Ben Franklin was born on this day in 1706.
I have only a few years to live and I am resolved to devote them to the work that my fellow citizens deem proper for me; or speaking as old-clothes dealers do of a remnant of goods, ‘You shall have me for what you please.’ —
Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Rush, before leaving for France in 1776
His accomplishments make me feel like an unproductive one-celled homunculit. Of all of the Founding Fathers, he seems the most human to me. He made fart jokes. Come on. But what he managed to do in his life was almost super-human. And any ONE of those things (the almanac, the kite, the writing of the Declaration of Independence – and Franklin’s key edit to Jefferson’s original – an edit which helps make it the timeless document that it is, his successful sojourn in Paris) – this is one of my favorite anecdotes involving Franklin in Paris) would have been enough to put him in the history books forever. But all of it?
Every year I commemorate the day that the Library Company opened – which is one of my favorite stories of Franklin’s life – the creation of that library, which is still a library today. Awe-inspiring.
Things he invented, investigated, developed – electricity, bifocals, the fire department in Philadelphia, the glass armonica, the list goes on and on. Wind-surfing across a pond, for example. The image of that kills me.
In response to the Stamp Act, which impacted Franklin’s newspaper (and all newspapers) because it had to be printed on stamped paper, Franklin printed the following, on November 7, 1765. No date, no masthead, no page numbers.
Ben Franklin said, “A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.” Reminds me of Henry Miller’s great quote: “Develop interest in life as you see it, in people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.”
That, to me, describes Benjamin Franklin.
More Ben Franklin posts:
Ben Franklin: “I cannot give you the sun …”
Science and the Founding Fathers
Benson Bobrick on the signing of the Declaration
Excerpt from Franklin’s wonderful autobiography
And finally, the two Drunk Histories involving Ben Franklin, portrayed as a psychotic demonic megalomaniac, played by Jack Black.
Happy birthday, Ben!
One-celled homunculit – hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah!
Re Ben, one of his weeks makes me feel like I’ve frittered my life.
From Steve Sailers’s take on H.W. Brands’s biography of Benjamin Franklin, The First America
” Franklin figured out as an adolescent that he was superior to practically everybody he met, so he’d better be as funny, modest, and nice to people as possible or they’d get mad at him for being better than them.”
Wind-surfing across a pond! I hadn’t heard that one, and for that he’s just grown yet more in my estimation, admiration… and envy.
one-celled homun… hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah…
If he makes you a one-celled homunculit, I must be…I dunno, heptane or something. Not even an amino acid. :-)
Happy Birthday to Doctor Franklin!
George – hahahaha I have always wanted to use the word “homunculit” in some way – and was so excited I got a chance to do it here!!
I love that bit about Franklin’s pride and also his humility. His quest for humility.