From Boyhood to Manhood: Life of Benjamin Franklin. William Makepeace Thayer
Together—James Praised His Pieces—Proposition to Write, Print,
and Sell Verses—Wrote Two—Sold Well—His Father's Severe Rebuke—
After-talk with James—Best Writers Deficient at First—Reporting to
James—Benefit to Ben—One of His Verses Preserved—What Franklin
Said of It in Manhood—How He Used the Spectator—Determined to Improve—His Own Description of His Literary Work—How He Acquired Socratic Method—Rhetoric and Logic—How a Single Book Made Wesley, Martin, Pope, Casey, Lincoln, and Others What They Were—A Striking Case.
XV. THE "COURANT" IN TROUBLE.
The Startling News from the Assembly—A Discussion—A Sarcastic Letter
the Cause—James and Benjamin Summoned before the Council—James
Defiant—Benjamin Dismissed—How Mather Assailed the Courant—How James Answered Him—James in Prison—Benjamin Editing the Paper— Quotation from Parton—Persecution of Printers in the Old Country—A Horrible Case—James Released, and Still Defiant—Inoculation a Remedy for Small Pox—The Mercury Denouncing James' Imprisonment—James Still for Freedom of the Press—Secured It for All Time.
XVI. THE BOY EDITOR.
Attacking the Government—The Council Exasperated—Action of the
Courant Club—Plan to Evade Order of the Council—Benjamin, the Boy-editor—His Address in Courant—Quotations from Courant of January 14, 1723—Not Libelous—Extract from Parton's Life—When Newspapers Ceased to be Carried Free—How Long Ben Was in Printing Office—Remarks by Mr. Sparks—What He Says of General Court—How the Experience Developed Benjamin—Right Boy in Right Place—Extract from Courant about Bears.
XVII. THE YOUNG SKEPTIC.
Reading Shaftesbury's Work—Discussion with Collins—Ben's Orthodoxy in
Peril—Benjamin a Thinker—Saying Grace over the Pork Barrel—Reading
from Collins—Several Paragraphs Repugnant to Orthodoxy—Shaftesbury
Attacking Miracles—Ben's Influence over John—Charged with Being
Atheist—His Confession—Letter to His Father—Letter to Sister—Seeing
His Folly—His Prayer—Sad Experience with Infidel Books—Similar to
Lincoln's and Garfield's—Lincoln's Farewell.
XVIII. HOW HE QUIT BOSTON.
Decision to Leave James—Cruelty of the Latter—The Indenture—
Discussion over It with Collins—Advised to Get Place in Another
Printing Office in Boston—James Had Warned Them against Hiring
Him—Discloses His Decision to James—Unfair Use of Indenture—What
Benjamin Said of It Afterwards—Resolved to Run Away—Planned The
Method With Collins—Why Go by Water—How He Obtained Money—Collins
Engages His Passage—Collins' Deliberate Lie—On the Road to
Ruin—Collins' Report to Benjamin—Final Arrangements—Boarding the
Sloop—Scene off Block Island—Ben Converted to Flesh—Benjamin
Franklin's Experience Like William Hutton's.
XIX. TRIALS OF A RUNAWAY.
Applies for Work in New York—Bradford's Advice and Kindness—Starts
for Philadelphia—The Drunken Dutch man—Driven on Shore by a Squall—
A Fearful Night—At Amboy—Benjamin Sick—A Young Man Travelling in
Maine—Advantage of Reading—Sir Walter Scott's Advice—Going in
Rain to Burlington—Landlord Suspected He Was a Runaway—At Doctor
Brown's—A Fine Time with the Doctor—Buying Gingerbread of Old
Woman—His Disappointment—Way out of It—Unexpected Deliverance—His
Skill at Rowing Again Useful—Finally Reaches Philadelphia.
XX. THE WALKING COMEDY.
Meeting a Boy Eating—Buys Three Loaves—His Surprise—A Walking
Comedy—Sees His Future Wife—His Generosity to Mother and Child—A
Trait of His Life—Back to the Boat—On the Street Again and in Quaker
Church—Sleeping in Church—The Kind Quaker—The Crooked Billet—
Suspected of being a Runaway—Meeting the New York Bradford—Interview
with Young Bradford—Interview with Keimer—Showing His Skill at
Type-setting—Senior Bradford's Ruse—Giving Account of His Boston
Life—Doing Things Well—Case of Budgett—What Parton Said to Maydoll.
XXI. GETTING ON.
Repairing the Old Printing Press—Caution to Keep Secrets—Repairing for Bradford—Conversation with Bradford about Work in Boston—Unbelief—Changing Boarding-place—Talk with Boarding-master Read—Study and Companions There—High Rank of Printing Then—Letter from Collins—Found by His Brother-in-law, Captain Homes—Letter from the Captain—Benjamin's Reply—His Letter Read by Governor Keith—His History Told Keith—The Latter's Promise—Colonel French—Two Traits of Ben's Character, Observation and Humility.
XXII. GOING UP HIGHER.
Governor Keith and Colonel French Call on Benjamin—Keimer's
Surprise—Benjamin's Interview with Them—Proposition to Establish
Printing House—Keith Proposed He Should See His Father—Keimer Very
Inquisitive about the Interview—Waiting for Vessel to Boston—Letter
to Collins—How Long Take to Start Printing House—Tells Keimer He is
Going to Boston—Sails for Boston—A Great Storm—Experience in
Reaching Boston.
XXIII. THE SURPRISE, AND ITS RESULTS.
Hastens to See His Parents—Joyful Meeting—Account of Correspondence
with Homes—Going to See James—Delight of Journeymen—Many Inquiries—
Proposition to Treat Them—Report of James' Treatment to Parents—His
Mother's Counsel—Meets Collins—The Latter Intemperate—Counsels Him
to Let Strong Drink Alone—His Father's Opinion of Keith's Letter—
Arrival of Captain Homes—Approves Plans of Benjamin—Calling on
Friends—Seeing Doctor Mather—An Incident and Its Lesson—Collins
Decides to Go to Philadelphia—Benjamin's Father Declines to Help
Him—About Courant—Bidding Parents Farewell and Returning.
XXIV. HIS RETURN, AND WHAT CAME OF IT.
Leaves Boston for New York—Collins to Meet Him There—Calls at Newport to See His Brother John—Takes a Debt to Collect—Finds Collins Drunk in New York—Talk