To David Hartley
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin... (4to ed.; 3 vols., London, 1817-18), II, 249.
[April 29, 1778]

I thank you for your kind caution, but having nearly finished a long life, I set but little value on what remains of it. Like a draper, when one chaffers with him for a remnant, I am ready to say, “As it is only the fag-end, I will not differ with you about it, take it for what you please.” Perhaps the best use such an old fellow can be put to, is to make a martyr of him,

B.F.

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