"A poor one, I guess," quickly added John. "We will see, the next time we meet, who can make out a case."
"It will be some time before we meet again," responded Benjamin, "and our ardour will be cooled before that time, I am thinking. But it will do us no harm to discuss the subject."
"If we keep our temper," said John, tacking his sentence to the last word of Benjamin's reply. And so saying, they parted.
After Benjamin had revolved the subject still more in his mind, he became anxious to commit his argument to writing. Accordingly, with pen and paper in hand, he sat down to frame the best argument he could in favour of educating the female sex. He wrote it in the form of a letter, addressed to his friend Collins, and, after having completed, he copied it in a fair hand, and sent it to him. This brought back a long reply, which made it necessary for Benjamin to pen an answer. In this way the correspondence continued, until several letters had passed between them, and each one had gained the victory in his own estimation.
One day Benjamin's father met with these letters accidentally, and he read them over, and was somewhat impressed with their character.
"What are these, Benjamin," he inquired, at the same time holding up the letters.
Benjamin smiled, and rather hesitated to reply.
"So it seems you have been engaged in a controversy with John," continued Mr. Franklin. "You have both done very well, though I think there is some chance of improvement yet."
"Have you read them all?" inquired Benjamin.
"I have, and must say that, in some respects, John has the advantage of you."