From Boyhood to Manhood: Life of Benjamin Franklin. William Makepeace Thayer
XXV. WORKING, READING, AND COURTING.
Keimer's Religious Creed—Argument with Benjamin—Establishing a New
Sect and Foregoing a Good Dinner—Benjamin's Three Literary
Associates—Literary Club Formed—Discussion on Ralph as a
Poet—Benjamin's Views—Each One Writing Poetry—Paraphrase of 18th
Psalm—Benjamin Reading Ralph's—Plan to Outwit Osborne—Its
Success—Osborne's Mortification—The Club a Good One—Benjamin and
Deborah Read—The Result.
XXVI. A BOGUS SCHEME.
Ralph Going to England with Benjamin—Time to Sail—Governor Keith
Promises Letters—No Suspicion of Keith—Letters Not Ready as
Promised—Second Application for Letters—Final Promise—Bag of Letters
Come on Board—Looked over Letters in English Channel—The Revelation
of Rascality—Benjamin's Situation Alone in London—Ralph Discloses
that He Has Abandoned His Wife—Rebuked by Benjamin—Advice of
Denham—Governor Keith a Fraud—Finds Work at Palmer's Printing
House—Had Ralph to Support—Ralph a Schoolmaster—Accepting Trouble
Philosophically.
XXVII. "OUR WATER DRINKER."
Letter from Ralph to Benjamin—Ralph's Epic Poem—Assisted Ralph's
Wife—How He and Ralph Separated—Kindness of Wilcox, the Bookseller—
Loaning Books—Benjamin Reviews "Religion of Nature"—Talk with Watts,
and His Opinion of It—Interview with Doctor Lyons—Doctor Pemberton—
Lived to See His Folly—Interview with Sir Hans Sloane—Benjamin's
Attack on Beer Drinking—His Sound Argument—Jake, the Ale Boy—Called
"A Water Drinker"—Discussion with Watts—Refused to Treat the Company—
Visits His Old Press Forty Years After.
XXVIII. AT HOME AGAIN.
What Became of Ralph—Benjamin Teaching Two Companions to Swim—Who Was
Wygate?—The Excursion to Chelsea—Benjamin Swims Four Miles—Antics in
the Water—Sir W. Wyndham Proposes He Should Open a Swimming School—
Wygate's Proposition to Travel—Denham's Advice—Cheaper Board—Incident
Showing Denham's Character—Denham Offers to Employ Him as Clerk in
Philadelphia—Leaves Printing House for Warehouse—Returns to
Philadelphia.
XXIX. UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE.
Visits Keimer's Printing Office—Calls on Deborah Read—Her Marriage to
Rogers, and Divorce—Visit to Deborah Leads to Re-engagement—Now a
Merchant's Clerk—Denham and Benjamin Both Sick—Denham Died and Left
Legacy to Benjamin—Arrival of Captain Homes—Working for Keimer
Again—The Latter Making Trouble—Benjamin Leaves Him—Interview with
Meredith—Proposition to Go into Company in Printing Business—Meredith's
Father Loans Capital.
XXX. THE LEATHERN APRON CLUB.
Reflecting on His Religious Belief—Rules He Wrote on the Berkshire and Introduction to Them—The Leathern Apron Club—Patterned after Cotton Mather's—The Questions Asked—Benjamin's Explanation—The Compact Signed—Bringing in Books They Owned—Establishing the First Library in the Land—Questions Discussed by the Club—No Improvement on This Club—Benjamin's View of It in Age—Organizing Other Clubs—Studying the Languages—Benjamin's Success.
XXXI. BRIGHTER DAYS.
Proposition from Keimer—Discussion of It with Meredith—Returns to
Keimer—Printing Money for New Jersey at Burlington—The Surveyor
General's Life—His Talk with Benjamin—Starting New Firm, Franklin
and Meredith—The First Job—Predictions of Its Failure by Nickle
and Merchants' Club—Doctor Baird Differed—A Proposition from a
Stationer—Interview with Webb—Plan for Starting a Paper Made Known—
Keimer's Paper—Benjamin's Articles in Mercury—Buys Keimer's Paper—Dissolves Partnership—Rum the Cause—The Gazette a Success.
XXXII. NO LONGER A SKEPTIC.
Time is Money—The Lounger Rebuked—Maxims—Avoiding Slander and
Abuse—Revising His Religious Belief—Articles of Belief—Code of
Morals Adopted—Creed for "United Party of Virtue "—Letters to
Friends—Proposed Prayers in Congress and Speech—Epitaph for His
Tombstone Written at Twenty-three.
XXXIII. POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC.
Publishing an Almanac—Discussion about It—When It Was Started—
Maxims Found in It—Very Popular, and Great Circulation—Franklin's
Fame Spreading—The Junto Pleased—Franklin's Account of Success—
How He Conducted His Paper—The Libeller Suppressed—Success of His
Stationer's Shop—Visit to Boston—Visits His Brother James—
Reconciliation—Takes His Son Home—He Buries a Child—His Defense
of Rev. George Whitefield—Building a House of Worship for Him.
XXXIV. MORE HONORS AND MORE WORK.
Clerk of the Assembly—Postmaster—Night-watch Discussed in the Junto—Plan of a Fire Department—Many Fire Companies Formed—Plan to Pave the Streets—Paper on Smoky Chimneys—Franklin Invents a Stove—Gives Away the Patent—Franklin Founds the University of Philadelphia—Its Great Success—Franklin Organized Militia—Influence of Quakers against It—Eighty Companies Formed—Franklin Secured Fast Day—Peace.
XXXV. PHILOSOPHER AND STATESMAN.
Entering into Partnership with Hall—His Large Income—Time for Study
and Research—Rapid Progress in Science—His Fame in Both Hemispheres—
What Mignet Said of His Labors—Kimmersley on His Lightning Rod—
Called Again to Political Life—List of Offices He Filled—Drafting
Declaration of Independence—Hanging Separately—Anecdote—His First
Labors at Court of England—Minister to England—Source of Troubles—
Hatred of Tories—Firm before House of Commons—Death of Mrs. Franklin—
Famous Letter to Strahan—The Eight Years' War—Franklin Author of the