Ephemera: An Emblem of Human Life E-book
Author: Benjamin Franklin
Genre: Literature
Franklin, Benjamin (1706-1790) A preeminent American statesman,
author, inventor, printer and scientist, he is sometimes call the
"wisest American." After working for a time as a printer's apprentice
to his brother James, Franklin ran away to Pennsylvania in 1723 and
went on to become Philadelphia's chief citizen. There, among other
things, Franklin ran his own newspaper, published "Poor Richard's
Almanac," and became the city's postmaster.
The Ephemera: An Emblem of Human Life (1778) A letter addressed to
Madame Brillon, of Passy; he later sent a copy to William Carmichael in
1780. Franklin confesses to his friend that he understands all the
inferior animal tongues. Here he relates an overheard conversation
amongst a number of Ephemere, a kind of fly that breeds and expires
within one day. He records verbatim the soliloquy of "an old grey-
headed one, who was single on another leaf."
read ››
|
