Life of Doctor FranklinMajor & Company, 1861 - 258 pages |
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affairs afterwards Age of Reason American anecdote appeared appointed apprentice army Assembly attended Bache bald eagle began Benjamin Benjamin Franklin Boston British brother CHAPTER Christ Church Colonies Congress court daughter dear death divine doctor duties electricity England England Courant English Europe express father France Frank Franklin French friends give governor hand happiness honor interest Jacob Duché James Franklin Keimer king lady letter LIBRARY live London Lord Market-street Marly-la-ville ment minister ministry never occasion opinion Paine paper Paris Passy Pennsylvania persons Philadelphia philosopher Poor Richard's Almanac posed prayers preached present president printer printer's boy proposed ready received religion religious respect Richard Bache Sarah sermons society soon thee thing Thomas Paine thought tion took Washington Whitefield William William Temple Franklin wish writing wrote young
Popular passages
Page 214 - To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: That God governs in the affairs of men.
Page 78 - I happened, soon after, to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me. I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded, I began to soften, and concluded to give the copper.
Page 156 - When I was a journeyman printer, one of my companions, an apprentice hatter, having served out his time, was about to open shop for himself; his first concern was to have a handsome signboard, with a proper inscription. He composed it in these words - : " John Thompson, Hatter, makes and sells hats for ready money," with a figure of a hat subjoined.
Page 65 - We kept no idle servants, our table was plain and simple, our furniture of the cheapest. For instance, my breakfast was a long time bread and milk (no tea), and I ate it out of a twopenny earthen porringer, with a pewter spoon. But mark how luxury will enter families, and make a progress, in spite of principle...
Page 41 - ... into a conversation on his present undertaking and prospects; while Bradford, not discovering that he was the other printer's father, on Keimer's saying he expected soon to get the greatest part of the business into his own hands, drew him on by artful questions, and starting little doubts, to explain all his views, what interest he relied on, and in what manner he intended to proceed. I, who stood by and heard all, saw immediately that one of them was a crafty old sophister, and the other a...
Page 78 - London, when he consulted me about his orphan house concern and his purpose of appropriating it to the establishment of a college. He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his words so perfectly that he might be heard and understood at a great distance, especially as his auditors observed the most perfect silence.
Page 257 - The House being informed of the decease of Benjamin Franklin, a citizen, whose native genius was not more an ornament to human nature, than his various exertions of it have been precious to science, to freedom, and to his country...
Page 198 - I will not enter into any discussion of your principles, though you seem to desire it. At present, I shall only give you my opinion, that though your reasonings are subtle, and may prevail with some readers, you will not succeed so as to change the general sentiments of mankind on that subject; and the consequence of printing this piece will be, a great deal of odium drawn upon yourself, mischief to you, and no benefit to others; He that spits against the wind, spits in his own face.
Page 37 - I was in my working dress, my best clothes being to come round by sea. I was dirty from my journey; my pockets were stuffed out with shirts and stockings, and I knew no soul nor where to look for lodging.
Page 157 - The next observed, that the word makes might as well be omitted, because his customers would not care who made the hats; if good, and to their mind, they would buy, by whomsoever made. He struck it out. A third said he thought the words for ready money, were useless, as it was not the custom of the place to sell on credit.