Tuesday, May 09, 2006

"Be Short"

I was reading a brief biography of Cotton Mather, a Early American Puritan- born 1663
The following piece interested me and maybe you as well?

"No person in America read or possessed so many books or retained so much of what he read.
So precious was time to him that "Be short" was inscribed over his study door to prevent visits of unnecessary length. His publications amounted to 382. His "Essays to do Good" is a most excellent publication, to which Dr. Benjamin Franklin ascribes all his own later usefulness."

I can just imagine visiting his study and the intimidation that little sign would cause.
Also, not a bad recommendation to have Franklin ascribe his usefulness to you, wouldn't you say?

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