whoever you are, and how much foever you think you hate him, know that this great man loves you enough to wish to do you good: His country's friend, but more of human kind.' The papers contained in this collection are difposed under five divifions. Under the firft of thefe, the Editor has collected and arranged fuch pieces of the Author, as naturally fall under the head of General Politics. In the fecond, are contained papers upon American fubjects, written before the present troubles : particularly, plans of union for the colonies, proposed in 1754; letters concerning taxation and representation; papers relative to Canada; regulations of Indian affairs, and other matters previous to the laft peace. The third divifion contains various. papers relative to America, written during the troubles; comprehending, among other matters, a prophetic letter of the Author, as we may now juftly term it, on the causes of the American difcontents before 1768,' and their probable effects; -his equally prophetic answers to the queftions proposed to him, during his examination before the British House of Commons, relative to the repeal of the Stamp Act, in 1766:-his answers to certain pertinent queries relative to the American discontents, and the means of removing them, proposed to him by his friend, Mr. Strahan, in 1769:his examination, and part of the proceedings before the Privy Council, relative to the difmiffion of Governor Hutchinfon :-his memorable answer to a letter of Lord Howe's, notifying his commiffion for compofing the American troubles :-rules for reducing a great empire to a fmall one; together with fome other letters and papers. In the fourth divifion are contained various papers relative to provincial politics only; particularly those of the province of Penfylvania: and in the fifth and laft, the Editor has collected all the mifcellaneous and philofophical pieces of Dr. Franklin that have come into his hands, and which are not elsewhere extant in print. From a work of fo mifcellaneous a nature, and which contains feveral papers that have been before feparately published, we find it difficult to make a proper felection. Some specimens however will be expected from us; nor can any, from fuch a pen, be unacceptable to our readers. Under the firft divifion, we meet with the following excellent parable against perfecution; the perufal of which we are forry to have occafion, at this time of day, to recommend to the members of the prefent Proteftant Affociation. The Author of this parable, as the Editor has been informed, has often impofed it upon his friends and acquaintance, as a part of a chapter of Genefis. • A Parable against Perfecution." 1. And it came to pass after these things, that Abraham fat in the door of his tent, about the going down of the sun. • 2. And behold a man bowed with age, coming from the way of the wilderness leaning on a ftaff. 3. And Abraham arofe, and met him, and faid unto him, Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy feet, and tarry all night; and thou fhalt arife early in the morning, and go on thy way. 4. And the man said, Nay; for I will abide under this tree. 5. But Abraham preffed him greatly: fo he turned and they went into the tent: and Abraham baked unleavened bread, and they did eat. 6. And when Abraham faw that the man bleffed not God, he faid unto him, Wherefore doft thou not worship the most high God, Creator of heaven and earth ? 7. And the man anfwered and faid, I do not worship thy God, neither do I call upon his name; for I have made to myfelf a god, which abideth always in my houfe, and provideth me with all things. 8. And Abraham's zeal was kindled against the man, and he arofe, and fell upon him, and drave him forth with blows into the wilderness. 9. And at midnight God called unto Abraham, faying, Abraham, where is the ftranger? 10. And Abraham answered and faid, Lord, he would not worship thee, neither would he call upon thy name; therefore have I driven him out from before my face into the wilderness. 11. And God faid, have I borne with him these hundred ninety and eight years, and nourished him, and clothed him, notwithstanding his rebellion against me; and couldft not thou, who art thyself a finner, bear with him one night? 12. And Abraham faid, let not the anger of my Lord wax hot against his fervant: lo, I have finned, forgive me I pray thee. 13. And Abraham arofe, and went forth into the wildernefs, and fought diligently for the man, and found him; and returned with him to the tent; and when he had entreated him kindly, he fent him away on the morrow with gifts. 14. And God fpake again unto Abraham, faying, for this thy fin fhall thy feed be afflicted four hundred years in a strange land: 15. But for thy repentance will I deliver them, and they fhall come forth with power, and with gladness of heart, and with much substance.' As another specimen of this divifion of the work, we shall felect fome parts of a popular and useful production of the Author; which, we are told, his countrymen read with much avidity and profit; intitled, The Way to Wealth, as clearly fhewn in the preface of an old Pensylvanian Almanack, intitled, Poor Richard 0 3 Richard improved.' Dr. Franklin, who is faid for many years to have published Poor Richard's Almanack, in Penfylvania, furnifhed it with various fentences and proverbs, principally relating to the topics of induftry, attention to one's own bufinefs, and frugality. The whole, or chief of these fentences and proverbs, fays the Editor, he at laft collected and digefted in the abovementioned general preface.-As he is at present our enemy, we naturally with, as Britifb patriots, to turn his arms against himself, by applying them to our own defence. And as the prefent fituation of our country will render more taxes, as well as more ceconomy, neceffary; and certain murmurings on that account are, at this time, growing louder than ufual; we fhall firft felect what our late countryman fays on the article of industry. The preface begins thus: Courteous Reader, I have heard, that nothing gives an author fo great pleafure, as to find his works refpectfully quoted by others. Judge, then, how much I must have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. I ftopped my horfe lately, where a great number of people were collected at an auction of merchants goods. The hour of the fale not being come, they were converfing on the badness of the times; and one of the company called to a plain, clean Old Man, with white locks, "Pray, Father Abraham, what think you of the times? Will not thefe heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How fhall we ever be able to pay them? What would you advife us to ?"-Father Abraham ftood up, and replied, If you would have my advice, I will give it you in fhort; " for a word to the wife is enough,' as Poor Richard fays.' They joined in defiring him to speak his mind, and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows: 33 Friends, fays he, the taxes are, indeed, very heavy, and, if thofe laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more eafily difcharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to fome of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from thefe taxes the commiffioners cannot cafe or deliver us, by allowing an abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and fomething may be done for us; "God helps them that help themselves," as Poor Richard fays. It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their time, to be employed in its fervice but idlenefs taxes many of us much more; floth, by bringing on difeafes, abfolutely fhortens life. "Sloth, like ruft, confumes fafter than labour wears, while the ufed key is always bright," as Poor Richard fays. "But doft thou love life, then do not fquander time, for that is the ftuff life is made of,' as Poor Richard fays. How much more than is neceffary do we spend in fleep! forgetting that, "The fleeping fox catches no poultry, and that there will be fleeping enough in the grave,” as Poor Richard fays. "If time be of all things the most precious, wafting time muft be," as Poor Richard fays, "the greatest prodigality;" fince, as he elsewhere tells us, "Loft time is never found again; and what we call time enough, always proves little enough" let us then up and be doing, and doing to the purpofe; fo by diligence fhall we do more with lefs perplexity. Sloth makes all things difficult, but induftry all eafy; and, He that rifeth late, muft trot all day, and fhall fcarce overtake his bufinefs at night; while lazinefs travels fo flowly, that'poverty foon overtakes him. Drive thy business, let not that drive thee; and early to bed, and early to rife, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wife," as Poor Richard fays. at the So what fignifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make these times better, if we beftir ourselves. "Industry need not with, and he that lives upon hope will die fafting. There are no gains without pains; then help hands, for I have no lands," or, if I have, they are smartly taxed. He that hath a trade, hath an estate; and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honour," as Poor Richard fays; but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling well followed, or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. -If we are induftrious, we shall never ftarve; for, working man's houfe hunger looks in, but dares not enter." Nor will the bailiff or the conftable enter, for " Industry pays debts, while Defpair increaseth them." What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy, "Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to induftry. Then plow deep, while fluggards fleep, and you fhall have corn to fell and to keep." Work while it is called to-day, for you know not how much you may be hindered tomorrow. One to-day is worth two to-morrows," as Poor Richard fays; and farther, "Never leave that till to-morrow, which you can do to-day." If you were a fervant, would you not be ashamed that a good mafter fhould catch you idle? Are you then your own mafter? be afhamed to catch yourself idle, when there is fo much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your king. Handle your tools without mittens, remember, that, "The cat in gloves catches no mice," as Poor Richard fays. It is true, there is much to be done, and, perhaps, you are weak-handed; but ftick to it steadily, and you will fee great effects; for "Conftant dropping wears away ftones; and by diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable; and little ftrokes fell great oaks.” 04 On On the subject of frugality, Father Abraham, who ftrings his proverbs much more clofely, and to the purpose, than Sancho, fays, among many other good things, what follows: If you would be wealthy, think of faving, as well as of getting. The Indies have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are greater than her incomes.' Away then, with your expenfive follies, and you will not then have fo much caufe to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families; for Women and wine, game and deceit, "Make the wealth fmall, and the want great." And farther," What maintains one vice, would bring up two children." You may think, perhaps, that a little tea, or a little punch now and then, diet a little more coftly, clothes a little finer, and a little entertainment now and then, can be no great matter; but remember, Many a little makes a mickle." Beware of little expences; "A fmall leak will fink a great ship," as Poor Richard fays; and again, "Who dainties love fhall beggars prove;" and moreover, "Fools make feafts, and wife men eat them." Here you are all got together to this fale of fineries and nick-nacks. You call them goods; but, if you do not take care, they will prove evils to fome of you. You expect they will be fold cheap, and, perhaps, they may for less than they coft; but, if you have no occafion for them, they must be dear to you. Remember what Poor Richard fays, "Buy what thou haft no need of, and ere long thou fhalt fell thy neceffaries." And again, "At a great pennyworth paufe a while." He means, that perhaps the cheapnefs is apparent only, and not real; or the bargain, by ftraitening thee in thy bufinefs, may do thee more harm than good. For in another place he fays, " Many have been ruined by buying good pennyworths." Again, “ It is foolish to lay out money in a purchase of repentance;" and yet this folly is practifed every day at auctions, for want of minding the Almanack. Many a one, for the fake of finery on the back, have gone with a hungry belly, and half starved their families; Silks and fattins, fcarlet and velvets, put out the kitchen-fire," as Poor Richard fays.' We are loth to part with our inftructive friend, Father Abrabam, who fo excellently pouts his Wifdom of Nations, seasoned alternately with ferioufnefs and jocularity: but we must give a part of what this dry joker fays on the fubject of running in debt. When you have got your bargain, you may, perhaps, think little of payment; but, as Poor Richard fays, "Creditors have better memories than debtors; creditors are a fuperftitious fect, great obfervers of fet-days and times." The day comes round 4 before |