#benjamin-franklin

#benjamin-franklin

On the whole, the Founding Fathers, those towering patriarchs, fared poorly when it came to sons. George Washington and James Madison had none. Thomas Jefferson's only legitimate one died in infancy. Samuel Adams also outlived his. With the exception of John Quincy Adams, no other son of a Founder rose to his father's stature. The unluckiest of all may have been Benjamin Franklin, who, in the course of a deeply familial contest, lost a cherished son the hardheaded way: to politics.

Franklin believed moderation in eating and drinking is essential for longevity, productivity, and maintaining a positive reputation, emphasizing the importance of temperance in personal conduct.

He also updated Le Roy on America's beginnings. The full quote reveals Franklin's cautious optimism for the new country he helped create.