The Endless Missing
本傑明·富蘭克林致赫伯德小姐
Benjamin Franklin to Miss E.Hubbard
本傑明·富蘭克林（1706—1790），美國著名的政治家、社會活動家、科學家、發明家。作為政治家，在美國和世界曆史上，他與許多重要事件有關。他在北美獨立戰爭中起了重大作用，是美國的創建人之一，參與起草了《獨立宣言》和美國憲法。
本篇是富蘭克林在弟弟約翰逝世之後，寫給約翰第二任妻子與前夫所生的女兒赫伯德小姐的信。
I condole with you. We have lost a most dear and valuable relation. But it is the will of God and nature，that these mortal bodies be laid aside，when the soul is to enter real life. This is rather an embryo state，a preparation for living.
A man is not completely born until he is dead. Why then should we grieve，that a new child is born among the immortals，a new member added to their happy society？ We are spirits. That bodies should be lent to us，while they can afford us pleasure，assist us in acquiring knowledge，or in doing good to our fellow creatures，is a kind and benevolent act of God. When they become unfit for these purposes，and afford us pain instead of pleasure，instead of an aid become an encumbrance，and answer none of the intentions for which they were given，it is equally kind and benevolent，that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. We ourselves，in some cases，prudently choose a partial death. A mangled painful limb，which cannot be restored，we willingly cut off. He who plucks out a tooth，parts with it freely，since the pain goes with it； and he，who quits the whole body，parts at once with all pains and possibilities of pains and diseases which it was liable to，or capable of making him suffer.
Our friend and we were invited abroad on a party of pleasure，which is to last for ever. His chair was ready first，and he has gone before us. We could not all conveniently start together； and why should you and I be grieved at this，since we are soon to follow，and know where to find him？