Ben, he was less afraid of a whipping than of his father's
reproof. And, indeed, his father was very much disturbed.

"Benjamin, come hither," began Mr. Franklin in his usual stern
and weighty tone. The boy approached and stood before his
father's chair. "Benjamin," said his father, "what could induce
you to take property which did not belong to you?"

"Why, father," replied Ben, hanging his head at first, but then
lifting his eyes to Mr. Franklin's face, "if it had been merely
for my own benefit, I never should have dreamed of it. But I knew
that the wharf would be a public convenience. If the owner of the
stones should build a house with them, nobody would enjoy any
advantage but himself. Now, I made use of them in a way that was
for the advantage of many persons."

"My son," said Mr. Franklin solemnly, "so far as it was in your
power, you have done a greater harm to the public than to the
owner of the stones. I do verily believe, Benjamin, that almost
all the public and private misery of mankind arises from a
neglect of this great truth,--that evil can produce only evil,
that good ends must be wrought out by good means."

To the end of his life, Ben Franklin never forgot this
conversation with his father; and we have reason to suppose,
that, in most of his public and private career, he sought to act
upon the principles which that good and wise man then taught him.


DEFINITIONS:--In defining words, that meaning is given which is