Free Book of Ages by Jill Lepore Page A

built on
C
c
harity,
than
C
c
harity
upon
F
f
aith
and
H
h
ope
. However that be, I think it a better reading to say “ Raise F f aith and H h ope
one S
s
tory
higher .” C c orrect it boldly, and I’ll support the A a lteration; . F f or when you are up two S s tories already, if you raise your B b uilding three S s tories higher, you will make five in all, which is two more than there should be, you expose your upper R r ooms more to the W w inds and S s torms; , and, besides, I am afraid the F f oundation will hardly bear them, unless indeed you build with such light S s tuff as S s traw and S s tubble, and that you know won’t stand F f ire.
    Again, where the A a uthor S s ays , “ Kindness of H h eart by W w ords express, ” S s tri c ke out
W
w
ords
and put in
D
d
eeds
. The world is too full of C c ompliments already. ; T they are the rank G g rowth of every S s oil, and C c hoak the good P p lants of B b enevolence and B b enificence; , N n or do I pretend to be the first in this comparison of W w ords and A a ctions to P p lants; you may remember an A a ncient P p oet, whose W w ords we have all S s tudied and Ccopy’ ie d at S s chool , said long ago,.
    “ A M m an of W w ords and not of D d eeds,
    Is like a G g arden full of W w eeds. ”
    ‘T It is pity that
G
g
ood W
w
orks,
among some sorts of P p eople are so little V v alued, and
G
g
ood W
w
ords
admired in their S s tead; I mean seemingly
pious D
d
iscourses
instead of
H
h
umane B
b
enevolent A
a
ctions
. These theyalmost put out of countenance, by calling M m orality
rotten M
m
orality,
R r ighteousness,
ragged R
r
ighteousness
and even
filthy R
r
ags
; and when you mention
Virtue,
they pucker up their Noses as if they smelt a Stink; at the same time that they eagerly snuff up an empty canting Harangue, as if it was a Posie of the Choicest Flowers. So they have inverted the good old Verse, and say now
    A Man of Deeds and not of Words
    Is like a Garden full of——
    I have forgot the Rhime, but remember ’tis something the very Reverse of a Perfume. So much by Way of Commentary.
    My W w ife will let you see my L l etter containing an A a ccount of our T t ravels, which I would have you read to S s ister Do u w se, and give my L l ove to her. I have no thoughts of returning ’till next year, and then may possibly have the P p leasure of seeing you and yours;, takeing Boston in my W w ay home. My L l ove to B b rother and all your C c hildren, concludes at this time from, D d ear Jenny, your affectionate B b rother,
    B Franklin
    2. Jane wrote to Franklin from Boston on August 29, 1789. The original of this letter is housed at theAmerican Philosophical Society. Sparks published an extract from this letter in
The Works of Benjamin Franklin,
volume 10, p. 395n.
    Boston August 29. 1789.
    My Dear Brother
    O that I could with Truth, begin with the old fashoned still I hope this will find you well, but that I dispar of Exept I could confine all to your Intellets which thank God Apear as sound as Ever, which must suply you with a Source of Entertainment beyond what comon mortals can Expearance. I have Even my self in times Past Lost the sense of Paine for some time by the Injoyment of good Company.
    Yrs of Aug 3 by Cousen Jonathan was very Pleasing the knoing you had recd. mine so soon and was Pleasd with the contents gave me grat satisfaction and the sight of Him whom I Love like a child was a grat Addition. He is Truely a worthy man.
    You Introduce your Reproof of my Miffy temper so Politely, won cant aVoid wishing to have conquered it as you have if you Ever had any, that disagreable Temper.
    I have Drawn as you Premited Recd. the money and Paid of my Docr. Bill. I added the thirty Dolars for the wood which you give me orders constantly to Draw thinking it would be Less Troble to you and fearing Cousen Jonathan may not have the succes he wishes and Endevours about the Books and shall Take in the wood next week.
    I have also Recved the