The life of Dr. Benj. Franklin / written by himself. And continued by Dr. Stuber.

  • Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790. Autobiography
Date:
1809
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The life of Dr. Benj. Franklin / written by himself. And continued by Dr. Stuber. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A constant good fortune has attended me through every period of my life to. my pre- sent advanced age; and my descendants may be desirous of learning what were the means of which I made use, and which, thanks to the assisting hand of Providence, have proved so eminently successful. ‘They may also, should they ever be placed in a similar situation, de- rive some advantage from my narrative. When I reflect, as I frequently do, upon the felicity 1 have enjoyed, I sémetimes say to myself, that, were the offer made true, I would engage to run again, from beginning to end, the same career of life. All I would ask should be the privilege of an author, to cor- rect, ina second edition, certain errors of the | first. I could wish, likewise, if it were in my _ power, to change some trivial incidents and events for others more favourable. Were this, however, denied me, still would I not decline the offer. But since a repetition of life cannot take place, there is nothing which, in my opinion, so nearly resembles it, as. to call to mind all its circumstances, and to ren- der their remembrance more durable, commit — them to writing, By thus employing myself, ] shall yield to the inclination, so natural in old men, to talk of themselves and their ex- ploits, and may freely follow my bent, with- out being tiresome to those who, from respect to my age, might think themselves obliged to listen to me; as they will be at liberty to read me or not, as they please. In fine—and { may as well avow it, stuce nobody would. believe
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