Ben Franklin was born on this day in 1706. <\/p>\n
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.’ —<\/p>\n
Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Rush, before leaving for France in 1776<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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<\/a>, the kite, the writing of the Declaration of Independence<\/a> – 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)<\/a> – this is one of my favorite anecdotes<\/a> involving Franklin in Paris) would have been enough to put him in the history books forever. But all of it? <\/p>\n
Every year I commemorate the day that the Library Company opened <\/a>– which is one of my favorite stories of Franklin’s life – the creation of that library, which is still a library today. Awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n
Things he invented, investigated, developed – electricity, bifocals, the fire department in Philadelphia, the glass armonica<\/a>, the list goes on and on. Wind-surfing across a pond, for example. The image of that kills me.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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\nBen 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.”<\/p>\n
That, to me, describes Benjamin Franklin.<\/p>\n
More Ben Franklin posts:<\/p>\n
Ben Franklin on John Adams<\/a><\/p>\n
Ben Franklin: “I cannot give you the sun …”<\/a><\/p>\n
Science and the Founding Fathers<\/a><\/p>\n
Benson Bobrick on the signing of the Declaration<\/a><\/p>\n