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trious and frugal； but to avoid all appearances to the contrary。 I drest plainly； I was seen at no places of idle diversion。〃 And； 〃to show that I was not above my business； I sometimes brought home the paper I purchased at the stores thru the streets on a wheelbarrow。〃
〃The Universal Instructor in All Arts and Sciences and Pennsylvania Gazette〃： this was the high…sounding name of a newspaper which Franklin's old employer； Keimer； had started in Philadelphia。 But bankruptcy shortly overtook Keimer； and Franklin took the newspaper with its ninety subscribers。 The 〃Universal Instructor〃 feature of the paper consisted of a page or two weekly of 〃Chambers's Encyclopedia〃。 Franklin eliminated this feature and dropped the first part of the long name。 〃The Pennsylvania Gazette〃 in Franklin's hands soon became profitable。 And it lives today in the fullness of abounding life； though under another name。 〃Founded A。D。 1728 by Benj。 Franklin〃 is the proud legend of 〃The Saturday Evening Post〃； which carries on； in our own times； the Franklin tradition。
The 〃Gazette〃 printed bits of local news； extracts from the London 〃Spectator〃； jokes； verses； humorous attacks on Bradford's 〃Mercury〃； a rival paper； moral essays by the editor； elaborate hoaxes； and pungent political or social criticism。 Often the editor wrote and printed letters to himself； either to emphasize some truth or to give him the opportunity to ridicule some folly in a reply to 〃Alice Addertongue；〃 〃Anthony Afterwit；〃 or other mythical but none the less typical person。
If the countryman did not read a newspaper； or buy books； he was； at any rate； sure to own an almanac。 So in 1732 Franklin brought out 〃Poor Richard's Almanac〃。 Three editions were sold within a few months。 Year after year the sayings of Richard Saunders； the alleged publisher； and Bridget； his wife； creations of Franklin's fancy； were printed in the almanac。 Years later the most striking of these sayings were collected and published。 This work has been translated into as many as twenty languages and is still in circulation today。
Franklin kept a shop in connection with his printing office； where he sold a strange variety of goods： legal blanks； ink； pens； paper； books； maps； pictures； chocolate； coffee； cheese； codfish； soap； linseed oil； broadcloth； Godfrey's cordial； tea； spectacles； rattlesnake root； lottery tickets； and stovesto mention only a few of the many articles he advertised。 Deborah Read； who became his wife in 1730； looked after his house； tended shop； folded and stitched pamphlets； bought rags； and helped him to live economically。 〃We kept no idle servants； 〃 says Franklin； 〃our table was plain and simple； our furniture of the cheapest。 For instance； my breakfast was a long time bread and milk （no tea）； and I ate it out of a twopenny earthen porringer with a pewter spoon。〃
With all this frugality； Franklin was not a miser； he abhorred the waste of money； not the proper use。 His wealth increased rapidly。 〃I experienced too；〃 he says； 〃the truth of the observation； 'THAT AFTER GETTING THE FIRST HUNDRED POUND； IT IS MORE EASY TO GET THE SECOND； money itself being of a prolific nature。〃 He gave much unpaid public service and subscribed generously to public purposes； yet he was able； at the early age of forty…two； to turn over his printing office to one of his journeymen； and to retire from active business； intending to devote himself thereafter to such public employment as should come his way； to philosophical or scientific studies； and to amusements。
From boyhood Franklin had been interested in natural phenomena。 His 〃Journal of a Voyage from London to Philadelphia〃； written at sea as he returned from his first stay in London； shows unusual powers of exact observation for a youth of twenty。 Many of the questions he propounded to the Junto had a scientific bearing。 He made an original and important invention in 1749； the 〃Pennsylvania fireplace；〃 which； under the name of the Franklin stove； is in common use to this day； and which brought to the ill…made houses of the time increased comfort and a great saving of fuel。 But it brought Franklin no pecuniary reward； for he never deigned to patent any of his inventions。
His active； inquiring mind played upon hundreds of questions in a dozen different branches of science。 He studied smoky chimneys； he invented bifocal spectacles； he studied the effect of oil upon ruffled water； he identified the 〃dry bellyache〃 as lead poisoning； he preached ventilation in the days when windows were closed tight at night； and upon the sick at all times； he investigated fertilizers in agriculture。 Many of his suggestions have since borne fruit； and his observations show that he foresaw some of the great developments of the nineteenth century。
His fame in science rests chiefly upon his discoveries in electricity。 On a visit to Boston in 1746 he saw some electrical experiments and at once became deeply interested。 Peter Collinson of London； a Fellow of the Royal Society； who had made several gifts to the Philadelphia Library； sent over some of the crude electrical apparatus of the day； which Franklin used； as well as some contrivances he had purchased in Boston。 He says in a letter to Collinson： 〃For my own part； I never was before engaged in any study that so engrossed my attention and my time as this has lately done。〃
Franklin's letters to Collinson tell of his first experiments and speculations as to the nature of electricity。 Experiments made by a little group of friends showed the effect of pointed bodies in drawing off electricity。 He decided that electricity was not the result of friction； but that the mysterious force was diffused through most substances； and that nature is always alert to restore its equilibrium。 He developed the theory of positive and negative electricity； or plus and minus electrification。 The same letter tells of some of the tricks which the little group of experimenters were accustomed to play upon their wondering neighbors。 They set alcohol on fire； relighted candles just blown out； produced mimic flashes of lightning； gave shocks on touching or kissing； and caused an artificial spider to move mysteriously。
Franklin carried on experiments with the Leyden jar； made an electrical battery； killed a fowl and roasted it upon a spit turned by electricity； sent a current through water and found it still able to ignite alcohol； ignited gunpowder； and charged glasses of wine so that the drinkers received shocks。 More important； perhaps； he began to develop the theory of the identity of lightning and electricity； and the possibility of protecting buildings by iron rods。 By means of an iron rod he brought down electricity into his house； where he studied its effect upon bells and concluded that clouds were generally negatively electrified。 In June； 1752； he performed the famous experiment with the kite； drawing down electricity from the clouds and charging a Leyden jar from the key at the end of the string。
Franklin's letters to Collinson were read before the Royal Society but were unnoticed。 Collinson gathered them together； and they were published in a pamphlet which attracted wide attention。 Translated into French； they create