Benjamin Franklin (1706-90): reading journal

Papers | Secondary Sources | Enrich Your Vocabulary | Junto | Thoughts

"Franklin is the real practical prototype of the American" (Lawrence 29).

Benjamin Franklin, Writings. Ed. J. A. Leo Lemay. New York: Library of America, 1987.

Subjects to consider: (quoting and expanding on R. Lerner) (these often fuse into each other)

1. Principles of Government (suffrage, resistance to oppression, public office-holding, party spirit)
2. Rights (freedom of religion, press, emigration)
3. Political Economy (poverty, population, commerce)
4. Int'l Relations (empire, colonization, diplomacy, national interest)
5. What makes for a good society? (private/public virtue, civic improvement)
6. Education
7. Science (cf. Bacon and others)
8. Religion

Autobiography | ETEXT

BOSTON PERIOD, 1722-26

PHILADELPHIA PERIOD, 1726-57, including Poor Richard's Almanac

LONDON PERIOD, 1757-1775

PARIS PERIOD, 1776-1785, and final PHILADELPHIA PERIOD, 1785-90

11/4 ff., notes on the Autobiography.

11/4: F's speeches.
Founding by reason vs. force, cf. Federalist 1. New World Order.
1139, Franklin emphasizes to nonsigners that humility is necessary. Administration. A good system needs good men.
Franklin on Babel, 1139-40: shall we become as they became? 1161: moderate expectations--experiment yields experience, towards change.

10/30: Different expectations of the French court and Americans. PRIDE and AMBITION interfere with human understanding--this is England's failure. Representations (currency): "iconography of republicanism" (this goes well with the early Romantic period--AK). See Adam Smith, ch. 5, "Of Colonies."

10/28: see Stuorzh, Benjamin Franklin and American Foreign Policy.

10/23: Peter Collinson: a London Quaker and friend of Franklin; they exchange letters; Collinson helps found Franklin's library and publishes Franklin's works in England. ENTHUSIASM as a dirty word (connoting religious revivalism): the term, to Franklin, is OK when it inspires one to good deeds, but it becomes a problem when it's too considerate of doctrine. Men as dark devils (863, 865, 868).

10/21: Burke: 'little minds and great empire go ill together.' Adam Smith on the poverty of Spain. Track CHARITY in Franklin's writings.

10/16: early America as dark, completely forested (the squirrel who never touches ground--though that's almost still true if you go down the Appalachians in summer). See also Gary Wills, Inventing America, Ch. 1, esp. on Constitutional Convention and the FFV delegates. Burke on the "English Tartars" of the American frontier.

10/14: for biographies, see esp. Van Doren and also C. L. Becker in DAB. Franklin and the beauty and wonder of electricity. Franklin's desire to methodize (p. 297, APS): focused, ordered chain of hypotheses as to how it all fits together. On education, see Pangle & Pangle, Learning of Liberty, Ch. 4.

10/9: words. Revolutionary virtue. (see notes to pieces below)

10/7: See What makes for a good society? Silence as poor, as woman, outside of high society yet self-made, self-educated: gives her a kind of uncommon authority: naïve and shrewd.

9/30: Franklin as a Reader of Men, both narrator and spectator, to be read both critically and warily.
Dogood #1: Silence is suspended between two worlds (born on boat); so can have impartiality about both. She is a self-made woman: her thoughts, a limited but "well chose" library, are independent of wealth. She is young and innocent, educated under tabula rasa model. Gendered education, but seemingly more than others would get, since under the minister [AK]. "Fortune" -- not an enlightenment term.

• Dogood 2, p.8: "enemy to arbitrary Government & unlimited Power" = republicanism; gov't ought not to encroach upon the "Rights and Liberties" we have. Cf. Autobiography1324 note: Franklin is likewise enemy of arbitrary power, perhaps because his brother treated him unfairly at the newspaper.
  Dogood 3, p. 9. Citizens must serve their country, by duty, to their full potential.
  Dogood 4, pp. 15-16, Defoe [Lemay]: country ought to educate its women.
  Dogood 8, p. 24, quoting London Journal: freedom of thought, speech; public liberty. Freedom goes fully up until it would hurt another person. Security of property. P. 25: gov't acts as Trustees for the People.
  Dogood 9, p. 27: The law can be put above the Gospel, and this is the worst aspect of the hypocrite.
  Rules for a Club Formerly Established in Philadelphia: #14: laws to suggest for the government--suggested by young citizens!
  Poor Richard 1738, p. 1208: too much liberty is bad [this is more about temperance however]
• Queries p. 212: "If the Sovereign Power attempts to deprive a Subject of his Right, (or which is the same Thing, of what he thinks his Right) is it justifiable in him to resist if he is able?"
• "Education of Youth," 325n: quoting Rollin: the greatest number don't always make the best decisions [against pure democracy]. p. 337: there is a necessity of there being a public religion; a religious character among citizens--especially Christianity--but apart from superstition. History teaches how "Men and their Properties are protected by joining in Societies and establishing Government...The Advantages of Liberty...Benefits arising from good Laws and a due Execution of Justice, &c. [i.e.] the first Principles of sound Politicks." "Bad Government and insecure Property," i.e., heavy taxes, encourage emigration.
• "Albany Plan": the confederation would have a President and a representative assembly ("house of representatives," 388). Separation of powers--the pres. is funded by the Crown, and cannot dissolve the assembly, but has the veto and full exec. power. Final veto reserved to the Crown. Constitutional (the Plan at hand). Representative taxation: based on English liberty. Moderate wages to ensure the best people. Ability to declare war and make peace, etc., jointly. Counsels purchase of Indian land rather than taking it by force. Regulated settlement [RL].
• See also "Causes of the American Discontents" and "No Taxation Without Representation" in reading notes above. A state needs enough people to fight in its defense, and enough resources to pay for its defense. "Industry and constant Employment are great Preservatives of the Morals and Virtue of a Nation" ("Info," 982).
• Letter to Robert Morris Christmas 1783, p. 1079: Nearly all property is "the Creature of public Convention" (1081-82); everything above what a man needs to survive belongs to the public. This is part of "civil Society" (1082). Ditto on November 3, 1789 (Knollenberg 132).
• Speech in the [Constitutional] Convention on the Subject of Salaries June 2, 1787, p. 1131: the executive officers of the U.S. should receive no salary, so as to counter ambition and avarice of "the Bold and the Violent" and encourage "the Lovers of Peace and good Order" (1131) who are devoted to "doing Good and serving their Country" (1133). The rulers wanting more money, vs. the ruled wanting to give less, causes strife, partisanship, and civil war. Franklin comes out especially against salaries increasing over time.
• Speech in a Committee of the Convention on the Proportion of Representation and Votes June 11, 1787, p. 1134: we are here "to consult, not to contend, with each other." The convention rep's ought to have represented the whole country rather than merely their own states. Taxation with representation will encourage full funding of the government, proportional to the states' size and resources; in this proposal, congress would have equal representation from each state but more money from the bigger states. But the issue is difficult because this gives the smaller states an advantage (he notes this objection, esp. as given by the 1774 congress).
• Motion for Prayers in the [Constitutional] Convention June 28, 1787, p. 1138: the difficulty of getting good political wisdom from the examples of the past or of other countries. PROVIDENCE: the longer Franklin lives, "the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that GOD governs in the Affairs of Men." We are mankind's last best hope: if we fail, "Mankind may hereafter . . . despair of establishing Government by human Wisdom, and leave it to Chance, War, and Conquest" (1139). Nation-founding by reason rather than force--see Federalist 1 [RL]. Franklin emphasizes to the non-signers that humility is necessary in our opinions. Administration: a good system also needs good people. BABEL, 1139-40: if we are not careful we shall become divided (though in Scripture this happens by God, against the people's hard work [Hanley]).
• Speech in the [Constitutional] Convention at the Conclusion of its Deliberations Sept. 17, 1787, p. 1139: counseling humility in one's opinions, political now as well as religious (as seen often before). The constitution at hand is likely flawed, but good enough; as it is necessary, and the best we can do--nearly perfect, at that--we ought to accept it. Part of successful government is the perception that the government system is itself good: let us accept that, unanimously and without argument, and move on to a good administration of it.

• Dogood 2, p.8: "naturally very jealous for the Rights and Liberties of my Country."
  Dogood 4, pp. 15-16, Defoe [Lemay]: country ought to educate its women--they have the capacity for it.
  Dogood 8, p. 24, quoting London Journal: freedom of thought, speech; public liberty. Freedom goes fully up until it would hurt another person. Security of property.
  Wagstaff, p. 53: injustices against freedom of speech, related to Symmes's castigation of the Courant.
• Rules for a Club Formerly Established in Philadelphia: Question 3: freedom of religion and of thought (opinions)--not to be persecuted (p. 207).
  Queries p. 212: "If the Sovereign Power attempts to deprive a Subject of his Right, (or which is the same Thing, of what he thinks his Right) is it justifiable in him to resist if he is able?"
  "Albany Plan": p. 387: representative taxation, based on the idea of liberty as Englishmen.
  See also "No Taxation Without Representation" in reading notes above: natural rights of Englishmen.
• TAXATION: Ltr to Strahan, 1769, p. 854: British rights to tax (not existent, to Franklin) vs. American rights not to be so taxed (same as Letter to Samuel Cooper 1770, p. 859; cf. Letter to William Franklin, Oct. 1773, pp. 885-86). See also "Causes of the American Discontents Before 1768" and "Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One" 1773, pp. 689 ff., above. Rights of property and of self-preservation, Ltr. To Morris, p. 1082.
• "An Account of the Supremest Court of Judicature in Pennsylvania, viz. The Court of the Press" 1789, p. 1150: rights of the press vs. those of the cudgel. Libel laws necessary.

• Dogood 6, p. 17: Pride of clothing/fashion leads to haughtiness, which ruins the state and the church.
  Dogood 9, p. 27: The law can be put above the Gospel, and this is the worst aspect of the hypocrite.
  "Education of Youth" p. 337: there is a necessity of there being a public religion; a religious character among citizens--especially Christianity--but apart from superstition. Also, "good Laws and a due Execution of Justice."
  See also "No Taxation Without Representation" in reading notes above.
  "Where there is Hunger, Law is not regarded" and v.v. (PR 1755, p. 1283).
  Poor Richard 1744, p. 1233: "Where there's no Law, there's no Bread."
• "Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, &c." 1751, pp. 367-74: while the populated cities of Europe have about a constant population (maximum level having been reached), America, with its cheap and arable land, can grow very quickly--at double the rate--imagining a doubling every 20 years. The principle is that the people will expand to fit their boundaries. In America the cost of labor is high, because people can easily get their own plantation or business. Thus there is no competition with British goods, and so Britain should only encourage American industry, which will help her as well.
  Some manifest destiny talk, p. 369.
  Slavery: costs about as much as regular labor, but is more consistent with work.
  How to discourage marriage/economy: being conquered; losing territory; losing trade; losing food; "Bad Government and insecure Property"--heavy taxes; use of slaves, which exterminates the poor in favor of a few rich; importing and using luxuries. But those who encourage marriage and economy are called "Fathers of their Nation," 371 [cf. Locke, Second Treatise of Gov't [RL]].
  Racism/nationalism/jingoism: Britain ought patiently let its territory be filled with the British and their descendants; why include non-British of different cultures and races? Especially when in world terms the British are a minority? Questions viability of the multicultural society [RL].
• Letter to Peter Collinson 1753, pp. 468-75: It is good to serve the poor, but not so much as to encourage idleness or dependency. People tend to seek ease of life; the Indians seem to live an easy life, which young children as a rule prefer. Their wants are few and natural, and easily fulfilled. Meanwhile civilized man has "infinite Artificial [capitalizing an adjective] wants" that are harder to satisfy. Nevertheless, our poor must not lay in idleness while the rest of us work. [Archivists, N.B.: the German printing presses and newspapers of Pennsylvania--what remains of this published work? A good question for Marc Shell.] The Germans are good contributors to the country, but ought to be assimilated with the English.
• Regulated settlement [RL] and other things in the Albany Plan. See also "Causes of the American Discontents Before 1768" above. See also "Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One" 1773, pp. 689 ff.
• "On the Labouring Poor" 1768, pp. 622 ff., by Medicus: Britain more than anyone, in great measure, helps the poor, but this serves only to increase "our natural indolence, to encourage idleness and prodigality," even under programs that help the aged and sick. The laboring poor actually receive "the whole revenue" of the rich, as the rich spend what they receive on goods manufactured by the poor (pre-Marxist ideas?). Good thoughts about political economy: wages, taxes, working laws.
• "On a Proposed Act to Prevent Emigration" Dec. 1773, pp. 704 ff.: why should Britain restrict emigration, when it does just fine by strengthening America as well as Britain thereby? Population grows to fill its space naturally. Such a law as proposed is neither necessary (b/c of population growth), practicable (b/c people tend to want to break the law), of sound policy (it is only a few people in some industries who are really hurt by the change in balance of trade, and they should just [work harder and] live more frugally), or in accordance with justice (opportunities to improve oneself in America abound).
• Letter to J. Babcock, Jan. 1772, pp. 873 ff.: the wide gap between rich and poor in Ireland and Scotland, compared to the equalities and plenty in America. The former speaks ill of civilization.
• Commerce: see "Information to Those Who Would Remove to America," esp. p. 980. Do not tax foreign goods for the benefit of domestic industries that could not survive on their own; instead, countries should make use of comparative advantage. Population and industry. The rich and the middle class (very few poor). Apprenticeships in accordance with reason and justice (982). "Industry and constant Employment are great Preservatives of the Morals and Virtue of a Nation" (982).
• Property: Letter to Robert Morris, Christmas 1783: Nearly all property is "the Creature of public Convention" (1081-82); everything above what a man needs to survive belongs to the public. This is part of "civil Society" (1082). Ditto on November 3, 1789 (Knollenberg 132).
• Press: "An Account of the Supremest Court of Judicature in Pennsylvania, viz. The Court of the Press" 1789, p. 1150: rights of the press vs. those of the cudgel. Libel laws necessary.
• Slavery: Franklin moves away from his Englishman racism. "An Address to the Public [from the Penn. Abolitionists]" 1789, p. 1154: "Slavery is such an atrocious debasement of human nature, that its very extirpation, if not performed with solicitous care, may sometimes open a source of serious evils." Slavery makes a man, governed by passion of fear, unable to make good use of reason and conscience. Therefore we must do more than just free the slaves, and instill via habit and education a new, independent industriousness. (This requires money, which his group will gladly accept.) Audience is "enlightened and benevolent freemen" (1155). The "Plan for Improving the Condition of the Free Blacks" 1789?, p. 1156, is to accomplish just this, via various subcommittees of his abolition society, to wit: Inspection, to discern the current state a person is in (and then track him into the following subcommittees); Guardianship, placing young apprentices or setting children in families; Education, unsegregated, especially in "the most important and generally acknowledged moral and religious principles"; Employment, for working-age freedmen (including apprenticeships as prudent). "Sidi Mehemet Ibrahim on the Slave Trade" 1790, p. 1157: by Historicus. What if the Christians (i.e. Americans) were slaves of the Muslims (i.e. Africans)? A good characterization of the arguments of slaveholders, some of which may have been not completely void of merit, but most of which is just parodied.

• Settlement borders in the Albany Plan (372-73).
  The APS is to be in touch with parallel groups in other countries ("Proposal...").
  "Observations" 373: Britain ought to be v. careful in treaties about land in America, because that will set the ultimate limits of power and population in the New World. Similarly, why let so many Germans rather than English inhabit Pennsylvania?
  See also "Albany Plan"; "Causes of the American Discontents Before 1768"; "The Seeds Sown of a Total Disunion of the Two Countries" May 1771, pp. 669 ff.; "Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One" 1773, pp. 689 ff. and other pieces nearby; "An Edict by the King of Prussia" Sept. 1773, pp. 698 ff.
  Comparative advantage ("Info for those who would..." p. 981).
• "[13] Proposed Articles of Confederation" July 1775, pp. 730 ff.: "The United Colonies of North America." Representative taxation (VI). Alliances among the colonies and with the Six Nations (Indians). Provisions for growth of the colonies. If America is able to reconcile with Britain, however, everything will go back to a happy normal.
• Ltr to Strahan, 1769, p. 854: History: just as Spain and Portugal, and other sets of countries, split, despite similarities, because of unjust government, this likely will happen also between England and America.
• Letter to Samuel Huntington 1780, p. 1022: Franklin vs. Adams as diplomat to France. The King is glad to assist "an oppressed People" (but cf. French Rev. 1789!). Franklin wants to be effusively thankful, while Adams wants to act more boldly. Tact of a diplomat, but not the words of a thoroughgoing courtier. Generic diplomat business is also discussed here. Russia suggests that no country interfere with another's ships, thereby promising cheaper goods all around: a treaty of neutrality.

• virtue - Better thyself! Perfect thyself! (see "On Simplicity" p. 182). Dogood 2, p.8: virtue, not vice. Dogood 9, p. 27: against hypocrites: public hurt for personal advantage is a temptation. Busy-Body 3, pp. 96-99: The mindset for all ought to be toward industriousness, p. 98 [RL]. HABITS of virtue, p. 97 (ties in with education and religion). Great men are very virtuous, p.98. Warning to philosophers: get your heads out of the "musty Authors" to truly know others and yourselves! "Doctrine to be Preached," p. 179: a community which exercises and encourages virtue. The best people are merely pretenders at policy--their policy is to be simple and honest, p. 181; cunning is personal and lonely; wisdom has openness and shares in the community, 182-83, both "On Simplicity." "On Censure or Backbiting," 193: "real Grandeur" is impossible without "true virtue." "Info": "Industry and constant Employment are great Preservatives of the Morals and Virtue of a Nation" (982).
• Rights
• Men & women - See Dogood #4 and 5, pp. 14-19, on men's and women's vice: Defoe (Lemay's note/pp. 15f.) finds that women's ignorance comes b/c men do not allow women to be educated.
• Art - Dogood 7, p. 19: good artists/poets ought to be encouraged, so as to produce even better works; on critics: quotes Watts: art may well break the critics' rules. Includes an imitation of Pope's "Receipt" [Lemay 1520]; satirical look at New England elegy, its horrid rhymes and conventions--esp. in a mock-elegy. "On Simplicity," p. 183: excellence in art either shows "the native Simplicity and Truth in Nature" or teaches us to copy it [mimesis].
• Lecture notes 10/7: Recognizing masks and mixed motives--impt. theme for Benjamin Franklin (as early as Dogood 2, her reasons to marry)--common to see Benjamin Franklin show candor about his vanity, then move into a mock humility. Franklin promotes a new American way and character [Jacobs]--is this not one responsibility of literature [AK]? Acute consciousness of audience--self-reflexive--encourages readers to be the same! Enlightenment celebration of the self. The 'think through it--it's yours!' mentality. Practices leading toward perfection.
• Truth for truth's sake ("Rules for a Club," Q. 4, p. 207). Openness to changing our mind, and then making truth public ("On Obstinacy in Opinion," p. 255).
• Education: "Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania": education is foundational to the good of the society. "Something seems wanting in America to incite and stimulate Youth to Study," 326n.
• Manners: "Remarks Concerning the Savages of North-America" 1783, pp. 969 ff.: they are men like us, though of vastly different culture. In many ways they seem more civilized than the colonists. On going to the "big house" on Sundays to learn "good things"--it's "a Man in black [who] began to talk to the People very angrily" (973). Hospitality of the Indians and anti-hospitality of the colonists. "You see they have not yet learnt those little good things, that we need no Meetings to be instructed in, because our Mothers taught them to us when we were Children" (974).

• Dogood 9 p. 28: Education as "undeceiving the deceived."
• See also all notes at Dogood #4. See lect. notes 10/7 above.
• "Rules for a Club," Q. 4--endeavor to find truth and to communicate it
• Perfection: "Proposals and Queries to be Asked the Junto," pp. 209-10: Can man become perfect in this life? "I suppose the Perfection of any Thing to be only the greatest the Nature of that Thing is capable of;/different Things have different Degrees of Perfection; and the same thing at different Times." That is, yes, one can meet one's full potential--suggests that each man may have a different potential to fulfill (like the chicken and the hen and the egg).
• "Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania": education is foundational to the good of the society (esp. for public citizenship and preparation for leadership [RL and Hanley and p. 324]). Cultivation of one's capacities [cf. Aristotle on habit]. The Library is an essential part; attention to the "Learned Languages" is impt. (326n), though English is by far the most important. Young scholars should eat together, exercise [an excellent defense of it from Turnbull et al. on 328n.; cf. U of C's Hutchins?], and learn the "most useful" and "most ornamental" things--especially the use of their own language (English)--includes a two-page footnote on this--(but cf. "clear and concise, pp. 331-32!) through writing letters, among other things. In literature: the CLASSICS. Rhetoric (334n., etc.). History: includes studying the character of great men (teaching by example--cf. Plutarch [RL] and Autobiography); moral excellency; religion; the rises and falls of the great. Natural history and knowledge of nature, and (via Rollin and Milton) basic literacy about bread, linen, agriculture, etc. Good breeding: the proper use of one's talents. "true Merit... [can] be acquir'd or greatly encreas'd by true Learning; and should indeed be the great Aim and End of all Learning," p. 342. 342n., quoting Locke: virtue, direct virtue, is the aim of education; all else is naught otherwise. Education has practical ends--not learning for its own sake [which is pedantry]. METHODIZES his sources (cf. APS Secretary [RL]).
• "Idea of the English School"pp. 348 ff.: content of education in six stages. (1) spelling, vocabulary, easy reading. Group learning; competitive learning. (2) "Reading with Attention." Readings to contain also moral or practical lessons. (3) rhetoric--learning the tropes. Basic history; also "Natural and Mechanic History"--for it is useful. (4) composition: clear, concise, and natural. A book of morals. More history. (5) composition II--essays, poetic practice (for ability to choose words and phrases). (6) literature. Goal at this level is good life skills and preparation for basic citizenship.
• Letter to Peter Collinson: pp. 471-72: the Indians and the colonists each claim that they give their children the best education. (repeated in "Remarks..." 1783, p. 969, in greater detail).
• Letter to Wm. Franklin Aug. 1784, p. 1096: law "as a necessary Part of Knowledge for a public Man" (1097).

• The subjects considered by the American Philosophical Society are to be very specific, and also "all philosophical Experiments that let Light into the Nature of Things, tend to increase the Power of Man over Matter, and multiply the Conveniencies or Pleasures of Life" (296).
• See also "Course of Experiments" (355 ff.) 1751: METHOD.
• PR 1748, p. 1242: Copernicus vs. Ptolemy. 1248, on mosquitoes. 1749, p. 1251, on sound. 1252, on Bacon, "father of the modern experimental philosophy." 1751, 1260: Science beats astrology, a quack science. On timekeeping. On the sights afforded by the microscope.
• Letter to Joseph Priestley 1780, p. 1017: the rapid progress of "true Science." "Power of Man over Matter." Unfortunately "moral Science" has not kept pace! "All human Situations have their Inconveniencies; we feel those that we find in the present, and we neither feel nor see those that exist in another. Hence we make frequent and troublesome Changes without Amendment, and often for the worse" (1018). Changing one's position in order to gain a slight improvement is like Franklin's story of the hot ship vs. the marshy mosquitoes (1018). Similarly, Letter to Sir Joseph Banks July 1783, p. 1074: now that Europe is all furnished "with Academies of Science, with nice Instruments and the Spirit of Experiment, the progress of human knowledge will be rapid, and discoveries made, of which we have at present no Conception" (etc.). First balloon experiments (see especially letter to Banks, pp. 1074 ff.). Letter to Rev. Lathrop 1788, p. 1166: scientific progress is amazing!

Religion: Franklin notes how it (unfortunately) "raises the temperature of political discourse" [RL].

See also Handlin's comments. See Madison's notes on the Constitutional Convention [sugg. By Mark Noll.]

Dogood 9, pp. 26f.: hypocrite is worse than "the openly profane." 'A little religion goes a long way in the courts.' The law can be put above the Gospel, and this is the worst aspect of the hypocrite.

Timothy Wagstaff, pp. 52-55, 1723: makes fun of the concept that "a certain Joco-Serious Dialogue ... inevitably tends to the Subversion of your Religion" -- in response to same charge leveled against the Courant, that something which offends good people, offends God. P. 54, quoting Blount: "[As opposed to those who would take life's pleasure's away from religion,] Religion is of an Active Principle, it not only elevates the Mind, and invigorates the Fancy; but it admits of Mirth, and pleasantness of Conversation, and indulges us in our Christian Liberties"; indeed it is sin to avoid the pleasures that God has opened to us [Bacon via Blount]; those who sin this way react to God with fear and not love.

Autobiography, 1771, p. 1308: solidly thanks God as the provider of goodness in his life; hopes for but won't presume on God's continuing blessing. Family came to New England in 1682 for relig. freedom. Pg. 1347: seems to continue to be disaffected with popular religion and its rules. Pg. 1350: visit to the nun who confesses every day her vain thoughts. Pg. 1359: claims that he became "a thorough Deist" [but his other writings seem to call this into question--AK], but "began to suspect that this Doctrine tho' it might be true, was not very useful" [this about 1734?]. Common in metaphysical reasoning to develop errors, 1359. No belief in the use of revelation as command--but the commandments are right because of their nature; they describe how to lead the best life (1359-60) (ditto Poor Richard 1739, p. 1213, both on sin and on duty)

Autobiography Part Two, 1784, pp. 1382-83: Though he early on doubted some Presbyterian doctrines and stopped going to church, "I never was without some religious Principles; I never doubted, for instance, the Existance of the Deity, that he made the World, & govern'd it by his Providence; that the most acceptable Service of God was the doing Good to Man; that our Souls are immortal; and that all Crime will be punished & Virtue rewarded either here or hereafter; these I esteem'd the Essentials of every Religion" (in Part Three, he wavers a little on this; see p. 1396), and thus he respected them all, and always helped the construction of places of worship. Takes on moral perfectionism as a sort of substitute for public worship, though maintains private worship [very significant that he continues to refer to his 1728 "Acts of Religion" as actually used, and that these are combined in Part 3, p. 1396] and even in the perfectionism book uses a prayer to God.

"Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion" 1728, pp. 83 ff.:. anthropological cosmology, where the point is to achieve happiness and virtue. God is interested in our "truest interests": we repay God his goodness by fulfilling social duties: loving fellow-man (see also p. 1388, autobiog.) [RL]. Cf. Tocqueville (D in A II(?)) on medieval Xy's ideas of multiple spheres of the heavens [RL]. Other historical confluences: religious renewal; denominationalism; financial bubbles [RL]. Otherwise he seems to square very well with Xy, esp. regarding virtue, though extreme emphasis on reason [AK]. Even quotes Milton's hymn to the Creator (Par. Lost, Lemay). Seems to still be using this in 1743 when he writes his sister (see Letter To Jane Mecom, p. 427); this seems borne out by Autob. 1383.

"On the Providence of God in the Government of the World" 1730, pp. 163-68: composed for the Junto (Lemay 1526). Religious authority comes through Reason (163). Since everyone believes in God, no special proof is necessary before asking the further questions regarding what God is like: of great wisdom, goodness, and power. Recognizing these lead to admiration, love and affection for God. God is the creator of the universe. Knowledge as power! (164-65). Decides that God probably acts in the world (as opposed to deism, but not so deterministically as predestination would have it). Presdestination gives up any power to further change events [though problems arise in this reasoning--AK], and it is absurd to create beings who are predestined to blaspheme or to pray fruitlessly. Deism also is absurd; why would God completely abandon his creation (166), leaving behind his power and wisdom and goodness (167)? (Doesn't do so well in explaining away a slightly modified deism, 167--AK.) God grants man free will. God-sanctioned revolution [cf. Noll on founding]? "Believing a Providence we have the Foundation of all true Religion; for we should love and revere...and thank...and adore him...fear him...and pray to him...and this Religion will be a Powerful Regulater of our Actions, give us Peace and Tranquility within our own Minds, and render us Benevolent, Useful and Beneficial to others" (168). (on providence, ditto Poor Richard 1740, p. 1218 top)

"Doctrine to be Preached" 1731?, pp. 179-80: God is to be worshipped and thanked; God loves those who love one another (social duties included, one thinks); the virtuous in context of a community which exercises and encourages virtue. Virtuous || wise || perfect. This doctrine is in contrast to the "New England Doctrines and Worship" (Letter to Jane Mecom, p. 427), with which he at least somewhat disagrees--and yet he counsels religious tolerance.

"Rules for a Club" p. 207: freedom of religion.

"Education of Youth" p. 337: there is a necessity of there being a public religion; a religious character among citizens--especially Christianity--but apart from superstition. (via Rollin, p. 340:) study of nature leads one to religion. Pg. 342n: "true Merit" is the same thing as "To have in view the Glory and Service of God .... For Doing Good to Men is the only Service of God in our Power [worship/praise/thanksgiving are different]; and to imitate his Beneficence is to glorify him."

"Observations on Population," 372: 'a sect that regards frugality and industry as religious duties' will naturally increase in population.

Poor Richard 1734: God acts separately from the "universal Chain of Causes"; this is providence (1189).

Letter to Josiah and Abiah Franklin 1738, pp. 425-27: humility about one's opinions. This applies also to religions. Also, he does not pay much attention to orthodoxies: "I think vital Religion has always suffer'd, when Orthodoxy is more regarded than Virtue. And the Scripture assures me, that at the last Day, we shall not be examin'd what we thought, but what we did; [esp.] GOOD to our Fellow Creatures. See Matth. 26." (I think he means 9:26-ak)

Letter to Joseph Huey 1753, pp. 475-77: good deeds are to repay the debt of not just what others have done for Benjamin Franklin, but also of "numberless Mercies from God." Real acts, not just "Thanks, and Compliments," are required. Such good works are not to merit Heaven, which is infinitely beyond our ability to merit it (same point in Letter To Jane Mecom, 1743, p. 427). To Benjamin Franklin, Heaven = an infinite, eternal happiness. Our good pleasures on earth are given from God. He submits himself "to the Will and Disposal of that God who made me, and in whose fatherly Goodness I may well confide, that he will never make me miserable, and that even the Afflictions I may at any time suffer shall tend to my Benefit." [this accords v. well with Christianity.] Benjamin Franklin is a proponent of faith, though its exercise does not often enough result in good works: "I mean real good Works, Works of Kindness, Charity, Mercy, and Publick Spirit; not Holiday-keeping, Sermon-Reading or Hearing, performing Church Ceremonies, or making long Prayers, fill'd with Flatteries and Compliments, [and not so] capable of pleasing the Deity. The Worship of God is a Duty, the hearing and reading of Sermons may be useful; but if Men [do also no good deeds], it is as if a Tree should value itself on being water'd and putting forth Leaves, tho' it never produc'd any Fruit." (same as Letter to Jane Mecom p. 427, in which he quotes Mt. 7:16 etc., that one judges someone's goodness by his good fruits; also see "Dialogue Between Two Presbyterians" 1735, pp. 256-57 and repeated p. 258; also see "Compassion and Regard for the Sick" 1731, pp. 169-70 (charity as the true spirit of Xy); also see Letter to John Franklin 1745, pp. 428-29: if it comes to sacking a town, better to depend on works than faith.) All of this is to say, as did Christ, that God prefers "Doers of the Word to the meer Hearers" (p. 476)--and Franklin goes on to give examples from Scripture of Christ's actions and parables in this regard. Adds to (Protestant, at least) Christian doctrine: whosoever has served the needy, "tho' they never heard of his Name [my emphasis], he declares shall in the last Day be accepted," while those who merely used God's name in vain and did no good works, will be rejected. (cf. Matthew 7:16-23; similar to Luke 6:43-46; akin to John 15:9-17). In fact he goes so far as to say that "A virtuous Heretick shall be saved before a wicked Christian" (1735, "Two Presby's" p. 261).

Letter to Thomas Hopkinson(?) [but Aldridge says it's James Bowdoin, Aldridge 104) 1746, esp. p. 435: "I oppose my Theist to his Atheist, because I think they are diametrically opposite and not near of kin (despite Whitefield)--in fact, they are as different as chalk from charcoal. A suggestion that he is not so sure about: "If God was before all Things, and fill'd all Space; then, when he form'd what we call Matter, he must have done it out of his own Thinking immaterial Substance [this also suggested by Kass in the Creation of Genesis 1]. But Franklin has given up on metaphysics: "The great Uncertainty I have found in that Science; the wide Contradictions and endless Disputes it affords; and the horrible Errors I led my self into when a young Man, by drawing a Chain of plain Consequences as I thought them, from true Principles, have given me a Disgust to what I was once extreamly fond of." (For an example of this problem as not quite a young man, see "Letter from Theophilus, Relating to the Divine Prescience" 1741, pp. 290-91. By adding free will and the ability to be separated from God (which God may know about presciently but not approve of, though prefer it to a world of no free will), Franklin's dilemma is solved [AK].)

"A Parable on Brotherly Love" 1755, p. 423: Judah forgives Reuben about not lending the ax, and in fact Judah gives his own ax to Reuben. Such love is not about equity but generosity.

"Dialogue Between Two Presbyterians" 1735, pp. 256 ff.--(S is the good guy [as in Socrates? Cf. "A Man of Sense" p. 244], T the bad guy.) S says, "Faith is recommended as a Means of producing Morality...and Morality of Salvation" (257). As one believing the math teacher to be a good teacher, is yet no mathematician, he who believes in Christ as teacher of morals but who does not do it, is no Christian. Furthermore, says S, "Morality or Virtue is the End, Faith only a Means to obtain that End: And if the End be obtained, it is no matter by what Means"--that salvation can come to the righteous without faith in Christ: it is not faith alone but virtue alone. Though Franklin uses here, and in Letter to Joseph Huey 1753, p. 476, the idea that Christ himself pronounced certain people faithful without him (he calls not the Righteous but the Sinners [Mt. 9:13 etc.]), Christ is especially referring to those sinners who think they are righteous but really aren't--people just like S and Franklin, whose pride prevents them from realizing that they are indeed sinful [AK]. S believes that any reasonable interpretation of Scripture has a chance to be right, despite protestations from the denominations declaring their Articles of Faith--S is against the Confessional tradition. S also agrees in freedom of religious evangelism.

"Well done is better than well said." Poor Richard 1737 (1205). "how many observe Christ's Birth-day! How few, his Precepts!" Poor Richard 1743 (1230).

"Many a long dispute among Divines may be thus abridg'd, It is so: It is not so. It is so; It is not so." Poor Richard 1743 (1230).

"Ni ffyddra llaw dyn, er gwneithr da idd ei hûn": "Man's hand alone, without God's help, cannot do himself good" (Lemay 1549) on PR 1746, p. 1239.

"What is Serving God? 'Tis doing Good to Man." PR 1747, p. 1241.

On Boyle, PR 1749, p. 1250: "true learning and exalted piety are by no means inconsistent."

PR 1757, p. 1291: beware the pride of "speculative Religion" which professes conviction from the head.

Godliness above learning, PR 1757 p. 1294.

-----------POST-1757---------------------

Letter to ? 1757, p. 748: suggests that the author may be right in Deism (or Unitarianism or something), but that the author's tone and denigration of religion will do more harm than good: most people will disagree and fight. Further, some who will agree will have no morals with which to replace the lost religion. Religion serves to encourage virtue; if nothing else, to (regardless of the doctrine) set us on arriving at virtue via HABIT (cf. Aristotle).

"A New Version of the Lord's Prayer" 1768? Pp. 638 ff.: a perfectly fine rewriting, faithful to the idea if not the letter of the original, with good reasoning for the changes. Almost loses the kingdom metaphor (cf. the crazy New Oxford Version). Different theological meaning of "debts" vs. "trespasses" (here, "trespasses," but not the usual "trespasses" verse) seems more in accordance with other Scripture but ought to be investigated in the Greek. Other rewritings seem to be definite improvements. [Similar to my own use /AK]

See "Toleration in ..." p. 673 above.

Letter to Jane Mecom, July 1771, p. 868: "I see so much Wisdom in what I understand of its Creation and Government, that I suspect equal Wisdom may be in what I do not understand. And thence have perhaps as much Trust in God as the most pious Christian."

"Proposed New Version of the Bible" 1779?, 935: modernize the Bible's language. Franklin puts up a tolerable sample, though agrees (as do I) that someone better than he is required.

"On Wine" 1779?, p. 939: among other things, argument by design: man is designed to drink wine. In vino veritas.

"Info to those who would remove to Amer." p. 983: religion "is not only tolerated but respected and practised. Atheism is unknown there." Divine providence, in approval of religious toleration, has made the country great.

Letter to Richard Price 1780, p. 1030: a good religion will support itself. Therefore religious tests (in order to gain or lose certain secular benefits) are needless (ditto Quakerism -AK).

Letter to Weems & Gant July 1784, p. 1094: why bother to be ordained by the Church of England--just start an American Church to ordain yourselves in.

Letter to W. Strahan Aug. 1784, p. 1101: humility in America's victory: "if it had not been for the Justice of our Cause, and the consequent Interposition of Providence, in which we had Faith, we must have been ruined. If I had ever before been an Atheist, I should now have been convinced of the Being and Government of a Deity! It is he who abases the Proud and favours the Humble. May we never forget his Goodness to us, and may our future Conduct manifest our Gratitude."

Letter to Joseph Priestley Aug. 1784, p. 1102: religious toleration. Claims that Judges 5:23-27 (regarding the Angel of the Lord's blessing of Jael for killing Sisera in 4:19-21--but in this poem it is unclear whether Jael thinks she is blessed, having wrote the poem, or if the Angel of the Lord really did pronounce her blessed, especially because it is in the context of Israel always doing "evil in the eyes of the Lord," 4:1 and 6:1--AK) could not possibly be divinely inspired. Interest in the Unitarian Church (this is important to follow up, re: Benjamin Franklin's religion).

Letter to R. Price March 1785, p. 1104: Franklin, Massachusetts will have Franklin buy books "most proper to inculcate Principles of sound Religion and just Government," suitable "for the Use of a Society of intelligent, respectable Farmers." His sister suggests (why does he believe her?) that one book be Stennet's Discourses on Personal Religion.

Motion for Prayers in the [Constitutional] Convention June 28, 1787, p. 1138: PROVIDENCE: the longer Franklin lives, "the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that GOD governs in the Affairs of Men." Taking imagery from 1 Kings 9:7, after Solomon built the Temple (beware else our project become a byword and a ridicule).

Letter to J. Shipley 1786, p. 1161: Thinks about dying, and his friends (which he does often now--AK), and resigning his Spirit to God the Father. This is extremely believable in the context of his beliefs throughout life.

Letter to B. Vaughan 1788, p. 1168: Heretics have the virtue to show fortitude in their heresy; further, heretics are held to a higher moral standard in actions. Franklin is also thinking of himself, of course. It is a man's cleaving to honesty and truth that often tears him from confessionalism and lands him in the camp of the heretic.

Letter to Ezra Stiles 1790, p. 1178: Franklin coming clean on his religious beliefs. One God, who governs the world "by his Providence." Etc. etc., see my paper. Immortality of the soul. Doubts his own theologizing, but also doubts the divinity of Jesus, though he grants the goodness of the moral teaching. But believing in Jesus' divinity is good at least as it makes "his Doctrines more respected and better observed." God gives good things to the believers and unbelievers alike. Wholehearted religious toleration.

Autobiography and (offsite) ETEXT | BOSTON PERIOD, 1722-26 |
PHILADELPHIA PERIOD, 1726-57, including Poor Richard's Almanac
LONDON PERIOD, 1757-1775 | PARIS PERIOD, 1776-1785, and final PHILADELPHIA PERIOD, 1785-90