Chief Events In Franklin’s Life

[Ending, as it does, with the year 1757, the autobiography leaves important facts un-recorded. It has seemed advisable, therefore, to detail the chief events in Franklin’s life, from the beginning, in the following list:由于《自传》止于一七五七年，许多重要事实没有记载下来。因此，似乎有必要从头开始，把富兰克林一生中的主要事件列成下表：

1706 He is born, in Boston, and baptized in the Old South Church.一七〇六年：生于波士顿，并在老南教堂受洗。

1714 At the age of eight, enters the Grammar School.一七一四年：八岁时进入文法学校。

1716 Becomes his father’s assistant in the tallow-chandlery business.一七一六年：成为父亲在油烛制造生意中的助手。

1718 Apprenticed to his brother James, printer.一七一八年：到哥哥詹姆斯那里当印刷学徒。

1721 Writes ballads and peddles them, in printed form, in the streets; contributes, anonymously, to the “New England Courant,” and temporarily edits that paper; becomes a free-thinker, and a vegetarian.一七二一年：写作歌谣并印成小册，在街头叫卖；匿名向《新英格兰新闻报》投稿，并一度临时编辑该报；成为自由思想者和素食者。

1723 Breaks his indenture and removes to Philadelphia; obtaining employment in Keimer’s printing-office; abandons vegetarianism.一七二三年：违反学徒契约，迁往费城；在凯默尔的印刷所找到工作；放弃素食。

1724 Is persuaded by Governor Keith to establish himself independently, and goes to London to buy type; works at his trade there, and publishes “Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain.”一七二四年：受基思州长劝说，准备独立开业，并前往伦敦购买铅字；在伦敦从事印刷本业，并出版《论自由与必然、快乐与痛苦》。

1726 Returns to Philadelphia; after serving as clerk in a dry goods store, becomes manager of Keimer’s printing-house.一七二六年：回到费城；在一家干货店任职员后，成为凯默尔印刷所的经理。

1727 Founds the Junto, or “Leathern Apron” Club.一七二七年：创立君托社，又称“皮围裙俱乐部”。

1728 With Hugh Meredith, opens a printing-office.一七二八年：同休·梅雷迪思开办印刷所。

1729 Becomes proprietor and editor of the “Pennsylvania Gazette”; prints, anonymously, “Nature and Necessity of a Paper Currency”; opens a stationer’s shop.一七二九年：成为《宾夕法尼亚公报》的业主和编辑；匿名印行《纸币的性质与必要性》；开设文具店。

1730 Marries Rebecca Read.一七三〇年：同丽贝卡·里德结婚。

1731 Founds the Philadelphia Library.一七三一年：创办费城图书馆。

1732 Publishes the first number of “Poor Richard’s Almanac” under the pseudonym of “Richard Saunders.” The Almanac, which continued for twenty-five years to contain his witty, worldly-wise sayings, played a very large part in bringing together and molding the American character which was at that time made up of so many diverse and scattered types.一七三二年：以“理查德·桑德斯”为笔名出版《穷理查年鉴》第一期。这部年鉴连续二十五年刊载他机智而通达人情世故的格言，对汇聚并塑造当时由许多分散类型组成的美国性格，起了很大作用。

1738 Begins to study French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin.一七三八年：开始学习法语、意大利语、西班牙语和拉丁语。

1736 Chosen clerk of the General Assembly; forms the Union Fire Company of Philadelphia.一七三六年：当选为州议会书记；组建费城联合消防队。

1737 Elected to the Assembly; appointed Deputy Postmaster-General; plans a city police.一七三七年：当选州议会议员；被任命为副邮政总长；规划城市警务。

1742 Invents the open, or “ Franklin,” stove.一七四二年：发明敞口炉，即“富兰克林炉”。

1743 Proposes a plan for an Academy, which is adopted 1749 and develops into the University of Pennsylvania.一七四三年：提出建立学院的计划；该计划一七四九年获采纳，后来发展为宾夕法尼亚大学。

1744 Establishes the American Philosophical Society.一七四四年：创立美国哲学会。

1746 Publishes a pamphlet, “Plain Truth,” on the necessity for disciplined defense, and forms a military company; begins electrical experiments.一七四六年：出版论有纪律防务必要性的小册子《朴素的真理》，并组织民兵连；开始电学实验。

1748 Sells out his printing business; is appointed on the Commission of the Peace, chosen to the Common Council, and to the Assembly.一七四八年：出售印刷业务；被任命为治安委员会委员，入选市议会和州议会。

1749 Appointed a Commissioner to trade with the Indians.一七四九年：被任命为同印第安人贸易的专员。

1751 Aids in founding a hospital.一七五一年：协助创办医院。

1752 Experiments with a kite and discovers that lightning is an electrical discharge.一七五二年：用风筝进行实验，发现闪电是一种放电现象。

1753 Awarded the Copley medal for this discovery, and elected a member of the Royal Society; receives the degree of M.A. from Yale and Harvard. Appointed joint Postmaster-General.一七五三年：因这一发现获得科普利奖章，并被选为皇家学会会员；获耶鲁和哈佛授予文学硕士学位；被任命为联合邮政总长。

1754 Appointed one of the Commissioners from Pennsylvania to the Colonial Congress at Albany; proposes a plan for the union of the colonies.一七五四年：被任命为宾夕法尼亚派往奥尔巴尼殖民地会议的专员之一；提出殖民地联合计划。

1755 Pledges his personal property in order that supplies may be raised for Braddock’s army; obtains a grant from the Assembly in aid of the Crown Point expedition; carries through a bill establishing a voluntary militia; is appointed Colonel, and takes the field.一七五五年：以个人财产作担保，以便为布拉多克军队筹集补给；从议会取得拨款支援皇冠点远征；推动建立志愿民兵的法案通过；被任命为上校，并亲赴前线。

1757 Introduces a bill in the Assembly for paving the streets of Philadelphia; publishes his famous “Way to Wealth”; goes to England to plead the cause of the Assembly against the Proprietaries; remains as agent for Pennsylvania; enjoys the friendship of the scientific and literary men of the kingdom.一七五七年：在州议会提出铺设费城街道路面的议案；出版著名的《致富之道》；前往英国，为议会反对领主的事业陈情；留任宾夕法尼亚代理人；同英国科学界和文学界人士建立友谊。

[Here the Autobiography Breaks Off]【《自传》至此中断】

1760 Secures from the Privy Council, by a compromise, a decision obliging the Proprietary estates to contribute to the public revenue.一七六〇年：通过妥协，从枢密院取得一项裁决，迫使领主地产为公共收入纳税。

1762 Receives the degree of LL.D. from Oxford and Edinburgh; returns to America.一七六二年：获牛津大学和爱丁堡大学授予法学博士学位；返回美洲。

1763 Makes a five months’ tour of the northern colonies for the Purpose of inspecting the post-offices.一七六三年：为检查邮局，历时五个月巡视北部各殖民地。

1764 Defeated by the Penn faction for reelection to the Assembly; sent to England as agent for Pennsylvania.一七六四年：因宾家派反对而未能连任州议会议员；被派往英国，担任宾夕法尼亚代理人。

1765 Endeavors to prevent the passage of the Stamp Act.一七六五年：努力阻止《印花税法》通过。

1766 Examined before the House of Commons relative to the passage of the Stamp Act; appointed agent of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Georgia; visits Gottingen University.一七六六年：就《印花税法》的通过在下议院接受质询；被任命为马萨诸塞、新泽西和佐治亚的代理人；访问哥廷根大学。

1767 Travels in France and is presented at court.一七六七年：旅行法国，并被引见于宫廷。

1769 Procures a telescope for Harvard College.一七六九年：为哈佛学院购置一架望远镜。

1772 Elected Associe Etranger of the French Academy.一七七二年：当选为法国科学院外籍院士。

1774 Dismissed from the office of Postmaster-General; influences Thomas Paine to emigrate to America.一七七四年：被解除邮政总长职务；促使托马斯·潘恩移居美洲。

1775 Returns to America; chosen a delegate to the Second Continental Congress; placed on the committee of secret correspondence; appointed one of the commissioners to secure the cooperation of Canada.一七七五年：返回美洲；被选为第二届大陆会议代表；进入秘密通信委员会；被任命为争取加拿大合作的专员之一。

1776 Placed on the committee to draft a Declaration of Independence; chosen president of the Constitutional Committee of Pennsylvania; sent to France as agent of the colonies.一七七六年：进入起草《独立宣言》的委员会；当选宾夕法尼亚制宪委员会主席；作为殖民地代理人被派往法国。

1778 Concludes treaties of defensive alliance, and of amity and commerce; is received at court.一七七八年：缔结防御同盟条约以及友好通商条约；受到宫廷接见。

1779 Appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to France.一七七九年：被任命为驻法国全权公使。

1780 Appoints Paul Jones commander of the “ Alliance.”一七八〇年：任命保罗·琼斯为“联盟号”舰长。

1782 Signs the preliminary articles of peace.一七八二年：签署和平预备条款。

1783 Signs the definite treaty of peace.一七八三年：签署正式和平条约。

1785 Returns to America; is chosen President of Pennsylvania; reelected 1786.一七八五年：返回美洲；当选宾夕法尼亚总统；一七八六年连任。

1787 Reelected President; sent as delegate to the convention for framing a Federal Constitution.一七八七年：再次连任总统；作为代表出席制定联邦宪法的会议。

1788 Retires from public life.一七八八年：退出公共生活。

1790 April 17, dies. His grave is in the churchyard at Fifth and Arch streets, Philadelphia.一七九〇年四月十七日：逝世。墓地位于费城第五街与拱门街交会处的教堂墓园。

Editor.]编者。