He set about that improvement at once. We
shall see, in another chapter, how he purchased an old copy of the
_Spectator_ for a model, and set about improving his style.
It is quite evident that Mr. Franklin thought well of Benjamin's
argument on female education, for he did not criticise it. Perhaps it
was here that he found proof that his son was "an original and
independent thinker." It is somewhat remarkable that a boy at that
time should hold and advocate views of female education that have not
been advanced generally until within forty years. Looking about now,
we see that females stand side by side with males, in schools and
colleges, in ability and scholarship; that they constitute a large
proportion of teachers in our land now, when, before the American
Revolution, it was not thought proper to employ them at all; that many
of them are now classed with the most distinguished authors, editors,
and lecturers; and that not a few occupy places of distinction in the
learned professions, while many others are trusty clerks,
book-keepers, saleswomen, and telegraph-operators. Young Franklin's
views, the Boston printer-boy, a hundred and seventy years ago, are
illustrated and confirmed to-day by the prominence and value of
educated females.
That a printer-boy of fifteen years could accomplish so much when he
was obliged to work from twelve to fifteen hours each day at his
trade, seems almost incredible.
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