The life and works / [Benjamin Franklin].

  • Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
Date:
[1820?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The life and works / [Benjamin Franklin]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    adopted it, and, renouncing blunt contradiction and direct and positive argument, I assumed the character of an hum- ble questioner. The perusal of Shaftsbury and Collins had made me a sceptic : and being previously so as to many doctrines of Christianity, I found Socrates’s method to be both safest for myself, as well as the most embarrassing to those against whom I employed it. It soon afforded me singular pleasure; 1 incessantly practised it: and became very adroit in obtaining, even from persons of superior un- derstanding, concessions of which they did not foresee the consequence. Thus I involved them in difficulties from which they were unable to extricate themselves, and some- times obtained victories, which neither my cause nor my ar- guments merited. This method I continued to employ for some years; but I afterwards abandoned it by degrees, retaining only the habit of expressing myself with modest diffidence, and ne- ver making use, when I advanced any proposition which might be controverted, of the words certainly, undoubtedly, or any others that might give the appearance of being ob- stinately attached to my opinion. 1 rather said, I imagine, I suppose, or it appears to me, that such a thing is so or so, for such and such reasons; or it is so, if I am not mistaken. This habit has, I think, been of considerable advantage to me, when I have had occasion to impress my opinion on the minds of others, and persuade them to the adoption of the measures I have suggested. And since the chief ends of conversation are, to inform or be informed, to please or to persuade, I could wish that intelligent or well-meaning men would not themselves diminish the power they possess of being useful, by a positive and presumptuous manner of expressing themselves, which scarcely ever fails to dis- gust the hearer, and is only calculated to excite opposition, and defeat every purpose for which the faculty of speech has been bestowed on man. In short, if you wish to inform, u positive and dogmatical manner of advancing your opi-