Renown'd for courtesy, by all belov'd.
[2] Town in the island of Nantucket.
[3] Probably the Dunciad, where we find him thus immortalized by the author:
Silence, ye wolves, while Ralph to Cynthia howls,
And makes night hideous—answer him, ye owls!
[4] Printing houses in general are thus denominated by the workmen: the spirit they call by the name of Ralph.
[5] A manuscript note in the file of the American Mercury, preserved in the Philadelphia library, says, that Franklin wrote the five first numbers, and part of the eighth.
[6] Dr. Stuber was born in Philadelphia, of German parents. He was sent, at an early age, to the university, where his genius, diligence and amiable temper, soon acquired him the particular notice and favour of those under whose immediate direction he was placed. After passing through the common course of study, in a much shorter time than usual, he left the university, at the age of sixteen, with great reputation. Not long after, he entered on the study of physic; and the zeal with which he pursued it, and the advances he made, gave his friends reason to form the most flattering prospects of his future eminence and usefulness in the profession. As Dr. Stuber's circumstances were very moderate, he did not think this pursuit well calculated to improve them. He therefore relinquished it, after he had obtained a degree in the profession, and qualified himself to practise with credit and success; and immediately entered on the study of the law. While in pursuit of the last mentioned object, he was prevented by a premature death from reaping the fruit of those talents with which he was endowed, and of a youth spent in the ardent and successful pursuit of useful and elegant literature.
"Philad. April 19th, 1753.
"Sir,