his resting-place in the old burying-ground in the heart of Philadelphia. When his death was announced, both the United States Congress and the French National Assembly went into mourning. A great man had fallen, and he still remains an electrical power in all the world. Franklin had little sympathy with the narrow creeds of the day, and yet two things deeply influenced his life: an "Essay on Doing Good" by Cotton Mather, and Whitfield's rousing sermons. His conduct manifested the work side of faith. We might to-day call him "an apostle of social betterment"; for he turned his attention to the present life as the early New Englander to the future. He advised "honesty - not because the Bible exhorts it -but because it "is the best policy." His character was many-sided. He is compared to Washington for he did at the King's court what Washington did on the field. His humour and practical sense resembled Lincoln's, but he lacked Lincoln's spontaneity. Like Lincoln, he had no systematic education. He loved fellowship, and his wit and anecdote made him always a welcome addition to any assembly. He had an excellent habit of investigating everything that came in his way, and so he was master of whatever he touched in science. His experiment was most valuable, in proving the identity of lightning and electricity and he in vented the lightning-rod. Every school-boy knows the story of "the kite-flying." Indeed, his scientific essays and discoveries gave him world-wide fame. Both Harvard and Yale conferred honours upon him; England made him a Fellow of the Royal Society; he was called in France, "the foremost scientist" in Germany, "the modern Prometheus." Dr. Franklin was very proud of his "A.M." and "LL.D." He was not an author by profession and could not be noted as a very literary man, for he was entirely destitute of ideals and poetic genius. But he had a peculiar gift of combining clear expression with a bit of wisdom to catch the reader's eye, and a keen insight into human nature. One has said of him: " But seldom do the good notions of the world get jogged along by so sturdy and helpful a force as Benjamin Franklin." He was a charming letter-writer, and he early marked the important influence played by the almanac in the colonial home. Suspended by a string from the chimney-side, it was studied almost as much as the Bible and catechism. He finally resolved to write one; and beginning in 1732, for a quarter of a century, "Poor Richard's Almanac " was printed. yearly. "Richard Saunders, Philomath," was the nominal author; but Dr. Franklin always stood behind "Richard" and preached, like the proverbial schoolmaster, a continued sermon in diligence and thrift. He thus ministered to the needs of every day told the people what to do and they did it! - for he Dr. Franklin in his modesty disclaimed much originality in the selection of these proverbs but he had most apt skill in putting them. Read over and over, committed to memory and quoted, these maxims were heard even in the Sunday's sermon — indeed, they were the common law of living. The Almanac" promptly passed into circulation, and every issue was eagerly awaited not only in Philadelphia but up and down the coast as a "general intelligencer." The pioneer claimed it; it sped across the ocean to be published in Europe in several languages; and all the twenty-five years, its annual sale was ten thousand copies; for apart from the calendar and absurd weather predictions, it was full of wisdom-not sparkling and elegant - but with whimsical gleanings of observation on human nature by our first American humourist. As preface to the final copy in 1758, he gathered into a connected discourse many of the best proverbs and named it: " Father Abraham's Visit to the Fair," or "The Way to Wealth." This is perhaps the most widely read of all, not only in our own land, but in European countries. And what wonder that one who held a brisk pen, and who lived from the day of the colonial diary Thele Lines may be read backward or forward. Joy, Mirth, Triumph, I do defie; Scorn fmiles thereat; Hope is beguil'd; 168 fair. 42 windy, New) 2 day 548 7 at 7 aft. 550 7 count for every. S3 flying clouds. 5 25 51 7idie word, fo we 647* rife 8 23 15hM5 52 7 fers 8 14 aft 75 Day fhorter 2 346 275 54 7 must for every S6warm, and 1775 55 7jdle filence. 97Vc.O pleafant. S 275 56 Ic A15Sund.p.Trin.9 vs 58 | 13 4 with rain. 19 37* fouth 2 58 ft Quarter. Day 12 h. long ICM6 o ojEq.Day & Ni. 16ters 130 mo 11236 14 5 Days fhort. 2 46126 26 I have never 21 5St. Matthew. then clear 28 56 again: 29 6St. Michael. 30 7/7* fouth 2 20 11176 20 6rife 1 30 mo. PAGE FROM POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC, SEPTEMBER, 1738 |