an English grammar (I think it was Greenwood's), at the end of which there was two little sketches of the arts of rhetoric and logic, the latter finishing with a dispute in the Socratic method; and, soon after, I procured Xenophon's Memorable Things of Socrates, wherein are many instances of the same method. I 215 found this method safest for myself and very embarrassing to those against whom I used it; therefore I took a delight in it, practised it continually, and grew very artful and expert in drawing people, even of superior knowledge, into concessions, the consequences of which they did not foresee, entangling them in 220 difficulties out of which they could not extricate themselves, and so obtaining victories that neither myself nor my cause always deserved. . . . II. I continued this method some few years, but gradually left it, retaining only the habit of expressing myself in terms of mod-: est diffidence; never using, when I advanced anything that may possibly be disputed, the words certainly, undoubtedly, or any others that give the air of positiveness to an opinion; but rather say, I conceive or apprehend a thing to be so and so; it appears 211. Greenwood's. There was an English grammar by James Greenwood, published in London in 1711. 213. Socratic method, the mode of argu- 214. suming the character of an ignorant learner till he involved his opponent in contradictory answers. Xenophon, born about B.C. 444, was a distinguished soldier and in youth was a pupil of Socrates, whose sayings he recorded in the work usually called the Memorabilia. 212. there was two little sketches. Indicate the LITERARY ANALYSIS. grammatical fault. 215-223. Substitute synonymous terms for the italicized words in the following: I found this method safest for myself and very embarrassing to those against whom I used it; therefore I took a delight in it, practised it continually, and grew very artful and expert in drawing people, even of superior knowledge, into concessions, the consequences of which they did not foresee, entangling them in difficulties out of which they could not extricate themselves, and so obtaining victories that neither myself nor my cause always deserved."-It may be observed that, perhaps influenced by his subject, Franklin in this sentence employs, a for him unusual number of what may be called bookish words. 225 to me, or, I should think it so or so, for such and such reasons; or, 230 I imagine it to be so; or, it is so, if I am not mistaken. This habit, I believe, has been of great advantage to me when I have had occasion to inculcate my opinions, and persuade men into measures that I have been from time to time engaged in promoting; and, as the chief ends of conversation are to inform or to be informed, 235 to please or to persuade, I wish well-meaning, sensible men would not lessen their power of doing good by a positive, assuming manner, that seldom fails to disgust, tends to create opposition, and to defeat every one of those purposes for which speech was given us to wit, giving or receiving information or pleasure. For 240 if you would inform, a positive and dogmatical manner in advancing your sentiments may provoke contradiction, and prevent a candid attention. If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fixed in your present opinions, modest, sensi- 245 ble men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in possession of your error. And by such a manner, you can seldom hope to recommend yourself in pleasing your hearers, or to persuade those whose concurrence you desire. Pope says, judiciously: "Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown proposed as things forgot ;" further recommending to us "To speak, though sure, with seeming diffidence." 250 And he might have coupled with this line that which he has 255 coupled with another, I think, less properly, "For want of modesty is want of sense." If you ask, why less properly? I must repeat the lines "Immodest words admit of no defence, For want of modesty is want of sense." Now, is not "want of sense (where a man is so unfortunate as 26c 251, 252. Men... forgot. The lines are from Pope's Essay on Criticism. 254. To speak . . . diffidence. This line is from the poem named in the previous note. ... sense. From 259, 260. Immodest the same poem. to want it) some apology for his "want of modesty?" And would not the lines stand more justly thus ? "Immodest words admit but this defence, That want of modesty is want of sense." This, however, I submit to better judgments. 265 12. My brother had, in 1720 or 1721, begun to print a newspaper. It was the second that appeared in America, and was called the New England Courant. The only one before it was the Boston News-Letter. I remember his being dissuaded by 270 some of his friends from the undertaking, as not likely to succeed, one newspaper being, in their judgment, enough for America. At this time there are not less than five-and-twenty. He went on, however, with the undertaking, and after having worked in composing the types and printing off the sheets, I was em- 275 ployed to carry the papers through the streets to the customers. 13. He had some ingenious men among his friends, who amused themselves by writing little pieces for this paper, which gained it credit and made it more in demand, and these gentlemen often visited us. Hearing their conversations, and their ac- 280 counts of the approbation their papers were received with, I was excited to try my hand among them; but, being still a boy, and suspecting that my brother would object to printing anything of mine in his paper if he knew it to be mine, I contrived to disguise my hand, and, writing an anonymous paper, I put it in at 285 night under the door of the printing-house. It was found in the * morning, and communicated to his writing friends when they 273. At this time ... five-and-twenty. Franklin was writing in 1785. At this time probably as many thousands. LITERARY ANALYSIS.—264, 265. What do you think of Franklin's improvement on Pope? 266. Point out the characteristic manner in which Franklin, in this line, exemplifies the precept as to "modest diffidence," laid down by him at the beginning of the paragraph. 277-280. He had . . . us. Rewrite this sentence in such a way as to bring the relative pronouns "who" and "which nearer their antecedents. Give the derivation of this word. 285. anonymous. called in as usual. They read it, commented on it in my hearing, and I had the exquisite pleasure of finding it met with their approbation, and that, in their different guesses at the author, 290 none were named but men of some character among us for learning and ingenuity. I suppose now that I was rather lucky in my judges, and that perhaps they were not really so very good ones as I then esteemed them. . . . 14. I have been the more particular in this description of my 295 journey, and shall be so of my first entry into that city, that you may in your mind compare such unlikely beginnings with the figure I have since made there. I was in my working dress, my best clothes being to come round by sea. I was dirty from my journey; my pockets were stuffed out with shirts and stockings, 300 and I knew no soul, nor where to look for lodging. I was fatigued with travelling, rowing, and want of rest; I was very hungry, and my whole stock of cash consisted of a Dutch dollar, and about a shilling in copper. The latter I gave the people of the boat for my passage, who at first refused it on account of my row- 305 ing; but I insisted on their taking it. A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps through fear of being thought to have but little. 15. Then I walked up the street, gazing about, till, near the market-house, I met a boy with bread. I had made many a meal 310 on bread, and, inquiring where he got it, I went immediately to the baker's he directed me to, in Second Street, and asked for biscuit, intending such as we had in Boston; but they, it seems, were not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked for a threepenny loaf, and was told they had none such. So, not considering or 315 knowing the difference of money, and the greater cheapness nor the names of his bread, I bade him give me threepenny-worth of any sort. He gave me, accordingly, three great puffy rolls. I was surprised at the quantity, but took it, and, having no room 295-298. I have been... there. What kind of sentence is this rhetorically? in my pockets, walked off with a roll under each arm, and eat- 320 ing the other. Thus I went up Market Street as far as Fourth Street, passing by the door of Mr. Read, my future wife's father; when she, standing at the door, saw me, and thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, ridiculous appearance. Then I turned and went down Chestnut Street, and part of Walnut 325 Street, eating my roll all the way, and, coming round, found myself again at Market Street Wharf, near the boat I came in, to which I went for a draught of the river water; and, being filled with one of my rolls, gave the other two to a woman and her child that came down the river in the boat with us, and were 330 waiting to go farther. 16. Thus refreshed, I walked again up the street, which by this time had many clean-dressed people in it, who were all walking the same way. I joined them, and thereby was led into the great meeting-house of the Quakers, near the market. I sat down 335 among them, and, after looking round awhile and hearing nothing said, being very drowsy through labor and want of rest the preceding night, I fell fast asleep, and continued so till the meeting broke up, when one was kind enough to rouse me. therefore, the first house I was in, or slept in, in Philadelphia. This was, LITERARY ANALYSIS.-295-340. Write in your words an account of Franklin's first entry into Philadelphia. 340 |