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X POOR RICHARD’S
ALMANAC AND OTHER ACTIVITIES IN 1732 I
first
publish’d my Almanack, under the name of Richard
Saunders; it was continu’d by me about twenty-five years,
commonly
call’d Poor Richard’s Almanac.1
I endeavour’d to make it both entertaining and useful, and it
accordingly came
to be in such demand, that I reap’d considerable profit from it,
vending
annually near ten thousand. And observing that it was generally read,
scarce
any neighborhood in the province being without it, I consider’d it as a
proper
vehicle for conveying instruction among the common people, who bought
scarcely
any other books; I therefore filled all the little spaces that occurr’d
between
the remarkable days in the calendar with proverbial sentences, chiefly
such as
inculcated industry and frugality, as the means of procuring wealth,
and
thereby securing virtue; it being more difficult for a man in want, to
act
always honestly, as, to use here one of those proverbs, it is hard for an empty sack to stand
upright. These proverbs, which contained the wisdom of many ages and nations, I assembled and form’d into a connected discourse prefix’d to the Almanack of 1757, as the harangue of a wise old man to the people attending an auction. The bringing all these scatter’d councils thus into a focus enabled them to make greater impression. The piece, being universally approved, was copied in all the newspapers of the Continent; reprinted in Britain on a broadside, to be stuck up in houses; two translations were made of it in French, and great numbers bought by the clergy and gentry, to distribute gratis among their poor parishioners and tenants. In Pennsylvania, as it discouraged useless expense in foreign superfluities, some thought it had its share of influence in producing that growing plenty of money which was observable for several years after its publication. Two pages from Poor Richard's Almanac for
1736. Size of original. reproduced from a copy in the New York Public
Library.
I
considered my
newspaper, also, as another means of communicating instruction, and in
that
view frequently reprinted in it extracts from the Spectator, and other
moral
writers; and sometimes publish’d little pieces of my own, which had
been first
compos’d for reading in our Junto. Of these are a Socratic dialogue,
tending to
prove that, whatever might be his parts and abilities, a vicious man
could not
properly be called a man of sense; and a discourse on self-denial,
showing that
virtue was not secure till its practice became a habitude, and was free
from
the opposition of contrary inclinations. These may be found in the
papers about
the beginning of 1735.2 In the conduct of my newspaper, I carefully excluded all libeling and personal abuse, which is of late years become so disgraceful to our country. Whenever I was solicited to insert anything of that kind, and the writers pleaded, as they generally did, the liberty of the press, and that a newspaper was like a stage-coach, in which anyone who would pay had a right to a place, my answer was, that I would print the piece separately if desired, and the author might have as many copies as he pleased to distribute himself, but that I would not take upon me to spread his detraction; and that, having contracted with my subscribers to furnish them with what might be either useful or entertaining, I could not fill their papers with private altercation, in which they had no concern, without doing them manifest injustice. Now, many of our printers make no scruple of gratifying the malice of individuals by false accusations of the fairest characters among ourselves, augmenting animosity even to the producing of duels; and are, moreover, so indiscreet as to print scurrilous reflections on the government of neighboring states, and even on the conduct of our best national allies, which may be attended with the most pernicious consequences. These things I mention as a caution to young printers, and that they may be encouraged not to pollute their presses and disgrace their profession by such infamous practices, but refuse steadily, as they may see by my example that such a course of conduct will not, on the whole, be injurious to their interests. In 1733 I
sent one
of my journeymen to Charleston, South Carolina, where a printer was
wanting. I
furnish’d him with a press and letters, on an agreement of partnership,
by
which I was to receive one-third of the profits of the business, paying
one-third of the expense. He was a man of learning, and honest but
ignorant in
matters of account; and, tho’ he sometimes made me remittances, I could
get no
account from him, nor any satisfactory state of our partnership while
he lived.
On his decease, the business was continued by his widow, who, being
born and
bred in Holland, where, as I have been inform’d, the knowledge of
accounts
makes a part of female education, she not only sent me as clear a state
as she
could find of the transactions past, but continued to account with the
greatest
regularity and exactness every quarter afterwards, and managed the
business
with such success, that she not only brought up reputably a family of
children,
but, at the expiration of the term, was able to purchase of me the
printing-house, and establish her son in it. I mention
this
affair chiefly for the sake of recommending that branch of education
for our
young females, as likely to be of more use to them and their children,
in case of
widowhood, than either music or dancing, by preserving them from losses
by
imposition of crafty men, and enabling them to continue, perhaps, a
profitable
mercantile house, with establish’d correspondence, till a son is grown
up fit
to undertake and go on with it, to the lasting advantage and enriching
of the
family. About the
year 1734
there arrived among us from Ireland a young Presbyterian preacher,
named
Hemphill, who delivered with a good voice, and apparently extempore,
most
excellent discourses, which drew together considerable numbers of
different
persuasions, who join’d in admiring them. Among the rest, I became one
of his
constant hearers, his sermons pleasing me, as they had little of the
dogmatical
kind, but inculcated strongly the practice of virtue, or what in the
religious
stile are called good works. Those, however, of our congregation, who
considered themselves as orthodox Presbyterians, disapprov’d his
doctrine, and
were join’d by most of the old clergy, who arraign’d him of heterodoxy
before
the synod, in order to have him silenc’d. I became his zealous
partisan, and
contributed all I could to raise a party in his favour, and we combated
for him
awhile with some hopes of success. There was much scribbling pro and
con upon
the occasion; and finding that, tho’ an elegant preacher, he was but a
poor
writer, I lent him my pen and wrote for him two or three pamphlets, and
one
piece in the Gazette of April, 1735. Those pamphlets, as is generally
the case
with controversial writings, tho’ eagerly read at the time, were soon
out of
vogue, and I question whether a single copy of them now exists.3 During the
contest
an unlucky occurrence hurt his cause exceedingly. One of our
adversaries having
heard him preach a sermon that was much admired, thought he had
somewhere read
the sermon before, or at least a part of it. On search, he found that
part
quoted at length, in one of the British Reviews, from a discourse of
Dr.
Foster’s.4 This detection gave many of our party disgust,
who
accordingly abandoned his cause, and occasion’d our more speedy
discomfiture in
the synod. I stuck by him, however, as I rather approv’d his giving us
good
sermons composed by others, than bad ones of his own manufacture, tho’
the
latter was the practice of our common teachers. He afterward
acknowledg’d to me
that none of those he preach’d were his own; adding, that his memory
was such
as enabled him to retain and repeat any sermon after one reading only. On our
defeat, he
left us in search elsewhere of better fortune, and I quitted the
congregation,
never joining it after, tho’ I continu’d many years my subscription for
the
support of its ministers. I had
begun in 1733
to study languages; I soon made myself so much a master of the French
as to be
able to read the books with ease. I then undertook the Italian. An
acquaintance, who was also learning it, us’d often to tempt me to play
chess
with him. Finding this took up too much of the time I had to spare for
study, I
at length refus’d to play any more, unless on this condition, that the
victor
in every game should have a right to impose a task, either in parts of
the
grammar to be got by heart, or in translations, etc., which tasks the
vanquish’d was to perform upon honour, before our next meeting. As we
play’d
pretty equally, we thus beat one another into that language. I
afterwards with
a little painstaking, acquir’d as much of the Spanish as to read their
books
also. I have
already
mention’d that I had only one year’s instruction in a Latin school, and
that
when very young, after which I neglected that language entirely. But,
when I
had attained an acquaintance with the French, Italian, and Spanish, I
was
surpriz’d to find, on looking over a Latin Testament, that I understood
so much
more of that language than I had imagined, which encouraged me to apply
myself
again to the study of it, and I met with more success, as those
preceding
languages had greatly smooth’d my way. From these
circumstances, I have thought that there is some inconsistency in our
common
mode of teaching languages. We are told that it is proper to begin
first with
the Latin, and, having acquir’d that, it will be more easy to attain
those
modern languages which are deriv’d from it; and yet we do not begin
with the
Greek, in order more easily to acquire the Latin. It is true that, if
you can
clamber and get to the top of a staircase without using the steps, you
will
more easily gain them in descending; but certainly, if you begin with
the
lowest you will with more ease ascend to the top; and I would therefore
offer
it to the consideration of those who superintend the education of our
youth,
whether, since many of those who begin with the Latin quit the same
after
spending some years without having made any great proficiency, and what
they
have learnt becomes almost useless, so that their time has been lost,
it would
not have been better to have begun with the French, proceeding to the
Italian,
etc.; for, tho’, after spending the same time, they should quit the
study of
languages and never arrive at the Latin, they would, however, have
acquired
another tongue or two, that, being in modern use, might be serviceable
to them
in common life.5 After ten years’ absence from Boston, and having become easy in my circumstances, I made a journey thither to visit my relations, which I could not sooner well afford. In returning, I call’d at Newport to see my brother, then settled there with his printing-house. Our former differences were forgotten, and our meeting was very cordial and affectionate. He was fast declining in his health, and requested of me that, in case of his death, which he apprehended not far distant, I would take home his son, then but ten years of age, and bring him up to the printing business. This I accordingly perform’d, sending him a few years to school before I took him into the office. His mother carried on the business till he was grown up, when I assisted him with an assortment of new types, those of his father being in a manner worn out. Thus it was that I made my brother ample amends for the service I had depriv’d him of by leaving him so early. In 1736 I
lost one
of my sons, a fine boy of four years old, by the small-pox, taken in
the common
way. I long regretted bitterly, and still regret that I had not given
it to him
by inoculation. This I mention for the sake of parents who omit that
operation,
on the supposition that they should never forgive themselves if a child
died
under it; my example showing that the regret may be the same either
way, and
that, therefore, the safer should be chosen. Our club,
the
Junto, was found so useful, and afforded such satisfaction to the
members, that
several were desirous of introducing their friends, which could not
well be
done without exceeding what we had settled as a convenient number,
viz.,
twelve. We had from the beginning made it a rule to keep our
institution a
secret, which was pretty well observ’d; the intention was to avoid
applications
of improper persons for admittance, some of whom, perhaps, we might
find it
difficult to refuse. I was one of those who were against any addition
to our
number, but, instead of it, made in writing a proposal, that every
member
separately should endeavour to form a subordinate club, with the same
rules
respecting queries, etc., and without informing them of the connection
with the
Junto. The advantages proposed were, the improvement of so many more
young
citizens by the use of our institutions; our better acquaintance with
the
general sentiments of the inhabitants on any occasion, as the Junto
member
might propose what queries we should desire, and was to report to the
Junto
what pass’d in his separate club; the promotion of our particular
interests in
business by more extensive recommendation, and the increase of our
influence in
public affairs, and our power of doing good by spreading thro’ the
several
clubs the sentiments of the Junto. The
project was
approv’d, and every member undertook to form his club, but they did not
all
succeed. Five or six only were com-pleated, which were called by
different
names, as the Vine, the Union, the Band, etc. They were useful to
themselves,
and afforded us a good deal of amusement, information, and instruction,
besides
answering, in some considerable degree, our views of influencing the
public
opinion on particular occasions, of which I shall give some instances
in course
of time as they happened. My first
promotion
was my being chosen, in 1736, clerk of the General Assembly. The choice
was
made that year without opposition; but the year following, when I was
again
propos’d (the choice, like that of the members, being annual), a new
member
made a long speech against me, in order to favour some other candidate.
I was,
however, chosen, which was the more agreeable to me, as, besides the
pay for
the immediate service as clerk, the place gave me a better opportunity
of
keeping up an interest among the members, which secur’d to me the
business of
printing the votes, laws, paper money, and other occasional jobbs for
the
public, that, on the whole, were very profitable. I
therefore did not
like the opposition of this new member, who was a gentleman of fortune
and
education, with talents that were likely to give him, in time, great
influence
in the House, which, indeed, afterwards happened. I did not, however,
aim at
gaining his favour by paying any servile respect to him, but, after
some time,
took this other method. Having heard that he had in his library a
certain very
scarce and curious book, I wrote a note to him, expressing my desire of
perusing that book, and requesting he would do me the favour of lending
it to
me for a few days. He sent it immediately, and I return’d it in about a
week
with another note, expressing strongly my sense of the favour. When we
next met
in the House, he spoke to me (which he had never done before), and with
great civility;
and he ever after manifested a readiness to serve me on all occasions,
so that
we became great friends, and our friendship continued to his death.
This is
another instance of the truth of an old maxim I had learned, which
says, “He that has once done you
a kindness will be more
ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged.” And
it shows how much more profitable it is prudently to remove, than to
resent,
return, and continue inimical proceedings. In 1737, Colonel Spotswood, late
governor of Virginia, and then postmaster-general, being dissatisfied
with the
conduct of his deputy at Philadelphia, respecting some negligence in
rendering,
and inexactitude of his accounts, took from him the commission and
offered it
to me. I accepted it readily, and found it of great advantage; for,
tho’ the
salary was small, it facilitated the correspondence that improv’d my
newspaper,
increas’d the number demanded, as well as the advertisements to be
inserted, so
that it came to afford me a considerable income. My old competitor’s
newspaper
declin’d proportionately, and I was satisfy’d without retaliating his
refusal,
while postmaster, to permit my papers being carried by the riders. Thus
he
suffer’d greatly from his neglect in due accounting; and I mention it
as a
lesson to those young men who may be employ’d in managing affairs for
others,
that they should always render accounts, and make remittances, with
great
clearness and punctuality. The character of observing such a conduct is
the
most powerful of all recommendations to new employments and increase of
business. 1 The almanac at that
time was a kind
of periodical as well as a guide to natural phenomena and the weather.
Franklin
took his title from Poor Robin,
a
famous English almanac. and from Richard
Saunders, a well-known almanac publisher. For the maxims of Poor Richard, see pages 331-335. 2 June 23 and July 7,
1730. — Smyth. 3 See “A
List of Books written
by, or relating to Benjamin Franklin,” by Paul Leicester Ford. 1889. p.
15. —
Smyth. 4 Dr. James Foster
(1697-1753) “Let modest Foster, if he will excel
“Those who
had not
heard Farinelli sing and Foster preach were not qualified to appear in
genteel
company,” Hawkins. “History of Music.” — Smyth. 5 “The authority of
Franklin, the
most eminently practical man of his age, in favor of reserving the
study of the
dead languages until the mind has reached a certain maturity. is
confirmed by
the confession of one of the most eminent scholars of any age. “‘Our seminaries of learning,’ says
Gibbon, ‘do not exactly correspond with the precept of a Spartan king,
that the
child should be instructed in the arts which will be useful to the man;
since a
finished scholar may emerge from the head of Westminster or Eton, in
total
ignorance of the business and conversation of English gentlemen in the
latter
end of the eighteenth century. But these schools may assume the merit
of
teaching all that they pretend to teach, the Latin and Greek
languages.’” —
Bigelow. |