The project was approved, and every member undertook to form his club, but they did not all succeed. Five or six only were completed, which were called by different names, as "The Vine," "The Union," "The Band," etc. They were useful to themselves, and afforded us a good deal of amusement, information, and instruction, besides answering, in some considerable degree, our views of influencing the public opinion on particular occasions, of which I shall give some instances in course of time as they happened.
Footnotes
[111] The following is taken from the commentary of Hierocles upon the Golden Verses of Pythagoras. The English version is given by Bigelow in his edition of the Autobiography:
"He [Pythagoras, who lived in the sixth century B.C.] requires also that this examination be daily repeated. The time which he recommends for this work is about even or bedtime, that we may conclude the action of the day with the judgment of conscience, making the examination of our conversation an evening song to God. Wherein have I transgressed? What have I done? What duty have I omitted? So shall we measure our lives by rules.
"We should have our parents and relations in high esteem, love and embrace good men, raise ourselves above corporeal affections, everywhere stand in awe of ourselves, carefully observe justice, consider the frailty of riches and momentary life, embrace the lot which falls to us by divine judgment, delight in a divine frame of spirit, convert our mind to what is most excellent, love good discourses, not lie open to impostures, not be servilely affected in the possession of virtue, advise before action to prevent repentance, free ourselves from uncertain opinions, live with knowledge, and lastly, that we should adapt our bodies and the things without to the exercise of virtue. These are the things which the lawgiving mind has implanted in the souls of men."
[112] It is dated July 1, 1733.
[113] "O philosophy, thou guide of life! O thou searcher after virtue and banisher of vice! One day lived well and in obedience to thy precepts should be preferred to an eternity of sin."
[114] Franklin's Note.—Nothing so likely to make a man's fortune as virtue.
[115] Thus far written at Passy, 1784.