done I am afraid that some Awful Judgment will come upon this Land and the Wrath of God will arise, and there will be no Remedy.
I cannot but pity poor Franklin, who tho' but a Young Man it may be Speedily he must appear before the Judgment Seat of God, and what answer will he give for printing things so vile and abominable? And I cannot but Advise the Supporters of this Courant to consider the Consequences of being Partakers in other Mens Sins, and no more Coun tenance such a Wicked Paper.
Boston Gazette, January 29, 1721/2; reprinted in Joseph T. Buckingham, Specimens of Newspaper Literature (Boston, 1850), I, 53-54.
94. The People's Favorite Literature (1744)
BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
In colonial times the almanac was a household authority, to a large extent taking the place of books, which were few and costly. Of all the almanacs Franklin's became the most noted, on account of the author s personal reputation. — Bibliography : for Franklin, see No. 68 above; as to almanacs, see James Parton, Benjamin Franklin, I, 227-240; Tyler, American Literature, II, 120-130; Channing and Hart, Guide, §§ 25, 32. — See also a diary kept in an almanac, No. 95 below.
Courteous Reader,
THIS is the Twelfth Year that I have in this Way laboured for the Benefit of Whom? of the Publick, if you'll be so good-natured as to believe it ; if not, e'en take the naked Truth, twas for the Benefit of my own dear self; not forgetting in the mean time, our gracious Consort and Du r chess the peaceful, quiet, silent Lady Bridget. But whether my Labours have been of any Service to the Publick or not, the Publick I must acknowledge has been of Service to me ; I have lived Comfortably by its Benevolent Encouragement; and I hope I shall always bear a grateful Sense of its continued Favour.
My Adversary Jn Jn has indeed made an Attempt to out-shine me, by pretending to penetrate a Year deeper into Futurity ; and giving his Readers gratis in his Almanack for 1743 an Eclipse of the Year 1744, to be beforehand with me: His Words are, "The first Day of April next Year 1744, there will be a GREAT ECLIPSE of the Sun : it begins about an Hour before Sunset. It being in the Sign Aries, the House of Mars, and in the 7th, shows Heat, Difference and Animosities between Persons of the highest Rank and Quality," &c. I am very glad, for the Sake of these Persons of Rank and Quality, that there
