upon the subject of fires, and communicate such ideas as might be useful in their conduct on such occasions.