1751
[HERE THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY BREAKS OFF]
| 1760 | Secures from the Privy Council, by a compromise, a decision obliging the Proprietary estates to contribute to the public revenue. |
| 1762 | Receives the degree of LL.D. from Oxford and Edinburgh; returns to America. |
| 1763 | Makes a five months' tour of the northern colonies for the purpose of inspecting the post-offices. |
| 1764 | Defeated by the Penn faction for reelection to the Assembly; sent to England as agent for Pennsylvania. |
| 1765 | Endeavors to prevent the passage of the Stamp Act. |
| 1766 | Examined before the House of Commons relative to the passage of the Stamp Act; appointed agent of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Georgia; visits Göttingen University. |
| 1767 | Travels in France and is presented at court. |
| 1769 | Procures a telescope for Harvard College. |
| 1772 | Elected Associé Etranger of the French Academy. |
| 1774 | Dismissed from the office of Postmaster-General; influences Thomas Paine to emigrate to America. |
| 1775 | Returns to America; chosen a delegate to the Second Continental Congress; placed on the committee of secret correspondence; appointed one of the commissioners to secure the cooperation of Canada. |
| 1776 | Placed on the committee to draft a Declaration of Independence; chosen president of the Constitutional Committee of Pennsylvania; sent to France as agent of the colonies. |
| 1778 | Concludes treaties of defensive alliance, and of amity and commerce; is received at court. |
| 1779 | Appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to France. |
| 1780 | Appoints Paul Jones commander of the "Alliance." |
| 1782 | Signs the preliminary articles of peace. |
| 1783 | Signs the definite treaty of peace. |
| 1785 | Returns to America; is chosen President of Pennsylvania; reelected 1786. |
| 1787 | Reelected President; sent as delegate to the convention for framing a Federal Constitution. |
| 1788 | Retires from public life. |
| 1790 | April 17, dies. His grave is in the churchyard at Fifth and Arch streets, Philadelphia. |
The Way to Wealth
as clearly shown in the Preface of an old Pensylvania Almanack, intitled, Poor Richard Improved19
Courteous Reader,
I have heard, that nothing gives an author so great pleasure, as to find his works respectfully quoted by others. Judge, then, how much I must have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. I stopped my horse lately, where a great number of people were collected, at an auction of merchants goods. The hour of the sale not being come, they were conversing on the badness of the times; and one of the company called to a plain clean old man, with white locks, 'Pray, Father Abraham, what think you of the times? Will not these heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How shall we ever be able to pay them? What would you advise us to?' — Father Abraham stood up, and replied, 'If you would have my advice, I will give it you in short, "for a word to the wise is enough," as Poor Richard says.' They joined in desiring him to speak his mind, and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows:
'Friends, says he, the taxes are, indeed, very heavy, and, if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from these taxes the commissioners cannot ease or deliver us, by allowing an abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and something may be done for us; "God helps them that help themselves," as poor Richard says.
'I. It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one tenth part of their time, to be employed in its service: but idleness taxes many of us much more; sloth, by bringing on diseases, absolutely shortens life. "Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labour wears, while the used key is always bright," as poor Richard says. "But dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of," as poor Richard says. How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep! forgetting, that "the sleeping fox catches no poultry, and that there will be sleeping enough in the grave," as poor Richard says.
'"If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be," as poor Richard says, "the greatest prodigality;" since, as he elsewhere tells us, "lost time is never found again; and what we call time enough always proves little enough:" let us then up and be doing, and doing to the purpose; so by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity. "Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy; and he that riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while laziness travels so slowly, that poverty soon overtakes him. Drive thy business, let not that drive thee; and early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise," as poor Richard says.
'So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make these times better, if we bestir ourselves. "Industry need not wish, and he that lives upon hope will die fasting. There are no gains without pains; then help hands, for I have no lands," or, if I have, they are smartly taxed. "He, that hath a trade, hath an estate; and he, that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honour," as poor Richard says; but then the trade must be worked
