up in my chamber, reading, the greatest part of the night, when the book was borrowed in the evening, and to be returned in the morning, lest it should be found missing."

7. This practice, in spite of Franklin's example, we do not advise our young friends to imitate. Few boys could be deprived of their sleep in this way, without injuring their health; but Franklin had a very strong constitution, and could bear it.

8. From reading, Franklin naturally went to writing, and his first attempts at composition were in the form of verse. He wrote two ballads,' — one about a shipwreck, and one about a pirate,-printed them himself, and went about the streets to sell them. They sold in great numbers; and the boy naturally enough felt quite vain of his success; but his father, who was a sensible man, told him that his verses were poor stuff, and that he had better stick to his business.

9. Not long after, he showed his father a piece which he had written in prose. The same affectionate critic and true friend told his son that his style was deficient in ease, grace, and clearness; and the boy resolved to

correct it.

10. He got hold of an odd volume of the Spectator, which had been published in London not long before, and was much delighted with it. He took some of the papers, made short hints of their contents, laid them by for a few days, and then, without looking at the book, re-wrote them. When this was done, he carefully compared his own production with the original, and corrected the errors in the former.

11. Some of the papers in the Spectator contained tales or stories. Franklin translated these into verse,

and after a while, when he had forgotten the original, turned his own poetry back into prose. His main object in doing this was to increase his command of language; because in writing poetry one is obliged, for the sake of the metre and the rhyme, to pick out exactly the right word, and reject many that first come into the head, and are suitable for prose.

12. This was a most excellent way to learn how to write a good English style; and Franklin's success was worthy of the pains he took. This poor boy, without a teacher, with few books, working hard for his living all day, learned to write in a way that every body admires, because his style is so simple, easy, and graceful. You see his thoughts through it as clearly as you can see the objects in the streets through a pane of glass.

13. What Franklin thus did is what boys and girls call "writing composition." Many of them do not like to do it, and think it very hard work; and when it is demanded of them, they will do no more than is necessary to save them from censure." But they make a great mistake, for there is no exercise required in schools that will be of more service to them; and no one can learn to write well without taking pains.

14. While he was a lad, Franklin learned the value and importance of temperance in eating and drinking. He found a book which advised men to leave off eating meat, and to live entirely on vegetable food; and he resolved to try the plan. He learned to prepare some of the dishes described in this book, and proposed to his brother that if he would allow him weekly half the money which was paid for his board, he would board himself.

15. This offer was accepted, and Franklin found that

he could live upon half of his allowance, and save the other half for books. While the others went to dinner, he staid at the printing office, and after he had eaten his slight meal, (perhaps a biscuit or a slice of bread, with a bunch of raisins or an apple,) he had the rest of the time for study.

16. After some years, he gave up his system of living entirely upon vegetable food; and we do not advise any young person to imitate him in this plan of not eating meat. It would not suit the health of all persons, or yield them strength enough to do hard work, and it would sometimes give trouble.

17. It is best to eat in moderation whatever is set before us, without thinking about it. But in our country, many people eat too much meat, and their health would be better if their food was composed more of vegetable and farinaceous substances.

knowledge (nol'i),

con'se-quences dil'i-gent-ly 0

1. FRANKLIN continued through life to be very temperate in eating and drinking. He said of himself that

a few hours after dinner he could never tell of what dishes it had consisted. In this respect, his example is worthy of all imitation.

2. It is a misfortune to have a dainty and delicate appetite; and a man who is not particular about his food is much better off than one who is. It costs him less to live; and he is a much more welcome guest at the tables of his friends. When a man invites you to dine with him, and you find a simple dinner on the table, he really pays you a compliment'; because he thinks you do not care about pampering your appetite with delicacies, and are content with plain food.

3. While Franklin was an apprentice, his brother started a newspaper, which was called the New England Courant; and Franklin thought he would write an article for it. Being still a boy, and supposing his brother would reject any communication which was known to be his, he wrote his piece in a disguised' hand, put no name to it, and slipped it, in the evening, under the door of the printing office.

4. It is probable that he did not sleep very soundly that night, and went to the office next morning with a beating heart. But what was his delight to hear his brother and some of his friends commending the article, wondering who could have written it, and ascribing it to this or that gentleman, who was known to be a good scholar and writer! It was printed in the paper; and this success led Franklin to write others in the same way, and at last to confess that he was the author.

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5. When Franklin was about seventeen years old, he left his brother's employment, in consequence of a dif ference between them; and not being able to get work

in any other office in Boston, he went to New York in a sloop. It took him three days to go; and that was a very quick passage; now one can go from Boston to New York in about eight hours.

6. No one in New York wanted a printer's boy; and so he determined to push on to Philadelphia. He went to Amboy in New Jersey in a vessel, from Amboy to Burlington on foot, and from Burlington to Philadelphia in a boat. When he reached this city, it was on Sunday morning; and being hungry, he went into a baker's shop to get some bread. He bought three rolls; and putting one under each arm, and taking the third in his hand, he went on his way through the streets, eating as he walked.

7. As he was going along in this manner, a young girl, named Deborah* Reed, happened to be standing in the door of her father's house; and when she saw the droll figure he presented, she laughed at him, as well she might. But it is curious enough that this young girl afterwards became his wife. She little thought, when she saw him that Sunday morning, that such would be the end.

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8. Franklin found employment in Philadelphia at his trade. After he had been there a few months, his industry and intelligence attracted the attention of Sir William Keith,† who was at that time governor of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was a colony then, dependent upon Great Britain, and the governor was not chosen by the people, but was appointed in England,

and sent out there.

9. Sir William Keith promised to set him up in