Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin; Written by Himself. [Vol. 2 of 2] With his Most Interesting Essays, Letters, and Miscellaneous Writings; Familiar, Moral, Political, Economical, and Philosophical, Selected with Care from All His Published Productions, and Comprising Whatever Is Most Entertaining and Valuable to the General Reader

This volume gathers a lively assortment of essays, letters and scientific notes that reveal the mind of a restless Enlightenment figure. From practical advice on industry and thrift to reflections on happiness, virtue and the duties of public men, the pieces read like a conversational guide to everyday life in the age of revolutions. The prose is crisp, peppered with witty aphorisms and grounded in the author’s own experiments and observations, offering listeners both instruction and amusement.

Among the selections are “The Way to Wealth,” an enduring blueprint for prosperity, and “On Freedom of Speech and the Press,” a spirited defense of open discourse. Personal correspondence ranges from a warm note to a sister to diplomatic missives exchanged with General Washington, Dr. Priestley and other contemporaries. Interwoven are scientific sketches on electricity, magnetism and weather, showcasing a curiosity that still feels fresh and relevant today.