Ben Franklin To Tom Paine

Here s a letter wrltton ly that RH-ateet pliilosophtr nul statesman o' h,: age, Benjamin Franklin, to Thomas Paine, whleh wratains som most excellent advlce, advlce that Mr. Paine ougM ti hare been, but was mot, wlse enoqgb to hare toilowed. Uöwere oí 1 : tn-r t [qgergoll of to-day oould fead tfaüe wlth proflt: 'l"ii Thomas Pa 'in' : Ui-ar Sji - I have ïoad vuur inanu w i i sume attemtlon. By the aruunieui i contalns againsí a partí al-ar Ppovldence, tbougb you allow a general ProvideDce, you strike at tbe iiium'.at li:i of all religión. For, without the belief of a Provi I tiiat tekee cognKaocè oí, gard8 9 au.! ina.v tavor particular per■ i l:o mol vr tO worsllij) II fear hiis dtepleasure, or to pray for hCa protectiom. I widl not enter toto any dtocusakw ol your prindptes, ttiougti yon geem to deslre It. At present I sh.ii! ooly glve you my opinión ixi.it. thou.ii yoTir reason are bu I may preTall vrltto tsome leaders, vuu will nol sü ■■ ■ 1 30 tO i i : 1 1 :_;■■ tile jí; nel-al BOntJmentfl Of mankind on i'hai subject, aii! the tonsequence oí priating mis pieco Wlll 1h' a grea-t deal of odium drawn upon self, mJscMef to you and ao benelle that spits against ■ ind spits in liis own ia-e. l!ut you to siu-eeed. do you ima. any gootl would be doae by it '■' You ,:. Ilmd it easy to iie a virtumis Ule witluiut the a-sistane afíorik'd by religión ; you haviir; a !lw preoeptton of ühe advamtageti oi Tlirtue, and the diaadvantages ol rtse, aiid possessiing a strengt h o; lutiton suííioient to enable yon to reb1b1 commoT) temptatlooa. i'.m tkink h w great a portion ol mankind cuiib sta ol wenk and tgmorani mn and woinen, and oí Inexperteneed, InconrtóeratB yoirtli of lKth sexos, wlio havo Deed Ol the motüivoe ol religión to reetraliu fheni íixwií vice, to support tlieir virtue aad reteln them Ín the practice of it till it becomes liabitunl, wIkcIi ka tho gveat point for its Becurtty. And perhape yoi are indebted to her orlgma-lity - that is, to your relig'ious edueatáon, for tlie hab-its of virtue upon wiikh you now justly valué yourstlf. You migbt casily display ymr oxcellent talents of reaMining upon a teM lwizardou.s subject, and thereby obtaín a rank with our most dlitetinguislicd authors. l'or aiuong us it i not necess;uy as among t'he Hottentots, that a youth, to be raísed into .the comia.ny of nien, sliould prove hía maiihood by beating hc.s ïiiotlier. I would adviso you, tlucreforc, not to attempt uiK'hainiiiig the tiger, but to buril tbiB piece befare it i.s seen by any other person ; tliereby you wtU save yourself a gTeat deal of mortifioat";on by the enemies it inay raiso ajïiiiiist you, and pcrliaps a good deal of regret anl repcaitanco. If men are so wfcked with religión, what would they be if without it ? I intend thls itbelf as a proof of my friendship, aiid tlxerefore add no profemCona to !t, but sibscribe simply, yours,