The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin; The Journal of John Woolman; Fruits of Solitude by William Penn de Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin; The Journal of John Woolman; Fruits of Solitude by William Penn

Benjamin Franklin

John Woolman

Charles W. Eliot

en Limba Engleză Paperback – 31 ian 2010

Author name not noted above: William Penn. Originally published between 1909 and 1917 under the name "Harvard Classics," this stupendous 51-volume set-a collection of the greatest writings from literature, philosophy, history, and mythology-was assembled by American academic CHARLES WILLIAM ELIOT (1834-1926), Harvard University's longest-serving president. Also known as "Dr. Eliot's Five Foot Shelf," it represented Eliot's belief that a basic liberal education could be gleaned by reading from an anthology of works that could fit on five feet of bookshelf.Volume I features:• The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, the story of the American icon BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (1706-1790), as wildly intriguing a personality as his legend suggests.• Journal, by Quaker preacher JOHN WOOLMAN (1720-1772), featuring his thoughts on civil resistance to slavery, conscientious objections to war, and more.• Fruits of Solitude, by Colonial leader WILLIAM PENN (1644-1718), a collection of wise aphorisms that anticipated Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack by half a century.

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Notă biografică

American statesman, philosopher, and writer, was one of a numerous family. His father was a soap-boiler at Boston, where Franklin was born. He was apprenticed at the age of 13 to his brother, a printer, who treated him harshly. After various changes, during which he lived in New York, London, and Philadelphia, he at last succeeded in founding a successful business as a printer. He also started a newspaper, The Gazette, which was highly popular, Poor Richard's Almanac, and the Busybody Papers, in imitation of the Spectator. After holding various minor appointments, he was made deputy Postmaster-General for the American Colonies. In 1757 he went to London on some public business in which he was so successful that various colonies appointed him their English agent. In the midst of his varied avocations he found time for scientific investigation, especially with regard to electricity. For these he became known over the civilised world, and was loaded with honours. In 1762 he returned to America, and took a prominent part in the controversies which led to the Revolutionary War and the independence of the Colonies. In 1776 he was U.S. Minister to France, and in 1782 was a signatory of the treaty which confirmed the independence of the States. He returned home in 1785, and, after holding various political offices, retired in 1788, and died in 1790. His autobiography is his chief contribution to literature, and is of the highest interest. [From A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin, 1910]