ning, for his own and children's amusement, "how should you like to go to school and qualify yoursel

," replied Benjamin, after some hesitation

or profession. Your elder brothers have their trades, and, perhaps, you

answer, since he began to read so young, that he could

ith so large a family to support. I have to be very industrious now to make my ends meet. But if you are di

gin, if you deci

o become qualified for the ministry,

the conversation, and, at this point, remarked, "Yes, Benjamin, it is the best thing you can do. I am su

Dr. Willard (his pastor) said as much to me not lo

ppears. I tell you what it is, Benjamin," addressing himself to the boy, "when you are qualified for the office, I wi

times, and had been accustomed to take down the sermons to which he listened, in short-hand, until he had preserved a large manuscript volume of t

as eight years old at the time, a bright, active, intelligent boy, who was more fond of reading than any other child in the family. He was born in Boston, on Sunday, January 6 (Old Sty

e day, we answer, that on the "Old Boston Town Records of Births,"

Franklin, and Abiah, hi

t recorded until two years after Benjamin was bo

Old South Church, and find among th

amin, son of Josiah

tized, although the rite must have been performed either by Dr. Samuel Willard, or Rev. Ebenezer Pemberton, who were then pastors of the Old South Church. But the fact that the record is made in the h

earance, the third being the attic. On the lower floor of the main house there was only one room, which was about twenty feet square, and served the family for the triple purpose of parlour, sitting-room, and dining-hall. It contained an old-fashioned fireplace, so large that an ox might have been roasted before it. The second and

ttachment between them. His love of books early attracted the attention of his parents and others, and they regarded

od singer, and performed well upon the violin. He was wont to gather his family around him during the leisure hours of evening, and sing

man, and had a family of seventeen children, thirteen of whom sat around his table together at one time. Fourteen were older than Benjamin, and two were you

dvantages which the poverty of his father could provide. He acceded to the plan with hearty

school-house green," where "Ben" and his companions sported together. It was probably the only free grammar-school which Boston afforded at that time; for it was only a little village compared with its present size. It then contained only about ten thousand inhabitants, and now it has more than fifteen times that number. There were no stately public buildings at that time, like the State-hous

ten of them in number. Now there are a thousand streets, courts, and places. Thus it will be seen that the Boston of that day resembled

after his son entered school, "and he says that he is making rapid progress, and will

y to betray when they know that their children are doing well; "I think he will make a good sch

usband; "yet I trust that God will provid

ded Mrs. Franklin, "since his clothes will cost more as he advance

his light, all the while not being able to see my way qu

e certain that He who parted the waters of the Red Sea for the children of Israel to pass, and fed them with manna from the skies,

f God does anything for him, he will do it in his own time and way. I shall b

f uncommon promise. He did not stand at the head of his class long, however, before he was transferred to a higher one. He so far outstripped his companions that the teacher was obliged to advance him thus, otherwise

ress, though she died before he reached the zenith of his renown. The same was true of David Rittenhouse, the famous mathematician. When he was but eight years old he constructed various articles, such as a miniature water-wheel, and at seventeen years of age he made a clock. His younger brother relates that he was accustomed to stop when he was ploughing in the field, and solve problems on the fence, and sometimes cover the plough-handles over with figures. The highest expectations of his friends were more than realized in his after life. The peculiar genius which he exhibited in his boyhood gave him fame at last.

ged by his love of books, and diligent attention, especially when so much intellectual bri