4. “Ready plenty” is antique usage for “ready abundance.” Which is the stronger?
5. “Reasons” in the phrase “strength of his reasons” is a simple and forcible substitute for “arguments.”
6. “Copied fair” shows an idiomatic use of an adjective form which perhaps can be justified, but the combination has given way in these days to “made a fair copy of.”
7. Observe that Franklin uses “pointing” for punctuation, and “printing-house” for printing-office.
8. The old idiom “endeavor at improvement” has been changed to endeavor to improve, or endeavor to make improvement.
9. Note how the use of the word sentiment has changed. We would be more likely to say ideas in a connection like this.
10. For “laid them by,” say laid them away.
11. For “laid me under …… necessity” we might say compelled me, or made it necessary that I should.
12. “Amended” is not so common now as corrected.
13. For “evading” (attendance at public worship) we should now say avoiding. We “evade” more subtle things than attendance at church.