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"Ben Franklin"
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography: Page 15
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communicated to his writing friends when they call'd in as usual. They read it,
commented on it in my hearing, and I had the exquisite pleasure of finding it
met with their approbation, and that, in their different guesses at the author,
none were named but men of some character among us for learning and ingenuity. I
suppose now that I was rather lucky in my judges, and that perhaps they were not
really so very good ones as I then esteem'd them.
Encourag'd, however, by this, I wrote and convey'd in the same way to the press
several more papers which were equally approv'd; and I kept my secret till my
small fund of sense for such performances was pretty well exhausted and then I
discovered it, when I began to be considered a little more by my brother's
acquaintance, and in a manner that did not quite please him, as he thought,
probably with reason, that it tended to make me too vain. And, perhaps, this
might be one occasion of the differences that we began to have about this time.
Though a brother, he considered himself as my master, and me as his apprentice,
and accordingly, expected the same services from me as he would from another,
while I thought he demean'd me too much in some he requir'd of me, who from a
brother expected more indulgence. Our disputes were often brought before our
father, and I fancy I was either generally in the right, or else a better
pleader, because the judgment was generally in my favor. But my brother was
passionate, and had often beaten me, which I took extreamly amiss; and, thinking
my apprenticeship very tedious, I was continually wishing for some opportunity
of shortening it, which at length offered in a manner unexpected.(3)
One of the pieces in our newspaper on some political point, which I have now
forgotten, gave offense to the Assembly. He was taken up, censur'd, and
imprison'd for a month, by the speaker's warrant, I suppose, because he would
not discover his author. I too was taken up and examin'd before the council;
but, tho' I did not give them any satisfaction, they content'd themselves with
admonishing me, and dismissed me, considering me, perhaps, as an apprentice, who
was bound to keep his master's secrets.
During my brother's confinement, which I resented a good deal, notwithstanding
our private differences, I had the management of the paper; and I made bold to
give our rulers some rubs in it, which my brother took very kindly, while others
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