Works of the late Doctor Benjamin Franklin/To the late Doctor Mather of Boſton

by Benjamin Franklin

 

TO THE LATE

DOCTOR MATHER OF BOSTON.

 

REV. SIR,

I RECEIVED your kind letter, with your excellent advice to the people of the United States, which I read with great pleaſure, and hope it will be duly regarded. Such writings, though they may be lightly paſſed over by many readers, yet, if they make a deep impreſſion on one active mind in a hundred, the effects may be conſiderable.

Permit me to mention one little inſtance, which, though it relates to myſelf, will not be quite unintereſting to you. When I was a boy, I met with a book entitled "Eſſays to do good," which I think was written by your father. It had been ſo little regarded by a former poſſeſſor, that ſeveral leaves of it were torn out; but the remainder gave me ſuch a turn of thinking, as to have an influence on my conduct through life: for I have always ſet a greater value on the character of a doer of good, than any other kind of reputation; and if I have been, as you ſeem to think, a uſeful citizen, the public owes the advantage of it to that book.

You mention your being in your ſeventy-eighth year. I am in my ſeventy-ninth. We are grown old together. It is now more than ſixty years ſince I left Boſton; but I remember well both your father and grandfather, having heard them both in the pulpit, and ſeen them in their houſes. The laſt time I ſaw your father in the beginning of 1724, when I viſited him after my firſt trip to Pennsylvania. He received me in his library; and on my taking leave, ſhewed me a ſhorter way out of the houſe, through a narrow paſſage, which was croſſed by a beam overhead. We were ſtill talking as I withdrew, he accompanying me behind, and I turning partly towards him, when he ſaid haſtily, "Stoop, Stoop!" I did not underſtand him till I felt my head hit againſt the beam. He was a man who never miſſed any occaſion of giving inſtruction; and upon this he ſaid to me: "You are young, and have the world before you: ſtoop as you go through it, and you will miſs many hard thumps." This advice, thus beat into my heart, has frequently been of uſe to me; and I often think of it, when I ſee pride mortified, and misfortunes brought upon people by their carrying their heads too high.

I long much to ſee again my native place; and once hoped to lay my bones there, I left it in 1723. I viſited it in 1733, 1743, 1753, and 1763; and in 1773 was in England. In 1775 I had a ſight of it, but could not enter, it being in poſſeſſion of the enemy, I did hope to have been there in 1783, but could not obtain my diſmiſſion from this employment here; and now I fear I ſhall never have that happineſs. My beſt wiſhes however attend my dear country, "eſto perpetua." It is now bleſſed with an excellent conſtitution: may it laſt for ever!

This powerful monarchy continues its friendſhip for the United States. It is a friendſhip of the utmoſt importance to our ſecurity, and ſhould be carefully cultivated. Britain has not yet, well digeſted the loſs of its dominion over us; and has ſtill at times ſome flattering hopes of recovering it. Accidents may increaſe thoſe, hopes, and encourage dangerous attempts. A breach between us and France would infallibly bring the Engliſh again upon our backs: and yet we have ſome wild beaſts among our countrymen, who are endeavouring to weaken that connexion.

Let us preſerve our reputation, by performing our engagements; our credit, by fulfilling our contracts; and our friends, by gratitude and kindneſs: for we know not how ſoon we may have occaſion for all of them.

With great and ſincere eſteem,

I have the honour to be,

Reverend Sir,

Your moſt obedient and

moſt humble ſervant,

Passy, May 12, 1784.

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B. FRANKLIN.