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happy. Thus I corrected, as well as I could, this great error of my youth.

Our club was not at that time established at a tavern. We held our meeting at the houfe of Mr. Grace, who appropriated a room to the purpose. Some member obferved one day, that as our books were frequently quoted in the course of our difcuffions, it would be convenient to have them collected in the room in which we affembled, in order to be confulted upon occafion; and that, by thus forming a common library of our individual collections, each would have the advantage of ufing the books of all the other members, which would nearly be the fame as if he poffeffed them all himself. The idea was approved, and we accordingly brought fuch books as we thought we could fpare, which were placed at the end of the club-room. They amounted not to fo many as we expected; and though we made confiderable use of them, yet fome inconveniences refulting, from want of care, it was agreed, after about a year, to destroy the collection; and each took away fuch books as belonged to him.

It was now that I firft ftarted the idea of eftablishing, by fubfcription, a public library. I drew up the propofals, had them ingroffed in form by Brockden the attorney, and my project fucceeded, as will be feen in the fequel

*

[The life of Dr. Franklin, as written by himfelf, fo far as it has yet been communicated to the world, breaks off in this place. We underitand that it was continued by him fomewhat farther, and we hope that the remainder will, at fome future period, be communicated to the pulic. We have no hesitation in fuppofing that

every reader will find himself greatly interested by the frank fimplicity and the philofophical difcernment by which thefe pages are fo eminently characterifed. We have therefore thought proper, in order as much as poffible to relieve his regret, to fubjoin the following continuation, by one of the Doctor's intimate friends. It is extracted from an American periodical publication, and was written by the late Dr. Stuber of Philadelphia.]

THE promotion of literature had been little at

tended to in Penfylvania. Moft of the inhabitants were too much immerfed in business to think of scientific purfuits; and thofe few, whofe inclinations led them to ftudy, found it difficult to gratify them, from the want of fufficiently large libraries. In fuch circumftances, the efta

* Dr. Stuber was born in Philadelphia, of German parents. He was fent, at an early age, to the university, where his genius, diligence and amiable temper foon acquired him the particular notice and favour of thofe under whofe immediate direction he was placed. After paffing through the common course of study, in a much shorter time than ufual, he left the univerfity, at the age of fixteen, with great repu tation. Not long after, he entered on the ftudy of Phyfic; and the zeal with which he purfued it, and the advances he made, gave his friends reafon to form the most flattering profpects of his future eminence and usefulness in the profeffion. As Dr. Stuber's circumstances were very moderate, he did not think this purfuit well calculated to anfwer them. He therefore relinquifhed it, after he had obtained a degree in the profeffion, and qualified himself to practise with credit and fuccefs; and immediately entered on the ftudy of Law. In pursuit of the last mentioned object, he was prematurely arrelled, before he had an opportunity of reaping the fruit of thofe talents with which he was endowed, and of a youth spent in the ardent and fuccefsful pursuit of useful and elegant literature.

blishment

blishment of a public library was an important event. This was first fet on foot by Franklin, about the year 1731. Fifty perfons fubfcribed forty fhillings each, and agreed to pay ten fhillings annually. The number encreased; and in 1742, the company was incorporated by the name of "The Library Company of Philadelphia." Several other companies were formed in this city in imitation of it. These were at length united with the library company of Philadelphia, which thus received a confiderable acceffion of books and property. It now contains about eight thoufand volumes on all fubjects, a philofophical apparatus, and a good beginning towards a collectition of natural and artificial curiofities, befides landed property of confiderable value. The company have lately built an elegant house in Fifthftreet, in the front of which will be erected a marble ftatue of their founder, Benjamin Franklin.

This inftitution was greatly encouraged by the friends of literature in America and in Great Britain. The Penn family distinguished themfelves by their donations. Amongst the earliest friends of this inftitution must be mentioned the late Peter Collinfon, the friend and correfpondent of Dr. Franklin. He not only made confiderable prefents himself, and obtained others from his friends, but voluntarily undertook to manage the bufinefs of the company in London, recommending books, purchasing and shipping them. His extenfive knowledge, and zeal for the promotion of fcience, enabled him to execute this important truft with the greatest advantage. He continued to perform these fervices for more than thirty years, and uniformly refused to accept of any compenfation. During this time, he communicated to the directors every information relative

to

to improvements and discoveries in the arts, agriculture, and philofophy.

The beneficial influence of this inftitution was foon evident. The cheapnefs of terms rendered it acceffible to every one. Its advantages were not confined to the opulent. The citizens in the middle and lower walks of life were equally partakers of them. Hence a degree of information was extended amongst all claffes of people, which is very unusual in other places. The example was foon followed. Libraries were established in various places, and they are now become very numerous in the United States, and particularly in Pennsylvania. It is to be hoped that they will be still more widely extended, and that information will be every where increased. This will be the beft fecurity for maintaining our liberties. A nation of well-informed men, who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them, cannot be enflaved. It is in the regions of ignorance that tyranny reigns. It flies before the light of fcience. Let the citizens of America, then, encourage inftitutions calculated to diffuse knowledge amongst the people; and amongst these, public libraries are not the leaft important.

In 1732, Franklin began to publish Poor Richard's Almanack. This was remarkable for the numerous and valuable concife maxims which it contained, all tending to exhort to industry and frugality. It was continued for many years. In the almanack for the last year, all the maxims were collected in an addrefs to the reader, entitled, The Way to Wealth. This has been tranflated into various languages, and inferted in different publications. It has also been printed on a large sheet, and may be feen framed in many houfes in this city. This addrefs contains, per-, H

haps,

haps, the best practical fyftem of œconomy that ever has appeared. It is written in a manner intelligible to every one, and which cannot fail of convincing every reader of the juftice and propriety of the remarks and advice which it contains. The demand for this almanack was fo great, that ten thoufand have been fold in one year; which must be confidered as a very large number, especially when we reflect, that this country was, at that time, but thinly peopled. It cannot be doubted that the falutary maxims contained in thefe almanacks must have made a favourable impression upon many of the readers of them.

It was not long before Franklin entered upon his political career. In the year 1736, he was appointed clerk to the general affembly of Pennfylvania; and was re-elected by fucceeding affemblies for feveral years, until he was chosen a reprefentative for the city of Philadelphia.

Bradford was poffeffed of fome advantages over Franklin, by being poft-mafter, thereby having an opportunity of circulating his paper more extenfively, and thus rendering it a better vehicle for advertisements, &c. Franklin, in his turn, enjoyed thefe advantages, by being appointed poft-mafter of Philadelphia in 1737. Bradford, while in office, had acted ungenerously towards Franklin, preventing as much as poffible the circulation of his paper. He had now an opportunity of retaliating; but his nobleness of foul prevented him from making ufe of it.

The police of Philadelphia had early appointed watchmen, whofe duty it was to guard the citizens against the midnight robber, and to give an immediate alarm in cafe of fire. This duty is, perhaps, one of the most important that can be committed to any fet of men. The regulati

ons,

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