April 16, 2005

Reading 4-16-5

     I finished up The Hunchback of Notre Dame. A very interesting book. You can see how Hugo pitted oposite characters in this stroy, and it worked well. Though it was rather dark and brooding, much like Toilers of the Sea.
      I also finished Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, which was a fun read. It had some great historical information (coincidentally, 2006 is the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birthday), as well as a little bit about his relationship with George Whitfield. There were definately some good quotes in it...


Franklin's thoughts on Patents and Intellectual Property:Thomas was so pleas'd with the construction of this stove, as described in it, that he offered to give me a patent for the sole vending of them for a term of years; but I declin'd it from a principle which has ever weighed with me on such occasions, viz., That, as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously. Franklin on the demise of the Indian Tribes:And, indeed, if it be the design of Providence to extirpate these savages in order to make room for cultivators of the earth, it seems not improbable that rum may be the appointed means. It has already annihilated all the tribes who formerly inhabited the sea-coast.

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