The Compleated Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (1757-1790)

by Benjamin Franklin

  We had a severe and tedious winter in England in 1771. By late April, there had not been yet the smallest appearance of spring. Not a bud had push’d out, nor a blade of grass. The turnips that us’d to feed the cattle had been destroy’d by the frost. The hay in most parts of the country was gone, and the cattle were perishing for want, the lambs dying by thousands, thro’ cold and scanty nourishment.

  In May, I made with friends a journey of a fortnight to Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, and Birmingham, and return’d in time to be at Court on the King’s birthday. My journey was of use to my health, the air and exercise giving me fresh spirits. In Manchester, we visited a school for poor boys and admired its old and well stocked library, and then embarked in a luxurious horse-drawn boat on the Duke of Bridgewater’s canal and followed it to its end in the Duke’s coal mines. The last thousand yards to the first coal face were subterranean. We observed the miners at work in cramped quarters, and watched the coal being brought out and loaded into a forty-ton canal boat, which a single horse then pulled to Manchester. There the canal again tunneled under a hill to a large hole, running up to the surface, through which a water-driven crane unloaded the coal.

  The next morning we left Manchester and reached Leeds by evening. We visited the cloth hall at Leeds, where each subscriber had a booth for selling his wares on market days; the hall was then almost empty because of the demands of the American trade, which had raised the price by sixpence a yard. We then called on Joseph Priestley, who made some very pretty electrical experiments and demonstrated some of the different properties of different kinds of air. The next day we arrived at Sheffield, where we went to see a factory making articles of silver-plated copper, and in the afternoon to inspect the iron-works and manufacture of tin plate at nearby Rotherham, and to visit an ironworks where we saw them melting the iron ore and casting pots, etc., which is perform’d as in America. The labourers received 14d. per day; their work was extremely hard, and in summer time must have been very disagreeable.

  The next day we came to Birmingham. On the morning we visited Matthew Boulton’s Soho ironworks44, which employed 700 people. Its products were extremely varied, from farthing buttons to hundred-guinea ornaments. We went through his works but there was not much and we stayed so little that it was almost impossible for the strongest memory to retain it. The work of a button had 5 or 6 branches in it, each of which is performed in a second of time. He likewise worked plated goods—watch rings and all kinds of hardware, all of which was performed by machinery in such a manner that children and women performed the greatest part of it.

  THE RECOLLECTION OF MY LIFE

  In June of 1771, I went out of town and spent a few days among the pleasing society of Rev. Shipley, the Bishop of St. Asaph, and his family. I returned home, breathing with reluctance the smoke of London, and regretting my leaving the sweet air of Twyford. I promised myself the happiness of returning to that most agreeable retirement. In August, I spent three weeks of uninterrupted leisure in Hampshire at my friend’s home, where I began writing the recollection of my life. The bishop’s lady knew what children and grandchildren I had, their ages, &c. So when I was about to return to London, she insisted on my staying one day longer that we might together keep my grandson’s birthday. At dinner, among other nice things, we had a floating island, which they always particularly had on the birthdays of any of their own six children, who were all but one at table, where there was also a clergyman’s widow then above 100 years old. The chief toast of the day was Master Benjamin Bache, to which the bishop’s lady added, “That he may be as good a man as his grandfather.” I said I hope’d he would be much better!

  My wife sent to the bishop’s family a fine large gray squirrel from America, a favourite amusement that they called Mungo. Unfortunately, a year later, the squirrel got out of his cage and was rambling over a common three miles from home when he met a man with a dog. The dog pursuing him, the squirrel fled to the man for protection, running up to his shoulder, but the man shook him off and set the dog on him, thinking him to be, as he said afterwards, some varmint or other. So poor Mungo died and was buried in the garden. I lamented the loss of the squirrel with the Shipley children, and wrote the following epitaph (knowing that “skugg” is a common name by which all squirrels are called in England, as all cats are called “puss”):Here skugg

  Lies snug

  As a bug

  In a rug.

  IRELAND AND SCOTLAND IN A MOST WRETCHED SITUATION

  I set out for Ireland, where Mr. Jackson and I were invited to dine with Mr. Hillsborough. He was extremely civil, wonderfully so to me whom he had not long before abus’d to Mr. Strahan as a factious turbulent fellow, always in mischief, a Republican, enemy to the King’s service, and what not. He drank my health and was otherwise particularly civil. I knew not what to make of it, unless that he foresaw a storm on account of his conduct to America, and was willing to lessen beforehand the acrimony with which the people and friends of that country might possibly pursue him. At length Lord Hillsborough, who was extremely disliked by all his brother ministers, resigned and Lord Dartmouth took his place in August, 1772, to the great satisfaction of all the friends of America.

  In Ireland I had a good deal of conversation with the patriots; they were all on the American side of the question in which I endeavour’d to confirm them. The lower people in that unhappy country were in a most wretched situation, thro’ the restraints on their trade and manufactures. Their houses were dirty hovels of mud and straw, their clothing rags, and their food little beside potatoes.

  In Scotland, I spent 5 days with Lord Kames, Blair Drummond near Stirling, two or three days at Glasgow, two days at Carron Iron Works, and the rest of the month in and about Edinburgh, lodging at David Hume’s, who entertain’d me with the greatest kindness and hospitality, as did Lord Kames and his lady.

  SO MUCH GENERAL COMFORT AND HAPPINESS IN AMERICA

  In Scotland things made a better appearance and seemed on the mending hand, yet half the people there wore neither shoes nor stockings, or wore them only in church. In both countries, a small part of society were landlords, great noblemen and gentlemen, extremely opulent, living in the highest affluence and magnificence, while the bulk of the people were tenants, extremely poor, living in the most wretchedness. In many parts of England, too, the working poor were miserably fed, clothed and lodged. I thought often of the happiness of New England, where every man was a freeholder, had a vote in public affairs, lived in a tidy warm house, and had plenty of good food and fuel, with whole clothes from head to foot, the manufactury perhaps of his own family. Long may they continue in this situation! Had I never been in the American colonies, but was to form my judgment of civil society by what I had seen in Ireland and Scotland, I should never have advised a nation of savages to admit of civilization: For in the possession and enjoyment of the various comforts of life, compar’d to these people, every American Indian is a gentleman: And the effect of this kind of civil society seemed only to be the depressing of multitudes below the savage state that a few may be rais’d above it. In short I saw no country of Europe where there was so much general comfort and happiness as in America, Holland perhaps excepted: tho’ it may be, some parts of Germany or Switzerland which I had not seen are as well provided as Holland.

  MY THEORY OF COLDS: I WOULD SIT IN MY CHAMBER WITHOUT ANY CLOTHES WHATEVER

  I return’d again to London after my journey of some months in Ireland and Scotland with Mr. Jackson. My constitution, and too great confinement to business during the winter, seemed to require the air and exercise of a long journey once a year, which I have practiced for many years. I have long been satisfy’d from observation that besides the general colds now termed influenzas, which may possibly spread by contagion as well as by a particular quality of the air, people often catch colds from one another when shut up together in small closed rooms, coaches, &c. and when sitting near and conversing so as to breathe in each other’s transpiration, the d
isorder being in a certain state. I think too that it is the frowzy corrupt air from animal substances, and the perspired matter from our bodies, which, being long confin’d in beds not lately used, and clothes not lately worn, and books long shut up in closed rooms, obtains that kind of putridity which infects us, and occasions the colds observed upon sleeping in, wearing, or turning over, such beds, clothes or books, and not their coldness or dampness. From these causes, but more from too full living with too little exercise, proceed, in my opinion, most of the disorders which, for 100 years past, the English have called colds. Travelling in our severe winters, I have suffered cold sometimes to an extremity only short of freezing, but this did not make me catch cold. And for moisture, I have been in the river every evening two or three hours for a fortnight together, when one would suppose I might imbibe enough of it to take cold if humidity could give it; but no such effect followed. Boys never catch cold by swimming.

  The cold bath has long been in vogue in London as a tonic; but the shock of the cold water always appeared to me, generally speaking, as too violent: and I found it much more agreeable to my constitution, to bathe in another element, I mean cold air. With this view I would rise early almost every morning, and sit in my chamber, without any clothes whatever, half an hour or an hour, according to the season, either reading or writing. This practice was not in the least painful, but on the contrary, agreeable; and if I returned to bed afterwards, before I dressed myself, as sometimes happened, I made a supplement to my night’s rest, of one or two hours of the most pleasing sleep that could be imagined. I found no ill consequences whatever resulting from it, and at least I did not injure my health, if it did not in fact contribute much to its preservation. If I can persuade people not to be afraid of their real friend fresh air, and can put them more upon their guard against those insidious enemies, full living and indolence, I imagine they may be somewhat happier and more healthy.

  It is of the greatest importance to prevent diseases, since the cure of them by physic is so very precarious. In considering the different kinds of exercises, I have thought that the quantum of each is to be judged of, not by time or by distance, but by the degree of warmth it produces in the body: Thus I observe that if I am cold when I get into a carriage in a morning, I may ride all day without being warmed by it, and that if on horseback my feet are cold, I may ride some hours before they become warm; but if I am ever so cold on foot, I cannot walk an hour briskly, without glowing from head to foot by the quickened circulation; I have been ready to say that there is more exercise in one mile’s riding on horseback, than in five in a coach; and more in one mile’s walking on foot, than in five on horseback; to which I may add, that there is more in walking one mile up and down stairs, than in five on a level floor. The two latter exercises may be had within doors, when the weather discourages going abroad; and the last may be had when one is pinched for time, as containing a great quantity of exercise in a handful of minutes. The dumb bell is another exercise of the latter compendious kind; by the use of it I have in forty swings quickened my pulse from 60 to 100 beats in a minute, counted by a second watch.

  I SELDOM DINED AT HOME IN WINTER

  As to my situation in London, nothing could have been more agreeable, especially as I had hoped for less embarrassment from the new minister. My company was so much desired that I seldom dined at home in winter, and could have spent the whole summer in the country houses of inviting friends if I chose it. Learned and ingenious foreigners who came to England almost all made a point of visiting me, for my reputation was still higher abroad than in England; several of the foreign ambassadors assiduously cultivated my acquaintance, treating me as one of their corps, partly, I believe, from the desire they had from time to time of hearing something of American affairs, an object of importance in foreign courts, who began to hope Britain’s alarming power would be diminished by the defection of her colonies. The King, too, had lately been heard to speak of me with great regard. I received a letter from Paris, where I was chosen Associe etranger (foreign member) of the Royal Academy there. There were but eight of these Associes etrangers in all Europe, and those of the most distinguished names for science. These were flattering circumstances, but a violent longing for home sometimes seized me, which I could no other way subdue but by promising myself a return the next spring or next fall. I had some important affairs to settle at home, and considering my double expenses, I hardly thought my salaries fully compensated the disadvantages. The change in the government, however, being thrown into the balance determined me to stay another winter.

  OUT OF DEBT... OUT OF DANGER

  I was fortunate enough not to suffer in the general wreck of credit in 1772. My two banking houses, Browns & Collinson, and Smith, Wright & Grey, stood firm, and they were the only people in the City in debt to me, so I lost nothing by the failure of others; and being out of debt myself my credit could not be shaken by any run upon me: Out of debt, as the proverb says, was being out of danger. But I did hazard a little in using my credit with the bank to support that of a friend as far as £5000, for which I was secur’d by bills of the Bank of Douglas, Herod & Company, accepted by a good house; and therefore I call it only hazarding a little.

  SECURING BUILDINGS FROM LIGHTNING

  The philosophical transactions of the Royal Society were published containing the report of the means of securing an edifice against lightning. It reported that attaching pointed conductors to secure buildings from lightning had been in use near 20 years in America, and had become so common that numbers of them appeared on private houses in every street of the principal towns, besides those on churches, public buildings, magazines of powder, and gentlemen’s seats in the country. Thunderstorms are much more frequent in America than in Europe, and hitherto there had been no instance of a house so guarded being damaged by lightning: for wherever it has broken over any of them, the point has always receiv’d it, and the conductor has convey’d it safely into the earth, of which we have now five authentic instances. In England the practice made a slower progress, damage by lightning being less frequent, and people of course less apprehensive of danger from it.

  In late 1772, I settled into my new apartment on Craven Street, but removing and sorting my papers and placing my books and things was a troublesome job. I was amaz’d to see how many books had grown upon me since my return to England. I had brought none with me, yet had now a roomful, many collected in Germany, Holland and France, and consisting chiefly of such as contain knowledge that might hereafter be useful to America.

  A fifth edition of my book, Experiments and Observations, was printed in England, and a new translation of my book was printed in Paris, being the third edition in France. To the French edition they prefix’d a print of me, which, tho’ a copy of that per Chamberlain, had such a French countenance that one might have taken me for one of that lively nation.45

  AN EXPERIMENT TO STILL THE WATERS

  I had, when a youth, read and smiled at an account of a practice among the seamen to still the waves in a storm by pouring oil into the sea. At length, being in Clapham, where there is, on the common, a large pond, which I observed to be one day very rough with the wind, I fetched out a cruet of oil, and dropt a little of it on the water. I saw it spread itself with surprising swiftness upon the surface, but the effect of smoothing the waves was not produced; for I had applied it first on the leeward side of the pond where the waves were the largest, and the wind drove my oil back upon the shore. I then went to the windward side, where they began to form; and there the oil, tho’ not more than a teaspoon full, produced an instant calm, over a space several yards square, which spread amazingly, and extended itself gradually till it reached the lee side, making all that quarter of the pond, perhaps half an acre, as smooth as a looking glass. After this, I contrived to take with me, whenever I went into the country, a little oil in the upper hollow joint of my bamboo cane, with which I might repeat the experiment as opportunity should offer; and I found it constantly to succ
eed.

  ALL THEIR SCHEMES OF LIFE WERE OVERTHROWN!

  Two of the only descendants of my grandfather Thomas remained in England that retained that name of Franklin: Thomas, a widower and dyer working in Leicestershire, and Sally, his only child. Sally Franklin lived with me at Craven Street for six years, and married a farmer’s son. I do miss her, as she was nimble-footed and willing to run errands and wait upon me. She was very serviceable to me for some years, so that I did not keep a man [servant].

  Mrs. Stevenson’s daughter Polly married a very worthy young man, Mr. Hewson. They bore two boys and a girl. The children lived in the same street as I did, the eldest calling on me sometimes to tell “God-Papa” little stories of what he had seen there; his pretty prattle made me the more long to see my own grandchildren, but alas, I found myself staying another winter absent from my family.

  In 1774, Mrs. Hewson had the smallpox, the eldest child in the common way very full, the youngest by inoculation lightly, and all recovered. But Mr. Hewson came down with a terrible fever, which baffled the skill of our best physicians, and died suddenly, a great loss to the family. He was an excellent man, ingenious, industrious, useful, and belov’d by all that knew him. He was just established in a profitable growing business, with the best prospects of bringing up his young family advantageously. They were a happy couple! But now all their schemes of life were overthrown!