CHAPTER XVII.

PROJECT FOR PROMOTING VIRTUE-ALMANAC OF RICHARD

SAUNDERS.

FROM what has already been said it is plain that Franklin's mind, at this period of his life, had become deeply impressed with the duty and advantage of selfdiscipline; of directing his thoughts and efforts to worthy ends; and of training his faculties, both intellectual and moral, to the attainment of those ends by just and beneficent means; such means as should reconcile and harmonize his own interests with the interests of his fellow-men, and present a genuine exemplification of the doctrine that "true self love and social, are the same;" or, as the same doctrine had long before been announced, on the very highest authority, in the golden rule requiring every one of us to "do unto others as we would have others to do unto us." He believed this to be the only way to secure any real happiness, and that no qualities are so likely to advance a poor man's fortune in the world, as veracity and integrity.

That he strove, with unfeigned earnestness, to correct his faults and train himself to the habitual practice of virtue, is evident, not only from the general tenor of his life and the personal respect in which he was held, but is particularly and beautifully evinced by his candor and docility in receiving admonition, of which the following anecdote presents a good example. His list of virtues, as he relates, contained at first but twelve. A Quaker

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friend of his frankly told him one day, that he was generally considered proud, and in conversation sometimes overbearing and insolent, several instances of which were called to Franklin's remembrance. He acknowledged the justice of the admonition, and added Humility to the list of virtues, to be particularly cultivated. He confesses that unremitting watchfulness was at first necessary, to break the offending habit, especially when engaged in animated discussion; yet perseverance was at length crowned with success; and then he found “the advantage of this change in his manners." It not only made intercourse at all times more agreeable, but it procured "a readier reception of his opinions, when right, and less mortification, when wrong."

There is, indeed, no one point in manners and general deportment, which he has so frequently urged, as the language and tone of unassuming deference, in conversation, and in reasoning with others for the purpose of changing their opinions, or procuring their co-operation. To this deferential manner, connected with the prevalent confidence in his integrity, he expressly ascribes his influence with his fellow-citizens, and in deliberative assemblies; for he was, as he declares, but a "bad speaker, hesitating in his choice of words, and never eloquent;" and yet he "generally carried his point.”

The good sense of these remarks is obvious; but his modesty, nevertheless, has suppressed one reason quite as efficient as any, in procuring him influence, and a ready adoption of his views; and that reason was to be found in the sound judgment and sagacious forethought by which his views were usually distinguished.

But Franklin's desires, on the great subject of moral improvement, were not limited to his own personal benefit and that of the individuals immediately connected with him, or of the single community in which his lot

was cast. He felt an honest zeal to see the spread of such improvement in all communities, until its purifying and elevating iufluences should be everywhere manifest; and he believed that much might be done toward the actual attainment of so great an end, by a thorough and persevering application of the principle of voluntary co-operation, in the form of an association organized on the basis of a few comprehensive elementary truths, in which all soberminded and earnest men could agree, and which could be everywhere received for the regulation of social action as well as individual conduct.

The organization of such an association was the "great and extensive project" already alluded to. The original conception of this scheme is traced to a paper containing some observations, suggested to his mind by his historical reading, and dated at the library, May 9th, 1731. These observations were stated in the form of general inferences, and their purport was, that the af fairs of all nations, including wars and revolutions, were conducted by parties, acting for their own supposed interests, and that all confusion in those affairs resulted from the opposing views of such parties; that under cover of their general objects, individual members were aiming at their own particular interests, and that when a party collectively had attained its ends, it was soon broken into factions by the clashing of those personal interests; that only a few public men have acted with a single eye to the public good, and that when their acts have, in fact, promoted that end, it has generally been because that good has happened to harmonize with their own personal objects, not because their motives were disinterested and benevolent; that still fewer public men have acted with distinct views to the common welfare of mankind; and that, as a general conclusion from the whole of these

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premises, there was need of an organized party for the promotion of virtue, to be formed of the good men of all nations, and governed by suitable rules, which such men would be likely to obey more uniformly than the mass of men obey the laws of the land. To these observations he subjoined a declaration of his belief, that if such a plan should be attempted, in the right spirit, by a properly-qualified person, it would prove acceptable to God, and be crowned with success.

Such were some of the ideas and convictions, which this self-educated tradesman had, at the age of twenty-five years, drawn from history. They indicate a thoughtful and earnest mind, much insight into the ways and motives of men, and those generous aspirations for the moral advancement of the race, which betoken a benevolent and fervent spirit.

It should be remarked that when this project first presented itself to his mind, he did not purpose to enter at once upon the attempt to execute it. He was not then in a condition to do so; but he meditated on it as a work to be attempted when his circumstances should give him the requisite leisure; making notes, meanwhile, of such thoughts as occurred to him from time to time, in relation to it, and to the mode of putting it into operation. During his long residence abroad, those notes, made on detached pieces of paper, got scattered; and when, after his final return home from Europe, he came to write the account of this period of his life, only one of those pieces could be found. That one contained a memorandum of the general truths which he had supposed might properly serve as a basis of the association, and help to give it unity and cohesion.

The contemplated association, it should be borne in mind, was not to be confined to one community, or a single country, but was to be extended through many,

with the design of ultimately embracing all; at least all those leading nations, whose power and influence, if united, would comprehend and sway the more important social movements of the whole of Christendom, and at last of the whole world. The general basis, therefore,

on which the organization was to rest, should include, as he thought, only such truths, as were recognised among the elemental principles of every system of religion, and not repugnant to any. Those truths, or principles, as stated by himself, were the following :—

"That there is one God, who made all things; that he governs the world by his providence; that he ought to be worshipped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving; that the most acceptable service to God, is doing good to man; that the soul is immortal; and that God will certainly reward virtue, and punish vice, either here, or hereafter."

As to the incipient proceedings, his idea was that only young and single men should associate, in the outset ; that every applicant for membership should, as preparatory to admission, exercise himself in the course of selfdiscipline already described in "The Art of Virtue," and at his initiation should declare his assent to the general truths above stated; that the association should be kept secret, till it could get well agoing and acquire some solidity, so as to be able to exercise firmly a just discrimination in reference to applicants for admission; but that any member, nevertheless, might disclose the enterprise to such individuals as he should personally know to be men of sense and virtue. It was, also, to be made one of the duties of the associates, to promote the just interests of one another. As to a name, he had selected that of "The Society of the Free and Easy;" his reason for it being, in substance, that, by the virtues to be practised they would be freed from the dominion