The Autobiography of Ben Franklin | Page 5

the
head of it, and farther was removed into the next class above it, in order
to go with that into the third at the end of the year. But my father, in the
meantime, from a view of the expense of a college education, which

having so large a family he could not well afford, and the mean living
many so educated were afterwards able to obtain--reasons that he gave
to his friends in my hearing--altered his first intention, took me from
the grammar-school, and sent me to a school for writing and arithmetic,
kept by a then famous man, Mr. George Brownell, very successful in
his profession generally, and that by mild, encouraging methods. Under
him I acquired fair writing pretty soon, but I failed in the arithmetic,
and made no progress in it. At ten years old I was taken home to assist
my father in his business, which was that of a tallow-chandler and
sope-boiler; a business he was not bred to, but had assumed on his
arrival in New England, and on finding his dying trade would not
maintain his family, being in little request. Accordingly, I was
employed in cutting wick for the candles, filling the dipping mold and
the molds for cast candles, attending the shop, going of errands, etc.
I disliked the trade, and had a strong inclination for the sea, but my
father declared against it; however, living near the water, I was much in
and about it, learnt early to swim well, and to manage boats; and when
in a boat or canoe with other boys, I was commonly allowed to govern,
especially in any case of difficulty; and upon other occasions I was
generally a leader among the boys, and sometimes led them into
scrapes, of which I will mention one instance, as it shows an early
projecting public spirit, tho' not then justly conducted.
There was a salt-marsh that bounded part of the mill-pond, on the edge
of which, at high water, we used to stand to fish for minnows. By much
trampling, we had made it a mere quagmire. My proposal was to build
a wharff there fit for us to stand upon, and I showed my comrades a
large heap of stones, which were intended for a new house near the
marsh, and which would very well suit our purpose. Accordingly, in the
evening, when the workmen were gone, I assembled a number of my
play-fellows, and working with them diligently like so many emmets,
sometimes two or three to a stone, we brought them all away and built
our little wharff. The next morning the workmen were surprised at
missing the stones, which were found in our wharff. Inquiry was made
after the removers; we were discovered and complained of; several of
us were corrected by our fathers; and though I pleaded the usefulness of

the work, mine convinced me that nothing was useful which was not
honest.
I think you may like to know something of his person and character. He
had an excellent constitution of body, was of middle stature, but well
set, and very strong; he was ingenious, could draw prettily, was skilled
a little in music, and had a clear pleasing voice, so that when he played
psalm tunes on his violin and sung withal, as he sometimes did in an
evening after the business of the day was over, it was extremely
agreeable to hear. He had a mechanical genius too, and, on occasion,
was very handy in the use of other tradesmen's tools; but his great
excellence lay in a sound understanding and solid judgment in
prudential matters, both in private and publick affairs. In the latter,
indeed, he was never employed, 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 people,
who consulted him for his opinion in affairs of the town or of the
church he belonged to, and showed a good deal of respect for his
judgment and advice: he was also much consulted by private persons
about their affairs when any difficulty occurred, and frequently chosen
an arbitrator between contending parties.
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, whether it
was well or ill dressed, in or out of season, of good or bad flavor,