Quaint corners in Philadelphia, with one hundred and seventy-four illustrations . became at once very i)Opular, and theyoung author was so putled up by his success that hisfather came to the rescue of his good sense, i)ointed outthe faults of the performance, and thus saved us froma <lehige of inferior verse, which Franklin could never(piite decide to let alone, ]5ul his fathers inrtuence wasstrong enough to increase the l)oys desire for a clear andelegant prose style, and opportunity for practice came inthe theological and other arguments with John Collins,a boy of almost equal fondness fo
Quaint corners in Philadelphia, with one hundred and seventy-four illustrations . became at once very i)Opular, and theyoung author was so putled up by his success that hisfather came to the rescue of his good sense, i)ointed outthe faults of the performance, and thus saved us froma <lehige of inferior verse, which Franklin could never(piite decide to let alone, ]5ul his fathers inrtuence wasstrong enough to increase the l)oys desire for a clear andelegant prose style, and opportunity for practice came inthe theological and other arguments with John Collins,a boy of almost equal fondness for books, and of an ar-gumentative turn of mind. At this period Franklin waspassing through the disputatious stage common to mostkeen-witted boys—a tendency he outgrew and finally dis-liked ; but his pen then, as in later years, was more easilyconnnanded than his tongue, for Franklin was never afluent talker, though when warmed and excited by con-versation, his rather slow words were often brilliantand always to the point. Collins style was far better A MA ST Hit nriLDER. 311. franklins court sword, with inscription on the blade. labyrinth of questions. Hewhich remained with himpower of a quiet courtesy, andbe gained by simpl} refrainingor alarming the self-love of an The works of Shaftesbury andthis period into his hands, and the than that of his antagonist,and alter various letters hadpassed, the fiither, secretl}^proud of Benjamins masterydirections, pointedtills out, and urged more careand attention. A volume ofthe Spectator at this time fellin his way, and he read andre-read it with delight, takingthe flowing periods as hismodel, and endeavoring to re-produce the whole as exactlyas possible from -Memorabilia of So-crates he studied withthe same intensity, adopt-ing the Soeratic methodof arguing and discon-certing and tanglinghis opponent in alearned then a lessonthrough life — thethe victory often tofrom fell at^ liberal ten- dency of
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