The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-03-31

makes frequent mention, in his letters, of
his sense of responsibility to higher than
earthly power; he delighted to cohtem-
plate the wise provisions If the Creator
in every field open TO human knowledge !;
and often spoke with enthusiasm of antc-
ipated opportunities to behold the glories
of Heaven and to hold converse the great
and good of other ages and other worlds.
Franklin's social philosophy may not
be calculated to awaken the aspirations of
exalted minds, to excite our faith in the
facts of spiritual existence, or intoxicate
the imagination with the glorious POSSIBLE
tiles which Gle along the line of infinite
Desires" He was more occupied with
details than generalizations-with meth
DDS than with theories-with phenomena
than with hypothesis. He believed that
happiness was the result of many small
pleasures, rather than the instant expert
ence of a great enjoyment; and his obser-
walton assured him that good fortunes usu-
ally attended those who were prudent, pa
tent, and diligent, oftcner than it was
achieved by the adventurous and the dar-
ing. Hence his maxims in Poor Rich
ards Almanac, all enforced these truths
for they are truths, although not the
highest. They are those that commend
themselves to us by their own seeming
justness,-and as matter Of fact we
know that solid prosperity either Of indi-
viduals or nations never long follows any
other path. In the voyage of life, Frank
Inns philosophy is Incompatible as rud-
der, but it does not supply sufficient mo-
tive power it contributes the means to
make it prosperous; bu. it does not convey
enough information about the destined
haven; it teaches thoroughly the science
| of navigation, but is inclined to forget that
the voyage, after all, is very brief one.
Yet, for what it is, and for what it has
done, let lis be thankful. We have ac-
complished not little when the coopcra-
ton of natural aids is secured; when the
resources at mans command are apprecia-
ted and made use of t., give a more noble
surrounding to the high things of the
spirit, when the Beautiful and the True
are so presented as to invariably suggest
the Good; and when the aspirations of
humanity arc freed from the crushing
weight Of want, improvidence, and igno-
rance, and left free to engage in all the
duties and employments that man, in his
lofticst moods and grandest impulses, can
conceive.
Such, I believe, are the natural fruits of
the truths taught and illustrated by the
American Philosopher. W. see their
scl!-deyelopod! . .:peness =: I'll over our broad
! ...nd-in the fertile genius for inventions,
in the thousands of appliances that
make life more comfortable and raise the
average of enjoyment and virtue,-in the
zeal with which Investigations are pushed
into the domain Of science,-and even in
the prosperous career of civilization that
is fast swallowing up the waste places Of
the continent. AS Franklin's influence is
so apparent in all these respects, we could
well pray that the emphatic words of Poor
Richard might be remembered, when he
warns his countrymen against the reckless
enterprise and the mad extravaganza thai
was not half so aggravated then rs in this
present year of grace.