Benjamin Franklin Part 6

[Footnote i-37: _Travels in North America, in the Years 1780, 1781, and 1782_ (London, 1787), I, 445.]

[Footnote i-38: F. E. Brasch, "Newton's First Critical Disciple in the American Colonies--John Winthrop," in _Sir Isaac Newton, 1727-1927_ (Baltimore, 1928), 301.]

[Footnote i-39: H. and C. Schneider (eds.), _Samuel Johnson, President of Kings College: His Career and Writings_ (New York, 1929), I, 6.]

[Footnote i-40: _Ibid._, I, 8-9. It will be remembered that Thomas Young was struck with science and deism while at Yale: he it was who introduced liberal ideas to that militant prince of deists (with Thomas Paine), Ethan Allen.]

[Footnote i-41: _Jacobus Rohaultus physica Latine reddita et annotata ex, Js. Newtonii principiis_ (1697).]

[Footnote i-42: _Literary Diary_, I, 556 (1775).]

[Footnote i-43: D. Stimson, _The Gradual Acceptance of the Copernican Theory_, 48.]

[Footnote i-44: See S. E. Morison, "The Harvard School of Astronomy in the Seventeenth Century," _New England Quarterly_, VII, 3 (March, 1934).]

[Footnote i-45: _Ibid._, 7. In 1672 Harvard received her first telescope. Such men as Winthrop and Thomas Brattle were actively interested in science.]

[Footnote i-46: F. Cajori, _The Teaching and History of Mathematics in the United States_, U. S. Bureau of Education, Circular of Information, No. 3, 1890 (Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.), 22.]

[Footnote i-47: Brasch, _op. cit._, 308.]

[Footnote i-48: _Dictionary of American Biography_, VII, 591-2.]

[Footnote i-49: _The Newtonian System of the World ..._ (Westminster, 1728), 30.]

[Footnote i-50: _Ibid._, 6.]

[Footnote i-51: See J. Quincy, _History of Harvard University_ (Boston, 1860 [1840]), II, 4-21.]

[Footnote i-52: Jan. 12, 1727, Feb. 23, and others. Also see June 13 and July 11 of 1734.]

[Footnote i-53: See advertis.e.m.e.nts in _Boston Gazette_, June 17-24, 1734, quoted in W. G. Bleyer's _Main Currents in the History of American Journalism_, 73-4.]

[Footnote i-54: _Op. cit._, 25.]

[Footnote i-55: _Literary Diary_, II, 334.]

[Footnote i-56: Through the kindness of the Hollis family, Harvard (by 1764) gained a remarkable collection of scientific instruments, possessed the Boylean lectures, Transactions of the Royal Society and of the Academy of Science in Paris, the works of Boyle and Newton, "with a great variety of other mathematical and philosophical treatises"

(Quincy, _op. cit._, II, 481). Notable among these items are Chambers's _Cyclopaedia_, received in 1743, and Pemberton's _View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy_, in 1752.]

[Footnote i-57: A. Bradford, _Memoir of the Life and Writings of Rev.

Jonathan Mayhew ..._ (Boston, 1838), 18-9, 46.]

[Footnote i-58: _Ibid._, 50.]

[Footnote i-59: _Ibid._, 305. Mayhew is on record as saying: "The inspired scriptures are our only rule of faith and conduct" (_ibid._, 140).]

[Footnote i-60: _Ibid._, 75. On the other hand, he reacts against what deism and orthodox rationalism commonly became: "A religion consisting in nothing but a knowledge of G.o.d's attributes, and an external conduct agreeable to his laws, would be a lifeless, insipid thing. It would be neither a source of happiness to ourselves, nor recommend us to the approbation of him, who requires us 'to give him our hearts.'"]

[Footnote i-61: _Ibid._, 464.]

[Footnote i-62: _Two Discourses Delivered Oct. 9th, 1760 ..._ (Boston, 1760), 66.]

[Footnote i-63: _Election-Sermon_, May 27, 1747 (Boston, 1747), 9.]

[Footnote i-64: _A Sermon_ [election], May 31, 1769 (Boston, 1769), 5.]

[Footnote i-65: _Election-Sermon_, May 30, 1781 (Boston, 1781), 4.]

[Footnote i-66: _Election-Sermon_, May 28, 1783 (Boston, 1783), 29.]

[Footnote i-67: _Ibid._, 54.]

[Footnote i-68: _Election-Sermon_, May 31, 1780 (Boston, 1780), 21.]

[Footnote i-69: _Election-Sermon_, May 27, 1778 (Boston, 1778), 7.]

[Footnote i-70: _Election-Sermon_, May 29, 1765 (Boston, 1765), 17.]

[Footnote i-71: _Life of Ezra Stiles_ (Boston, 1798), _pa.s.sim_; see especially pp. 34-54.]

[Footnote i-72: See his _United States Elevated to Glory and Honour ..._, May 8, 1783 (Worcester, 1785).]

[Footnote i-73: See _Literary Diary_ for his inveterate interest in science and the laws of nature; see also I. M. Calder (ed.), _Letters & Papers of Ezra Stiles ..._ (New Haven, 1933).]

[Footnote i-74: See Hornberger, _op. cit._, 419.]

[Footnote i-75: For full backgrounds, see G. P. Gooch, _English Democratic Ideas in the Seventeenth Century_, W. A. Dunning, _A History of Political Theories from Luther to Montesquieu_; H. L. Osgood, "Political Ideas of the Puritans," _Political Science Quarterly_, VI, 1-29, 201-31; Mellen Chamberlain, _John Adams ... with Other Essays_ (Boston, 1898), especially pp. 19-53, stressing the influence of Puritanism on political liberalism; Alice Baldwin, _The New England Clergy and the American Revolution_; J. W. Thornton, _The Pulpit of the American Revolution_ (Boston, 1860), a collection of election sermons edited with an extensive introduction; C. H. Van Tyne, "The Influence of the Clergy ... in the American Revolution," _American Historical Review_, XIX, 44-64. In stressing the influence on Franklin of European ideas, it is important to remember that, as we shall see, it is probable that some of Franklin's interest in doing good (charity), in science, and in democracy may have been inspired by his exposure during his formative years to American Puritanism.]

[Footnote i-76: _The Writings of Benjamin Franklin_, ed. by Albert Henry Smyth (New York, 1905-1907), I, 300; (hereafter referred to as _Writings_). For a scholarly exposition of backgrounds of educational theory in relation to philosophy, especially the cult of progress, see A. O. Hansen's _Liberalism and American Education in the Eighteenth Century_, which includes a valuable bibliography. This work, however, slights Franklin and Jefferson.]

[Footnote i-77: _Writings_, I, 312.]

[Footnote i-78: For an exhaustive survey of the means Franklin pursued to educate himself, and suggestive notes on his ideas of education, see F. N. Thorpe's _Benjamin Franklin and the University of Pennsylvania_, chaps. I-II, 9-203. See also Thomas Woody's _Educational Views of Benjamin Franklin_ (New York, 1931), which in addition to relevant selections from Franklin's works contains stimulating observations by the editor.]

[Footnote i-79: _Writings_, I, 323.]

[Footnote i-80: _Essays to do Good_, with an Introductory Essay by Andrew Thomson (Glasgow, 1825 [1710]), 189.]

[Footnote i-81: _Ibid._, 102.]

[Footnote i-82: _Ibid._, 192-3.]

[Footnote i-83: See his letter to Samuel Mather, May 12, 1784 (_Writings_, IX, 208-10).]

[Footnote i-84: _The Works of Daniel Defoe_, ed. by Wm. Hazlitt (London, 1843), I.]

[Footnote i-85: _Franklin, the Apostle of Modern Times_, 119. Also see his "Learned Societies in Europe and America in the Eighteenth Century,"

_American Historical Review_, x.x.xVII, 258 (1932), in which he suggests that the Junto "had Masonic leanings."]