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''The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin'' (an unfinished work) was chosen by Harvard president Charles W. Eliot to be the first that selection in the Harvard Classics<ref>The Harvard Classics, also known as "Dr. Eliot's Five-foot Shelf," was the result of a speech in which he said that the elements of a liberal education could be obtained from a set of books that would fit on a five-foot shelf; an enterprising publisher challenged him to select the set of books, and published them as ''The Harvard Classics.''</ref> The 1911 Encyclop&aelig;dia Britannica said "his Autobiography... unquestionably ranks among the few great autobiographies ever written."<ref>Webster, Richard (1911), "Benjamin Franklin." The Encyclop&aelig;dia Britannica, 11th edition, v. 11, pp. 24-30</ref>. Mark Twain took a less reverent view:

''The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin'' (an unfinished work) was chosen by Harvard president Charles W. Eliot to be the first that selection in the Harvard Classics<ref>The Harvard Classics, also known as "Dr. Eliot's Five-foot Shelf," was the result of a speech in which he said that the elements of a liberal education could be obtained from a set of books that would fit on a five-foot shelf; an enterprising publisher challenged him to select the set of books, and published them as ''The Harvard Classics.''</ref> The 1911 Encyclop&aelig;dia Britannica said "his Autobiography... unquestionably ranks among the few great autobiographies ever written."<ref>Webster, Richard (1911), "Benjamin Franklin." The Encyclop&aelig;dia Britannica, 11th edition, v. 11, pp. 24-30</ref>. Mark Twain took a less reverent view:

:[Franklin]'s simplest acts, also, were contrived with a view to their being held up for the emulation of boys

:[Franklin]'s simplest acts, also, were contrived with a view to their being held up for the emulation of boys forever&mdash;boys who might otherwise have been happy. With a malevolence which is without parallel in history, he would work all day, and then sit up nights, and let on to be studying algebra by the light of a smoldering fire, so that all other boys might have to do that also, or else have Benjamin Franklin thrown up to them.  Not satisfied with these proceedings, he had a fashion of living wholly on bread and water, and studying astronomy at meal-time&mdash;a thing which has brought affliction to millions of boys since, whose fathers had read Franklin's pernicious biography.<ref>Twain, Mark (1870), "The Late Mr. Franklin"</ref>

forever&mdash;boys who might otherwise have been happy. With a malevolence which is without parallel in history, he would work all day, and then sit up nights, and let on to be studying algebra by the light of a smoldering fire, so that all other boys might have to do that also, or else have Benjamin Franklin thrown up to them.  Not satisfied with these proceedings, he had a fashion of living wholly on bread and water, and studying astronomy at meal-time&mdash;a thing which has brought affliction to millions of boys since, whose fathers had read Franklin's pernicious biography.<ref>Twain, Mark (1870), "The Late Mr. Franklin"</ref>

He was called a [[Deist]] because he was a free thinker who did not take the miracles in the [[Bible]] literally. However, unlike the deists who viewed God as the "clockmaker" who wound up the universe and left, Franklin believed in God's active Providence in human affairs. But although Franklin wrote widely, he rarely made statements associated with principles of Deism.  Instead, Franklin made a passionate plea for saying prayers at the [[Constitutional Convention]]:<ref>http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/3rd_floor/god/2_convention.html</ref>

He was called a [[Deist]] because he was a free thinker who did not take the miracles in the [[Bible]] literally. However, unlike the deists who viewed God as the "clockmaker" who wound up the universe and left, Franklin believed in God's active Providence in human affairs. But although Franklin wrote widely, he rarely made statements associated with principles of Deism.  Instead, Franklin made a passionate plea for saying prayers at the [[Constitutional Convention]]:<ref>http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/3rd_floor/god/2_convention.html</ref>