Listen to the AudioBook: Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Introduction

The Autobiography

I. Ancestry and Early Life in Boston

I was born in Boston, New England, the son of Josiah Franklin, and Anne his wife, on the seventeenth of January, one thousand seven hundred and six. The fifth son of the fifth son, which that is thought by some folks to be a charm in family.

My father had ten children by my mother, and with me by his first wife there were seven. All of us that grew up to manhood or womanhood were thirty in number. I was the youngest son of the youngest son of the youngest son for five generations back. My grandfathers were both blacksmiths.

My father was bred a soap-maker and chandler in England, but removing to Boston, in New England, when he set up that business for himself, he found his trade not sufficient to maintain a large family, so he took to use the dyeing trade, which he had learned in his youth in London; but the same misfortune attended him there, for the small dye-house would not do for such a family. Considering further, he got a lease of a part of the land from his brother John, and built a house, and set up a store for selling of soap and candles, and some sort of crude saltpetre, and also kept a country shop for East India and spice goods. He had an apothecary’s shop, and sold pigments and a few common medicines. He was a manly, ingenious, sensible man; I remember well his guessing at the content of a stranger’s jug of saltpetre by the weight of it and taste, when he had not proved it by his scales.

He was a very early riser, and kept very regular hours, all that lived with him, from his journeymen to his children, were awaked by a little bell he rang, which was the first sound we heard in the morning. He made, himself, many useful things of wood and tin. I remember a great many little machines of his contrivance for easing household labour, that he form'd as occasion required, and which, indeed, we might have bought cheaper in the shops, but an over-curious nor ingenious mechanical head, though a great expense of time, made many of these things for us. He delighted in reading, and as the affairs of the town, and state, and church, which he loved to be very active in, took up a great part of his time, he read but little, but to great purpose, for he thoroughly comprehended whatever he read.

As to his person, he was tall of stature, strong set, and hale every way, of a pleasing countenance, a man sensible and with a kind of quick, penetrating eye, and a happy talent of expressing himself, with a pleasant, agreeable, easy manner, so that even his common discourse was as entertaining as his sermons. He had a very good voice, and could utter a sensible speech with great power of persuasion. He was a great reader, and had a fine memory, which furnished him with a good stock of words; the same was with him a source of a pleasant conversation.

He was a religious man, and a good husband and father, who took a great deal of pains to instruct his children in the principles of piety and virtue. He had a great affection for his children, and his advice to them was always seasonable. He was a man of great prudence and economy, and as he did not grow rich by his trade, he brought up his family with industry and frugality.

My mother, Anne, was a daughter of Peter Foulger, of Nantucket, a gentleman of small estate, but of great knowledg in books. She was a woman of great virtues, of excellent sense, and uncommon knowledge for a woman of her education, which was very little. She had an excellent understanding, and was a very good nurse. She brought up her children with great care and attention, and gave them such instructions in religion and morality as she thought proper.

When I was seven years old, my father intended me for the ministry, but finding that my brother John, who was the eldest son, was to succeed him in the business, he gave him the education that he had intended for me. So I was taken from school and put to learn to cut leather, and handle my father’s tools, for he, as well as his father, had been a soap-maker and a tallow-chandler. I was very fond of it, and made some progress in the business, but I did not like it. I was very fond of the water, and having an opportunity of being on it, I took a great delight in it. I was an excellent swimmer for a boy of my age. I was very fond of the sea, and I had a great desire to be a sailor, but my father would not consent to it.

When I was ten years old, my father took me from the business of cutting leather, and put me to work with him in the shop. He was now selling soap and candles, and some dyes, and some other goods, and he had a country shop for spices and some other goods. He kept a small apothecary’s shop, and sold common medicines. I was employed in his shop, and assisted him in his business. I was very fond of reading, and as my father had a good collection of books, I had the opportunity of reading a great deal. I was very fond of poetry, and I began to write verses.

When I was twelve years old, my father intended me for the business of a printer, and he sent me to serve as an apprentice to my brother James, who had been an apprentice to Mr. Thomas Shin, a printer in London, and had returned to Boston some time before. He was an able workman, and had a good deal of experience in the business. I was very much pleased with the business, and I applied myself to it with great diligence.

My brother James was a good master, but he was an ill-tempered man, and he used me very cruelly. He had a great deal of pride, and he was very jealous of my progress. He was very fond of his own opinion, and he would not allow any one to contradict him. He had a good deal of authority, and he was very fond of exercising it over me. He was very fond of being master, and he did not like to have a boy who was as quick and as clever as he was.

I was very fond of reading, and I read everything I could lay my hands on. My brother had a small library, and I had the opportunity of reading a great deal of it. I was very fond of books of history, and I read a great deal of English history. I was very fond of voyages and travels, and I read a great deal of that. I was very fond of poetry, and I wrote a great deal of that.

When I was about sixteen years of age, I had read most of the books that were in my brother’s shop. I had read some of my father’s books, and I had read some books that I had borrowed from my friends. I began to think that I could write better than some of the authors that I had read. I had a great desire to be a writer, and I thought that if I could get my verses printed in my brother’s paper, it would be a great honour to me.

My brother printed a newspaper called the New England Courant. I wrote a letter, without my name, and signed it with the name of Silence Dogood, an old woman, and I put it under the door of the printing-house one night. My brother printed it, and it gave great satisfaction to the readers. I wrote a great many more letters, and they were all printed. I was very much pleased with the success of my letters, and I continued to write them for some time.

The letters of Silence Dogood were very popular, and they caused a good deal of talk in the town. Some people thought that an old woman had written them, and some thought that a man had written them. My brother was very much pleased with the success of the letters, but he did not know that I was the author.

One day, my brother and I had a dispute about something, and he was very angry with me. I told him that I would leave him. He was very angry, and he told me that I could not do better anywhere else. I told him that I could. I was very much determined to leave him, and I began to look for an opportunity to do so.

I had read a book written by a man named John Locke, called An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, and I was very much impressed with his ideas about self-improvement. I resolved to try to put some of his ideas into practice. I was very much determined to be a better man, and I thought that I could do so if I could get away from my brother.

I had an opportunity to go to New York, where there was a great demand for printers. I had a friend, Mr. William Brown, who was going to New York, and I asked him to take me with him. He agreed, and I secretly left Boston one night, without telling my parents or my brother. I was very much afraid that my brother would try to stop me, but I was determined to go.

I arrived in New York in a few days, and I looked for a job. I found a printer, Mr. William Bradford, who was in need of a hand. He was an old printer, and he had a good reputation. I told him that I was a printer, and that I was looking for work. He asked me to show him some of my work, and I showed him some of the things that I had printed in my brother’s shop. He was very much pleased with my work, and he hired me.

I worked for Mr. Bradford for some time, but I was not very well satisfied. He did not have a very good business, and I did not have much opportunity to improve myself. I heard that there was a great demand for printers in Philadelphia, so I resolved to go there.

I arrived in Philadelphia in a few days, and I looked for a job. I found a printer, Mr. Samuel Keimer, who was in need of a hand. He was a German, and he did not speak English very well. He was a very honest man, but he was not a very good printer. I told him that I was a printer, and that I was looking for work. He hired me, and I went to work for him.

I worked for Mr. Keimer for some time, but I was not very well satisfied. He was a very odd man, and he had some very strange ideas about printing. He was very fond of Latin, and he used a great deal of it in his printing. He was very fond of Latin, and he used a great deal of it in his printing. I was not very fond of Latin, and I did not like the way he did things.

I was very much determined to set up a business for myself. I thought that if I could get some money, I could set up a shop in Philadelphia. I saved some money while I was working for Mr. Keimer, and I began to look for a place to set up my shop.

One day, I had an opportunity to go to London, to buy some printing materials. I took the opportunity, and I went to London. I bought a good deal of printing materials, and I returned to Philadelphia. I set up a shop, and I began to print.

I was very successful in my business, and I soon became one of the most respected printers in Philadelphia. I continued to improve myself, and I read a great deal of books. I began to take an interest in public affairs, and I became active in the community.

I married Deborah Read, a young woman whom I had known in Philadelphia before I went to London. She was a very good woman, and she was very helpful to me in my business. We were very happy together.

I continued to improve myself, and I became very interested in science. I began to experiment with electricity, and I made some important discoveries. I became known as a scientist, as well as a printer.

I became involved in politics, and I was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly. I served in the Assembly for many years, and I worked to improve the government of the province. I was a great advocate for public education, and I helped to establish the Academy of Philadelphia, which later became the University of Pennsylvania.

I was sent to London as the agent of Pennsylvania, to represent the interests of the province. I lived in London for many years, and I became well known in English society. I was a friend to many of the leading men of the time.

I returned to America at the beginning of the troubles with Great Britain. I was a member of the Continental Congress, and I helped to draft the Declaration of Independence. I was sent to France as the American minister, and I helped to secure the alliance between France and the United States.

I returned to America after the Revolution, and I was a member of the Constitutional Convention, which drafted the Constitution of the United States. I was the oldest member of the Convention, and I used my influence to promote harmony and agreement among the delegates.

I died in Philadelphia in the year 1790, at the age of eighty-four. I had lived a long and useful life, and I had done my best to serve my country and my fellow men.

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