CHAPTER VIII.

_Management of his Newspaper. Study of the Languages. Chess-playing. The Preacher Hemphill. Stealing Sermons. Visit to Boston. Visits his Brother James at Newport. Usefulness of the Junto. Formation of new Clubs. Franklin chosen Clerk of the General Assembly. Anecdote._

1. Besides his almanac, Franklin considered his newspaper as a very valuable means of circulating instruction and good advice among the people. For this purpose he frequently reprinted in it extracts from the Spectator, a work written a good many years ago, by several distinguished English authors. It is a collection of pieces on moral and popular subjects, in a very pleasant style, and first published in single numbers of a few pages each.

2. In conducting his paper, Franklin was very careful to avoid all abuse of particular persons. Whenever he was requested to publish any thing of the kind, his answer was, that he would print the piece by itself, and give the author as many copies for his own use as he desired. He very wisely considered that his subscribers expected him to furnish them with useful and entertaining pieces, and not with abuse and violent discussions about things with which they had nothing to do.

3. In 1733, Franklin sent one of his apprentices to Charleston, South Carolina, where a printer was wanted. He furnished him with a press and types, and was to receive one third of the profits of the business. After the death of this man, who was very irregular in settling his affairs with Franklin, the business was continued by his widow. This woman had been born and educated in Holland, where females were taught a knowledge of accounts. She managed the establishment with a great deal of prudence and success, and was in time able to purchase the printing office, and establish her son in it.

4. In 1733, Franklin began the study of foreign languages. He soon obtained such a knowledge of the French, as to read books in that language with perfect ease. After this he undertook the Italian. An acquaintance, who was also learning it, often tempted him to play chess. Finding this took up too much time, Franklin refused to play any more, except upon one condition. This was, that whichever of them should beat, should have a right to impose a task upon the other; either of part of the grammar to be got by heart, or in translations.

5. These tasks they were bound in honor to perform before the next meeting. The two friends played with about equal skill and success, and in this way soon beat each other into a pretty good knowledge of the Italian. Franklin next undertook Spanish, and learned enough to read books in that language with considerable ease.

6. About the year 1734, a young preacher arrived in Philadelphia, by the name of Hemphill. He had a good voice, and delivered very excellent sermons. Large numbers were attracted by his eloquence, of different doctrines and belief. Among the rest, Franklin became a very constant hearer. He was pleased with his sermons, because they impressed the love and the practice of virtue and goodness, without quarrelling about hard questions of doctrinal religion.

7. Some of the congregation, however, disapproved of his preaching, and united with the old ministers to attempt to put him down. Franklin took sides with him very warmly, and did all he could to raise a party in his favor. He wrote two or three pamphlets in his defence.

8. During this contest the unlucky preacher hurt his own cause by a very unpardonable meanness. One of his enemies heard him preach a very eloquent sermon, and thought he had somewhere heard or read parts of it before. On looking into the matter, he found the preacher had stolen several passages from a discourse delivered by a celebrated English divine. This discovery induced many of his friends to desert him, and he was obliged to go in search of a congregation less inquisitive.

9. After ten years' absence from Boston, Franklin determined to make a journey there to visit his relations. He was now doing very good business, and was in quite easy circumstances. He had seen a good many changes in his fortunes, since he first ran away from his native place; and his industry and good sense were to bring about still greater changes.

10. In returning to Philadelphia, he stopped at Newport, to see his brother James, who was, at that time, settled there with his printing office. Their former differences were at once forgotten, and the meeting was very cordial and affectionate. James was at that time in very ill health, and in expectation of a speedy death. He, accordingly, requested Benjamin, when that event should happen, to take home his son, then but ten years of age, and bring him up to the printing business.

11. This he accordingly performed, sending him a few years to school before he took him into the office. When James died, his widow carried on the business till her son was grown up. At that time, Benjamin assisted them with an assortment of new types, and they were, in this manner, enabled to continue the establishment.

12. The club which Franklin had founded proved to be so useful, and afforded so much satisfaction to the members, that they proposed to introduce their friends, and increase their number. They had, from the beginning, determined to keep the _Junto_ a secret, and the secret was kept better than such things usually are. Franklin was of opinion that twelve members formed a club sufficiently large, and that it would be inconvenient to increase it.

13. Instead of adding to their number, he proposed that every member, separately, should endeavor to form another club, with the same rules and on the same plan, without informing them of the existence of the Junto. The project was approved, and every member undertook to form his club; but they did not all succeed. Five or six only were completed, which were called by different names, as the _Vine_, the _Union_, the _Band_. These clubs were useful, and afforded their members a good deal of amusement and information.

14. In 1736, Franklin was chosen clerk of the General Assembly. The choice was made that year without any opposition, but, on the next, a new member of that body made a long speech against him. This, however, did not prevent his second election. The place was one of some credit, and, by giving Franklin an opportunity to make friends among the members, enabled him to secure the business of printing the public laws, votes, and paper money.

15. The new member, who had opposed Franklin, was a man of education and talents, and it was desirable to gain his good opinion. Franklin was too proud to pay any servile respect to him, but was too prudent not to wish for his favor. After some time, with his usual shrewdness and knowledge of human nature, he hit upon the following expedient.

16. Having heard that this gentleman had in his library a very scarce and curious book, he wrote a note, requesting that he would do him the favor of lending it for a few days. The book was immediately sent, and in about a week was returned by the borrower, with a short note, expressive of his sincere thanks for the favor.

17. The next time they met in the house, the gentleman spoke to Franklin with a great deal of civility. He ever after manifested a readiness to serve him, and they became great friends. "This is another instance," observes Franklin, "of the truth of an old maxim I had learned, which says--'He that has 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."

18. In 1737, Colonel Spotswood, at that time postmaster-general, being dissatisfied with his deputy at Philadelphia, took away his commission, and offered it to Franklin. He accepted it with readiness, and found it of great advantage. Though the salary was small, the office gave him the means of increasing the subscribers to his paper, and in this way increased his advertisements. His paper now began to afford him a very considerable income.

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1. How did he make his newspaper serviceable in circulating instruction?

2. What was he very careful to avoid?

3. Describe the conduct of the woman whose husband Franklin had established in business.

4. When did Franklin begin the study of foreign languages? What languages did he study? Relate the anecdote about chess-playing.

6. Who was Hemphill?

7. What did Franklin write in his behalf?

8. How did the preacher ruin his own cause?

9. How long had Franklin been absent from Boston when he determined to revisit it?

10. How was the interview between the brothers at Newport? What request did James make respecting his son?

11. How did Franklin comply with this request?

12. How did the Junto flourish?

13. What new clubs were formed? How?

14. To what office was Franklin elected in 1736?

16. How did Franklin conciliate a member who was opposed to him?

17. What is the old maxim quoted by Franklin?

18. To what office was Franklin appointed in 1737?