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venience than any that might be expected from a change of government. Yet I am not for refusing to admit them entirely into our Colonies. All that seems to me necessary is, to distribute them more equally, mix them with the English, establish English schools, where they are now too thick settled; and take some care to prevent the practice, lately fallen into by some of the ship-owners of sweeping the German gaols to make up the number of their passengers. I say, I am not against the admission of Germans in general, for they have their virtues. Their industry and frugality are exemplary. They are excellent husbandmen; and contribute greatly to the improvement of a country.

I pray God to preserve long to Great Britain the English laws, manners, liberties, and religion. Notwithstanding the complaints so frequent in your public papers, of the prevailing corruption and degeneracy of the people, I know you have a great deal of virtue still subsisting among you; and I hope the constitution is not so near a dissolution, as some seem to apprehend. I do not think you are generally become such slaves. to your vices, as to draw down the justice Milton speaks of, when he says, that

• This letter was first printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for January, 1834, as contained in the Diary of Mr. Thomas Green. The person who communicated it to the Magazine says the original manuscript, from which he transcribed the letter, ends thus abruptly, and that the remainder could not be recovered. He conjectures, that the words of Milton, alluded to by the writer, are the following.

"Yet sometimes nations will decline so low

From virtue, which is reason, that no wrong,
But justice, and some fatal curse annex'd,
Deprives them of their outward liberty,
Their inward lost."

Paradise Lost, xii. 97.

TO GEORGE WHITEFIELD.*

Motives with which Benefits should be conferred.
Faith and Good Works.

SIR,

Example of Christ.

Philadelphia, 6 June, 1753.

I received your kind letter of the 2d instant, and am glad to hear that you increase in strength; I hope you will continue mending, till you recover your former health and firmness. Let me know whether you still use the cold bath, and what effect it has.

As to the kindness you mention, I wish it could have been of more service to you. But if it had, the only thanks I should desire is, that you would always be equally ready to serve any other person that may need your assistance, and so let good offices go round; for mankind are all of a family.

For my own part, when I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon myself as conferring favors, but as paying debts. In my travels, and since my settlement, I have received much kindness from men, to whom I shall never have any opportunity of making

During Whitefield's several visits to America, a close intimacy and attachment existed between him and Franklin, many particulars of which may be seen in the autobiography contained in the first volume of this work. In writing to his brother, August 6th, 1747, he said, "I am glad that Mr. Whitefield is safe arrived, and recovered his health, He is a good man, and I love him." The above letter has often been printed, and always, I believe, as having been written to Whitefield; but among the author's manuscripts I find the first draft, with the following indorsement, in Franklin's handwriting; "Letter to Joseph Huey.” I know not how to explain this circumstance, nor is it of much im portance, since the value of the letter consists in the matter it contains, and not in the name or character of the person for whom it was intended.

the least direct return; and numberless mercies from God, who is infinitely above being benefited by our services. Those kindnesses from men, I can therefore only return on their fellow men, and I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help his other children and my brethren. For I do not think, that thanks and compliments, though repeated weekly, can discharge our real obligations to each other, and much less those to our Creator. You will see in this my notion of good works, that I am far from expecting to merit heaven by them. By heaven we understand a state of happiness, infinite in degree, and eternal in duration. I can do nothing to deserve such rewards. He that, for giving a draft of water to a thirsty person, should expect to be paid with a good plantation, would be modest in his demands, compared with those who think they deserve heaven for the little good they do on earth. Even the mixed, imperfect pleasures we enjoy in this world, are rather from God's goodness than our merit; how much more such happiness of heaven! For my part I have not the vanity to think I deserve it, the folly to expect it, nor the ambition to desire it; but content myself in submitting to the will and disposal of that God who made me, who has hitherto preserved and blessed me, and in whose fatherly goodness I may well confide, that he will never make me miserable; and that even the afflictions I may at any time suffer shall tend to my benefit.

The faith you mention has certainly its use in the world. I do not desire to see it diminished, nor would I endeavour to lessen it in any man. But I wish it were more productive of good works, than I have generally seen it; I mean real good works; works of kindness, charity, mercy, and public spirit; not holiday

keeping, sermon-reading or hearing; performing church ceremonies, or making long prayers, filled with flatteries and compliments, despised even by wise men, and much less capable of pleasing the Deity. The worship of God is a duty; the hearing and reading of sermons may be useful; but, if men rest in hearing and praying, as too many do, it is as if a tree should value itself on being watered and putting forth leaves, though it never produced any fruit.

Your great master thought much less of these outward appearances and professions, than many of his modern disciples. He preferred the doers of the word, to the mere hearers; the son that seemingly refused to obey his father, and yet performed his commands, to him that professed his readiness, but neglected the work; the heretical but charitable Samaritan, to the uncharitable though orthodox priest and sanctified Levite; and those who gave food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, raiment to the naked, entertainment to the stranger, and relief to the sick, though they never heard of his name, he declares shall in the last day be accepted; when those who cry Lord! Lord! who value themselves upon their faith, though great enough to perform miracles, but have neglected good works, shall be rejected. He professed, that he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; which implied his modest opinion, that there were some in his time so good, that they need not hear even him for improvement;* but now-a-days we have scarce a

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In all the printed copies which I have seen, this passage is found as follows; "which implied his modest opinion, that there were some in his time, who thought themselves so good, that they need not hear even him for improvement." The words here Italicized are not contained in the original draft. They must, of course, have been interpolated by some later hand. The sense evidently requires that they should be omitted.

little parson, that does not think it the duty of every man within his reach to sit under his petty ministrations; and that whoever omits them offends God.

I wish to such more humility, and to you health and happiness, being your friend and servant,

B. FRANKLIN.*

TO JAMES BOWDOIN.

Treaty with the Indians. -Their Complaints.

DEAR SIR,

Philadelphia, 18 October, 1753.

I recollect that I promised to send you Dr. Brownrigg's Treatise on Common Salt. You will receive it herewith. I hope it may be of use in the affair of your fishery. Please to communicate it to Captain Erwin, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Boutineau, or any other of your friends, who may be desirous of seeing it.

Since my return from Boston, I have been to our western frontiers on a treaty with the Ohio Indians. They complained much of the abuses they suffer from our traders, and earnestly requested us to put the trade under some regulation. If you can procure and send me your truckhouse law, and a particular account of the manner of executing it, with its consequences, &c., so that we may have the benefit of your experience,

Soon after writing this letter, Franklin set out on a tour to New England. In writing from Boston, July 16th, to his friend Hugh Roberts, he said; "I have had a delightful journey hither, and have felt but one hot day since my arrival. On the road I often thought of you, and wished for your company, as I passed over some of the best punning ground perhaps in the universe. My respects to Mrs. Roberts, and to all our old friends of the JUNTO, Hospital, and Insurance. I purpose to set out on my return in about ten days." Mr. Roberts, it seems, excelled in the art of punning, some amusing specimens of which are found in his letters to Franklin.

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