Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

I took some of the tales in the "Spectator" and turned them into verse; and after a time, when I had pretty well forgotten the prose, turned them back again. I also sometimes jumbled my collection of hints into confusion, and after some weeks endeavored to reduce them into the best order before I began to form the full sentences and complete the subject. This was to teach me method in the arrangement of the thoughts. By comparing my work with the original, I discovered many faults and corrected them ; but I sometimes [...] I had been fortunate enough to improve the method or the language (p. 36)

At his table he liked to have, as often as he could, some sensible friend or neighbor to converse with, and always took care to start some ingenious or useful topic for discourse which might tend to improve the minds of his children. By this means he turned our attention to what was good, just, and prudent in the conduct of life, and little or no notice was ever taken of what related to the victuals on the table [...] I was brought up in such a perfect inattention to those matters as to be quite indifferent what kind of food was set before me. (p. 31)

being on some occasion made ashamed of my ignorance in figures, which I had twice failed learning when at school) I took Cocker's book on "Arithmetic," and went through the whole by myself with the greatest ease. I also read Seller's and Sturny's book on "Navigation," which made me acquainted with the little geometry it. (p. 37)

very fond we were of argument and very desirous of confuting one another ; which disputatious turn is based upon contradiction. [Here Franklin warns against using dialectics on friendships or at social gatherings] I had caught this [the dialectical habit] by reading my father's books of dispute on religion [...] A question was once, somehow or other, started between Collins and me on the propriety of educating the female sex in learning and their abilities for study. He was of opinion that it was improper [...] I took the contrary side (p. 35)

My elder brothers were all put apprentices to different trades. I was put to the grammar school at eight years of age, my father intending to devote me as the tithe of his sons to the service of the Church. My early readiness in learning to read, which must have been very early, as I do not remember when I could not read, and the opinion of all his friends that I should certainly make a good scholar, encouraged him in this purpose [...] I continued, however, at the grammar school rather less than a year. (p. 28)

I thought the writing excellent, and wished if possible to imitate it. With that view I took some of the papers, and making short hints of the sentiments in each sentence, laid them by a few days, and then, without looking at the book, tried to complete the papers again, by expressing each hinted sentiment at length, and as fully as it had been expressed before, in any suitable words that should occur to me. Then I compared my "Spectator" with the original, discovered some of my faults, and corrected them. (p. 36)

From my infancy I was passionately fond of reading, and all the money that came into my hands was laid out in the purchasing of books. I was very fond of voyages. My first acquisition was Buuyan's works in separate little volumes. I afterward sold them to enable me to buy R. Burton's " Historical Collections." They were small chap-men's books, and cheap, forty volumes in all. My father's little library consisted chiefly of books in polemic divinity, most of which I read "Plutarch's Lives", which I read abundantly, and I still think that time spent to great advantage. There was also a book of Defoe's, called "An Essay on Projects", and another of Dr. Mather's, called "An Essay to Do Good", which perhaps gave me a turn of thinking that had an influence on some of the principal future events of my life. (p. 33)

At ten years old I was taken to help my father in his business [...] Accordingly I was employed in cutting wicks for the candles, filling the molds for cast candles, attending the shop, going of errands, etc. I disliked the trade and had a strong inclination to go to sea, but my father declared against it. (p. 29)

I found this method the safest for myself and very embarrassing to those against whom I used it ; therefore I took delight in it, practiced it continually, and grew very artful and expert in drawing people even of superior knowledge into concessions the consequence of which they did not foresee, entangling them in difficulties out of which they could not extricate themselves, and so obtaining victories that neither myself nor my cause always deserved. (p. 38)

I found I wanted a stock of words [...] which I thought I should have acquired before that time if I had gone on making verses; since the continual search for words of the same import, but of different length to suit the measure or of different sound for the rhyme, would have laid me under a constant necessity of searching for variety, and also have tended to fix that variety in my mind and make me master of it. (p. 36)

he took me to walk with him and see joiners, bricklayers, turners, braziers, etc., at their work, that he might observe my inclination and endeavor to fix it on some trade or profession [...] It has ever since been a pleasure to me to see good workmen handle their tools. And it has been often useful to me to have learned so much by it as to be able to do some trifling jobs in the house when a workman was not at hand (p. 32)

He had an excellent constitution [...] very strong [...] could draw prettily [...] skilled a little in music [...] voice was sonorous and agreeable [...] some knowledge of mechanics [...] sound understanding [...] solid judgment in prudential matters, both in private and public affairs. It is true he was never employed in the latter, the numerous family he had to educate and the straitness of his circumstances keeping him close to his trade, but I remember well his being frequently visited by leading men, who consulted him for bis opinion in public affairs and those of the church he belonged to, showing a great respect for his judgment and advice [...] frequently chosen an arbitrator between contending parties. (p. 30)