, whilePoorRichard’spithysayings, translatedintomanylanguages, , heisundoubtedly, intheversatilityofhisgeniusandachievements, -chandlershop, byindustry, economy, andperseveranceinselfimprovement, toeminence, ’smaxims.

Franklin’sfame, however, , yetnolessakeenjudgeandcriticthanLordJeffrey, thefamouseditoroftheEdinburghReview, acenturyagosaidthat “, hewasequallygreatasaphilosopher, thusunitinginhimselfararedegreeofexcellenceinboththesepursuits, toexcelineitherofwhichisdeemedthehighestpraise.”

Franklinhasindeedbeenaptlycalled “manysided.” Hewaseminentinscienceandpublicservice, , , stillwidelyused, , assistedinfoundingahospital, , establishedtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety, thepubliclibraryinPhiladelphia, , , theeminenthistorian, calledhim “thegreatestdiplomatistofhiscentury.” , theTreatyofAlliancewithFrance, theTreatyofPeacewithEngland, , hehasproduced, inhisAutobiographyandinPoorRichard’sAlmanac, , , andwasmadeafellowoftheRoyalSociety, .

, forcibly, andinterestinglycannotdobetterthantostudyFranklin’’sfameinthescientificworldwasduealmostasmuchtohismodest, simple, andsinceremannerofpresentinghisdiscoveriesandtotheprecisionandclearnessofthestyleinwhichhedescribedhisexperiments, , thecelebratedEnglishchemist, himselfanexcellentliterarycriticaswellasagreatscientist, said: “AsingularfelicityguidedallFranklin’sresearches, .”

Franklin’, , astatesman, andadiplomat, aswellassocially, wasinnolittlepartduetohisabilityasawriter.“Hisletterscharmedall, -boyandexquisitecouldfollowhisthoughtorhisexperimenttoitsconclusion.”[1]

AsfarasAmericanliteratureisconcerned, —CottonMather’sMagnalia, achurchhistoryofNewEnglandinaponderous, , PoorRichard, FatherAbraham’sSpeechorTheWaytoWealth, aswellassomeoftheBagatelles, .

, , inFielding’sTomJones, Richardson’sClarissaHarlowe, Sterne’sTristramShandy, andGoldsmith’, HumehisHistoryofEngland, andAdamSmiththeWealthofNations.

, moralallegories, andapologuesheshowedBunyan’, tersestyle, heismostlikeDefoe, , vigorousexpression, satire, burlesque, , oneofthemostwidelyknowncollectionsofmaxims, andanunsurpassedseriesofpoliticalandsocialsatires, becausehewasamanofunusualscopeofpowerandusefulness, whoknewhowtotellhisfellow-menthesecretsofthatpowerandthatusefulness.