Dear Ben Franklin, I have read your writings just like every one of your posterities and have found them very useful in my journey to becoming a better man. You are a wise man and because I found your auto-biography so useful I write a letter to you today to thank you for your guidance. I too have tried to accomplish the arduous project of arriving at moral perfection and failed. But I went forth blind, without a plan or any guidance whatsoever. With the help of your auto biography, I have noticed how foolish my thought process was. Without a plan or some kind of organization my failure was inevitable. At present I shall only speak of my journey, of lessons learned through the experience, and of the impact of your latest work on me as a reader. When I began working on moral perfection I was convinced that my mind was the only tool needed in achieving my goal. I myself did not find it easy to live a virtuous life without enough strength to enable me to resist common temptations. I did not hold enough self-control to break away from my old habits like drinking too much, speaking my mind, wasting, eating excessively, etc., etc. Day by day I realized more and more how difficult the task was. After a week I was at a standstill, not advancing nor weakening. Who would have envisioned the degree of arduousness of this assignment? I had no discipline, after the second week I abandoned my mission. I could not believe that a man like me could fail such a task. It was embarrassing especially after claiming that moral perfection was not difficult and those who arrive at such a destination should not be congratulated or even recognized. Perhaps if I had come across your story a bit earlier my name would still be untarnished. It takes a strong man to admit his defeat and I must say you are one strong man.
Mr. Franklin through this experience I have learned to plan before starting anything. Organization is key in carrying out a plan. My journey to moral perfection may have been a little more manageable. Looking into different writers and comparing and using their ideas again could have facilitated the process. Planning out my day was a great weakness of mine and without it I was lost. Your idea of record keeping would have helped me see the areas in which I needed strength in.