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M.T. Cicero's Cato Major, 1744
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rriving in Philadelphia in 1723, Franklin worked to establish himself as a printer. Over the next 25 years, he expanded his network of personal friends and business connections both in the colonies and in England. In printing, Franklin found a way “do well by doing good.” Not only did he accumulate enough wealth to retire from active business at the age of 42, he was also able to use his publications to communicate his ideas.
Although Franklin spent the second half of his life as a gentleman of leisure, he remained proud of his roots as a tradesman. Of course, for Franklin, “leisure” meant the freedom to pursue his many other interests, a freedom bought by years of devotion to the craft of printing. Perhaps this is why, of all his many accomplishments, he most wished to be remembered as “B. Franklin, Printer.”
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