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diff --git a/old/bfaut10.txt b/old/bfaut10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..36c50f4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/bfaut10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6709 @@ +*The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: Gutenberg Etext #148* + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN + +WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES +EDITED BY CHARLES W ELIOT LLD +P F COLLIER & SON COMPANY, NEW YORK (1909) + + + + + +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 ceases 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 called 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,<0> 1771. + + <0> The country-seat of Bishop Shipley, the good bishop, + as Dr. Franklin used to style him.--B. + +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<1> 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> 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 17O2, +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.<2> 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. + + <2> 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-granddaughter 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 +be 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 sometimesdid 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, AEtat 89. + A.F. born 1667, died 1752, ----- 95. + + +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 bad 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 Secondstreet, 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, corning 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 projects; 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 lt 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 be 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 bad 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 bad +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 oeconomist. +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 he 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 be 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, dearest 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 employ 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 L500.--[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, till +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 partner-ship 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 Caesar 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 everyman'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 nay +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 +wag 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 bad 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 he 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 vitae Philosophia dux! O virtutum indagatrix + expultrixque vitiorum! Unus dies, bene et ex praeceptis + 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 Goodness! Contrive +Question. What good shall { 6 } day's business, and take the +I do this day? { } resolution of the day; prose- + { 7 } cute the present study, and + { } breakfast. + 8 } + 9 } Work. + 10 } + 11 } + + NOON. { 12 } Read, or overlook my ac- + { 1 } counts, and dine. + 2 } + 3 } Work. + 4 } + 5 } + + EVENING. { 6 } Put things in their places. + { 7 } Supper. Music or diversion, +Question. What good have { 8 } or conversation. Examination +I done to-day? { 9 } of 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 distingishing 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 thy 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 recep tion +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, 1741.] + +["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> + + <8>This is a marginal memorandum.--B. + +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.: + +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 he 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 grad ually 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 up-right. + +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 stagecoach, +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 bow 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 antient 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 monet. +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 he 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 with but 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 be 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 manoeuvres, +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 he 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.: I. 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 +1 lb. good green tea. butter. +1 lb. good bohea do. 2 doz. old Madeira wine. +6 lbs. good ground coffee. 2 gallons Jamaica spirits. +6 lbs. chocolate. 1 bottle flour of mustard. +1-2 cwt. best white biscuit. 2 well-cur'd hams. +1-2 lb. pepper. 1-2 dozen dry'd tongues. +1 quart best white wine vinegar 6 lbs. rice. + 6 lbs. raisins. + +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 bad 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 bead. +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 +afterward 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 Abbe 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 abbe, 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 abbe'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 abbe; +so that he lived to see himself the last of his sect, except Monsieur +B----, of Paris, his eleve 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 be 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 be 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 time 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, +"0, 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, L100,000, 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 interest 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 un-recorded. 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; obtaining + 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 Rebecca 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. + +1738 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. + +1755 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 Gottingen University. + +1767 Travels in France and is presented at court. + +1769 Procures a telescope for Harvard College. + +1772 Elected Associe 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. + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin + |