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it is necessary to prove that man is not even at present a ing well of England. Extend your views even further; do not
vicious and detestable animal; and still more to prove that stop at those who speak the English tongue, but after hav-
good management may greatly amend him; and it is for much ing settled so many points in nature and politics, think of
the same reason, that I am anxious to see the opinion es- bettering the whole race of men. As I have not read any part
tablished, that there are fair characters existing among the of the life in question, but know only the character that
individuals of the race; for the moment that all men, with- lived it, I write somewhat at hazard. I am sure, however,
out exception, shall be conceived abandoned, good people that the life and the treatise I allude to (on the Art of Vir-
will cease efforts deemed to be hopeless, and perhaps think tue) will necessarily fulfil the chief of my expectations; and
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The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
still more so if you take up the measure of suiting these uncertain and having just now a little leisure, I will en-
performances to the several views above stated. Should they deavor to recollect and write what I can; if I live to get
even prove unsuccessful in all that a sanguine admirer of home, it may there be corrected and improv d.
yours hopes from them, you will at least have framed pieces Not having any copy here of what is already written, I
to interest the human mind; and whoever gives a feeling of know not whether an account is given of the means I used
pleasure that is innocent to man, has added so much to the to establish the Philadelphia public library, which, from a
fair side of a life otherwise too much darkened by anxiety small beginning, is now become so considerable, though I
and too much injured by pain. In the hope, therefore, that remember to have come down to near the time of that trans-
you will listen to the prayer addressed to you in this letter, action (1730). I will therefore begin here with an account of
I beg to subscribe myself, my dearest sir, etc., etc., it, which may be struck out if found to have been already
given.
 Signed, BENJ. VAUGHAN. At the time I establish d myself in Pennsylvania, there
was not a good bookseller s shop in any of the colonies to
Continuation of the Account of my Life, begun at Passy, the southward of Boston. In New York and Philad a the print-
near Paris, 1784. ers were indeed stationers; they sold only paper, etc., alma-
nacs, ballads, and a few common school- books. Those who
It is some time since I receiv d the above letters, but I lov d reading were oblig d to send for their books from En-
have been too busy till now to think of complying with the gland; the members of the Junto had each a few. We had left
request they contain. It might, too, be much better done if the alehouse, where we first met, and hired a room to hold
I were at home among my papers, which would aid my our club in. I propos d that we should all of us bring our
memory, and help to ascertain dates; but my return being books to that room, where they would not only be ready to
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The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
consult in our conferences, but become a common benefit, was imitated by other towns, and in other provinces. The
each of us being at liberty to borrow such as he wish d to libraries were augmented by donations; reading became fash-
read at home. This was accordingly done, and for some time ionable; and our people, having no publick amusements to
contented us. divert their attention from study, became better acquainted
Finding the advantage of this little collection, I propos d with books, and in a few years were observ d by strangers to
to render the benefit from books more common, by com- be better instructed and more intelligent than people of the
mencing a public subscription library. I drew a sketch of the same rank generally are in other countries.
plan and rules that would be necessary, and got a skilful When we were about to sign the above-mentioned articles,
conveyancer, Mr. Charles Brockden, to put the whole in form which were to be binding upon us, our heirs, etc., for fifty
of articles of agreement to be subscribed, by which each years, Mr. Brockden, the scrivener, said to us,  You are young
subscriber engag d to pay a certain sum down for the first men, but it is scarcely probable that any of you will live to
purchase of books, and an annual contribution for increas- see the expiration of the term fix d in the instrument. A
ing them. So few were the readers at that time in Philadel- number of us, however, are yet living; but the instrument
phia, and the majority of us so poor, that I was not able, was after a few years rendered null by a charter that incor-
with great industry, to find more than fifty persons, mostly porated and gave perpetuity to the company.
young tradesmen, willing to pay down for this purpose forty The objections and reluctances I met with in soliciting
shillings each, and ten shillings per annum. On this little the subscriptions, made me soon feel the impropriety of
fund we began. The books were imported; the library wag presenting one s self as the proposer of any useful project,
opened one day in the week for lending to the subscribers, that might be suppos d to raise one s reputation in the small-
on their promissory notes to pay double the value if not est degree above that of one s neighbors, when one has need
duly returned. The institution soon manifested its utility, of their assistance to accomplish that project. I therefore
73
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