Name/Title
(FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN). AMES, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or Almanack, for the Year of Our Lord Christ 1771Description
(FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN). AMES, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or Almanack, for the Year of Our Lord Christ 1771 ... Boston: Printed [by William M'Alpine] and Sold by the Printers and Booksellers, [1770]. 1st ed. 24pp.
The first appearance of Franklin's epitaph appears on p. [4]. Franklin had written it in 1728. At least three copies of the epitaph are known to exist in Franklin's hand. each in slightly different forms. Franklin composed his epitaph when he was 22 years old in1728. Ames provides this humorless introduction: "Mr. Franklin's Epitaph on himself curious for conveying such solemn ideas in the Stile of his Occupation":
"The Body of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Printer, Like the Covering of an Old Book Its contents torn out And stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms: But the Work shall not be lost, It will (as he believ'd) appear once more In a new and more beautiful Edition Corrected and amended By the Author He was born January 6th 1706 and died - - -17."
Twenty years later when death finally came at age 84. Franklin opted for "Franklin, Deborah and Benjamin, 1790." The Ames almanacs "had no real rivals in New England for half a century and in the opinion of one eminent authority were "in most respects better than Franklin's more famous Poor Richard almanacs'...They are said to have had a circulation of 60,000 copies annually by 1764, when the elder Ames died... In these circumstances it is not surprising that Franklin's Epitaph became familiar. The surprising thing is that it was not reprinted more frequently than, apparently, it was ... The Ames text, apart from the corrupt form 'Covering' for 'Cover' in the third line, probably derives from the holograph version owned by Jane (Franklin) Mecom." Franklin's favorite sibling who lived in Boston.
"The Ameses, father and son, were admirers of Franklin (as a number of allusions in their almanacs show) and they had probably met the great man when he stopped in Dedham on his inspection tour of New England post offices in the fall of 1763. Nothing could have been more natural than for Mrs. Mecom to have supplied, at the almanac-maker's request a copy of her brother's Epitaph" -L.H. Butterfield, "B. Franklin's Epitaph," New Colophon 50:23.Other Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
ReferencesOther Number
Drake 3197. Evans 11548.Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodDate Examined
Feb 12, 2026Notes
Orig. self-wrappers, housed in custom brown morocco box, double gilt-ruled, raised spine bands, compartments gilt. Very good. $2,500.00