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CONTENTS.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
-
CHAPTER I.
Pago
Character of his
Fond of reading.
Origin and Genealogy of his Family.- His Birth. His Mother.
Employments in his Boyhood. - Anecdote.
Father. - Epitaph on his Father and Mother.
- Apprenticed to his Brother to learn the Printer's Trade. -
Writes Ballads.- Intimacy with Collins. - Practises Composition.
-Adopts a vegetable Diet.. - Studies the Socratic Method of
Disputation. Concerned in publishing a Newspaper. Disa-
grees with his Brother.-Leaves Boston and takes Passage in a
Sloop for New York.
CHAPTER II.
Seeks for Employment as a Printer.
Quaker
Commences
Journey to Philadelphia. Adventure in a Boat. - Dr. Brown.-
Burlington. - His first Appearance in Philadelphia.
Meeting.
Work in Keimer's Office. - Forms Acquaintances. — Patronized
by Sir William Keith, Governor of Pennsylvania. — First Inter-
view with him. - Keith proposes to set him up in Business.-
Returns to Boston. His Father disapproves Keith's Plan.
Voyage to New York. Incident on the Passage from Newport.
Meets his Friend Collins in New York. - They go together to
Philadelphia. Collins's ill Conduct causes a Separation. - Keith
insists on executing his original Plan, and proposes sending him
to London to purchase Types.- Returns to the Use of animal
Food. Anecdotes of Keimer. - His Associates, Osborne, Wat
son, Ralph.—Their Exercises in Composition. Resolves to visit
England, as advised by Governor Keith.
CHAPTER III.
Sails for London, accompanied by Ralph.-On his Arrival delivers
Letters supposed to be written by the Governor.- Discovers that
Keith had deceived him. His Money exhausted. Engages to
work as a Printer at Palmer's, in Bartholomew Close.- Writes
and prints a metaphysical Tract.- Frequents a Club, consisting
of Dr Mandeville and Others. - Disagreement with Ralph and
Separation. Removes to Watts's Printing-house, near Lincoln's
Inn Fields. Habits of the Workmen.-His Expenses of Living.
- Feats of Activity in Swimming. - Enters into Mercantile Bus-
iness with Mr. Denham.- Sir William Wyndham.
--
CHAPTER IV.
Voyage from London to Philadelphia. - His Mercantile Plans de-
feated by the Death of Mr. Denham. - Accepts an Offer from
Keimer to superintend his Printing Establishment. — Description
of the Workmen in the Printing-house. Resolves to separate
from Keimer, and commence Business on his own Account.—
Engraves the Plates for Paper Money in New Jersey, and prints
the Bills. His Views of Religion. - Account of his London
Pamphlet. A New Version of the Lord's Prayer, with Explan-
atory Remarks. - Ferms a Partnership with Hugh Meredith in
the Printing Business.
29
53
67
The Junto.
CHAPTER V.
Description of its original Members. - Franklin writes
the "Busy Body."— Establishes a Newspaper. - Partnership with
Meredith dissolved. - Writes a Tract on the Necessity of a Paper
Currency.-Opens a Stationer's Shop. His Habits of Industry
and Frugality. Courtship. Marriage.
CHAPTER VI.
81
Origin of the Philadelphia Library.-Mode of obtaining Subscrip-
tions. Thrives in his Business. Anecdote of the Silver Spoon
and China Bowl.-Religious Sentiments and Remarks on Preach-
ing. Scheme for arriving at Moral Perfection. - Explanation of
the Scheme. List of Virtues enumerated, and Rules for Prac-
tising them. Division of Time, and the Occupation of each Hour.
Amusing Anecdote - The Art of Virtue. A Treatise on
that Subject proposed 98
CHAPTER VII.
Scheme of a Society for extending the Influence of Virtue. - Belief
in one God, the Immortality of the Soul, and future Rewards and
Punishments. Poor Richard's Almanac.-Rules for conducting
a Newspaper. Controversy concerning Hemphill, the Preach-
er. Studies the French, Italian, and Spanish Languages. Visits
Boston. - The Junto.- Chosen Clerk of the Assembly. — Ap-
pointed Postmaster of Philadelphia. - Suggests Improvements in
the City Watch.- Establishes a Fire Company.
CHAPTER VIII.
. 118
Forms an Intimacy with Whitefield. — Building erected for Preach-
ers of all Denominations. — Character of Whitefield, his Oratory
and Writings.-Partnerships in the Printing Business. - Propos-
es a Philosophical Society. - Takes an active Part in providing
Means of Defence in the Spanish War. - Forms an Association
for that Purpose. - Sentiments of the Quakers. - James Logan.
- Anecdote of William Penn. -The Sect called Dunkers. - Re-
ligious Creeds.-New-invented Fireplace.
CHAPTER IX.
Proposals relating to the Education of Youth.-Subscriptions for tnat
Object. An Academy established. - Appointed one of the Trus-
tees for managing it. - Partnership with David Hall. — Electrical
Experiments.- Chosen a Member of the Assembly. — A Com-
missioner for making a Treaty with the Indians. - Pennsylvania
Hospital. Writes in Favor of it, and procures Subscriptions. -
Advice to Gilbert Tennent.- Suggests Plans for cleaning, paving,
and lighting the Streets of Philadelphia. — Project for cleaning
the Streets of London. -Appointed Postmaster-general for Amer-
ica. Receives the Degree of Master of Arts from Harvard and
Yale Colleges.
136
158
CHAPTER X.
Attends a General Convention at Albany, as a Delegate from Penn-
sylvania. Proposes a Plan of Union for the Colonies, which is
adopted by the Convention. - Interview with Governor Shirley
at Boston.- Conversations with Governor Morris on Pennsylvania
Affairs. Assists Mr. Quincy in procuring Aids for New Eng-
land. Visits General Braddock's Army in Maryland. - Procures
Horses and Wagons to facilitate the March of the Army. - Ob-
tains Supplies for the Officers. - Character of Braddock.- Ac-
count of his Defeat in the Battle of the Monongahela. Braddock
b
commends his Services in Letters to the Government. These
Services poorly rewarded. - Society for the Relief and Instruction
of Germans in Pennsylvania.
CHAPTER XI.
. 176
Appointed One of the Commissioners for appropriating the public
Money for military Defence - Proposes a Militia Bill, which pass-
es the Assembly. -Commissioned to take Charge of the Frontier,
and build a Line of Forts.- Marches at the Head of a Body of
Troops. Account of the March. - Operations at Gnadenhutten.
-Indian Massacres. Moravians at Bethlehem. Returns to
Philadelphia. Chosen Colonel of a Regiment.-Journey to Vir-
ginia. — Declines accepting the Governor's Proposal to lead an
Expedition against Fort Duquesne. - Account of his Electrical
Discoveries. Chosen a Member of the Royal Society. - Receives
the Copley Medal.
196
CHAPTER XII.
Conversations with Governor Denny. - Disputes between the Gov-
ernor and Assembly. - Deputed by the Assembly to present a Pe-
tition to the King, and to act in England as an Agent for Penn-
sylvania. Meets Lord Loudoun in New York. - Anecdotes illus-
trating his Character. - Sails from New York. - Incidents of the
Voyage. - Arrives in England.
214
CONTINUATION,
BY JARED SPARKS.
State of Affairs in Pennsylvania. - Defects of the Government.-
Legislation. Conduct of the Proprietaries.-Object of Franklin's
Agency in England. - Collinson, Miss Stevenson, Strahan, Gov-
ernor Shirley, Beccaria, Musschenbroek.- Franklin's Interview
with the Proprietaries. He causes a Letter to be published re-
specting Pennsylvania. Delays in his public Business. - He
travels in various Parts of England. - Visits the Place in which
his Ancestors were born.- Forms an Acquaintance with Bas-
kerville.- Publishes the "Historical Review of Pennsylvania.” –
Authorship of that Work.
229
Franklin advises the Conquest of Canada.
- His Scheme adopted by
"Parable against Persecution."
the Ministry. Journey to Scotland. - Lord Kames, Robertson,
Hume.
First published by
Lord Kames.- How far Franklin claimed to be its Author. - His
Mission brought to a favorable Termination.-Lord Mansfield's
Agency in the Affair.- Franklin's Sentiments in Regard to Can-
ada. — Writes a Pamphlet to show that it ought to be retained at
the Peace. Tour to the North of England. - Receives Public
Money for Pennsylvania. - Tour in Holland. Experiments to
prove the Electrical Properties of Tourmalin. Cold produced
by Evaporation.-Ingenious Theory for explaining the Causes
of Northeast Storms. - Invents a Musical Instrument, called the
Armonica. His Son appointed Governor of New Jersey. - Re-
tårns to America.
24/
Receives the Thanks of the Assembly. — Tour through the Middle
and Eastern Colonies. - Engages again in Public Affairs. — Mas
sacre of Indians in Lancaster. Franklin's Pamphlet on the Sub
ject, and his Agency in pacifying the Insurgents. Colonel Bou
quet's Account of his Public Services. - Disputes revived between
the Governor and the Assembly.— Militia Bill defeated. — The
Governor rejects a Bill in which the Proprietary Estates are taxed.
-The Assembly resolve to petition the King for a Change of Gov
ernment. — Petition drafted by Franklin. — Chosen Speaker of the
Assembly. Norris, Dickinson, Galloway. -Scheme for Stamp
Duties opposed by the Assembly. — Franklin is not elected to the
Assembly. Appointed Agent to the Court of Great Britain. -
Sails for England.
270
Origin of the Stamp Act. Franklin's Opposition to it. - His Re-
marks on the Passage of the Act, in a Letter to Charles Thomson.
-False Charges against him in Relation to this Subject. - Dean
Tucker. Effects of the Stamp Act in America. - Franklin's Ex-
amination before Parliament. Stamp Act repealed. Mr. Pitt.-
Declaratory Act. - American Paper Currency. - Franklin's An-
swer to Lord Hillsborough's Report against it.— New Scheme
for taxing the Colonies by supplying them with Paper Money.—
Franklin travels in Holland and Germany. His Ideas of the Na-
ture of the Union between the Colonies and Great Britain. — Plan
of a Colonial Representation in Parliament. - Franklin visits Paris.
- His "Account of the Causes of the American Discontents.".
Change of Ministry. - Lord Hillsborough at the Head of the
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