The Life of Benjamin Franklin: With Many Choice Anecdotes and admirable sayings of this great man never before published by any of his biographers — John Shaqi
The Life of Benjamin Franklin: With Many Choice Anecdotes and admirable sayings of this great man never before published by any of his biographersWeems, M. L. (Mason Locke)
Philosophy
The Life of Benjamin Franklin: With Many Choice Anecdotes and admirable sayings of this great man never before published by any of his biographers
Weems, M. L. (Mason Locke)
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790; Statesmen -- United States -- Biography
Having given, as we have seen, a tythe of his money in gratitude to the
poor boatman, and two thirds of his bread in charity to this poor woman
and her child, Ben skipped again upon the wharf, and with a heart light
and gay with conscious duty, a second time took up Market-street, which
was now getting to be full of well-dressed people all going the same
way. He cut in, and following the line of march, was thus insensibly
led to a large Quaker meeting-house. Sans ceremonie, he pushed in and
sat down with the rest, and looking around him soon felt the
_motions_, if not of a devout, yet of a pleasantly thoughtful
spirit. It came to his recollection to have heard that people must go
abroad to see strange things. And here it seemed to be verified.
_What, no pulpit! Whoever saw a meeting-house before without a
pulpit?_ He could not for his life conceive where the preacher was
to stand. But his attention was quickly turned from the meeting-house
to the congregation, whose appearance, particularly that of the young
females, delighted him exceedingly. Such simplicity of dress with such
an air of purity and neatness! He had never seen any thing like it
before, and yet all admirably suited to the gentle harmony of their
looks. And then their eyes! for meekness and sweetness of expression,
they looked like dove's eyes. With a deep sigh he wished that his
brother James and many others in Boston were but gentle and good as
these people appeared to be. Young as he was, he thought the world
would be a great deal the happier for it. As leaning back he indulged
these soothing sentiments, without any sound of singing or preaching to
disturb him, and tired nature's soft languors stealing over him too, he
sunk insensibly into sleep. We are not informed that he was visited
during his slumber, by any of those benevolent spirits who once
descended in the dreams of the youthful patriarch, as he slept in the
pleasant plains of Bethel. But he tells us himself, that he was visited
by one of that benevolent sect in whose place of worship he had been
overtaken by sleep. Waked by some hand on his shoulder that gently
shook him, he opened his eyes, and lo! a female countenance about
middle age and of enchanting sweetness, was smiling on him. Roused to a
recollection of the impropriety he had been guilty of, he was too much
confused to speak; but his reddened cheeks told her what he felt. But
he had nothing to fear. Gently shaking her head, though without a
frown, and with a voice of music, she said to him "_My son, thee
ought not to sleep in meeting._" Then giving him the look of a
mother as she went out, she bade him farewell. He followed her as well
as he could, and left the meeting-house much mortified at having been
caught asleep in it; but deriving at the same time great pleasure from
this circumstance, because it had furnished opportunity to the good
Quaker lady to give him that _motherly look_. He felt it sweetly
melting along his soul as he walked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account