Codicil to the Will of Benjamin Franklin

It has been an opinion, that he who receives an estate from his ancestors is under some kind of obligation to transmit the same to his posterity. This obligation does not lie on me, who never inherited a shilling from any ancestor or relation. I shall, however, if it is not diminished by some accident before my death, leave a considerable estate among my descendants and relations. The above observation is made merely as some apology to my family for my making bequests that do not appear to have any immediate relation to their advantage.

有一种看法认为，从祖先那里继承了产业的人，多少有义务把它传给自己的后代。这份义务落不到我身上，因为我从没有从任何祖先或亲戚那里继承过一个先令。不过，如果在我死前没有什么意外使它减少，我仍将在子孙和亲属中间留下一笔可观的产业。上面这番话，只是向我的家人略表歉意：我所作的一些遗赠，看起来与他们的利益并无直接关系。

I was born in Boston, New-England, and owe my first instructions in literature to the free grammar-schools established there. I have, therefore, already considered those schools in my will. But I am also under obligations to the state of Massachusetts for having, unasked, appointed me formerly their agent in England, with a handsome salary, which continued some years; and although I accidentally lost in their service, by transmitting Governor Hutchinson's letters, much more than the amount of what they gave me, I do not think that ought in the least to diminish my gratitude. I have considered that among artisans, good apprentices are most likely to make good citizens; and having myself been bred to a manual art, printing, in my native town, and afterward assisted to set up my business in Philadelphia by kind loans of money from two friends there, which was the foundation of my fortune, and of all the utility in life that may be ascribed to me, I wish to be useful, even after my death, if possible, in forming and advancing other young men, that may be serviceable to their country in both these towns. To this end I devote two thousand pounds sterling, which I give, one thousand thereof to the inhabitants of the town of Boston, in Massachusetts, and the other thousand to the inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia, in trust, to and for the uses, intents, and purposes herein after mentioned and declared. The said sum of one thousand pounds sterling, if accepted by the inhabitants of the town of Boston, shall be managed under the direction of the selectmen, united with the ministers of the oldest Episcopalian, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches in that town, who are to let out the same upon interest at five per cent. per annum, to such young married artificers, under the age of twenty-five years, as have served an apprenticeship in the said town, and faithfully fulfilled the duties required in their indentures, so as to obtain a good moral character from at least two respectable citizens, who are willing to become their sureties in a bond, with the applicants, for the repayment of the money so lent, with interest, according to the terms hereinafter prescribed; all which bonds are to be taken for Spanish milled dollars, or the value thereof in current gold coin: and the managers shall keep a bound book or books, wherein shall be entered the names of those who shall apply for and receive the benefit of this institution, and of their sureties, together with the sums lent, the dates, and other necessary and proper records respecting the business and concerns of this institution: and as these loans are intended to assist young married artificers in setting up their business, they are to be proportioned by the discretion of the managers, so as not to exceed sixty pounds sterling to one person, nor to be less than fifteen pounds. And if the number of appliers so entitled should be so large as that the sum will not suffice to afford to each as much as might otherwise not be improper, the proportion to each shall be diminished, so as to afford every one some assistance. These aids may, therefore, be small at first; but as the capital increases by the accumulated interest, they will be more ample. And in order to serve as many as possible in their turn, as well as to make the repayment of the principal borrowed more easy, each borrower shall be obliged to pay, with the yearly interest, one tenth part of the principal; which sums of principal and interest so paid in shall be again let out to fresh borrowers. And as it is presumed that there will always be found in Boston virtuous and benevolent citizens willing to bestow a part of their time in doing good to the rising generation, by superintending and managing this institution gratis, it is hoped that no part of the money will at any time be dead or diverted to other purposes, but be continually augmenting by the interest, in which case there may, in time, be more than the occasion in Boston shall require: and then some may be spared to the neighbouring or other towns in the said state of Massachusetts, which may desire to have it, such towns engaging to pay punctually the interest, and the proportions of the principal annually to the inhabitants of the town of Boston. If this plan is executed, and succeeds, as is projected, without interruption for one hundred years, the sum will then be one hundred and thirty-one thousand pounds, of which I would have the managers of the donation to the town of Boston then lay out, at their discretion, one hundred thousand pounds in public works, which may be judged of most general utility to the inhabitants, such as fortifications, bridges, aqueducts, public buildings, baths, pavements, or whatever may make living in the town more convenient to its people, and render it more agreeable to strangers resorting thither for health or a temporary residence. The remaining thirty-one thousand pounds I would have continued to be let out on interest, in the manner above directed, for another hundred years; as I hope it will have been found that the institution has had a good effect on the conduct of youth, and been of service to many worthy characters and useful citizens. At the end of this second term, if no unfortunate accident has prevented the operation, the sum will be four millions and sixty-one thousand pounds sterling, of which I leave one million and sixty-one thousand pounds to the disposition and management of the inhabitants of the town of Boston, and three millions to the disposition of the government of the state, not presuming to carry my views farther.

我生在新英格兰的波士顿，最初的文字教育得自那里设立的免费文法学校。因此，我已在遗嘱中照顾到了那些学校。但我也受过马萨诸塞州的恩惠：他们在我并未请求的情况下，曾任命我为他们驻英国的代理人，并付给我优厚的薪俸，持续了好几年；虽然我在为他们效力时，因转交哈钦森总督的信件而意外蒙受的损失，远远超过他们给我的报酬，但我认为这丝毫不应减少我的感激。我考虑到，在手艺人当中，好学徒最有可能成为好公民；而我自己就是在故乡学会一门手艺——印刷——的，后来又靠费城两位朋友慷慨借款，才在那里开起了自己的营生，那是我全部财富的基础，也是人们可能归功于我的一切用处的基础。所以，我希望在我死后，如果可能，仍能有所用处：在这两座城市里培养和扶持别的年轻人，让他们可以为国家效力。为此，我拿出两千英镑：一千镑给马萨诸塞州波士顿镇的居民，另一千镑给费城的居民，作为信托，用于下文所载明的用途、意图和目的。上述一千英镑，如果波士顿镇的居民接受，应由镇行政委员会会同该镇最古老的圣公会、公理会和长老会教堂的牧师共同管理。他们要把这笔钱按年息百分之五借给这样一些已婚的年轻手艺人：年龄在二十五岁以下，在本镇当满了学徒，忠实履行了契约规定的义务，因而能从至少两位体面的公民那里得到品行良好的证明，而且这两位公民愿意与申请人一起签署保证书，作为他们的担保人，担保按下文规定的条件连本带息偿还借款；所有保证书都以西班牙银元或等值的通用金币计价。管理者要备一本或几本装订好的账簿，记下申请并得到这项机构资助的人的姓名、他们的担保人、借出的金额、日期，以及与这项机构的业务和事务有关的其他必要而恰当的记录。由于这些借款是为了帮助已婚的年轻手艺人开创自己的营生，借款数额应由管理者斟酌分配，每人最多不超过六十英镑，最少不低于十五英镑。如果符合条件的申请人太多，这笔钱不够让每人得到原本恰当的数额，那么每人的份额就应当减少，好让每个人都得到一些帮助。所以，这些资助起初也许很少；但随着资本靠累积的利息增长，它们会越来越充裕。为了让尽可能多的人轮流受益，也为了让借款人更容易偿还本金，每个借款人每年在付利息的同时，还须偿还本金的十分之一；这样还回来的本金和利息，应当再借给新的借款人。可以设想，波士顿总会有品德高尚、心地仁厚的公民，愿意拿出一部分时间，不取报酬地监督和管理这项机构，为成长中的一代做些好事；因此可以希望，这笔钱在任何时候都不会闲置，也不会被挪作他用，而是靠利息不断增长。这样一来，到了一定时候，钱可能会多到超出波士顿的需要；那时可以分出一部分，给马萨诸塞州的邻近城镇或其他想要的城镇，只要这些城镇保证每年按时向波士顿镇居民交付利息和应还的本金。如果这个计划得到执行，并且像设想的那样不间断地成功运行一百年，那时这笔钱将达到十三万一千英镑。我希望波士顿这笔捐赠的管理者届时斟酌拿出其中十万英镑，兴办对居民最普遍有用的公共工程，比如防御工事、桥梁、引水渠、公共建筑、浴场、道路铺砌，或者任何能让本镇居民生活更方便、让来此疗养或暂住的外乡人更觉愉快的设施。剩下的三万一千英镑，我希望继续按上面规定的方式借贷生息，再经营一百年；因为我希望到那时人们会发现，这项机构对青年的品行有良好的影响，帮助过许多有价值的人和有用的公民。到第二个一百年期满时，如果没有什么不幸的意外阻断它的运行，这笔钱将达到四百零六万一千英镑。其中一百零六万一千英镑，我留给波士顿镇的居民支配和管理；三百万英镑交给州政府支配。我不敢把自己的眼光放得更远了。

All the directions herein given respecting the disposition and management of the donation to the inhabitants of Boston, I would have observed respecting that to the inhabitants of Philadelphia; only, as Philadelphia is incorporated, I request the corporation of that city to undertake the management agreeably to the said directions, and I do hereby vest them with full and ample powers for that purpose. And having considered that the covering its ground-plat with buildings and pavements, which carry off most of the rain, and prevent its soaking into the earth, and renewing and purifying the springs, whence the water of the wells must gradually grow worse, and, in time, be unfit for use, as I find has happened in all old cities, I recommend that, at the end of the first hundred years, if not done before, the corporation of the city employ a part of the hundred thousand pounds in bringing by pipes the water of Wissahiccon Creek into the town, so as to supply the inhabitants, which I apprehend may be done without great difficulty, the level of that creek being much above that of the city, and may be made higher by a dam.

以上就波士顿居民所得捐赠的支配与管理所作的一切指示，我希望对费城居民所得的那一份也同样遵行；只是，由于费城是一个法人城市，我请求该市市政当局按上述指示承担管理之责，并特此授予他们充分的权力。我还考虑到：城市的地面被房屋和铺砌的路面覆盖，大部分雨水被它们排走，无法渗入地下、更新和净化泉源，井水因此必然会渐渐变坏，终有一天不能饮用——我发现所有古老的城市都已经是这样了。因此我建议，在第一个一百年期满时，如果在那之前还没有做的话，市政当局应动用那十万英镑中的一部分，用管道把威萨希肯溪的水引进城里，供居民使用。我想这不会太难，因为那条溪的水位比城市高出许多，还可以修一道水坝把它抬得更高。

…

……

Considering the accidents to which all human affairs and projects are subject in such a length of time, I have, perhaps, too much flattered myself with a vain fancy that these dispositions, if carried into execution, will be continued without interruption, and have the effects proposed; I hope, however, that if the inhabitants of the two cities should not think fit to undertake the execution, they will at least accept the offer of these donations as a mark of my good-will, a token of my gratitude, and a testimony of my earnest desire to be useful to them even after my departure. I wish, indeed, that they may both undertake to endeavour the execution of the project, because I think that, though unforeseen difficulties may arise, expedients will be found to remove them, and the scheme be found practicable.

考虑到人间一切事务和计划在这样长的时间里都会遭遇种种意外，我也许太过自负，沉溺于一种虚妄的幻想，以为这些安排一旦付诸实施，就会不间断地延续下去，并收到预期的效果。不过我希望，即使两座城市的居民认为不宜着手执行，他们至少也能接受这些捐赠，把它当作我善意的标志、我感激的信物，以及我真诚希望在离去之后仍对他们有所用处的证明。我确实希望他们双方都着手努力执行这个计划，因为我相信，虽然可能会出现意想不到的困难，但总会找到排除困难的办法，这个方案终将被证明是可行的。