The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (Annotated)

This is an annotated version of the book1. contains an updated biography of the author at the end of the book for a better understanding of the text.2. This book has been checked and corrected for spelling errorsBenjamin Franklin was born in Milk Street, Boston, on January 6, 1706.His father, Josiah Franklin, was a tallow chandler who married twice,and of his seventeen children Benjamin was the youngest son. Hisschooling ended at ten, and at twelve he was bound apprentice to hisbrother James, a printer, who published the "New England Courant." Tothis journal he became a contributor, and later was for a time itsnominal editor. But the brothers quarreled, and Benjamin ran away, goingfirst to New York, and thence to Philadelphia, where he arrived inOctober, 1723. He soon obtained work as a printer, but after a fewmonths he was induced by Governor Keith to go to London, where, findingKeith's promises empty, he again worked as a compositor till he wasbrought back to Philadelphia by a merchant named Denman, who gave him aposition in his business. On Denman's death he returned to his formertrade, and shortly set up a printing house of his own from which hepublished "The Pennsylvania Gazette," to which he contributed manyessays, and which he made a medium for agitating a variety of localreforms. In 1732 he began to issue his famous "Poor Richard's Almanac"for the enrichment of which he borrowed or composed those pithyutterances of worldly wisdom which are the basis of a large part of hispopular reputation. In 1758, the year in which he ceased writing for theAlmanac, he printed in it "Father Abraham's Sermon," now regarded as themost famous piece of literature produced in Colonial America.Meantime Franklin was concerning himself more and more with publicaffairs. He set forth a scheme for an Academy, which was taken up laterand finally developed into the University of Pennsylvania; and hefounded an "American Philosophical Society" for the purpose of enablingscientific men to communicate their discoveries to one another. Hehimself had already begun his electrical researches, which, with otherscientific inquiries, he carried on in the intervals of money-making andpolitics to the end of his life. In 1748 he sold his business in orderto get leisure for study, having now acquired comparative wealth; and ina few years he had made discoveries that gave him a reputation with thelearned throughout Europe. In politics he proved very able both as anadministrator and as a controversialist; but his record as anoffice-holder is stained by the use he made of his position to advancehis relatives. His most notable service in home politics was his reformof the postal system; but his fame as a statesman rests chiefly on hisservices in connection with the relations of the Colonies with GreatBritain, and later with France. In 1757 he was sent to England toprotest against the influence of the Penns in the government of thecolony, and for five years he remained there, striving to enlighten thepeople and the ministry of England as to Colonial conditions. On hisreturn to America he played an honorable part in the Paxton affair,through which he lost his seat in the Assembly; but in 1764 he was againdespatched to England as agent for the colony, this time to petition theKing to resume the government from the hands of the proprietors. InLondon he actively opposed the proposed Stamp Act, but lost the creditfor this and much of his popularity through his securing for a friendthe office of stamp agent in America. Even his effective work in helpingto obtain the repeal of the act left him still a suspect; but hecontinued his efforts to present the case for the Colonies as thetroubles thickened toward the crisis of the Revolution. In 1767 hecrossed to France, where he was received with honor;