Why does Franklin use satire and sarcasm in this excerpt?

To understand why Benjamin Franklin uses satire and sarcasm in an excerpt, it’s important to know the context of the piece you’re referring to. Franklin was known for using satire and sarcasm in his writings to criticize and expose societal issues, folly, or vice in a way that was clever and engaging to his readers.

Satire is a literary technique that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Sarcasm, a form of verbal irony, involves saying something but meaning the opposite, usually in a sharp or cutting manner.

Franklin would use these devices to:

1. Draw attention to particular problems or absurdities in society, often those that were widely recognized but overlooked or tolerated. 2. Persuade his readers to consider his point of view about a subject, often by making the opposing view seem ridiculous or unworthy through comparison. 3. Entertain his audience while simultaneously provoking them to think more deeply about the issues he raised. 4. Offer social criticism in a way that could be received without direct offense, as the humor softens the critique somewhat and allows for reflection.

The use of satire and sarcasm in Franklin's writings allowed him to make serious points about society in a way that was palatable to a broad audience. This is likely to be the case in the excerpt you're referring to—Franklin was drawing attention to some folly or misguided practice in a humorous way.