Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-23
franklin Morally ana u.,,,;o,.,.

tfdinhurs Rexfev
Ibaehgloh he confessed IN certafn ut-,ns, To-
ann y All OF whom. so far as he had aoousint
aSs WIN lne Class he declared were vsrTunns
Ier,sv So mp ntS"eNef he liked was not their
ab,cS ~, ~ n,uch as the spirit OF seltsscrff,ce
Mnich mace them brave persecution A. y ,,
ans ne oio MOI aspire TO change The madarieis
WIN when ne had 20 deal. He was ssttsssas
mat men should make somethiny ,oor. ~ 800,
NE, as Their lie was, without exne.,qn Sie ~.
taIsiorm them into angels When no nnnpose -
10 mmseii moral perfection he was q ,nScions
that he was aiming AT nothing superhnn,an ,I
pared his dennitions OF the Virtues he had re
solved 10 practice down 10 the moderate level N
which be FELT himself not unequal IN a tefacS
did not appear 10 be OF nature neressa rsiS -
irture mans self or his neighbors he was mo-,
prepared 10 Danish II as vice. Humility was
one OF his virtues But humility in his sense is
not Incompatible with certain fnterniN,urp or
vanity. Most people" he writes dislike
vanity IN others. whatever share they have OF IL
themselves: but give IL fair quarter wherever
meet with IL, being persuaded that Il is often
productive or good TO the poSseSsor and 10
others that are within his sphere OF action: and
therefore In many cases II would not be Alto
gttber ABSURD II man were 10 thank God for
ms vanity among the other comforts OF ufe.r
his model or life was adapted rigldy 10 the
ordinary circumstances OF humanity. IL men
seemed IA fact 10 be substantially the
better on FOR Indulgence In any particular
quaIity, FRANKLIN complacently Inserted that
quality among his virtues. lie was Nays m ON,
nady TO admit a new candidate for HIS olympus
tian 10 riSk rejecting an addition 10 the sum OF
human happiness He himself believed IA n
providence, and apparently In IA particular
providence" hut be was not disposed 10 DENY 10
others the right 10 disbelieye When however
Thomas Payne. whom Tor his work on Common
StnSe be Lad warmly patrontzed. submitted 20
him manuscript work against "a particular
providence" he earnestly dissuaded Its publica-
uon. He urged not only the odIum it would
bring upon the author, but the danger OF With
drawing from the weak. the ignorant. the mex
peI1enced, and the ncODSiderate. the support
which religion affords TO virtue. His ideas on
TIE origin Of eyil were probably not very COM
ple;ely developed. But he thought devil very
nseiui for the punishment OF criminal wretches
who cheated starving orphans or the aims In
trusted for their relief. Whatever quality could
prove by results that Il had contributed 90 rem
der HE more harmonious he was glad 10 en-
shrine In his Pantheon. as Romans borrowed
foreign gods. His Ideal. both IN morals in re-
Bgion, and even In politics. was purely fnduc-
tive. lie examined life and history 10 see in
what circumstances OF belief and education aud
government men had enjoyed happiness The
same circumstances might not have suited his
character; but he was content not to disturb
what appeared 10 suit others. one province OF
his nature there was In which, so far as we are
permitted 10 penetrate IL, he was not always
weighing the dangers or zeal TO the evenness of
the balance he was constantly engaged In
trimming. In natural science he was an en-
thusiaSt; but that was matter for himself and
hot for the outside world.