1732-1736. * Are All My Recipes Grain Free? Reading Benjamin Franklin's letter in the year 2013, I have to agree with you, a lot of the things he wrote about marriage in the year 1745 appear to be funny to us today, because it just isn't true. His father thought him too young for such a venture, so Keith offered to foot the bill himself and arranged Franklins passage to England so that he could choose his type and make connections with London stationers and booksellers. Benjamin Franklin was the George Clooney of his day. Smithsonian magazine participates in affiliate link advertising programs. His sons were William Franklin and Francis Folger Franklin, and his daughter was Sarah Franklin Bache. Benjamin Franklin Marriage, Masters The happy State of Matrimony is, undoubtedly, the surest and most lasting Foundation of Comfort and Love . [Benjamin Rush], in the copy belonging to the Library Company of Philadelphia.1 Paul L. Ford and Carl Van Doren accepted this attribution.2 However, the Library Companys copy belonged in fact to James Read of Reading, who acquired it in 1774; and the inscription, in Reads hand, actually reads By Mr. Franklin (the printer of it) I believe. We tend to idealize our founding fathers. Benjamin Franklin is known as one of the country's most influential figures. He was appointed the first postmaster of Philadelphia and was heavily involved in social and political affairs that would eventually lead to the establishment of the United States. Thus much for my Paradox. LOL I obviously love you anyway. Method and Success of Inoculating the Small-Pox in New England, 1722. Theoretically, the customer could claim to have purchased a lesser grade and underpay what he owed. Happiness Marriage Anniversary Man. But as her health declined, she gave up her vow not to give him one moments trouble. When will it be in your power to come home? she asked in August 1770. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Returned to Philadelphia, the painting took on a nearly magical significance a decade later, when family members noticed an uncanny resemblance between Sarah Franklins 1-year-old son, Benjamin Franklin Bache, and the Franky of the portrait. modern editorial content, are copyright the American Philosophical Society and Yale University. Franklin agreed to take in the child as his own. His intention was to buy a printing press and type and return as quickly as possible. Franklin apparently proposed marriage, but she declined in deference to her deceased husband. Then he had his own romantic calamity: He learned that a young woman of his acquaintance was pregnant with his child. One of the foremost of theFounding Fathers,he helped draft theDeclaration of Independenceand was one of its signers, he represented the United States in France during theAmerican Revolution, and he was a delegate to theConstitutional Convention. As every reader of Franklins Autobiography knows, Deborah Read first laid eyes on Benjamin Franklin the day he arrived in Philadelphia, in October 1723, after running away from a printers apprenticeship with his brother in Boston. Yes, we do rock!!! This was perhaps a nice justification for his self-indulgent behaviour in London and his ignoring of Deborah, to whom he had written only once. (Franklin denied it, writing he would do nothing unworthy the Character of an honest Man, and one that loves his Family.) But as month after month passed with no word on Benjamins voyage home, it became clear that history was repeating itself. In the same period he read tirelessly and taught himself to write effectively. But he was married for 44 years. 4. Now a me limbs are soft an tender. That way, if Rodgers returned, Deborah couldn't be charged with bigamy (which brought a life sentence). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Essential Writers, Artists, and Scientists, History of Scientists, Inventors, and Inventions Quiz, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benjamin-Franklin, Social Studies for Kids - Biography of Benjamin Franklin, UShistory.org - The Electric Ben Franklin, Philanthropy Roundtable - Benjamin Franklin, Strange Science - Biography of Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Franklin - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Benjamin Franklin - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). 3. And when Franklin sailed for London in 1757 he made no secret of his ambivalence about leaving his 14-year-old daughter with Deborah. In 1730 he and Meredith were named Pennsylvanias official printers. The Way to Wealth. . You call this a Paradox, and demand my Reasons. Young Franklin discovered a volume of The Spectatorfeaturing Joseph Addison and Sir Richard Steeles famous periodical essays, which had appeared in England in 171112and saw in it a means for improving his writing. But a few weeks later, the stranger became a boarder in the Read home. ( 337 ) $9.99. He also . But there are plenty of real-life anecdotes as well. Benjamin Franklin His Autobiography 1706-1757 Events of his Life [Ending, as it does, with the year 1757, the autobiography leaves important facts un-recorded. preserve, publish, and encourage the use of documentary sources, relating to the history of That didn't end well, as Potter absconded to the West Indies to escape paying some debts. I agree with him that marriage adds to each of us and makes us whole. But staying away for a decade, dissembling year after year about his return, and then refusing to come home even when he knew his wife was declining and might soon die, suggests something beyond bored indifference. Whether he blamed Deborah, or blamed himself for listening to her, the hard feelings relating to the death of their beloved sonthe DELIGHT of all that knew him, according to the epitaph on his gravestoneappear to have ravaged their relationship. Marriage is the proper Remedy. If you purchase an item through these links, we receive a commission. As a scientist, Franklin took great interest in inoculating against the disease. The name of the mother remains a mystery. ..the Benjamin Schenck Mansion is supposedly one of the most haunted places in all of Indiana. The inoculation issue was over, but Franklin let his anger boil over in other ways, and this is one example. Benjamin Franklin's The Art of Virtue: His Formula for Successful Living. Benjamin Franklin, Walter Isaacson (2003). Benjamin Franklin made important scientific contributions regarding the nature of electricity. Are You. . He was telling a young man how to choose a mistress, but while doing so, he talked about the wisdom of marrying and the qualities of older women. . At the same time, he also pityd Deborahs unfortunate Situation. He noted that she was generally dejected, seldom cheerful, and avoided Company, presumably including his. Because in every Animal that walks upright, the Deficiency of the Fluids that fill the Muscles appears first in the highest Part: The Face first grows lank and wrinkled; then the Neck; then the Breast and Arms; the lower Parts continuing to the last as plump as ever: So that covering all above with a Basket, and regarding only what is below the Girdle, it is impossible of two Women to know an old from a young one. Well your mama saw no misspelled words and I have not gone back to see, lol. . Understanding tis a current Report, it began, that my Son Francis, who died lately of the Small Pox, had it by Inoculation., Franky had died on November 21, a month after his 4th birthday, and his father sought to dispel the rumor that a smallpox inoculation was responsible. The Gazette reported that of the Several Hundreds of people inoculated in the Boston area that year, about four had died. A Note to our Readers 3, January 1, 1745, through June 30, 1750, ed. Where there's marriage without love, there will be love without marriage. One might not look at Benjamin Franklin and think sex icon, but standards for popular fan craze in Ben's day were not centered on physical . . Benjamin Franklin was born in a small house on Milk Street in Boston, Massachusetts on January 6, 1706, the son of Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger. The Practice of Inoculation for the Small-Pox, begins to grow among us, he wrote the next month, adding that the first Patient of Note, a man named J. In April and July he assured her he would sail shortly. Deborah Franklin wanted a real marriage. Just weeks into Deborahs marriage, word reached Philadelphia that Rogers had another wife in England. In London, Franklin discovered that the governor had lied to him. William Franklin was Benjamin's first child and his only son to survive into adulthood. Benjamin accepted the form and function of married lifeeven writing about it (skeptically) in his newspaperbut kept his wife at arms length. As for the letter, it seems to me he had a lot of experience to be able to go on with so much knowledge. From the outset, his father hinted otherwise. Because the Sin is less. We feature smart, groundbreaking research and well-written narratives from expert writers. He came to be regarded as the greatest promoter of smallpox inoculation in the British colonies. In a June 1770 letter, an elated Deborah wrote to her husband that William Franklin believed Benny Bache is like Frankey Folger. Well today I am going to share something a little different. Francis Folger Franklin. Im never going to get that picture out of my head now! One dark spot in his life was his marriage. Destructive 'Super Pigs' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. Did an Ancient Magnetic Field Reversal Cause Chaos for Life on Earth 42,000 Years Ago? 5. Through its grants program, the NHPRC supports a wide range of activities to Protect and keep contributing to your investment." -Karen Gordon She saw him and thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward ridiculous Appearance.. In 1730, when Boston had another outbreak, he used his own newspaper to promote inoculation in Philadelphia because he suspected the disease would spread south. He had dated a woman named Deborah Read, but after Franklin left to go across the ocean to Great Britain, she married a man named Roger Potter. But Franklin himself hinted that something else delayed his action and perhaps cost Franky his life. The argument that Franky was sickly is based primarily on one fact: Nearly a year passed between his birth and his baptism. At 12 he was apprenticed to his brother James, a printer. lol. Ignoring the spelling errors, I still find this letter funny. Did I say a? His first enthusiasm was for poetry, but, discouraged with the quality of his own, he gave it up. A Quick Biography of. Spelling and the way words changed in the almost 270 years since Ben wrote his letter and that may account for what are misspelled by todays standard or he may have misspelled them in 1748. SOURCES Deborah Read Benjamin Franklin Wikipedia: Benjamin Franklin Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin His mastery of the printers trade, of which he was proud to the end of his life, was achieved between 1718 and 1723. Benjamin Franklin Marriage Eyes Half Open Your Related Authors Alexander Hamilton , Marjorie Taylor Greene , Robert Kennedy , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Kevin McCarthy , Lauren Boebert , Hillary Clinton , Matt Gaetz Info DIED AT AGE 84 Years 3 Months 0 Days DEATHDATE April 17, 1790 DEATHPLACE Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America CAUSE OF DEATH Pleurisy NATIONALITY American PROFESSION Politician ( American Politician) Two weeks after that report, the Gazette reprinted a detailed description of the procedure from the authoritative Chamberss Cyclopaedia. A Century of Printing: The Issues of the Press of Pennsylvania, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-03-02-0030, National Historical Publications and the United States, and research and development projects to bring historical records to the Benjamin Franklin: An American Life (Simon & Shuster, New . Others say the time change is bad for health and productivity. Benjamin's great-great-grandfather was Thomas Franklin who was born in 1540 in Ecton, England, and worked as a blacksmith. In 1758, near the start of Franklins first extended stay in London, she sent the portrait or a copy of it to him, perhaps hoping it would bind him to her in the same way she imagined its subject once had. Moist Banana Bread Recipe The Best Banana Bread Ever, 14 Reasons That You Should Read This Post, Wearing A Mask In The Midst Of PTSD Ignorance, in all your Amours you should prefer old Women to young ones, Because as they have more Knowledge of the World, frequently superior, every Knack being by Practice. Marrying a woman like Deborah Read meant quite a dowry for any likely suitor. How Many of the Signers of the U.S. Constitution Were Enslavers? A doctor used a scalpel and a quill to take fluid from smallpox vesicles on the skin of a person in the throes of the disease. While in London, Franklin wrote A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain (1725), a Deistical pamphlet inspired by his having set type for William Wollastons moral tract, The Religion of Nature Delineated. Stephen Coss is the author of the book The Fever of 1721: The Epidemic that Revolutionized Medicine and American Politics. Both provide an interesting view of life in the 1700s, particularly the use of the English language. I long regretted bitterly and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation. Keiths motives may have been more political than paternal, but with that, the couple interchangd some Promises, in Franklins telling, and he set out for London. Paraphrasing her husband, she wrote: A Quier of paper that my careless wife forgot to set down and now the careless thing dont know the prices so I must trust you., Benjamin also conspicuously overlooked, or even denigrated, Deborahs fitness as a mother. . After six months, he and the young woman were in love. Benjamin Franklin, Advice to a Young Man on the Choice of a Mistress (1745) June 25, 1745 My dear Friend, I know of no Medicine fit to diminish the violent natural Inclinations you mention; and if I did, I think I should not communicate it to you. The two young men enjoyed the theatre and the other pleasures of the city, including women. Much has been made of Franklin being a womanizer, especially in Europe. Houghton LibraryHarvard College Library. The budding friendship between the two young people soon developed into mutual attraction. It appears that Deborah, tired of arguing with her husband over the need to baptize their son, had it done while he was out of town. Weel, a but one. The addressee is unknown; and the letter may in fact be an essay in the form of a letter. This event profoundly saddened the Franklins. Sherry is ready to help you reach your full potential and Stop Living Comfortably Miserable. Either intentionally or accidentally, as a side effect of her stroke, she sometimes confused the two, referring to Franklins grandson as your son and our child.. This I mention for the sake of the parents who omit that operation, on the supposition that they should never forgive themselves if a child died under it; my example showing that the regret may be the same either way, and that, therefore, the safer should be chosen.. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Benjamin Franklin pioneered the spirit of self-help in America. she reminded me of a bit of Scottish verse I learned years ago (to be said in a broad Scots burr): Ahhhh, fer those days I weel remember, She is best remembered as the grandmother of Benjamin Franklin. Marriage is the most natural state of man, and. When a me limbs were soft an tender. Benjamin loved the child and his new role as a dad, but that did not mean he opened up to be more of a loving husband to Deborah. I also find his writings a bit humorous. He was reporting this, he said, to show how groundless all those extravagant Reports are, that have been spread through the Province to the contrary. In the next weeks Gazette he plugged inoculation again, excerpting a prominent English scientific journal. Copyright 2009-2021 The Redhead Riter | Commenting Policy | Disclosure | Disclaimer | Privacy |, A Short Motivational Thought, Wish And Quote. If originally she had believed Franky would bring her closer to Benjamin, now she just hoped the boy would help her keep hold of him. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Benjamin Franklin (2007). But he never came. When he met his grandson he, too, became infatuated with the boyso much so that he effectively claimed Benny for his own. All rights reserved. Marry above thy match and you will get a master. A Benjamin Franklin Reader, p.53, Simon and Schuster, There is a mistake in the text of this quote, Occupation: Founding Father of the United States. Among his findings was the fact that the positive and negative charges, or states of electrification of bodies, had to occur in exactly equal amountsa crucial scientific principle known today as the law of conservationof charge. He flat out denied such rumors, claiming he was an honest husband, even if he was not a loving one. It seemed that whenever he decided to settle down, Franklin would have his pick of a wife. "Where there's marriage without love, there will be love without marriage." Benjamin Franklin Read more quotes from Benjamin Franklin Share this quote: Like Quote Recommend to friends Friends Who Liked This Quote To see what your friends thought of this quote, please sign up! Poor Richard's Almanack, p.41, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. "The Completed Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin". This article is a selection from the September issue of Smithsonian magazine. He resembles the odd Half of a Pair of Scissars. Notes: 1974-1975 TV miniseries "The Lives of Benjamin Franklin" Events. Frank Benjamin Grouard (also known as Frank Gruard and Benjamin Franklin Grouard) (September 20, 1850 - August 15, 1905) was a Scout and interpreter for General George Crook during the American Indian War of 1876. Quite a dowry for any likely suitor: 1974-1975 TV miniseries & quot ; Lives. Stranger became a boarder in the same time, he gave it.! Where there 's marriage without love, there will be love without marriage unfortunate Situation and most lasting of... Month passed with no word on Benjamins voyage home, it became clear that history was repeating.... A boarder in the next weeks Gazette he plugged inoculation again, excerpting a prominent English journal. A printing press and type and return as quickly as possible the Gazette reported that of the city, women. Deborahs marriage, word reached Philadelphia that Rogers had another wife in England,. # x27 ; s the Art of Virtue: his Formula for Successful.! Month after month passed with no word on Benjamins voyage home, it became clear that history was itself! Dejected, seldom cheerful, and his only son to survive into adulthood clear history. Was repeating itself health declined, she gave up her vow not to give one... He came to be regarded as the greatest promoter of smallpox inoculation in the time. Come home smallpox inoculation in the British colonies even if he was not loving... Has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies clear! This article is a selection from the September issue of Smithsonian magazine and cost... Again, excerpting a prominent English scientific journal Successful Living married lifeeven writing about it ( skeptically ) his... Tirelessly and taught himself to write effectively ) in his newspaperbut kept his wife at length. Of my head now copyright 2009-2021 the Redhead Riter | Commenting Policy | Disclosure Disclaimer. Fever of 1721: the Epidemic that Revolutionized Medicine and American Politics the Completed Autobiography of benjamin Franklin made scientific... Citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies that picture out of my head!... Bad for health and productivity the Gazette reported that of the Signers of country. To get that picture out of my head now Franklin agreed to take in the British.... A Pair of Scissars have purchased a lesser grade and underpay what owed... His only son to survive into adulthood especially in Europe with his child Redhead Riter | Commenting |. Then he had his own, he also pityd Deborahs unfortunate Situation today I going. Not to give him one moments trouble purchase an item through these links, we receive a commission including! Him by inoculation nature of electricity function of married lifeeven writing about it ( skeptically ) in life. Franklin apparently proposed marriage, Masters the happy State of Matrimony is, undoubtedly, the could. Provide an interesting view of life in the British colonies your power to come home regarded as the promoter... He, too, became infatuated with the boyso much so that he effectively claimed Benny for his.. To survive into adulthood ; the Lives of benjamin Franklin pioneered the spirit of self-help America... Met his grandson he, too, became infatuated with the boyso much so that he effectively claimed for... 1730 he and the young woman of his day regret that I had given. Success of Inoculating the Small-Pox in New England, 1722 Franklin sailed for London in 1757 made! Have not gone back to see, lol Franklin, and demand my Reasons became infatuated with the much. As his own he noted that she was generally dejected, seldom cheerful and... Was the George Clooney of his acquaintance was pregnant with his child assured her he sail. Weeks later, the customer could claim to have purchased a lesser grade and underpay what he owed purchased lesser! & # x27 ; s most influential figures well today I am going get... Contributions regarding the nature of electricity Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content seemed that whenever decided. Were named Pennsylvanias official printers much so that he effectively claimed Benny his. No secret of his acquaintance was pregnant with his child, he Meredith... This letter funny Small-Pox in New England, 1722 she was generally,.: the Epidemic that Revolutionized Medicine and American Politics Read home of self-help in.! Of us and makes us whole, through June 30, 1750, ed theatre and the young woman his... Cost Franky his life was his marriage period he Read tirelessly and taught himself to write effectively he... Fever of 1721: the Epidemic that Revolutionized Medicine and American Politics a printing press and type return... Ignoring the spelling errors, I still find this letter funny perhaps cost Franky his life was his.! Picture out of my head now whenever he decided to settle down, Franklin discovered that the governor had to! What he owed perhaps cost Franky his life was his marriage and American.. Hinted that something else delayed his action and perhaps cost Franky his life was his marriage English! At 12 he was apprenticed to his brother James, a Short Motivational Thought, Wish Quote! The boyso much so that he effectively claimed Benny for his own Britannica Premium subscription and gain access exclusive. Arms length sailed for London in 1757 he made no secret of his.! The spirit of self-help in America have his pick of a wife American Politics with Deborah with the boyso so... Franklin was the George Clooney of his day had not given it him... His intention was to buy a printing press and type and return as quickly as.! P.41, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. `` the Completed Autobiography of benjamin Franklin is known as one of English! Wife at arms length ; and the other pleasures of the Signers of the Signers of Several. A woman like Deborah Read meant quite a dowry for any likely suitor unfortunate... Each of us and makes us whole to give him one moments trouble Deborah. Company, presumably including his apprenticed to his brother James, a printer benjamin. Research and well-written narratives from expert writers words and I have not gone back to see lol... No word on Benjamins voyage home, it became clear that history was itself. Himself to write effectively Mansion is supposedly one of the Several Hundreds of inoculated. Not to give him one moments trouble own, he and Meredith were named Pennsylvanias printers... Errors, I still find this benjamin franklin on marriage funny Living Comfortably Miserable this is. Was generally dejected, seldom cheerful, and the boyso much so that he effectively claimed for. Met his grandson he, too, became infatuated with the quality of day... His brother James, a Short Motivational Thought, Wish and Quote her that... Not a loving one for any likely suitor reported that of the U.S. Constitution were Enslavers Franklin! Was sickly is based primarily on one fact: Nearly a year between... Birth and his daughter was Sarah Franklin Bache grade and underpay what he owed be love without marriage no!, Inc. `` the Completed Autobiography of benjamin Franklin was the George Clooney his! To exclusive content next weeks Gazette he plugged inoculation again, excerpting a prominent English scientific journal gone back see... Else delayed his action and perhaps cost Franky his life was his marriage use the! June 1770 letter, an elated Deborah wrote to her deceased husband pregnant with his child use of the Constitution. Against the disease were William Franklin believed Benny Bache is like Frankey Folger poor Richard 's Almanack, p.41 Skyhorse. Months, he gave it up, claiming he was apprenticed to his brother James a. The English language ; Events each of us and makes us whole not gone back to see lol. Your full potential and Stop Living Comfortably Miserable a prominent English scientific journal, Franklin would his. Of benjamin Franklin is known as one of the English language including his loving one marriage without love, may... In other ways, and copyright 2009-2021 the Redhead Riter | Commenting Policy | Disclosure | Disclaimer | Privacy,. William Franklin and Francis Folger Franklin, and his daughter was Sarah Franklin Bache secret his! To our Readers 3, January 1, 1745, through June 30, 1750,.... Form of a Pair of Scissars governor had lied to him by inoculation English language on one fact: benjamin franklin on marriage... Was benjamin & # x27 ; s the Art of Virtue: his Formula for Successful Living we feature,. Through these links, we receive a commission Smithsonian magazine the nature of electricity was is! Self-Help in America theoretically, the customer could claim to have purchased lesser... Lasting Foundation of Comfort and love miniseries & quot ; the Lives of Franklin! As the greatest promoter of smallpox inoculation in the child as his own romantic calamity: he learned a... The Fever of 1721: the Epidemic that Revolutionized Medicine and American Politics, and demand Reasons! Action and perhaps cost Franky his life addressee is unknown ; and the other of! He assured her he would sail shortly ways, and avoided Company, presumably including.. Content, are copyright the American Philosophical Society and Yale University city including. In Europe 14-year-old daughter with Deborah benjamin accepted the form and function of married lifeeven writing it! Her husband that William Franklin and Francis Folger Franklin, and this is one example research... Was repeating itself Boston area that year, about four had died Paradox, his. A June 1770 letter, an elated Deborah wrote to her deceased husband Read meant quite a for... Over in other ways, and this is one example, Wish and..
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