THE STUDY OF LANGUAGES.

225

his surprise at finding that he "understood more of that language than he had imagined;" and thereupon applying himself to it again, with his habitual earnestness, he now acquired a very valuable knowledge of the Latin.

His own experience on this point led him to the opinion that the course usually pursued in the study of languages, beginning with the Latin and Greek, and then taking up the modern tongues, is not judicious; that much time would be saved, and more valuable acquisitions made, by reversing the process, and beginning with the living languages, as being most easily acquired; and thus, to use his own figure, ascend the stairs regularly step by step, by beginning with the one most readily attained.

But, besides the more rapid progress, which, as he thought, would thus be made in attaining a series of languages, he suggested that another practical advantage would be secured. If, for any reason, the student should be constrained, in the midst of his career, to relinquish his pursuit, he would still be in possession of one or more of the living languages, which, in a great majority of cases, would prove to be the more useful part of the series.

The question here presented is certainly one of much practical importance. The order of study recommended seems to be the natural order. In the pursuit of knowledge we necessarily proceed from what is known, to what is not known; and the same rule, in its spirit, would seem to require that, of things not yet known, the student should begin with that which is most easily acquired, and then proceed to the more difficult; especially when the objects of pursuit are connected by so many affinities as are the languages in question. Various instances, moreover, of experience similar to that of Franklin's in this matter, might be cited in support of his recommendation.

As to the practical value of the ancient and modern languages respectively, the question seems to be one which each individual should decide with exclusive reference to his actual or intended pursuits. For all those who are directly concerned in the various callings of active life, including not only foreign trade, but every kind of intercourse with other nations, in either private or public affairs, the living languages are obviously the most important. So it seems to be, also, in reference to those professional employments, (engineering, for instance,) which depend on the physical sciences and the mathematics auxiliary to them; inasmuch as all the learning, of any practical utility, is contained almost exclusively in the modern languages.

Even in regard to some of the highest forms of literature and art, so far as relates to works most distinguished for original conception and the deepest insight into human life and character, the study of the ancient languages and literature seems to be of little importance; for the most admirable works, of this class, have appeared in times of comparative rudeness, or were produced by men having little instruction of any kind, beyond what they derived from their own observation and experience. But, nevertheless, there are aspects in which the thorough mastery of the classic literature of ancient Greece and Rome seems to be of great moment. As a means of mental discipline, we believe such study to be superior to any other, particularly for training the mind to that nice discrimination, both in thought and expression, without which some of the highest qualities of style are rarely attainable, and to that clear perception and quick sense of whatever is beautiful, which seem indispensable to just and profound criticism, and to that high standard of excellence, and that tone of scholarship, from which alone, as from a presiding spirit, can emanate those re

HE VISITS HIS RELATIVES.

227

fining influences, which seem necessary to insure the highest state of culture, in art or literature.

In 1734, Franklin's industrious and frugal habits having placed him in easy circumstances, he paid a visit to his birthplace and family connexions. He had not been there for about ten years; but death had made but few breaches in the circle of those whom he had best known and loved. Both his parents were yet living. Several of his older brothers and sisters had died young, before he had an opportunity to know them; but of those who reached maturity, and to whom his natural attachments had linked themselves as he grew up, all had thus far been spared, except his older sister Sarah, (Mrs. Davenport,) who died in 1731. His family affections, which were warm, were much gratified by the visit; and on his way back to Philadelphia, he visited his brother James, who had now for some time been settled at Newport, Rhode Island, and was still pursuing his trade as a printer.

This visit was endeared to the two brothers by putting the seal to their mutual reconcilement. Old differences and heart-burnings had all passed away, and they met, as brothers should meet, with cordial affection. The health of James was much undermined, and, in the conviction that his death could not be very distant, he desired his brother, whenever that event should occur, to take his son, then ten years old, and train him as a printer. To this desire Benjamin cheerfully assented; and he fulfilled it with generous fidelity, by taking his nephew, on the death of the lad's father in 1735, into his own family, sending him for a few years to school, and then placing him in his printing-office. The widow of James continued his business at Newport, till her son came to the age of twenty-one years; when, being furnished by his uncle with a full set of new types, he re

turned to his mother and took the business out of her hands into his own. In this way did Franklin more than redeem his pledge to his deceased brother, and make compensation for not having served out the term of his apprenticeship.

The sorest affliction Franklin had yet suffered, befell him in 1736, in the death of one of his two sons by the small-pox taken in what is called the natural way. "He was a fine boy of four years old," says the father, “and I long regretted him bitterly." He also states his regret that he had not had the child inoculated; and he makes this declaration, as he remarks, as an admonition to those parents, who assign as their reason for omitting to have their children inoculated, that they could never forgive themselves, if a child should die of the disease thus voluntarily communicated; inasmuch as his own experience showed, to use his own words, "that the regret may be the same either way; and therefore the safer course should be chosen."

The Junto had proved so agreeable and advantageous to its members, that some of them wished to enlarge the club by bringing in their friends. But this would have extended its number beyond twelve, which had been fixed as a limit well fitted for convenience, and for the permanent preservation of harmony. In order, moreover, to avoid annoying applications for admission, the existence as well as nature of the club had been a secret.

Franklin, being unwilling thus to augment the numbers of the existing association, proposed, instead, that each member should start a new club, on the same principles and subject to the same regulations, but without making known his connexion with the parent-club; while he should, at the same time, obey the instructions of the parent-club, in suggesting inquiries and directing the action of the new club, and should also make regular re

HE IS MADE CLERK OF THE ASSEMBLY.

229

ports of its doings: thus rendering the new clubs subordinate to the parent-Junto, and their founders the channels of communication with them, but without their knowledge of the fact.

In support of his proposal he urged that a much larger number of young men would thus be enabled to enjoy the advantages of such an association; that the members of the parent-club would thus be enabled to obtain much more extended and correct knowledge of the views of all classes of the community, on every important occasion or subject; that they could thus, also, exert a more extensive and efficient influence for the advancement of the public interests, as well as in behalf of their own legitimate private objects; and, finally, that they would thus increase their power and opportunities to be useful.

The proposed plan was assented to; each member of the Junto endeavored to organize a new club; and several of them succeeded. Of the five or six clubs thus formed, the names of three, as given by Franklin, were— The Vine- The Union - and The Band; and he says that they were not only useful to their own members respectively, but that they afforded much information as well as amusement to the Junto, besides enabling it to exert occasionally, and to a considerable extent, that influence on the public mind, which was one of the inducements to establish them.

It was also in the same year, 1736, that Franklin received his first political appointment, in being chosen by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania clerk of that body. On this first occasion he was chosen without opposition. But the members of the Assembly, as well as the clerk, being elected annually, the next year, 1737, a new member, stated to have been a man of fortune, education, and talents, made a long speech against the re-election of Franklin, and in behalf of another candidate for the