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a single moral principle was inculcated or enforc d, their be blameable, but I leave it, without attempting further to
aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than excuse it; my present purpose being to relate facts, and not
good citizens. to make apologies for them.
At length he took for his text that verse of the fourth It was about this time I conceiv d the bold and arduous
chapter of Philippians, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish d to live with-
are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report, if there out committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all
be any virtue, or any praise, think on these things. And I that either natural inclination, custom, or company might
imagin d, in a sermon on such a text, we could not miss of lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right
having some morality. But he confin d himself to five points and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one
only, as meant by the apostle, viz.: 1. Keeping holy the and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a
Sabbath day. 2. Being diligent in reading the holy Scrip- task of more difficulty than I bad imagined. While my care
tures. 3. Attending duly the publick worship. 4. Partaking was employ d in guarding against one fault, I was often sur-
of the Sacrament. 5. Paying a due respect to God s ministers. prised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention;
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inclination was sometimes too strong for reason. I concluded, These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
at length, that the mere speculative conviction that it was
our interest to be completely virtuous, was not sufficient to 1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
prevent our slipping; and that the contrary habits must be
broken, and good ones acquired and established, before we 2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or your-
can have any dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude of self; avoid trifling conversation.
conduct. For this purpose I therefore contrived the follow-
ing method. 3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part
In the various enumerations of the moral virtues I had met of your business have its time.
with in my reading, I found the catalogue more or less numer-
ous, as different writers included more or fewer ideas under the 4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; per-
same name. Temperance, for example, was by some confined to form without fail what you resolve.
eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean
the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclination, or 5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or
passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice and ambition. I yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
propos d to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use rather more
names, with fewer ideas annex d to each, than a few names 6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ d in some-
with more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of vir- thing useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
tues all that at that time occurr d to me as necessary or desir-
able, and annexed to each a short precept, which fully express d 7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and
the extent I gave to its meaning. justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
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The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the them at a time; and, when I should be master of that, then
benefits that are your duty. to proceed to another, and so on, till I should have gone
thro the thirteen; and, as the previous acquisition of some
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I arrang d
so much as you think they deserve. them with that view, as they stand above. Temperance first,
as it tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head,
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, which is so necessary where constant vigilance was to be
or habitation. kept up, and guard maintained against the unremitting at-
traction of ancient habits, and the force of perpetual temp-
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at acci- tations. This being acquir d and establish d, Silence would
dents common or unavoidable. be more easy; and my desire being to gain knowledge at the
same time that I improv d in virtue, and considering that in
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, conversation it was obtain d rather by the use of the ears
never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or than of the tongue, and therefore wishing to break a habit I
another s peace or reputation. was getting into of prattling, punning, and joking, which
only made me acceptable to trifling company, I gave Silence
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates. the second place. This and the next, Order, I expected would
allow me more time for attending to my project and my
My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these studies. Resolution, once become habitual, would keep me
virtues, I judg d it would be well not to distract my atten- firm in my endeavors to obtain all the subsequent virtues;
tion by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of Frugality and Industry freeing me from my remaining debt,
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and producing affluence and independence, would make more
FORM OF THE PAGES
EAT NOT TO DULNESS;
easy the practice of Sincerity and Justice, etc., etc. Conceiving
DRINK NOT TO ELEVATION.
then, that, agreeably to the advice of Pythagoras in his Golden
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