I even forbid myself, agreeably to the old laws of our Junto, the use of every word or expression in the language that imported a fix'd opinion, such as certainly, undoubtedly , etc.
When another asserted something that I thought an error, I deny'd myself the pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of showing immediately some absurdity in his proposition; and in answering I began by observing that in certain cases or circumstances his opinion would be right, but in the present case there appear'd or seem'd to me some difference, etc. I soon found the advantage of this change in my manner; the conversations I engag'd in went on more pleasantly. The modest way in which I propos'd my opinions procur'd them a readier reception and less contradiction; I had less mortification when I was found to be in the wrong, and I more easily prevail'd with others to give up their mistakes and join with me when I happened to be in the right.
And this mode, which I at first put on with some violence to natural inclination, became at length so easy, and so habitual to me, that perhaps for these fifty years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical expression escape me.
And to this habit after my character of integrity I think it principally owing that I had early so much weight with my fellow-citizens when I proposed new institutions, or alterations in the old, and so much influence in public councils when I became a member; for I was but a bad speaker, never eloquent, subject to much hesitation in my choice of words, hardly correct in language, and yet I generally carried my points. In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride.
Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility. I have, however, found the following. Having mentioned a great and extensive project which I had conceiv'd, it seems proper that some account should be here given of that project and its object.
Its first rise in my mind appears in the following little paper, accidentally preserv'd, viz. Revolving this project in my mind, as to be undertaken hereafter, when my circumstances should afford me the necessary leisure, I put down from time to time, on pieces of paper, such thoughts as occurr'd to me respecting it. 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 everything that might shock the professors of any religion.
It is express'd in these words, viz. The Golden Verses here ascribed to him are probably of later origin. O searcher out of virtue and exterminator of vice! One day spent well and in accordance with thy precepts is worth an immortality of sin. Franklin's own suggestion that the scheme smacks of "foppery in morals" seems justified. Woodrow Wilson well puts it: "Men do not take fire from such thoughts, unless something deeper, which is missing here, shine through them.
What may have seemed to the eighteenth century a system of morals seems to us nothing more vital than a collection of the precepts of good sense and sound conduct. What redeems it from pettiness in this book is the scope of power and of usefulness to be seen in Franklin himself, who set these standards up in all seriousness and candor for his own life.
SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook. Plan for Attaining Moral Perfection. Plan for Attaining Moral Perfection T was about this time I conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection.
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were: 1. What does Benjamin Franklin say about temperance? What virtue did Franklin find hardest to master? How did Franklin conclude that a speckled ax is the best?
What was meant by his saying a speckled ax is best? How can I get back my happy? What is the meaning of life is unfair? How do you accept that life is unfair? He resumes back in America, four years later, in August While Franklin's inclusion of two highly congratulatory letters at the beginning of this section may seem arrogant, it provides a framework that explains why Franklin is writing on virtues.
Both writers imply that an autobiography such as Franklin's can be of great use to others because Franklin has lived a life of great virtue. For the betterment of society, Franklin ought to make his life public. That way, others can try to lead similar successful lives and rise up into prominence. The general manners of the 18th century will be promoted if this book is released, say the letter writers. Franklin uses these two letters to explain why he writes an entire section on the improvement of one's virtues.
He seems to want his autobiography to be as useful as possible towards the betterment of others. This also adds a new twist to the book; it is no longer just the story of Franklin's life told so as to let his son know about his father. It is now also a general-purpose self-help manual. Of course, Franklin's mention of his goal of achieving "Moral Perfection" is meant to be humorous. Franklin is stating in a tongue-in-cheek fashion that he does not think man can really be perfected, and he is mocking the 18th-century optimism that promoted the belief in the perfectibility of man.
In one sense, Franklin may also be mocking his own youthful idealism. Franklin enjoys being ironic and humorous throughout the biography, and this is one of the times in which he does so. At the end of Part One, it may be useful to reflect upon Franklin's writing style. Compared to many authors of the 18th century, Franklin's style is noticeably concise and easy to read.
A longer, more life affirming program of temperance will, I think, make you feel more accomplished and committed;.
This should be easy as you are likely in or contemplating joining a circle. I went at temperance alone. A temperate buddy would have been a motivator. Find a friend to help with your course and success can be shared;. I was too hard on myself. Changing habits is hard and even incremental success is success. Forgive yourself your transgressions, celebrate the little successes and move forward with Franklin. Thanks so much for downloading this toolkit. Please provide a little information so we can be in touch with any updates and new resources.
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