Benjamin Franklin used his experiences in life to write under his own name, and many different pseudonyms with many diverse writing styles. His characters had different personalities. Richard Saunders, for example, was known for his witty aphorisms and lively writing, while Silence Dogood was a middle-aged widow who looked at the world with a humorous and satiric eye. Ben's life and works were influenced by his family, the printing business, and his friends (who encouraged Ben to continue writing.) Ben vowed to himself to speak ill of no man and to only speak the good of everybody. This showed in his works. His autobiography listed his thirteen virtues, which he practiced methodically. He wrote these virtues in a book and practiced one
