Benjamin Franklin's Book of Virtues by Benjamin Franklin
From 1771 to his death in 1790, Benjamin Franklin was in the process of writing what he referred to as his Memoirs. Portions of the unfinished work were published posthumously as Memoirs of the Private Life of Benjamin Franklin, first in French in 1791, and then in English in 1793. Today the complete unfinished manuscript is known as The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, and is considered one of the most famous and influential examples of autobiography ever written. In the heart of the work, Franklin wrote of his bold and arduous Project of arriving at Perfection when he was a young man. He prepared a list of thirteen virtues he wished to perfect in himself, and created a chart in which to keep track of his shortcomings. Among Franklin's list of virtues were personal traits (frugality, moderation, tranquility) and social traits (sincerity, justice, humility). Franklin strayed from the virtuous path on many occasions, and discovered perfection was an impossible thing to achieve, but felt a better man for the effort. Applewood Books now offers Benjamin Franklin's Book of Virtues as Franklin intended it -- a beautiful little hardcover, complete with the list of thirteen virtues and a chart to monitor one's own progress.
Benjamin Franklin, statesman, philosopher, and man of letters, was born in Boston in 1706 of Protestant parents. He entered Boston Grammar School when he was eight and later attended George Brown Ell's school. When he was twelve his father apprenticed him to his half-brother James as a printer. James was later the publisher of the New England Courant, where Franklin's first articles, The Dogood Papers, were published before he was seventeen. He went to Philadelphia in 1723 and pursued his trade of printer. He was befriended by William Keith, Governor of Pennsylvania, who offered to help the young man get started in business. Franklin left for England, where he hoped to arrange for the purchase of printing equipment. Arriving in London in 1724, he was soon deserted by Keith, and again turned to printing for a livelihood. His privately printed Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain (1725) introduced him to leading Deists and other intellectuals in London. A year later, he returned to Philadelphia, and by 1730 he had been appointed public printer for Pennsylvania. In 1731 he established the first circulation library in the United States; in 1743-44, The American Philosophical Society. In 1748 he retired from the trade of printer but continued to advise and back his partner and to draw profit from the business. Poor Richard's Almanack was his most spectacular success as a publisher, having gone through numerous editions and been translated in many languages. During the next thirty-five years he devoted himself largely to politics and diplomacy, but still wrote and engaged in scientific ventures. He resigned as Minister to France in 1785, returned to America, and was elected President of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Still concerned with the rights of the individual, he published papers encouraging the abolition of slavery. He died in Philadelphia in 1790.
Larzer Ziff is a research professor of English at Johns Hopkins University who has written extensively on American literary culture.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781429093552 |
| ISBN 10 | 1429093552 |
| Title | Benjamin Franklin's Book of Virtues |
| Author | Benjamin Franklin |
| Series | Books Of American Wisdom |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Applewood Books |
| Year published | 2016-09-27 |
| Number of pages | 32 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |