Rules by Which a Great Empire May be Reduced to a Small one 

Essay Comparison

From the essays compared, one can understand the issues of the 17th century in the new world as well as the language used at the time. Franklin, in all of the essays, teaches the audience either the “good morals” of his mind or satirically belittles the current form of government, a word used frequently in his writings. In “Rules by Which a Great Empire May be Reduced to a Small One,” he elaborates on the current situation in the colonies and how the rules established by the mother country of Britain was a direct reflection the rules established by the “Great Empire.” At the time Britain was the largest empire in the world and Mr. Franklin in his writing warned the empire by their reflection and basically stated from his title you “May be reduced to a small one.” The things that can be taken away from this story is the importance of knowing history as well as the observation of Franklin’s writing style by the way he addresses problems from the perspective of reform. “A Plan for Improving the Condition of the Free Blacks,” and “Fart Proudly” both are examples of reform plans or warnings on the paths people, governments, or associations were traveling. Mr. Franklin did not know everything, but from his writings there is always something to learn about humanity, society, and the way to address the topic of government. After reviewing some of the more advanced words used in Franklin’s writings, the etymology averages the language origin around the 15th or 16th century. Written in the 18th century, Franklin’s vocabulary and his targeted audience would understand the sentiment being said in his literary pieces. Although Franklin’s “The Whistle,” did not target the British government, its focus was on the reader and more importantly the settlers of the “New World.” The “Whistle” was meant to represent something that was paid too dearly for and not worth the price. Franklin was warning the people to pay not too dearly for the object, but instead keep liberty, virtue, comfortability, and doing good. Ranging from the format of letters to congressional styled documents, Franklin wrote about  governmental reform as well as ideals to live by. Hoping to spark a change, Franklin’s writings, thoughts, and ideas shaped the nation we call America to the honorable mold of a strong and people-centered government, protecting the rights and lives of its inhabitants.