The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin — Vocabulary
Benjamin Franklin
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Our debates were to be under the direction of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory;31 more

While we were disputing this, a waiter came to tell me two gentlemen below desir'd to speak with me.31 more

I saw the justice of his remark, ... and determined to endeavor at improvement.29 more

Our sensations being very much fixed to the moment, we are apt to forget that more moments are to follow the first, and consequently that man should arrange his conduct so as to suit the whole of a life.9 more

This, however, was not then of much consequence, as he was totally unable; and in the loss of his friendship I found myself relieved from a burthen.9 more

There was another bookish lad in the town, John Collins by name, with whom I was intimately acquainted.28 more

We hardly exchang'd a civil word afterwards, and a West India captain, who had a commission to procure a tutor for the sons of a gentleman at Barbadoes, happening to meet with him, agreed to carry him thither.†20 more

The Indians had burned Gnadenhut, a village settled by the Moravians, and massacred the inhabitants22 more

He was an ingenious man.†17 more

we want, above all things, rules of prudence in ordinary affairs;11 more

An acquaintance with the apprentices of booksellers enabled me sometimes to borrow a small one, which I was careful to return soon and clean.†11 more

In order to secure my credit and character as a tradesman, I took care not only to be in reality industrious and frugal, but to avoid all appearances to the contrary.10 more

I attended the business diligently, studied accounts, and grew, in a little time, expert at selling.9 more

He was otherwise an ingenious, sensible man, a pretty good writer, and a good governor for the people, tho' not for his constituents, the proprietaries, whose instructions he sometimes disregarded.†32 more

Temperance, for example, was by some confined to eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice and ambition.9 more

This was all I could obtain, except some small gifts as tokens of his and my mother's love, when I embark'd again for New York, now with their approbation and their blessing.†7 more

Most of these are lost; but I find one purporting to be the substance of an intended creed, containing, as I thought, the essentials of every known religion, and being free of every thing that might shock the professors of any religion.2 more

The six concluding lines I remember, though I have forgotten the two first of the stanza; but the purport of them was, that his censures proceeded from good-will, and, therefore, he would be known to be the author.2 more

That the assessors were honest and discreet men under an oath to assess fairly and equitably, and that any advantage each of them might expect in lessening his own tax by augmenting that of the proprietaries was too trifling to induce them to perjure themselves.2 more

After a full enquiry, they unanimously sign'd a report that they found the tax had been assess'd with perfect equity.2 more