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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 148 ***
+THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
+
+The Harvard Classics
+
+WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES
+
+EDITED BY
+
+CHARLES W ELIOT LLD
+
+P F COLLIER & SON COMPANY
+NEW YORK
+1909
+
+
+
+
+Navigation
+
+    Letter from Mr. Abel James.
+    Publishes the first number of "Poor Richard's Almanac.
+    Proposes a Plan of Union for the colonies
+    Chief events in Franklin's life.
+
+INTRODUCTORY NOTE
+
+Benjamin Franklin was born in Milk Street, Boston, on January 6, 1706.
+His father, Josiah Franklin, was a tallow chandler who married twice,
+and of his seventeen children Benjamin was the youngest son. His
+schooling ended at ten, and at twelve he was bound apprentice to his
+brother James, a printer, who published the "New England Courant." To
+this journal he became a contributor, and later was for a time its
+nominal editor. But the brothers quarreled, and Benjamin ran away, going
+first to New York, and thence to Philadelphia, where he arrived in
+October, 1723. He soon obtained work as a printer, but after a few
+months he was induced by Governor Keith to go to London, where, finding
+Keith's promises empty, he again worked as a compositor till he was
+brought back to Philadelphia by a merchant named Denman, who gave him a
+position in his business. On Denman's death he returned to his former
+trade, and shortly set up a printing house of his own from which he
+published "The Pennsylvania Gazette," to which he contributed many
+essays, and which he made a medium for agitating a variety of local
+reforms. In 1732 he began to issue his famous "Poor Richard's Almanac"
+for the enrichment of which he borrowed or composed those pithy
+utterances of worldly wisdom which are the basis of a large part of his
+popular reputation. In 1758, the year in which he ceased writing for the
+Almanac, he printed in it "Father Abraham's Sermon," now regarded as the
+most famous piece of literature produced in Colonial America.
+
+Meantime Franklin was concerning himself more and more with public
+affairs. He set forth a scheme for an Academy, which was taken up later
+and finally developed into the University of Pennsylvania; and he
+founded an "American Philosophical Society" for the purpose of enabling
+scientific men to communicate their discoveries to one another. He
+himself had already begun his electrical researches, which, with other
+scientific inquiries, he carried on in the intervals of money-making and
+politics to the end of his life. In 1748 he sold his business in order
+to get leisure for study, having now acquired comparative wealth; and in
+a few years he had made discoveries that gave him a reputation with the
+learned throughout Europe. In politics he proved very able both as an
+administrator and as a controversialist; but his record as an
+office-holder is stained by the use he made of his position to advance
+his relatives. His most notable service in home politics was his reform
+of the postal system; but his fame as a statesman rests chiefly on his
+services in connection with the relations of the Colonies with Great
+Britain, and later with France. In 1757 he was sent to England to
+protest against the influence of the Penns in the government of the
+colony, and for five years he remained there, striving to enlighten the
+people and the ministry of England as to Colonial conditions. On his
+return to America he played an honorable part in the Paxton affair,
+through which he lost his seat in the Assembly; but in 1764 he was again
+despatched to England as agent for the colony, this time to petition the
+King to resume the government from the hands of the proprietors. In
+London he actively opposed the proposed Stamp Act, but lost the credit
+for this and much of his popularity through his securing for a friend
+the office of stamp agent in America. Even his effective work in helping
+to obtain the repeal of the act left him still a suspect; but he
+continued his efforts to present the case for the Colonies as the
+troubles thickened toward the crisis of the Revolution. In 1767 he
+crossed to France, where he was received with honor; but before his
+return home in 1775 he lost his position as postmaster through his share
+in divulging to Massachusetts the famous letter of Hutchinson and
+Oliver. On his arrival in Philadelphia he was chosen a member of the
+Continental Congress, and in 1777 he was despatched to France as
+commissioner for the United States. Here he remained till 1785, the
+favorite of French society; and with such success did he conduct the
+affairs of his country that when he finally returned he received a place
+only second to that of Washington as the champion of American
+independence. He died on April 17, 1790.
+
+The first five chapters of the Autobiography were composed in England in
+1771, continued in 1784-5, and again in 1788, at which date he brought
+it down to 1757. After a most extraordinary series of adventures, the
+original form of the manuscript was finally printed by Mr. John Bigelow,
+and is here reproduced in recognition of its value as a picture of one
+of the most notable personalities of Colonial times, and of its
+acknowledged rank as one of the great autobiographies of the world.
+
+
+
+
+BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
+
+HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY
+
+1706-1757
+
+Twyford, at the Bishop of St. Asaph's, [1] 1771.
+
+Dear Son: I have ever had pleasure in obtaining any little anecdotes of
+my ancestors. You may remember the inquiries I made among the remains of
+my relations when you were with me in England, and the journey I
+undertook for that purpose. Imagining it may be equally agreeable to [2]
+you to know the circumstances of my life, many of which you are yet
+unacquainted with, and expecting the enjoyment of a week's uninterrupted
+leisure in my present country retirement, I sit down to write them for
+you. To which I have besides some other inducements. Having emerged from
+the poverty and obscurity in which I was born and bred, to a state of
+affluence and some degree of reputation in the world, and having gone so
+far through life with a considerable share of felicity, the conducing
+means I made use of, which with the blessing of God so well succeeded,
+my posterity may like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to
+their own situations, and therefore fit to be imitated.
+
+[1] The country-seat of Bishop Shipley, the good bishop, as Dr. Franklin
+used to style him.--B.
+
+[2] After the words "agreeable to" the words "some of" were interlined
+and afterward effaced.--B.
+
+That felicity, when I reflected on it, has induced me sometimes to say,
+that were it offered to my choice, I should have no objection to a
+repetition of the same life from its beginning, only asking the
+advantages authors have in a second edition to correct some faults of
+the first. So I might, besides correcting the faults, change some
+sinister accidents and events of it for others more favorable. But
+though this were denied, I should still accept the offer. Since such a
+repetition is not to be expected, the next thing most like living one's
+life over again seems to be a recollection of that life, and to make
+that recollection as durable as possible by putting it down in writing.
+
+Hereby, too, I shall indulge the inclination so natural in old men, to
+be talking of themselves and their own past actions; and I shall indulge
+it without being tiresome to others, who, through respect to age, might
+conceive themselves obliged to give me a hearing, since this may be read
+or not as any one pleases. And, lastly (I may as well confess it, since
+my denial of it will be believed by nobody), perhaps I shall a good deal
+gratify my own vanity. Indeed, I scarce ever heard or saw the
+introductory words, "Without vanity I may say," &c., but some vain thing
+immediately followed. Most people dislike vanity in others, whatever
+share they have of it themselves; but I give it fair quarter wherever I
+meet with it, being persuaded that it is often productive of good to the
+possessor, and to others that are within his sphere of action; and
+therefore, in many cases, it would not be altogether absurd if a man
+were to thank God for his vanity among the other comforts of life.
+
+And now I speak of thanking God, I desire with all humility to
+acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to His
+kind providence, which lead me to the means I used and gave them
+success. My belief of this induces me to hope, though I must not
+presume, that the same goodness will still be exercised toward me, in
+continuing that happiness, or enabling me to bear a fatal reverse, which
+I may experience as others have done: the complexion of my future
+fortune being known to Him only in whose power it is to bless to us even
+our afflictions.
+
+The notes one of my uncles (who had the same kind of curiosity in
+collecting family anecdotes) once put into my hands, furnished me with
+several particulars relating to our ancestors. From these notes I
+learned that the family had lived in the same village, Ecton, in
+Northamptonshire, for three hundred years, and how much longer he knew
+not (perhaps from the time when the name of Franklin, that before was
+the name of an order of people, was assumed by them as a surname when
+others took surnames all over the kingdom), on a freehold of about
+thirty acres, aided by the smith's business, which had continued in the
+family till his time, the eldest son being always bred to that business;
+a custom which he and my father followed as to their eldest sons. When I
+searched the registers at Ecton, I found an account of their births,
+marriages and burials from the year 1555 only, there being no registers
+kept in that parish at any time preceding. By that register I perceived
+that I was the youngest son of the youngest son for five generations
+back. My grandfather Thomas, who was born in 1598, lived at Ecton till
+he grew too old to follow business longer, when he went to live with his
+son John, a dyer at Banbury, in Oxfordshire, with whom my father served
+an apprenticeship. There my grandfather died and lies buried. We saw his
+gravestone in 1758. His eldest son Thomas lived in the house at Ecton,
+and left it with the land to his only child, a daughter, who, with her
+husband, one Fisher, of Wellingborough, sold it to Mr. Isted, now lord
+of the manor there. My grandfather had four sons that grew up, viz.:
+Thomas, John, Benjamin and Josiah. I will give you what account I can of
+them, at this distance from my papers, and if these are not lost in my
+absence, you will among them find many more particulars.
+
+Thomas was bred a smith under his father; but, being ingenious, and
+encouraged in learning (as all my brothers were) by an Esquire Palmer,
+then the principal gentleman in that parish, he qualified himself for
+the business of scrivener; became a considerable man in the county; was
+a chief mover of all public-spirited undertakings for the county or town
+of Northampton, and his own village, of which many instances were
+related of him; and much taken notice of and patronized by the then Lord
+Halifax. He died in 1702, January 6, old style, just four years to a day
+before I was born. The account we received of his life and character
+from some old people at Ecton, I remember, struck you as something
+extraordinary, from its similarity to what you knew of mine. "Had he
+died on the same day," you said, "one might have supposed a
+transmigration."
+
+John was bred a dyer, I believe of woolens. Benjamin was bred a silk
+dyer, serving an apprenticeship at London. He was an ingenious man. I
+remember him well, for when I was a boy he came over to my father in
+Boston, and lived in the house with us some years. He lived to a great
+age. His grandson, Samuel Franklin, now lives in Boston. He left behind
+him two quarto volumes, MS., of his own poetry, consisting of little
+occasional pieces addressed to his friends and relations, of which the
+following, sent to me, is a specimen. ¹ He had formed a short-hand of
+his own, which he taught me, but, never practising it, I have now forgot
+it. I was named after this uncle, there being a particular affection
+between him and my father. He was very pious, a great attender of
+sermons of the best preachers, which he took down in his short-hand, and
+had with him many volumes of them. He was also much of a politician; too
+much, perhaps, for his station. There fell lately into my hands, in
+London, a collection he had made of all the principal pamphlets,
+relating to public affairs, from 1641 to 1717; many of the volumes are
+wanting as appears by the numbering, but there still remain eight
+volumes in folio, and twenty-four in quarto and in octavo. A dealer in
+old books met with them, and knowing me by my sometimes buying of him,
+he brought them to me. It seems my uncle must have left them here, when
+he went to America, which was about fifty years since. There are many of
+his notes in the margins.
+
+¹ Here follow in the margin the words, in brackets, "here insert it,"
+but the poetry is not given. Mr. Sparks informs us (Life of Franklin,
+p. 6) that these volumes had been preserved, and were in possession of
+Mrs. Emmons, of Boston, great-grandmother of their author.
+
+This obscure family of ours was early in the Reformation, and continued
+Protestants through the reign of Queen Mary, when they were sometimes in
+danger of trouble on account of their zeal against popery. They had got
+an English Bible, and to conceal and secure it, it was fastened open
+with tapes under and within the cover of a joint-stool. When my
+great-great-grandfather read it to his family, he turned up the
+joint-stool upon his knees, turning over the leaves then under the
+tapes. One of the children stood at the door to give notice if he saw
+the apparitor coming, who was an officer of the spiritual court. In that
+case the stool was turned down again upon its feet, when the Bible
+remained concealed under it as before. This anecdote I had from my uncle
+Benjamin. The family continued all of the Church of England till about
+the end of Charles the Second's reign, when some of the ministers that
+had been outed for nonconformity holding conventicles in
+Northamptonshire, Benjamin and Josiah adhered to them, and so continued
+all their lives: the rest of the family remained with the Episcopal
+Church.
+
+Josiah, my father, married young, and carried his wife with three
+children into New England, about 1682. The conventicles having been
+forbidden by law, and frequently disturbed, induced some considerable
+men of his acquaintance to remove to that country, and he was prevailed
+with to accompany them thither, where they expected to enjoy their mode
+of religion with freedom. By the same wife he had four children more
+born there, and by a second wife ten more, in all seventeen; of which I
+remember thirteen sitting at one time at his table, who all grew up to
+be men and women, and married; I was the youngest son, and the youngest
+child but two, and was born in Boston, New England. My mother, the
+second wife, was Abiah Folger, daughter of Peter Folger, one of the
+first settlers of New England, of whom honorable mention is made by
+Cotton Mather, in his church history of that country, entitled Magnalia
+Christi Americana, as "a godly, learned Englishman," if I remember the
+words rightly. I have heard that he wrote sundry small occasional
+pieces, but only one of them was printed, which I saw now many years
+since. It was written in 1675, in the home-spun verse of that time and
+people, and addressed to those then concerned in the government there.
+It was in favor of liberty of conscience, and in behalf of the Baptists,
+Quakers, and other sectaries that had been under persecution, ascribing
+the Indian wars, and other distresses that had befallen the country, to
+that persecution, as so many judgments of God to punish so heinous an
+offense, and exhorting a repeal of those uncharitable laws. The whole
+appeared to me as written with a good deal of decent plainness and manly
+freedom. The six concluding lines I remember, though I have forgotten
+the two first of the stanza; but the purport of them was, that his
+censures proceeded from good-will, and, therefore, he would be known to
+be the author.
+
+   "Because to be a libeller (says he)
+       I hate it with my heart;
+    From Sherburne town, where now I dwell
+       My name I do put here;
+    Without offense your real friend,
+       It is Peter Folgier."
+
+My elder brothers were all put apprentices to different trades. I was
+put to the grammar-school at eight years of age, my father intending to
+devote me, as the tithe of his sons, to the service of the Church. My
+early readiness in learning to read (which must have been very early, as
+I do not remember when I could not read), and the opinion of all his
+friends, that I should certainly make a good scholar, encouraged him in
+this purpose of his. My uncle Benjamin, too, approved of it, and
+proposed to give me all his short-hand volumes of sermons, I suppose as
+a stock to set up with, if I would learn his character. I continued,
+however, at the grammar-school not quite one year, though in that time I
+had risen gradually from the middle of the class of that year to be the
+head of it, and farther was removed into the next class above it, in
+order to go with that into the third at the end of the year. But my
+father, in the meantime, from a view of the expense of a college
+education, which having so large a family he could not well afford, and
+the mean living many so educated were afterwards able to obtain--reasons
+that he gave to his friends in my hearing--altered his first intention,
+took me from the grammar-school, and sent me to a school for writing and
+arithmetic, kept by a then famous man, Mr. George Brownell, very
+successful in his profession generally, and that by mild, encouraging
+methods. Under him I acquired fair writing pretty soon, but I failed in
+the arithmetic, and made no progress in it. At ten years old I was taken
+home to assist my father in his business, which was that of a
+tallow-chandler and sope-boiler; a business he was not bred to, but had
+assumed on his arrival in New England, and on finding his dying trade
+would not maintain his family, being in little request. Accordingly, I
+was employed in cutting wick for the candles, filling the dipping mold
+and the molds for cast candles, attending the shop, going of errands,
+etc.
+
+I disliked the trade, and had a strong inclination for the sea, but my
+father declared against it; however, living near the water, I was much
+in and about it, learnt early to swim well, and to manage boats; and
+when in a boat or canoe with other boys, I was commonly allowed to
+govern, especially in any case of difficulty; and upon other occasions I
+was generally a leader among the boys, and sometimes led them into
+scrapes, of which I will mention one instance, as it shows an early
+projecting public spirit, tho' not then justly conducted.
+
+There was a salt-marsh that bounded part of the mill-pond, on the edge
+of which, at high water, we used to stand to fish for minnows. By much
+trampling, we had made it a mere quagmire. My proposal was to build a
+wharff there fit for us to stand upon, and I showed my comrades a large
+heap of stones, which were intended for a new house near the marsh, and
+which would very well suit our purpose. Accordingly, in the evening,
+when the workmen were gone, I assembled a number of my play-fellows, and
+working with them diligently like so many emmets, sometimes two or three
+to a stone, we brought them all away and built our little wharff. The
+next morning the workmen were surprised at missing the stones, which
+were found in our wharff. Inquiry was made after the removers; we were
+discovered and complained of; several of us were corrected by our
+fathers; and though I pleaded the usefulness of the work, mine convinced
+me that nothing was useful which was not honest.
+
+I think you may like to know something of his person and character. He
+had an excellent constitution of body, was of middle stature, but well
+set, and very strong; he was ingenious, could draw prettily, was skilled
+a little in music, and had a clear pleasing voice, so that when he
+played psalm tunes on his violin and sung withal, as he sometimes did in
+an evening after the business of the day was over, it was extremely
+agreeable to hear. He had a mechanical genius too, and, on occasion, was
+very handy in the use of other tradesmen's tools; but his great
+excellence lay in a sound understanding and solid judgment in prudential
+matters, both in private and publick affairs. In the latter, indeed, he
+was never employed, the numerous family he had to educate and the
+straitness of his circumstances keeping him close to his trade; but I
+remember well his being frequently visited by leading people, who
+consulted him for his opinion in affairs of the town or of the church he
+belonged to, and showed a good deal of respect for his judgment and
+advice: he was also much consulted by private persons about their
+affairs when any difficulty occurred, and frequently chosen an
+arbitrator between contending parties.
+
+At his table he liked to have, as often as he could, some sensible
+friend or neighbor to converse with, and always took care to start some
+ingenious or useful topic for discourse, which might tend to improve the
+minds of his children. By this means he turned our attention to what was
+good, just, and prudent in the conduct of life; and little or no notice
+was ever taken of what related to the victuals on the table, whether it
+was well or ill dressed, in or out of season, of good or bad flavor,
+preferable or inferior to this or that other thing of the kind, so that
+I was bro't up in such a perfect inattention to those matters as to be
+quite indifferent what kind of food was set before me, and so
+unobservant of it, that to this day if I am asked I can scarce tell a
+few hours after dinner what I dined upon. This has been a convenience to
+me in travelling, where my companions have been sometimes very unhappy
+for want of a suitable gratification of their more delicate, because
+better instructed, tastes and appetites.
+
+My mother had likewise an excellent constitution: she suckled all her
+ten children. I never knew either my father or mother to have any
+sickness but that of which they dy'd, he at 89, and she at 85 years of
+age. They lie buried together at Boston, where I some years since placed
+a marble over their grave, with this inscription:
+
+Josiah Franklin,
+and
+Abiah his wife,
+lie here interred.
+They lived lovingly together in wedlock
+fifty-five years.
+Without an estate, or any gainful employment,
+By constant labor and industry,
+with God's blessing,
+They maintained a large family
+comfortably,
+and brought up thirteen children
+and seven grandchildren
+reputably.
+From this instance, reader,
+Be encouraged to diligence in thy calling,
+And distrust not Providence.
+He was a pious and prudent man;
+She, a discreet and virtuous woman.
+Their youngest son,
+In filial regard to their memory,
+Places this stone.
+J.F. born 1655, died 1744, Ætat 89.
+A.F. born 1667, died 1752, ------85.
+
+By my rambling digressions I perceive myself to be grown old. I us'd to
+write more methodically. But one does not dress for private company as
+for a publick ball. 'Tis perhaps only negligence.
+
+To return: I continued thus employed in my father's business for two
+years, that is, till I was twelve years old; and my brother John, who
+was bred to that business, having left my father, married, and set up
+for himself at Rhode Island, there was all appearance that I was
+destined to supply his place, and become a tallow-chandler. But my
+dislike to the trade continuing, my father was under apprehensions that
+if he did not find one for me more agreeable, I should break away and
+get to sea, as his son Josiah had done, to his great vexation. He
+therefore sometimes took me to walk with him, and see joiners,
+bricklayers, turners, braziers, etc., at their work, that he might
+observe my inclination, and endeavor to fix it on some trade or other on
+land. It has ever since been a pleasure to me to see good workmen handle
+their tools; and it has been useful to me, having learnt so much by it
+as to be able to do little jobs myself in my house when a workman could
+not readily be got, and to construct little machines for my experiments,
+while the intention of making the experiment was fresh and warm in my
+mind. My father at last fixed upon the cutler's trade, and my uncle
+Benjamin's son Samuel, who was bred to that business in London, being
+about that time established in Boston, I was sent to be with him some
+time on liking. But his expectations of a fee with me displeasing my
+father, I was taken home again.
+
+From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came
+into my hands was ever laid out in books. Pleased with the Pilgrim's
+Progress, my first collection was of John Bunyan's works in separate
+little volumes. I afterward sold them to enable me to buy R. Burton's
+Historical Collections; they were small chapmen's books, and cheap, 40
+or 50 in all. My father's little library consisted chiefly of books in
+polemic divinity, most of which I read, and have since often regretted
+that, at a time when I had such a thirst for knowledge, more proper
+books had not fallen in my way since it was now resolved I should not be
+a clergyman. Plutarch's Lives there was in which I read abundantly, and
+I still think that time spent to great advantage. There was also a book
+of De Foe's, called an Essay on Projects, and another of Dr. Mather's,
+called Essays to do Good, which perhaps gave me a turn of thinking that
+had an influence on some of the principal future events of my life.
+
+This bookish inclination at length determined my father to make me a
+printer, though he had already one son (James) of that profession. In
+1717 my brother James returned from England with a press and letters to
+set up his business in Boston. I liked it much better than that of my
+father, but still had a hankering for the sea. To prevent the
+apprehended effect of such an inclination, my father was impatient to
+have me bound to my brother. I stood out some time, but at last was
+persuaded, and signed the indentures when I was yet but twelve years
+old. I was to serve as an apprentice till I was twenty-one years of age,
+only I was to be allowed journeyman's wages during the last year. In a
+little time I made great proficiency in the business, and became a
+useful hand to my brother. I now had access to better books. An
+acquaintance with the apprentices of booksellers enabled me sometimes to
+borrow a small one, which I was careful to return soon and clean. Often
+I sat up in my room reading the greatest part of the night, when the
+book was borrowed in the evening and to be returned early in the
+morning, lest it should be missed or wanted.
+
+And after some time an ingenious tradesman, Mr. Matthew Adams, who had a
+pretty collection of books, and who frequented our printing-house, took
+notice of me, invited me to his library, and very kindly lent me such
+books as I chose to read. I now took a fancy to poetry, and made some
+little pieces; my brother, thinking it might turn to account, encouraged
+me, and put me on composing occasional ballads. One was called The
+Lighthouse Tragedy, and contained an account of the drowning of Captain
+Worthilake, with his two daughters: the other was a sailor's song, on
+the taking of Teach (or Blackbeard) the pirate. They were wretched
+stuff, in the Grub-street-ballad style; and when they were printed he
+sent me about the town to sell them. The first sold wonderfully, the
+event being recent, having made a great noise. This flattered my vanity;
+but my father discouraged me by ridiculing my performances, and telling
+me verse-makers were generally beggars. So I escaped being a poet, most
+probably a very bad one; but as prose writing had been of great use to
+me in the course of my life, and was a principal means of my
+advancement, I shall tell you how, in such a situation, I acquired what
+little ability I have in that way.
+
+There was another bookish lad in the town, John Collins by name, with
+whom I was intimately acquainted. We sometimes disputed, and very fond
+we were of argument, and very desirous of confuting one another, which
+disputatious turn, by the way, is apt to become a very bad habit, making
+people often extremely disagreeable in company by the contradiction that
+is necessary to bring it into practice; and thence, besides souring and
+spoiling the conversation, is productive of disgusts and, perhaps
+enmities where you may have occasion for friendship. I had caught it by
+reading my father's books of dispute about religion. Persons of good
+sense, I have since observed, seldom fall into it, except lawyers,
+university men, and men of all sorts that have been bred at Edinborough.
+
+A question was once, somehow or other, started between Collins and me,
+of the propriety of educating the female sex in learning, and their
+abilities for study. He was of opinion that it was improper, and that
+they were naturally unequal to it. I took the contrary side, perhaps a
+little for dispute's sake. He was naturally more eloquent, had a ready
+plenty of words; and sometimes, as I thought, bore me down more by his
+fluency than by the strength of his reasons. As we parted without
+settling the point, and were not to see one another again for some time,
+I sat down to put my arguments in writing, which I copied fair and sent
+to him. He answered, and I replied. Three or four letters of a side had
+passed, when my father happened to find my papers and read them. Without
+entering into the discussion, he took occasion to talk to me about the
+manner of my writing; observed that, though I had the advantage of my
+antagonist in correct spelling and pointing (which I ow'd to the
+printing-house), I fell far short in elegance of expression, in method
+and in perspicuity, of which he convinced me by several instances. I saw
+the justice of his remark, and thence grew more attentive to the manner
+in writing, and determined to endeavor at improvement.
+
+About this time I met with an odd volume of the Spectator. It was the
+third. I had never before seen any of them. I bought it, read it over
+and over, and was much delighted with it. I thought the writing
+excellent, and wished, if possible, to imitate it. With this view I took
+some of the papers, and, making short hints of the sentiment in each
+sentence, laid them by a few days, and then, without looking at the
+book, try'd to compleat the papers again, by expressing each hinted
+sentiment at length, and as fully as it had been expressed before, in
+any suitable words that should come to hand. Then I compared my
+Spectator with the original, discovered some of my faults, and corrected
+them. But I found I wanted a stock of words, or a readiness in
+recollecting and using them, which I thought I should have acquired
+before that time if I had gone on making verses; since the continual
+occasion for words of the same import, but of different length, to suit
+the measure, or of different sound for the rhyme, would have laid me
+under a constant necessity of searching for variety, and also have
+tended to fix that variety in my mind, and make me master of it.
+Therefore I took some of the tales and turned them into verse; and,
+after a time, when I had pretty well forgotten the prose, turned them
+back again. I also sometimes jumbled my collections of hints into
+confusion, and after some weeks endeavored to reduce them into the best
+order, before I began to form the full sentences and compleat the paper.
+This was to teach me method in the arrangement of thoughts. By comparing
+my work afterwards with the original, I discovered many faults and
+amended them; but I sometimes had the pleasure of fancying that, in
+certain particulars of small import, I had been lucky enough to improve
+the method or the language, and this encouraged me to think I might
+possibly in time come to be a tolerable English writer, of which I was
+extremely ambitious. My time for these exercises and for reading was at
+night, after work or before it began in the morning, or on Sundays, when
+I contrived to be in the printing-house alone, evading as much as I
+could the common attendance on public worship which my father used to
+exact on me when I was under his care, and which indeed I still thought
+a duty, though I could not, as it seemed to me, afford time to practise
+it.
+
+When about 16 years of age I happened to meet with a book, written by
+one Tryon, recommending a vegetable diet. I determined to go into it. My
+brother, being yet unmarried, did not keep house, but boarded himself
+and his apprentices in another family. My refusing to eat flesh
+occasioned an inconveniency, and I was frequently chid for my
+singularity. I made myself acquainted with Tryon's manner of preparing
+some of his dishes, such as boiling potatoes or rice, making hasty
+pudding, and a few others, and then proposed to my brother, that if he
+would give me, weekly, half the money he paid for my board, I would
+board myself. He instantly agreed to it, and I presently found that I
+could save half what he paid me. This was an additional fund for buying
+books. But I had another advantage in it. My brother and the rest going
+from the printing-house to their meals, I remained there alone, and,
+despatching presently my light repast, which often was no more than a
+bisket or a slice of bread, a handful of raisins or a tart from the
+pastry-cook's, and a glass of water, had the rest of the time till their
+return for study, in which I made the greater progress, from that
+greater clearness of head and quicker apprehension which usually attend
+temperance in eating and drinking.
+
+And now it was that, being on some occasion made asham'd of my ignorance
+in figures, which I had twice failed in learning when at school, I took
+Cocker's book of Arithmetick, and went through the whole by myself with
+great ease. I also read Seller's and Shermy's books of Navigation, and
+became acquainted with the little geometry they contain; but never
+proceeded far in that science. And I read about this time Locke On Human
+Understanding, and the Art of Thinking, by Messrs. du Port Royal.
+
+While I was intent on improving my language, I met with an English
+grammar (I think it was Greenwood's), at the end of which there were two
+little sketches of the arts of rhetoric and logic, the latter finishing
+with a specimen of a dispute in the Socratic method; and soon after I
+procur'd Xenophon's Memorable Things of Socrates, wherein there are many
+instances of the same method. I was charm'd with it, adopted it, dropt
+my abrupt contradiction and positive argumentation, and put on the
+humble inquirer and doubter. And being then, from reading Shaftesbury
+and Collins, become a real doubter in many points of our religious
+doctrine, I found this method safest for myself and very embarrassing to
+those against whom I used it; therefore I took a delight in it,
+practis'd it continually, and grew very artful and expert in drawing
+people, even of superior knowledge, into concessions, the consequences
+of which they did not foresee, entangling them in difficulties out of
+which they could not extricate themselves, and so obtaining victories
+that neither myself nor my cause always deserved. I continu'd this
+method some few years, but gradually left it, retaining only the habit
+of expressing myself in terms of modest diffidence; never using, when I
+advanced any thing that may possibly be disputed, the words certainly,
+undoubtedly, or any others that give the air of positiveness to an
+opinion; but rather say, I conceive or apprehend a thing to be so and
+so; it appears to me, or I should think it so or so, for such and such
+reasons; or I imagine it to be so; or it is so, if I am not mistaken.
+This habit, I believe, has been of great advantage to me when I have had
+occasion to inculcate my opinions, and persuade men into measures that I
+have been from time to time engag'd in promoting; and, as the chief ends
+of conversation are to inform or to be informed, to please or to
+persuade, I wish well-meaning, sensible men would not lessen their power
+of doing good by a positive, assuming manner, that seldom fails to
+disgust, tends to create opposition, and to defeat every one of those
+purposes for which speech was given to us, to wit, giving or receiving
+information or pleasure. For, if you would inform, a positive and
+dogmatical manner in advancing your sentiments may provoke contradiction
+and prevent a candid attention. If you wish information and improvement
+from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself
+as firmly fix'd in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do
+not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the
+possession of your error. And by such a manner, you can seldom hope to
+recommend yourself in pleasing your hearers, or to persuade those whose
+concurrence you desire. Pope says, judiciously:
+
+   "Men should be taught as if you taught them not,
+    And things unknown propos'd as things forgot;"
+
+farther recommending to us
+
+      "To speak, tho' sure, with seeming diffidence."
+
+And he might have coupled with this line that which he has coupled with
+another, I think, less properly,
+
+      "For want of modesty is want of sense."
+
+If you ask, Why less properly? I must repeat the lines,
+
+      "Immodest words admit of no defense,
+       For want of modesty is want of sense."
+
+Now, is not want of sense (where a man is so unfortunate as to want it)
+some apology for his want of modesty? and would not the lines stand more
+justly thus?
+
+      "Immodest words admit but this defense,
+       That want of modesty is want of sense."
+
+This, however, I should submit to better judgments.
+
+My brother had, in 1720 or 1721, begun to print a newspaper. It was the
+second that appeared in America, and was called the New England Courant.
+The only one before it was the Boston News-Letter. I remember his being
+dissuaded by some of his friends from the undertaking, as not likely to
+succeed, one newspaper being, in their judgment, enough for America. At
+this time (1771) there are not less than five-and-twenty. He went on,
+however, with the undertaking, and after having worked in composing the
+types and printing off the sheets, I was employed to carry the papers
+thro' the streets to the customers.
+
+He had some ingenious men among his friends, who amus'd themselves by
+writing little pieces for this paper, which gain'd it credit and made it
+more in demand, and these gentlemen often visited us. Hearing their
+conversations, and their accounts of the approbation their papers were
+received with, I was excited to try my hand among them; but, being still
+a boy, and suspecting that my brother would object to printing anything
+of mine in his paper if he knew it to be mine, I contrived to disguise
+my hand, and, writing an anonymous paper, I put it in at night under the
+door of the printing-house. It was found in the morning, and
+communicated to his writing friends when they call'd in as usual. They
+read it, commented on it in my hearing, and I had the exquisite pleasure
+of finding it met with their approbation, and that, in their different
+guesses at the author, none were named but men of some character among
+us for learning and ingenuity. I suppose now that I was rather lucky in
+my judges, and that perhaps they were not really so very good ones as I
+then esteem'd them.
+
+Encourag'd, however, by this, I wrote and convey'd in the same way to
+the press several more papers which were equally approv'd; and I kept my
+secret till my small fund of sense for such performances was pretty well
+exhausted and then I discovered it, when I began to be considered a
+little more by my brother's acquaintance, and in a manner that did not
+quite please him, as he thought, probably with reason, that it tended to
+make me too vain. And, perhaps, this might be one occasion of the
+differences that we began to have about this time. Though a brother, he
+considered himself as my master, and me as his apprentice, and
+accordingly, expected the same services from me as he would from
+another, while I thought he demean'd me too much in some he requir'd of
+me, who from a brother expected more indulgence. Our disputes were often
+brought before our father, and I fancy I was either generally in the
+right, or else a better pleader, because the judgment was generally in
+my favor. But my brother was passionate, and had often beaten me, which
+I took extreamly amiss; and, thinking my apprenticeship very tedious, I
+was continually wishing for some opportunity of shortening it, which at
+length offered in a manner unexpected. [3]
+
+[3] I fancy his harsh and tyrannical treatment of me might be a means of
+impressing me with that aversion to arbitrary power that has stuck to me
+through my whole life.
+
+One of the pieces in our newspaper on some political point, which I have
+now forgotten, gave offense to the Assembly. He was taken up, censur'd,
+and imprison'd for a month, by the speaker's warrant, I suppose, because
+he would not discover his author. I too was taken up and examin'd before
+the council; but, tho' I did not give them any satisfaction, they
+content'd themselves with admonishing me, and dismissed me, considering
+me, perhaps, as an apprentice, who was bound to keep his master's
+secrets.
+
+During my brother's confinement, which I resented a good deal,
+notwithstanding our private differences, I had the management of the
+paper; and I made bold to give our rulers some rubs in it, which my
+brother took very kindly, while others began to consider me in an
+unfavorable light, as a young genius that had a turn for libelling and
+satyr. My brother's discharge was accompany'd with an order of the House
+(a very odd one), that "James Franklin should no longer print the paper
+called the New England Courant."
+
+There was a consultation held in our printing-house among his friends,
+what he should do in this case. Some proposed to evade the order by
+changing the name of the paper; but my brother, seeing inconveniences in
+that, it was finally concluded on as a better way, to let it be printed
+for the future under the name of Benjamin Franklin; and to avoid the
+censure of the Assembly, that might fall on him as still printing it by
+his apprentice, the contrivance was that my old indenture should be
+return'd to me, with a full discharge on the back of it, to be shown on
+occasion, but to secure to him the benefit of my service, I was to sign
+new indentures for the remainder of the term, which were to be kept
+private. A very flimsy scheme it was; however, it was immediately
+executed, and the paper went on accordingly, under my name for several
+months.
+
+At length, a fresh difference arising between my brother and me, I took
+upon me to assert my freedom, presuming that he would not venture to
+produce the new indentures. It was not fair in me to take this
+advantage, and this I therefore reckon one of the first errata of my
+life; but the unfairness of it weighed little with me, when under the
+impressions of resentment for the blows his passion too often urged him
+to bestow upon me, though he was otherwise not an ill-natur'd man:
+perhaps I was too saucy and provoking.
+
+When he found I would leave him, he took care to prevent my getting
+employment in any other printing-house of the town, by going round and
+speaking to every master, who accordingly refus'd to give me work. I
+then thought of going to New York, as the nearest place where there was
+a printer; and I was rather inclin'd to leave Boston when I reflected
+that I had already made myself a little obnoxious to the governing
+party, and, from the arbitrary proceedings of the Assembly in my
+brother's case, it was likely I might, if I stay'd, soon bring myself
+into scrapes; and farther, that my indiscrete disputations about
+religion began to make me pointed at with horror by good people as an
+infidel or atheist. I determin'd on the point, but my father now siding
+with my brother, I was sensible that, if I attempted to go openly, means
+would be used to prevent me. My friend Collins, therefore, undertook to
+manage a little for me. He agreed with the captain of a New York sloop
+for my passage, under the notion of my being a young acquaintance of
+his, that had got a naughty girl with child, whose friends would compel
+me to marry her, and therefore I could not appear or come away publicly.
+So I sold some of my books to raise a little money, was taken on board
+privately, and as we had a fair wind, in three days I found myself in
+New York, near 300 miles from home, a boy of but 17, without the least
+recommendation to, or knowledge of any person in the place, and with
+very little money in my pocket.
+
+My inclinations for the sea were by this time worne out, or I might now
+have gratify'd them. But, having a trade, and supposing myself a pretty
+good workman, I offer'd my service to the printer in the place, old Mr.
+William Bradford, who had been the first printer in Pennsylvania, but
+removed from thence upon the quarrel of George Keith. He could give me
+no employment, having little to do, and help enough already; but says
+he, "My son at Philadelphia has lately lost his principal hand, Aquila
+Rose, by death; if you go thither, I believe he may employ you."
+Philadelphia was a hundred miles further; I set out, however, in a boat
+for Amboy, leaving my chest and things to follow me round by sea.
+
+In crossing the bay, we met with a squall that tore our rotten sails to
+pieces, prevented our getting into the Kill, and drove us upon Long
+Island. In our way, a drunken Dutchman, who was a passenger too, fell
+overboard; when he was sinking, I reached through the water to his shock
+pate, and drew him up, so that we got him in again. His ducking sobered
+him a little, and he went to sleep, taking first out of his pocket a
+book, which he desir'd I would dry for him. It proved to be my old
+favorite author, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, in Dutch, finely printed
+on good paper, with copper cuts, a dress better than I had ever seen it
+wear in its own language. I have since found that it has been translated
+into most of the languages of Europe, and suppose it has been more
+generally read than any other book, except perhaps the Bible. Honest
+John was the first that I know of who mix'd narration and dialogue; a
+method of writing very engaging to the reader, who in the most
+interesting parts finds himself, as it were, brought into the company
+and present at the discourse. De Foe in his Cruso, his Moll Flanders,
+Religious Courtship, Family Instructor, and other pieces, has imitated
+it with success; and Richardson has done the same in his Pamela, etc.
+
+When we drew near the island, we found it was at a place where there
+could be no landing, there being a great surff on the stony beach. So we
+dropt anchor, and swung round towards the shore. Some people came down
+to the water edge and hallow'd to us, as we did to them; but the wind
+was so high, and the surff so loud, that we could not hear so as to
+understand each other. There were canoes on the shore, and we made
+signs, and hallow'd that they should fetch us; but they either did not
+understand us, or thought it impracticable, so they went away, and night
+coming on, we had no remedy but to wait till the wind should abate; and,
+in the meantime, the boatman and I concluded to sleep, if we could; and
+so crowded into the scuttle, with the Dutchman, who was still wet, and
+the spray beating over the head of our boat, leak'd thro' to us, so that
+we were soon almost as wet as he. In this manner we lay all night, with
+very little rest; but, the wind abating the next day, we made a shift to
+reach Amboy before night, having been thirty hours on the water, without
+victuals, or any drink but a bottle of filthy rum, and the water we
+sail'd on being salt.
+
+In the evening I found myself very feverish, and went in to bed; but,
+having read somewhere that cold water drank plentifully was good for a
+fever, I follow'd the prescription, sweat plentiful most of the night,
+my fever left me, and in the morning, crossing the ferry, I proceeded on
+my journey on foot, having fifty miles to Burlington, where I was told I
+should find boats that would carry me the rest of the way to
+Philadelphia.
+
+It rained very hard all the day; I was thoroughly soak'd, and by noon a
+good deal tired; so I stopt at a poor inn, where I staid all night,
+beginning now to wish that I had never left home. I cut so miserable a
+figure, too, that I found, by the questions ask'd me, I was suspected to
+be some runaway servant, and in danger of being taken up on that
+suspicion. However, I proceeded the next day, and got in the evening to
+an inn, within eight or ten miles of Burlington, kept by one Dr. Brown.
+He entered into conversation with me while I took some refreshment, and,
+finding I had read a little, became very sociable and friendly. Our
+acquaintance continu'd as long as he liv'd. He had been, I imagine, an
+itinerant doctor, for there was no town in England, or country in
+Europe, of which he could not give a very particular account. He had
+some letters, and was ingenious, but much of an unbeliever, and wickedly
+undertook, some years after, to travestie the Bible in doggrel verse, as
+Cotton had done Virgil. By this means he set many of the facts in a very
+ridiculous light, and might have hurt weak minds if his work had been
+published; but it never was.
+
+At his house I lay that night, and the next morning reach'd Burlington,
+but had the mortification to find that the regular boats were gone a
+little before my coming, and no other expected to go before Tuesday,
+this being Saturday; wherefore I returned to an old woman in the town,
+of whom I had bought gingerbread to eat on the water, and ask'd her
+advice. She invited me to lodge at her house till a passage by water
+should offer; and being tired with my foot travelling, I accepted the
+invitation. She understanding I was a printer, would have had me stay at
+that town and follow my business, being ignorant of the stock necessary
+to begin with. She was very hospitable, gave me a dinner of ox-cheek
+with great good will, accepting only a pot of ale in return; and I
+thought myself fixed till Tuesday should come. However, walking in the
+evening by the side of the river, a boat came by, which I found was
+going towards Philadelphia, with several people in her. They took me in,
+and, as there was no wind, we row'd all the way; and about midnight, not
+having yet seen the city, some of the company were confident we must
+have passed it, and would row no farther; the others knew not where we
+were; so we put toward the shore, got into a creek, landed near an old
+fence, with the rails of which we made a fire, the night being cold, in
+October, and there we remained till daylight. Then one of the company
+knew the place to be Cooper's Creek, a little above Philadelphia, which
+we saw as soon as we got out of the creek, and arriv'd there about eight
+or nine o'clock on the Sunday morning, and landed at the Market-street
+wharf.
+
+I have been the more particular in this description of my journey, and
+shall be so of my first entry into that city, that you may in your mind
+compare such unlikely beginnings with the figure I have since made
+there. I was in my working dress, my best cloaths being to come round by
+sea. I was dirty from my journey; my pockets were stuff'd out with
+shirts and stockings, and I knew no soul nor where to look for lodging.
+I was fatigued with travelling, rowing, and want of rest, I was very
+hungry; and my whole stock of cash consisted of a Dutch dollar, and
+about a shilling in copper. The latter I gave the people of the boat for
+my passage, who at first refus'd it, on account of my rowing; but I
+insisted on their taking it. A man being sometimes more generous when he
+has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps thro' fear of
+being thought to have but little.
+
+Then I walked up the street, gazing about till near the market-house I
+met a boy with bread. I had made many a meal on bread, and, inquiring
+where he got it, I went immediately to the baker's he directed me to, in
+Second-street, and ask'd for bisket, intending such as we had in Boston;
+but they, it seems, were not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked for a
+three-penny loaf, and was told they had none such. So not considering or
+knowing the difference of money, and the greater cheapness nor the names
+of his bread, I made him give me three-penny worth of any sort. He gave
+me, accordingly, three great puffy rolls. I was surpriz'd at the
+quantity, but took it, and, having no room in my pockets, walk'd off
+with a roll under each arm, and eating the other. Thus I went up
+Market-street as far as Fourth-street, passing by the door of Mr. Read,
+my future wife's father; when she, standing at the door, saw me, and
+thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, ridiculous
+appearance. Then I turned and went down Chestnut-street and part of
+Walnut-street, eating my roll all the way, and, coming round, found
+myself again at Market-street wharf, near the boat I came in, to which I
+went for a draught of the river water; and, being filled with one of my
+rolls, gave the other two to a woman and her child that came down the
+river in the boat with us, and were waiting to go farther.
+
+Thus refreshed, I walked again up the street, which by this time had
+many clean-dressed people in it, who were all walking the same way. I
+joined them, and thereby was led into the great meeting-house of the
+Quakers near the market. I sat down among them, and, after looking round
+awhile and hearing nothing said, being very drowsy thro' labor and want
+of rest the preceding night, I fell fast asleep, and continued so till
+the meeting broke up, when one was kind enough to rouse me. This was,
+therefore, the first house I was in, or slept in, in Philadelphia.
+
+Walking down again toward the river, and, looking in the faces of
+people, I met a young Quaker man, whose countenance I lik'd, and,
+accosting him, requested he would tell me where a stranger could get
+lodging. We were then near the sign of the Three Mariners. "Here," says
+he, "is one place that entertains strangers, but it is not a reputable
+house; if thee wilt walk with me, I'll show thee a better." He brought
+me to the Crooked Billet in Water-street. Here I got a dinner; and,
+while I was eating it, several sly questions were asked me, as it seemed
+to be suspected from my youth and appearance, that I might be some
+runaway.
+
+After dinner, my sleepiness return'd, and being shown to a bed, I lay
+down without undressing, and slept till six in the evening, was call'd
+to supper, went to bed again very early, and slept soundly till next
+morning. Then I made myself as tidy as I could, and went to Andrew
+Bradford the printer's. I found in the shop the old man his father, whom
+I had seen at New York, and who, travelling on horseback, had got to
+Philadelphia before me. He introduc'd me to his son, who receiv'd me
+civilly, gave me a breakfast, but told me he did not at present want a
+hand, being lately suppli'd with one; but there was another printer in
+town, lately set up, one Keimer, who, perhaps, might employ me; if not,
+I should be welcome to lodge at his house, and he would give me a little
+work to do now and then till fuller business should offer.
+
+The old gentleman said he would go with me to the new printer; and when
+we found him, "Neighbor," says Bradford, "I have brought to see you a
+young man of your business; perhaps you may want such a one." He ask'd
+me a few questions, put a composing stick in my hand to see how I
+work'd, and then said he would employ me soon, though he had just then
+nothing for me to do; and, taking old Bradford, whom he had never seen
+before, to be one of the town's people that had a good will for him,
+enter'd into a conversation on his present undertaking and prospects;
+while Bradford, not discovering that he was the other printer's father,
+on Keimer's saying he expected soon to get the greatest part of the
+business into his own hands, drew him on by artful questions, and
+starting little doubts, to explain all his views, what interests he
+reli'd on, and in what manner he intended to proceed. I, who stood by
+and heard all, saw immediately that one of them was a crafty old
+sophister, and the other a mere novice. Bradford left me with Keimer,
+who was greatly surpris'd when I told him who the old man was.
+
+Keimer's printing-house, I found, consisted of an old shatter'd press,
+and one small, worn-out font of English which he was then using himself,
+composing an Elegy on Aquila Rose, before mentioned, an ingenious young
+man, of excellent character, much respected in the town, clerk of the
+Assembly, and a pretty poet. Keimer made verses too, but very
+indifferently. He could not be said to write them, for his manner was to
+compose them in the types directly out of his head. So there being no
+copy, but one pair of cases, and the Elegy likely to require all the
+letter, no one could help him. I endeavor'd to put his press (which he
+had not yet us'd, and of which he understood nothing) into order fit to
+be work'd with; and, promising to come and print off his Elegy as soon
+as he should have got it ready, I return'd to Bradford's, who gave me a
+little job to do for the present, and there I lodged and dieted. A few
+days after, Keimer sent for me to print off the Elegy. And now he had
+got another pair of cases, and a pamphlet to reprint, on which he set me
+to work.
+
+These two printers I found poorly qualified for their business. Bradford
+had not been bred to it, and was very illiterate; and Keimer, tho'
+something of a scholar, was a mere compositor, knowing nothing of
+presswork. He had been one of the French prophets, and could act their
+enthusiastic agitations. At this time he did not profess any particular
+religion, but something of all on occasion; was very ignorant of the
+world, and had, as I afterward found, a good deal of the knave in his
+composition. He did not like my lodging at Bradford's while I work'd
+with him. He had a house, indeed, but without furniture, so he could not
+lodge me; but he got me a lodging at Mr. Read's, before mentioned, who
+was the owner of his house; and, my chest and clothes being come by this
+time, I made rather a more respectable appearance in the eyes of Miss
+Read than I had done when she first happen'd to see me eating my roll in
+the street.
+
+I began now to have some acquaintance among the young people of the
+town, that were lovers of reading, with whom I spent my evenings very
+pleasantly; and gaining money by my industry and frugality, I lived very
+agreeably, forgetting Boston as much as I could, and not desiring that
+any there should know where I resided, except my friend Collins, who was
+in my secret, and kept it when I wrote to him. At length, an incident
+happened that sent me back again much sooner than I had intended. I had
+a brother-in-law, Robert Holmes, master of a sloop that traded between
+Boston and Delaware. He being at Newcastle, forty miles below
+Philadelphia, heard there of me, and wrote me a letter mentioning the
+concern of my friends in Boston at my abrupt departure, assuring me of
+their good will to me, and that every thing would be accommodated to my
+mind if I would return, to which he exhorted me very earnestly. I wrote
+an answer to his letter, thank'd him for his advice, but stated my
+reasons for quitting Boston fully and in such a light as to convince him
+I was not so wrong as he had apprehended.
+
+Sir William Keith, governor of the province, was then at Newcastle, and
+Captain Holmes, happening to be in company with him when my letter came
+to hand, spoke to him of me, and show'd him the letter. The governor
+read it, and seem'd surpris'd when he was told my age. He said I
+appear'd a young man of promising parts, and therefore should be
+encouraged; the printers at Philadelphia were wretched ones; and, if I
+would set up there, he made no doubt I should succeed; for his part, he
+would procure me the public business, and do me every other service in
+his power. This my brother-in-law afterwards told me in Boston, but I
+knew as yet nothing of it; when, one day, Keimer and I being at work
+together near the window, we saw the governor and another gentleman
+(which proved to be Colonel French, of Newcastle), finely dress'd, come
+directly across the street to our house, and heard them at the door.
+
+Keimer ran down immediately, thinking it a visit to him; but the
+governor inquir'd for me, came up, and with a condescension of
+politeness I had been quite unus'd to, made me many compliments, desired
+to be acquainted with me, blam'd me kindly for not having made myself
+known to him when I first came to the place, and would have me away with
+him to the tavern, where he was going with Colonel French to taste, as
+he said, some excellent Madeira. I was not a little surprised, and
+Keimer star'd like a pig poison'd. I went, however, with the governor
+and Colonel French to a tavern, at the corner of Third-street, and over
+the Madeira he propos'd my setting up my business, laid before me the
+probabilities of success, and both he and Colonel French assur'd me I
+should have their interest and influence in procuring the public
+business of both governments. On my doubting whether my father would
+assist me in it, Sir William said he would give me a letter to him, in
+which he would state the advantages, and he did not doubt of prevailing
+with him. So it was concluded I should return to Boston in the first
+vessel, with the governor's letter recommending me to my father. In the
+mean time the intention was to be kept a secret, and I went on working
+with Keimer as usual, the governor sending for me now and then to dine
+with him, a very great honor I thought it, and conversing with me in the
+most affable, familiar, and friendly manner imaginable.
+
+About the end of April, 1724, a little vessel offer'd for Boston. I took
+leave of Keimer as going to see my friends. The governor gave me an
+ample letter, saying many flattering things of me to my father, and
+strongly recommending the project of my setting up at Philadelphia as a
+thing that must make my fortune. We struck on a shoal in going down the
+bay, and sprung a leak; we had a blustering time at sea, and were
+oblig'd to pump almost continually, at which I took my turn. We arriv'd
+safe, however, at Boston in about a fortnight. I had been absent seven
+months, and my friends had heard nothing of me; for my br. Holmes was
+not yet return'd, and had not written about me. My unexpected appearance
+surpriz'd the family; all were, however, very glad to see me, and made
+me welcome, except my brother. I went to see him at his printing-house.
+I was better dress'd than ever while in his service, having a genteel
+new suit from head to foot, a watch, and my pockets lin'd with near five
+pounds sterling in silver. He receiv'd me not very frankly, look'd me
+all over, and turn'd to his work again.
+
+The journeymen were inquisitive where I had been, what sort of a country
+it was, and how I lik'd it. I prais'd it much, the happy life I led in
+it, expressing strongly my intention of returning to it; and, one of
+them asking what kind of money we had there, I produc'd a handful of
+silver, and spread it before them, which was a kind of raree-show they
+had not been us'd to, paper being the money of Boston. Then I took an
+opportunity of letting them see my watch; and, lastly (my brother still
+grum and sullen), I gave them a piece of eight to drink, and took my
+leave. This visit of mine offended him extreamly; for, when my mother
+some time after spoke to him of a reconciliation, and of her wishes to
+see us on good terms together, and that we might live for the future as
+brothers, he said I had insulted him in such a manner before his people
+that he could never forget or forgive it. In this, however, he was
+mistaken.
+
+My father received the governor's letter with some apparent surprise,
+but said little of it to me for some days, when Capt. Holmes returning
+he showed it to him, ask'd him if he knew Keith, and what kind of man he
+was; adding his opinion that he must be of small discretion to think of
+setting a boy up in business who wanted yet three years of being at
+man's estate. Holmes said what he could in favor of the project, but my
+father was clear in the impropriety of it, and at last gave a flat
+denial to it. Then he wrote a civil letter to Sir William, thanking him
+for the patronage he had so kindly offered me, but declining to assist
+me as yet in setting up, I being, in his opinion, too young to be
+trusted with the management of a business so important, and for which
+the preparation must be so expensive.
+
+My friend and companion Collins, who was a clerk in the post-office,
+pleas'd with the account I gave him of my new country, determined to go
+thither also; and, while I waited for my father's determination, he set
+out before me by land to Rhode Island, leaving his books, which were a
+pretty collection of mathematicks and natural philosophy, to come with
+mine and me to New York, where he propos'd to wait for me.
+
+My father, tho' he did not approve Sir William's proposition, was yet
+pleas'd that I had been able to obtain so advantageous a character from
+a person of such note where I had resided, and that I had been so
+industrious and careful as to equip myself so handsomely in so short a
+time; therefore, seeing no prospect of an accommodation between my
+brother and me, he gave his consent to my returning again to
+Philadelphia, advis'd me to behave respectfully to the people there,
+endeavor to obtain the general esteem, and avoid lampooning and
+libeling, to which he thought I had too much inclination; telling me,
+that by steady industry and a prudent parsimony I might save enough by
+the time I was one-and-twenty to set me up; and that, if I came near the
+matter, he would help me out with the rest. This was all I could obtain,
+except some small gifts as tokens of his and my mother's love, when I
+embark'd again for New York, now with their approbation and their
+blessing.
+
+The sloop putting in at Newport, Rhode Island, I visited my brother
+John, who had been married and settled there some years. He received me
+very affectionately, for he always lov'd me. A friend of his, one
+Vernon, having some money due to him in Pensilvania, about thirty-five
+pounds currency, desired I would receive it for him, and keep it till I
+had his directions what to remit it in. Accordingly, he gave me an
+order. This afterwards occasion'd me a good deal of uneasiness.
+
+At Newport we took in a number of passengers for New York, among which
+were two young women, companions, and a grave, sensible, matron-like
+Quaker woman, with her attendants. I had shown an obliging readiness to
+do her some little services, which impress'd her I suppose with a degree
+of good will toward me; therefore, when she saw a daily growing
+familiarity between me and the two young women, which they appear'd to
+encourage, she took me aside, and said: "Young man, I am concern'd for
+thee, as thou has no friend with thee, and seems not to know much of the
+world, or of the snares youth is expos'd to; depend upon it, those are
+very bad women; I can see it in all their actions; and if thee art not
+upon thy guard, they will draw thee into some danger; they are strangers
+to thee, and I advise thee, in a friendly concern for thy welfare, to
+have no acquaintance with them." As I seem'd at first not to think so
+ill of them as she did, she mentioned some things she had observ'd and
+heard that had escap'd my notice, but now convinc'd me she was right. I
+thank'd her for her kind advice, and promis'd to follow it. When we
+arriv'd at New York, they told me where they liv'd, and invited me to
+come and see them; but I avoided it, and it was well I did; for the next
+day the captain miss'd a silver spoon and some other things, that had
+been taken out of his cabbin, and, knowing that these were a couple of
+strumpets, he got a warrant to search their lodgings, found the stolen
+goods, and had the thieves punish'd. So, tho' we had escap'd a sunken
+rock, which we scrap'd upon in the passage, I thought this escape of
+rather more importance to me.
+
+At New York I found my friend Collins, who had arriv'd there some time
+before me. We had been intimate from children, and had read the same
+books together; but he had the advantage of more time for reading and
+studying, and a wonderful genius for mathematical learning, in which he
+far outstript me. While I liv'd in Boston most of my hours of leisure
+for conversation were spent with him, and he continu'd a sober as well
+as an industrious lad; was much respected for his learning by several of
+the clergy and other gentlemen, and seemed to promise making a good
+figure in life. But, during my absence, he had acquir'd a habit of
+sotting with brandy; and I found by his own account, and what I heard
+from others, that he had been drunk every day since his arrival at New
+York, and behav'd very oddly. He had gam'd, too, and lost his money, so
+that I was oblig'd to discharge his lodgings, and defray his expenses to
+and at Philadelphia, which prov'd extremely inconvenient to me.
+
+The then governor of New York, Burnet (son of Bishop Burnet), hearing
+from the captain that a young man, one of his passengers, had a great
+many books, desir'd he would bring me to see him. I waited upon him
+accordingly, and should have taken Collins with me but that he was not
+sober. The gov'r. treated me with great civility, show'd me his library,
+which was a very large one, and we had a good deal of conversation about
+books and authors. This was the second governor who had done me the
+honor to take notice of me; which, to a poor boy like me, was very
+pleasing.
+
+We proceeded to Philadelphia. I received on the way Vernon's money,
+without which we could hardly have finish'd our journey. Collins wished
+to be employ'd in some counting-house, but, whether they discover'd his
+dramming by his breath, or by his behaviour, tho' he had some
+recommendations, he met with no success in any application, and
+continu'd lodging and boarding at the same house with me, and at my
+expense. Knowing I had that money of Vernon's, he was continually
+borrowing of me, still promising repayment as soon as he should be in
+business. At length he had got so much of it that I was distress'd to
+think what I should do in case of being call'd on to remit it.
+
+His drinking continu'd, about which we sometimes quarrell'd; for, when a
+little intoxicated, he was very fractious. Once, in a boat on the
+Delaware with some other young men, he refused to row in his turn. "I
+will be row'd home," says he. "We will not row you," says I. "You must,
+or stay all night on the water," says he, "just as you please." The
+others said, "Let us row; what signifies it?" But, my mind being soured
+with his other conduct, I continu'd to refuse. So he swore he would make
+me row, or throw me overboard; and coming along, stepping on the
+thwarts, toward me, when he came up and struck at me, I clapped my hand
+under his crutch, and, rising, pitched him head-foremost into the river.
+I knew he was a good swimmer, and so was under little concern about him;
+but before he could get round to lay hold of the boat, we had with a few
+strokes pull'd her out of his reach; and ever when he drew near the
+boat, we ask'd if he would row, striking a few strokes to slide her away
+from him. He was ready to die with vexation, and obstinately would not
+promise to row. However, seeing him at last beginning to tire, we lifted
+him in and brought him home dripping wet in the evening. We hardly
+exchang'd a civil word afterwards, and a West India captain, who had a
+commission to procure a tutor for the sons of a gentleman at Barbadoes,
+happening to meet with him, agreed to carry him thither. He left me
+then, promising to remit me the first money he should receive in order
+to discharge the debt; but I never heard of him after.
+
+The breaking into this money of Vernon's was one of the first great
+errata of my life; and this affair show'd that my father was not much
+out in his judgment when he suppos'd me too young to manage business of
+importance. But Sir William, on reading his letter, said he was too
+prudent. There was great difference in persons; and discretion did not
+always accompany years, nor was youth always without it. "And since he
+will not set you up," says he, "I will do it myself. Give me an
+inventory of the things necessary to be had from England, and I will
+send for them. You shall repay me when you are able; I am resolv'd to
+have a good printer here, and I am sure you must succeed." This was
+spoken with such an appearance of cordiality, that I had not the least
+doubt of his meaning what he said. I had hitherto kept the proposition
+of my setting up, a secret in Philadelphia, and I still kept it. Had it
+been known that I depended on the governor, probably some friend, that
+knew him better, would have advis'd me not to rely on him, as I
+afterwards heard it as his known character to be liberal of promises
+which he never meant to keep. Yet, unsolicited as he was by me, how
+could I think his generous offers insincere? I believ'd him one of the
+best men in the world.
+
+I presented him an inventory of a little print'g-house, amounting by my
+computation to about one hundred pounds sterling. He lik'd it, but ask'd
+me if my being on the spot in England to chuse the types, and see that
+every thing was good of the kind, might not be of some advantage.
+"Then," says he, "when there, you may make acquaintances, and establish
+correspondences in the bookselling and stationery way." I agreed that
+this might be advantageous. "Then," says he, "get yourself ready to go
+with Annis;" which was the annual ship, and the only one at that time
+usually passing between London and Philadelphia. But it would be some
+months before Annis sail'd, so I continu'd working with Keimer, fretting
+about the money Collins had got from me, and in daily apprehensions of
+being call'd upon by Vernon, which, however, did not happen for some
+years after.
+
+I believe I have omitted mentioning that, in my first voyage from
+Boston, being becalm'd off Block Island, our people set about catching
+cod, and hauled up a great many. Hitherto I had stuck to my resolution
+of not eating animal food, and on this occasion consider'd, with my
+master Tryon, the taking every fish as a kind of unprovoked murder,
+since none of them had, or ever could do us any injury that might
+justify the slaughter. All this seemed very reasonable. But I had
+formerly been a great lover of fish, and, when this came hot out of the
+frying-pan, it smelt admirably well. I balanc'd some time between
+principle and inclination, till I recollected that, when the fish were
+opened, I saw smaller fish taken out of their stomachs; then thought I,
+"If you eat one another, I don't see why we mayn't eat you." So I din'd
+upon cod very heartily, and continued to eat with other people,
+returning only now and then occasionally to a vegetable diet. So
+convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables
+one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.
+
+Keimer and I liv'd on a pretty good familiar footing, and agreed
+tolerably well, for he suspected nothing of my setting up. He retained a
+great deal of his old enthusiasms and lov'd argumentation. We therefore
+had many disputations. I used to work him so with my Socratic method,
+and had trepann'd him so often by questions apparently so distant from
+any point we had in hand, and yet by degrees lead to the point, and
+brought him into difficulties and contradictions, that at last he grew
+ridiculously cautious, and would hardly answer me the most common
+question, without asking first, "What do you intend to infer from that?"
+However, it gave him so high an opinion of my abilities in the confuting
+way, that he seriously proposed my being his colleague in a project he
+had of setting up a new sect. He was to preach the doctrines, and I was
+to confound all opponents. When he came to explain with me upon the
+doctrines, I found several conundrums which I objected to, unless I
+might have my way a little too, and introduce some of mine.
+
+Keimer wore his beard at full length, because somewhere in the Mosaic
+law it is said, "Thou shalt not mar the corners of thy beard." He
+likewise kept the Seventh day, Sabbath; and these two points were
+essentials with him. I dislik'd both; but agreed to admit them upon
+condition of his adopting the doctrine of using no animal food. "I
+doubt," said he, "my constitution will not bear that." I assur'd him it
+would, and that he would be the better for it. He was usually a great
+glutton, and I promised myself some diversion in half starving him. He
+agreed to try the practice, if I would keep him company. I did so, and
+we held it for three months. We had our victuals dress'd, and brought to
+us regularly by a woman in the neighborhood, who had from me a list of
+forty dishes to be prepar'd for us at different times, in all which
+there was neither fish, flesh, nor fowl, and the whim suited me the
+better at this time from the cheapness of it, not costing us above
+eighteenpence sterling each per week. I have since kept several Lents
+most strictly, leaving the common diet for that, and that for the
+common, abruptly, without the least inconvenience, so that I think there
+is little in the advice of making those changes by easy gradations. I
+went on pleasantly, but poor Keimer suffered grievously, tired of the
+project, long'd for the flesh-pots of Egypt, and order'd a roast pig. He
+invited me and two women friends to dine with him; but, it being brought
+too soon upon table, he could not resist the temptation, and ate the
+whole before we came.
+
+I had made some courtship during this time to Miss Read. I had a great
+respect and affection for her, and had some reason to believe she had
+the same for me; but, as I was about to take a long voyage, and we were
+both very young, only a little above eighteen, it was thought most
+prudent by her mother to prevent our going too far at present, as a
+marriage, if it was to take place, would be more convenient after my
+return, when I should be, as I expected, set up in my business. Perhaps,
+too, she thought my expectations not so well founded as I imagined them
+to be.
+
+My chief acquaintances at this time were Charles Osborne, Joseph Watson,
+and James Ralph, all lovers of reading. The two first were clerks to an
+eminent scrivener or conveyancer in the town, Charles Brogden; the other
+was clerk to a merchant. Watson was a pious, sensible young man, of
+great integrity; the others rather more lax in their principles of
+religion, particularly Ralph, who, as well as Collins, had been
+unsettled by me, for which they both made me suffer. Osborne was
+sensible, candid, frank; sincere and affectionate to his friends; but,
+in literary matters, too fond of criticising. Ralph was ingenious,
+genteel in his manners, and extremely eloquent; I think I never knew a
+prettier talker. Both of them great admirers of poetry, and began to try
+their hands in little pieces. Many pleasant walks we four had together
+on Sundays into the woods, near Schuylkill, where we read to one
+another, and conferr'd on what we read.
+
+Ralph was inclin'd to pursue the study of poetry, not doubting but he
+might become eminent in it, and make his fortune by it, alleging that
+the best poets must, when they first began to write, make as many faults
+as he did. Osborne dissuaded him, assur'd him he had no genius for
+poetry, and advis'd him to think of nothing beyond the business he was
+bred to; that, in the mercantile way, tho' he had no stock, he might, by
+his diligence and punctuality, recommend himself to employment as a
+factor, and in time acquire wherewith to trade on his own account. I
+approv'd the amusing one's self with poetry now and then, so far as to
+improve one's language, but no farther.
+
+On this it was propos'd that we should each of us, at our next meeting,
+produce a piece of our own composing, in order to improve by our mutual
+observations, criticisms, and corrections. As language and expression
+were what we had in view, we excluded all considerations of invention by
+agreeing that the task should be a version of the eighteenth Psalm,
+which describes the descent of a Deity. When the time of our meeting
+drew nigh, Ralph called on me first, and let me know his piece was
+ready. I told him I had been busy, and, having little inclination, had
+done nothing. He then show'd me his piece for my opinion, and I much
+approv'd it, as it appear'd to me to have great merit. "Now," says he,
+"Osborne never will allow the least merit in any thing of mine, but
+makes 1000 criticisms out of mere envy. He is not so jealous of you; I
+wish, therefore, you would take this piece, and produce it as yours; I
+will pretend not to have had time, and so produce nothing. We shall then
+see what he will say to it." It was agreed, and I immediately
+transcrib'd it, that it might appear in my own hand.
+
+We met; Watson's performance was read; there were some beauties in it,
+but many defects. Osborne's was read; it was much better; Ralph did it
+justice; remarked some faults, but applauded the beauties. He himself
+had nothing to produce. I was backward; seemed desirous of being
+excused; had not had sufficient time to correct, etc.; but no excuse
+could be admitted; produce I must. It was read and repeated; Watson and
+Osborne gave up the contest, and join'd in applauding it. Ralph only
+made some criticisms, and propos'd some amendments; but I defended my
+text. Osborne was against Ralph, and told him he was no better a critic
+than poet, so he dropt the argument. As they two went home together,
+Osborne expressed himself still more strongly in favor of what he
+thought my production; having restrain'd himself before, as he said,
+lest I should think it flattery. "But who would have imagin'd," said he,
+"that Franklin had been capable of such a performance; such painting,
+such force, such fire! He has even improv'd the original. In his common
+conversation he seems to have no choice of words; he hesitates and
+blunders; and yet, good God! how he writes!" When we next met, Ralph
+discovered the trick we had plaid him, and Osborne was a little laught
+at.
+
+This transaction fixed Ralph in his resolution of becoming a poet. I did
+all I could to dissuade him from it, but he continued scribbling verses
+till Pope cured him. He became, however, a pretty good prose writer.
+More of him hereafter. But, as I may not have occasion again to mention
+the other two, I shall just remark here, that Watson died in my arms a
+few years after, much lamented, being the best of our set. Osborne went
+to the West Indies, where he became an eminent lawyer and made money,
+but died young. He and I had made a serious agreement, that the one who
+happen'd first to die should, if possible, make a friendly visit to the
+other, and acquaint him how he found things in that separate state. But
+he never fulfill'd his promise.
+
+The governor, seeming to like my company, had me frequently to his
+house, and his setting me up was always mention'd as a fixed thing. I
+was to take with me letters recommendatory to a number of his friends,
+besides the letter of credit to furnish me with the necessary money for
+purchasing the press and types, paper, etc. For these letters I was
+appointed to call at different times, when they were to be ready, but a
+future time was still named. Thus he went on till the ship, whose
+departure too had been several times postponed, was on the point of
+sailing. Then, when I call'd to take my leave and receive the letters,
+his secretary, Dr. Bard, came out to me and said the governor was
+extremely busy in writing, but would be down at Newcastle before the
+ship, and there the letters would be delivered to me.
+
+Ralph, though married, and having one child, had determined to accompany
+me in this voyage. It was thought he intended to establish a
+correspondence, and obtain goods to sell on commission; but I found
+afterwards, that, thro' some discontent with his wife's relations, he
+purposed to leave her on their hands, and never return again. Having
+taken leave of my friends, and interchang'd some promises with Miss
+Read, I left Philadelphia in the ship, which anchor'd at Newcastle. The
+governor was there; but when I went to his lodging, the secretary came
+to me from him with the civillest message in the world, that he could
+not then see me, being engaged in business of the utmost importance, but
+should send the letters to me on board, wish'd me heartily a good voyage
+and a speedy return, etc. I returned on board a little puzzled, but
+still not doubting.
+
+Mr. Andrew Hamilton, a famous lawyer of Philadelphia, had taken passage
+in the same ship for himself and son, and with Mr. Denham, a Quaker
+merchant, and Messrs. Onion and Russel, masters of an iron work in
+Maryland, had engag'd the great cabin; so that Ralph and I were forced
+to take up with a berth in the steerage, and none on board knowing us,
+were considered as ordinary persons. But Mr. Hamilton and his son (it
+was James, since governor) return'd from Newcastle to Philadelphia, the
+father being recall'd by a great fee to plead for a seized ship; and,
+just before we sail'd, Colonel French coming on board, and showing me
+great respect, I was more taken notice of, and, with my friend Ralph,
+invited by the other gentlemen to come into the cabin, there being now
+room. Accordingly, we remov'd thither.
+
+Understanding that Colonel French had brought on board the governor's
+despatches, I ask'd the captain for those letters that were to be under
+my care. He said all were put into the bag together and he could not
+then come at them; but, before we landed in England, I should have an
+opportunity of picking them out; so I was satisfied for the present, and
+we proceeded on our voyage. We had a sociable company in the cabin, and
+lived uncommonly well, having the addition of all Mr. Hamilton's stores,
+who had laid in plentifully. In this passage Mr. Denham contracted a
+friendship for me that continued during his life. The voyage was
+otherwise not a pleasant one, as we had a great deal of bad weather.
+
+When we came into the Channel, the captain kept his word with me, and
+gave me an opportunity of examining the bag for the governor's letters.
+I found none upon which my name was put as under my care. I picked out
+six or seven, that, by the handwriting, I thought might be the promised
+letters, especially as one of them was directed to Basket, the king's
+printer, and another to some stationer. We arriv'd in London the 24th of
+December, 1724. I waited upon the stationer, who came first in my way,
+delivering the letter as from Governor Keith. "I don't know such a
+person," says he; but, opening the letter, "O! this is from Riddlesden.
+I have lately found him to be a compleat rascal, and I will have nothing
+to do with him, nor receive any letters from him." So, putting the
+letter into my hand, he turn'd on his heel and left me to serve some
+customer. I was surprized to find these were not the governor's letters;
+and, after recollecting and comparing circumstances, I began to doubt
+his sincerity. I found my friend Denham, and opened the whole affair to
+him. He let me into Keith's character; told me there was not the least
+probability that he had written any letters for me; that no one, who
+knew him, had the smallest dependence on him; and he laught at the
+notion of the governor's giving me a letter of credit, having, as he
+said, no credit to give. On my expressing some concern about what I
+should do, he advised me to endeavor getting some employment in the way
+of my business. "Among the printers here," said he, "you will improve
+yourself, and when you return to America, you will set up to greater
+advantage."
+
+We both of us happen'd to know, as well as the stationer, that
+Riddlesden, the attorney, was a very knave. He had half ruin'd Miss
+Read's father by persuading him to be bound for him. By this letter it
+appear'd there was a secret scheme on foot to the prejudice of Hamilton
+(suppos'd to be then coming over with us); and that Keith was concerned
+in it with Riddlesden. Denham, who was a friend of Hamilton's thought he
+ought to be acquainted with it; so, when he arriv'd in England, which
+was soon after, partly from resentment and ill-will to Keith and
+Riddlesden, and partly from good-will to him, I waited on him, and gave
+him the letter. He thank'd me cordially, the information being of
+importance to him; and from that time he became my friend, greatly to my
+advantage afterwards on many occasions.
+
+But what shall we think of a governor's playing such pitiful tricks, and
+imposing so grossly on a poor ignorant boy! It was a habit he had
+acquired. He wish'd to please everybody; and, having little to give, he
+gave expectations. He was otherwise an ingenious, sensible man, a pretty
+good writer, and a good governor for the people, tho' not for his
+constituents, the proprietaries, whose instructions he sometimes
+disregarded. Several of our best laws were of his planning and passed
+during his administration.
+
+Ralph and I were inseparable companions. We took lodgings together in
+Little Britain at three shillings and sixpence a week--as much as we
+could then afford. He found some relations, but they were poor, and
+unable to assist him. He now let me know his intentions of remaining in
+London, and that he never meant to return to Philadelphia. He had
+brought no money with him, the whole he could muster having been
+expended in paying his passage. I had fifteen pistoles; so he borrowed
+occasionally of me to subsist, while he was looking out for business. He
+first endeavored to get into the playhouse, believing himself qualify'd
+for an actor; but Wilkes, to whom he apply'd, advis'd him candidly not
+to think of that employment, as it was impossible he should succeed in
+it. Then he propos'd to Roberts, a publisher in Paternoster Row, to
+write for him a weekly paper like the Spectator, on certain conditions,
+which Roberts did not approve. Then he endeavored to get employment as a
+hackney writer, to copy for the stationers and lawyers about the Temple,
+but could find no vacancy.
+
+I immediately got into work at Palmer's, then a famous printing-house in
+Bartholomew Close, and here I continu'd near a year. I was pretty
+diligent, but spent with Ralph a good deal of my earnings in going to
+plays and other places of amusement. We had together consumed all my
+pistoles, and now just rubbed on from hand to mouth. He seem'd quite to
+forget his wife and child, and I, by degrees, my engagements with Miss
+Read, to whom I never wrote more than one letter, and that was to let
+her know I was not likely soon to return. This was another of the great
+errata of my life, which I should wish to correct if I were to live it
+over again. In fact, by our expenses, I was constantly kept unable to
+pay my passage.
+
+At Palmer's I was employed in composing for the second edition of
+Wollaston's "Religion of Nature." Some of his reasonings not appearing
+to me well founded, I wrote a little metaphysical piece in which I made
+remarks on them. It was entitled "A Dissertation on Liberty and
+Necessity, Pleasure and Pain." I inscribed it to my friend Ralph; I
+printed a small number. It occasion'd my being more consider'd by Mr.
+Palmer as a young man of some ingenuity, tho' he seriously expostulated
+with me upon the principles of my pamphlet, which to him appear'd
+abominable. My printing this pamphlet was another erratum. While I
+lodg'd in Little Britain, I made an acquaintance with one Wilcox, a
+bookseller, whose shop was at the next door. He had an immense
+collection of second-hand books. Circulating libraries were not then in
+use; but we agreed that, on certain reasonable terms, which I have now
+forgotten, I might take, read, and return any of his books. This I
+esteem'd a great advantage, and I made as much use of it as I could.
+
+My pamphlet by some means falling into the hands of one Lyons, a
+surgeon, author of a book entitled "The Infallibility of Human
+Judgment," it occasioned an acquaintance between us. He took great
+notice of me, called on me often to converse on those subjects, carried
+me to the Horns, a pale alehouse in ------ Lane, Cheapside, and
+introduced me to Dr. Mandeville, author of the "Fable of the Bees," who
+had a club there, of which he was the soul, being a most facetious,
+entertaining companion. Lyons, too, introduced me to Dr. Pemberton, at
+Batson's Coffee-house, who promis'd to give me an opportunity, some time
+or other, of seeing Sir Isaac Newton, of which I was extreamely
+desirous; but this never happened.
+
+I had brought over a few curiosities, among which the principal was a
+purse made of the asbestos, which purifies by fire. Sir Hans Sloane
+heard of it, came to see me, and invited me to his house in Bloomsbury
+Square, where he show'd me all his curiosities, and persuaded me to let
+him add that to the number, for which he paid me handsomely.
+
+In our house there lodg'd a young woman, a milliner, who, I think, had a
+shop in the Cloisters. She had been genteelly bred, was sensible and
+lively, and of most pleasing conversation. Ralph read plays to her in
+the evenings, they grew intimate, she took another lodging, and he
+followed her. They liv'd together some time; but, he being still out of
+business, and her income not sufficient to maintain them with her child,
+he took a resolution of going from London, to try for a country school,
+which he thought himself well qualified to undertake, as he wrote an
+excellent hand, and was a master of arithmetic and accounts. This,
+however, he deemed a business below him, and confident of future better
+fortune, when he should be unwilling to have it known that he once was
+so meanly employed, he changed his name, and did me the honor to assume
+mine; for I soon after had a letter from him, acquainting me that he was
+settled in a small village (in Berkshire, I think it was, where he
+taught reading and writing to ten or a dozen boys, at sixpence each per
+week), recommending Mrs. T------ to my care, and desiring me to write to
+him, directing for Mr. Franklin, schoolmaster, at such a place.
+
+He continued to write frequently, sending me large specimens of an epic
+poem which he was then composing, and desiring my remarks and
+corrections. These I gave him from time to time, but endeavor'd rather
+to discourage his proceeding. One of Young's Satires was then just
+published. I copy'd and sent him a great part of it, which set in a
+strong light the folly of pursuing the Muses with any hope of
+advancement by them. All was in vain; sheets of the poem continued to
+come by every post. In the mean time, Mrs. T------, having on his
+account lost her friends and business, was often in distresses, and us'd
+to send for me, and borrow what I could spare to help her out of them. I
+grew fond of her company, and, being at that time under no religious
+restraint, and presuming upon my importance to her, I attempted
+familiarities (another erratum) which she repuls'd with a proper
+resentment, and acquainted him with my behaviour. This made a breach
+between us; and, when he returned again to London, he let me know he
+thought I had cancell'd all the obligations he had been under to me. So
+I found I was never to expect his repaying me what I lent to him, or
+advanc'd for him. This, however, was not then of much consequence, as he
+was totally unable; and in the loss of his friendship I found myself
+relieved from a burthen. I now began to think of getting a little money
+beforehand, and, expecting better work, I left Palmer's to work at
+Watts's, near Lincoln's Inn Fields, a still greater printing-house. Here
+I continued all the rest of my stay in London.
+
+At my first admission into this printing-house I took to working at
+press, imagining I felt a want of the bodily exercise I had been us'd to
+in America, where presswork is mix'd with composing. I drank only water;
+the other workmen, near fifty in number, were great guzzlers of beer. On
+occasion, I carried up and down stairs a large form of types in each
+hand, when others carried but one in both hands. They wondered to see,
+from this and several instances, that the Water-American, as they called
+me, was stronger than themselves, who drank strong beer! We had an
+alehouse boy who attended always in the house to supply the workmen. My
+companion at the press drank every day a pint before breakfast, a pint
+at breakfast with his bread and cheese, a pint between breakfast and
+dinner, a pint at dinner, a pint in the afternoon about six o'clock, and
+another when he had done his day's work. I thought it a detestable
+custom; but it was necessary, he suppos'd, to drink strong beer, that he
+might be strong to labor. I endeavored to convince him that the bodily
+strength afforded by beer could only be in proportion to the grain or
+flour of the barley dissolved in the water of which it was made; that
+there was more flour in a pennyworth of bread; and therefore, if he
+would eat that with a pint of water, it would give him more strength
+than a quart of beer. He drank on, however, and had four or five
+shillings to pay out of his wages every Saturday night for that muddling
+liquor; an expense I was free from. And thus these poor devils keep
+themselves always under.
+
+Watts, after some weeks, desiring to have me in the composing-room, I
+left the pressmen; a new bien venu or sum for drink, being five
+shillings, was demanded of me by the compositors. I thought it an
+imposition, as I had paid below; the master thought so too, and forbad
+my paying it. I stood out two or three weeks, was accordingly considered
+as an excommunicate, and had so many little pieces of private mischief
+done me, by mixing my sorts, transposing my pages, breaking my matter,
+etc., etc., if I were ever so little out of the room, and all ascribed
+to the chappel ghost, which they said ever haunted those not regularly
+admitted, that, notwithstanding the master's protection, I found myself
+oblig'd to comply and pay the money, convinc'd of the folly of being on
+ill terms with those one is to live with continually.
+
+I was now on a fair footing with them, and soon acquir'd considerable
+influence. I propos'd some reasonable alterations in their chappel [4]
+laws, and carried them against all opposition. From my example, a great
+part of them left their muddling breakfast of beer, and bread, and
+cheese, finding they could with me be suppli'd from a neighboring house
+with a large porringer of hot water-gruel, sprinkled with pepper,
+crumbl'd with bread, and a bit of butter in it, for the price of a pint
+of beer, viz., three half-pence. This was a more comfortable as well as
+cheaper breakfast, and kept their heads clearer. Those who continued
+sotting with beer all day, were often, by not paying, out of credit at
+the alehouse, and us'd to make interest with me to get beer; their
+light, as they phrased it, being out. I watch'd the pay-table on
+Saturday night, and collected what I stood engag'd for them, having to
+pay sometimes near thirty shillings a week on their account. This, and
+my being esteem'd a pretty good riggite, that is, a jocular verbal
+satirist, supported my consequence in the society. My constant
+attendance (I never making a St. Monday) recommended me to the master;
+and my uncommon quickness at composing occasioned my being put upon all
+work of dispatch, which was generally better paid. So I went on now very
+agreeably.
+
+[4] "A printing-house is always called a chapel by the workmen, the
+origin of which appears to have been that printing was first carried on
+in England in an ancient chapel converted into a printing-house, and the
+title has been preserved by tradition. The bien venu among the printers
+answers to the terms entrance and footing among mechanics; thus a
+journeyman, on entering a printing-house, was accustomed to pay one or
+more gallons of beer for the good of the chapel; this custom was falling
+into disuse thirty years ago; it is very properly rejected entirely in
+the United States."--W. T. F.
+
+My lodging in Little Britain being too remote, I found another in
+Duke-street, opposite to the Romish Chapel. It was two pair of stairs
+backwards, at an Italian warehouse. A widow lady kept the house; she had
+a daughter, and a maid servant, and a journeyman who attended the
+warehouse, but lodg'd abroad. After sending to inquire my character at
+the house where I last lodg'd she agreed to take me in at the same rate,
+3s. 6d. per week; cheaper, as she said, from the protection she expected
+in having a man lodge in the house. She was a widow, an elderly woman;
+had been bred a Protestant, being a clergyman's daughter, but was
+converted to the Catholic religion by her husband, whose memory she much
+revered; had lived much among people of distinction, and knew a thousand
+anecdotes of them as far back as the times of Charles the Second. She
+was lame in her knees with the gout, and, therefore, seldom stirred out
+of her room, so sometimes wanted company; and hers was so highly amusing
+to me, that I was sure to spend an evening with her whenever she desired
+it. Our supper was only half an anchovy each, on a very little strip of
+bread and butter, and half a pint of ale between us; but the
+entertainment was in her conversation. My always keeping good hours, and
+giving little trouble in the family, made her unwilling to part with me;
+so that, when I talk'd of a lodging I had heard of, nearer my business,
+for two shillings a week, which, intent as I now was on saving money,
+made some difference, she bid me not think of it, for she would abate me
+two shillings a week for the future; so I remained with her at one
+shilling and sixpence as long as I staid in London.
+
+In a garret of her house there lived a maiden lady of seventy, in the
+most retired manner, of whom my landlady gave me this account: that she
+was a Roman Catholic, had been sent abroad when young, and lodg'd in a
+nunnery with an intent of becoming a nun; but, the country not agreeing
+with her, she returned to England, where, there being no nunnery, she
+had vow'd to lead the life of a nun, as near as might be done in those
+circumstances. Accordingly, she had given all her estate to charitable
+uses, reserving only twelve pounds a year to live on, and out of this
+sum she still gave a great deal in charity, living herself on
+water-gruel only, and using no fire but to boil it. She had lived many
+years in that garret, being permitted to remain there gratis by
+successive Catholic tenants of the house below, as they deemed it a
+blessing to have her there. A priest visited her to confess her every
+day. "I have ask'd her," says my landlady, "how she, as she liv'd, could
+possibly find so much employment for a confessor?" "Oh," said she, "it
+is impossible to avoid vain thoughts." I was permitted once to visit
+her. She was chearful and polite, and convers'd pleasantly. The room was
+clean, but had no other furniture than a matras, a table with a crucifix
+and book, a stool which she gave me to sit on, and a picture over the
+chimney of Saint Veronica displaying her handkerchief, with the
+miraculous figure of Christ's bleeding face on it, which she explained
+to me with great seriousness. She look'd pale, but was never sick; and I
+give it as another instance on how small an income life and health may
+be supported.
+
+At Watts's printing-house I contracted an acquaintance with an ingenious
+young man, one Wygate, who, having wealthy relations, had been better
+educated than most printers; was a tolerable Latinist, spoke French, and
+lov'd reading. I taught him and a friend of his to swim at twice going
+into the river, and they soon became good swimmers. They introduc'd me
+to some gentlemen from the country, who went to Chelsea by water to see
+the College and Don Saltero's curiosities. In our return, at the request
+of the company, whose curiosity Wygate had excited, I stripped and
+leaped into the river, and swam from near Chelsea to Blackfryar's,
+performing on the way many feats of activity, both upon and under water,
+that surpris'd and pleas'd those to whom they were novelties.
+
+I had from a child been ever delighted with this exercise, had studied
+and practis'd all Thevenot's motions and positions, added some of my
+own, aiming at the graceful and easy as well as the useful. All these I
+took this occasion of exhibiting to the company, and was much flatter'd
+by their admiration; and Wygate, who was desirous of becoming a master,
+grew more and more attach'd to me on that account, as well as from the
+similarity of our studies. He at length proposed to me travelling all
+over Europe together, supporting ourselves everywhere by working at our
+business. I was once inclined to it; but, mentioning it to my good
+friend Mr. Denham, with whom I often spent an hour when I had leisure,
+he dissuaded me from it, advising me to think only of returning to
+Pennsilvania, which he was now about to do.
+
+I must record one trait of this good man's character. He had formerly
+been in business at Bristol, but failed in debt to a number of people,
+compounded and went to America. There, by a close application to
+business as a merchant, he acquir'd a plentiful fortune in a few years.
+Returning to England in the ship with me, he invited his old creditors
+to an entertainment, at which he thank'd them for the easy composition
+they had favored him with, and, when they expected nothing but the
+treat, every man at the first remove found under his plate an order on a
+banker for the full amount of the unpaid remainder with interest.
+
+He now told me he was about to return to Philadelphia, and should carry
+over a great quantity of goods in order to open a store there. He
+propos'd to take me over as his clerk, to keep his books, in which he
+would instruct me, copy his letters, and attend the store. He added
+that, as soon as I should be acquainted with mercantile business, he
+would promote me by sending me with a cargo of flour and bread, etc., to
+the West Indies, and procure me commissions from others which would be
+profitable; and, if I manag'd well, would establish me handsomely. The
+thing pleas'd me; for I was grown tired of London, remembered with
+pleasure the happy months I had spent in Pennsylvania, and wish'd again
+to see it; therefore I immediately agreed on the terms of fifty pounds a
+year, Pennsylvania money; less, indeed, than my present gettings as a
+compositor, but affording a better prospect.
+
+I now took leave of printing, as I thought, for ever, and was daily
+employed in my new business, going about with Mr. Denham among the
+tradesmen to purchase various articles, and seeing them pack'd up, doing
+errands, calling upon workmen to dispatch, etc.; and, when all was on
+board, I had a few days' leisure. On one of these days, I was, to my
+surprise, sent for by a great man I knew only by name, a Sir William
+Wyndham, and I waited upon him. He had heard by some means or other of
+my swimming from Chelsea to Blackfriar's, and of my teaching Wygate and
+another young man to swim in a few hours. He had two sons, about to set
+out on their travels; he wish'd to have them first taught swimming, and
+proposed to gratify me handsomely if I would teach them. They were not
+yet come to town, and my stay was uncertain, so I could not undertake
+it; but, from this incident, I thought it likely that, if I were to
+remain in England and open a swimming-school, I might get a good deal of
+money; and it struck me so strongly, that, had the overture been sooner
+made me, probably I should not so soon have returned to America. After
+many years, you and I had something of more importance to do with one of
+these sons of Sir William Wyndham, become Earl of Egremont, which I
+shall mention in its place.
+
+Thus I spent about eighteen months in London; most part of the time I
+work'd hard at my business, and spent but little upon myself except in
+seeing plays and in books. My friend Ralph had kept me poor; he owed me
+about twenty-seven pounds, which I was now never likely to receive; a
+great sum out of my small earnings! I lov'd him, notwithstanding, for he
+had many amiable qualities. I had by no means improv'd my fortune; but I
+had picked up some very ingenious acquaintance, whose conversation was
+of great advantage to me; and I had read considerably.
+
+We sail'd from Gravesend on the 23d of July, 1726. For the incidents of
+the voyage, I refer you to my Journal, where you will find them all
+minutely related. Perhaps the most important part of that journal is the
+plan [5] to be found in it, which I formed at sea, for regulating my
+future conduct in life. It is the more remarkable, as being formed when
+I was so young, and yet being pretty faithfully adhered to quite thro'
+to old age.
+
+[5] The "Journal" was printed by Sparks, from a copy made at Reading in
+1787. But it does not contain the Plan.--Ed.
+
+We landed in Philadelphia on the 11th of October, where I found sundry
+alterations. Keith was no longer governor, being superseded by Major
+Gordon. I met him walking the streets as a common citizen. He seem'd a
+little asham'd at seeing me, but pass'd without saying anything. I
+should have been as much asham'd at seeing Miss Read, had not her
+friends, despairing with reason of my return after the receipt of my
+letter, persuaded her to marry another, one Rogers, a potter, which was
+done in my absence. With him, however, she was never happy, and soon
+parted from him, refusing to cohabit with him or bear his name, it being
+now said that he had another wife. He was a worthless fellow, tho' an
+excellent workman, which was the temptation to her friends. He got into
+debt, ran away in 1727 or 1728, went to the West Indies, and died there.
+Keimer had got a better house, a shop well supply'd with stationery,
+plenty of new types, a number of hands, tho' none good, and seem'd to
+have a great deal of business.
+
+Mr. Denham took a store in Water-street, where we open'd our goods; I
+attended the business diligently, studied accounts, and grew, in a
+little time, expert at selling. We lodg'd and boarded together; he
+counsell'd me as a father, having a sincere regard for me. I respected
+and lov'd him, and we might have gone on together very happy; but, in
+the beginning of February, 1726-7, when I had just pass'd my
+twenty-first year, we both were taken ill. My distemper was a pleurisy,
+which very nearly carried me off. I suffered a good deal, gave up the
+point in my own mind, and was rather disappointed when I found myself
+recovering, regretting, in some degree, that I must now, some time or
+other, have all that disagreeable work to do over again. I forget what
+his distemper was; it held him a long time, and at length carried him
+off. He left me a small legacy in a nuncupative will, as a token of his
+kindness for me, and he left me once more to the wide world; for the
+store was taken into the care of his executors, and my employment under
+him ended.
+
+My brother-in-law, Holmes, being now at Philadelphia, advised my return
+to my business; and Keimer tempted me, with an offer of large wages by
+the year, to come and take the management of his printing-house, that he
+might better attend his stationer's shop. I had heard a bad character of
+him in London from his wife and her friends, and was not fond of having
+any more to do with him. I tri'd for farther employment as a merchant's
+clerk; but, not readily meeting with any, I clos'd again with Keimer. I
+found in his house these hands: Hugh Meredith, a Welsh Pensilvanian,
+thirty years of age, bred to country work; honest, sensible, had a great
+deal of solid observation, was something of a reader, but given to
+drink. Stephen Potts, a young countryman of full age, bred to the same,
+of uncommon natural parts, and great wit and humor, but a little idle.
+These he had agreed with at extream low wages per week, to be rais'd a
+shilling every three months, as they would deserve by improving in their
+business; and the expectation of these high wages, to come on hereafter,
+was what he had drawn them in with. Meredith was to work at press, Potts
+at book-binding, which he, by agreement, was to teach them, though he
+knew neither one nor t'other. John ------, a wild Irishman, brought up
+to no business, whose service, for four years, Keimer had purchased from
+the captain of a ship; he, too, was to be made a pressman. George Webb,
+an Oxford scholar, whose time for four years he had likewise bought,
+intending him for a compositor, of whom more presently; and David Harry,
+a country boy, whom he had taken apprentice.
+
+I soon perceiv'd that the intention of engaging me at wages so much
+higher than he had been us'd to give, was, to have these raw, cheap
+hands form'd thro' me; and, as soon as I had instructed them, then they
+being all articled to him, he should be able to do without me. I went
+on, however, very cheerfully, put his printing-house in order, which had
+been in great confusion, and brought his hands by degrees to mind their
+business and to do it better.
+
+It was an odd thing to find an Oxford scholar in the situation of a
+bought servant. He was not more than eighteen years of age, and gave me
+this account of himself; that he was born in Gloucester, educated at a
+grammar-school there, had been distinguish'd among the scholars for some
+apparent superiority in performing his part, when they exhibited plays;
+belong'd to the Witty Club there, and had written some pieces in prose
+and verse, which were printed in the Gloucester newspapers; thence he
+was sent to Oxford; where he continued about a year, but not well
+satisfi'd, wishing of all things to see London, and become a player. At
+length, receiving his quarterly allowance of fifteen guineas, instead of
+discharging his debts he walk'd out of town, hid his gown in a furze
+bush, and footed it to London, where, having no friend to advise him, he
+fell into bad company, soon spent his guineas, found no means of being
+introduc'd among the players, grew necessitous, pawn'd his cloaths, and
+wanted bread. Walking the street very hungry, and not knowing what to do
+with himself, a crimp's bill was put into his hand, offering immediate
+entertainment and encouragement to such as would bind themselves to
+serve in America. He went directly, sign'd the indentures, was put into
+the ship, and came over, never writing a line to acquaint his friends
+what was become of him. He was lively, witty, good-natur'd, and a
+pleasant companion, but idle, thoughtless, and imprudent to the last
+degree.
+
+John, the Irishman, soon ran away; with the rest I began to live very
+agreeably, for they all respected me the more, as they found Keimer
+incapable of instructing them, and that from me they learned something
+daily. We never worked on Saturday, that being Keimer's Sabbath, so I
+had two days for reading. My acquaintance with ingenious people in the
+town increased. Keimer himself treated me with great civility and
+apparent regard, and nothing now made me uneasy but my debt to Vernon,
+which I was yet unable to pay, being hitherto but a poor œconomist. He,
+however, kindly made no demand of it.
+
+Our printing-house often wanted sorts, and there was no letter-founder
+in America; I had seen types cast at James's in London, but without much
+attention to the manner; however, I now contrived a mould, made use of
+the letters we had as puncheons, struck the matrices in lead, And thus
+supply'd in a pretty tolerable way all deficiencies. I also engrav'd
+several things on occasion; I made the ink; I was warehouseman, and
+everything, and, in short, quite a factotum.
+
+But, however serviceable I might be, I found that my services became
+every day of less importance, as the other hands improv'd in the
+business; and, when Keimer paid my second quarter's wages, he let me
+know that he felt them too heavy, and thought I should make an
+abatement. He grew by degrees less civil, put on more of the master,
+frequently found fault, was captious, and seem'd ready for an
+outbreaking. I went on, nevertheless, with a good deal of patience,
+thinking that his encumber'd circumstances were partly the cause. At
+length a trifle snapt our connections; for, a great noise happening near
+the court-house, I put my head out of the window to see what was the
+matter. Keimer, being in the street, look'd up and saw me, call'd out to
+me in a loud voice and angry tone to mind my business, adding some
+reproachful words, that nettled me the more for their publicity, all the
+neighbors who were looking out on the same occasion being witnesses how
+I was treated. He came up immediately into the printing-house, continu'd
+the quarrel, high words pass'd on both sides, he gave me the quarter's
+warning we had stipulated, expressing a wish that he had not been
+oblig'd to so long a warning. I told him his wish was unnecessary, for I
+would leave him that instant; and so, taking my hat, walk'd out of
+doors, desiring Meredith, whom I saw below, to take care of some things
+I left, and bring them to my lodgings.
+
+Meredith came accordingly in the evening, when we talked my affair over.
+He had conceiv'd a great regard for me, and was very unwilling that I
+should leave the house while he remain'd in it. He dissuaded me from
+returning to my native country, which I began to think of; he reminded
+me that Keimer was in debt for all he possess'd; that his creditors
+began to be uneasy; that he kept his shop miserably, sold often without
+profit for ready money, and often trusted without keeping accounts; that
+he must therefore fall, which would make a vacancy I might profit of. I
+objected my want of money. He then let me know that his father had a
+high opinion of me, and, from some discourse that had pass'd between
+them, he was sure would advance money to set us up, if I would enter
+into partnership with him. "My time," says he, "will be out with Keimer
+in the spring; by that time we may have our press and types in from
+London. I am sensible I am no workman; if you like it, your skill in the
+business shall be set against the stock I furnish, and we will share the
+profits equally."
+
+The proposal was agreeable, and I consented; his father was in town and
+approv'd of it; the more as he saw I had great influence with his son,
+had prevail'd on him to abstain long from dram-drinking, and he hop'd
+might break him off that wretched habit entirely, when we came to be so
+closely connected. I gave an inventory to the father, who carry'd it to
+a merchant; the things were sent for, the secret was to be kept till
+they should arrive, and in the mean time I was to get work, if I could,
+at the other printing-house. But I found no vacancy there, and so
+remain'd idle a few days, when Keimer, on a prospect of being employ'd
+to print some paper money in New Jersey, which would require cuts and
+various types that I only could supply, and apprehending Bradford might
+engage me and get the jobb from him, sent me a very civil message, that
+old friends should not part for a few words, the effect of sudden
+passion, and wishing me to return. Meredith persuaded me to comply, as
+it would give more opportunity for his improvement under my daily
+instructions; so I return'd, and we went on more smoothly than for some
+time before. The New Jersey jobb was obtain'd, I contriv'd a copperplate
+press for it, the first that had been seen in the country; I cut several
+ornaments and checks for the bills. We went together to Burlington,
+where I executed the whole to satisfaction; and he received so large a
+sum for the work as to be enabled thereby to keep his head much longer
+above water.
+
+At Burlington I made an acquaintance with many principal people of the
+province. Several of them had been appointed by the Assembly a committee
+to attend the press, and take care that no more bills were printed than
+the law directed. They were therefore, by turns, constantly with us, and
+generally he who attended, brought with him a friend or two for company.
+My mind having been much more improv'd by reading than Keimer's, I
+suppose it was for that reason my conversation seem'd to be more valu'd.
+They had me to their houses, introduced me to their friends, and show'd
+me much civility; while he, tho' the master, was a little neglected. In
+truth, he was an odd fish; ignorant of common life, fond of rudely
+opposing receiv'd opinions, slovenly to extream dirtiness, enthusiastic
+in some points of religion, and a little knavish withal.
+
+We continu'd there near three months; and by that time I could reckon
+among my acquired friends, Judge Allen, Samuel Bustill, the secretary of
+the Province, Isaac Pearson, Joseph Cooper, and several of the Smiths,
+members of Assembly, and Isaac Decow, the surveyor-general. The latter
+was a shrewd, sagacious old man, who told me that he began for himself,
+when young, by wheeling clay for the brick-makers, learned to write
+after he was of age, carri'd the chain for surveyors, who taught him
+surveying, and he had now by his industry, acquir'd a good estate; and
+says he, "I foresee that you will soon work this man out of business,
+and make a fortune in it at Philadelphia." He had not then the least
+intimation of my intention to set up there or anywhere. These friends
+were afterwards of great use to me, as I occasionally was to some of
+them. They all continued their regard for me as long as they lived.
+
+Before I enter upon my public appearance in business, it may be well to
+let you know the then state of my mind with regard to my principles and
+morals, that you may see how far those influenc'd the future events of
+my life. My parents had early given me religious impressions, and
+brought me through my childhood piously in the Dissenting way. But I was
+scarce fifteen, when, after doubting by turns of several points, as I
+found them disputed in the different books I read, I began to doubt of
+Revelation itself. Some books against Deism fell into my hands; they
+were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle's Lectures.
+It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was
+intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to
+be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short,
+I soon became a thorough Deist. My arguments perverted some others,
+particularly Collins and Ralph; but, each of them having afterwards
+wrong'd me greatly without the least compunction, and recollecting
+Keith's conduct towards me (who was another freethinker), and my own
+towards Vernon and Miss Read, which at times gave me great trouble, I
+began to suspect that this doctrine, tho' it might be true, was not very
+useful. My London pamphlet, which had for its motto these lines of
+Dryden:
+
+   "Whatever is, is right. Though purblind man
+    Sees but a part o' the chain, the nearest link:
+    His eyes not carrying to the equal beam,
+    That poises all above;"
+
+and from the attributes of God, his infinite wisdom, goodness and power,
+concluded that nothing could possibly be wrong in the world, and that
+vice and virtue were empty distinctions, no such things existing,
+appear'd now not so clever a performance as I once thought it; and I
+doubted whether some error had not insinuated itself unperceiv'd into my
+argument, so as to infect all that follow'd, as is common in
+metaphysical reasonings.
+
+I grew convinc'd that truth, sincerity and integrity in dealings between
+man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life; and I
+form'd written resolutions, which still remain in my journal book, to
+practice them ever while I lived. Revelation had indeed no weight with
+me, as such; but I entertain'd an opinion that, though certain actions
+might not be bad because they were forbidden by it, or good because it
+commanded them, yet probably these actions might be forbidden because
+they were bad for us, or commanded because they were beneficial to us,
+in their own natures, all the circumstances of things considered. And
+this persuasion, with the kind hand of Providence, or some guardian
+angel, or accidental favorable circumstances and situations, or all
+together, preserved me, thro' this dangerous time of youth, and the
+hazardous situations I was sometimes in among strangers, remote from the
+eye and advice of my father, without any willful gross immorality or
+injustice, that might have been expected from my want of religion. I say
+willful, because the instances I have mentioned had something of
+necessity in them, from my youth, inexperience, and the knavery of
+others. I had therefore a tolerable character to begin the world with; I
+valued it properly, and determin'd to preserve it.
+
+We had not been long return'd to Philadelphia before the new types
+arriv'd from London. We settled with Keimer, and left him by his consent
+before he heard of it. We found a house to hire near the market, and
+took it. To lessen the rent, which was then but twenty-four pounds a
+year, tho' I have since known it to let for seventy, we took in Thomas
+Godfrey, a glazier, and his family, who were to pay a considerable part
+of it to us, and we to board with them. We had scarce opened our letters
+and put our press in order, before George House, an acquaintance of
+mine, brought a countryman to us, whom he had met in the street
+inquiring for a printer. All our cash was now expended in the variety of
+particulars we had been obliged to procure, and this countryman's five
+shillings, being our first-fruits, and coming so seasonably, gave me
+more pleasure than any crown I have since earned; and the gratitude I
+felt toward House has made me often more ready than perhaps I should
+otherwise have been to assist young beginners.
+
+There are croakers in every country, always boding its ruin. Such a one
+then lived in Philadelphia; a person of note, an elderly man, with a
+wise look and a very grave manner of speaking; his name was Samuel
+Mickle. This gentleman, a stranger to me, stopt one day at my door, and
+asked me if I was the young man who had lately opened a new
+printing-house. Being answered in the affirmative, he said he was sorry
+for me, because it was an expensive undertaking, and the expense would
+be lost; for Philadelphia was a sinking place, the people already
+half-bankrupts, or near being so; all appearances to the contrary, such
+as new buildings and the rise of rents, being to his certain knowledge
+fallacious; for they were, in fact, among the things that would soon
+ruin us. And he gave me such a detail of misfortunes now existing, or
+that were soon to exist, that he left me half melancholy. Had I known
+him before I engaged in this business, probably I never should have done
+it. This man continued to live in this decaying place, and to declaim in
+the same strain, refusing for many years to buy a house there, because
+all was going to destruction; and at last I had the pleasure of seeing
+him give five times as much for one as he might have bought it for when
+he first began his croaking.
+
+I should have mentioned before, that, in the autumn of the preceding
+year, I had form'd most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of
+mutual improvement, which we called the Junto; we met on Friday
+evenings. The rules that I drew up required that every member, in his
+turn, should produce one or more queries on any point of Morals,
+Politics, or Natural Philosophy, to be discuss'd by the company; and
+once in three months produce and read an essay of his own writing, on
+any subject he pleased. Our debates were to be under the direction of a
+president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after
+truth, without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory; and, to
+prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direct
+contradiction, were after some time made contraband, and prohibited
+under small pecuniary penalties.
+
+The first members were Joseph Breintnal, a copyer of deeds for the
+scriveners, a good-natur'd, friendly, middle-ag'd man, a great lover of
+poetry, reading all he could meet with, and writing some that was
+tolerable; very ingenious in many little Nicknackeries, and of sensible
+conversation.
+
+Thomas Godfrey, a self-taught mathematician, great in his way, and
+afterward inventor of what is now called Hadley's Quadrant. But he knew
+little out of his way, and was not a pleasing companion; as, like most
+great mathematicians I have met with, he expected universal precision in
+everything said, or was for ever denying or distinguishing upon trifles,
+to the disturbance of all conversation. He soon left us.
+
+Nicholas Scull, a surveyor, afterwards surveyor-general, who lov'd
+books, and sometimes made a few verses.
+
+William Parsons, bred a shoemaker, but loving reading, had acquir'd a
+considerable share of mathematics, which he first studied with a view to
+astrology, that he afterwards laught at it. He also became
+surveyor-general.
+
+William Maugridge, a joiner, a most exquisite mechanic, and a solid,
+sensible man.
+
+Hugh Meredith, Stephen Potts, and George Webb I have characteriz'd
+before.
+
+Robert Grace, a young gentleman of some fortune, generous, lively, and
+witty; a lover of punning and of his friends.
+
+And William Coleman, then a merchant's clerk, about my age, who had the
+coolest, clearest head, the best heart, and the exactest morals of
+almost any man I ever met with. He became afterwards a merchant of great
+note, and one of our provincial judges. Our friendship continued without
+interruption to his death, upward of forty years; and the club continued
+almost as long, and was the best school of philosophy, morality, and
+politics that then existed in the province; for our queries, which were
+read the week preceding their discussion, put us upon reading with
+attention upon the several subjects, that we might speak more to the
+purpose; and here, too, we acquired better habits of conversation, every
+thing being studied in our rules which might prevent our disgusting each
+other. From hence the long continuance of the club, which I shall have
+frequent occasion to speak further of hereafter.
+
+But my giving this account of it here is to show something of the
+interest I had, every one of these exerting themselves in recommending
+business to us. Breintnal particularly procur'd us from the Quakers the
+printing forty sheets of their history, the rest being to be done by
+Keimer; and upon this we work'd exceedingly hard, for the price was low.
+It was a folio, pro patria size, in pica, with long primer notes. I
+compos'd of it a sheet a day, and Meredith worked it off at press; it
+was often eleven at night, and sometimes later, before I had finished my
+distribution for the next day's work, for the little jobbs sent in by
+our other friends now and then put us back. But so determin'd I was to
+continue doing a sheet a day of the folio, that one night, when, having
+impos'd my forms, I thought my day's work over, one of them by accident
+was broken, and two pages reduced to pi, I immediately distributed and
+compos'd it over again before I went to bed; and this industry, visible
+to our neighbors, began to give us character and credit; particularly, I
+was told, that mention being made of the new printing-office at the
+merchants' Every-night club, the general opinion was that it must fail,
+there being already two printers in the place, Keimer and Bradford; but
+Dr. Baird (whom you and I saw many years after at his native place, St.
+Andrew's in Scotland) gave a contrary opinion: "For the industry of that
+Franklin," says he, "is superior to any thing I ever saw of the kind; I
+see him still at work when I go home from club, and he is at work again
+before his neighbors are out of bed." This struck the rest, and we soon
+after had offers from one of them to supply us with stationery; but as
+yet we did not chuse to engage in shop business.
+
+I mention this industry the more particularly and the more freely, tho'
+it seems to be talking in my own praise, that those of my posterity, who
+shall read it, may know the use of that virtue, when they see its
+effects in my favour throughout this relation.
+
+George Webb, who had found a female friend that lent him wherewith to
+purchase his time of Keimer, now came to offer himself as a journeyman
+to us. We could not then imploy him; but I foolishly let him know as a
+secret that I soon intended to begin a newspaper, and might then have
+work for him. My hopes of success, as I told him, were founded on this,
+that the then only newspaper, printed by Bradford, was a paltry thing,
+wretchedly manag'd, no way entertaining, and yet was profitable to him;
+I therefore thought a good paper would scarcely fail of good
+encouragement. I requested Webb not to mention it; but he told it to
+Keimer, who immediately, to be beforehand with me, published proposals
+for printing one himself, on which Webb was to be employ'd. I resented
+this; and, to counteract them, as I could not yet begin our paper, I
+wrote several pieces of entertainment for Bradford's paper, under the
+title of the Busy Body, which Breintnal continu'd some months. By this
+means the attention of the publick was fixed on that paper, and Keimer's
+proposals, which we burlesqu'd and ridicul'd, were disregarded. He began
+his paper, however, and, after carrying it on three quarters of a year,
+with at most only ninety subscribers, he offered it to me for a trifle;
+and I, having been ready some time to go on with it, took it in hand
+directly; and it prov'd in a few years extremely profitable to me.
+
+I perceive that I am apt to speak in the singular number, though our
+partnership still continu'd; the reason may be that, in fact, the whole
+management of the business lay upon me. Meredith was no compositor, a
+poor pressman, and seldom sober. My friends lamented my connection with
+him, but I was to make the best of it.
+
+Our first papers made a quite different appearance from any before in
+the province; a better type, and better printed; but some spirited
+remarks of my writing, on the dispute then going on between Governor
+Burnet and the Massachusetts Assembly, struck the principal people,
+occasioned the paper and the manager of it to be much talk'd of, and in
+a few weeks brought them all to be our subscribers.
+
+Their example was follow'd by many, and our number went on growing
+continually. This was one of the first good effects of my having learnt
+a little to scribble; another was, that the leading men, seeing a
+newspaper now in the hands of one who could also handle a pen, thought
+it convenient to oblige and encourage me. Bradford still printed the
+votes, and laws, and other publick business. He had printed an address
+of the House to the governor, in a coarse, blundering manner, we
+reprinted it elegantly and correctly, and sent one to every member. They
+were sensible of the difference: it strengthened the hands of our
+friends in the House, and they voted us their printers for the year
+ensuing.
+
+Among my friends in the House I must not forget Mr. Hamilton, before
+mentioned, who was then returned from England, and had a seat in it. He
+interested himself for me strongly in that instance, as he did in many
+others afterward, continuing his patronage till his death. [6]
+
+[6] I got his son once £500.--[Marg. note.]
+
+Mr. Vernon, about this time, put me in mind of the debt I ow'd him, but
+did not press me. I wrote him an ingenuous letter of acknowledgment,
+crav'd his forbearance a little longer, which he allow'd me, and as soon
+as I was able, I paid the principal with interest, and many thanks; so
+that erratum was in some degree corrected.
+
+But now another difficulty came upon me which I had never the least
+reason to expect. Mr. Meredith's father, who was to have paid for our
+printing-house, according to the expectations given me, was able to
+advance only one hundred pounds currency, which had been paid; and a
+hundred more was due to the merchant, who grew impatient, and su'd us
+all. We gave bail, but saw that, if the money could not be rais'd in
+time, the suit must soon come to a judgment and execution, and our
+hopeful prospects must, with us, be ruined, as the press and letters
+must be sold for payment, perhaps at half price.
+
+In this distress two true friends, whose kindness I have never
+forgotten, nor ever shall forget while I can remember any thing, came to
+me separately, unknown to each other, and, without any application from
+me, offering each of them to advance me all the money that should be
+necessary to enable me to take the whole business upon myself, if that
+should be practicable; but they did not like my continuing the
+partnership with Meredith, who, as they said, was often seen drunk in
+the streets, and playing at low games in alehouses, much to our
+discredit. These two friends were William Coleman and Robert Grace. I
+told them I could not propose a separation while any prospect remain'd
+of the Merediths' fulfilling their part of our agreement, because I
+thought myself under great obligations to them for what they had done,
+and would do if they could; but, if they finally fail'd in their
+performance, and our partnership must be dissolv'd, I should then think
+myself at liberty to accept the assistance of my friends.
+
+Thus the matter rested for some time, when I said to my partner,
+"Perhaps your father is dissatisfied at the part you have undertaken in
+this affair of ours, and is unwilling to advance for you and me what he
+would for you alone. If that is the case, tell me, and I will resign the
+whole to you, and go about my business." "No," said he, "my father has
+really been disappointed, and is really unable; and I am unwilling to
+distress him farther. I see this is a business I am not fit for. I was
+bred a farmer, and it was a folly in me to come to town, and put myself,
+at thirty years of age, an apprentice to learn a new trade. Many of our
+Welsh people are going to settle in North Carolina, where land is cheap.
+I am inclin'd to go with them, and follow my old employment. You may
+find friends to assist you. If you will take the debts of the company
+upon you; return to my father the hundred pound he has advanced; pay my
+little personal debts, and give me thirty pounds and a new saddle, I
+will relinquish the partnership, and leave the whole in your hands." I
+agreed to this proposal: it was drawn up in writing, sign'd, and seal'd
+immediately. I gave him what he demanded, and he went soon after to
+Carolina, from whence he sent me next year two long letters, containing
+the best account that had been given of that country, the climate, the
+soil, husbandry, etc., for in those matters he was very judicious. I
+printed them in the papers, and they gave great satisfaction to the
+publick.
+
+As soon as he was gone, I recurr'd to my two friends; and because I
+would not give an unkind preference to either, I took half of what each
+had offered and I wanted of one, and half of the other; paid off the
+company's debts, and went on with the business in my own name,
+advertising that the partnership was dissolved. I think this was in or
+about the year 1729.
+
+About this time there was a cry among the people for more paper money,
+only fifteen thousand pounds being extant in the province, and that soon
+to be sunk. The wealthy inhabitants oppos'd any addition, being against
+all paper currency, from an apprehension that it would depreciate, as it
+had done in New England, to the prejudice of all creditors. We had
+discuss'd this point in our Junto, where I was on the side of an
+addition, being persuaded that the first small sum struck in 1723 had
+done much good by increasing the trade, employment, and number of
+inhabitants in the province, since I now saw all the old houses
+inhabited, and many new ones building: whereas I remembered well, that
+when I first walk'd about the streets of Philadelphia, eating my roll, I
+saw most of the houses in Walnut-street, between Second and Front
+streets, with bills on their doors, "To be let"; and many likewise in
+Chestnut-street and other streets, which made me then think the
+inhabitants of the city were deserting it one after another.
+
+Our debates possess'd me so fully of the subject, that I wrote and
+printed an anonymous pamphlet on it, entitled "The Nature and Necessity
+of a Paper Currency." It was well receiv'd by the common people in
+general; but the rich men dislik'd it, for it increas'd and strengthen'd
+the clamor for more money, and they happening to have no writers among
+them that were able to answer it, their opposition slacken'd, and the
+point was carried by a majority in the House. My friends there, who
+conceiv'd I had been of some service, thought fit to reward me by
+employing me in printing the money; a very profitable jobb and a great
+help to me. This was another advantage gain'd by my being able to write.
+
+The utility of this currency became by time and experience so evident as
+never afterwards to be much disputed; so that it grew soon to fifty-five
+thousand pounds, and in 1739 to eighty thousand pounds, since which it
+arose during war to upwards of three hundred and fifty thousand pounds,
+trade, building, and inhabitants all the while increasing, tho' I now
+think there are limits beyond which the quantity may be hurtful.
+
+I soon after obtain'd, thro' my friend Hamilton, the printing of the
+Newcastle paper money, another profitable jobb as I then thought it;
+small things appearing great to those in small circumstances; and these,
+to me, were really great advantages, as they were great encouragements.
+He procured for me, also, the printing of the laws and votes of that
+government, which continu'd in my hands as long as I follow'd the
+business.
+
+I now open'd a little stationer's shop. I had in it blanks of all sorts,
+the correctest that ever appear'd among us, being assisted in that by my
+friend Breintnal. I had also paper, parchment, chapmen's books, etc. One
+Whitemash, a compositor I had known in London, an excellent workman, now
+came to me, and work'd with me constantly and diligently; and I took an
+apprentice, the son of Aquila Rose.
+
+I began now gradually to pay off the debt I was under for the
+printing-house. In order to secure my credit and character as a
+tradesman, I took care not only to be in reality industrious and frugal,
+but to avoid all appearances to the contrary. I drest plainly; I was
+seen at no places of idle diversion. I never went out a fishing or
+shooting; a book, indeed, sometimes debauch'd me from my work, but that
+was seldom, snug, and gave no scandal; and, to show that I was not above
+my business, I sometimes brought home the paper I purchas'd at the
+stores thro' the streets on a wheelbarrow. Thus being esteem'd an
+industrious, thriving young man, and paying duly for what I bought, the
+merchants who imported stationery solicited my custom; others proposed
+supplying me with books, and I went on swimmingly. In the mean time,
+Keimer's credit and business declining daily, he was at last forc'd to
+sell his printing-house to satisfy his creditors. He went to Barbadoes,
+and there lived some years in very poor circumstances.
+
+His apprentice, David Harry, whom I had instructed while I work'd with
+him, set up in his place at Philadelphia, having bought his materials. I
+was at first apprehensive of a powerful rival in Harry, as his friends
+were very able, and had a good deal of interest. I therefore propos'd a
+partnership to him which he, fortunately for me, rejected with scorn. He
+was very proud, dress'd like a gentleman, liv'd expensively, took much
+diversion and pleasure abroad, ran in debt, and neglected his business;
+upon which, all business left him; and, finding nothing to do, he
+followed Keimer to Barbadoes, taking the printing-house with him. There
+this apprentice employ'd his former master as a journeyman; they
+quarrel'd often; Harry went continually behindhand, and at length was
+forc'd to sell his types and return to his country work in Pensilvania.
+The person that bought them employ'd Keimer to use them, but in a few
+years he died.
+
+There remained now no competitor with me at Philadelphia but the old
+one, Bradford; who was rich and easy, did a little printing now and then
+by straggling hands, but was not very anxious about the business.
+However, as he kept the post-office, it was imagined he had better
+opportunities of obtaining news; his paper was thought a better
+distributer of advertisements than mine, and therefore had many more,
+which was a profitable thing to him, and a disadvantage to me; for, tho'
+I did indeed receive and send papers by the post, yet the publick
+opinion was otherwise, for what I did send was by bribing the riders,
+who took them privately, Bradford being unkind enough to forbid it,
+which occasion'd some resentment on my part; and I thought so meanly of
+him for it, that, when I afterward came into his situation, I took care
+never to imitate it.
+
+I had hitherto continu'd to board with Godfrey, who lived in part of my
+house with his wife and children, and had one side of the shop for his
+glazier's business, tho' he worked little, being always absorbed in his
+mathematics. Mrs. Godfrey projected a match for me with a relation's
+daughter, took opportunities of bringing us often together, till a
+serious courtship on my part ensu'd, the girl being in herself very
+deserving. The old folks encourag'd me by continual invitations to
+supper, and by leaving us together, till at length it was time to
+explain. Mrs. Godfrey manag'd our little treaty. I let her know that I
+expected as much money with their daughter as would pay off my remaining
+debt for the printing-house, which I believe was not then above a
+hundred pounds. She brought me word they had no such sum to spare; I
+said they might mortgage their house in the loan-office. The answer to
+this, after some days, was, that they did not approve the match; that,
+on inquiry of Bradford, they had been inform'd the printing business was
+not a profitable one; the types would soon be worn out, and more wanted;
+that S. Keimer and D. Harry had failed one after the other, and I should
+probably soon follow them; and, therefore, I was forbidden the house,
+and the daughter shut up.
+
+Whether this was a real change of sentiment or only artifice, on a
+supposition of our being too far engaged in affection to retract, and
+therefore that we should steal a marriage, which would leave them at
+liberty to give or withhold what they pleas'd, I know not; but I
+suspected the latter, resented it, and went no more. Mrs. Godfrey
+brought me afterward some more favorable accounts of their disposition,
+and would have drawn me on again; but I declared absolutely my
+resolution to have nothing more to do with that family. This was
+resented by the Godfreys; we differ'd, and they removed, leaving me the
+whole house, and I resolved to take no more inmates.
+
+But this affair having turned my thoughts to marriage, I look'd round me
+and made overtures of acquaintance in other places; but soon found that,
+the business of a printer being generally thought a poor one, I was not
+to expect money with a wife, unless with such a one as I should not
+otherwise think agreeable. In the mean time, that hard-to-be-governed
+passion of youth hurried me frequently into intrigues with low women
+that fell in my way, which were attended with some expense and great
+inconvenience, besides a continual risque to my health by a distemper
+which of all things I dreaded, though by great good luck I escaped it. A
+friendly correspondence as neighbors and old acquaintances had continued
+between me and Mrs. Read's family, who all had a regard for me from the
+time of my first lodging in their house. I was often invited there and
+consulted in their affairs, wherein I sometimes was of service. I piti'd
+poor Miss Read's unfortunate situation, who was generally dejected,
+seldom cheerful, and avoided company. I considered my giddiness and
+inconstancy when in London as in a great degree the cause of her
+unhappiness, tho' the mother was good enough to think the fault more her
+own than mine, as she had prevented our marrying before I went thither,
+and persuaded the other match in my absence. Our mutual affection was
+revived, but there were now great objections to our union. The match was
+indeed looked upon as invalid, a preceding wife being said to be living
+in England; but this could not easily be prov'd, because of the
+distance; and, tho' there was a report of his death, it was not certain.
+Then, tho' it should be true, he had left many debts, which his
+successor might be call'd upon to pay. We ventured, however, over all
+these difficulties, and I took her to wife, September 1st, 1730. None of
+the inconveniences happened that we had apprehended; she proved a good
+and faithful helpmate, assisted me much by attending the shop; we throve
+together, and have ever mutually endeavored to make each other happy.
+Thus I corrected that great erratum as well as I could.
+
+About this time, our club meeting, not at a tavern, but in a little room
+of Mr. Grace's, set apart for that purpose, a proposition was made by
+me, that, since our books were often referr'd to in our disquisitions
+upon the queries, it might be convenient to us to have them altogether
+where we met, that upon occasion they might be consulted; and by thus
+clubbing our books to a common library, we should, while we lik'd to
+keep them together, have each of us the advantage of using the books of
+all the other members, which would be nearly as beneficial as if each
+owned the whole. It was lik'd and agreed to, and we fill'd one end of
+the room with such books as we could best spare. The number was not so
+great as we expected; and tho' they had been of great use, yet some
+inconveniences occurring for want of due care of them, the collection,
+after about a year, was separated, and each took his books home again.
+
+And now I set on foot my first project of a public nature, that for a
+subscription library. I drew up the proposals, got them put into form by
+our great scrivener, Brockden, and, by the help of my friends in the
+Junto, procured fifty subscribers of forty shillings each to begin with,
+and ten shillings a year for fifty years, the term our company was to
+continue. We afterwards obtain'd a charter, the company being increased
+to one hundred: this was the mother of all the North American
+subscription libraries, now so numerous. It is become a great thing
+itself, and continually increasing. These libraries have improved the
+general conversation of the Americans, made the common tradesmen and
+farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries, and
+perhaps have contributed in some degree to the stand so generally made
+throughout the colonies in defense of their privileges.
+
+Memo. Thus far was written with the intention express'd in the beginning
+and therefore contains several little family anecdotes of no importance
+to others. What follows was written many years after in compliance with
+the advice contain'd in these letters, and accordingly intended for the
+public. The affairs of the Revolution occasion'd the interruption.
+
+Letter from Mr. Abel James,
+with Notes of my Life (received in Paris).
+
+"My Dear and Honored Friend: I have often been desirous of writing to
+thee, but could not be reconciled to the thought that the letter might
+fall into the hands of the British, lest some printer or busy-body
+should publish some part of the contents, and give our friend pain, and
+myself censure.
+
+"Some time since there fell into my hands, to my great joy, about
+twenty-three sheets in thy own handwriting, containing an account of the
+parentage and life of thyself, directed to thy son, ending in the year
+1730, with which there were notes, likewise in thy writing; a copy of
+which I inclose, in hopes it may be a means, if thou continued it up to
+a later period, that the first and latter part may be put together; and
+if it is not yet continued, I hope thee will not delay it. Life is
+uncertain, as the preacher tells us; and what will the world say if
+kind, humane, and benevolent Ben. Franklin should leave his friends and
+the world deprived of so pleasing and profitable a work; a work which
+would be useful and entertaining not only to a few, but to millions? The
+influence writings under that class have on the minds of youth is very
+great, and has nowhere appeared to me so plain, as in our public
+friend's journals. It almost insensibly leads the youth into the
+resolution of endeavoring to become as good and eminent as the
+journalist. Should thine, for instance, when published (and I think it
+could not fail of it), lead the youth to equal the industry and
+temperance of thy early youth, what a blessing with that class would
+such a work be! I know of no character living, nor many of them put
+together, who has so much in his power as thyself to promote a greater
+spirit of industry and early attention to business, frugality, and
+temperance with the American youth. Not that I think the work would have
+no other merit and use in the world, far from it; but the first is of
+such vast importance that I know nothing that can equal it."
+
+The foregoing letter and the minutes accompanying it being shown to a
+friend, I received from him the following:
+
+Letter from Mr. Benjamin Vaughan.
+
+"Paris, January 31, 1783.
+
+"My Dearest Sir: When I had read over your sheets of minutes of the
+principal incidents of your life, recovered for you by your Quaker
+acquaintance, I told you I would send you a letter expressing my reasons
+why I thought it would be useful to complete and publish it as he
+desired. Various concerns have for some time past prevented this letter
+being written, and I do not know whether it was worth any expectation;
+happening to be at leisure, however, at present, I shall by writing, at
+least interest and instruct myself; but as the terms I am inclined to
+use may tend to offend a person of your manners, I shall only tell you
+how I would address any other person, who was as good and as great as
+yourself, but less diffident. I would say to him, Sir, I solicit the
+history of your life from the following motives: Your history is so
+remarkable, that if you do not give it, somebody else will certainly
+give it; and perhaps so as nearly to do as much harm, as your own
+management of the thing might do good. It will moreover present a table
+of the internal circumstances of your country, which will very much tend
+to invite to it settlers of virtuous and manly minds. And considering
+the eagerness with which such information is sought by them, and the
+extent of your reputation, I do not know of a more efficacious
+advertisement than your biography would give. All that has happened to
+you is also connected with the detail of the manners and situation of a
+rising people; and in this respect I do not think that the writings of
+Cæsar and Tacitus can be more interesting to a true judge of human
+nature and society. But these, sir, are small reasons, in my opinion,
+compared with the chance which your life will give for the forming of
+future great men; and in conjunction with your Art of Virtue (which you
+design to publish) of improving the features of private character, and
+consequently of aiding all happiness, both public and domestic. The two
+works I allude to, sir, will in particular give a noble rule and example
+of self-education. School and other education constantly proceed upon
+false principles, and show a clumsy apparatus pointed at a false mark;
+but your apparatus is simple, and the mark a true one; and while parents
+and young persons are left destitute of other just means of estimating
+and becoming prepared for a reasonable course in life, your discovery
+that the thing is in many a man's private power, will be invaluable!
+Influence upon the private character, late in life, is not only an
+influence late in life, but a weak influence. It is in youth that we
+plant our chief habits and prejudices; it is in youth that we take our
+party as to profession, pursuits and matrimony. In youth, therefore, the
+turn is given; in youth the education even of the next generation is
+given; in youth the private and public character is determined; and the
+term of life extending but from youth to age, life ought to begin well
+from youth, and more especially before we take our party as to our
+principal objects. But your biography will not merely teach
+self-education, but the education of a wise man; and the wisest man will
+receive lights and improve his progress, by seeing detailed the conduct
+of another wise man. And why are weaker men to be deprived of such
+helps, when we see our race has been blundering on in the dark, almost
+without a guide in this particular, from the farthest trace of time?
+Show then, sir, how much is to be done, both to sons and fathers; and
+invite all wise men to become like yourself, and other men to become
+wise. When we see how cruel statesmen and warriors can be to the human
+race, and how absurd distinguished men can be to their acquaintance, it
+will be instructive to observe the instances multiply of pacific,
+acquiescing manners; and to find how compatible it is to be great and
+domestic, enviable and yet good-humored.
+
+"The little private incidents which you will also have to relate, will
+have considerable use, as we want, above all things, rules of prudence
+in ordinary affairs; and it will be curious to see how you have acted in
+these. It will be so far a sort of key to life, and explain many things
+that all men ought to have once explained to them, to give them a chance
+of becoming wise by foresight. The nearest thing to having experience of
+one's own, is to have other people's affairs brought before us in a
+shape that is interesting; this is sure to happen from your pen; our
+affairs and management will have an air of simplicity or importance that
+will not fail to strike; and I am convinced you have conducted them with
+as much originality as if you had been conducting discussions in
+politics or philosophy; and what more worthy of experiments and system
+(its importance and its errors considered) than human life?
+
+"Some men have been virtuous blindly, others have speculated
+fantastically, and others have been shrewd to bad purposes; but you,
+sir, I am sure, will give under your hand, nothing but what is at the
+same moment, wise, practical and good.  Your account of yourself (for I
+suppose the parallel I am drawing for Dr. Franklin, will hold not only
+in point of character, but of private history) will show that you are
+ashamed of no origin; a thing the more important, as you prove how
+little necessary all origin is to happiness, virtue, or greatness. As no
+end likewise happens without a means, so we shall find, sir, that even
+you yourself framed a plan by which you became considerable; but at the
+same time we may see that though the event is flattering, the means are
+as simple as wisdom could make them; that is, depending upon nature,
+virtue, thought and habit. Another thing demonstrated will be the
+propriety of every man's waiting for his time for appearing upon the
+stage of the world. Our sensations being very much fixed to the moment,
+we are apt to forget that more moments are to follow the first, and
+consequently that man should arrange his conduct so as to suit the whole
+of a life. Your attribution appears to have been applied to your life,
+and the passing moments of it have been enlivened with content and
+enjoyment, instead of being tormented with foolish impatience or
+regrets. Such a conduct is easy for those who make virtue and themselves
+in countenance by examples of other truly great men, of whom patience is
+so often the characteristic. Your Quaker correspondent, sir (for here
+again I will suppose the subject of my letter resembling Dr. Franklin),
+praised your frugality, diligence and temperance, which he considered as
+a pattern for all youth; but it is singular that he should have
+forgotten your modesty and your disinterestedness, without which you
+never could have waited for your advancement, or found your situation in
+the mean time comfortable; which is a strong lesson to show the poverty
+of glory and the importance of regulating our minds. If this
+correspondent had known the nature of your reputation as well as I do,
+he would have said, Your former writings and measures would secure
+attention to your Biography, and Art of Virtue; and your Biography and
+Art of Virtue, in return, would secure attention to them. This is an
+advantage attendant upon a various character, and which brings all that
+belongs to it into greater play; and it is the more useful, as perhaps
+more persons are at a loss for the means of improving their minds and
+characters, than they are for the time or the inclination to do it. But
+there is one concluding reflection, sir, that will shew the use of your
+life as a mere piece of biography. This style of writing seems a little
+gone out of vogue, and yet it is a very useful one; and your specimen of
+it may be particularly serviceable, as it will make a subject of
+comparison with the lives of various public cutthroats and intriguers,
+and with absurd monastic self-tormentors or vain literary triflers. If
+it encourages more writings of the same kind with your own, and induces
+more men to spend lives fit to be written, it will be worth all
+Plutarch's Lives put together. But being tired of figuring to myself a
+character of which every feature suits only one man in the world,
+without giving him the praise of it, I shall end my letter, my dear Dr.
+Franklin, with a personal application to your proper self. I am
+earnestly desirous, then, my dear sir, that you should let the world
+into the traits of your genuine character, as civil broils may otherwise
+tend to disguise or traduce it. Considering your great age, the caution
+of your character, and your peculiar style of thinking, it is not likely
+that any one besides yourself can be sufficiently master of the facts of
+your life, or the intentions of your mind. Besides all this, the immense
+revolution of the present period, will necessarily turn our attention
+towards the author of it, and when virtuous principles have been
+pretended in it, it will be highly important to shew that such have
+really influenced; and, as your own character will be the principal one
+to receive a scrutiny, it is proper (even for its effects upon your vast
+and rising country, as well as upon England and upon Europe) that it
+should stand respectable and eternal. For the furtherance of human
+happiness, I have always maintained that it is necessary to prove that
+man is not even at present a vicious and detestable animal; and still
+more to prove that good management may greatly amend him; and it is for
+much the same reason, that I am anxious to see the opinion established,
+that there are fair characters existing among the individuals of the
+race; for the moment that all men, without exception, shall be conceived
+abandoned, good people will cease efforts deemed to be hopeless, and
+perhaps think of taking their share in the scramble of life, or at least
+of making it comfortable principally for themselves. Take then, my dear
+sir, this work most speedily into hand: shew yourself good as you are
+good; temperate as you are temperate; and above all things, prove
+yourself as one, who from your infancy have loved justice, liberty and
+concord, in a way that has made it natural and consistent for you to
+have acted, as we have seen you act in the last seventeen years of your
+life. Let Englishmen be made not only to respect, but even to love you.
+When they think well of individuals in your native country, they will go
+nearer to thinking well of your country; and when your countrymen see
+themselves well thought of by Englishmen, they will go nearer to
+thinking well of England. Extend your views even further; do not stop at
+those who speak the English tongue, but after having settled so many
+points in nature and politics, think of bettering the whole race of men.
+As I have not read any part of the life in question, but know only the
+character that lived it, I write somewhat at hazard. I am sure, however,
+that the life and the treatise I allude to (on the Art of Virtue) will
+necessarily fulfil the chief of my expectations; and still more so if
+you take up the measure of suiting these performances to the several
+views above stated. Should they even prove unsuccessful in all that a
+sanguine admirer of yours hopes from them, you will at least have framed
+pieces to interest the human mind; and whoever gives a feeling of
+pleasure that is innocent to man, has added so much to the fair side of
+a life otherwise too much darkened by anxiety and too much injured by
+pain. In the hope, therefore, that you will listen to the prayer
+addressed to you in this letter, I beg to subscribe myself, my dearest
+sir, etc., etc.,
+
+"Signed,     Benj. Vaughan."
+
+Continuation of the Account of my Life, begun at Passy, near Paris,
+1784.
+
+It is some time since I receiv'd the above letters, but I have been too
+busy till now to think of complying with the request they contain. It
+might, too, be much better done if I were at home among my papers, which
+would aid my memory, and help to ascertain dates; but my return being
+uncertain and having just now a little leisure, I will endeavor to
+recollect and write what I can; if I live to get home, it may there be
+corrected and improv'd.
+
+Not having any copy here of what is already written, I know not whether
+an account is given of the means I used to establish the Philadelphia
+public library, which, from a small beginning, is now become so
+considerable, though I remember to have come down to near the time of
+that transaction (1730). I will therefore begin here with an account of
+it, which may be struck out if found to have been already given.
+
+At the time I establish'd myself in Pennsylvania, there was not a good
+bookseller's shop in any of the colonies to the southward of Boston. In
+New York and Philad'a the printers were indeed stationers; they sold
+only paper, etc., almanacs, ballads, and a few common school-books.
+Those who lov'd reading were oblig'd to send for their books from
+England; the members of the Junto had each a few. We had left the
+alehouse, where we first met, and hired a room to hold our club in. I
+propos'd that we should all of us bring our books to that room, where
+they would not only be ready to consult in our conferences, but become a
+common benefit, each of us being at liberty to borrow such as he wish'd
+to read at home. This was accordingly done, and for some time contented
+us.
+
+Finding the advantage of this little collection, I propos'd to render
+the benefit from books more common, by commencing a public subscription
+library. I drew a sketch of the plan and rules that would be necessary,
+and got a skilful conveyancer, Mr. Charles Brockden, to put the whole in
+form of articles of agreement to be subscribed, by which each subscriber
+engag'd to pay a certain sum down for the first purchase of books, and
+an annual contribution for increasing them. So few were the readers at
+that time in Philadelphia, and the majority of us so poor, that I was
+not able, with great industry; to find more than fifty persons, mostly
+young tradesmen, willing to pay down for this purpose forty shillings
+each, and ten shillings per annum. On this little fund we began. The
+books were imported; the library was opened one day in the week for
+lending to the subscribers, on their promissory notes to pay double the
+value if not duly returned. The institution soon manifested its utility,
+was imitated by other towns, and in other provinces. The libraries were
+augmented by donations; reading became fashionable; and our people,
+having no publick amusements to divert their attention from study,
+became better acquainted with books, and in a few years were observ'd by
+strangers to be better instructed and more intelligent than people of
+the same rank generally are in other countries.
+
+When we were about to sign the above-mentioned articles, which were to
+be binding upon us, our heirs, etc., for fifty years, Mr. Brockden, the
+scrivener, said to us, "You are young men, but it is scarcely probable
+that any of you will live to see the expiration of the term fix'd in the
+instrument." A number of us, however, are yet living; but the instrument
+was after a few years rendered null by a charter that incorporated and
+gave perpetuity to the company.
+
+The objections and reluctances I met with in soliciting the
+subscriptions, made me soon feel the impropriety of presenting one's
+self as the proposer of any useful project, that might be suppos'd to
+raise one's reputation in the smallest degree above that of one's
+neighbors, when one has need of their assistance to accomplish that
+project. I therefore put myself as much as I could out of sight, and
+stated it as a scheme of a number of friends, who had requested me to go
+about and propose it to such as they thought lovers of reading. In this
+way my affair went on more smoothly, and I ever after practis'd it on
+such occasions; and, from my frequent successes, can heartily recommend
+it. The present little sacrifice of your vanity will afterwards be amply
+repaid. If it remains a while uncertain to whom the merit belongs, some
+one more vain than yourself will be encouraged to claim it, and then
+even envy will be disposed to do you justice by plucking those assumed
+feathers, and restoring them to their right owner.
+
+This library afforded me the means of improvement by constant study, for
+which I set apart an hour or two each day, and thus repair'd in some
+degree the loss of the learned education my father once intended for me.
+Reading was the only amusement I allow'd myself. I spent no time in
+taverns, games, or frolicks of any kind; and my industry in my business
+continu'd as indefatigable as it was necessary. I was indebted for my
+printing-house; I had a young family coming on to be educated, and I had
+to contend with for business two printers, who were established in the
+place before me. My circumstances, however, grew daily easier. My
+original habits of frugality continuing, and my father having, among his
+instructions to me when a boy, frequently repeated a proverb of Solomon,
+"Seest thou a man diligent in his calling, he shall stand before kings,
+he shall not stand before mean men," I from thence considered industry
+as a means of obtaining wealth and distinction, which encourag'd me,
+tho' I did not think that I should ever literally stand before kings,
+which, however, has since happened; for I have stood before five, and
+even had the honor of sitting down with one, the King of Denmark, to
+dinner.
+
+We have an English proverb that says, "He that would thrive, must ask
+his wife." It was lucky for me that I had one as much dispos'd to
+industry and frugality as myself. She assisted me cheerfully in my
+business, folding and stitching pamphlets, tending shop, purchasing old
+linen rags for the papermakers, etc., etc. We kept no idle servants, our
+table was plain and simple, our furniture of the cheapest. For instance,
+my breakfast was a long time bread and milk (no tea), and I ate it out
+of a twopenny earthen porringer, with a pewter spoon. But mark how
+luxury will enter families, and make a progress, in spite of principle:
+being call'd one morning to breakfast, I found it in a China bowl, with
+a spoon of silver! They had been bought for me without my knowledge by
+my wife, and had cost her the enormous sum of three-and-twenty
+shillings, for which she had no other excuse or apology to make, but
+that she thought her husband deserv'd a silver spoon and China bowl as
+well as any of his neighbors. This was the first appearance of plate and
+China in our house, which afterward, in a course of years, as our wealth
+increas'd, augmented gradually to several hundred pounds in value.
+
+I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and tho' some of the
+dogmas of that persuasion, such as the eternal decrees of God, election,
+reprobation, etc., appeared to me unintelligible, others doubtful, and I
+early absented myself from the public assemblies of the sect, Sunday
+being my studying day, I never was without some religious principles. I
+never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity; that he made
+the world, and govern'd it by his Providence; that the most acceptable
+service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal;
+and that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or
+hereafter. These I esteem'd the essentials of every religion; and, being
+to be found in all the religions we had in our country, I respected them
+all, tho' with different degrees of respect, as I found them more or
+less mix'd with other articles, which, without any tendency to inspire,
+promote, or confirm morality, serv'd principally to divide us, and make
+us unfriendly to one another. This respect to all, with an opinion that
+the worst had some good effects, induc'd me to avoid all discourse that
+might tend to lessen the good opinion another might have of his own
+religion; and as our province increas'd in people, and new places of
+worship were continually wanted, and generally erected by voluntary
+contributions, my mite for such purpose, whatever might be the sect, was
+never refused.
+
+Tho' I seldom attended any public worship, I had still an opinion of its
+propriety, and of its utility when rightly conducted, and I regularly
+paid my annual subscription for the support of the only Presbyterian
+minister or meeting we had in Philadelphia. He us'd to visit me
+sometimes as a friend, and admonish me to attend his administrations,
+and I was now and then prevail'd on to do so, once for five Sundays
+successively. Had he been in my opinion a good preacher, perhaps I might
+have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I had for the Sunday's
+leisure in my course of study; but his discourses were chiefly either
+polemic arguments, or explications of the peculiar doctrines of our
+sect, and were all to me very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying, since
+not a single moral principle was inculcated or enforc'd, their aim
+seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good citizens.
+
+At length he took for his text that verse of the fourth chapter of
+Philippians, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest,
+just, pure, lovely, or of good report, if there be any virtue, or any
+praise, think on these things." And I imagin'd, in a sermon on such a
+text, we could not miss of having some morality. But he confin'd himself
+to five points only, as meant by the apostle, viz.: 1. Keeping holy the
+Sabbath day. 2. Being diligent in reading the holy Scriptures. 3.
+Attending duly the publick worship. 4. Partaking of the Sacrament. 5.
+Paying a due respect to God's ministers. These might be all good things;
+but, as they were not the kind of good things that I expected from that
+text, I despaired of ever meeting with them from any other, was
+disgusted, and attended his preaching no more. I had some years before
+compos'd a little Liturgy, or form of prayer, for my own private use
+(viz., in 1728), entitled, Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion. I
+return'd to the use of this, and went no more to the public assemblies.
+My conduct might be blameable, but I leave it, without attempting
+further to excuse it; my present purpose being to relate facts, and not
+to make apologies for them.
+
+It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and arduous project of
+arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any
+fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination,
+custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew,
+what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the
+one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of
+more difficulty than I had imagined. While my care was employ'd in
+guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took
+the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for
+reason. I concluded, at length, that the mere speculative conviction
+that it was our interest to be completely virtuous, was not sufficient
+to prevent our slipping; and that the contrary habits must be broken,
+and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any
+dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude of conduct. For this purpose I
+therefore contrived the following method.
+
+In the various enumerations of the moral virtues I had met with in my
+reading, I found the catalogue more or less numerous, as different
+writers included more or fewer ideas under the same name. Temperance,
+for example, was by some confined to eating and drinking, while by
+others it was extended to mean the moderating every other pleasure,
+appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice
+and ambition. I propos'd to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use
+rather more names, with fewer ideas annex'd to each, than a few names
+with more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of virtues all that
+at that time occurr'd to me as necessary or desirable, and annexed to
+each a short precept, which fully express'd the extent I gave to its
+meaning.
+
+These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
+
+ 1. Temperance.
+    Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
+ 2. Silence.
+    Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling
+conversation.
+ 3. Order.
+    Let all your things have their places; let each part of your
+business have its time.
+ 4. Resolution.
+    Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you
+resolve.
+ 5. Frugality.
+    Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste
+nothing.
+ 6. Industry.
+    Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all
+unnecessary actions.
+ 7. Sincerity.
+    Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you
+speak, speak accordingly.
+ 8. Justice.
+    Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your
+duty.
+ 9. Moderation.
+    Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they
+deserve.
+10. Cleanliness.
+    Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
+11. Tranquillity.
+    Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
+12. Chastity.
+    Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness,
+weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
+13. Humility.
+    Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
+
+My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these virtues, I
+judg'd it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting the
+whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I
+should be master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on, till I
+should have gone thro' the thirteen; and, as the previous acquisition of
+some might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I arrang'd them
+with that view, as they stand above. Temperance first, as it tends to
+procure that coolness and clearness of head, which is so necessary where
+constant vigilance was to be kept up, and guard maintained against the
+unremitting attraction of ancient habits, and the force of perpetual
+temptations. This being acquir'd and establish'd, Silence would be more
+easy; and my desire being to gain knowledge at the same time that I
+improv'd in virtue, and considering that in conversation it was obtain'd
+rather by the use of the ears than of the tongue, and therefore wishing
+to break a habit I was getting into of prattling, punning, and joking,
+which only made me acceptable to trifling company, I gave Silence the
+second place. This and the next, Order, I expected would allow me more
+time for attending to my project and my studies. Resolution, once become
+habitual, would keep me firm in my endeavors to obtain all the
+subsequent virtues; Frugality and Industry freeing me from my remaining
+debt, and producing affluence and independence, would make more easy the
+practice of Sincerity and Justice, etc., etc. Conceiving then, that,
+agreeably to the advice of Pythagoras in his Golden Verses, daily
+examination would be necessary, I contrived the following method for
+conducting that examination.
+
+I made a little book, in which I allotted a page for each of the
+virtues. I rul'd each page with red ink, so as to have seven columns,
+one for each day of the week, marking each column with a letter for the
+day. I cross'd these columns with thirteen red lines, marking the
+beginning of each line with the first letter of one of the virtues, on
+which line, and in its proper column, I might mark, by a little black
+spot, every fault I found upon examination to have been committed
+respecting that virtue upon that day.
+
+Form of the pages.
+
+TEMPERANCE.
+eat not to dulness;
+drink not to elevation.
+
+        S.      M.      T.      W.      T.      F.      S.
+T.
+S.      •       •               •               •
+O.      ••      •       •               •       •       •
+R.                      •                       •
+F.              •                       •
+I.                      •
+S.
+J.
+M.
+C.
+T.
+C.
+H.
+
+I determined to give a week's strict attention to each of the virtues
+successively. Thus, in the first week, my great guard was to avoid every
+the least offence against Temperance, leaving the other virtues to their
+ordinary chance, only marking every evening the faults of the day. Thus,
+if in the first week I could keep my first line, marked T, clear of
+spots, I suppos'd the habit of that virtue so much strengthen'd, and its
+opposite weaken'd, that I might venture extending my attention to
+include the next, and for the following week keep both lines clear of
+spots. Proceeding thus to the last, I could go thro' a course compleat
+in thirteen weeks, and four courses in a year. And like him who, having
+a garden to weed, does not attempt to eradicate all the bad herbs at
+once, which would exceed his reach and his strength, but works on one of
+the beds at a time, and, having accomplish'd the first, proceeds to a
+second, so I should have, I hoped, the encouraging pleasure of seeing on
+my pages the progress I made in virtue, by clearing successively my
+lines of their spots, till in the end, by a number of courses, I should
+be happy in viewing a clean book, after a thirteen weeks' daily
+examination.
+
+This my little book had for its motto these lines from Addison's Cato:
+
+   "Here will I hold. If there's a power above us
+    (And that there is, all nature cries aloud
+    Thro' all her works), He must delight in virtue;
+    And that which he delights in must be happy."
+
+Another from Cicero,
+
+"O vitæ Philosophia dux! O virtutum indagatrix expultrixque vitiorum!
+Unus dies, bene et ex præceptis tuis actus, peccanti immortalitati est
+anteponendus."
+
+Another from the Proverbs of Solomon, speaking of wisdom or virtue:
+
+"Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and
+honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."
+iii. 16, 17.
+
+And conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdom, I thought it right and
+necessary to solicit his assistance for obtaining it; to this end I
+formed the following little prayer, which was prefix'd to my tables of
+examination, for daily use.
+
+"O powerful Goodness! bountiful Father! merciful Guide! Increase in me
+that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my
+resolutions to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices
+to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual
+favors to me."
+
+I used also sometimes a little prayer which I took from Thomson's Poems,
+viz.:
+
+   "Father of light and life, thou Good Supreme!
+    O teach me what is good; teach me Thyself!
+    Save me from folly, vanity, and vice,
+    From every low pursuit; and fill my soul
+    With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure;
+    Sacred, substantial, never-fading bliss!"
+
+The precept of Order requiring that every part of my business should
+have its allotted time, one page in my little book contain'd the
+following scheme of employment for the twenty-four hours of a natural
+day:
+
+  THE MORNING.         { 5}   Rise, wash, and address Powerful
+  Question.            { 6}   Goodness! Contrive day's
+  What good shall      {  }   business, and take the resolution
+  I do this day?       { 7}   of the day; prosecute the present
+                       {  }   study, and breakfast.
+                         8}
+                         9}
+                        10}   Work.
+                        11}
+  NOON.                {12}   Read, or overlook my accounts,
+                       { 1}   and dine.
+                         2}
+                         3}   Work.
+                         4}
+                         5}
+  EVENING.             { 6}   Put things in their places.
+  Question.            { 7}   Supper. Music or diversion, or
+    What good have     { 8}   conversation. Examination of
+    I done to-day?     { 9}   the day.
+                       {10}
+                       {11}
+                       {12}
+  NIGHT.               { 1}   Sleep.
+                       { 2}
+                       { 3}
+                       { 4}
+
+I enter'd upon the execution of this plan for self-examination, and
+continu'd it with occasional intermissions for some time. I was
+surpris'd to find myself so much fuller of faults than I had imagined;
+but I had the satisfaction of seeing them diminish. To avoid the trouble
+of renewing now and then my little book, which, by scraping out the
+marks on the paper of old faults to make room for new ones in a new
+course, became full of holes, I transferr'd my tables and precepts to
+the ivory leaves of a memorandum book, on which the lines were drawn
+with red ink, that made a durable stain, and on those lines I mark'd my
+faults with a black-lead pencil, which marks I could easily wipe out
+with a wet sponge. After a while I went thro' one course only in a year,
+and afterward only one in several years, till at length I omitted them
+entirely, being employ'd in voyages and business abroad, with a
+multiplicity of affairs that interfered; but I always carried my little
+book with me.
+
+My scheme of Order gave me the most trouble; and I found that, tho' it
+might be practicable where a man's business was such as to leave him the
+disposition of his time, that of a journeyman printer, for instance, it
+was not possible to be exactly observed by a master, who must mix with
+the world, and often receive people of business at their own hours.
+Order, too, with regard to places for things, papers, etc., I found
+extreamly difficult to acquire. I had not been early accustomed to it,
+and, having an exceeding good memory, I was not so sensible of the
+inconvenience attending want of method. This article, therefore, cost me
+so much painful attention, and my faults in it vexed me so much, and I
+made so little progress in amendment, and had such frequent relapses,
+that I was almost ready to give up the attempt, and content myself with
+a faulty character in that respect, like the man who, in buying an ax of
+a smith, my neighbour, desired to have the whole of its surface as
+bright as the edge. The smith consented to grind it bright for him if he
+would turn the wheel; he turn'd, while the smith press'd the broad face
+of the ax hard and heavily on the stone, which made the turning of it
+very fatiguing. The man came every now and then from the wheel to see
+how the work went on, and at length would take his ax as it was, without
+farther grinding. "No," said the smith, "turn on, turn on; we shall have
+it bright by-and-by; as yet, it is only speckled." "Yes," said the man,
+"but I think I like a speckled ax best." And I believe this may have
+been the case with many, who, having, for want of some such means as I
+employ'd, found the difficulty of obtaining good and breaking bad habits
+in other points of vice and virtue, have given up the struggle, and
+concluded that "a speckled ax was best"; for something, that pretended
+to be reason, was every now and then suggesting to me that such extream
+nicety as I exacted of myself might be a kind of foppery in morals,
+which, if it were known, would make me ridiculous; that a perfect
+character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and
+hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself,
+to keep his friends in countenance.
+
+In truth, I found myself incorrigible with respect to Order; and now I
+am grown old, and my memory bad, I feel very sensibly the want of it.
+But, on the whole, tho' I never arrived at the perfection I had been so
+ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the
+endeavour, a better and a happier man than I otherwise should have been
+if I had not attempted it; as those who aim at perfect writing by
+imitating the engraved copies, tho' they never reach the wish'd-for
+excellence of those copies, their hand is mended by the endeavor, and is
+tolerable while it continues fair and legible.
+
+It may be well my posterity should be informed that to this little
+artifice, with the blessing of God, their ancestor ow'd the constant
+felicity of his life, down to his 79th year, in which this is written.
+What reverses may attend the remainder is in the hand of Providence;
+but, if they arrive, the reflection on past happiness enjoy'd ought to
+help his bearing them with more resignation. To Temperance he ascribes
+his long-continued health, and what is still left to him of a good
+constitution; to Industry and Frugality, the early easiness of his
+circumstances and acquisition of his fortune, with all that knowledge
+that enabled him to be a useful citizen, and obtained for him some
+degree of reputation among the learned; to Sincerity and Justice, the
+confidence of his country, and the honorable employs it conferred upon
+him; and to the joint influence of the whole mass of the virtues, even
+in the imperfect state he was able to acquire them, all that evenness of
+temper, and that cheerfulness in conversation, which makes his company
+still sought for, and agreeable even to his younger acquaintance. I
+hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and
+reap the benefit.
+
+It will be remark'd that, tho' my scheme was not wholly without
+religion, there was in it no mark of any of the distinguishing tenets of
+any particular sect. I had purposely avoided them; for, being fully
+persuaded of the utility and excellency of my method, and that it might
+be serviceable to people in all religions, and intending some time or
+other to publish it, I would not have any thing in it that should
+prejudice any one, of any sect, against it. I purposed writing a little
+comment on each virtue, in which I would have shown the advantages of
+possessing it, and the mischiefs attending its opposite vice; and I
+should have called my book The Art of Virtue, [7] because it would have
+shown the means and manner of obtaining virtue, which would have
+distinguished it from the mere exhortation to be good, that does not
+instruct and indicate the means, but is like the apostle's man of verbal
+charity, who only without showing to the naked and hungry how or where
+they might get clothes or victuals, exhorted them to be fed and
+clothed.--James ii. 15, 16.
+
+[7] Nothing so likely to make a man's fortune as virtue.--[Marg. note.]
+
+But it so happened that my intention of writing and publishing this
+comment was never fulfilled. I did, indeed, from time to time, put down
+short hints of the sentiments, reasonings, etc., to be made use of in
+it, some of which I have still by me; but the necessary close attention
+to private business in the earlier part of my life, and public business
+since, have occasioned my postponing it; for, it being connected in my
+mind with a great and extensive project, that required the whole man to
+execute, and which an unforeseen succession of employs prevented my
+attending to, it has hitherto remain'd unfinish'd.
+
+In this piece it was my design to explain and enforce this doctrine,
+that vicious actions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but
+forbidden because they are hurtful, the nature of man alone considered;
+that it was, therefore, every one's interest to be virtuous who wish'd
+to be happy even in this world; and I should, from this circumstance
+(there being always in the world a number of rich merchants, nobility,
+states, and princes, who have need of honest instruments for the
+management of their affairs, and such being so rare), have endeavored to
+convince young persons that no qualities were so likely to make a poor
+man's fortune as those of probity and integrity.
+
+My list of virtues contain'd at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend
+having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; that my
+pride show'd itself frequently in conversation; that I was not content
+with being in the right when discussing any point, but was overbearing,
+and rather insolent, of which he convinc'd me by mentioning several
+instances; I determined endeavouring to cure myself, if I could, of this
+vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list, giving an
+extensive meaning to the word.
+
+I cannot boast of much success in acquiring the reality of this virtue,
+but I had a good deal with regard to the appearance of it. I made it a
+rule to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiments of others,
+and all positive assertion of my own. I even forbid myself, agreeably to
+the old laws of our Junto, the use of every word or expression in the
+language that imported a fix'd opinion, such as certainly, undoubtedly,
+etc., and I adopted, instead of them, I conceive, I apprehend, or I
+imagine a thing to be so or so; or it so appears to me at present. When
+another asserted something that I thought an error, I deny'd myself the
+pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of showing immediately some
+absurdity in his proposition; and in answering I began by observing that
+in certain cases or circumstances his opinion would be right, but in the
+present case there appear'd or seem'd to me some difference, etc. I soon
+found the advantage of this change in my manner; the conversations I
+engag'd in went on more pleasantly. The modest way in which I propos'd
+my opinions procur'd them a readier reception and less contradiction; I
+had less mortification when I was found to be in the wrong, and I more
+easily prevail'd with others to give up their mistakes and join with me
+when I happened to be in the right.
+
+And this mode, which I at first put on with some violence to natural
+inclination, became at length so easy, and so habitual to me, that
+perhaps for these fifty years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical
+expression escape me. And to this habit (after my character of
+integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early so much weight
+with my fellow-citizens when I proposed new institutions, or alterations
+in the old, and so much influence in public councils when I became a
+member; for I was but a bad speaker, never eloquent, subject to much
+hesitation in my choice of words, hardly correct in language, and yet I
+generally carried my points.
+
+In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to
+subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it,
+mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now
+and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in
+this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly
+overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.
+
+[Thus far written at Passy, 1784.]
+
+["I am now about to write at home, August, 1788, but can not have the
+help expected from my papers, many of them being lost in the war. I
+have, however, found the following."] [8]
+
+Having mentioned a great and extensive project which I had conceiv'd, it
+seems proper that some account should be here given of that project and
+its object. Its first rise in my mind appears in the following little
+paper, accidentally preserv'd, viz.:
+
+[8] This is a marginal memorandum.--B.
+
+Observations on my reading history, in Library, May 19th, 1731.
+
+"That the great affairs of the world, the wars, revolutions, etc., are
+carried on and affected by parties.
+
+"That the view of these parties is their present general interest, or
+what they take to be such.
+
+"That the different views of these different parties occasion all
+confusion.
+
+"That while a party is carrying on a general design, each man has his
+particular private interest in view.
+
+"That as soon as a party has gain'd its general point, each member
+becomes intent upon his particular interest; which, thwarting others,
+breaks that party into divisions, and occasions more confusion.
+
+"That few in public affairs act from a meer view of the good of their
+country, whatever they may pretend; and, tho' their actings bring real
+good to their country, yet men primarily considered that their own and
+their country's interest was united, and did not act from a principle of
+benevolence.
+
+"That fewer still, in public affairs, act with a view to the good of
+mankind.
+
+"There seems to me at present to be great occasion for raising a United
+Party for Virtue, by forming the virtuous and good men of all nations
+into a regular body, to be govern'd by suitable good and wise rules,
+which good and wise men may probably be more unanimous in their
+obedience to, than common people are to common laws.
+
+"I at present think that whoever attempts this aright, and is well
+qualified, can not fail of pleasing God, and of meeting with success.
+
+B. F."
+
+Revolving this project in my mind, as to be undertaken hereafter, when
+my circumstances should afford me the necessary leisure, I put down from
+time to time, on pieces of paper, such thoughts as occurr'd to me
+respecting it. Most of these are lost; but I find one purporting to be
+the substance of an intended creed, containing, as I thought, the
+essentials of every known religion, and being free of every thing that
+might shock the professors of any religion. It is express'd in these
+words, viz.:
+
+"That there is one God, who made all things.
+
+"That he governs the world by his providence.
+
+"That he ought to be worshiped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving.
+
+"But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man.
+
+"That the soul is immortal.
+
+"And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here
+or hereafter." [9]
+
+[9] In the Middle Ages, Franklin, if such a phenomenon as Franklin were
+possible in the Middle Ages, would probably have been the founder of a
+monastic order.--B.
+
+My ideas at that time were, that the sect should be begun and spread at
+first among young and single men only; that each person to be initiated
+should not only declare his assent to such creed, but should have
+exercised himself with the thirteen weeks' examination and practice of
+the virtues, as in the before-mention'd model; that the existence of
+such a society should be kept a secret, till it was become considerable,
+to prevent solicitations for the admission of improper persons, but that
+the members should each of them search among his acquaintance for
+ingenuous, well-disposed youths, to whom, with prudent caution, the
+scheme should be gradually communicated; that the members should engage
+to afford their advice, assistance, and support to each other in
+promoting one another's interests, business, and advancement in life;
+that, for distinction, we should be call'd The Society of the Free and
+Easy: free, as being, by the general practice and habit of the virtues,
+free from the dominion of vice; and particularly by the practice of
+industry and frugality, free from debt, which exposes a man to
+confinement, and a species of slavery to his creditors.
+
+This is as much as I can now recollect of the project, except that I
+communicated it in part to two young men, who adopted it with some
+enthusiasm; but my then narrow circumstances, and the necessity I was
+under of sticking close to my business, occasion'd my postponing the
+further prosecution of it at that time; and my multifarious occupations,
+public and private, induc'd me to continue postponing, so that it has
+been omitted till I have no longer strength or activity left sufficient
+for such an enterprise; tho' I am still of opinion that it was a
+practicable scheme, and might have been very useful, by forming a great
+number of good citizens; and I was not discourag'd by the seeming
+magnitude of the undertaking, as I have always thought that one man of
+tolerable abilities may work great changes, and accomplish great affairs
+among mankind, if he first forms a good plan, and, cutting off all
+amusements or other employments that would divert his attention, makes
+the execution of that same plan his sole study and business.
+
+In 1732 I first publish'd my Almanack, under the name of Richard
+Saunders; it was continu'd by me about twenty-five years, commonly
+call'd Poor Richard's Almanac. I endeavor'd to make it both entertaining
+and useful, and it accordingly came to be in such demand, that I reap'd
+considerable profit from it, vending annually near ten thousand. And
+observing that it was generally read, scarce any neighborhood in the
+province being without it, I consider'd it as a proper vehicle for
+conveying instruction among the common people, who bought scarcely any
+other books; I therefore filled all the little spaces that occurr'd
+between the remarkable days in the calendar with proverbial sentences,
+chiefly such as inculcated industry and frugality, as the means of
+procuring wealth, and thereby securing virtue; it being more difficult
+for a man in want, to act always honestly, as, to use here one of those
+proverbs, it is hard for an empty sack to stand upright.
+
+These proverbs, which contained the wisdom of many ages and nations, I
+assembled and form'd into a connected discourse prefix'd to the Almanack
+of 1757, as the harangue of a wise old man to the people attending an
+auction. The bringing all these scatter'd counsels thus into a focus
+enabled them to make greater impression. The piece, being universally
+approved, was copied in all the newspapers of the Continent; reprinted
+in Britain on a broad side, to be stuck up in houses; two translations
+were made of it in French, and great numbers bought by the clergy and
+gentry, to distribute gratis among their poor parishioners and tenants.
+In Pennsylvania, as it discouraged useless expense in foreign
+superfluities, some thought it had its share of influence in producing
+that growing plenty of money which was observable for several years
+after its publication.
+
+I considered my newspaper, also, as another means of communicating
+instruction, and in that view frequently reprinted in it extracts from
+the Spectator, and other moral writers; and sometimes publish'd little
+pieces of my own, which had been first compos'd for reading in our
+Junto. Of these are a Socratic dialogue, tending to prove that, whatever
+might be his parts and abilities, a vicious man could not properly be
+called a man of sense; and a discourse on self-denial, showing that
+virtue was not secure till its practice became a habitude, and was free
+from the opposition of contrary inclinations. These may be found in the
+papers about the beginning of 1735.
+
+In the conduct of my newspaper, I carefully excluded all libelling and
+personal abuse, which is of late years become so disgraceful to our
+country. Whenever I was solicited to insert anything of that kind, and
+the writers pleaded, as they generally did, the liberty of the press,
+and that a newspaper was like a stage-coach, in which any one who would
+pay had a right to a place, my answer was, that I would print the piece
+separately if desired, and the author might have as many copies as he
+pleased to distribute himself, but that I would not take upon me to
+spread his detraction; and that, having contracted with my subscribers
+to furnish them with what might be either useful or entertaining, I
+could not fill their papers with private altercation, in which they had
+no concern, without doing them manifest injustice. Now, many of our
+printers make no scruple of gratifying the malice of individuals by
+false accusations of the fairest characters among ourselves, augmenting
+animosity even to the producing of duels; and are, moreover, so
+indiscreet as to print scurrilous reflections on the government of
+neighboring states, and even on the conduct of our best national allies,
+which may be attended with the most pernicious consequences. These
+things I mention as a caution to young printers, and that they may be
+encouraged not to pollute their presses and disgrace their profession by
+such infamous practices, but refuse steadily, as they may see by my
+example that such a course of conduct will not, on the whole, be
+injurious to their interests.
+
+In 1733 I sent one of my journeymen to Charleston, South Carolina, where
+a printer was wanting. I furnish'd him with a press and letters, on an
+agreement of partnership, by which I was to receive one-third of the
+profits of the business, paying one-third of the expense. He was a man
+of learning, and honest but ignorant in matters of account; and, tho' he
+sometimes made me remittances, I could get no account from him, nor any
+satisfactory state of our partnership while he lived. On his decease,
+the business was continued by his widow, who, being born and bred in
+Holland, where, as I have been inform'd, the knowledge of accounts makes
+a part of female education, she not only sent me as clear a state as she
+could find of the transactions past, but continued to account with the
+greatest regularity and exactness every quarter afterwards, and managed
+the business with such success, that she not only brought up reputably a
+family of children, but, at the expiration of the term, was able to
+purchase of me the printing-house, and establish her son in it.
+
+I mention this affair chiefly for the sake of recommending that branch
+of education for our young females, as likely to be of more use to them
+and their children, in case of widowhood, than either music or dancing,
+by preserving them from losses by imposition of crafty men, and enabling
+them to continue, perhaps, a profitable mercantile house, with
+establish'd correspondence, till a son is grown up fit to undertake and
+go on with it, to the lasting advantage and enriching of the family.
+
+About the year 1734 there arrived among us from Ireland a young
+Presbyterian preacher, named Hemphill, who delivered with a good voice,
+and apparently extempore, most excellent discourses, which drew together
+considerable numbers of different persuasion, who join'd in admiring
+them. Among the rest, I became one of his constant hearers, his sermons
+pleasing me, as they had little of the dogmatical kind, but inculcated
+strongly the practice of virtue, or what in the religious stile are
+called good works. Those, however, of our congregation, who considered
+themselves as orthodox Presbyterians, disapprov'd his doctrine, and were
+join'd by most of the old clergy, who arraign'd him of heterodoxy before
+the synod, in order to have him silenc'd. I became his zealous partisan,
+and contributed all I could to raise a party in his favour, and we
+combated for him a while with some hopes of success. There was much
+scribbling pro and con upon the occasion; and finding that, tho' an
+elegant preacher, he was but a poor writer, I lent him my pen and wrote
+for him two or three pamphlets, and one piece in the Gazette of April,
+1735. Those pamphlets, as is generally the case with controversial
+writings, tho' eagerly read at the time, were soon out of vogue, and I
+question whether a single copy of them now exists.
+
+During the contest an unlucky occurrence hurt his cause exceedingly. One
+of our adversaries having heard him preach a sermon that was much
+admired, thought he had somewhere read the sermon before, or at least a
+part of it. On search he found that part quoted at length, in one of the
+British Reviews, from a discourse of Dr. Foster's. This detection gave
+many of our party disgust, who accordingly abandoned his cause, and
+occasion'd our more speedy discomfiture in the synod. I stuck by him,
+however, as I rather approv'd his giving us good sermons compos'd by
+others, than bad ones of his own manufacture, tho' the latter was the
+practice of our common teachers. He afterward acknowledg'd to me that
+none of those he preach'd were his own; adding, that his memory was such
+as enabled him to retain and repeat any sermon after one reading only.
+On our defeat, he left us in search elsewhere of better fortune, and I
+quitted the congregation, never joining it after, tho' I continu'd many
+years my subscription for the support of its ministers.
+
+I had begun in 1733 to study languages; I soon made myself so much a
+master of the French as to be able to read the books with ease. I then
+undertook the Italian. An acquaintance, who was also learning it, us'd
+often to tempt me to play chess with him. Finding this took up too much
+of the time I had to spare for study, I at length refus'd to play any
+more, unless on this condition, that the victor in every game should
+have a right to impose a task, either in parts of the grammar to be got
+by heart, or in translations, etc., which tasks the vanquish'd was to
+perform upon honour, before our next meeting. As we play'd pretty
+equally, we thus beat one another into that language. I afterwards with
+a little painstaking, acquir'd as much of the Spanish as to read their
+books also.
+
+I have already mention'd that I had only one year's instruction in a
+Latin school, and that when very young, after which I neglected that
+language entirely. But, when I had attained an acquaintance with the
+French, Italian, and Spanish, I was surpriz'd to find, on looking over a
+Latin Testament, that I understood so much more of that language than I
+had imagined, which encouraged me to apply myself again to the study of
+it, and I met with more success, as those preceding languages had
+greatly smooth'd my way.
+
+From these circumstances, I have thought that there is some
+inconsistency in our common mode of teaching languages. We are told that
+it is proper to begin first with the Latin, and, having acquir'd that,
+it will be more easy to attain those modern languages which are deriv'd
+from it; and yet we do not begin with the Greek, in order more easily to
+acquire the Latin. It is true that, if you can clamber and get to the
+top of a staircase without using the steps, you will more easily gain
+them in descending; but certainly, if you begin with the lowest you will
+with more ease ascend to the top; and I would therefore offer it to the
+consideration of those who superintend the education of our youth,
+whether, since many of those who begin with the Latin quit the same
+after spending some years without having made any great proficiency, and
+what they have learnt becomes almost useless, so that their time has
+been lost, it would not have been better to have begun with the French,
+proceeding to the Italian, etc.; for, tho', after spending the same
+time, they should quit the study of languages and never arrive at the
+Latin, they would, however, have acquired another tongue or two, that,
+being in modern use, might be serviceable to them in common life.
+
+After ten years' absence from Boston, and having become easy in my
+circumstances, I made a journey thither to visit my relations, which I
+could not sooner well afford. In returning, I call'd at Newport to see
+my brother, then settled there with his printing-house. Our former
+differences were forgotten, and our meeting was very cordial and
+affectionate. He was fast declining in his health, and requested of me
+that, in case of his death, which he apprehended not far distant, I
+would take home his son, then but ten years of age, and bring him up to
+the printing business. This I accordingly perform'd, sending him a few
+years to school before I took him into the office. His mother carried on
+the business till he was grown up, when I assisted him with an
+assortment of new types, those of his father being in a manner worn out.
+Thus it was that I made my brother ample amends for the service I had
+depriv'd him of by leaving him so early.
+
+In 1736 I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four years old, by the
+small-pox, taken in the common way. I long regretted bitterly, and still
+regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation. This I mention for
+the sake of parents who omit that operation, on the supposition that
+they should never forgive themselves if a child died under it; my
+example showing that the regret may be the same either way, and that,
+therefore, the safer should be chosen.
+
+Our club, the Junto, was found so useful, and afforded such satisfaction
+to the members, that several were desirous of introducing their friends,
+which could not well be done without exceeding what we had settled as a
+convenient number, viz., twelve. We had from the beginning made it a
+rule to keep our institution a secret, which was pretty well observ'd;
+the intention was to avoid applications of improper persons for
+admittance, some of whom, perhaps, we might find it difficult to refuse.
+I was one of those who were against any addition to our number, but,
+instead of it, made in writing a proposal, that every member separately
+should endeavor to form a subordinate club, with the same rules
+respecting queries, etc., and without informing them of the connection
+with the Junto. The advantages proposed were, the improvement of so many
+more young citizens by the use of our institutions; our better
+acquaintance with the general sentiments of the inhabitants on any
+occasion, as the Junto member might propose what queries we should
+desire, and was to report to the Junto what pass'd in his separate club;
+the promotion of our particular interests in business by more extensive
+recommendation, and the increase of our influence in public affairs, and
+our power of doing good by spreading thro' the several clubs the
+sentiments of the Junto.
+
+The project was approv'd, and every member undertook to form his club,
+but they did not all succeed. Five or six only were compleated, which
+were called by different names, as the Vine, the Union, the Band, etc.
+They were useful to themselves, and afforded us a good deal of
+amusement, information, and instruction, besides answering, in some
+considerable degree, our views of influencing the public opinion on
+particular occasions, of which I shall give some instances in course of
+time as they happened.
+
+My first promotion was my being chosen, in 1736, clerk of the General
+Assembly. The choice was made that year without opposition; but the year
+following, when I was again propos'd (the choice, like that of the
+members, being annual), a new member made a long speech against me, in
+order to favour some other candidate. I was, however, chosen, which was
+the more agreeable to me, as, besides the pay for the immediate service
+as clerk, the place gave me a better opportunity of keeping up an
+interest among the members, which secur'd to me the business of printing
+the votes, laws, paper money, and other occasional jobbs for the public,
+that, on the whole, were very profitable.
+
+I therefore did not like the opposition of this new member, who was a
+gentleman of fortune and education, with talents that were likely to
+give him, in time, great influence in the House, which, indeed,
+afterwards happened. I did not, however, aim at gaining his favour by
+paying any servile respect to him, but, after some time, took this other
+method. Having heard that he had in his library a certain very scarce
+and curious book, I wrote a note to him, expressing my desire of
+perusing that book, and requesting he would do me the favour of lending
+it to me for a few days. He sent it immediately, and I return'd it in
+about a week with another note, expressing strongly my sense of the
+favour. When we next met in the House, he spoke to me (which he had
+never done before), and with great civility; and he ever after
+manifested a readiness to serve me on all occasions, so that we became
+great friends, and our friendship continued to his death. This is
+another instance of the truth of an old maxim I had learned, which says,
+"He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you
+another, than he whom you yourself have obliged." And it shows how much
+more profitable it is prudently to remove, than to resent, return, and
+continue inimical proceedings.
+
+In 1737, Colonel Spotswood, late governor of Virginia, and then
+postmaster-general, being dissatisfied with the conduct of his deputy at
+Philadelphia, respecting some negligence in rendering, and inexactitude
+of his accounts, took from him the commission and offered it to me. I
+accepted it readily, and found it of great advantage; for, tho' the
+salary was small, it facilitated the correspondence that improv'd my
+newspaper, increas'd the number demanded, as well as the advertisements
+to be inserted, so that it came to afford me a considerable income. My
+old competitor's newspaper declin'd proportionably, and I was satisfy'd
+without retaliating his refusal, while postmaster, to permit my papers
+being carried by the riders. Thus he suffer'd greatly from his neglect
+in due accounting; and I mention it as a lesson to those young men who
+may be employ'd in managing affairs for others, that they should always
+render accounts, and make remittances, with great clearness and
+punctuality. The character of observing such a conduct is the most
+powerful of all recommendations to new employments and increase of
+business.
+
+I began now to turn my thoughts a little to public affairs, beginning,
+however, with small matters. The city watch was one of the first things
+that I conceiv'd to want regulation. It was managed by the constables of
+the respective wards in turn; the constable warned a number of
+housekeepers to attend him for the night. Those who chose never to
+attend paid him six shillings a year to be excus'd, which was suppos'd
+to be for hiring substitutes, but was, in reality, much more than was
+necessary for that purpose, and made the constableship a place of
+profit; and the constable, for a little drink, often got such
+ragamuffins about him as a watch, that respectable housekeepers did not
+choose to mix with. Walking the rounds, too, was often neglected, and
+most of the nights spent in tippling. I thereupon wrote a paper to be
+read in Junto, representing these irregularities, but insisting more
+particularly on the inequality of this six-shilling tax of the
+constables, respecting the circumstances of those who paid it, since a
+poor widow housekeeper, all whose property to be guarded by the watch
+did not perhaps exceed the value of fifty pounds, paid as much as the
+wealthiest merchant, who had thousands of pounds' worth of goods in his
+stores.
+
+On the whole, I proposed as a more effectual watch, the hiring of proper
+men to serve constantly in that business; and as a more equitable way of
+supporting the charge the levying a tax that should be proportion'd to
+the property. This idea, being approv'd by the Junto, was communicated
+to the other clubs, but as arising in each of them; and though the plan
+was not immediately carried into execution, yet, by preparing the minds
+of people for the change, it paved the way for the law obtained a few
+years after, when the members of our clubs were grown into more
+influence.
+
+About this time I wrote a paper (first to be read in Junto, but it was
+afterward publish'd) on the different accidents and carelessnesses by
+which houses were set on fire, with cautions against them, and means
+proposed of avoiding them. This was much spoken of as a useful piece,
+and gave rise to a project, which soon followed it, of forming a company
+for the more ready extinguishing of fires, and mutual assistance in
+removing and securing the goods when in danger. Associates in this
+scheme were presently found, amounting to thirty. Our articles of
+agreement oblig'd every member to keep always in good order, and fit for
+use, a certain number of leather buckets, with strong bags and baskets
+(for packing and transporting of goods), which were to be brought to
+every fire; and we agreed to meet once a month and spend a social
+evening together, in discoursing and communicating such ideas as
+occurred to us upon the subject of fires, as might be useful in our
+conduct on such occasions.
+
+The utility of this institution soon appeared, and many more desiring to
+be admitted than we thought convenient for one company, they were
+advised to form another, which was accordingly done; and this went on,
+one new company being formed after another, till they became so numerous
+as to include most of the inhabitants who were men of property; and now,
+at the time of my writing this, tho' upward of fifty years since its
+establishment, that which I first formed, called the Union Fire Company,
+still subsists and flourishes, tho' the first members are all deceas'd
+but myself and one, who is older by a year than I am. The small fines
+that have been paid by members for absence at the monthly meetings have
+been apply'd to the purchase of fire-engines, ladders, fire-hooks, and
+other useful implements for each company, so that I question whether
+there is a city in the world better provided with the means of putting a
+stop to beginning conflagrations; and, in fact, since these
+institutions, the city has never lost by fire more than one or two
+houses at a time, and the flames have often been extinguished before the
+house in which they began has been half consumed.
+
+In 1739 arrived among us from Ireland the Reverend Mr. Whitefield, who
+had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant preacher. He was at
+first permitted to preach in some of our churches; but the clergy,
+taking a dislike to him, soon refus'd him their pulpits, and he was
+oblig'd to preach in the fields. The multitudes of all sects and
+denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was matter
+of speculation to me, who was one of the number, to observe the
+extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers, and how much they
+admir'd and respected him, notwithstanding his common abuse of them, by
+assuring them that they were naturally half beasts and half devils. It
+was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our
+inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it
+seem'd as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not
+walk thro' the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in
+different families of every street.
+
+And it being found inconvenient to assemble in the open air, subject to
+its inclemencies, the building of a house to meet in was no sooner
+propos'd, and persons appointed to receive contributions, but sufficient
+sums were soon receiv'd to procure the ground and erect the building,
+which was one hundred feet long and seventy broad, about the size of
+Westminster Hall; and the work was carried on with such spirit as to be
+finished in a much shorter time than could have been expected. Both
+house and ground were vested in trustees, expressly for the use of any
+preacher of any religious persuasion who might desire to say something
+to the people at Philadelphia; the design in building not being to
+accommodate any particular sect, but the inhabitants in general; so that
+even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach
+Mohammedanism to us, he would find a pulpit at his service.
+
+Mr. Whitefield, in leaving us, went preaching all the way thro' the
+colonies to Georgia. The settlement of that province had lately been
+begun, but, instead of being made with hardy, industrious husbandmen,
+accustomed to labor, the only people fit for such an enterprise, it was
+with families of broken shop-keepers and other insolvent debtors, many
+of indolent and idle habits, taken out of the jails, who, being set down
+in the woods, unqualified for clearing land, and unable to endure the
+hardships of a new settlement, perished in numbers, leaving many
+helpless children unprovided for. The sight of their miserable situation
+inspir'd the benevolent heart of Mr. Whitefield with the idea of
+building an Orphan House there, in which they might be supported and
+educated. Returning northward, he preach'd up this charity, and made
+large collections, for his eloquence had a wonderful power over the
+hearts and purses of his hearers, of which I myself was an instance.
+
+I did not disapprove of the design, but, as Georgia was then destitute
+of materials and workmen, and it was proposed to send them from
+Philadelphia at a great expense, I thought it would have been better to
+have built the house here, and brought the children to it. This I
+advis'd; but he was resolute in his first project, rejected my counsel,
+and I therefore refus'd to contribute. I happened soon after to attend
+one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to
+finish with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing
+from me. I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four
+silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to
+soften, and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory
+made me asham'd of that, and determin'd me to give the silver; and he
+finish'd so admirably, that I empty'd my pocket wholly into the
+collector's dish, gold and all. At this sermon there was also one of our
+club, who, being of my sentiments respecting the building in Georgia,
+and suspecting a collection might be intended, had, by precaution,
+emptied his pockets before he came from home. Towards the conclusion of
+the discourse, however, he felt a strong desire to give, and apply'd to
+a neighbour, who stood near him, to borrow some money for the purpose.
+The application was unfortunately [made] to perhaps the only man in the
+company who had the firmness not to be affected by the preacher. His
+answer was, "At any other time, Friend Hopkinson, I would lend to thee
+freely; but not now, for thee seems to be out of thy right senses."
+
+Some of Mr. Whitefield's enemies affected to suppose that he would apply
+these collections to his own private emolument; but I who was intimately
+acquainted with him (being employed in printing his Sermons and
+Journals, etc.), never had the least suspicion of his integrity, but am
+to this day decidedly of opinion that he was in all his conduct a
+perfectly honest man, and methinks my testimony in his favour ought to
+have the more weight, as we had no religious connection. He us'd,
+indeed, sometimes to pray for my conversion, but never had the
+satisfaction of believing that his prayers were heard. Ours was a mere
+civil friendship, sincere on both sides, and lasted to his death.
+
+The following instance will show something of the terms on which we
+stood. Upon one of his arrivals from England at Boston, he wrote to me
+that he should come soon to Philadelphia, but knew not where he could
+lodge when there, as he understood his old friend and host, Mr. Benezet,
+was removed to Germantown. My answer was, "You know my house; if you can
+make shift with its scanty accommodations, you will be most heartily
+welcome." He reply'd, that if I made that kind offer for Christ's sake,
+I should not miss of a reward. And I returned, "Don't let me be
+mistaken; it was not for Christ's sake, but for your sake." One of our
+common acquaintance jocosely remark'd, that, knowing it to be the custom
+of the saints, when they received any favour, to shift the burden of the
+obligation from off their own shoulders, and place it in heaven, I had
+contriv'd to fix it on earth.
+
+The last time I saw Mr. Whitefield was in London, when he consulted me
+about his Orphan House concern, and his purpose of appropriating it to
+the establishment of a college.
+
+He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his words and sentences
+so perfectly, that he might be heard and understood at a great distance,
+especially as his auditories, however numerous, observ'd the most exact
+silence. He preach'd one evening from the top of the Court-house steps,
+which are in the middle of Market-street, and on the west side of
+Second-street, which crosses it at right angles. Both streets were
+fill'd with his hearers to a considerable distance. Being among the
+hindmost in Market-street, I had the curiosity to learn how far he could
+be heard, by retiring backwards down the street towards the river; and I
+found his voice distinct till I came near Front-street, when some noise
+in that street obscur'd it. Imagining then a semi-circle, of which my
+distance should be the radius, and that it were fill'd with auditors, to
+each of whom I allow'd two square feet, I computed that he might well be
+heard by more than thirty thousand. This reconcil'd me to the newspaper
+accounts of his having preach'd to twenty-five thousand people in the
+fields, and to the ancient histories of generals haranguing whole
+armies, of which I had sometimes doubted.
+
+By hearing him often, I came to distinguish easily between sermons newly
+compos'd, and those which he had often preach'd in the course of his
+travels. His delivery of the latter was so improv'd by frequent
+repetitions that every accent, every emphasis, every modulation of
+voice, was so perfectly well turn'd and well plac'd, that, without being
+interested in the subject, one could not help being pleas'd with the
+discourse; a pleasure of much the same kind with that receiv'd from an
+excellent piece of musick. This is an advantage itinerant preachers have
+over those who are stationary, as the latter can not well improve their
+delivery of a sermon by so many rehearsals.
+
+His writing and printing from time to time gave great advantage to his
+enemies; unguarded expressions, and even erroneous opinions, delivered
+in preaching, might have been afterwards explain'd or qualifi'd by
+supposing others that might have accompani'd them, or they might have
+been deny'd; but litera scripta manet. Critics attack'd his writings
+violently, and with so much appearance of reason as to diminish the
+number of his votaries and prevent their encrease; so that I am of
+opinion if he had never written any thing, he would have left behind him
+a much more numerous and important sect, and his reputation might in
+that case have been still growing, even after his death, as there being
+nothing of his writing on which to found a censure and give him a lower
+character, his proselytes would be left at liberty to feign for him as
+great a variety of excellence as their enthusiastic admiration might
+wish him to have possessed.
+
+My business was now continually augmenting, and my circumstances growing
+daily easier, my newspaper having become very profitable, as being for a
+time almost the only one in this and the neighbouring provinces. I
+experienced, too, the truth of the observation, "that after getting the
+first hundred pound, it is more easy to get the second," money itself
+being of a prolific nature.
+
+The partnership at Carolina having succeeded, I was encourag'd to engage
+in others, and to promote several of my workmen, who had behaved well,
+by establishing them with printing-houses in different colonies, on the
+same terms with that in Carolina. Most of them did well, being enabled
+at the end of our term, six years, to purchase the types of me and go on
+working for themselves, by which means several families were raised.
+Partnerships often finish in quarrels; but I was happy in this, that
+mine were all carried on and ended amicably, owing, I think, a good deal
+to the precaution of having very explicitly settled, in our articles,
+every thing to be done by or expected from each partner, so that there
+was nothing to dispute, which precaution I would therefore recommend to
+all who enter into partnerships; for, whatever esteem partners may have
+for, and confidence in each other at the time of the contract, little
+jealousies and disgusts may arise, with ideas of inequality in the care
+and burden of the business, etc., which are attended often with breach
+of friendship and of the connection, perhaps with lawsuits and other
+disagreeable consequences.
+
+I had, on the whole, abundant reason to be satisfied with my being
+established in Pennsylvania. There were, however, two things that I
+regretted, there being no provision for defense, nor for a compleat
+education of youth; no militia, nor any college. I therefore, in 1743,
+drew up a proposal for establishing an academy; and at that time,
+thinking the Reverend Mr. Peters, who was out of employ, a fit person to
+superintend such an institution, I communicated the project to him; but
+he, having more profitable views in the service of the proprietaries,
+which succeeded, declin'd the undertaking; and, not knowing another at
+that time suitable for such a trust, I let the scheme lie a while
+dormant. I succeeded better the next year, 1744, in proposing and
+establishing a Philosophical Society. The paper I wrote for that purpose
+will be found among my writings, when collected.
+
+With respect to defense, Spain having been several years at war against
+Great Britain, and being at length join'd by France, which brought us
+into great danger; and the laboured and long-continued endeavour of our
+governor, Thomas, to prevail with our Quaker Assembly to pass a militia
+law, and make other provisions for the security of the province, having
+proved abortive, I determined to try what might be done by a voluntary
+association of the people. To promote this, I first wrote and published
+a pamphlet, entitled Plain Truth, in which I stated our defenceless
+situation in strong lights, with the necessity of union and discipline
+for our defense, and promis'd to propose in a few days an association,
+to be generally signed for that purpose. The pamphlet had a sudden and
+surprising effect. I was call'd upon for the instrument of association,
+and having settled the draft of it with a few friends, I appointed a
+meeting of the citizens in the large building before mentioned. The
+house was pretty full; I had prepared a number of printed copies, and
+provided pens and ink dispers'd all over the room. I harangued them a
+little on the subject, read the paper, and explained it, and then
+distributed the copies, which were eagerly signed, not the least
+objection being made.
+
+When the company separated, and the papers were collected, we found
+above twelve hundred hands; and, other copies being dispersed in the
+country, the subscribers amounted at length to upward of ten thousand.
+These all furnished themselves as soon as they could with arms, formed
+themselves into companies and regiments, chose their own officers, and
+met every week to be instructed in the manual exercise, and other parts
+of military discipline. The women, by subscriptions among themselves,
+provided silk colors, which they presented to the companies, painted
+with different devices and mottos, which I supplied.
+
+The officers of the companies composing the Philadelphia regiment, being
+met, chose me for their colonel; but, conceiving myself unfit, I
+declin'd that station, and recommended Mr. Lawrence, a fine person, and
+man of influence, who was accordingly appointed. I then propos'd a
+lottery to defray the expense of building a battery below the town, and
+furnishing it with cannon. It filled expeditiously, and the battery was
+soon erected, the merlons being fram'd of logs and fill'd with earth. We
+bought some old cannon from Boston, but, these not being sufficient, we
+wrote to England for more, soliciting, at the same time, our
+proprietaries for some assistance, tho' without much expectation of
+obtaining it.
+
+Meanwhile, Colonel Lawrence, William Allen, Abram Taylor, Esqr., and
+myself were sent to New York by the associators, commission'd to borrow
+some cannon of Governor Clinton. He at first refus'd us peremptorily;
+but at dinner with his council, where there was great drinking of
+Madeira wine, as the custom of that place then was, he softened by
+degrees, and said he would lend us six. After a few more bumpers he
+advanc'd to ten; and at length he very good-naturedly conceded eighteen.
+They were fine cannon, eighteen-pounders, with their carriages, which we
+soon transported and mounted on our battery, where the associators kept
+a nightly guard while the war lasted, and among the rest I regularly
+took my turn of duty there as a common soldier.
+
+My activity in these operations was agreeable to the governor and
+council; they took me into confidence, and I was consulted by them in
+every measure wherein their concurrence was thought useful to the
+association. Calling in the aid of religion, I propos'd to them the
+proclaiming a fast, to promote reformation, and implore the blessing of
+Heaven on our undertaking. They embrac'd the motion; but, as it was the
+first fast ever thought of in the province, the secretary had no
+precedent from which to draw the proclamation. My education in New
+England, where a fast is proclaimed every year, was here of some
+advantage: I drew it in the accustomed stile, it was translated into
+German, printed in both languages, and divulg'd thro' the province. This
+gave the clergy of the different sects an opportunity of influencing
+their congregations to join in the association, and it would probably
+have been general among all but Quakers if the peace had not soon
+interven'd.
+
+It was thought by some of my friends that, by my activity in these
+affairs, I should offend that sect, and thereby lose my interest in the
+Assembly of the province, where they formed a great majority. A young
+gentleman who had likewise some friends in the House, and wished to
+succeed me as their clerk, acquainted me that it was decided to displace
+me at the next election; and he, therefore, in good will, advis'd me to
+resign, as more consistent with my honour than being turn'd out. My
+answer to him was, that I had read or heard of some public man who made
+it a rule never to ask for an office, and never to refuse one when
+offer'd to him. "I approve," says I, "of his rule, and will practice it
+with a small addition; I shall never ask, never refuse, nor ever resign
+an office. If they will have my office of clerk to dispose of to
+another, they shall take it from me. I will not, by giving it up, lose
+my right of some time or other making reprisals on my adversaries." I
+heard, however, no more of this; I was chosen again unanimously as usual
+at the next election. Possibly, as they dislik'd my late intimacy with
+the members of council, who had join'd the governors in all the disputes
+about military preparations, with which the House had long been
+harass'd, they might have been pleas'd if I would voluntarily have left
+them; but they did not care to displace me on account merely of my zeal
+for the association, and they could not well give another reason.
+
+Indeed I had some cause to believe that the defense of the country was
+not disagreeable to any of them, provided they were not requir'd to
+assist in it. And I found that a much greater number of them than I
+could have imagined, tho' against offensive war, were clearly for the
+defensive. Many pamphlets pro and con were publish'd on the subject, and
+some by good Quakers, in favour of defense, which I believe convinc'd
+most of their younger people.
+
+A transaction in our fire company gave me some insight into their
+prevailing sentiments. It had been propos'd that we should encourage the
+scheme for building a battery by laying out the present stock, then
+about sixty pounds, in tickets of the lottery. By our rules, no money
+could be dispos'd of till the next meeting after the proposal. The
+company consisted of thirty members, of which twenty-two were Quakers,
+and eight only of other persuasions. We eight punctually attended the
+meeting; but, tho' we thought that some of the Quakers would join us, we
+were by no means sure of a majority. Only one Quaker, Mr. James Morris,
+appear'd to oppose the measure. He expressed much sorrow that it had
+ever been propos'd, as he said Friends were all against it, and it would
+create such discord as might break up the company. We told him that we
+saw no reason for that; we were the minority, and if Friends were
+against the measure, and outvoted us, we must and should, agreeably to
+the usage of all societies, submit. When the hour for business arriv'd
+it was mov'd to put the vote; he allow'd we might then do it by the
+rules, but, as he could assure us that a number of members intended to
+be present for the purpose of opposing it, it would be but candid to
+allow a little time for their appearing.
+
+While we were disputing this, a waiter came to tell me two gentlemen
+below desir'd to speak with me. I went down, and found they were two of
+our Quaker members. They told me there were eight of them assembled at a
+tavern just by; that they were determin'd to come and vote with us if
+there should be occasion, which they hop'd would not be the case, and
+desir'd we would not call for their assistance if we could do without
+it, as their voting for such a measure might embroil them with their
+elders and friends. Being thus secure of a majority, I went up, and
+after a little seeming hesitation, agreed to a delay of another hour.
+This Mr. Morris allow'd to be extreamly fair. Not one of his opposing
+friends appear'd, at which he express'd great surprize; and, at the
+expiration of the hour, we carry'd the resolution eight to one; and as,
+of the twenty-two Quakers, eight were ready to vote with us, and
+thirteen, by their absence, manifested that they were not inclin'd to
+oppose the measure, I afterward estimated the proportion of Quakers
+sincerely against defense as one to twenty-one only; for these were all
+regular members of that society, and in good reputation among them, and
+had due notice of what was propos'd at that meeting.
+
+The honorable and learned Mr. Logan, who had always been of that sect,
+was one who wrote an address to them, declaring his approbation of
+defensive war, and supporting his opinion by many strong arguments. He
+put into my hands sixty pounds to be laid out in lottery tickets for the
+battery, with directions to apply what prizes might be drawn wholly to
+that service. He told me the following anecdote of his old master,
+William Penn, respecting defense. He came over from England, when a
+young man, with that proprietary, and as his secretary. It was war-time,
+and their ship was chas'd by an armed vessel, suppos'd to be an enemy.
+Their captain prepar'd for defense; but told William Penn, and his
+company of Quakers, that he did not expect their assistance, and they
+might retire into the cabin, which they did, except James Logan, who
+chose to stay upon deck, and was quarter'd to a gun. The suppos'd enemy
+prov'd a friend, so there was no fighting; but when the secretary went
+down to communicate the intelligence, William Penn rebuk'd him severely
+for staying upon deck, and undertaking to assist in defending the
+vessel, contrary to the principles of Friends, especially as it had not
+been required by the captain. This reproof, being before all the
+company, piqu'd the secretary, who answer'd, "I being thy servant, why
+did thee not order me to come down? But thee was willing enough that I
+should stay and help to fight the ship when thee thought there was
+danger."
+
+My being many years in the Assembly, the majority of which were
+constantly Quakers, gave me frequent opportunities of seeing the
+embarrassment given them by their principle against war, whenever
+application was made to them, by order of the crown, to grant aids for
+military purposes. They were unwilling to offend government, on the one
+hand, by a direct refusal; and their friends, the body of the Quakers,
+on the other, by a compliance contrary to their principles; hence a
+variety of evasions to avoid complying, and modes of disguising the
+compliance when it became unavoidable. The common mode at last was, to
+grant money under the phrase of its being "for the king's use," and
+never to inquire how it was applied.
+
+But, if the demand was not directly from the crown, that phrase was
+found not so proper, and some other was to be invented. As, when powder
+was wanting (I think it was for the garrison at Louisburg), and the
+government of New England solicited a grant of some from Pennsilvania,
+which was much urg'd on the House by Governor Thomas, they could not
+grant money to buy powder, because that was an ingredient of war; but
+they voted an aid to New England of three thousand pounds, to be put
+into the hands of the governor, and appropriated it for the purchasing
+of bread, flour, wheat, or other grain. Some of the council, desirous of
+giving the House still further embarrassment, advis'd the governor not
+to accept provision, as not being the thing he had demanded; but be
+reply'd, "I shall take the money, for I understand very well their
+meaning; other grain is gunpowder," which he accordingly bought, and
+they never objected to it. [10]
+
+[10] See the votes.--[Marg. note.]
+
+It was in allusion to this fact that, when in our fire company we feared
+the success of our proposal in favour of the lottery, and I had said to
+my friend Mr. Syng, one of our members, "If we fail, let us move the
+purchase of a fire-engine with the money; the Quakers can have no
+objection to that; and then, if you nominate me and I you as a committee
+for that purpose, we will buy a great gun, which is certainly a
+fire-engine." "I see," says he, "you have improv'd by being so long in
+the Assembly; your equivocal project would be just a match for their
+wheat or other grain."
+
+These embarrassments that the Quakers suffer'd from having establish'd
+and published it as one of their principles that no kind of war was
+lawful, and which, being once published, they could not afterwards,
+however they might change their minds, easily get rid of, reminds me of
+what I think a more prudent conduct in another sect among us, that of
+the Dunkers. I was acquainted with one of its founders, Michael Welfare,
+soon after it appear'd. He complain'd to me that they were grievously
+calumniated by the zealots of other persuasions, and charg'd with
+abominable principles and practices, to which they were utter strangers.
+I told him this had always been the case with new sects, and that, to
+put a stop to such abuse, I imagin'd it might be well to publish the
+articles of their belief, and the rules of their discipline. He said
+that it had been propos'd among them, but not agreed to, for this
+reason: "When we were first drawn together as a society," says he, "it
+had pleased God to enlighten our minds so far as to see that some
+doctrines, which we once esteemed truths, were errors; and that others,
+which we had esteemed errors, were real truths. From time to time He has
+been pleased to afford us farther light, and our principles have been
+improving, and our errors diminishing. Now we are not sure that we are
+arrived at the end of this progression, and at the perfection of
+spiritual or theological knowledge; and we fear that, if we should once
+print our confession of faith, we should feel ourselves as if bound and
+confin'd by it, and perhaps be unwilling to receive farther improvement,
+and our successors still more so, as conceiving what we their elders and
+founders had done, to be something sacred, never to be departed from."
+
+This modesty in a sect is perhaps a singular instance in the history of
+mankind, every other sect supposing itself in possession of all truth,
+and that those who differ are so far in the wrong; like a man traveling
+in foggy weather, those at some distance before him on the road he sees
+wrapped up in the fog, as well as those behind him, and also the people
+in the fields on each side, but near him all appears clear, tho' in
+truth he is as much in the fog as any of them. To avoid this kind of
+embarrassment, the Quakers have of late years been gradually declining
+the public service in the Assembly and in the magistracy, choosing
+rather to quit their power than their principle.
+
+In order of time, I should have mentioned before, that having, in 1742,
+invented an open stove for the better warming of rooms, and at the same
+time saving fuel, as the fresh air admitted was warmed in entering, I
+made a present of the model to Mr. Robert Grace, one of my early
+friends, who, having an iron-furnace, found the casting of the plates
+for these stoves a profitable thing, as they were growing in demand. To
+promote that demand, I wrote and published a pamphlet, entitled "An
+Account of the new-invented Pennsylvania Fireplaces; wherein their
+Construction and Manner of Operation is particularly explained; their
+Advantages above every other Method of warming Rooms demonstrated; and
+all Objections that have been raised against the Use of them answered
+and obviated," etc. This pamphlet had a good effect. Gov'r. Thomas was
+so pleas'd with the construction of this stove, as described in it, that
+he offered to give me a patent for the sole vending of them for a term
+of years; but I declin'd it from a principle which has ever weighed with
+me on such occasions, viz., That, as we enjoy great advantages from the
+inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve
+others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and
+generously.
+
+An ironmonger in London however, assuming a good deal of my pamphlet,
+and working it up into his own, and making some small changes in the
+machine, which rather hurt its operation, got a patent for it there, and
+made, as I was told, a little fortune by it. And this is not the only
+instance of patents taken out for my inventions by others, tho' not
+always with the same success, which I never contested, as having no
+desire of profiting by patents myself, and hating disputes. The use of
+these fireplaces in very many houses, both of this and the neighbouring
+colonies, has been, and is, a great saving of wood to the inhabitants.
+
+Peace being concluded, and the association business therefore at an end,
+I turn'd my thoughts again to the affair of establishing an academy. The
+first step I took was to associate in the design a number of active
+friends, of whom the Junto furnished a good part; the next was to write
+and publish a pamphlet, entitled Proposals Relating to the Education of
+Youth in Pennsylvania. This I distributed among the principal
+inhabitants gratis; and as soon as I could suppose their minds a little
+prepared by the perusal of it, I set on foot a subscription for opening
+and supporting an academy; it was to be paid in quotas yearly for five
+years; by so dividing it, I judg'd the subscription might be larger, and
+I believe it was so, amounting to no less, if I remember right, than
+five thousand pounds.
+
+In the introduction to these proposals, I stated their publication, not
+as an act of mine, but of some publick-spirited gentlemen, avoiding as
+much as I could, according to my usual rule, the presenting myself to
+the publick as the author of any scheme for their benefit.
+
+The subscribers, to carry the project into immediate execution, chose
+out of their number twenty-four trustees, and appointed Mr. Francis,
+then attorney-general, and myself to draw up constitutions for the
+government of the academy; which being done and signed, a house was
+hired, masters engag'd, and the schools opened, I think, in the same
+year, 1749.
+
+The scholars increasing fast, the house was soon found too small, and we
+were looking out for a piece of ground, properly situated, with
+intention to build, when Providence threw into our way a large house
+ready built, which, with a few alterations, might well serve our
+purpose. This was the building before mentioned, erected by the hearers
+of Mr. Whitefield, and was obtained for us in the following manner.
+
+It is to be noted that the contributions to this building being made by
+people of different sects, care was taken in the nomination of trustees,
+in whom the building and ground was to be vested, that a predominancy
+should not be given to any sect, lest in time that predominancy might be
+a means of appropriating the whole to the use of such sect, contrary to
+the original intention. It was therefore that one of each sect was
+appointed, viz., one Church-of-England man, one Presbyterian, one
+Baptist, one Moravian, etc., those, in case of vacancy by death, were to
+fill it by election from among the contributors. The Moravian happen'd
+not to please his colleagues, and on his death they resolved to have no
+other of that sect. The difficulty then was, how to avoid having two of
+some other sect, by means of the new choice.
+
+Several persons were named, and for that reason not agreed to. At length
+one mention'd me, with the observation that I was merely an honest man,
+and of no sect at all, which prevail'd with them to chuse me. The
+enthusiasm which existed when the house was built had long since abated,
+and its trustees had not been able to procure fresh contributions for
+paying the ground-rent, and discharging some other debts the building
+had occasion'd, which embarrass'd them greatly. Being now a member of
+both setts of trustees, that for the building and that for the Academy,
+I had a good opportunity of negotiating with both, and brought them
+finally to an agreement, by which the trustees for the building were to
+cede it to those of the academy, the latter undertaking to discharge the
+debt, to keep for ever open in the building a large hall for occasional
+preachers, according to the original intention, and maintain a
+free-school for the instruction of poor children. Writings were
+accordingly drawn, and on paying the debts the trustees of the academy
+were put in possession of the premises; and by dividing the great and
+lofty hall into stories, and different rooms above and below for the
+several schools, and purchasing some additional ground, the whole was
+soon made fit for our purpose, and the scholars remov'd into the
+building. The care and trouble of agreeing with the workmen, purchasing
+materials, and superintending the work, fell upon me; and I went thro'
+it the more cheerfully, as it did not then interfere with my private
+business, having the year before taken a very able, industrious, and
+honest partner, Mr. David Hall, with whose character I was well
+acquainted, as he had work'd for me four years. He took off my hands all
+care of the printing-office, paying me punctually my share of the
+profits. This partnership continued eighteen years, successfully for us
+both.
+
+The trustees of the academy, after a while, were incorporated by a
+charter from the governor; their funds were increas'd by contributions
+in Britain and grants of land from the proprietaries, to which the
+Assembly has since made considerable addition; and thus was established
+the present University of Philadelphia. I have been continued one of its
+trustees from the beginning, now near forty years, and have had the very
+great pleasure of seeing a number of the youth who have receiv'd their
+education in it, distinguish'd by their improv'd abilities, serviceable
+in public stations, and ornaments to their country.
+
+When I disengaged myself, as above mentioned, from private business, I
+flatter'd myself that, by the sufficient tho' moderate fortune I had
+acquir'd, I had secured leisure during the rest of my life for
+philosophical studies and amusements. I purchased all Dr. Spence's
+apparatus, who had come from England to lecture here, and I proceeded in
+my electrical experiments with great alacrity; but the publick, now
+considering me as a man of leisure, laid hold of me for their purposes,
+every part of our civil government, and almost at the same time,
+imposing some duty upon me. The governor put me into the commission of
+the peace; the corporation of the city chose me of the common council,
+and soon after an alderman; and the citizens at large chose me a burgess
+to represent them in Assembly. This latter station was the more
+agreeable to me, as I was at length tired with sitting there to hear
+debates, in which, as clerk, I could take no part, and which were often
+so unentertaining that I was induc'd to amuse myself with making magic
+squares or circles, or any thing to avoid weariness; and I conceiv'd my
+becoming a member would enlarge my power of doing good. I would not,
+however, insinuate that my ambition was not flatter'd by all these
+promotions; it certainly was; for, considering my low beginning, they
+were great things to me; and they were still more pleasing, as being so
+many spontaneous testimonies of the public good opinion, and by me
+entirely unsolicited.
+
+The office of justice of the peace I try'd a little, by attending a few
+courts, and sitting on the bench to hear causes; but finding that more
+knowledge of the common law than I possess'd was necessary to act in
+that station with credit, I gradually withdrew from it, excusing myself
+by my being oblig'd to attend the higher duties of a legislator in the
+Assembly. My election to this trust was repeated every year for ten
+years, without my ever asking any elector for his vote, or signifying,
+either directly or indirectly, any desire of being chosen. On taking my
+seat in the House, my son was appointed their clerk.
+
+The year following, a treaty being to be held with the Indians at
+Carlisle, the governor sent a message to the House, proposing that they
+should nominate some of their members, to be join'd with some members of
+council, as commissioners for that purpose. [11] The House named the
+speaker (Mr. Norris) and myself; and, being commission'd, we went to
+Carlisle, and met the Indians accordingly.
+
+[11] See the votes to have this more correctly.--[Marg. note.]
+
+As those people are extreamly apt to get drunk, and, when so, are very
+quarrelsome and disorderly, we strictly forbad the selling any liquor to
+them; and when they complain'd of this restriction, we told them that if
+they would continue sober during the treaty, we would give them plenty
+of rum when business was over. They promis'd this, and they kept their
+promise, because they could get no liquor, and the treaty was conducted
+very orderly, and concluded to mutual satisfaction. They then claim'd
+and receiv'd the rum; this was in the afternoon; they were near one
+hundred men, women, and children, and were lodg'd in temporary cabins,
+built in the form of a square, just without the town. In the evening,
+hearing a great noise among them, the commissioners walk'd out to see
+what was the matter. We found they had made a great bonfire in the
+middle of the square; they were all drunk, men and women, quarreling and
+fighting. Their dark-colour'd bodies, half naked, seen only by the
+gloomy light of the bonfire, running after and beating one another with
+firebrands, accompanied by their horrid yellings, form'd a scene the
+most resembling our ideas of hell that could well be imagin'd; there was
+no appeasing the tumult, and we retired to our lodging. At midnight a
+number of them came thundering at our door, demanding more rum, of which
+we took no notice.
+
+The next day, sensible they had misbehav'd in giving us that
+disturbance, they sent three of their old counselors to make their
+apology. The orator acknowledg'd the fault, but laid it upon the rum;
+and then endeavored to excuse the rum by saying, "The Great Spirit, who
+made all things, made every thing for some use, and whatever use he
+design'd any thing for, that use it should always be put to. Now, when
+he made rum, he said 'Let this be for the Indians to get drunk with,'
+and it must be so." And, indeed, if it be the design of Providence to
+extirpate these savages in order to make room for cultivators of the
+earth, it seems not improbable that rum may be the appointed means. It
+has already annihilated all the tribes who formerly inhabited the
+sea-coast.
+
+In 1751, Dr. Thomas Bond, a particular friend of mine, conceived the
+idea of establishing a hospital in Philadelphia (a very beneficent
+design, which has been ascrib'd to me, but was originally his), for the
+reception and cure of poor sick persons, whether inhabitants of the
+province or strangers. He was zealous and active in endeavouring to
+procure subscriptions for it, but the proposal being a novelty in
+America, and at first not well understood, he met but with small
+success.
+
+At length he came to me with the compliment that he found there was no
+such thing as carrying a public-spirited project through without my
+being concern'd in it. "For," says he, "I am often ask'd by those to
+whom I propose subscribing, Have you consulted Franklin upon this
+business? And what does he think of it? And when I tell them that I have
+not (supposing it rather out of your line), they do not subscribe, but
+say they will consider of it." I enquired into the nature and probable
+utility of his scheme, and receiving from him a very satisfactory
+explanation, I not only subscrib'd to it myself, but engag'd heartily in
+the design of procuring subscriptions from others. Previously, however,
+to the solicitation, I endeavoured to prepare the minds of the people by
+writing on the subject in the newspapers, which was my usual custom in
+such cases, but which he had omitted.
+
+The subscriptions afterwards were more free and generous; but, beginning
+to flag, I saw they would be insufficient without some assistance from
+the Assembly, and therefore propos'd to petition for it, which was done.
+The country members did not at first relish the project; they objected
+that it could only be serviceable to the city, and therefore the
+citizens alone should be at the expense of it; and they doubted whether
+the citizens themselves generally approv'd of it. My allegation on the
+contrary, that it met with such approbation as to leave no doubt of our
+being able to raise two thousand pounds by voluntary donations, they
+considered as a most extravagant supposition, and utterly impossible.
+
+On this I form'd my plan; and asking leave to bring in a bill for
+incorporating the contributors according to the prayer of their
+petition, and granting them a blank sum of money, which leave was
+obtained chiefly on the consideration that the House could throw the
+bill out if they did not like it, I drew it so as to make the important
+clause a conditional one, viz., "And be it enacted, by the authority
+aforesaid, that when the said contributors shall have met and chosen
+their managers and treasurer, and shall have raised by their
+contributions a capital stock of ------ value (the yearly interest of
+which is to be applied to the accommodating of the sick poor in the said
+hospital, free of charge for diet, attendance, advice, and medicines),
+and shall make the same appear to the satisfaction of the speaker of the
+Assembly for the time being, that then it shall and may be lawful for
+the said speaker, and he is hereby required, to sign an order on the
+provincial treasurer for the payment of two thousand pounds, in two
+yearly payments, to the treasurer of the said hospital, to be applied to
+the founding, building, and finishing of the same."
+
+This condition carried the bill through; for the members, who had
+oppos'd the grant, and now conceiv'd they might have the credit of being
+charitable without the expence, agreed to its passage; and then, in
+soliciting subscriptions among the people, we urg'd the conditional
+promise of the law as an additional motive to give, since every man's
+donation would be doubled; thus the clause work'd both ways. The
+subscriptions accordingly soon exceeded the requisite sum, and we
+claim'd and receiv'd the public gift, which enabled us to carry the
+design into execution. A convenient and handsome building was soon
+erected; the institution has by constant experience been found useful,
+and flourishes to this day; and I do not remember any of my political
+manœuvres, the success of which gave me at the time more pleasure, or
+wherein, after thinking of it, I more easily excus'd myself for having
+made some use of cunning.
+
+It was about this time that another projector, the Rev. Gilbert Tennent,
+came to me with a request that I would assist him in procuring a
+subscription for erecting a new meeting-house. It was to be for the use
+of a congregation he had gathered among the Presbyterians, who were
+originally disciples of Mr. Whitefield. Unwilling to make myself
+disagreeable to my fellow-citizens by too frequently soliciting their
+contributions, I absolutely refus'd. He then desired I would furnish him
+with a list of the names of persons I knew by experience to be generous
+and public-spirited. I thought it would be unbecoming in me, after their
+kind compliance with my solicitations, to mark them out to be worried by
+other beggars, and therefore refus'd also to give such a list. He then
+desir'd I would at least give him my advice. "That I will readily do,"
+said I; "and, in the first place, I advise you to apply to all those
+whom you know will give something; next, to those whom you are uncertain
+whether they will give any thing or not, and show them the list of those
+who have given; and, lastly, do not neglect those who you are sure will
+give nothing, for in some of them you may be mistaken." He laugh'd and
+thank'd me, and said he would take my advice. He did so, for he ask'd of
+everybody, and he obtained a much larger sum than he expected, with
+which he erected the capacious and very elegant meeting-house that
+stands in Arch-street.
+
+Our city, tho' laid out with a beautiful regularity, the streets large,
+strait, and crossing each other at right angles, had the disgrace of
+suffering those streets to remain long unpav'd, and in wet weather the
+wheels of heavy carriages plough'd them into a quagmire, so that it was
+difficult to cross them; and in dry weather the dust was offensive. I
+had liv'd near what was call'd the Jersey Market, and saw with pain the
+inhabitants wading in mud while purchasing their provisions. A strip of
+ground down the middle of that market was at length pav'd with brick, so
+that, being once in the market, they had firm footing, but were often
+over shoes in dirt to get there. By talking and writing on the subject,
+I was at length instrumental in getting the street pav'd with stone
+between the market and the brick'd foot-pavement, that was on each side
+next the houses. This, for some time, gave an easy access to the market
+dry-shod; but, the rest of the street not being pav'd, whenever a
+carriage came out of the mud upon this pavement, it shook off and left
+its dirt upon it, and it was soon cover'd with mire, which was not
+remov'd, the city as yet having no scavengers.
+
+After some inquiry I found a poor industrious man, who was willing to
+undertake keeping the pavement clean, by sweeping it twice a week,
+carrying off the dirt from before all the neighbours' doors, for the sum
+of sixpence per month, to be paid by each house. I then wrote and
+printed a paper setting forth the advantages to the neighbourhood that
+might be obtain'd by this small expense; the greater ease in keeping our
+houses clean, so much dirt not being brought in by people's feet; the
+benefit to the shops by more custom, etc., etc., as buyers could more
+easily get at them; and by not having, in windy weather, the dust blown
+in upon their goods, etc., etc. I sent one of these papers to each
+house, and in a day or two went round to see who would subscribe an
+agreement to pay these sixpences; it was unanimously sign'd, and for a
+time well executed. All the inhabitants of the city were delighted with
+the cleanliness of the pavement that surrounded the market, it being a
+convenience to all, and this rais'd a general desire to have all the
+streets paved, and made the people more willing to submit to a tax for
+that purpose.
+
+After some time I drew a bill for paving the city, and brought it into
+the Assembly. It was just before I went to England, in 1757, and did not
+pass till I was gone, [12] and then with an alteration in the mode of
+assessment, which I thought not for the better, but with an additional
+provision for lighting as well as paving the streets, which was a great
+improvement. It was by a private person, the late Mr. John Clifton, his
+giving a sample of the utility of lamps, by placing one at his door,
+that the people were first impress'd with the idea of enlighting all the
+city. The honour of this public benefit has also been ascrib'd to me,
+but it belongs truly to that gentleman. I did but follow his example,
+and have only some merit to claim respecting the form of our lamps, as
+differing from the globe lamps we were at first supply'd with from
+London. Those we found inconvenient in these respects: they admitted no
+air below; the smoke, therefore, did not readily go out above, but
+circulated in the globe, lodg'd on its inside, and soon obstructed the
+light they were intended to afford; giving, besides, the daily trouble
+of wiping them clean; and an accidental stroke on one of them would
+demolish it, and render it totally useless. I therefore suggested the
+composing them of four flat panes, with a long funnel above to draw up
+the smoke, and crevices admitting air below, to facilitate the ascent of
+the smoke; by this means they were kept clean, and did not grow dark in
+a few hours, as the London lamps do, but continu'd bright till morning,
+and an accidental stroke would generally break but a single pane, easily
+repair'd.
+
+[12] See votes.
+
+I have sometimes wonder'd that the Londoners did not, from the effect
+holes in the bottom of the globe lamps us'd at Vauxhall have in keeping
+them clean, learn to have such holes in their street lamps. But, these
+holes being made for another purpose, viz., to communicate flame more
+suddenly to the wick by a little flax hanging down thro' them, the other
+use, of letting in air, seems not to have been thought of; and
+therefore, after the lamps have been lit a few hours, the streets of
+London are very poorly illuminated.
+
+The mention of these improvements puts me in mind of one I propos'd,
+when in London, to Dr. Fothergill, who was among the best men I have
+known, and a great promoter of useful projects. I had observ'd that the
+streets, when dry, were never swept, and the light dust carried away;
+but it was suffer'd to accumulate till wet weather reduc'd it to mud,
+and then, after lying some days so deep on the pavement that there was
+no crossing but in paths kept clean by poor people with brooms, it was
+with great labour rak'd together and thrown up into carts open above,
+the sides of which suffer'd some of the slush at every jolt on the
+pavement to shake out and fall, sometimes to the annoyance of
+foot-passengers. The reason given for not sweeping the dusty streets
+was, that the dust would fly into the windows of shops and houses.
+
+An accidental occurrence had instructed me how much sweeping might be
+done in a little time. I found at my door in Craven-street, one morning,
+a poor woman sweeping my pavement with a birch broom; she appeared very
+pale and feeble, as just come out of a fit of sickness. I ask'd who
+employ'd her to sweep there; she said, "Nobody, but I am very poor and
+in distress, and I sweeps before gentlefolkses doors, and hopes they
+will give me something." I bid her sweep the whole street clean, and I
+would give her a shilling; this was at nine o'clock; at 12 she came for
+the shilling. From the slowness I saw at first in her working, I could
+scarce believe that the work was done so soon, and sent my servant to
+examine it, who reported that the whole street was swept perfectly
+clean, and all the dust plac'd in the gutter, which was in the middle;
+and the next rain wash'd it quite away, so that the pavement and even
+the kennel were perfectly clean.
+
+I then judg'd that, if that feeble woman could sweep such a street in
+three hours, a strong, active man might have done it in half the time.
+And here let me remark the convenience of having but one gutter in such
+a narrow street, running down its middle, instead of two, one on each
+side, near the footway; for where all the rain that falls on a street
+runs from the sides and meets in the middle, it forms there a current
+strong enough to wash away all the mud it meets with; but when divided
+into two channels, it is often too weak to cleanse either, and only
+makes the mud it finds more fluid, so that the wheels of carriages and
+feet of horses throw and dash it upon the foot-pavement, which is
+thereby rendered foul and slippery, and sometimes splash it upon those
+who are walking. My proposal, communicated to the good doctor, was as
+follows:
+
+"For the more effectual cleaning and keeping clean the streets of London
+and Westminster, it is proposed that the several watchmen be contracted
+with to have the dust swept up in dry seasons, and the mud rak'd up at
+other times, each in the several streets and lanes of his round; that
+they be furnish'd with brooms and other proper instruments for these
+purposes, to be kept at their respective stands, ready to furnish the
+poor people they may employ in the service.
+
+"That in the dry summer months the dust be all swept up into heaps at
+proper distances, before the shops and windows of houses are usually
+opened, when the scavengers, with close-covered carts, shall also carry
+it all away.
+
+"That the mud, when rak'd up, be not left in heaps to be spread abroad
+again by the wheels of carriages and trampling of horses, but that the
+scavengers be provided with bodies of carts, not plac'd high upon
+wheels, but low upon sliders, with lattice bottoms, which, being cover'd
+with straw, will retain the mud thrown into them, and permit the water
+to drain from it, whereby it will become much lighter, water making the
+greatest part of its weight; these bodies of carts to be plac'd at
+convenient distances, and the mud brought to them in wheel-barrows; they
+remaining where plac'd till the mud is drain'd, and then horses brought
+to draw them away."
+
+I have since had doubts of the practicability of the latter part of this
+proposal, on account of the narrowness of some streets, and the
+difficulty of placing the draining-sleds so as not to encumber too much
+the passage; but I am still of opinion that the former, requiring the
+dust to be swept up and carry'd away before the shops are open, is very
+practicable in the summer, when the days are long; for, in walking thro'
+the Strand and Fleet-street one morning at seven o'clock, I observ'd
+there was not one shop open, tho' it had been daylight and the sun up
+above three hours; the inhabitants of London chusing voluntarily to live
+much by candle-light, and sleep by sunshine, and yet often complain, a
+little absurdly, of the duty on candles and the high price of tallow.
+
+Some may think these trifling matters not worth minding or relating; but
+when they consider that tho' dust blown into the eyes of a single
+person, or into a single shop on a windy day, is but of small
+importance, yet the great number of the instances in a populous city,
+and its frequent repetitions give it weight and consequence, perhaps
+they will not censure very severely those who bestow some attention to
+affairs of this seemingly low nature. Human felicity is produc'd not so
+much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little
+advantages that occur every day. Thus, if you teach a poor young man to
+shave himself, and keep his razor in order, you may contribute more to
+the happiness of his life than in giving him a thousand guineas. The
+money may be soon spent, the regret only remaining of having foolishly
+consumed it; but in the other case, he escapes the frequent vexation of
+waiting for barbers, and of their sometimes dirty fingers, offensive
+breaths, and dull razors; he shaves when most convenient to him, and
+enjoys daily the pleasure of its being done with a good instrument. With
+these sentiments I have hazarded the few preceding pages, hoping they
+may afford hints which some time or other may be useful to a city I
+love, having lived many years in it very happily, and perhaps to some of
+our towns in America.
+
+Having been for some time employed by the postmaster-general of America
+as his comptroller in regulating several offices, and bringing the
+officers to account, I was, upon his death in 1753, appointed, jointly
+with Mr. William Hunter, to succeed him, by a commission from the
+postmaster-general in England. The American office never had hitherto
+paid any thing to that of Britain. We were to have six hundred pounds a
+year between us, if we could make that sum out of the profits of the
+office. To do this, a variety of improvements were necessary; some of
+these were inevitably at first expensive, so that in the first four
+years the office became above nine hundred pounds in debt to us. But it
+soon after began to repay us; and before I was displac'd by a freak of
+the ministers, of which I shall speak hereafter, we had brought it to
+yield three times as much clear revenue to the crown as the postoffice
+of Ireland. Since that imprudent transaction, they have receiv'd from
+it--not one farthing!
+
+The business of the postoffice occasion'd my taking a journey this year
+to New England, where the College of Cambridge, of their own motion,
+presented me with the degree of Master of Arts. Yale College, in
+Connecticut, had before made me a similar compliment. Thus, without
+studying in any college, I came to partake of their honours. They were
+conferr'd in consideration of my improvements and discoveries in the
+electric branch of natural philosophy.
+
+In 1754, war with France being again apprehended, a congress of
+commissioners from the different colonies was, by an order of the Lords
+of Trade, to be assembled at Albany, there to confer with the chiefs of
+the Six Nations concerning the means of defending both their country and
+ours. Governor Hamilton, having receiv'd this order, acquainted the
+House with it, requesting they would furnish proper presents for the
+Indians, to be given on this occasion; and naming the speaker (Mr.
+Norris) and myself to join Mr. Thomas Penn and Mr. Secretary Peters as
+commissioners to act for Pennsylvania. The House approv'd the
+nomination, and provided the goods for the present, and tho' they did
+not much like treating out of the provinces; and we met the other
+commissioners at Albany about the middle of June.
+
+In our way thither, I projected and drew a plan for the union of all the
+colonies under one government, so far as might be necessary for defense,
+and other important general purposes. As we pass'd thro' New York, I had
+there shown my project to Mr. James Alexander and Mr. Kennedy, two
+gentlemen of great knowledge in public affairs, and, being fortified by
+their approbation, I ventur'd to lay it before the Congress. It then
+appeared that several of the commissioners had form'd plans of the same
+kind. A previous question was first taken, whether a union should be
+established, which pass'd in the affirmative unanimously. A committee
+was then appointed, one member from each colony, to consider the several
+plans and report. Mine happen'd to be preferr'd, and, with a few
+amendments, was accordingly reported.
+
+By this plan the general government was to be administered by a
+president-general, appointed and supported by the crown, and a grand
+council was to be chosen by the representatives of the people of the
+several colonies, met in their respective assemblies. The debates upon
+it in Congress went on daily, hand in hand with the Indian business.
+Many objections and difficulties were started, but at length they were
+all overcome, and the plan was unanimously agreed to, and copies ordered
+to be transmitted to the Board of Trade and to the assemblies of the
+several provinces. Its fate was singular: the assemblies did not adopt
+it, as they all thought there was too much prerogative in it, and in
+England it was judg'd to have too much of the democratic.
+
+The Board of Trade therefore did not approve of it, nor recommend it for
+the approbation of his majesty; but another scheme was form'd, supposed
+to answer the same purpose better, whereby the governors of the
+provinces, with some members of their respective councils, were to meet
+and order the raising of troops, building of forts, etc., and to draw on
+the treasury of Great Britain for the expense, which was afterwards to
+be refunded by an act of Parliament laying a tax on America. My plan,
+with my reasons in support of it, is to be found among my political
+papers that are printed.
+
+Being the winter following in Boston, I had much conversation with
+Governor Shirley upon both the plans. Part of what passed between us on
+the occasion may also be seen among those papers. The different and
+contrary reasons of dislike to my plan makes me suspect that it was
+really the true medium; and I am still of opinion it would have been
+happy for both sides the water if it had been adopted. The colonies, so
+united, would have been sufficiently strong to have defended themselves;
+there would then have been no need of troops from England; of course,
+the subsequent pretence for taxing America, and the bloody contest it
+occasioned, would have been avoided. But such mistakes are not new;
+history is full of the errors of states and princes.
+
+Look round the habitable world, how few
+
+Know their own good, or, knowing it, pursue!
+
+Those who govern, having much business on their hands, do not generally
+like to take the trouble of considering and carrying into execution new
+projects. The best public measures are therefore seldom adopted from
+previous wisdom, but forc'd by the occasion.
+
+The Governor of Pennsylvania, in sending it down to the Assembly,
+express'd his approbation of the plan, "as appearing to him to be drawn
+up with great clearness and strength of judgment, and therefore
+recommended it as well worthy of their closest and most serious
+attention." The House, however, by the management of a certain member,
+took it up when I happen'd to be absent, which I thought not very fair,
+and reprobated it without paying any attention to it at all, to my no
+small mortification.
+
+In my journey to Boston this year, I met at New York with our new
+governor, Mr. Morris, just arriv'd there from England, with whom I had
+been before intimately acquainted. He brought a commission to supersede
+Mr. Hamilton, who, tir'd with the disputes his proprietary instructions
+subjected him to, had resign'd. Mr. Morris ask'd me if I thought he must
+expect as uncomfortable an administration. I said, "No; you may, on the
+contrary, have a very comfortable one, if you will only take care not to
+enter into any dispute with the Assembly." "My dear friend," says he,
+pleasantly, "how can you advise my avoiding disputes? You know I love
+disputing; it is one of my greatest pleasures; however, to show the
+regard I have for your counsel, I promise you I will, if possible, avoid
+them." He had some reason for loving to dispute, being eloquent, an
+acute sophister, and, therefore, generally successful in argumentative
+conversation. He had been brought up to it from a boy, his father, as I
+have heard, accustoming his children to dispute with one another for his
+diversion, while sitting at table after dinner; but I think the practice
+was not wise; for, in the course of my observation, these disputing,
+contradicting, and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their
+affairs. They get victory sometimes, but they never get good will, which
+would be of more use to them. We parted, he going to Philadelphia, and I
+to Boston.
+
+In returning, I met at New York with the votes of the Assembly, by which
+it appear'd that, notwithstanding his promise to me, he and the House
+were already in high contention; and it was a continual battle between
+them as long as he retain'd the government. I had my share of it; for,
+as soon as I got back to my seat in the Assembly, I was put on every
+committee for answering his speeches and messages, and by the committees
+always desired to make the drafts. Our answers, as well as his messages,
+were often tart, and sometimes indecently abusive; and, as he knew I
+wrote for the Assembly, one might have imagined that, when we met, we
+could hardly avoid cutting throats; but he was so good-natur'd a man
+that no personal difference between him and me was occasion'd by the
+contest, and we often din'd together.
+
+One afternoon, in the height of this public quarrel, we met in the
+street. "Franklin," says he, "you must go home with me and spend the
+evening; I am to have some company that you will like;" and, taking me
+by the arm, he led me to his house. In gay conversation over our wine,
+after supper, he told us, jokingly, that he much admir'd the idea of
+Sancho Panza, who, when it was proposed to give him a government,
+requested it might be a government of blacks, as then, if he could not
+agree with his people, he might sell them. One of his friends, who sat
+next to me, says, "Franklin, why do you continue to side with these
+damn'd Quakers? Had not you better sell them? The proprietor would give
+you a good price." "The governor," says I, "has not yet blacked them
+enough." He, indeed, had labored hard to blacken the Assembly in all his
+messages, but they wip'd off his coloring as fast as he laid it on, and
+plac'd it, in return, thick upon his own face; so that, finding he was
+likely to be negrofied himself, he, as well as Mr. Hamilton, grew tir'd
+of the contest, and quitted the government.
+
+[13] These public quarrels were all at bottom owing to the
+proprietaries, our hereditary governors, who, when any expense was to be
+incurred for the defense of their province, with incredible meanness
+instructed their deputies to pass no act for levying the necessary
+taxes, unless their vast estates were in the same act expressly excused;
+and they had even taken bonds of these deputies to observe such
+instructions. The Assemblies for three years held out against this
+injustice, tho' constrained to bend at last. At length Captain Denny,
+who was Governor Morris's successor, ventured to disobey those
+instructions; how that was brought about I shall show hereafter.
+
+[13] My acts in Morris's time, military, etc.--[Marg. note.]
+
+But I am got forward too fast with my story: there are still some
+transactions to be mention'd that happened during the administration of
+Governor Morris.
+
+War being in a manner commenced with France, the government of
+Massachusetts Bay projected an attack upon Crown Point, and sent Mr.
+Quincy to Pennsylvania, and Mr. Pownall, afterward Governor Pownall, to
+New York, to solicit assistance. As I was in the Assembly, knew its
+temper, and was Mr. Quincy's countryman, he appli'd to me for my
+influence and assistance. I dictated his address to them, which was well
+receiv'd. They voted an aid of ten thousand pounds, to be laid out in
+provisions. But the governor refusing his assent to their bill (which
+included this with other sums granted for the use of the crown), unless
+a clause were inserted exempting the proprietary estate from bearing any
+part of the tax that would be necessary, the Assembly, tho' very
+desirous of making their grant to New England effectual, were at a loss
+how to accomplish it. Mr. Quincy labored hard with the governor to
+obtain his assent, but he was obstinate.
+
+I then suggested a method of doing the business without the governor, by
+orders on the trustees of the Loan Office, which, by law, the Assembly
+had the right of drawing. There was, indeed, little or no money at that
+time in the office, and therefore I propos'd that the orders should be
+payable in a year, and to bear an interest of five per cent. With these
+orders I suppos'd the provisions might easily be purchas'd. The
+Assembly, with very little hesitation, adopted the proposal. The orders
+were immediately printed, and I was one of the committee directed to
+sign and dispose of them. The fund for paying them was the interest of
+all the paper currency then extant in the province upon loan, together
+with the revenue arising from the excise, which being known to be more
+than sufficient, they obtain'd instant credit, and were not only
+receiv'd in payment for the provisions, but many money'd people, who had
+cash lying by them, vested it in those orders, which they found
+advantageous, as they bore interest while upon hand, and might on any
+occasion be used as money; so that they were eagerly all bought up, and
+in a few weeks none of them were to be seen. Thus this important affair
+was by my means compleated. My Quincy return'd thanks to the Assembly in
+a handsome memorial, went home highly pleas'd with the success of his
+embassy, and ever after bore for me the most cordial and affectionate
+friendship.
+
+The British government, not chusing to permit the union of the colonies
+as propos'd at Albany, and to trust that union with their defense, lest
+they should thereby grow too military, and feel their own strength,
+suspicions and jealousies at this time being entertain'd of them, sent
+over General Braddock with two regiments of regular English troops for
+that purpose. He landed at Alexandria, in Virginia, and thence march'd
+to Frederictown, in Maryland, where he halted for carriages. Our
+Assembly apprehending, from some information, that he had conceived
+violent prejudices against them, as averse to the service, wish'd me to
+wait upon him, not as from them, but as postmaster-general, under the
+guise of proposing to settle with him the mode of conducting with most
+celerity and certainty the despatches between him and the governors of
+the several provinces, with whom he must necessarily have continual
+correspondence, and of which they propos'd to pay the expense. My son
+accompanied me on this journey.
+
+We found the general at Frederictown, waiting impatiently for the return
+of those he had sent thro' the back parts of Maryland and Virginia to
+collect waggons. I stayed with him several days, din'd with him daily,
+and had full opportunity of removing all his prejudices, by the
+information of what the Assembly had before his arrival actually done,
+and were still willing to do, to facilitate his operations. When I was
+about to depart, the returns of waggons to be obtained were brought in,
+by which it appear'd that they amounted only to twenty-five, and not all
+of those were in serviceable condition. The general and all the officers
+were surpris'd, declar'd the expedition was then at an end, being
+impossible, and exclaim'd against the ministers for ignorantly landing
+them in a country destitute of the means of conveying their stores,
+baggage, etc., not less than one hundred and fifty waggons being
+necessary.
+
+I happened to say I thought it was a pity they had not been landed
+rather in Pennsylvania, as in that country almost every farmer had his
+waggon. The general eagerly laid hold of my words, and said, "Then you,
+sir, who are a man of interest there, can probably procure them for us;
+and I beg you will undertake it." I ask'd what terms were to be offer'd
+the owners of the waggons; and I was desir'd to put on paper the terms
+that appeared to me necessary. This I did, and they were agreed to, and
+a commission and instructions accordingly prepar'd immediately. What
+those terms were will appear in the advertisement I publish'd as soon as
+I arriv'd at Lancaster, which being, from the great and sudden effect it
+produc'd, a piece of some curiosity, I shall insert it at length, as
+follows:
+
+"Advertisement.
+
+"LANCASTER, April 26, 1755.
+
+"Whereas, one hundred and fifty waggons, with four horses to each
+waggon, and fifteen hundred saddle or pack horses, are wanted for the
+service of his majesty's forces now about to rendezvous at Will's Creek,
+and his excellency General Braddock having been pleased to empower me to
+contract for the hire of the same, I hereby give notice that I shall
+attend for that purpose at Lancaster from this day to next Wednesday
+evening, and at York from next Thursday morning till Friday evening,
+where I shall be ready to agree for waggons and teams, or single horses,
+on the following terms, viz.: 1. That there shall be paid for each
+waggon, with four good horses and a driver, fifteen shillings per diem;
+and for each able horse with a pack-saddle, or other saddle and
+furniture, two shillings per diem; and for each able horse without a
+saddle, eighteen pence per diem. 2. That the pay commence from the time
+of their joining the forces at Will's Creek, which must be on or before
+the 20th of May ensuing, and that a reasonable allowance be paid over
+and above for the time necessary for their travelling to Will's Creek
+and home again after their discharge. 3. Each waggon and team, and every
+saddle or pack horse, is to be valued by indifferent persons chosen
+between me and the owner; and in case of the loss of any waggon, team,
+or other horse in the service, the price according to such valuation is
+to be allowed and paid. 4. Seven days' pay is to be advanced and paid in
+hand by me to the owner of each waggon and team, or horse, at the time
+of contracting, if required, and the remainder to be paid by General
+Braddock, or by the paymaster of the army, at the time of their
+discharge, or from time to time, as it shall be demanded. 5. No drivers
+of waggons, or persons taking care of the hired horses, are on any
+account to be called upon to do the duty of soldiers, or be otherwise
+employed than in conducting or taking care of their carriages or horses.
+6. All oats, Indian corn, or other forage that waggons or horses bring
+to the camp, more than is necessary for the subsistence of the horses,
+is to be taken for the use of the army, and a reasonable price paid for
+the same.
+
+"Note.--My son, William Franklin, is empowered to enter into like
+contracts with any person in Cumberland county.
+
+"B. Franklin."
+
+"To the inhabitants of the Counties of Lancaster, York and Cumberland.
+
+"Friends and Countrymen,
+
+"Being occasionally at the camp at Frederic a few days since, I found
+the general and officers extremely exasperated on account of their not
+being supplied with horses and carriages, which had been expected from
+this province, as most able to furnish them; but, through the
+dissensions between our governor and Assembly, money had not been
+provided, nor any steps taken for that purpose.
+
+"It was proposed to send an armed force immediately into these counties,
+to seize as many of the best carriages and horses as should be wanted,
+and compel as many persons into the service as would be necessary to
+drive and take care of them.
+
+"I apprehended that the progress of British soldiers through these
+counties on such an occasion, especially considering the temper they are
+in, and their resentment against us, would be attended with many and
+great inconveniences to the inhabitants, and therefore more willingly
+took the trouble of trying first what might be done by fair and
+equitable means. The people of these back counties have lately
+complained to the Assembly that a sufficient currency was wanting; you
+have an opportunity of receiving and dividing among you a very
+considerable sum; for, if the service of this expedition should
+continue, as it is more than probable it will, for one hundred and
+twenty days, the hire of these waggons and horses will amount to upward
+of thirty thousand pounds, which will be paid you in silver and gold of
+the king's money.
+
+"The service will be light and easy, for the army will scarce march
+above twelve miles per day, and the waggons and baggage-horses, as they
+carry those things that are absolutely necessary to the welfare of the
+army, must march with the army, and no faster; and are, for the army's
+sake, always placed where they can be most secure, whether in a march or
+in a camp.
+
+"If you are really, as I believe you are, good and loyal subjects to his
+majesty, you may now do a most acceptable service, and make it easy to
+yourselves; for three or four of such as can not separately spare from
+the business of their plantations a waggon and four horses and a driver,
+may do it together, one furnishing the waggon, another one or two
+horses, and another the driver, and divide the pay proportionately
+between you; but if you do not this service to your king and country
+voluntarily, when such good pay and reasonable terms are offered to you,
+your loyalty will be strongly suspected. The king's business must be
+done; so many brave troops, come so far for your defense, must not stand
+idle through your backwardness to do what may be reasonably expected
+from you; waggons and horses must be had; violent measures will probably
+be used, and you will be left to seek for a recompense where you can
+find it, and your case, perhaps, be little pitied or regarded.
+
+"I have no particular interest in this affair, as, except the
+satisfaction of endeavoring to do good, I shall have only my labour for
+my pains. If this method of obtaining the waggons and horses is not
+likely to succeed, I am obliged to send word to the general in fourteen
+days; and I suppose Sir John St. Clair, the hussar, with a body of
+soldiers, will immediately enter the province for the purpose, which I
+shall be sorry to hear, because I am very sincerely and truly your
+friend and well-wisher,
+
+B. Franklin."
+
+I received of the general about eight hundred pounds, to be disbursed in
+advance-money to the waggon owners, etc.; but that sum being
+insufficient, I advanc'd upward of two hundred pounds more, and in two
+weeks the one hundred and fifty waggons, with two hundred and fifty-nine
+carrying horses, were on their march for the camp. The advertisement
+promised payment according to the valuation, in case any waggon or horse
+should be lost. The owners, however, alleging they did not know General
+Braddock, or what dependence might be had on his promise, insisted on my
+bond for the performance, which I accordingly gave them.
+
+While I was at the camp, supping one evening with the officers of
+Colonel Dunbar's regiment, he represented to me his concern for the
+subalterns, who, he said, were generally not in affluence, and could ill
+afford, in this dear country, to lay in the stores that might be
+necessary in so long a march, thro' a wilderness, where nothing was to
+be purchas'd. I commiserated their case, and resolved to endeavor
+procuring them some relief. I said nothing, however, to him of my
+intention, but wrote the next morning to the committee of the Assembly,
+who had the disposition of some public money, warmly recommending the
+case of these officers to their consideration, and proposing that a
+present should be sent them of necessaries and refreshments. My son, who
+had some experience of a camp life, and of its wants, drew up a list for
+me, which I enclos'd in my letter. The committee approv'd, and used such
+diligence that, conducted by my son, the stores arrived at the camp as
+soon as the waggons. They consisted of twenty parcels, each containing
+
+6 lbs. loaf sugar.            1 Gloucester cheese.
+6 lbs. good Muscovado do.     1 kegg containing 20 lbs. good butter.
+1 lb. good green tea.         2 doz. old Madeira wine.
+1 lb. good bohea do.          2 gallons Jamaica spirits.
+6 lbs. good ground coffee.    1 bottle flour of mustard.
+6 lbs. chocolate.             2 well-cur'd hams.
+1-2 cwt. best white biscuit.  1-2 dozen dry'd tongues.
+1-2 lb. pepper.               6 lbs. rice.
+1 quart best white wine       6 lbs. raisins.
+vinegar.
+
+These twenty parcels, well pack'd, were placed on as many horses, each
+parcel, with the horse, being intended as a present for one officer.
+They were very thankfully receiv'd, and the kindness acknowledg'd by
+letters to me from the colonels of both regiments, in the most grateful
+terms. The general, too, was highly satisfied with my conduct in
+procuring him the waggons, etc., and readily paid my account of
+disbursements, thanking me repeatedly, and requesting my farther
+assistance in sending provisions after him. I undertook this also, and
+was busily employ'd in it till we heard of his defeat, advancing for the
+service of my own money, upwards of one thousand pounds sterling, of
+which I sent him an account. It came to his hands, luckily for me, a few
+days before the battle, and he return'd me immediately an order on the
+paymaster for the round sum of one thousand pounds, leaving the
+remainder to the next account. I consider this payment as good luck,
+having never been able to obtain that remainder, of which more
+hereafter.
+
+This general was, I think, a brave man, and might probably have made a
+figure as a good officer in some European war. But he had too much
+self-confidence, too high an opinion of the validity of regular troops,
+and too mean a one of both Americans and Indians. George Croghan, our
+Indian interpreter, join'd him on his march with one hundred of those
+people, who might have been of great use to his army as guides, scouts,
+etc., if he had treated them kindly; but he slighted and neglected them,
+and they gradually left him.
+
+In conversation with him one day, he was giving me some account of his
+intended progress. "After taking Fort Duquesne," says he, "I am to
+proceed to Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if the season
+will allow time; and I suppose it will, for Duquesne can hardly detain
+me above three or four days; and then I see nothing that can obstruct my
+march to Niagara." Having before revolv'd in my mind the long line his
+army must make in their march by a very narrow road, to be cut for them
+thro' the woods and bushes, and also what I had read of a former defeat
+of fifteen hundred French, who invaded the Iroquois country, I had
+conceiv'd some doubts and some fears for the event of the campaign. But
+I ventur'd only to say, "To be sure, sir, if you arrive well before
+Duquesne, with these fine troops, so well provided with artillery, that
+place not yet compleatly fortified, and as we hear with no very strong
+garrison, can probably make but a short resistance. The only danger I
+apprehend of obstruction to your march is from ambuscades of Indians,
+who, by constant practice, are dexterous in laying and executing them;
+and the slender line, near four miles long, which your army must make,
+may expose it to be attack'd by surprise in its flanks, and to be cut
+like a thread into several pieces, which, from their distance, can not
+come up in time to support each other."
+
+He smil'd at my ignorance, and reply'd, "These savages may, indeed, be a
+formidable enemy to your raw American militia, but upon the king's
+regular and disciplin'd troops, sir, it is impossible they should make
+any impression." I was conscious of an impropriety in my disputing with
+a military man in matters of his profession, and said no more. The
+enemy, however, did not take the advantage of his army which I
+apprehended its long line of march expos'd it to, but let it advance
+without interruption till within nine miles of the place; and then, when
+more in a body (for it had just passed a river, where the front had
+halted till all were come over), and in a more open part of the woods
+than any it had pass'd, attack'd its advanced guard by a heavy fire from
+behind trees and bushes, which was the first intelligence the general
+had of an enemy's being near him. This guard being disordered, the
+general hurried the troops up to their assistance, which was done in
+great confusion, thro' waggons, baggage, and cattle; and presently the
+fire came upon their flank: the officers, being on horseback, were more
+easily distinguish'd, pick'd out as marks, and fell very fast; and the
+soldiers were crowded together in a huddle, having or hearing no orders,
+and standing to be shot at till two-thirds of them were killed; and
+then, being seiz'd with a panick, the whole fled with precipitation.
+
+The waggoners took each a horse out of his team and scamper'd; their
+example was immediately followed by others; so that all the waggons,
+provisions, artillery, and stores were left to the enemy. The general,
+being wounded, was brought off with difficulty; his secretary, Mr.
+Shirley, was killed by his side; and out of eighty-six officers,
+sixty-three were killed or wounded, and seven hundred and fourteen men
+killed out of eleven hundred. These eleven hundred had been picked men
+from the whole army; the rest had been left behind with Colonel Dunbar,
+who was to follow with the heavier part of the stores, provisions, and
+baggage. The flyers, not being pursu'd, arriv'd at Dunbar's camp, and
+the panick they brought with them instantly seiz'd him and all his
+people; and, tho' he had now above one thousand men, and the enemy who
+had beaten Braddock did not at most exceed four hundred Indians and
+French together, instead of proceeding, and endeavoring to recover some
+of the lost honour, he ordered all the stores, ammunition, etc., to be
+destroy'd, that he might have more horses to assist his flight towards
+the settlements, and less lumber to remove. He was there met with
+requests from the governors of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania,
+that he would post his troops on the frontiers, so as to afford some
+protection to the inhabitants; but he continu'd his hasty march thro'
+all the country, not thinking himself safe till he arriv'd at
+Philadelphia, where the inhabitants could protect him. This whole
+transaction gave us Americans the first suspicion that our exalted ideas
+of the prowess of British regulars had not been well founded.
+
+In their first march, too, from their landing till they got beyond the
+settlements, they had plundered and stripped the inhabitants, totally
+ruining some poor families, besides insulting, abusing, and confining
+the people if they remonstrated. This was enough to put us out of
+conceit of such defenders, if we had really wanted any. How different
+was the conduct of our French friends in 1781, who, during a march thro'
+the most inhabited part of our country from Rhode Island to Virginia,
+near seven hundred miles, occasioned not the smallest complaint for the
+loss of a pig, a chicken, or even an apple.
+
+Captain Orme, who was one of the general's aids-de-camp, and, being
+grievously wounded, was brought off with him, and continu'd with him to
+his death, which happen'd in a few days, told me that he was totally
+silent all the first day, and at night only said, "Who would have
+thought it?" That he was silent again the following day, saying only at
+last, "We shall better know how to deal with them another time;" and
+dy'd in a few minutes after.
+
+The secretary's papers, with all the general's orders, instructions, and
+correspondence, falling into the enemy's hands, they selected and
+translated into French a number of the articles, which they printed, to
+prove the hostile intentions of the British court before the declaration
+of war. Among these I saw some letters of the general to the ministry,
+speaking highly of the great service I had rendered the army, and
+recommending me to their notice. David Hume, too, who was some years
+after secretary to Lord Hertford, when minister in France, and afterward
+to General Conway, when secretary of state, told me he had seen among
+the papers in that office, letters from Braddock highly recommending me.
+But, the expedition having been unfortunate, my service, it seems, was
+not thought of much value, for those recommendations were never of any
+use to me.
+
+As to rewards from himself, I ask'd only one, which was, that he would
+give orders to his officers not to enlist any more of our bought
+servants, and that he would discharge such as had been already enlisted.
+This he readily granted, and several were accordingly return'd to their
+masters, on my application. Dunbar, when the command devolv'd on him,
+was not so generous. He being at Philadelphia, on his retreat, or rather
+flight, I apply'd to him for the discharge of the servants of three poor
+farmers of Lancaster county that he had enlisted, reminding him of the
+late general's orders on that head. He promised me that, if the masters
+would come to him at Trenton, where he should be in a few days on his
+march to New York, he would there deliver their men to them. They
+accordingly were at the expense and trouble of going to Trenton, and
+there he refus'd to perform his promise, to their great loss and
+disappointment.
+
+As soon as the loss of the waggons and horses was generally known, all
+the owners came upon me for the valuation which I had given bond to pay.
+Their demands gave me a great deal of trouble, my acquainting them that
+the money was ready in the paymaster's hands, but that orders for paying
+it must first be obtained from General Shirley, and my assuring them
+that I had apply'd to that general by letter; but, he being at a
+distance, an answer could not soon be receiv'd, and they must have
+patience, all this was not sufficient to satisfy, and some began to sue
+me. General Shirley at length relieved me from this terrible situation
+by appointing commissioners to examine the claims, and ordering payment.
+They amounted to near twenty thousand pound, which to pay would have
+ruined me.
+
+Before we had the news of this defeat, the two Doctors Bond came to me
+with a subscription paper for raising money to defray the expense of a
+grand firework, which it was intended to exhibit at a rejoicing on
+receipt of the news of our taking Fort Duquesne. I looked grave, and
+said it would, I thought, be time enough to prepare for the rejoicing
+when we knew we should have occasion to rejoice. They seem'd surpris'd
+that I did not immediately comply with their proposal. "Why the d--l!"
+says one of them, "you surely don't suppose that the fort will not be
+taken?" "I don't know that it will not be taken, but I know that the
+events of war are subject to great uncertainty." I gave them the reasons
+of my doubting; the subscription was dropt, and the projectors thereby
+missed the mortification they would have undergone if the firework had
+been prepared. Dr. Bond, on some other occasion afterward, said that he
+did not like Franklin's forebodings.
+
+Governor Morris, who had continually worried the Assembly with message
+after message before the defeat of Braddock, to beat them into the
+making of acts to raise money for the defense of the province, without
+taxing, among others, the proprietary estates, and had rejected all
+their bills for not having such an exempting clause, now redoubled his
+attacks with more hope of success, the danger and necessity being
+greater. The Assembly, however, continu'd firm, believing they had
+justice on their side, and that it would be giving up an essential right
+if they suffered the governor to amend their money-bills. In one of the
+last, indeed, which was for granting fifty thousand pounds, his propos'd
+amendment was only of a single word. The bill expressed "that all
+estates, real and personal, were to be taxed, those of the proprietaries
+not excepted." His amendment was, for not read only: a small, but very
+material alteration. However, when the news of this disaster reached
+England, our friends there, whom we had taken care to furnish with all
+the Assembly's answers to the governor's messages, rais'd a clamor
+against the proprietaries for their meanness and injustice in giving
+their governor such instructions; some going so far as to say that, by
+obstructing the defense of their province, they forfeited their right to
+it. They were intimidated by this, and sent orders to their
+receiver-general to add five thousand pounds of their money to whatever
+sum might be given by the Assembly for such purpose.
+
+This, being notified to the House, was accepted in lieu of their share
+of a general tax, and a new bill was form'd, with an exempting clause,
+which passed accordingly. By this act I was appointed one of the
+commissioners for disposing of the money, sixty thousand pounds. I had
+been active in modelling the bill and procuring its passage, and had, at
+the same time, drawn a bill for establishing and disciplining of a
+voluntary militia, which I carried thro' the House without much
+difficulty, as care was taken in it to leave the Quakers at their
+liberty. To promote the association necessary to form the militia, I
+wrote a dialogue, [14] stating and answering all the objections I could
+think of to such a militia, which was printed, and had, as I thought,
+great effect.
+
+[14] This dialogue and the militia act are in the "Gentleman's Magazine"
+for February and March, 1756.--[Marg. note.]
+
+While the several companies in the city and country were forming and
+learning their exercise, the governor prevail'd with me to take charge
+of our North-western frontier, which was infested by the enemy, and
+provide for the defense of the inhabitants by raising troops and
+building a line of forts. I undertook this military business, tho' I did
+not conceive myself well qualified for it. He gave me a commission with
+full powers, and a parcel of blank commissions for officers, to be given
+to whom I thought fit. I had but little difficulty in raising men,
+having soon five hundred and sixty under my command. My son, who had in
+the preceding war been an officer in the army rais'd against Canada, was
+my aid-de-camp, and of great use to me. The Indians had burned
+Gnadenhut, a village settled by the Moravians, and massacred the
+inhabitants; but the place was thought a good situation for one of the
+forts.
+
+In order to march thither, I assembled the companies at Bethlehem, the
+chief establishment of those people. I was surprised to find it in so
+good a posture of defense; the destruction of Gnadenhut had made them
+apprehend danger. The principal buildings were defended by a stockade;
+they had purchased a quantity of arms and ammunition from New York, and
+had even plac'd quantities of small paving stones between the windows of
+their high stone houses, for their women to throw down upon the heads of
+any Indians that should attempt to force into them. The armed brethren,
+too, kept watch, and reliev'd as methodically as in any garrison town.
+In conversation with the bishop, Spangenberg, I mention'd this my
+surprise; for, knowing they had obtained an act of Parliament exempting
+them from military duties in the colonies, I had suppos'd they were
+conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms. He answer'd me that it was
+not one of their established principles, but that, at the time of their
+obtaining that act, it was thought to be a principle with many of their
+people. On this occasion, however, they, to their surprise, found it
+adopted by but a few. It seems they were either deceiv'd in themselves,
+or deceiv'd the Parliament; but common sense, aided by present danger,
+will sometimes be too strong for whimsical opinions.
+
+It was the beginning of January when we set out upon this business of
+building forts. I sent one detachment toward the Minisink, with
+instructions to erect one for the security of that upper part of the
+country, and another to the lower part, with similar instructions; and I
+concluded to go myself with the rest of my force to Gnadenhut, where a
+fort was tho't more immediately necessary. The Moravians procur'd me
+five waggons for our tools, stores, baggage, etc.
+
+Just before we left Bethlehem, eleven farmers, who had been driven from
+their plantations by the Indians, came to me requesting a supply of
+firearms, that they might go back and fetch off their cattle. I gave
+them each a gun with suitable ammunition. We had not march'd many miles
+before it began to rain, and it continued raining all day; there were no
+habitations on the road to shelter us, till we arriv'd near night at the
+house of a German, where, and in his barn, we were all huddled together,
+as wet as water could make us. It was well we were not attack'd in our
+march, for our arms were of the most ordinary sort, and our men could
+not keep their gun locks dry. The Indians are dextrous in contrivances
+for that purpose, which we had not. They met that day the eleven poor
+farmers above mentioned, and killed ten of them. The one who escap'd
+inform'd that his and his companions' guns would not go off, the priming
+being wet with the rain.
+
+The next day being fair, we continu'd our march, and arriv'd at the
+desolated Gnadenhut. There was a saw-mill near, round which were left
+several piles of boards, with which we soon hutted ourselves; an
+operation the more necessary at that inclement season, as we had no
+tents. Our first work was to bury more effectually the dead we found
+there, who had been half interr'd by the country people.
+
+The next morning our fort was plann'd and mark'd out, the circumference
+measuring four hundred and fifty-five feet, which would require as many
+palisades to be made of trees, one with another, of a foot diameter
+each. Our axes, of which we had seventy, were immediately set to work to
+cut down trees, and, our men being dextrous in the use of them, great
+despatch was made. Seeing the trees fall so fast, I had the curiosity to
+look at my watch when two men began to cut at a pine; in six minutes
+they had it upon the ground, and I found it of fourteen inches diameter.
+Each pine made three palisades of eighteen feet long, pointed at one
+end. While these were preparing, our other men dug a trench all round,
+of three feet deep, in which the palisades were to be planted; and, our
+waggons, the bodys being taken off, and the fore and hind wheels
+separated by taking out the pin which united the two parts of the perch,
+we had ten carriages, with two horses each, to bring the palisades from
+the woods to the spot. When they were set up, our carpenters built a
+stage of boards all round within, about six feet high, for the men to
+stand on when to fire thro' the loopholes. We had one swivel gun, which
+we mounted on one of the angles, and fir'd it as soon as fix'd, to let
+the Indians know, if any were within hearing, that we had such pieces;
+and thus our fort, if such a magnificent name may be given to so
+miserable a stockade, was finish'd in a week, though it rain'd so hard
+every other day that the men could not work.
+
+This gave me occasion to observe, that, when men are employ'd, they are
+best content'd; for on the days they worked they were good-natur'd and
+cheerful, and, with the consciousness of having done a good day's work,
+they spent the evening jollily; but on our idle days they were mutinous
+and quarrelsome, finding fault with their pork, the bread, etc., and in
+continual ill-humor, which put me in mind of a sea-captain, whose rule
+it was to keep his men constantly at work; and, when his mate once told
+him that they had done every thing, and there was nothing further to
+employ them about, "Oh," says he, "Make them scour the anchor."
+
+This kind of fort, however contemptible, is a sufficient defense against
+Indians, who have no cannon. Finding ourselves now posted securely, and
+having a place to retreat to on occasion, we ventur'd out in parties to
+scour the adjacent country. We met with no Indians, but we found the
+places on the neighboring hills where they had lain to watch our
+proceedings. There was an art in their contrivance of those places, that
+seems worth mention. It being winter, a fire was necessary for them; but
+a common fire on the surface of the ground would by its light have
+discovered their position at a distance. They had therefore dug holes in
+the ground about three feet diameter, and somewhat deeper; we saw where
+they had with their hatchets cut off the charcoal from the sides of
+burnt logs lying in the woods. With these coals they had made small
+fires in the bottom of the holes, and we observ'd among the weeds and
+grass the prints of their bodies, made by their laying all round, with
+their legs hanging down in the holes to keep their feet warm, which,
+with them, is an essential point. This kind of fire, so manag'd, could
+not discover them, either by its light, flame, sparks, or even smoke: it
+appear'd that their number was not great, and it seems they saw we were
+too many to be attacked by them with prospect of advantage.
+
+We had for our chaplain a zealous Presbyterian minister, Mr. Beatty, who
+complained to me that the men did not generally attend his prayers and
+exhortations. When they enlisted, they were promised, besides pay and
+provisions, a gill of rum a day, which was punctually serv'd out to
+them, half in the morning, and the other half in the evening; and I
+observ'd they were as punctual in attending to receive it; upon which I
+said to Mr. Beatty, "It is, perhaps, below the dignity of your
+profession to act as steward of the rum, but if you were to deal it out
+and only just after prayers, you would have them all about you." He
+liked the tho't, undertook the office, and, with the help of a few hands
+to measure out the liquor, executed it to satisfaction, and never were
+prayers more generally and more punctually attended; so that I thought
+this method preferable to the punishment inflicted by some military laws
+for non-attendance on divine service.
+
+I had hardly finish'd this business, and got my fort well stor'd with
+provisions, when I receiv'd a letter from the governor, acquainting me
+that he had call'd the Assembly, and wished my attendance there, if the
+posture of affairs on the frontiers was such that my remaining there was
+no longer necessary. My friends, too, of the Assembly, pressing me by
+their letters to be, if possible, at the meeting, and my three intended
+forts being now compleated, and the inhabitants contented to remain on
+their farms under that protection, I resolved to return; the more
+willingly, as a New England officer, Colonel Clapham, experienced in
+Indian war, being on a visit to our establishment, consented to accept
+the command. I gave him a commission, and, parading the garrison, had it
+read before them, and introduc'd him to them as an officer who, from his
+skill in military affairs, was much more fit to command them than
+myself; and, giving them a little exhortation, took my leave. I was
+escorted as far as Bethlehem, where I rested a few days to recover from
+the fatigue I had undergone. The first night, being in a good bed, I
+could hardly sleep, it was so different from my hard lodging on the
+floor of our hut at Gnaden wrapt only in a blanket or two.
+
+While at Bethlehem, I inquir'd a little into the practice of the
+Moravians: some of them had accompanied me, and all were very kind to
+me. I found they work'd for a common stock, eat at common tables, and
+slept in common dormitories, great numbers together. In the dormitories
+I observed loopholes, at certain distances all along just under the
+ceiling, which I thought judiciously placed for change of air. I was at
+their church, where I was entertain'd with good musick, the organ being
+accompanied with violins, hautboys, flutes, clarinets, etc. I understood
+that their sermons were not usually preached to mixed congregations of
+men, women, and children, as is our common practice, but that they
+assembled sometimes the married men, at other times their wives, then
+the young men, the young women, and the little children, each division
+by itself. The sermon I heard was to the latter, who came in and were
+plac'd in rows on benches; the boys under the conduct of a young man,
+their tutor, and the girls conducted by a young woman. The discourse
+seem'd well adapted to their capacities, and was deliver'd in a
+pleasing, familiar manner, coaxing them, as it were, to be good. They
+behav'd very orderly, but looked pale and unhealthy, which made me
+suspect they were kept too much within doors, or not allow'd sufficient
+exercise.
+
+I inquir'd concerning the Moravian marriages, whether the report was
+true that they were by lot. I was told that lots were us'd only in
+particular cases; that generally, when a young man found himself
+dispos'd to marry, he inform'd the elders of his class, who consulted
+the elder ladies that govern'd the young women. As these elders of the
+different sexes were well acquainted with the tempers and dispositions
+of their respective pupils, they could best judge what matches were
+suitable, and their judgments were generally acquiesc'd in; but if, for
+example, it should happen that two or three young women were found to be
+equally proper for the young man, the lot was then recurred to. I
+objected, if the matches are not made by the mutual choice of the
+parties, some of them may chance to be very unhappy. "And so they may,"
+answer'd my informer, "if you let the parties chuse for themselves;"
+which, indeed, I could not deny.
+
+Being returned to Philadelphia, I found the association went on
+swimmingly, the inhabitants that were not Quakers having pretty
+generally come into it, formed themselves into companies, and chose
+their captains, lieutenants, and ensigns, according to the new law. Dr.
+B. visited me, and gave me an account of the pains he had taken to
+spread a general good liking to the law, and ascribed much to those
+endeavors. I had had the vanity to ascribe all to my Dialogue; however,
+not knowing but that he might be in the right, I let him enjoy his
+opinion, which I take to be generally the best way in such cases. The
+officers, meeting, chose me to be colonel of the regiment, which I this
+time accepted. I forget how many companies we had, but we paraded about
+twelve hundred well-looking men, with a company of artillery, who had
+been furnished with six brass field-pieces, which they had become so
+expert in the use of as to fire twelve times in a minute. The first time
+I reviewed my regiment they accompanied me to my house, and would salute
+me with some rounds fired before my door, which shook down and broke
+several glasses of my electrical apparatus. And my new honour proved not
+much less brittle; for all our commissions were soon after broken by a
+repeal of the law in England.
+
+During this short time of my colonelship, being about to set out on a
+journey to Virginia, the officers of my regiment took it into their
+heads that it would be proper for them to escort me out of town, as far
+as the Lower Ferry. Just as I was getting on horseback they came to my
+door, between thirty and forty, mounted, and all in their uniforms. I
+had not been previously acquainted with the project, or I should have
+prevented it, being naturally averse to the assuming of state on any
+occasion; and I was a good deal chagrin'd at their appearance, as I
+could not avoid their accompanying me. What made it worse was, that, as
+soon as we began to move, they drew their swords and rode with them
+naked all the way. Somebody wrote an account of this to the proprietor,
+and it gave him great offense. No such honor had been paid him when in
+the province, nor to any of his governors; and he said it was only
+proper to princes of the blood royal, which may be true for aught I
+know, who was, and still am, ignorant of the etiquette in such cases.
+
+This silly affair, however, greatly increased his rancour against me,
+which was before not a little, on account of my conduct in the Assembly
+respecting the exemption of his estate from taxation, which I had always
+oppos'd very warmly, and not without severe reflections on his meanness
+and injustice of contending for it. He accused me to the ministry as
+being the great obstacle to the king's service, preventing, by my
+influence in the House, the proper form of the bills for raising money,
+and he instanced this parade with my officers as a proof of my having an
+intention to take the government of the province out of his hands by
+force. He also applied to Sir Everard Fawkener, the postmaster-general,
+to deprive me of my office; but it had no other effect than to procure
+from Sir Everard a gentle admonition.
+
+Notwithstanding the continual wrangle between the governor and the
+House, in which I, as a member, had so large a share, there still
+subsisted a civil intercourse between that gentleman and myself,
+and we never had any personal difference. I have sometimes since thought
+that his little or no resentment against me, for the answers it was
+known I drew up to his messages, might be the effect of professional
+habit, and that, being bred a lawyer, he might consider us both as
+merely advocates for contending clients in a suit, he for the
+proprietaries and I for the Assembly. He would, therefore, sometimes
+call in a friendly way to advise with me on difficult points, and
+sometimes, tho' not often, take my advice.
+
+We acted in concert to supply Braddock's army with provisions; and, when
+the shocking news arrived of his defeat, the governor sent in haste for
+me, to consult with him on measures for preventing the desertion of the
+back counties. I forget now the advice I gave; but I think it was, that
+Dunbar should be written to, and prevail'd with, if possible, to post
+his troops on the frontiers for their protection, till, by
+re-enforcements from the colonies, he might be able to proceed on the
+expedition. And, after my return from the frontier, he would have had me
+undertake the conduct of such an expedition with provincial troops, for
+the reduction of Fort Duquesne, Dunbar and his men being otherwise
+employed; and he proposed to commission me as general. I had not so good
+an opinion of my military abilities as he profess'd to have, and I
+believe his professions must have exceeded his real sentiments; but
+probably he might think that my popularity would facilitate the raising
+of the men, and my influence in Assembly, the grant of money to pay
+them, and that, perhaps, without taxing the proprietary estate. Finding
+me not so forward to engage as he expected, the project was dropt, and
+he soon after left the government, being superseded by Captain Denny.
+
+Before I proceed in relating the part I had in public affairs under this
+new governor's administration, it may not be amiss here to give some
+account of the rise and progress of my philosophical reputation.
+
+In 1746, being at Boston, I met there with a Dr. Spence, who was lately
+arrived from Scotland, and show'd me some electric experiments. They
+were imperfectly perform'd, as he was not very expert; but, being on a
+subject quite new to me, they equally surpris'd and pleased me. Soon
+after my return to Philadelphia, our library company receiv'd from Mr.
+P. Collinson, Fellow of the Royal Society of London, a present of a
+glass tube, with some account of the use of it in making such
+experiments. I eagerly seized the opportunity of repeating what I had
+seen at Boston; and, by much practice, acquir'd great readiness in
+performing those, also, which we had an account of from England, adding
+a number of new ones. I say much practice, for my house was continually
+full, for some time, with people who came to see these new wonders.
+
+To divide a little this incumbrance among my friends, I caused a number
+of similar tubes to be blown at our glass-house, with which they
+furnish'd themselves, so that we had at length several performers. Among
+these, the principal was Mr. Kinnersley, an ingenious neighbor, who,
+being out of business, I encouraged to undertake showing the experiments
+for money, and drew up for him two lectures, in which the experiments
+were rang'd in such order, and accompanied with such explanations in
+such method, as that the foregoing should assist in comprehending the
+following. He procur'd an elegant apparatus for the purpose, in which
+all the little machines that I had roughly made for myself were nicely
+form'd by instrument-makers. His lectures were well attended, and gave
+great satisfaction; and after some time he went thro' the colonies,
+exhibiting them in every capital town, and pick'd up some money. In the
+West India islands, indeed, it was with difficulty the experiments could
+be made, from the general moisture of the air.
+
+Oblig'd as we were to Mr. Collinson for his present of the tube, etc., I
+thought it right he should be inform'd of our success in using it, and
+wrote him several letters containing accounts of our experiments. He got
+them read in the Royal Society, where they were not at first thought
+worth so much notice as to be printed in their Transactions. One paper,
+which I wrote for Mr. Kinnersley, on the sameness of lightning with
+electricity, I sent to Dr. Mitchel, an acquaintance of mine, and one of
+the members also of that society, who wrote me word that it had been
+read, but was laughed at by the connoisseurs. The papers, however, being
+shown to Dr. Fothergill, he thought them of too much value to be
+stifled, and advis'd the printing of them. Mr. Collinson then gave them
+to Cave for publication in his Gentleman's Magazine; but he chose to
+print them separately in a pamphlet, and Dr. Fothergill wrote the
+preface. Cave, it seems, judged rightly for his profit, for by the
+additions that arrived after they swell'd to a quarto volume, which has
+had five editions, and cost him nothing for copy-money.
+
+It was, however, some time before those papers were much taken notice of
+in England. A copy of them happening to fall into the hands of the Count
+de Buffon, a philosopher deservedly of great reputation in France, and,
+indeed, all over Europe, he prevailed with M. Dalibard to translate them
+into French, and they were printed at Paris. The publication offended
+the Abbé Nollet, preceptor in Natural Philosophy to the royal family,
+and an able experimenter, who had form'd and publish'd a theory of
+electricity, which then had the general vogue. He could not at first
+believe that such a work came from America, and said it must have been
+fabricated by his enemies at Paris, to decry his system. Afterwards,
+having been assur'd that there really existed such a person as Franklin
+at Philadelphia, which he had doubted, he wrote and published a volume
+of Letters, chiefly address'd to me, defending his theory, and denying
+the verity of my experiments, and of the positions deduc'd from them.
+
+I once purpos'd answering the abbé, and actually began the answer; but,
+on consideration that my writings contain'd a description of experiments
+which any one might repeat and verify, and if not to be verifi'd, could
+not be defended; or of observations offer'd as conjectures, and not
+delivered dogmatically, therefore not laying me under any obligation to
+defend them; and reflecting that a dispute between two persons, writing
+in different languages, might be lengthened greatly by mistranslations,
+and thence misconceptions of one another's meaning, much of one of the
+abbé's letters being founded on an error in the translation, I concluded
+to let my papers shift for themselves, believing it was better to spend
+what time I could spare from public business in making new experiments,
+than in disputing about those already made. I therefore never answered
+M. Nollet, and the event gave me no cause to repent my silence; for my
+friend M. le Roy, of the Royal Academy of Sciences, took up my cause and
+refuted him; my book was translated into the Italian, German, and Latin
+languages; and the doctrine it contain'd was by degrees universally
+adopted by the philosophers of Europe, in preference to that of the
+abbé; so that he lived to see himself the last of his sect, except
+Monsieur B------, of Paris, his élève and immediate disciple.
+
+What gave my book the more sudden and general celebrity, was the success
+of one of its proposed experiments, made by Messrs. Dalibard and De Lor
+at Marly, for drawing lightning from the clouds. This engag'd the public
+attention every where. M. de Lor, who had an apparatus for experimental
+philosophy, and lectur'd in that branch of science, undertook to repeat
+what he called the Philadelphia Experiments; and, after they were
+performed before the king and court, all the curious of Paris flocked to
+see them. I will not swell this narrative with an account of that
+capital experiment, nor of the infinite pleasure I receiv'd in the
+success of a similar one I made soon after with a kite at Philadelphia,
+as both are to be found in the histories of electricity.
+
+Dr. Wright, an English physician, when at Paris, wrote to a friend, who
+was of the Royal Society, an account of the high esteem my experiments
+were in among the learned abroad, and of their wonder that my writings
+had been so little noticed in England. The society, on this, resum'd the
+consideration of the letters that had been read to them; and the
+celebrated Dr. Watson drew up a summary account of them, and of all I
+had afterwards sent to England on the subject, which he accompanied with
+some praise of the writer. This summary was then printed in their
+Transactions; and some members of the society in London, particularly
+the very ingenious Mr. Canton, having verified the experiment of
+procuring lightning from the clouds by a pointed rod, and acquainting
+them with the success, they soon made me more than amends for the slight
+with which they had before treated me. Without my having made any
+application for that honor, they chose me a member, and voted that I
+should be excus'd the customary payments, which would have amounted to
+twenty-five guineas; and ever since have given me their Transactions
+gratis. They also presented me with the gold medal of Sir Godfrey Copley
+for the year 1753, the delivery of which was accompanied by a very
+handsome speech of the president, Lord Macclesfield, wherein I was
+highly honoured.
+
+Our new governor, Captain Denny, brought over for me the
+before-mentioned medal from the Royal Society, which he presented to me
+at an entertainment given him by the city. He accompanied it with very
+polite expressions of his esteem for me, having, as he said, been long
+acquainted with my character. After dinner, when the company, as was
+customary at that time, were engag'd in drinking, he took me aside into
+another room, and acquainted me that he had been advis'd by his friends
+in England to cultivate a friendship with me, as one who was capable of
+giving him the best advice, and of contributing most effectually to the
+making his administration easy; that he therefore desired of all things
+to have a good understanding with me, and he begg'd me to be assur'd of
+his readiness on all occasions to render me every service that might be
+in his power. He said much to me, also, of the proprietor's good
+disposition towards the province, and of the advantage it might be to us
+all, and to me in particular, if the opposition that had been so long
+continu'd to his measures was dropt, and harmony restor'd between him
+and the people; in effecting which, it was thought no one could be more
+serviceable than myself; and I might depend on adequate acknowledgments
+and recompenses, etc., etc. The drinkers, finding we did not return
+immediately to the table, sent us a decanter of Madeira, which the
+governor made liberal use of, and in proportion became more profuse of
+his solicitations and promises.
+
+My answers were to this purpose: that my circumstances, thanks to God,
+were such as to make proprietary favours unnecessary to me; and that,
+being a member of the Assembly, I could not possibly accept of any;
+that, however, I had no personal enmity to the proprietary, and that,
+whenever the public measures he propos'd should appear to be for the
+good of the people, no one should espouse and forward them more
+zealously than myself; my past opposition having been founded on this,
+that the measures which had been urged were evidently intended to serve
+the proprietary interest, with great prejudice to that of the people;
+that I was much obliged to him (the governor) for his professions of
+regard to me, and that he might rely on every thing in my power to make
+his administration as easy as possible, hoping at the same time that he
+had not brought with him the same unfortunate instruction his
+predecessor had been hamper'd with.
+
+On this he did not then explain himself; but when he afterwards came to
+do business with the Assembly, they appear'd again, the disputes were
+renewed, and I was as active as ever in the opposition, being the
+penman, first, of the request to have a communication of the
+instructions, and then of the remarks upon them, which may be found in
+the votes of the time, and in the Historical Review I afterward
+publish'd. But between us personally no enmity arose; we were often
+together; he was a man of letters, had seen much of the world, and was
+very entertaining and pleasing in conversation. He gave me the first
+information that my old friend Jas. Ralph was still alive; that he was
+esteem'd one of the best political writers in England; had been employ'd
+in the dispute between Prince Frederic and the king, and had obtain'd a
+pension of three hundred a year; that his reputation was indeed small as
+a poet, Pope having damned his poetry in the Dunciad; but his prose was
+thought as good as any man's.
+
+[15] The Assembly finally finding the proprietary obstinately persisted
+in manacling their deputies with instructions inconsistent not only with
+the privileges of the people, but with the service of the crown,
+resolv'd to petition the king against them, and appointed me their agent
+to go over to England, to present and support the petition. The House
+had sent up a bill to the governor, granting a sum of sixty thousand
+pounds for the king's use (ten thousand pounds of which was subjected to
+the orders of the then general, Lord Loudoun), which the governor
+absolutely refus'd to pass, in compliance with his instructions.
+
+[15] The many unanimous resolves of the Assembly--what date?--[Marg.
+note.]
+
+I had agreed with Captain Morris, of the paquet at New York, for my
+passage, and my stores were put on board, when Lord Loudoun arriv'd at
+Philadelphia, expressly, as he told me, to endeavor an accommodation
+between the governor and Assembly, that his majesty's service might not
+be obstructed by their dissensions. Accordingly, he desir'd the governor
+and myself to meet him, that he might hear what was to be said on both
+sides. We met and discuss'd the business. In behalf of the Assembly, I
+urg'd all the various arguments that may be found in the public papers
+of that time, which were of my writing, and are printed with the minutes
+of the Assembly; and the governor pleaded his instructions; the bond he
+had given to observe them, and his ruin if he disobey'd, yet seemed not
+unwilling to hazard himself if Lord Loudoun would advise it. This his
+lordship did not chuse to do, though I once thought I had nearly
+prevail'd with him to do it; but finally he rather chose to urge the
+compliance of the Assembly; and he entreated me to use my endeavours
+with them for that purpose, declaring that he would spare none of the
+king's troops for the defense of our frontiers, and that, if we did not
+continue to provide for that defense ourselves, they must remain expos'd
+to the enemy.
+
+I acquainted the House with what had pass'd, and, presenting them with a
+set of resolutions I had drawn up, declaring our rights, and that we did
+not relinquish our claim to those rights, but only suspended the
+exercise of them on this occasion thro' force, against which we
+protested, they at length agreed to drop that bill, and frame another
+conformable to the proprietary instructions. This of course the governor
+pass'd, and I was then at liberty to proceed on my voyage. But, in the
+meantime, the paquet had sailed with my sea-stores, which was some loss
+to me, and my only recompense was his lordship's thanks for my service,
+all the credit of obtaining the accommodation falling to his share.
+
+He set out for New York before me; and, as the time for dispatching the
+paquet-boats was at his disposition, and there were two then remaining
+there, one of which, he said, was to sail very soon, I requested to know
+the precise time, that I might not miss her by any delay of mine. His
+answer was, "I have given out that she is to sail on Saturday next; but
+I may let you know, entre nous, that if you are there by Monday morning,
+you will be in time, but do not delay longer." By some accidental
+hinderance at a ferry, it was Monday noon before I arrived, and I was
+much afraid she might have sailed, as the wind was fair; but I was soon
+made easy by the information that she was still in the harbor, and would
+not move till the next day. One would imagine that I was now on the very
+point of departing for Europe. I thought so; but I was not then so well
+acquainted with his lordship's character, of which indecision was one of
+the strongest features. I shall give some instances. It was about the
+beginning of April that I came to New York, and I think it was near the
+end of June before we sail'd. There were then two of the paquet-boats,
+which had been long in port, but were detained for the general's
+letters, which were always to be ready to-morrow. Another paquet
+arriv'd; she too was detain'd; and, before we sail'd, a fourth was
+expected. Ours was the first to be dispatch'd, as having been there
+longest. Passengers were engag'd in all, and some extremely impatient to
+be gone, and the merchants uneasy about their letters, and the orders
+they had given for insurance (it being war time) for fall goods! but
+their anxiety avail'd nothing; his lordship's letters were not ready;
+and yet whoever waited on him found him always at his desk, pen in hand,
+and concluded he must needs write abundantly.
+
+Going myself one morning to pay my respects, I found in his antechamber
+one Innis, a messenger of Philadelphia, who had come from thence express
+with a paquet from Governor Denny for the General. He delivered to me
+some letters from my friends there, which occasion'd my inquiring when
+he was to return, and where he lodg'd, that I might send some letters by
+him. He told me he was order'd to call to-morrow at nine for the
+general's answer to the governor, and should set off immediately. I put
+my letters into his hands the same day. A fortnight after I met him
+again in the same place. "So, you are soon return'd, Innis?" "Returned!
+no, I am not gone yet." "How so?" "I have called here by order every
+morning these two weeks past for his lordship's letter, and it is not
+yet ready." "Is it possible, when he is so great a writer? for I see him
+constantly at his escritoire." "Yes," says Innis, "but he is like St.
+George on the signs, always on horseback, and never rides on." This
+observation of the messenger was, it seems, well founded; for, when in
+England, I understood that Mr. Pitt gave it as one reason for removing
+this general, and sending Generals Amherst and Wolfe, that the minister
+never heard from him, and could not know what he was doing.
+
+This daily expectation of sailing, and all the three paquets going down
+to Sandy Hook, to join the fleet there, the passengers thought it best
+to be on board, lest by a sudden order the ships should sail, and they
+be left behind. There, if I remember right, we were about six weeks,
+consuming our sea-stores, and oblig'd to procure more. At length the
+fleet sail'd, the General and all his army on board, bound to Louisburg,
+with intent to besiege and take that fortress; all the paquet-boats in
+company ordered to attend the General's ship, ready to receive his
+dispatches when they should be ready. We were out five days before we
+got a letter with leave to part, and then our ship quitted the fleet and
+steered for England. The other two paquets he still detained, carried
+them with him to Halifax, where he stayed some time to exercise the men
+in sham attacks upon sham forts, then alter'd his mind as to besieging
+Louisburg, and return'd to New York, with all his troops, together with
+the two paquets above mentioned, and all their passengers! During his
+absence the French and savages had taken Fort George, on the frontier of
+that province, and the savages had massacred many of the garrison after
+capitulation.
+
+I saw afterwards in London Captain Bonnell, who commanded one of those
+paquets. He told me that, when he had been detain'd a month, he
+acquainted his lordship that his ship was grown foul, to a degree that
+must necessarily hinder her fast sailing, a point of consequence for a
+paquet-boat, and requested an allowance of time to heave her down and
+clean her bottom. He was asked how long that would require. He answer'd,
+three days. The general replied, "If you can do it in one day, I give
+leave; otherwise not; for you must certainly sail the day after
+to-morrow." So he never obtain'd leave, though detained afterwards from
+day to day during full three months.
+
+I saw also in London one of Bonnell's passengers, who was so enrag'd
+against his lordship for deceiving and detaining him so long at New
+York, and then carrying him to Halifax and back again, that he swore he
+would sue for damages. Whether he did or not, I never heard; but, as he
+represented the injury to his affairs, it was very considerable.
+
+On the whole, I wonder'd much how such a man came to be intrusted with
+so important a business as the conduct of a great army; but, having
+since seen more of the great world, and the means of obtaining, and
+motives for giving places, my wonder is diminished. General Shirley, on
+whom the command of the army devolved upon the death of Braddock, would,
+in my opinion, if continued in place, have made a much better campaign
+than that of Loudoun in 1757, which was frivolous, expensive, and
+disgraceful to our nation beyond conception; for, tho' Shirley was not a
+bred soldier, he was sensible and sagacious in himself, and attentive to
+good advice from others, capable of forming judicious plans, and quick
+and active in carrying them into execution. Loudoun, instead of
+defending the colonies with his great army, left them totally expos'd
+while he paraded idly at Halifax, by which means Fort George was lost,
+besides, he derang'd all our mercantile operations, and distress'd our
+trade, by a long embargo on the exportation of provisions, on pretence
+of keeping supplies from being obtain'd by the enemy, but in reality for
+beating down their price in favor of the contractors, in whose profits,
+it was said, perhaps from suspicion only, he had a share. And, when at
+length the embargo was taken off, by neglecting to send notice of it to
+Charlestown, the Carolina fleet was detain'd near three months longer,
+whereby their bottoms were so much damaged by the worm that a great part
+of them foundered in their passage home.
+
+Shirley was, I believe, sincerely glad of being relieved from so
+burdensome a charge as the conduct of an army must be to a man
+unacquainted with military business. I was at the entertainment given by
+the city of New York to Lord Loudoun, on his taking upon him the
+command. Shirley, tho' thereby superseded, was present also. There was a
+great company of officers, citizens, and strangers, and, some chairs
+having been borrowed in the neighborhood, there was one among them very
+low, which fell to the lot of Mr. Shirley. Perceiving it as I sat by
+him, I said, "They have given you, sir, too low a seat." "No matter,"
+says he, "Mr. Franklin, I find a low seat the easiest."
+
+While I was, as afore mention'd, detain'd at New York, I receiv'd all
+the accounts of the provisions, etc., that I had furnish'd to Braddock,
+some of which accounts could not sooner be obtain'd from the different
+persons I had employ'd to assist in the business. I presented them to
+Lord Loudoun, desiring to be paid the ballance. He caus'd them to be
+regularly examined by the proper officer, who, after comparing every
+article with its voucher, certified them to be right; and the balance
+due for which his lordship promis'd to give me an order on the
+paymaster. This was, however, put off from time to time; and, tho' I
+call'd often for it by appointment, I did not get it. At length, just
+before my departure, he told me he had, on better consideration,
+concluded not to mix his accounts with those of his predecessors. "And
+you," says he, "when in England, have only to exhibit your accounts at
+the treasury, and you will be paid immediately."
+
+I mention'd, but without effect, the great and unexpected expense I had
+been put to by being detain'd so long at New York, as a reason for my
+desiring to be presently paid; and on my observing that it was not right
+I should be put to any further trouble or delay in obtaining the money I
+had advanc'd, as I charged no commission for my service, "O, sir," says
+he, "you must not think of persuading us that you are no gainer; we
+understand better those affairs, and know that every one concerned in
+supplying the army finds means, in the doing it, to fill his own
+pockets." I assur'd him that was not my case, and that I had not
+pocketed a farthing; but he appear'd clearly not to believe me; and,
+indeed, I have since learnt that immense fortunes are often made in such
+employments. As to my ballance, I am not paid it to this day, of which
+more hereafter.
+
+Our captain of the paquet had boasted much, before we sailed, of the
+swiftness of his ship; unfortunately, when we came to sea, she proved
+the dullest of ninety-six sail, to his no small mortification. After
+many conjectures respecting the cause, when we were near another ship
+almost as dull as ours, which, however, gain'd upon us, the captain
+ordered all hands to come aft, and stand as near the ensign staff as
+possible. We were, passengers included, about forty persons. While we
+stood there, the ship mended her pace, and soon left her neighbour far
+behind, which prov'd clearly what our captain suspected, that she was
+loaded too much by the head. The casks of water, it seems, had been all
+plac'd forward; these he therefore order'd to be mov'd further aft, on
+which the ship recover'd her character, and proved the sailer in the
+fleet.
+
+The captain said she had once gone at the rate of thirteen knots, which
+is accounted thirteen miles per hour. We had on board, as a passenger,
+Captain Kennedy, of the Navy, who contended that it was impossible, and
+that no ship ever sailed so fast, and that there must have been some
+error in the division of the log-line, or some mistake in heaving the
+log. A wager ensu'd between the two captains, to be decided when there
+should be sufficient wind. Kennedy thereupon examin'd rigorously the
+log-line, and, being satisfi'd with that, he determin'd to throw the log
+himself. Accordingly some days after, when the wind blew very fair and
+fresh, and the captain of the paquet, Lutwidge, said he believ'd she
+then went at the rate of thirteen knots, Kennedy made the experiment,
+and own'd his wager lost.
+
+The above fact I give for the sake of the following observation. It has
+been remark'd, as an imperfection in the art of ship-building, that it
+can never be known, till she is tried, whether a new ship will or will
+not be a good sailer; for that the model of a good-sailing ship has been
+exactly follow'd in a new one, which has prov'd, on the contrary,
+remarkably dull. I apprehend that this may partly be occasion'd by the
+different opinions of seamen respecting the modes of lading, rigging,
+and sailing of a ship; each has his system; and the same vessel, laden
+by the judgment and orders of one captain, shall sail better or worse
+than when by the orders of another. Besides, it scarce ever happens that
+a ship is form'd, fitted for the sea, and sail'd by the same person. One
+man builds the hull, another rigs her, a third lades and sails her. No
+one of these has the advantage of knowing all the ideas and experience
+of the others, and, therefore, can not draw just conclusions from a
+combination of the whole.
+
+Even in the simple operation of sailing when at sea, I have often
+observ'd different judgments in the officers who commanded the
+successive watches, the wind being the same. One would have the sails
+trimm'd sharper or flatter than another, so that they seem'd to have no
+certain rule to govern by. Yet I think a set of experiments might be
+instituted, first, to determine the most proper form of the hull for
+swift sailing; next, the best dimensions and properest place for the
+masts: then the form and quantity of sails, and their position, as the
+wind may be; and, lastly, the disposition of the lading. This is an age
+of experiments, and I think a set accurately made and combin'd would be
+of great use. I am persuaded, therefore, that ere long some ingenious
+philosopher will undertake it, to whom I wish success.
+
+We were several times chas'd in our passage, but outsail'd every thing,
+and in thirty days had soundings. We had a good observation, and the
+captain judg'd himself so near our port, Falmouth, that, if we made a
+good run in the night, we might be off the mouth of that harbor in the
+morning, and by running in the night might escape the notice of the
+enemy's privateers, who often crus'd near the entrance of the channel.
+Accordingly, all the sail was set that we could possibly make, and the
+wind being very fresh and fair, we went right before it, and made great
+way. The captain, after his observation, shap'd his course, as he
+thought, so as to pass wide of the Scilly Isles; but it seems there is
+sometimes a strong indraught setting up St. George's Channel, which
+deceives seamen and caused the loss of Sir Cloudesley Shovel's squadron.
+This indraught was probably the cause of what happened to us.
+
+We had a watchman plac'd in the bow, to whom they often called, "Look
+well out before there," and he as often answered, "Ay ay;" but perhaps
+had his eyes shut, and was half asleep at the time, they sometimes
+answering, as is said, mechanically; for he did not see a light just
+before us, which had been hid by the studdingsails from the man at the
+helm, and from the rest of the watch, but by an accidental yaw of the
+ship was discover'd, and occasion'd a great alarm, we being very near
+it, the light appearing to me as big as a cart-wheel. It was midnight,
+and our captain fast asleep; but Captain Kennedy, jumping upon deck, and
+seeing the danger, ordered the ship to wear round, all sails standing;
+an operation dangerous to the masts, but it carried us clear, and we
+escaped shipwreck, for we were running right upon the rocks on which the
+light-house was erected. This deliverance impressed me strongly with the
+utility of light-houses, and made me resolve to encourage the building
+more of them in America, if I should live to return there.
+
+In the morning it was found by the soundings, etc., that we were near
+our port, but a thick fog hid the land from our sight. About nine
+o'clock the fog began to rise, and seem'd to be lifted up from the water
+like the curtain at a play-house, discovering underneath, the town of
+Falmouth, the vessels in its harbor, and the fields that surrounded it.
+This was a most pleasing spectacle to those who had been so long without
+any other prospects than the uniform view of a vacant ocean, and it gave
+us the more pleasure as we were now free from the anxieties which the
+state of war occasion'd.
+
+I set out immediately, with my son, for London, and we only stopt a
+little by the way to view Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain, and Lord
+Pembroke's house and gardens, with his very curious antiquities at
+Wilton. We arrived in London the 27th of July, 1757. [16]
+
+[16] Here terminates the Autobiography, as published by Wm. Temple
+Franklin and his successors. What follows was written in the last year
+of Dr. Franklin's life, and was first printed (in English) in Mr.
+Bigelow's edition of 1868.--Ed.
+
+As soon as I was settled in a lodging Mr. Charles had provided for me, I
+went to visit Dr. Fothergill, to whom I was strongly recommended, and
+whose counsel respecting my proceedings I was advis'd to obtain. He was
+against an immediate complaint to government, and thought the
+proprietaries should first be personally appli'd to, who might possibly
+be induc'd by the interposition and persuasion of some private friends,
+to accommodate matters amicably. I then waited on my old friend and
+correspondent, Mr. Peter Collinson, who told me that John Hanbury, the
+great Virginia merchant, had requested to be informed when I should
+arrive, that he might carry me to Lord Granville's, who was then
+President of the Council and wished to see me as soon as possible. I
+agreed to go with him the next morning. Accordingly Mr. Hanbury called
+for me and took me in his carriage to that nobleman's, who receiv'd me
+with great civility; and after some questions respecting the present
+state of affairs in America and discourse thereupon, he said to me: "You
+Americans have wrong ideas of the nature of your constitution; you
+contend that the king's instructions to his governors are not laws, and
+think yourselves at liberty to regard or disregard them at your own
+discretion. But those instructions are not like the pocket instructions
+given to a minister going abroad, for regulating his conduct in some
+trifling point of ceremony. They are first drawn up by judges learned in
+the laws; they are then considered, debated, and perhaps amended in
+Council, after which they are signed by the king. They are then, so far
+as they relate to you, the law of the land, for the king is the
+Legislator of the Colonies." I told his lordship this was new doctrine
+to me. I had always understood from our charters that our laws were to
+be made by our Assemblies, to be presented indeed to the king for his
+royal assent, but that being once given the king could not repeal or
+alter them. And as the Assemblies could not make permanent laws without
+his assent, so neither could he make a law for them without theirs. He
+assur'd me I was totally mistaken. I did not think so, however, and his
+lordship's conversation having a little alarm'd me as to what might be
+the sentiments of the court concerning us, I wrote it down as soon as I
+return'd to my lodgings. I recollected that about 20 years before, a
+clause in a bill brought into Parliament by the ministry had propos'd to
+make the king's instructions laws in the colonies, but the clause was
+thrown out by the Commons, for which we adored them as our friends and
+friends of liberty, till by their conduct towards us in 1765 it seem'd
+that they had refus'd that point of sovereignty to the king only that
+they might reserve it for themselves.
+
+After some days, Dr. Fothergill having spoken to the proprietaries, they
+agreed to a meeting with me at Mr. T. Penn's house in Spring Garden. The
+conversation at first consisted of mutual declarations of disposition to
+reasonable accommodations, but I suppose each party had its own ideas of
+what should be meant by reasonable. We then went into consideration of
+our several points of complaint, which I enumerated. The proprietaries
+justify'd their conduct as well as they could, and I the Assembly's. We
+now appeared very wide, and so far from each other in our opinions as to
+discourage all hope of agreement. However, it was concluded that I
+should give them the heads of our complaints in writing, and they
+promis'd then to consider them. I did so soon after, but they put the
+paper into the hands of their solicitor, Ferdinand John Paris, who
+managed for them all their law business in their great suit with the
+neighbouring proprietary of Maryland, Lord Baltimore, which had
+subsisted 70 years, and wrote for them all their papers and messages in
+their dispute with the Assembly. He was a proud, angry man, and as I had
+occasionally in the answers of the Assembly treated his papers with some
+severity, they being really weak in point of argument and haughty in
+expression, he had conceived a mortal enmity to me, which discovering
+itself whenever we met, I declin'd the proprietary's proposal that he
+and I should discuss the heads of complaint between our two selves, and
+refus'd treating with any one but them. They then by his advice put the
+paper into the hands of the Attorney and Solicitor-General for their
+opinion and counsel upon it, where it lay unanswered a year wanting
+eight days, during which time I made frequent demands of an answer from
+the proprietaries, but without obtaining any other than that they had
+not yet received the opinion of the Attorney and Solicitor-General. What
+it was when they did receive it I never learnt, for they did not
+communicate it to me, but sent a long message to the Assembly drawn and
+signed by Paris, reciting my paper, complaining of its want of
+formality, as a rudeness on my part, and giving a flimsy justification
+of their conduct, adding that they should be willing to accommodate
+matters if the Assembly would send out some person of candour to treat
+with them for that purpose, intimating thereby that I was not such.
+
+The want of formality or rudeness was, probably, my not having address'd
+the paper to them with their assum'd titles of True and Absolute
+Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania, which I omitted as not
+thinking it necessary in a paper, the intention of which was only to
+reduce to a certainty by writing, what in conversation I had delivered
+viva voce.
+
+But during this delay, the Assembly having prevailed with Gov'r Denny to
+pass an act taxing the proprietary estate in common with the estates of
+the people, which was the grand point in dispute, they omitted answering
+the message.
+
+When this act however came over, the proprietaries, counselled by Paris,
+determined to oppose its receiving the royal assent. Accordingly they
+petition'd the king in Council, and a hearing was appointed in which two
+lawyers were employ'd by them against the act, and two by me in support
+of it. They alledg'd that the act was intended to load the proprietary
+estate in order to spare those of the people, and that if it were
+suffer'd to continue in force, and the proprietaries who were in odium
+with the people, left to their mercy in proportioning the taxes, they
+would inevitably be ruined. We reply'd that the act had no such
+intention, and would have no such effect. That the assessors were honest
+and discreet men under an oath to assess fairly and equitably, and that
+any advantage each of them might expect in lessening his own tax by
+augmenting that of the proprietaries was too trifling to induce them to
+perjure themselves. This is the purport of what I remember as urged by
+both sides, except that we insisted strongly on the mischievous
+consequences that must attend a repeal, for that the money, £100,000,
+being printed and given to the king's use, expended in his service, and
+now spread among the people, the repeal would strike it dead in their
+hands to the ruin of many, and the total discouragement of future
+grants, and the selfishness of the proprietors in soliciting such a
+general catastrophe, merely from a groundless fear of their estate being
+taxed too highly, was insisted on in the strongest terms. On this, Lord
+Mansfield, one of the counsel rose, and beckoning me took me into the
+clerk's chamber, while the lawyers were pleading, and asked me if I was
+really of opinion that no injury would be done the proprietary estate in
+the execution of the act. I said certainly. "Then," says he, "you can
+have little objection to enter into an engagement to assure that point."
+I answer'd, "None at all." He then call'd in Paris, and after some
+discourse, his lordship's proposition was accepted on both sides; a
+paper to the purpose was drawn up by the Clerk of the Council, which I
+sign'd with Mr. Charles, who was also an Agent of the Province for their
+ordinary affairs, when Lord Mansfield returned to the Council Chamber,
+where finally the law was allowed to pass. Some changes were however
+recommended and we also engaged they should be made by a subsequent law,
+but the Assembly did not think them necessary; for one year's tax having
+been levied by the act before the order of Council arrived, they
+appointed a committee to examine the proceedings of the assessors, and
+on this committee they put several particular friends of the
+proprietaries. After a full enquiry, they unanimously sign'd a report
+that they found the tax had been assess'd with perfect equity.
+
+The Assembly looked into my entering into the first part of the
+engagement, as an essential service to the Province, since it secured
+the credit of the paper money then spread over all the country. They
+gave me their thanks in form when I return'd. But the proprietaries were
+enraged at Governor Denny for having pass'd the act, and turn'd him out
+with threats of suing him for breach of instructions which he had given
+bond to observe. He, however, having done it at the instance of the
+General, and for His Majesty's service, and having some powerful
+interests at court, despis'd the threats and they were never put in
+execution.... [Unfinished].
+
+CHIEF EVENTS IN FRANKLIN'S LIFE.
+
+[Ending, as it does, with the year 1757, the autobiography leaves
+important facts unrecorded. It has seemed advisable, therefore, to
+detail the chief events in Franklin's life, from the beginning, in the
+following list:
+
+1706    He is born, in Boston, and baptized in the Old South Church.
+1714    At the age of eight, enters the Grammar School.
+1716    Becomes his father's assistant in the tallow-chandlery business.
+1718    Apprenticed to his brother James, printer.
+1721    Writes ballads and peddles them, in printed form, in the
+streets; contributes, anonymously, to the "New England Courant," and
+temporarily edits that paper; becomes a free-thinker, and a vegetarian.
+1723    Breaks his indenture and removes to Philadelphia; obtains
+employment in Keimer's printing-office; abandons vegetarianism.
+1724    Is persuaded by Governor Keith to establish himself
+independently, and goes to London to buy type; works at his trade there,
+and publishes "Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and
+Pain."
+1726    Returns to Philadelphia; after serving as clerk in a dry-goods
+store, becomes manager of Keimer's printing-house.
+1727    Founds the Junto, or "Leathern Apron" Club.
+1728    With Hugh Meredith, opens a printing-office.
+1729    Becomes proprietor and editor of the "Pennsylvania Gazette";
+prints, anonymously, "Nature and Necessity of a Paper Currency"; opens a
+stationer's shop.
+1730    Marries Deborah Read.
+1731    Founds the Philadelphia Library.
+1732    Publishes the first number of "Poor Richard's Almanac" under the
+pseudonym of "Richard Saunders." The Almanac, which continued for
+twenty-five years to contain his witty, worldly-wise sayings, played a
+very large part in bringing together and molding the American character
+which was at that time made up of so many diverse and scattered types.
+1733    Begins to study French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin.
+1736    Chosen clerk of the General Assembly; forms the Union Fire
+Company of Philadelphia.
+1737    Elected to the Assembly; appointed Deputy Postmaster-General;
+plans a city police.
+1742    Invents the open, or "Franklin," stove.
+1743    Proposes a plan for an Academy, which is adopted 1749 and
+develops into the University of Pennsylvania.
+1744    Establishes the American Philosophical Society.
+1746    Publishes a pamphlet, "Plain Truth," on the necessity for
+disciplined defense, and forms a military company; begins electrical
+experiments.
+1748    Sells out his printing business; is appointed on the Commission
+of the Peace, chosen to the Common Council, and to the Assembly.
+1749    Appointed a Commissioner to trade with the Indians.
+1751    Aids in founding a hospital.
+1752    Experiments with a kite and discovers that lightning is an
+electrical discharge.
+1753    Awarded the Copley medal for this discovery, and elected a
+member of the Royal Society; receives the degree of M.A. from Yale and
+Harvard. Appointed joint Postmaster-General.
+1754    Appointed one of the Commissioners from Pennsylvania to the
+Colonial Congress at Albany; proposes a plan for the union of the
+colonies.
+1756    Pledges his personal property in order that supplies may be
+raised for Braddock's army; obtains a grant from the Assembly in aid of
+the Crown Point expedition; carries through a bill establishing a
+voluntary militia; is appointed Colonel, and takes the field.
+1757    Introduces a bill in the Assembly for paving the streets of
+Philadelphia; publishes his famous "Way to Wealth"; goes to England to
+plead the cause of the Assembly against the Proprietaries; remains as
+agent for Pennsylvania; enjoys the friendship of the scientific and
+literary men of the kingdom.
+[HERE THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY BREAKS OFF]
+1760    Secures from the Privy Council, by a compromise, a decision
+obliging the Proprietary estates to contribute to the public revenue.
+1762    Receives the degree of LL.D. from Oxford and Edinburgh; returns
+to America.
+1763    Makes a five months' tour of the northern colonies for the
+purpose of inspecting the post-offices.
+1764    Defeated by the Penn faction for reelection to the Assembly;
+sent to England as agent for Pennsylvania.
+1765    Endeavors to prevent the passage of the Stamp Act.
+1766    Examined before the House of Commons relative to the passage of
+the Stamp Act; appointed agent of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and
+Georgia; visits Göttingen University.
+1767    Travels in France and is presented at court.
+1769    Procures a telescope for Harvard College.
+1772    Elected Associé Etranger of the French Academy.
+1774    Dismissed from the office of Postmaster-General; influences
+Thomas Paine to emigrate to America.
+1775    Returns to America; chosen a delegate to the Second Continental
+Congress; placed on the committee of secret correspondence; appointed
+one of the commissioners to secure the cooperation of Canada.
+1776    Placed on the committee to draft a Declaration of Independence;
+chosen president of the Constitutional Committee of Pennsylvania; sent
+to France as agent of the colonies.
+1778    Concludes treaties of defensive alliance, and of amity and
+commerce; is received at court.
+1779    Appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to France.
+1780    Appoints Paul Jones commander of the "Alliance."
+1782    Signs the preliminary articles of peace.
+1783    Signs the definite treaty of peace.
+1785    Returns to America; is chosen President of Pennsylvania;
+reelected 1786.
+1787    Reelected President; sent as delegate to the convention for
+framing a Federal Constitution.
+1788    Retires from public life.
+1790    April 17, dies. His grave is in the churchyard at Fifth and Arch
+streets, Philadelphia. Editor.]
+
+
+On Franklin's Autobiography
+
+And yet the surprising and delightful thing about this book (the
+Autobiography) is that, take it all in all, it has not the low tone of
+conceit, but is a staunch man's sober and unaffected assessment of
+himself and the circumstances of his career.
+
+Woodrow Wilson
+
+Such, for example, was Benjamin Franklin, whose charming autobiography,
+in addition to being an American classic, is a fine record of
+self-education.
+
+Charles A. Beard & Mary Ritter Beard
+
+For understanding the temper and ideals of America in the eighteenth
+century, no writings are of equal importance with those of John Adams
+and Benjamin Franklin, especially the Diary of the former (Works of John
+Adams, 10 vols. Boston, 1856) and the Autobiography of the latter, in
+his collected works and separately printed in many editions.
+
+Carl Lotus Becker
+
+No man has shed such copious good influence on America; none added so
+much new truth to the popular knowledge; none has so skillfully
+organized its ideas into institutions; none has so powerfully and wisely
+directed the nation's conduct, and advanced its welfare in so many
+respects. No man now has so strong a hold on the habits and manners of
+the people. Franklin comes home to the individual business of practical
+men in their daily life.
+
+Theodore Parker
+
+The Autobiography is also a uniquely American book. After a life like
+Franklin's had become possible and could be described matter-of-factly,
+the Declaration of Independence seems understandable and much less
+revolutionary.... There was in America a society which valued the things
+Franklin could do well: work hard, write effectively, plan improvements,
+conciliate differences, and conduct public affairs with popular needs
+and interests in view. His Autobiography records these achievements and
+values and habits which made them possible, and tells how a remarkable
+human being used his heritage and created a life on a new, revolutionary
+model.
+
+Leonard W. Labaree, Ralph L. Ketcham, Helen C. Boatfield, and Helene H.
+Fineman
+
+[T]hose who know Franklin only in his Autobiography, charming as that
+classic production is, have made but an imperfect acquaintance with the
+range, the vitality, the vigor of this admirable craftsman who chose a
+style "smooth, clear, and short," and made it serve every purpose of his
+versatile and beneficent mind.
+
+Bliss Perry
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Notes
+
+
+Introduction:
+
+This version of the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was part of The
+Harvard Classics edition published by G. P. Putnam & Sons in 1909. The
+physical book also included the Journal of John Woolman and Fruits of
+Solitude by William Penn. This document only contains the Autobiography
+of Benjamin Franklin. A scanned version of the physical book owned by
+the Library of Congress is available through Hathitrust.
+
+Scores of different editions of Franklin's Autobiography exist. Project
+Gutenberg has the Pine edition, published by Henry Holt and Company in
+1916. Frank Woodworth Pine edited the Holt book and F. Boyd Smith
+illustrated the edition. Also available through PG is the Eclectic
+English Classics version published in 1910. All three editions of
+Franklin's Autobiography in the PG collection are based on the Bigelow
+edition. See the section About the Autobiography in the Introduction of
+the Pine edition for more background about the Bigelow edition.
+
+1.  Pine edition (1916)
+2.  Eclectic English Classics (1910)
+3.  Harvard Classics Edition (1909)
+
+We have retained the original punctuation and spelling in the book, but
+there are a few exceptions. See the Detailed Notes Section of these
+notes for a list of changes. There are many misspelled words in this
+Autobiography, but we made three changes, which we believe were made by
+the editor or publisher. After the three changes that we made, those
+sentences match the same sentence from the other two transcriptions of
+the book in Project Gutenberg. The Detailed Notes Section also includes
+issues that have come up during transcription.
+
+
+Production Notes Section:
+
+This book contained no chapters and no table of contents.
+
+The navigation tools on page 2 of this book were added by the
+transcriber, in the hope of providing a better reading experience. The
+four parts of this book correspond to the four parts of the
+Autobiography described in Wikipedia. Luckily, those four parts were the
+same breaks that Mr. Eliot added in The Harvard Classics Edition.
+
+The quotations of On Franklin's Autobiography were added by the
+transcriber.
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 148 ***
\ No newline at end of file