By: Dr.Mohammad Aleem (Chief News Editor-ICN GROUP)
NEW DELHI :A question arises so simply here, that why should we read, and know about a man and his works, who have died some two centuries back, and lived not on this land, but many oceans far away? But, I do believe, that, some men and women have always a great power to attract and allure us with their treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge, from where, we can get a lot of precious pearls to make our crooked path more straight and bright.
Benjamin Franklin was such a man of huge stature and height, and most of all, those capabilities which had the power to influence and change many lives.
He was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. His father, Joshua Franklin was a simple soap maker. His mother’s name was Abiah Folgers, the second wife of Josiah.
He was tenth among his seventeen siblings. His father wanted him to make a clergy, but, he chose to become a printer, which he loved it most for his love of books and writings. He first joined his brother as an apprentice to his printing house at the age of twelve, but, he left soon after, when he found the workplace incompatible to his nature. There was an interesting incident to note that how he left his work with his brother, and how that helped him understand his own abilities and strengths and weaknesses of life.
His brother started publishing a newspaper from his printing house then, and as compatible to his nature and creative bent of mind, he showed his inclination towards writing. But his brother underestimated him and discouraged him. He, though, did not stop there, and wrote many long letters to the editor in the name of a widow, Silence Dogwood.
He’s more than a dozen letters were published, and received commendable and heartily reactions from the readers. Everyone heaped praises on this unknown letter writer, as it contained and raised many pertinent questions of its time, and everyone wanted to meet that prudent and wise lady to share their feelings with her. But, Benjamin revealed at that height of the curiosity, that, the letter writer was none, but he himself.
It infuriated his brother a lot, and the sting of envy and contempt raised its ugly head in his malicious heart. He could not take it easy, that his younger brother could command such huge talent of writing.
He did not stop there to lament his fate. He simply chose to leave the place for a good pasture, for Philadelphia. And, that drove him, luckily on a path of not only self reliance, hardship and labor, but, successes. From the very first stage of his life, Benjamin knew that if he wanted to succeed, he would have to labor hard to realize his goals.
He now wanted to establish his own printing house, which could give him freedom to earn and write freely. And for that purpose, he even journeyed to a so far off place, London. We should remember that in those days, America was not such a rich nation, and splendor was not heard of among its citizen. It was infested with war and hatred and animosity among its inhabitants.
The rule of the land was divided into many lords and governing bodies, and populace of the country, even lagged behind in finding the basic amenities of life like public transport, road, electricity etc.
Even the country had not seen and witnessed the miracle of science and invention. You will be pretty surprised to know that Benjamin Franklin was a man who first invented the room heater, established the fire fighting unit in his town, got the first time a road of his town paved, established cleansing system like a municipal department for his people, established public library based on subscription, and many more things to come.
He did not show his exemplary achievements and mettle in printing and publishing work, but also as an administrator of par excellence. When he was appointed as a postmaster general of his province, he did his work coomendebly well even in that situation where means and money were scarce.
When he was chosen as a military Colonel to save his province from the greatest danger of enemy, Indians, he fought with his men to the enemy as he was a seasoned and experienced military man from his early days of his life. He wrote such a vivid and interesting account of those days when he was on the battlefield , it gives the reader not only a picture of that wretched America of its time, but, it also shows that how he was a man of extraordinary power of letters.
He writes about one of his experiences in his autobiography about the war of those days as this:
“Just before Bethlehem, eleven farmers, who had been driven from their plantations by the Indians, came back to me requesting a supply of firearms that they might go back and fetch off their cattle. I gave them each a gun with suitable ammunition. We had not marched many miles before it began to rain, and it continued raining all day; there were no habitations on the road to shelter us, till we arrived at night near the house of a German, where, and in his barn, we were all huddled together, as wet as water could make us. It was well that we were not attacked in our march, for our arms were of the most ordinary sort, and our men could not keep their gun locks dry.”
Remember that this was an America of eighteenth centuries where even basic amenities for its army men were scant, and now an America of impeccable military power and scientific prowess that makes her dare to wage war even at the slightest whim and hurt of its pride. (To Be Continued……)
