When i was about 29 & a single mother i went back to college because i had never actually finished my degree. One of the classes i took was American Literature and i enjoyed it exceedingly. (In 2013 i did end up graduating with my Bachelors from Georgia State University)
At one point we read Benjamin Franklin & he became my favorite Founder- probably my favorite American. He became a vegetarian at age 16 mostly for humanitarian reasons (it may have contributed to his relatively long life); of course he wooed the French into becoming our Revolutionary ally, having discovered & already written about Electricity before he went to the old continent on that endeavor. I appreciated that unlike most of the other Founders, he was not from a wealthy family, nor did he hold land or have a classical education. He was from a very large family & had to educate himself.
What i learned also since becoming a Unitarian Universalist is that Franklin attended the very first Unitarian gathering which was held in an Essex Street meeting place in London, England along with the discoverer of Oxygen, Joseph Priestley who himself went on to lead the founding of the Unitarian church here in America.
Having read a lot about Mr. Franklin, i am certain he would be very pleased with Unitarian Universalism in its form today.
But anyway, at that time in that Literature class, i became enamored with Franklin & mostly because we read what was his third attempt at an autobiography - he was never able to finish it since he was so busy later in life with the diplomatic causes, as well as the construction of the American form of government and even more than that.
In this autobiography he outlined a scheme of living on a philosophically moral basis really, which he called, The Art of Virtue
He originally named twelve virtues:
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
1. Temperance
Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. Silence.
Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order.
Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution.
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality.
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i. e., waste nothing.
6. Industry.
Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity.
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice.
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation.
Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness.
Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. Tranquillity.
Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity.*
He writes:
My list of virtues contain'd at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; that my pride show'd itself frequently in conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any point, but was overbearing, and rather insolent, of which he convinc'd me by mentioning several instances; I determined endeavouring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list, giving an extensive meaning to the word.
13. Humility.
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
The theme of Pride vs. Humility has been very strong in my life lately.. Just sort of in the way that well Pride to me can be a funny thing… but it isn’t typically the best course of action when we have so clearly set ourselves in one corner or in one position. Humility is a much better approach & one that garners us a measure of respect which outweighs any that pride may falsely allow us to claim.
Franklin says that he forbid himself the use of words or expressions that conveyed a “fix’ed opinion, such as certainly, undoubtedly, etc” and instead would try to say, “i conceive, i apprehend, or i imagine a thing to be so or so, etc. “
When another asserted something that I thought an error, I deny'd myself the pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of showing immediately some absurdity in his proposition; and in answering I began by observing that in certain cases or circumstances his opinion would be right, but in the present case there appear'd or seem'd to me some difference, etc. I soon found the advantage of this change in my manner; the conversations I engag'd in went on more pleasantly. The modest way in which I propos'd my opinions procur'd them a readier reception and less contradiction; I had less mortification when I was found to be in the wrong, and I more easily prevail'd with others to give up their mistakes and join with me when I happened to be in the right.
And this mode, which I at first put on with some violence to natural inclination, became at length so easy, and so habitual to me, that perhaps for these fifty years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical expression escape me. And to this habit (after my character of integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early so much weight with my fellow-citizens when I proposed new institutions, or alterations in the old, and so much influence in public councils when I became a member; for I was but a bad speaker, never eloquent, subject to much hesitation in my choice of words, hardly correct in language, and yet I generally carried my points.
In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.
When I stretch my Imagination…beyond our System of Planets, beyond the visible fixed Stars themselves, into that Space that is every way infinite, and conceive it filled with Suns like ours, each with a Chorus of Worlds forever moving around [it], then this little Ball upon which we move seems to be almost nothing, and myself less than nothing, and of no sort of Consequence. …I imagine it great Vanity in me to support that the Supremely Perfect does, in the least, regard such an inconsiderable nothing as Man.
“Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion in Two Parts.”
* There is a common myth about Franklin that he was a womanizer and heavy adulterer, contracted syphilis and the like. However, there are historians who attribute this rumor not to actual historic truth but to his rival John Adams. Apparently, by the time Mr. Franklin arrived in France on his diplomatic mission on behalf of what were to become the United States, Mr. Adams had already been a diplomat in Paris for over a year. Unfortunately, Mr. Adams had a difficult time learning French, did not acclimate well to the culture, and was generally found dull. Mr. Franklin on the other hand was nearly fluent in French and enjoyed the fame that preceded him from having published his studies on Electricity. Therefore, some historians believe that Mr. Adams may have circulated these rumors out of jealousy. Also of note is that Franklin's only son to survive to adulthood was illegitimate, and nowhere is there mention of his biological mother. He mentions his shortcomings in the area of lust as a young man in one of his autobiography attempts.
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