Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin’s life is full of charming stories which all young men should know----how he peddled ballads in Boston, and stood, the guest of kings, in Europe; how he worked his passage as a stowaway to Philadelphia, and rode in the queen’s own litter in France; how he walked the streets of Philadelphia, homeless and unknown, with three-penny rolls for his breakfast, and dined at the tables of princess, and received his friends in a palace; how he raised a kite from a cow shed, and was showered with all the high degrees the colleges of the world could give; how he was duped by a false friend as a boy, and became the friend of all humanity as a man; how he was made Major General Franklin, only to resign because, as he said he was no soldier, and yet helped to organize the army that stood before the trained troops of England and Germany.
This poor Boston boy, with scarcely a day’s schooling, became master of six languages and never stopped studying; this neglected apprentice tamed the lightning, made his name famous, received degrees and diplomas from colleges in both hemispheres, and became forever remembered as “Doctor Franklin”, philosopher, patriot, scientist, philanthropist and statesman.
本杰明?富兰克林
富兰克林的一生充满了令人神往的故事，是青年人应该了解的。比如，他在波士顿是如何兜售民歌民谣的？是如何成为欧洲众多国王座上宾的？他是如何偷上了船，靠在船上打工才抵达费城的？又是如何在法国坐上王后专用车的？他又如何漫步于费城街道，无家可归，举目无亲，只买三便士的面包卷作为早餐的？又如何成为公主宴席上的座上客，并在王宫中接见朋友的？他如何从牛棚中放飞风筝？又是如何荣获全世界高等学府中像雪片般授予的学位的？在孩童时代他如何受到一个虚伪朋友的欺骗，而后来却成为全人类的朋友？他如何被授予富兰克林少将头衔的？——他拒绝接受军衔，说他自己不是士兵，但他帮助组织了一支军队，同训练有素的英德联军抗衡。
这位贫穷的波士顿孩子，几乎没有受过一天的正式教育，后来却掌握了六种语言，而且从来没有中断过学习。这位被人忽视的学徒却驯服了闪电，从而名扬天下，荣获了东西两半球许多大学的学位和证书，并成为永远被人们铭记的哲学家、爱国者、科学家、慈善家和政治家：“富兰克林博士”。 |