经典英语美文 （66）本杰明·富兰克林
Franklin’s life is full of charming stories which all young men should know how he peddled ballads in Boston, and stood as the guest of kings in Europe;how he worked his passage as a stowaway to Philadelphia, and rode in the queen’s own litter in France; how he walked the streets of Philadelphia, homeless and unknown, with three penny rolls for his breakfast, and dined at the tables of princes, and received his friendsin a palace; how he raised a kite from a cow shed, and was showered with all the high degrees the collegesof the world could give; how he was duped by a false friend as a boy, and became the friend of all humanity as a man; how he was made Major General Franklin, only to resign because, as he said, he was no soldier,and yet helped to organize the army that stood before the trained troops of England and Germany.
This poor Boston boy, with scarcely a day’s schooling, became master of six languages and never stopped studying; this neglected apprentice tamed the lightning, made his name famous,
received degrees and diplomas from colleges in both hemispheres, and became forever remembered as “DoctorFranklin”, philosopher, patriot, scientist, philanthropist and statesman. Self made, self taught, and self reared, the candle maker’s son gave light to all the world; the street ballad seller set all men singing of liberty; the runaway apprentice became the most sought after man of two continents, and brought his native land to praise and honor him.
He built America, for what our Republic is today is largely due to the prudence, the forethought, the statesmanship, the enterprise, the wisdom, and the ability of Benjamin Franklin. He belongs to the world, but especially does he belong to America. As the nations honored him while living, so the Republic glorifies him when dead, and has enshrined him in the choicest of its niches, the one he regarded as the loftiest thehearts of the common people, from whom he had sprung and in their hearts Franklin will live forever.
富兰克林的一生充满了令人着迷的故事，所有的年轻人都应该知道:他怎样在波士顿街头叫卖叙事歌谣唱本，而后来却成为欧洲各国君主的贵客;他怎样偷偷上船,在船上靠干活抵偿船票才来到费城，而后来却坐进了法国王后的乘舆；他怎样在费城沿街瞎逛，无家可归，没人理眯，仅买得起三便士的面包卷 (卷饼）当早饭，而后来却在君王的餐桌前进餐，在宫殿里接待朋友;他如何从牛棚上放起风筝，而后来却荣获世界上多所名牌 大学所能授予的一切最高学位；他在童年时如何被一个虚假的朋友所蒙骗，而后来却成为全人类的朋友;他如何被授予少将军衔，但是他却辞职不千，因为他说他没有军人气度，然而就是他 帮助组建了同训练有素的英德联军对阵的联邦军队。
这个波士顿的穷孩子几乎没有上过一天学，后来却掌握了六种语言，并且学习锲而不舍。这个被人忽视的学徒制服了闪电，扬名天下，获得了东西两半球各国大学的学位和证书，成为留芳百世的”富兰克林博士”、哲学家、爱国者、科学家、慈善家和政治家。这个蜡烛制造商的儿子自我奋斗、自学成才、自强自立，给全世界带来了光明；这个叙事歌谣唱本的街头叫卖者让全人类唱起了自由之歌；这个逃亡的学徒成了欧、美两块大陆最令人仰慕的人物，使他的祖国对他赞扬不已、崇敬备至。
他缔造了美国，因为我们的共和国能有今天，在很大程度上归功子本杰明•富兰克林的深谋远虑、远见卓识、治国之术、进取精神、大睿大智和精明能干。他厲干全世界，但是他更属于美国。他在世时，各国人民尊敬他,他去世后，共和国同样颂扬他，把他尊奉在最珍贵的壁龛里–个他视为最崇高的位置——普通老百姓的心中。富兰克林来自于人民，他也将永远活人民的心中。