Bengamin Franklin

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Title: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Author: Benjamin Franklin

THE AUTOBIOGRAH! OF

BE"#A$I" FRA"%&I"

'ITH I"TRO(U)TIO" A"( "OTE*

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I"TRO(U)TOR! "OTE

BE"#A$I" FRA"%&I" 2a3 born in $ilk *treet, Bo3ton, on #anuary

4, .5046 Hi3 father, #o3iah Franklin, 2a3 a tallo2 7han8ler 2ho

marrie8 t2i7e, an8 of hi3 3e9enteen 7hil8ren Benjamin 2a3 the younge3t

3on6 Hi3 37hooling en8e8 at ten, an8 at t2el9e he 2a3 boun8 apprenti7e

to hi3 brother #ame3, a printer, 2ho publi3he8 the "e2 Englan8

)ourant6 To thi3 journal he be7ame a 7ontributor, an8 later 2a3 for

a time it3 nominal e8itor6 But the brother3 ;uarrele8, an8 Benjamin

ran a2ay, going fir3t to "e2 !ork, an8 then7e to hila8elphia, 2herehe arri9e8 in O7tober, .53 promi3e3 empty, he again 2orke8 a3 a

7ompo3itor till he 2a3 brought ba7k to hila8elphia by a mer7hant

name8 (enman, 2ho ga9e him a po3ition in hi3 bu3ine336 On (enman>3

8eath he returne8 to hi3 former tra8e, an8 3hortly 3et up a printing

hou3e of hi3 o2n from 2hi7h he publi3he8 The enn3yl9ania Ga?ette,

to 2hi7h he 7ontribute8 many e33ay3, an8 2hi7h he ma8e a me8ium for

agitating a 9ariety of lo7al reform36 In .5=< he began to i33ue hi3

famou3 oor Ri7har8>3 Almana7 for the enri7hment of 2hi7h he borro2e8

or 7ompo3e8 tho3e pithy utteran7e3 of 2orl8ly 2i38om 2hi7h are the

ba3i3 of a large part of hi3 popular reputation6 In .5@, the year

in 2hi7h he 7ea3e3 2riting for the Almana7, he printe8 in it Father

Abraham>3 *ermon, no2 regar8e8 a3 the mo3t famou3 pie7e of literature

pro8u7e8 in )olonial Ameri7a6

$eantime Franklin 2a3 7on7erning him3elf more an8 more 2ith

publi7 affair36 He 3et forth a 37heme for an A7a8emy, 2hi7h 2a3


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taken up later an8 finally 8e9elope8 into the Uni9er3ity of enn3yl9ania

an8 he foun8e8 an Ameri7an hilo3ophi7al *o7iety for the purpo3e

of enabling 37ientifi7 men to 7ommuni7ate their 8i37o9erie3 to one

another6 He him3elf ha8 alrea8y begun hi3 ele7tri7al re3ear7he3,

2hi7h, 2ith other 37ientifi7 in;uirie3, he 7alle8 on in the inter9al3

of moneyCmaking an8 politi73 to the en8 of hi3 life6 In .5D he3ol8 hi3 bu3ine33 in or8er to get lei3ure for 3tu8y, ha9ing no2

a7;uire8 7omparati9e 2ealth an8 in a fe2 year3 he ha8 ma8e 8i37o9erie3

that ga9e him a reputation 2ith the learne8 throughout Europe6 In

politi73 he pro9e8 9ery able both a3 an a8mini3trator an8 a3 a

7ontro9er3iali3t but hi3 re7or8 a3 an offi7eChol8er i3 3taine8 by

the u3e he ma8e of hi3 po3ition to a89an7e hi3 relati9e36 Hi3 mo3t

notable 3er9i7e in home politi73 2a3 hi3 reform of the po3tal 3y3tem

but hi3 fame a3 a 3tate3man re3t3 7hiefly on hi3 3er9i7e3 in 7onne7tion

2ith the relation3 of the )olonie3 2ith Great Britain, an8 later 2ith

Fran7e6 In .5@5 he 2a3 3ent to Englan8 to prote3t again3t the

influen7e of the enn3 in the go9ernment of the 7olony, an8 for fi9eyear3 he remaine8 there, 3tri9ing to enlighten the people an8 the

mini3try of Englan8 a3 to )olonial 7on8ition36 On hi3 return to

Ameri7a he playe8 an honorable part in the aton affair, through

2hi7h he lo3t hi3 3eat in the A33embly but in .54D he 2a3 again

8e3pat7he8 to Englan8 a3 agent for the 7olony, thi3 time to petition

the %ing to re3ume the go9ernment from the han83 of the proprietor36

In &on8on he a7ti9ely oppo3e8 the propo3e8 *tamp A7t, but lo3t the

7re8it for thi3 an8 mu7h of hi3 popularity through hi3 3e7uring for

a frien8 the offi7e of 3tamp agent in Ameri7a6 E9en hi3 effe7ti9e

2ork in helping to obtain the repeal of the a7t left him 3till a

3u3pe7t but he 7ontinue8 hi3 effort3 to pre3ent the 7a3e for the

)olonie3 a3 the trouble3 thi7kene8 to2ar8 the 7ri3i3 of the Re9olution6

In .545 he 7ro33e8 to Fran7e, 2here he 2a3 re7ei9e8 2ith honor but

before hi3 return home in .55@ he lo3t hi3 po3ition a3 po3tma3ter

through hi3 3hare in 8i9ulging to $a33a7hu3ett3 the famou3 letter of

Hut7hin3on an8 Oli9er6 On hi3 arri9al in hila8elphia he 2a3 7ho3en

a member of the )ontinental )ongre33 an8 in .555 he 2a3 8e3pat7he8

to Fran7e a3 7ommi33ioner for the Unite8 *tate36 Here he remaine8

till .5@, the fa9orite of Fren7h 3o7iety an8 2ith 3u7h 3u77e33 8i8

he 7on8u7t the affair3 of hi3 7ountry that 2hen he finally returne8

he re7ei9e8 a pla7e only 3e7on8 to that of 'a3hington a3 the 7hampion

of Ameri7an in8epen8en7e6 He 8ie8 on April .5, .5/06

The fir3t fi9e 7hapter3 of the Autobiography 2ere 7ompo3e8 in

Englan8 in .55., 7ontinue8 in .5DC@, an8 again in .5, at 2hi7h

8ate he brought it 8o2n to .5@56 After a mo3t etraor8inary 3erie3

of a89enture3, the original form of the manu37ript 2a3 finally printe8

by $r6 #ohn Bigelo2, an8 i3 here repro8u7e8 in re7ognition of it3

9alue a3 a pi7ture of one of the mo3t notable per3onalitie3 of )olonial


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time3, an8 of it3 a7kno2le8ge8 rank a3 one of the great autobiographie3

of the 2orl86

BE"#A$I" FRA"%&I"

HI* AUTOBIOGRAH!

.504C.5@5

T'!FOR(, at the Bi3hop of *t6 A3aph>3,0 .55.6

0 The 7ountryC3eat of Bi3hop *hipley, the goo8 bi3hop,

a3 (r6 Franklin u3e8 to 3tyle him6CCB6

(EAR *O": I ha9e e9er ha8 plea3ure in obtaining any littleane78ote3 of my an7e3tor36 !ou may remember the in;uirie3 I ma8e

among the remain3 of my relation3 2hen you 2ere 2ith me in Englan8,

an8 the journey I un8ertook for that purpo3e6 Imagining it may be

e;ually agreeable to. you to kno2 the 7ir7um3tan7e3 of my life,

many of 2hi7h you are yet una7;uainte8 2ith, an8 epe7ting the enjoyment

of a 2eek>3 uninterrupte8 lei3ure in my pre3ent 7ountry retirement,

I 3it 8o2n to 2rite them for you6 To 2hi7h I ha9e be3i8e3 3ome

other in8u7ement36 Ha9ing emerge8 from the po9erty an8 ob37urity

in 2hi7h I 2a3 born an8 bre8, to a 3tate of affluen7e an8 3ome

8egree of reputation in the 2orl8, an8 ha9ing gone 3o far through

life 2ith a 7on3i8erable 3hare of feli7ity, the 7on8u7ing mean3

I ma8e u3e of, 2hi7h 2ith the ble33ing of Go8 3o 2ell 3u77ee8e8,

my po3terity may like to kno2, a3 they may fin8 3ome of them

3uitable to their o2n 3ituation3, an8 therefore fit to be imitate86

. After the 2or83 agreeable to the 2or83 3ome of 2ere

interline8 an8 after2ar8 effa7e86CCB6

That feli7ity, 2hen I refle7te8 on it, ha3 in8u7e8 me 3ometime3

to 3ay, that 2ere it offere8 to my 7hoi7e, I 3houl8 ha9e no obje7tion

to a repetition of the 3ame life from it3 beginning, only a3king

the a89antage3 author3 ha9e in a 3e7on8 e8ition to 7orre7t 3ome fault3

of the fir3t6 *o I might, be3i8e3 7orre7ting the fault3, 7hange 3ome

3ini3ter a77i8ent3 an8 e9ent3 of it for other3 more fa9orable6

But though thi3 2ere 8enie8, I 3houl8 3till a77ept the offer6

*in7e 3u7h a repetition i3 not to be epe7te8, the net thing

mo3t like li9ing one>3 life o9er again 3eem3 to be a re7olle7tion

of that life, an8 to make that re7olle7tion a3 8urable a3 po33ible

by putting it 8o2n in 2riting6


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a 8yer at Banbury, in Ofor83hire, 2ith 2hom my father 3er9e8

an apprenti7e3hip6 There my gran8father 8ie8 an8 lie3 burie86

'e 3a2 hi3 gra9e3tone in .5@6 Hi3 el8e3t 3on Thoma3 li9e8 in

the hou3e at E7ton, an8 left it 2ith the lan8 to hi3 only 7hil8,

a 8aughter, 2ho, 2ith her hu3ban8, one Fi3her, of 'ellingborough,

3ol8 it to $r6 I3te8, no2 lor8 of the manor there6 $y gran8fatherha8 four 3on3 that gre2 up, 9i?6: Thoma3, #ohn, Benjamin an8 #o3iah6

I 2ill gi9e you 2hat a77ount I 7an of them, at thi3 8i3tan7e from

my paper3, an8 if the3e are not lo3t in my ab3en7e, you 2ill among

them fin8 many more parti7ular36

Thoma3 2a3 bre8 a 3mith un8er hi3 father but, being ingeniou3,

an8 en7ourage8 in learning -a3 all my brother3 2ere1 by an E3;uire

almer, then the prin7ipal gentleman in that pari3h, he ;ualifie8

him3elf for the bu3ine33 of 37ri9ener be7ame a 7on3i8erable man

in the 7ounty 2a3 a 7hief mo9er of all publi7C3pirite8 un8ertaking3

for the 7ounty or to2n of "orthampton, an8 hi3 o2n 9illage,of 2hi7h many in3tan7e3 2ere relate8 of him an8 mu7h taken noti7e

of an8 patroni?e8 by the then &or8 Halifa6 He 8ie8 in .50


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met 2ith them, an8 kno2ing me by my 3ometime3 buying of him,

he brought them to me6 It 3eem3 my un7le mu3t ha9e left them here,

2hen he 2ent to Ameri7a, 2hi7h 2a3 about fifty year3 3in7e6

There are many of hi3 note3 in the margin36


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an8 on fin8ing hi3 8ying tra8e 2oul8 not maintain hi3 family,

being in little re;ue3t6 A77or8ingly, I 2a3 employe8 in 7utting 2i7k

for the 7an8le3, filling the 8ipping mol8 an8 the mol83 for 7a3t 7an8le3,

atten8ing the 3hop, going of erran83, et76

I 8i3like8 the tra8e, an8 ha8 a 3trong in7lination for the 3ea,but my father 8e7lare8 again3t it ho2e9er, li9ing near the 2ater,

I 2a3 mu7h in an8 about it, learnt early to 32im 2ell, an8 to

manage boat3 an8 2hen in a boat or 7anoe 2ith other boy3, I 2a3

7ommonly allo2e8 to go9ern, e3pe7ially in any 7a3e of 8iffi7ulty

an8 upon other o77a3ion3 I 2a3 generally a lea8er among the boy3,

an8 3ometime3 le8 them into 37rape3, of 2hi7h I 2ill mention

one in3tan7e, a3 it 3ho23 an early proje7ting publi7 3pirit, tho>

not then ju3tly 7on8u7te86

There 2a3 a 3altCmar3h that boun8e8 part of the millCpon8,

on the e8ge of 2hi7h, at high 2ater, 2e u3e8 to 3tan8 to fi3hfor minno236 By mu7h trampling, 2e ha8 ma8e it a mere ;uagmire6

$y propo3al 2a3 to buil8 a 2harff there fit for u3 to 3tan8 upon,

an8 I 3ho2e8 my 7omra8e3 a large heap of 3tone3, 2hi7h 2ere inten8e8

for a ne2 hou3e near the mar3h, an8 2hi7h 2oul8 9ery 2ell 3uit

our purpo3e6 A77or8ingly, in the e9ening, 2hen the 2orkmen

2ere gone, I a33emble8 a number of my playCfello23, an8 2orking

2ith them 8iligently like 3o many emmet3, 3ometime3 t2o or three

to a 3tone, 2e brought them all a2ay an8 built our little 2harff6

The net morning the 2orkmen 2ere 3urpri3e8 at mi33ing the 3tone3,

2hi7h 2ere foun8 in our 2harff6 In;uiry 2a3 ma8e after the remo9er3

2e 2ere 8i37o9ere8 an8 7omplaine8 of 3e9eral of u3 2ere 7orre7te8

by our father3 an8 though I plea8e8 the u3efulne33 of the 2ork,

mine 7on9in7e8 me that nothing 2a3 u3eful 2hi7h 2a3 not hone3t6

I think you may like to kno2 3omething of hi3 per3on an8 7hara7ter6

He ha8 an e7ellent 7on3titution of bo8y, 2a3 of mi88le 3tature,

but 2ell 3et, an8 9ery 3trong he 2a3 ingeniou3, 7oul8 8ra2 prettily,

2a3 3kille8 a little in mu3i7, an8 ha8 a 7lear plea3ing 9oi7e,

3o that 2hen he playe8 p3alm tune3 on hi3 9iolin an8 3ung 2ithal,

a3 he 3ometime3 8i8 in an e9ening after the bu3ine33 of the 8ay 2a3 o9er,

it 2a3 etremely agreeable to hear6 He ha8 a me7hani7al geniu3 too,

an8, on o77a3ion, 2a3 9ery han8y in the u3e of other tra8e3men>3 tool3

but hi3 great e7ellen7e lay in a 3oun8 un8er3tan8ing an8 3oli8

ju8gment in pru8ential matter3, both in pri9ate an8 publi7k affair36

In the latter, in8ee8, he 2a3 ne9er employe8, the numerou3

family he ha8 to e8u7ate an8 the 3traitne33 of hi3 7ir7um3tan7e3

keeping him 7lo3e to hi3 tra8e but I remember 2ell hi3 being

fre;uently 9i3ite8 by lea8ing people, 2ho 7on3ulte8 him for hi3

opinion in affair3 of the to2n or of the 7hur7h he belonge8 to,


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an8 3ho2e8 a goo8 8eal of re3pe7t for hi3 ju8gment an8 a89i7e:

he 2a3 al3o mu7h 7on3ulte8 by pri9ate per3on3 about their affair3

2hen any 8iffi7ulty o77urre8, an8 fre;uently 7ho3en an arbitrator

bet2een 7onten8ing partie36

At hi3 table he like8 to ha9e, a3 often a3 he 7oul8, 3ome 3en3iblefrien8 or neighbor to 7on9er3e 2ith, an8 al2ay3 took 7are to 3tart

3ome ingeniou3 or u3eful topi7 for 8i37our3e, 2hi7h might ten8

to impro9e the min83 of hi3 7hil8ren6 By thi3 mean3 he turne8

our attention to 2hat 2a3 goo8, ju3t, an8 pru8ent in the 7on8u7t

of life an8 little or no noti7e 2a3 e9er taken of 2hat relate8

to the 9i7tual3 on the table, 2hether it 2a3 2ell or ill 8re33e8,

in or out of 3ea3on, of goo8 or ba8 fla9or, preferable or inferior

to thi3 or that other thing of the kin8, 3o that I 2a3 bro>t up

in 3u7h a perfe7t inattention to tho3e matter3 a3 to be ;uite

in8ifferent 2hat kin8 of foo8 2a3 3et before me, an8 3o unob3er9ant

of it, that to thi3 8ay if I am a3ke8 I 7an 37ar7e tell a fe2 hour3after 8inner 2hat I 8ine8 upon6 Thi3 ha3 been a 7on9enien7e to me

in tra9elling, 2here my 7ompanion3 ha9e been 3ometime3 9ery unhappy

for 2ant of a 3uitable gratifi7ation of their more 8eli7ate,

be7au3e better in3tru7te8, ta3te3 an8 appetite36

$y mother ha8 like2i3e an e7ellent 7on3titution: 3he 3u7kle8

all her ten 7hil8ren6 I ne9er kne2 either my father or mother

to ha9e any 3i7kne33 but that of 2hi7h they 8y>8, he at /,

an8 3he at @ year3 of age6 They lie burie8 together at Bo3ton,

2here I 3ome year3 3in7e pla7e8 a marble o9er their gra9e,

2ith thi3 in37ription:

#O*IAH FRA"%&I",

an8

ABIAH hi3 'ife,

lie here interre86

They li9e8 lo9ingly together in 2e8lo7k

fiftyCfi9e year36

'ithout an e3tate, or any gainful employment,

By 7on3tant labor an8 in8u3try,

2ith Go8>3 ble33ing,

They maintaine8 a large family

7omfortably,

an8 brought up thirteen 7hil8ren

an8 3e9en gran87hil8ren

reputably6

From thi3 in3tan7e, rea8er,

Be en7ourage8 to 8iligen7e in thy 7alling,

An8 8i3tru3t not ro9i8en7e6


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lutar7h>3 &i9e3 there 2a3 in 2hi7h I rea8 abun8antly, an8 I 3till

think that time 3pent to great a89antage6 There 2a3 al3o a book of (e

Foe>3, 7alle8 an E33ay on roje7t3, an8 another of (r6 $ather>3,

7alle8 E33ay3 to 8o Goo8, 2hi7h perhap3 ga9e me a turn of thinking

that ha8 an influen7e on 3ome of the prin7ipal future e9ent3 of my life6

Thi3 booki3h in7lination at length 8etermine8 my father to make me

a printer, though he ha8 alrea8y one 3on -#ame31 of that profe33ion6

In .5.5 my brother #ame3 returne8 from Englan8 2ith a pre33 an8

letter3 to 3et up hi3 bu3ine33 in Bo3ton6 I like8 it mu7h better

than that of my father, but 3till ha8 a hankering for the 3ea6

To pre9ent the apprehen8e8 effe7t of 3u7h an in7lination, my father

2a3 impatient to ha9e me boun8 to my brother6 I 3too8 out 3ome time,

but at la3t 2a3 per3ua8e8, an8 3igne8 the in8enture3 2hen I 2a3 yet

but t2el9e year3 ol86 I 2a3 to 3er9e a3 an apprenti7e till I 2a3

t2entyCone year3 of age, only I 2a3 to be allo2e8 journeyman>3 2age3

8uring the la3t year6 In a little time I ma8e great profi7ien7yin the bu3ine33, an8 be7ame a u3eful han8 to my brother6 I no2

ha8 a77e33 to better book36 An a7;uaintan7e 2ith the apprenti7e3

of book3eller3 enable8 me 3ometime3 to borro2 a 3mall one, 2hi7h I

2a3 7areful to return 3oon an8 7lean6 Often I 3at up in my room

rea8ing the greate3t part of the night, 2hen the book 2a3 borro2e8

in the e9ening an8 to be returne8 early in the morning, le3t it

3houl8 be mi33e8 or 2ante86

An8 after 3ome time an ingeniou3 tra8e3man, $r6 $atthe2 A8am3, 2ho ha8

a pretty 7olle7tion of book3, an8 2ho fre;uente8 our printingChou3e,

took noti7e of me, in9ite8 me to hi3 library, an8 9ery kin8ly lent

me 3u7h book3 a3 I 7ho3e to rea86 I no2 took a fan7y to poetry,

an8 ma8e 3ome little pie7e3 my brother, thinking it might turn

to a77ount, en7ourage8 me, an8 put me on 7ompo3ing o77a3ional balla836

One 2a3 7alle8 The &ighthou3e Trage8y, an8 7ontaine8 an a77ount

of the 8ro2ning of )aptain 'orthilake, 2ith hi3 t2o 8aughter3:

the other 2a3 a 3ailor>3 3ong, on the taking of Tea7h -or Bla7kbear81

the pirate6 They 2ere 2ret7he8 3tuff, in the GrubC3treetCballa8 3tyle

an8 2hen they 2ere printe8 he 3ent me about the to2n to 3ell them6

The fir3t 3ol8 2on8erfully, the e9ent being re7ent, ha9ing ma8e

a great noi3e6 Thi3 flattere8 my 9anity but my father 8i37ourage8

me by ri8i7uling my performan7e3, an8 telling me 9er3eCmaker3

2ere generally beggar36 *o I e37ape8 being a poet, mo3t probably

a 9ery ba8 one but a3 pro3e 2riting ba8 been of great u3e to me

in the 7our3e of my life, an8 2a3 a prin7ipal mean3 of my a89an7ement,

I 3hall tell you ho2, in 3u7h a 3ituation, I a7;uire8 2hat little

ability I ha9e in that 2ay6

There 2a3 another booki3h la8 in the to2n, #ohn )ollin3 by name,


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2ith 2hom I 2a3 intimately a7;uainte86 'e 3ometime3 8i3pute8,

an8 9ery fon8 2e 2ere of argument, an8 9ery 8e3irou3 of 7onfuting

one another, 2hi7h 8i3putatiou3 turn, by the 2ay, i3 apt to be7ome

a 9ery ba8 habit, making people often etremely 8i3agreeable in 7ompany

by the 7ontra8i7tion that i3 ne7e33ary to bring it into pra7ti7e

an8 then7e, be3i8e3 3ouring an8 3poiling the 7on9er3ation,i3 pro8u7ti9e of 8i3gu3t3 an8, perhap3 enmitie3 2here you may ha9e

o77a3ion for frien83hip6 I ha8 7aught it by rea8ing my father>3

book3 of 8i3pute about religion6 er3on3 of goo8 3en3e, I ha9e

3in7e ob3er9e8, 3el8om fall into it, e7ept la2yer3, uni9er3ity men,

an8 men of all 3ort3 that ha9e been bre8 at E8inborough6

A ;ue3tion 2a3 on7e, 3omeho2 or other, 3tarte8 bet2een )ollin3

an8 me, of the propriety of e8u7ating the female 3e in learning,

an8 their abilitie3 for 3tu8y6 He 2a3 of opinion that it 2a3 improper,

an8 that they 2ere naturally une;ual to it6 I took the 7ontrary 3i8e,

perhap3 a little for 8i3pute>3 3ake6 He 2a3 naturally more elo;uent,ha8 a rea8y plenty of 2or83 an8 3ometime3, a3 I thought, bore me

8o2n more by hi3 fluen7y than by the 3trength of hi3 rea3on36

A3 2e parte8 2ithout 3ettling the point, an8 2ere not to 3ee one

another again for 3ome time, I 3at 8o2n to put my argument3 in 2riting,

2hi7h I 7opie8 fair an8 3ent to him6 He an32ere8, an8 I replie86

Three or four letter3 of a 3i8e ha8 pa33e8, 2hen my father happene8

to fin8 my paper3 an8 rea8 them6 'ithout entering into the 8i37u33ion,

he took o77a3ion to talk to me about the manner of my 2riting

ob3er9e8 that, though I ha8 the a89antage of my antagoni3t in 7orre7t

3pelling an8 pointing -2hi7h I o2>8 to the printingChou3e1, I fell

far 3hort in elegan7e of epre33ion, in metho8 an8 in per3pi7uity,

of 2hi7h he 7on9in7e8 me by 3e9eral in3tan7e36 I 3a2 the ju3ti7e

of hi3 remark, an8 then7e gre2 more attenti9e to the manner in 2riting,

an8 8etermine8 to en8ea9or at impro9ement6

About thi3 time I met 2ith an o88 9olume of the *pe7tator6

It 2a3 the thir86 I ha8 ne9er before 3een any of them6 I bought it,

rea8 it o9er an8 o9er, an8 2a3 mu7h 8elighte8 2ith it6 I thought

the 2riting e7ellent, an8 2i3he8, if po33ible, to imitate it6

'ith thi3 9ie2 I took 3ome of the paper3, an8, making 3hort hint3

of the 3entiment in ea7h 3enten7e, lai8 them by a fe2 8ay3, an8 then,

2ithout looking at the book, try>8 to 7ompleat the paper3 again,

by epre33ing ea7h hinte8 3entiment at length, an8 a3 fully a3 it

ha8 been epre33e8 before, in any 3uitable 2or83 that 3houl8

7ome to han86 Then I 7ompare8 my *pe7tator 2ith the original,

8i37o9ere8 3ome of my fault3, an8 7orre7te8 them6 But I foun8 I 2ante8

a 3to7k of 2or83, or a rea8ine33 in re7olle7ting an8 u3ing them,

2hi7h I thought I 3houl8 ha9e a7;uire8 before that time if I

ha8 gone on making 9er3e3 3in7e the 7ontinual o77a3ion for 2or83


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of the 3ame import, but of 8ifferent length, to 3uit the mea3ure,

or of 8ifferent 3oun8 for the rhyme, 2oul8 ha9e lai8 me un8er a 7on3tant

ne7e33ity of 3ear7hing for 9ariety, an8 al3o ha9e ten8e8 to fi

that 9ariety in my min8, an8 make me ma3ter of it6 Therefore I took

3ome of the tale3 an8 turne8 them into 9er3e an8, after a time,

2hen I ha8 pretty 2ell forgotten the pro3e, turne8 them ba7k again6I al3o 3ometime3 jumble8 my 7olle7tion3 of hint3 into 7onfu3ion,

an8 after 3ome 2eek3 en8ea9ore8 to re8u7e them into the be3t or8er,

before I began to form the full 3enten7e3 an8 7ompleat the paper6

Thi3 2a3 to tea7h me metho8 in the arrangement of thought36

By 7omparing my 2ork after2ar83 2ith the original, I 8i37o9ere8

many fault3 an8 amen8e8 them but I 3ometime3 ha8 the plea3ure

of fan7ying that, in 7ertain parti7ular3 of 3mall import,

I ha8 been lu7ky enough to impro9e the metho8 or the language,

an8 thi3 en7ourage8 me to think I might po33ibly in time 7ome to be

a tolerable Engli3h 2riter, of 2hi7h I 2a3 etremely ambitiou36

$y time for the3e eer7i3e3 an8 for rea8ing 2a3 at night,after 2ork or before it began in the morning, or on *un8ay3,

2hen I 7ontri9e8 to be in the printingChou3e alone, e9a8ing a3 mu7h

a3 I 7oul8 the 7ommon atten8an7e on publi7 2or3hip 2hi7h my father

u3e8 to ea7t on me 2hen I 2a3 un8er hi3 7are, an8 2hi7h in8ee8

I 3till thought a 8uty, though I 7oul8 not, a3 it 3eeme8 to me,

affor8 time to pra7ti3e it6

'hen about .4 year3 of age I happene8 to meet 2ith a book,

2ritten by one Tryon, re7ommen8ing a 9egetable 8iet6 I 8etermine8

to go into it6 $y brother, being yet unmarrie8, 8i8 not keep hou3e,

but boar8e8 him3elf an8 hi3 apprenti7e3 in another family6 $y refu3ing

to eat fle3h o77a3ione8 an in7on9enien7y, an8 I 2a3 fre;uently 7hi8

for my 3ingularity6 I ma8e my3elf a7;uainte8 2ith Tryon>3 manner

of preparing 3ome of hi3 8i3he3, 3u7h a3 boiling potatoe3 or ri7e,

making ha3ty pu88ing, an8 a fe2 other3, an8 then propo3e8 to my brother,

that if he 2oul8 gi9e me, 2eekly, half the money he pai8 for my boar8,

I 2oul8 boar8 my3elf6 He in3tantly agree8 to it, an8 I pre3ently

foun8 that I 7oul8 3a9e half 2hat he pai8 me6 Thi3 2a3 an a88itional

fun8 for buying book36 But I ha8 another a89antage in it6

$y brother an8 the re3t going from the printingChou3e to their meal3,

I remaine8 there alone, an8, 8e3pat7hing pre3ently my light repa3t,

2hi7h often 2a3 no more than a bi3ket or a 3li7e of brea8, a han8ful

of rai3in3 or a tart from the pa3tryC7ook>3, an8 a gla33 of 2ater,

ha8 the re3t of the time till their return for 3tu8y, in 2hi7h I

ma8e the greater progre33, from that greater 7learne33 of hea8

an8 ;ui7ker apprehen3ion 2hi7h u3ually atten8 temperan7e in eating

an8 8rinking6

An8 no2 it 2a3 that, being on 3ome o77a3ion ma8e a3ham>8 of my


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ignoran7e in figure3, 2hi7h I ha8 t2i7e faile8 in learning 2hen

at 37hool, I took )o7ker>3 book of Arithmeti7k, an8 2ent through

the 2hole by my3elf 2ith great ea3e6 I al3o rea8 *eller>3 an8

*hermy>3 book3 of "a9igation, an8 be7ame a7;uainte8 2ith the little

geometry they 7ontain but ne9er pro7ee8e8 far in that 37ien7e6

An8 I rea8 about thi3 time &o7ke On Human Un8er3tan8ing,an8 the Art of Thinking, by $e33r36 8u ort Royal6

'hile I 2a3 intent on impro9ing my language, I met 2ith an Engli3h

grammar -I think it 2a3 Green2oo8>31, at the en8 of 2hi7h there 2ere

t2o little 3ket7he3 of the art3 of rhetori7 an8 logi7, the latter

fini3hing 2ith a 3pe7imen of a 8i3pute in the *o7rati7 metho8

an8 3oon after I pro7ur>8 enophon>3 $emorable Thing3 of *o7rate3,

2herein there are many in3tan7e3 of the 3ame metho86 I 2a3

7harm>8 2ith it, a8opte8 it, 8ropt my abrupt 7ontra8i7tion an8

po3iti9e argumentation, an8 put on the humble in;uirer an8 8oubter6

An8 being then, from rea8ing *hafte3bury an8 )ollin3, be7ome a real8oubter in many point3 of our religiou3 8o7trine, I foun8 thi3 metho8

3afe3t for my3elf an8 9ery embarra33ing to tho3e again3t 2hom I u3e8 it

therefore I took a 8elight in it, pra7ti3>8 it 7ontinually, an8 gre2

9ery artful an8 epert in 8ra2ing people, e9en of 3uperior kno2le8ge,

into 7on7e33ion3, the 7on3e;uen7e3 of 2hi7h they 8i8 not fore3ee,

entangling them in 8iffi7ultie3 out of 2hi7h they 7oul8 not

etri7ate them3el9e3, an8 3o obtaining 9i7torie3 that neither my3elf

nor my 7au3e al2ay3 8e3er9e86 I 7ontinu>8 thi3 metho8 3ome fe2 year3,

but gra8ually left it, retaining only the habit of epre33ing my3elf

in term3 of mo8e3t 8iffi8en7e ne9er u3ing, 2hen I a89an7e8 any thing

that may po33ibly be 8i3pute8, the 2or83 7ertainly, un8oubte8ly, or any

other3 that gi9e the air of po3iti9ene33 to an opinion but rather 3ay,

I 7on7ei9e or apprehen8 a thing to be 3o an8 3o it appear3 to me,

or I 3houl8 think it 3o or 3o, for 3u7h an8 3u7h rea3on3

or I imagine it to be 3o or it i3 3o, if I am not mi3taken6

Thi3 habit, I belie9e, ha3 been of great a89antage to me 2hen I

ha9e ha8 o77a3ion to in7ul7ate my opinion3, an8 per3ua8e men into

mea3ure3 that I ha9e been from time to time engag>8 in promoting

an8, a3 the 7hief en83 of 7on9er3ation are to inform or to be informe8,

to plea3e or to per3ua8e, I 2i3h 2ellCmeaning, 3en3ible men 2oul8

not le33en their po2er of 8oing goo8 by a po3iti9e, a33uming manner,

that 3el8om fail3 to 8i3gu3t, ten83 to 7reate oppo3ition, an8 to

8efeat e9ery one of tho3e purpo3e3 for 2hi7h 3pee7h 2a3 gi9en to u3,

to 2it, gi9ing or re7ei9ing information or plea3ure6 For, if you

2oul8 inform, a po3iti9e an8 8ogmati7al manner in a89an7ing your

3entiment3 may pro9oke 7ontra8i7tion an8 pre9ent a 7an8i8 attention6

If you 2i3h information an8 impro9ement from the kno2le8ge of other3,

an8 yet at the 3ame time epre33 your3elf a3 firmly fi>8 in your

pre3ent opinion3, mo8e3t, 3en3ible men, 2ho 8o not lo9e 8i3putation,


15/148

2ill probably lea9e you un8i3turbe8 in the po33e33ion of your error6

An8 by 3u7h a manner, you 7an 3el8om hope to re7ommen8 your3elf

in plea3ing your hearer3, or to per3ua8e tho3e 2ho3e 7on7urren7e

you 8e3ire6 ope 3ay3, ju8i7iou3ly:

$en 3houl8 be taught a3 if you taught them not, An8 thing3 unkno2n propo3>8 a3 thing3 forgot

farther re7ommen8ing to u3

To 3peak, tho> 3ure, 2ith 3eeming 8iffi8en7e6

An8 he might ha9e 7ouple8 2ith thi3 line that 2hi7h he ha3 7ouple8

2ith another, I think, le33 properly,

For 2ant of mo8e3ty i3 2ant of 3en3e6

If you a3k, 'hy le33 properlyJ I mu3t repeat the line3,

Immo8e3t 2or83 a8mit of no 8efen3e,

For 2ant of mo8e3ty i3 2ant of 3en3e6

"o2, i3 not 2ant of 3en3e -2here a man i3 3o unfortunate a3 to 2ant it1

3ome apology for hi3 2ant of mo8e3tyJ an8 2oul8 not the line3 3tan8

more ju3tly thu3J

Immo8e3t 2or83 a8mit but thi3 8efen3e,

That 2ant of mo8e3ty i3 2ant of 3en3e6

Thi3, ho2e9er, I 3houl8 3ubmit to better ju8gment36

$y brother ha8, in .5 the 3treet3

to the 7u3tomer36

He ha8 3ome ingeniou3 men among hi3 frien83, 2ho amu3>8 them3el9e3

by 2riting little pie7e3 for thi3 paper, 2hi7h gain>8 it 7re8it

an8 ma8e it more in 8eman8, an8 the3e gentlemen often 9i3ite8 u36

Hearing their 7on9er3ation3, an8 their a77ount3 of the approbation their


16/148

paper3 2ere re7ei9e8 2ith, I 2a3 e7ite8 to try my han8 among them

but, being 3till a boy, an8 3u3pe7ting that my brother 2oul8 obje7t

to printing anything of mine in hi3 paper if he kne2 it to be mine,

I 7ontri9e8 to 8i3gui3e my han8, an8, 2riting an anonymou3 paper,

I put it in at night un8er the 8oor of the printingChou3e6 It 2a3 foun8

in the morning, an8 7ommuni7ate8 to hi3 2riting frien83 2hen they7all>8 in a3 u3ual6 They rea8 it, 7ommente8 on it in my hearing, an8 I

ha8 the e;ui3ite plea3ure of fin8ing it met 2ith their approbation,

an8 that, in their 8ifferent gue33e3 at the author, none 2ere name8

but men of 3ome 7hara7ter among u3 for learning an8 ingenuity6

I 3uppo3e no2 that I 2a3 rather lu7ky in my ju8ge3, an8 that perhap3

they 2ere not really 3o 9ery goo8 one3 a3 I then e3teem>8 them6

En7ourag>8, ho2e9er, by thi3, I 2rote an8 7on9ey>8 in the 3ame 2ay

to the pre33 3e9eral more paper3 2hi7h 2ere e;ually appro9>8 an8 I

kept my 3e7ret till my 3mall fun8 of 3en3e for 3u7h performan7e3 2a3

pretty 2ell ehau3te8 an8 then I 8i37o9ere8 it, 2hen I began to be7on3i8ere8 a little more by my brother>3 a7;uaintan7e, an8 in a manner

that 8i8 not ;uite plea3e him, a3 he thought, probably 2ith rea3on,

that it ten8e8 to make me too 9ain6 An8, perhap3, thi3 might be one

o77a3ion of the 8ifferen7e3 that 2e began to ha9e about thi3 time6

Though a brother, he 7on3i8ere8 him3elf a3 my ma3ter, an8 me

a3 hi3 apprenti7e, an8 a77or8ingly, epe7te8 the 3ame 3er9i7e3

from me a3 he 2oul8 from another, 2hile I thought he 8emean>8 me

too mu7h in 3ome he re;uir>8 of me, 2ho from a brother epe7te8

more in8ulgen7e6 Our 8i3pute3 2ere often brought before our father,

an8 I fan7y I 2a3 either generally in the right, or el3e a

better plea8er, be7au3e the ju8gment 2a3 generally in my fa9or6

But my brother 2a3 pa33ionate, an8 ha8 often beaten me, 2hi7h I

took etreamly ami33 an8, thinking my apprenti7e3hip 9ery te8iou3,

I 2a3 7ontinually 2i3hing for 3ome opportunity of 3hortening it,

2hi7h at length offere8 in a manner unepe7te86=

= I fan7y hi3 har3h an8 tyranni7al treatment of me

might be a mean3 of impre33ing me 2ith that a9er3ion

to arbitrary po2er that ha3 3tu7k to me through my

2hole life6

One of the pie7e3 in our ne23paper on 3ome politi7al point, 2hi7h I

ha9e no2 forgotten, ga9e offen3e to the A33embly6 He 2a3 taken up,

7en3ur>8, an8 impri3on>8 for a month, by the 3peaker>3 2arrant,

I 3uppo3e, be7au3e he 2oul8 not 8i37o9er hi3 author6 I too 2a3 taken

up an8 eamin>8 before the 7oun7il but, tho> I 8i8 not gi9e them

any 3ati3fa7tion, they 7ontent>8 them3el9e3 2ith a8moni3hing me,

an8 8i3mi33e8 me, 7on3i8ering me, perhap3, a3 an apprenti7e, 2ho 2a3

boun8 to keep hi3 ma3ter>3 3e7ret36


17/148

(uring my brother>3 7onfinement, 2hi7h I re3ente8 a goo8 8eal,

not2ith3tan8ing our pri9ate 8ifferen7e3, I ha8 the management

of the paper an8 I ma8e bol8 to gi9e our ruler3 3ome rub3 in it,

2hi7h my brother took 9ery kin8ly, 2hile other3 began to 7on3i8er

me in an unfa9orable light, a3 a young geniu3 that ha8 a turnfor libelling an8 3atyr6 $y brother>3 8i37harge 2a3 a77ompany>8

2ith an or8er of the Hou3e -a 9ery o88 one1, that #ame3 Franklin

3houl8 no longer print the paper 7alle8 the "e2 Englan8 )ourant6

There 2a3 a 7on3ultation hel8 in our printingChou3e among

hi3 frien83, 2hat he 3houl8 8o in thi3 7a3e6 *ome propo3e8 to

e9a8e the or8er by 7hanging the name of the paper but my brother,

3eeing in7on9enien7e3 in that, it 2a3 finally 7on7lu8e8 on a3 a

better 2ay, to let it be printe8 for the future un8er the name

of BE"#A$I" FRA"%&I" an8 to a9oi8 the 7en3ure of the A33embly,

that might fall on him a3 3till printing it by hi3 apprenti7e,the 7ontri9an7e 2a3 that my ol8 in8enture 3houl8 be return>8 to me,

2ith a full 8i37harge on the ba7k of it, to be 3ho2n on o77a3ion,

but to 3e7ure to him the benefit of my 3er9i7e, I 2a3 to 3ign ne2

in8enture3 for the remain8er of the term, 2hi7h 2ere to be kept pri9ate6

A 9ery flim3y 37heme it 2a3 ho2e9er, it 2a3 imme8iately ee7ute8,

an8 the paper 2ent on a77or8ingly, un8er my name for 3e9eral month36

At length, a fre3h 8ifferen7e ari3ing bet2een my brother an8 me,

I took upon me to a33ert my free8om, pre3uming that he 2oul8 not

9enture to pro8u7e the ne2 in8enture36 It 2a3 not fair in me to

take thi3 a89antage, an8 thi3 I therefore re7kon one of the fir3t

errata of my life but the unfairne33 of it 2eighe8 little 2ith me,

2hen un8er the impre33ion3 of re3entment for the blo23 hi3 pa33ion

too often urge8 him to be3to2 upon me, though he 2a3 other2i3e

not an illCnatur>8 man: perhap3 I 2a3 too 3au7y an8 pro9oking6

'hen he foun8 I 2oul8 lea9e him, he took 7are to pre9ent my getting

employment in any other printingChou3e of the to2n, by going roun8

an8 3peaking to e9ery ma3ter, 2ho a77or8ingly refu3>8 to gi9e me 2ork6

I then thought of going to "e2 !ork, a3 the neare3t pla7e 2here

there 2a3 a printer an8 I 2a3 rather in7lin>8 to lea9e Bo3ton

2hen I refle7te8 that I ha8 alrea8y ma8e my3elf a little obnoiou3

to the go9erning party, an8, from the arbitrary pro7ee8ing3 of the

A33embly in my brother>3 7a3e, it 2a3 likely I might, if I 3tay>8,

3oon bring my3elf into 37rape3 an8 farther, that my in8i37rete

8i3putation3 about religion began to make me pointe8 at 2ith horror

by goo8 people a3 an infi8el or athei3t6 I 8etermin>8 on the point,

but my father no2 3i8ing 2ith my brother, I 2a3 3en3ible that,

if I attempte8 to go openly, mean3 2oul8 be u3e8 to pre9ent me6


18/148

$y frien8 )ollin3, therefore, un8ertook to manage a little for me6

He agree8 2ith the 7aptain of a "e2 !ork 3loop for my pa33age,

un8er the notion of my being a young a7;uaintan7e of hi3, that ha8

got a naughty girl 2ith 7hil8, 2ho3e frien83 2oul8 7ompel me to

marry her, an8 therefore I 7oul8 not appear or 7ome a2ay publi7ly6

*o I 3ol8 3ome of my book3 to rai3e a little money, 2a3 taken onboar8 pri9ately, an8 a3 2e ha8 a fair 2in8, in three 8ay3 I foun8

my3elf in "e2 !ork, near =00 mile3 from home, a boy of but .5,

2ithout the lea3t re7ommen8ation to, or kno2le8ge of any per3on in

the pla7e, an8 2ith 9ery little money in my po7ket6

$y in7lination3 for the 3ea 2ere by thi3 time 2orne out, or I

might no2 ha9e gratify>8 them6 But, ha9ing a tra8e, an8 3uppo3ing

my3elf a pretty goo8 2orkman, I offer>8 my 3er9i7e to the printer

in the pla7e, ol8 $r6 'illiam Bra8for8, 2ho ha8 been the fir3t

printer in enn3yl9ania, but remo9e8 from then7e upon the ;uarrel

of George %eith6 He 7oul8 gi9e me no employment, ha9ing little to 8o,an8 help enough alrea8y but 3ay3 he, $y 3on at hila8elphia

ha3 lately lo3t hi3 prin7ipal han8, A;uila Ro3e, by 8eath

if you go thither, I belie9e he may employ you6 hila8elphia 2a3

a hun8re8 mile3 further I 3et out, ho2e9er, in a boat for Amboy,

lea9ing my 7he3t an8 thing3 to follo2 me roun8 by 3ea6

In 7ro33ing the bay, 2e met 2ith a 3;uall that tore our rotten 3ail3

to pie7e3, pre9ente8 our getting into the %ill an8 8ro9e u3 upon

&ong I3lan86 In our 2ay, a 8runken (ut7hman, 2ho 2a3 a pa33enger too,

fell o9erboar8 2hen he 2a3 3inking, I rea7he8 through the 2ater

to hi3 3ho7k pate, an8 8re2 him up, 3o that 2e got him in again6

Hi3 8u7king 3obere8 him a little, an8 he 2ent to 3leep, taking fir3t

out of hi3 po7ket a book, 2hi7h he 8e3ir>8 I 2oul8 8ry for him6

It pro9e8 to be my ol8 fa9orite author, Bunyan>3 ilgrim>3 rogre33,

in (ut7h, finely printe8 on goo8 paper, 2ith 7opper 7ut3, a 8re33 better

than I ha8 e9er 3een it 2ear in it3 o2n language6 I ha9e 3in7e foun8

that it ha3 been tran3late8 into mo3t of the language3 of Europe,

an8 3uppo3e it ha3 been more generally rea8 than any other book,

e7ept perhap3 the Bible6 Hone3t #ohn 2a3 the fir3t that I kno2

of 2ho mi>8 narration an8 8ialogue a metho8 of 2riting 9ery engaging

to the rea8er, 2ho in the mo3t intere3ting part3 fin83 him3elf,

a3 it 2ere, brought into the 7ompany an8 pre3ent at the 8i37our3e6

(e Foe in hi3 )ru3o, hi3 $oll Flan8er3, Religiou3 )ourt3hip,

Family In3tru7tor, an8 other pie7e3, ha3 imitate8 it 2ith 3u77e33

an8 Ri7har83on ha3 8one the 3ame, in hi3 amela, et76

'hen 2e 8re2 near the i3lan8, 2e foun8 it 2a3 at a pla7e 2here there

7oul8 be no lan8ing, there being a great 3urff on the 3tony bea7h6

*o 2e 8ropt an7hor, an8 32ung roun8 to2ar83 the 3hore6 *ome people


19/148

7ame 8o2n to the 2ater e8ge an8 hallo2>8 to u3, a3 2e 8i8 to them

but the 2in8 2a3 3o high, an8 the 3urff 3o lou8, that 2e 7oul8

not hear 3o a3 to un8er3tan8 ea7h other6 There 2ere 7anoe3 on

the 3hore, an8 2e ma8e 3ign3, an8 hallo2>8 that they 3houl8 fet7h u3

but they either 8i8 not un8er3tan8 u3, or thought it impra7ti7able,

3o they 2ent a2ay, an8 night 7oming on, 2e ha8 no reme8y but to 2aittill the 2in8 3houl8 abate an8, in the meantime, the boatman an8 I

7on7lu8e8 to 3leep, if 2e 7oul8 an8 3o 7ro28e8 into the 37uttle,

2ith the (ut7hman, 2ho 2a3 3till 2et, an8 the 3pray beating o9er

the hea8 of our boat, leak>8 thro> to u3, 3o that 2e 2ere 3oon

almo3t a3 2et a3 he6 In thi3 manner 2e lay all night, 2ith 9ery

little re3t but, the 2in8 abating the net 8ay, 2e ma8e a 3hift

to rea7h Amboy before night, ha9ing been thirty hour3 on the 2ater,

2ithout 9i7tual3, or any 8rink but a bottle of filthy rum,

an8 the 2ater 2e 3ail>8 on being 3alt6

In the e9ening I foun8 my3elf 9ery fe9eri3h, an8 2ent in to be8but, ha9ing rea8 3ome2here that 7ol8 2ater 8rank plentifully 2a3 goo8

for a fe9er, I follo2>8 the pre37ription, 32eat plentiful mo3t of

the night, my fe9er left me, an8 in the morning, 7ro33ing the ferry,

I pro7ee8e8 on my journey on foot, ha9ing fifty mile3 to Burlington,

2here I 2a3 tol8 I 3houl8 fin8 boat3 that 2oul8 7arry me the re3t

of the 2ay to hila8elphia6

It raine8 9ery har8 all the 8ay I 2a3 thoroughly 3oak>8, an8 by noon

a goo8 8eal tire8 3o I 3topt at a poor inn, 2here I 3tai8 all night,

beginning no2 to 2i3h that I ha8 ne9er left home6 I 7ut 3o mi3erable

a figure, too, that I foun8, by the ;ue3tion3 a3k>8 me, I 2a3

3u3pe7te8 to be 3ome runa2ay 3er9ant, an8 in 8anger of being taken

up on that 3u3pi7ion6 Ho2e9er, I pro7ee8e8 the net 8ay, an8 got

in the e9ening to an inn, 2ithin eight or ten mile3 of Burlington,

kept by one (r6 Bro2n6 He entere8 into 7on9er3ation 2ith me 2hile I

took 3ome refre3hment, an8, fin8ing I ha8 rea8 a little, be7ame 9ery

3o7iable an8 frien8ly6 Our a7;uaintan7e 7ontinu>8 a3 long a3 he

li9>86 He ha8 been, I imagine, an itinerant 8o7tor, for there 2a3 no

to2n in Englan8, or 7ountry in Europe, of 2hi7h he 7oul8 not gi9e

a 9ery parti7ular a77ount6 He ha8 3ome letter3, an8 2a3 ingeniou3,

but mu7h of an unbelie9er, an8 2i7ke8ly un8ertook, 3ome year3 after,

to tra9e3tie the Bible in 8oggrel 9er3e, a3 )otton ha8 8one Kirgil6

By thi3 mean3 he 3et many of the fa7t3 in a 9ery ri8i7ulou3 light,

an8 might ha9e hurt 2eak min83 if hi3 2ork ha8 been publi3he8

but it ne9er 2a36

At hi3 hou3e I lay that night, an8 the net morning rea7h>8 Burlington,

but ha8 the mortifi7ation to fin8 that the regular boat3 2ere gone

a little before my 7oming, an8 no other epe7te8 to go before Tue38ay,


20/148

thi3 being *atur8ay 2herefore I returne8 to an ol8 2oman in the to2n,

of 2hom I ha8 bought gingerbrea8 to eat on the 2ater, an8 a3k>8

her a89i7e6 *he in9ite8 me to lo8ge at her hou3e till a pa33age

by 2ater 3houl8 offer an8 being tire8 2ith my foot tra9elling,

I a77epte8 the in9itation6 *he un8er3tan8ing I 2a3 a printer,

2oul8 ha9e ha8 me 3tay at that to2n an8 follo2 my bu3ine33,being ignorant of the 3to7k ne7e33ary to begin 2ith6 *he 2a3

9ery ho3pitable, ga9e me a 8inner of oC7heek 2ith great goo8 2ill,

a77epting only a pot of ale in return an8 I thought my3elf

fie8 till Tue38ay 3houl8 7ome6 Ho2e9er, 2alking in the e9ening

by the 3i8e of the ri9er, a boat 7ame by, 2hi7h I foun8 2a3 going

to2ar83 hila8elphia, 2ith 3e9eral people in her6 They took me in,

an8, a3 there 2a3 no 2in8, 2e ro2>8 all the 2ay an8 about mi8night,

not ha9ing yet 3een the 7ity, 3ome of the 7ompany 2ere 7onfi8ent

2e mu3t ha9e pa33e8 it, an8 2oul8 ro2 no farther the other3 kne2

not 2here 2e 2ere 3o 2e put to2ar8 the 3hore, got into a 7reek,

lan8e8 near an ol8 fen7e, 2ith the rail3 of 2hi7h 2e ma8e a fire,the night being 7ol8, in O7tober, an8 there 2e remaine8 till 8aylight6

Then one of the 7ompany kne2 the pla7e to be )ooper>3 )reek, a little

abo9e hila8elphia, 2hi7h 2e 3a2 a3 3oon a3 2e got out of the 7reek,

an8 arri9>8 there about eight or nine o>7lo7k on the *un8ay morning,

an8 lan8e8 at the $arketC3treet 2harf6

I ha9e been the more parti7ular in thi3 8e37ription of my journey,

an8 3hall be 3o of my fir3t entry into that 7ity, that you may

in your min8 7ompare 3u7h unlikely beginning3 2ith the figure

I ha9e 3in7e ma8e there6 I 2a3 in my 2orking 8re33, my be3t

7loath3 being to 7ome roun8 by 3ea6 I 2a3 8irty from my journey

my po7ket3 2ere 3tuff>8 out 2ith 3hirt3 an8 3to7king3, an8 I

kne2 no 3oul nor 2here to look for lo8ging6 I 2a3 fatigue8

2ith tra9elling, ro2ing, an8 2ant of re3t, I 2a3 9ery hungry

an8 my 2hole 3to7k of 7a3h 7on3i3te8 of a (ut7h 8ollar, an8 about

a 3hilling in 7opper6 The latter I ga9e the people of the boat

for my pa33age, 2ho at fir3t refu3>8 it, on a77ount of my ro2ing

but I in3i3te8 on their taking it6 A man being 3ometime3 more

generou3 2hen he ha3 but a little money than 2hen he ha3 plenty,

perhap3 thro> fear of being thought to ha9e but little6

Then I 2alke8 up the 3treet, ga?ing about till near the marketChou3e

I met a boy 2ith brea86 I ha8 ma8e many a meal on brea8, an8,

in;uiring 2here he got it, I 2ent imme8iately to the baker>3

he 8ire7te8 me to, in *e7on83treet, an8 a3k>8 for bi3ket,

inten8ing 3u7h a3 2e ha8 in Bo3ton but they, it 3eem3, 2ere not

ma8e in hila8elphia6 Then I a3ke8 for a threeCpenny loaf,

an8 2a3 tol8 they ha8 none 3u7h6 *o not 7on3i8ering or kno2ing

the 8ifferen7e of money, an8 the greater 7heapne33 nor the name3


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of hi3 brea8, I ma8e him gi9e me threeCpenny 2orth of any 3ort6

He ga9e me, a77or8ingly, three great puffy roll36 I 2a3 3urpri?>8

at the ;uantity, but took it, an8, ha9ing no room in my po7ket3,

2alk>8 off 2ith a roll un8er ea7h arm, an8 eating the other6 Thu3 I

2ent up $arketC3treet a3 far a3 FourthC3treet, pa33ing by the 8oor

of $r6 Rea8, my future 2ife>3 father 2hen 3he, 3tan8ing at the 8oor,3a2 me, an8 thought I ma8e, a3 I 7ertainly 8i8, a mo3t a2k2ar8,

ri8i7ulou3 appearan7e6 Then I turne8 an8 2ent 8o2n )he3tnutC3treet an8

part of 'alnutC3treet, eating my roll all the 2ay, an8, 7orning roun8,

foun8 my3elf again at $arketC3treet 2harf, near the boat I 7ame in,

to 2hi7h I 2ent for a 8raught of the ri9er 2ater an8, being fille8

2ith one of my roll3, ga9e the other t2o to a 2oman an8 her 7hil8 that

7ame 8o2n the ri9er in the boat 2ith u3, an8 2ere 2aiting to go farther6

Thu3 refre3he8, I 2alke8 again up the 3treet, 2hi7h by thi3 time ha8

many 7leanC8re33e8 people in it, 2ho 2ere all 2alking the 3ame 2ay6

I joine8 them, an8 thereby 2a3 le8 into the great meetingChou3e ofthe uaker3 near the market6 I 3at 8o2n among them, an8, after looking

roun8 a2hile an8 hearing nothing 3ai8, being 9ery 8ro23y thro>

labor an8 2ant of re3t the pre7e8ing night, I fell fa3t a3leep,

an8 7ontinue8 3o till the meeting broke up, 2hen one 2a3 kin8

enough to rou3e me6 Thi3 2a3, therefore, the fir3t hou3e I 2a3 in,

or 3lept in, in hila8elphia6

'alking 8o2n again to2ar8 the ri9er, an8, looking in the fa7e3

of people, I met a young uaker man, 2ho3e 7ountenan7e I lik>8, an8,

a77o3ting him, re;ue3te8 he 2oul8 tell me 2here a 3tranger 7oul8

get lo8ging6 'e 2ere then near the 3ign of the Three $ariner36

Here, 3ay3 he, i3 one pla7e that entertain3 3tranger3, but it

i3 not a reputable hou3e if thee 2ilt 2alk 2ith me, I>ll 3ho2 thee

a better6 He brought me to the )rooke8 Billet in 'aterC3treet6 Here

I got a 8inner an8, 2hile I 2a3 eating it, 3e9eral 3ly ;ue3tion3 2ere

a3ke8 me, a3 it 3eeme8 to be 3u3pe7te8 from my youth an8 appearan7e,

that I might be 3ome runa2ay6

After 8inner, my 3leepine33 return>8, an8 being 3ho2n to a be8,

I lay 8o2n 2ithout un8re33ing, an8 3lept till 3i in the e9ening,

2a3 7all>8 to 3upper, 2ent to be8 again 9ery early, an8 3lept

3oun8ly till net morning6 Then I ma8e my3elf a3 ti8y a3 I 7oul8,

an8 2ent to An8re2 Bra8for8 the printer>36 I foun8 in the 3hop

the ol8 man hi3 father, 2hom I ha8 3een at "e2 !ork, an8 2ho,

tra9elling on hor3eba7k, ha8 got to hila8elphia before me6

He intro8u7>8 me to hi3 3on, 2ho re7ei9>8 me 7i9illy, ga9e me

a breakfa3t, but tol8 me he 8i8 not at pre3ent 2ant a han8,

being lately 3uppli>8 2ith one but there 2a3 another printer

in to2n, lately 3et up, one %eimer, 2ho, perhap3, might employ me


22/148

if not, I 3houl8 be 2el7ome to lo8ge at hi3 hou3e, an8 he 2oul8

gi9e me a little 2ork to 8o no2 an8 then till fuller bu3ine33

3houl8 offer6

The ol8 gentleman 3ai8 he 2oul8 go 2ith me to the ne2 printer

an8 2hen 2e foun8 him, "eighbor, 3ay3 Bra8for8, I ha9e broughtto 3ee you a young man of your bu3ine33 perhap3 you may 2ant 3u7h

a one6 He a3k>8 me a fe2 ;ue3tion3, put a 7ompo3ing 3ti7k in my

han8 to 3ee ho2 I 2ork>8, an8 then 3ai8 he 2oul8 employ me 3oon,

though he ha8 ju3t then nothing for me to 8o an8, taking ol8 Bra8for8,

2hom he ha8 ne9er 3een before, to be one of the to2n>3 people that

ha8 a goo8 2ill for him, enter>8 into a 7on9er3ation on hi3 pre3ent

un8ertaking an8 proje7t3 2hile Bra8for8, not 8i37o9ering that he

2a3 the other printer>3 father, on %eimer>3 3aying he epe7te8

3oon to get the greate3t part of the bu3ine33 into hi3 o2n han83,

8re2 him on by artful ;ue3tion3, an8 3tarting little 8oubt3,

to eplain all hi3 9ie23, 2hat intere3t3 he reli>8 on, an8 in 2hatmanner he inten8e8 to pro7ee86 I, 2ho 3too8 by an8 hear8 all,

3a2 imme8iately that one of them 2a3 a 7rafty ol8 3ophi3ter,

an8 the other a mere no9i7e6 Bra8for8 left me 2ith %eimer, 2ho 2a3

greatly 3urpri3>8 2hen I tol8 him 2ho the ol8 man 2a36

%eimer>3 printingChou3e, I foun8, 7on3i3te8 of an ol8 3hatter>8 pre33,

an8 one 3mall, 2ornCout font of Engli3h 2hi7h he 2a3 then u3ing him3elf,

7ompo3ing an Elegy on A;uila Ro3e, before mentione8, an ingeniou3

young man, of e7ellent 7hara7ter, mu7h re3pe7te8 in the to2n,

7lerk of the A33embly, an8 a pretty poet6 %eimer ma8e 9er3e3 too,

but 9ery in8ifferently6 He 7oul8 not be 3ai8 to 2rite them, for hi3

manner 2a3 to 7ompo3e them in the type3 8ire7tly out of hi3 hea86

*o there being no 7opy, but one pair of 7a3e3, an8 the Elegy

likely to re;uire all the letter, no one 7oul8 help him6

I en8ea9or>8 to put hi3 pre33 -2hi7h he ha8 not yet u3>8, an8 of

2hi7h he un8er3too8 nothing1 into or8er fit to be 2ork>8 2ith

an8, promi3ing to 7ome an8 print off hi3 Elegy a3 3oon a3 he

3houl8 ha9e got it rea8y, I return>8 to Bra8for8>3, 2ho ga9e me

a little job to 8o for the pre3ent, an8 there I lo8ge8 an8 8iete8,

A fe2 8ay3 after, %eimer 3ent for me to print off the Elegy6

An8 no2 he ha8 got another pair of 7a3e3, an8 a pamphlet to reprint,

on 2hi7h he 3et me to 2ork6

The3e t2o printer3 I foun8 poorly ;ualifie8 for their bu3ine336

Bra8for8 ha8 not been bre8 to it, an8 2a3 9ery illiterate

an8 %eimer, tho> 3omething of a 37holar, 2a3 a mere 7ompo3itor,

kno2ing nothing of pre332ork6 He ha8 been one of the Fren7h prophet3,

an8 7oul8 a7t their enthu3ia3ti7 agitation36 At thi3 time he 8i8

not profe33 any parti7ular religion, but 3omething of all on o77a3ion


23/148

2a3 9ery ignorant of the 2orl8, an8 ha8, a3 I after2ar8 foun8,

a goo8 8eal of the kna9e in hi3 7ompo3ition6 He 8i8 not like my

lo8ging at Bra8for8>3 2hile I 2ork>8 2ith him6 He ha8 a hou3e,

in8ee8, but 2ithout furniture, 3o he 7oul8 not lo8ge me but he got

me a lo8ging at $r6 Rea8>3, before mentione8, 2ho 2a3 the o2ner

of hi3 hou3e an8, my 7he3t an8 7lothe3 being 7ome by thi3 time,I ma8e rather a more re3pe7table appearan7e in the eye3 of $i33 Rea8

than I ha8 8one 2hen 3he fir3t happen>8 to 3ee me eating my roll in

the 3treet6

I began no2 to ha9e 3ome a7;uaintan7e among the young people of

the to2n, that 2ere lo9er3 of rea8ing, 2ith 2hom I 3pent my e9ening3

9ery plea3antly an8 gaining money by my in8u3try an8 frugality,

I li9e8 9ery agreeably, forgetting Bo3ton a3 mu7h a3 I 7oul8,

an8 not 8e3iring that any there 3houl8 kno2 2here I re3i8e8,

e7ept my frien8 )ollin3, 2ho 2a3 in my 3e7ret, an8 kept it 2hen I

2rote to him6 At length, an in7i8ent happene8 that 3ent me ba7kagain mu7h 3ooner than I ha8 inten8e86 I ha8 a brotherCinCla2,

Robert Holme3, ma3ter of a 3loop that tra8e8 bet2een Bo3ton

an8 (ela2are6 He being at "e27a3tle, forty mile3 belo2 hila8elphia,

hear8 there of me, an8 2rote me a letter mentioning the 7on7ern

of my frien83 in Bo3ton at my abrupt 8eparture, a33uring me of their

goo8 2ill to me, an8 that e9ery thing 2oul8 be a77ommo8ate8 to my

min8 if I 2oul8 return, to 2hi7h he ehorte8 me 9ery earne3tly6

I 2rote an an32er to hi3 letter, thank>8 him for hi3 a89i7e,

but 3tate8 my rea3on3 for ;uitting Bo3ton fully an8 in 3u7h a light

a3 to 7on9in7e him I 2a3 not 3o 2rong a3 he ha8 apprehen8e86

*ir 'illiam %eith, go9ernor of the pro9in7e, 2a3 then at "e27a3tle,

an8 )aptain Holme3, happening to be in 7ompany 2ith him 2hen my

letter 7ame to han8, 3poke to him of me, an8 3ho2>8 him the letter6

The go9ernor rea8 it, an8 3eem>8 3urpri3>8 2hen he 2a3 tol8 my age6

He 3ai8 I appear>8 a young man of promi3ing part3, an8 therefore

3houl8 be en7ourage8 the printer3 at hila8elphia 2ere 2ret7he8 one3

an8, if I 2oul8 3et up there, he ma8e no 8oubt I 3houl8 3u77ee8

for hi3 part, he 2oul8 pro7ure me the publi7 bu3ine33, an8 8o me

e9ery other 3er9i7e in hi3 po2er6 Thi3 my brotherCinCla2 after2ar83

tol8 me in Bo3ton, but I kne2 a3 yet nothing of it 2hen, one 8ay,

%eimer an8 I being at 2ork together near the 2in8o2, 2e 3a2 the

go9ernor an8 another gentleman -2hi7h pro9e8 to be )olonel Fren7h,

of "e27a3tle1, finely 8re33>8, 7ome 8ire7tly a7ro33 the 3treet to

our hou3e, an8 hear8 them at the 8oor6

%eimer ran 8o2n imme8iately, thinking it a 9i3it to him

but the go9ernor in;uir>8 for me, 7ame up, an8 2ith a 7on8e37en3ion

of politene33 I ha8 been ;uite unu3>8 to, ma8e me many 7ompliment3,


24/148


25/148

my 2at7h an8, la3tly -my brother 3till grum an8 3ullen1, I ga9e them

a pie7e of eight to 8rink, an8 took my lea9e6 Thi3 9i3it of mine

offen8e8 him etreamly for, 2hen my mother 3ome time after 3poke

to him of a re7on7iliation, an8 of her 2i3he3 to 3ee u3 on goo8

term3 together, an8 that 2e might li9e for the future a3 brother3,

he 3ai8 I ha8 in3ulte8 him in 3u7h a manner before hi3 people thathe 7oul8 ne9er forget or forgi9e it6 In thi3, ho2e9er, he 2a3 mi3taken6

$y father re7ei9e8 the go9ernor>3 letter 2ith 3ome apparent 3urpri3e,

but 3ai8 little of it to me for 3ome 8ay3, 2hen )apt6 Holme3 returning

he 3ho2e8 it to him, a3k>8 him if he kne2 %eith, an8 2hat kin8 of

man he 2a3 a88ing hi3 opinion that he mu3t be of 3mall 8i37retion

to think of 3etting a boy up in bu3ine33 2ho 2ante8 yet three year3

of being at man>3 e3tate6 Holme3 3ai8 2hat he 7oul8 in fa9or

of the proje7t, but my father 2a3 7lear in the impropriety of it,

an8 at la3t ga9e a flat 8enial to it6 Then he 2rote a 7i9il letter

to *ir 'illiam, thanking him for the patronage he ha8 3o kin8lyoffere8 me, but 8e7lining to a33i3t me a3 yet in 3etting up, I being,

in hi3 opinion, too young to be tru3te8 2ith the management of a

bu3ine33 3o important, an8 for 2hi7h the preparation mu3t be 3o epen3i9e6

$y frien8 an8 7ompanion )ollin3, 2ho 2a3 a 7lerk in the po3tCoffi7e,

plea3>8 2ith the a77ount I ga9e him of my ne2 7ountry, 8etermine8 to

go thither al3o an8, 2hile I 2aite8 for my father>3 8etermination,

he 3et out before me by lan8 to Rho8e I3lan8, lea9ing hi3 book3,

2hi7h 2ere a pretty 7olle7tion of mathemati7k3 an8 natural philo3ophy,

to 7ome 2ith mine an8 me to "e2 !ork, 2here he propo3>8 to 2ait

for me6

$y father, tho> he 8i8 not appro9e *ir 'illiam>3 propo3ition,

2a3 yet plea3>8 that I ha8 been able to obtain 3o a89antageou3 a

7hara7ter from a per3on of 3u7h note 2here I ha8 re3i8e8, an8 that I

ha8 been 3o in8u3triou3 an8 7areful a3 to e;uip my3elf 3o han83omely

in 3o 3hort a time therefore, 3eeing no pro3pe7t of an a77ommo8ation

bet2een my brother an8 me, he ga9e hi3 7on3ent to my returning again

to hila8elphia, a89i3>8 me to beha9e re3pe7tfully to the people there,

en8ea9or to obtain the general e3teem, an8 a9oi8 lampooning

an8 libeling, to 2hi7h he thought I ha8 too mu7h in7lination

telling me, that by 3tea8y in8u3try an8 a pru8ent par3imony I might

3a9e enough by the time I 2a3 oneCan8Ct2enty to 3et me up an8 that,

if I 7ame near the matter, he 2oul8 help me out 2ith the re3t6

Thi3 2a3 all I 7oul8 obtain, e7ept 3ome 3mall gift3 a3 token3

of hi3 an8 my mother>3 lo9e, 2hen I embark>8 again for "e2 !ork,

no2 2ith their approbation an8 their ble33ing6

The 3loop putting in at "e2port, Rho8e I3lan8, I 9i3ite8 my brother #ohn,


26/148

2ho ha8 been marrie8 an8 3ettle8 there 3ome year36 He re7ei9e8

me 9ery affe7tionately, for he al2ay3 lo9>8 me6 A frien8 of hi3,

one Kernon, ha9ing 3ome money 8ue to him in en3il9ania, about thirtyCfi9e

poun83 7urren7y, 8e3ire8 I 2oul8 re7ei9e it for him, an8 keep it

till I ha8 hi3 8ire7tion3 2hat to remit it in6 A77or8ingly, he ga9e

me an or8er6 Thi3 after2ar83 o77a3ion>8 me a goo8 8eal of unea3ine336

At "e2port 2e took in a number of pa33enger3 for "e2 !ork,

among 2hi7h 2ere t2o young 2omen, 7ompanion3, an8 a gra9e, 3en3ible,

matronClike uaker 2oman, 2ith her atten8ant36 I ha8 3ho2n an obliging

rea8ine33 to 8o her 3ome little 3er9i7e3, 2hi7h impre33>8 her I

3uppo3e 2ith a 8egree of goo8 2ill to2ar8 me therefore, 2hen 3he

3a2 a 8aily gro2ing familiarity bet2een me an8 the t2o young 2omen,

2hi7h they appear>8 to en7ourage, 3he took me a3i8e, an8 3ai8:

!oung man, I am 7on7ern>8 for thee, a3 thou ha3 no frien8 2ith thee,

an8 3eem3 not to kno2 mu7h of the 2orl8, or of the 3nare3 youth

i3 epo3>8 to 8epen8 upon it, tho3e are 9ery ba8 2omen I 7an3ee it in all their a7tion3 an8 if thee art not upon thy guar8,

they 2ill 8ra2 thee into 3ome 8anger they are 3tranger3 to thee,

an8 I a89i3e thee, in a frien8ly 7on7ern for thy 2elfare, to ha9e no

a7;uaintan7e 2ith them6 A3 I 3eem>8 at fir3t not to think 3o ill

of them a3 3he 8i8, 3he mentione8 3ome thing3 3he ha8 ob3er9>8 an8

hear8 that ha8 e37ap>8 my noti7e, but no2 7on9in7>8 me 3he 2a3 right6

I thank>8 her for her kin8 a89i7e, an8 promi3>8 to follo2 it6

'hen 2e arri9>8 at "e2 !ork, they tol8 me 2here they li9>8, an8 in9ite8

me to 7ome an8 3ee them but I a9oi8e8 it, an8 it 2a3 2ell I 8i8

for the net 8ay the 7aptain mi33>8 a 3il9er 3poon an8 3ome other thing3,

that ha8 been taken out of hi3 7abbin, an8, kno2ing that the3e 2ere

a 7ouple of 3trumpet3, he got a 2arrant to 3ear7h their lo8ging3,

foun8 the 3tolen goo83, an8 ha8 the thie9e3 puni3h>86 *o, tho>

2e ha8 e37ap>8 a 3unken ro7k, 2hi7h 2e 37rap>8 upon in the pa33age,

I thought thi3 e37ape of rather more importan7e to me6

At "e2 !ork I foun8 my frien8 )ollin3, 2ho ha8 arri9>8 there 3ome time

before me6 'e ha8 been intimate from 7hil8ren, an8 ha8 rea8 the 3ame

book3 together but he ha8 the a89antage of more time for rea8ing

an8 3tu8ying, an8 a 2on8erful geniu3 for mathemati7al learning,

in 2hi7h he far out3tript me6 'hile I li9>8 in Bo3ton mo3t of my hour3

of lei3ure for 7on9er3ation 2ere 3pent 2ith him, an8 he 7ontinu>8

a 3ober a3 2ell a3 an in8u3triou3 la8 2a3 mu7h re3pe7te8 for hi3

learning by 3e9eral of the 7lergy an8 other gentlemen, an8 3eeme8

to promi3e making a goo8 figure in life6 But, 8uring my ab3en7e,

he ha8 a7;uir>8 a habit of 3otting 2ith bran8y an8 I foun8 by hi3

o2n a77ount, an8 2hat I hear8 from other3, that he ha8 been 8runk

e9ery 8ay 3in7e hi3 arri9al at "e2 !ork, an8 beha9>8 9ery o88ly6

He ha8 gam>8, too, an8 lo3t hi3 money, 3o that I 2a3 oblig>8 to


27/148

8i37harge hi3 lo8ging3, an8 8efray hi3 epen3e3 to an8 at hila8elphia,

2hi7h pro9>8 etremely in7on9enient to me6

The then go9ernor of "e2 !ork, Burnet -3on of Bi3hop Burnet1,

hearing from the 7aptain that a young man, one of hi3 pa33enger3,

ha8 a great many book3, 8e3ir>8 he 2oul8 bring me to 3ee him6I 2aite8 upon him a77or8ingly, an8 3houl8 ha9e taken )ollin3

2ith me but that he 2a3 not 3ober6 The go9>r6 treate8 me 2ith

great 7i9ility, 3ho2>8 me hi3 library, 2hi7h 2a3 a 9ery large one,

an8 2e ha8 a goo8 8eal of 7on9er3ation about book3 an8 author36

Thi3 2a3 the 3e7on8 go9ernor 2ho ha8 8one me the honor to take noti7e

of me 2hi7h, to a poor boy like me, 2a3 9ery plea3ing6

'e pro7ee8e8 to hila8elphia6 I re7ei9e8 on the 2ay Kernon>3 money,

2ithout 2hi7h 2e 7oul8 har8ly ha9e fini3h>8 our journey6 )ollin3 2i3he8

to be employ>8 in 3ome 7ountingChou3e, but, 2hether they 8i37o9er>8

hi3 8ramming by hi3 breath, or by hi3 beha9iour, tho> he ha83ome re7ommen8ation3, he met 2ith no 3u77e33 in any appli7ation,

an8 7ontinu>8 lo8ging an8 boar8ing at the 3ame hou3e 2ith me,

an8 at my epen3e6 %no2ing I ha8 that money of Kernon>3, he 2a3

7ontinually borro2ing of me, 3till promi3ing repayment a3 3oon

a3 he 3houl8 be in bu3ine336 At length he ha8 got 3o mu7h of it

that I 2a3 8i3tre33>8 to think 2hat I 3houl8 8o in 7a3e of being

7all>8 on to remit it6

Hi3 8rinking 7ontinu>8, about 2hi7h 2e 3ometime3 ;uarrell>8, for,

2hen a little intoi7ate8, he 2a3 9ery fra7tiou36 On7e, in a boat

on the (ela2are 2ith 3ome other young men, he refu3e8 to ro2

in hi3 turn6 I 2ill be ro2>8 home, 3ay3 he6 'e 2ill not

ro2 you, 3ay3 I6 !ou mu3t, or 3tay all night on the 2ater,

3ay3 he, ju3t a3 you plea3e6 The other3 3ai8, &et u3 ro2

2hat 3ignifie3 itJ But, my min8 being 3oure8 2ith hi3 other 7on8u7t,

I 7ontinu>8 to refu3e6 *o he 32ore he 2oul8 make me ro2,

or thro2 me o9erboar8 an8 7oming along, 3tepping on the th2art3,

to2ar8 me, 2hen he 7ame up an8 3tru7k at me, I 7lappe8 my han8 un8er

hi3 7rut7h, an8, ri3ing, pit7he8 him hea8Cforemo3t into the ri9er6

I kne2 he 2a3 a goo8 32immer, an8 3o 2a3 un8er little 7on7ern

about him but before he 7oul8 get roun8 to lay hol8 of the boat,

2e ha8 2ith a fe2 3troke3 pull>8 her out of hi3 rea7h an8 e9er 2hen he

8re2 near the boat, 2e a3k>8 if he 2oul8 ro2, 3triking a fe2 3troke3

to 3li8e her a2ay from him6 He 2a3 rea8y to 8ie 2ith 9eation,

an8 ob3tinately 2oul8 not promi3e to ro26 Ho2e9er, 3eeing him at la3t

beginning to tire, 2e lifte8 him in an8 brought him home 8ripping

2et in the e9ening6 'e har8ly e7hang>8 a 7i9il 2or8 after2ar83,

an8 a 'e3t In8ia 7aptain, 2ho ha8 a 7ommi33ion to pro7ure a tutor

for the 3on3 of a gentleman at Barba8oe3, happening to meet 2ith him,


28/148

agree8 to 7arry him thither6 He left me then, promi3ing to remit me

the fir3t money he 3houl8 re7ei9e in or8er to 8i37harge the 8ebt

but I ne9er hear8 of him after6

The breaking into thi3 money of Kernon>3 2a3 one of the fir3t great

errata of my life an8 thi3 affair 3ho2>8 that my father 2a3 not mu7hout in hi3 ju8gment 2hen he 3uppo3>8 me too young to manage bu3ine33

of importan7e6 But *ir 'illiam, on rea8ing hi3 letter, 3ai8 he 2a3

too pru8ent6 There 2a3 great 8ifferen7e in per3on3 an8 8i37retion

8i8 not al2ay3 a77ompany year3, nor 2a3 youth al2ay3 2ithout it6

An8 3in7e he 2ill not 3et you up, 3ay3 he, I 2ill 8o it my3elf6

Gi9e me an in9entory of the thing3 ne7e33ary to be ha8 from Englan8,

an8 I 2ill 3en8 for them6 !ou 3hall repay me 2hen you are able

I am re3ol9>8 to ha9e a goo8 printer here, an8 I am 3ure you

mu3t 3u77ee86 Thi3 2a3 3poken 2ith 3u7h an appearan7e of 7or8iality,

that I ha8 not the lea3t 8oubt of hi3 meaning 2hat he 3ai86

I ha8 hitherto kept the propo3ition of my 3etting up, a 3e7retin hila8elphia, an8 I 3till kept it6 Ha8 it been kno2n that I

8epen8e8 on the go9ernor, probably 3ome frien8, that kne2 him better,

2oul8 ha9e a89i3>8 me not to rely on him, a3 I after2ar83 hear8 it

a3 hi3 kno2n 7hara7ter to be liberal of promi3e3 2hi7h he ne9er meant

to keep6 !et, un3oli7ite8 a3 he 2a3 by me, ho2 7oul8 I think hi3

generou3 offer3 in3in7ereJ I belie9>8 him one of the be3t men in

the 2orl86

I pre3ente8 him an in9entory of a little print>gChou3e, amounting

by my 7omputation to about one hun8re8 poun83 3terling6 He lik>8 it,

but a3k>8 me if my being on the 3pot in Englan8 to 7hu3e the type3,

an8 3ee that e9ery thing 2a3 goo8 of the kin8, might not be of

3ome a89antage6 Then, 3ay3 he, 2hen there, you may make a7;uaintan7e3,

an8 e3tabli3h 7orre3pon8en7e3 in the book3elling an8 3tationery 2ay6

I agree8 that thi3 might be a89antageou36 Then, 3ay3 he,

get your3elf rea8y to go 2ith Anni3 2hi7h 2a3 the annual 3hip,

an8 the only one at that time u3ually pa33ing bet2een &on8on

an8 hila8elphia6 But it 2oul8 be 3ome month3 before Anni3 3ail>8,

3o I 7ontinu>8 2orking 2ith %eimer, fretting about the money )ollin3

ha8 got from me, an8 in 8aily apprehen3ion3 of being 7all>8 upon

by Kernon, 2hi7h, ho2e9er, 8i8 not happen for 3ome year3 after6

I belie9e I ha9e omitte8 mentioning that, in my fir3t 9oyage

from Bo3ton, being be7alm>8 off Blo7k I3lan8, our people 3et

about 7at7hing 7o8, an8 haule8 up a great many6 Hitherto I ha8

3tu7k to my re3olution of not eating animal foo8, an8 on thi3

o77a3ion 7on3i8er>8, 2ith my ma3ter Tryon, the taking e9ery

fi3h a3 a kin8 of unpro9oke8 mur8er, 3in7e none of them ha8,

or e9er 7oul8 8o u3 any injury that might ju3tify the 3laughter6


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All thi3 3eeme8 9ery rea3onable6 But I ha8 formerly been a great

lo9er of fi3h, an8, 2hen thi3 7ame hot out of the fryingCpan, it

3melt a8mirably 2ell6 I balan7>8 3ome time bet2een prin7iple

an8 in7lination, till I re7olle7te8 that, 2hen the fi3h 2ere opene8,

I 3a2 3maller fi3h taken out of their 3toma7h3 then thought I,

If you eat one another, I 8on>t 3ee 2hy 2e mayn>t eat you6 *o I8in>8 upon 7o8 9ery heartily, an8 7ontinue8 to eat 2ith other people,

returning only no2 an8 then o77a3ionally to a 9egetable 8iet6

*o 7on9enient a thing it i3 to be a rea3onable 7reature, 3in7e it

enable3 one to fin8 or make a rea3on for e9erything one ha3 a min8

to 8o6

%eimer an8 I li9>8 on a pretty goo8 familiar footing, an8 agree8

tolerably 2ell, for he 3u3pe7te8 nothing of my 3etting up6

He retaine8 a great 8eal of hi3 ol8 enthu3ia3m3 an8 lo9>8 argumentation6

'e therefore ha8 many 8i3putation36 I u3e8 to 2ork him 3o 2ith my

*o7rati7 metho8, an8 ha8 trepann>8 him 3o often by ;ue3tion3 apparently3o 8i3tant from any point 2e ha8 in han8, an8 yet by 8egree3 lea8

to the point, an8 brought him into 8iffi7ultie3 an8 7ontra8i7tion3,

that at la3t he gre2 ri8i7ulou3ly 7autiou3, an8 2oul8 har8ly an32er

me the mo3t 7ommon ;ue3tion, 2ithout a3king fir3t, 'hat 8o you

inten8 to infer from thatJ Ho2e9er, it ga9e him 3o high an opinion

of my abilitie3 in the 7onfuting 2ay, that he 3eriou3ly propo3e8 my

being hi3 7olleague in a proje7t he ha8 of 3etting up a ne2 3e7t6

He 2a3 to prea7h the 8o7trine3, an8 I 2a3 to 7onfoun8 all opponent36

'hen he 7ame to eplain 2ith me upon the 8o7trine3, I foun8 3e9eral

7onun8rum3 2hi7h I obje7te8 to, unle33 I might ha9e my 2ay a little too,

an8 intro8u7e 3ome of mine6

%eimer 2ore hi3 bear8 at full length, be7au3e 3ome2here in the $o3ai7

la2 it i3 3ai8, Thou 3halt not mar the 7orner3 of thy bear86

He like2i3e kept the *e9enth 8ay, *abbath an8 the3e t2o point3 2ere

e33ential3 2ith him6 I 8i3lik>8 both but agree8 to a8mit them upon

7on8ition of hi3 a8opting the 8o7trine of u3ing no animal foo86

I 8oubt, 3ai8 he, my 7on3titution 2ill not bear that6 I a33ur>8

him it 2oul8, an8 that he 2oul8 be the better for it6 He 2a3 u3ually a

great glutton, an8 I promi3e8 my3elf 3ome 8i9er3ion in half 3tar9ing him6

He agree8 to try the pra7ti7e, if I 2oul8 keep him 7ompany6

I 8i8 3o, an8 2e hel8 it for three month36 'e ha8 our 9i7tual3

8re33>8, an8 brought to u3 regularly by a 2oman in the neighborhoo8,

2ho ha8 from me a li3t of forty 8i3he3 to be prepar>8 for u3 at

8ifferent time3, in all 2hi7h there 2a3 neither fi3h, fle3h, nor fo2l,

an8 the 2him 3uite8 me the better at thi3 time from the 7heapne33

of it, not 7o3ting u3 abo9e eighteenpen7e 3terling ea7h per 2eek6

I ha9e 3in7e kept 3e9eral &ent3 mo3t 3tri7tly, lea9ing the 7ommon

8iet for that, an8 that for the 7ommon, abruptly, 2ithout the


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lea3t in7on9enien7e, 3o that I think there i3 little in the a89i7e

of making tho3e 7hange3 by ea3y gra8ation36 I 2ent on plea3antly,

but poor %eimer 3uffere8 grie9ou3ly, tire8 of the proje7t,

long>8 for the fle3hCpot3 of Egypt, an8 or8er>8 a roa3t pig6

He in9ite8 me an8 t2o 2omen frien83 to 8ine 2ith him but, it being

brought too 3oon upon table, he 7oul8 not re3i3t the temptation,an8 ate the 2hole before 2e 7ame6

I ha8 ma8e 3ome 7ourt3hip 8uring thi3 time to $i33 Rea86 I ha8 a

great re3pe7t an8 affe7tion for her, an8 ha8 3ome rea3on to belie9e

3he ha8 the 3ame for me but, a3 I 2a3 about to take a long 9oyage,

an8 2e 2ere both 9ery young, only a little abo9e eighteen,

it 2a3 thought mo3t pru8ent by her mother to pre9ent our going too

far at pre3ent, a3 a marriage, if it 2a3 to take pla7e, 2oul8 be

more 7on9enient after my return, 2hen I 3houl8 be, a3 I epe7te8,

3et up in my bu3ine336 erhap3, too, 3he thought my epe7tation3

not 3o 2ell foun8e8 a3 I imagine8 them to be6

$y 7hief a7;uaintan7e3 at thi3 time 2ere )harle3 O3borne, #o3eph 'at3on,

an8 #ame3 Ralph, all lo9er3 of rea8ing6 The t2o fir3t 2ere 7lerk3

to an eminent 37ri9ener or 7on9eyan7er in the to2n, )harle3 Brog8en

the other 2a3 7lerk to a mer7hant6 'at3on 2a3 a piou3, 3en3ible

young man, of great integrity the other3 rather more la in their

prin7iple3 of religion, parti7ularly Ralph, 2ho, a3 2ell a3 )ollin3,

ha8 been un3ettle8 by me, for 2hi7h they both ma8e me 3uffer6

O3borne 2a3 3en3ible, 7an8i8, frank 3in7ere an8 affe7tionate

to hi3 frien83 but, in literary matter3, too fon8 of 7riti7i3ing6

Ralph 2a3 ingeniou3, genteel in hi3 manner3, an8 etremely elo;uent

I think I ne9er kne2 a prettier talker6 Both of them great

a8mirer3 of poetry, an8 began to try their han83 in little pie7e36

$any plea3ant 2alk3 2e four ha8 together on *un8ay3 into the 2oo83,

near *7huylkill, 2here 2e rea8 to one another, an8 7onferr>8 on 2hat

2e rea86

Ralph 2a3 in7lin>8 to pur3ue the 3tu8y of poetry, not 8oubting

but he might be7ome eminent in it, an8 make hi3 fortune by it,

alleging that the be3t poet3 mu3t, 2hen they fir3t began to 2rite,

make a3 many fault3 a3 he 8i86 O3borne 8i33ua8e8 him, a33ur>8 him

he ha8 no geniu3 for poetry, an8 a89i3>8 him to think of nothing

beyon8 the bu3ine33 he 2a3 bre8 to that, in the mer7antile 2ay,

tho> he ha8 no 3to7k, he might, by hi3 8iligen7e an8 pun7tuality,

re7ommen8 him3elf to employment a3 a fa7tor, an8 in time a7;uire

2here2ith to tra8e on hi3 o2n a77ount6 I appro9>8 the amu3ing one>3

3elf 2ith poetry no2 an8 then, 3o far a3 to impro9e one>3 language,

but no farther6


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On thi3 it 2a3 propo3>8 that 2e 3houl8 ea7h of u3, at our

net meeting, pro8u7e a pie7e of our o2n 7ompo3ing, in or8er to

impro9e by our mutual ob3er9ation3, 7riti7i3m3, an8 7orre7tion36

A3 language an8 epre33ion 2ere 2hat 2e ha8 in 9ie2, 2e e7lu8e8

all 7on3i8eration3 of in9ention by agreeing that the ta3k

3houl8 be a 9er3ion of the eighteenth 3alm, 2hi7h 8e37ribe3the 8e37ent of a (eity6 'hen the time of our meeting 8re2 nigh,

Ralph 7alle8 on me fir3t, an8 let me kno2 hi3 pie7e 2a3 rea8y6

I tol8 him I ha8 been bu3y, an8, ha9ing little in7lination,

ha8 8one nothing6 He then 3ho2>8 me hi3 pie7e for my opinion,

an8 I mu7h appro9>8 it, a3 it appear>8 to me to ha9e great merit6

"o2, 3ay3 he, O3borne ne9er 2ill allo2 the lea3t merit in any

thing of mine, but make3 .000 7riti7i3m3 out of mere en9y6 He i3

not 3o jealou3 of you I 2i3h, therefore, you 2oul8 take thi3 pie7e,

an8 pro8u7e it a3 your3 I 2ill preten8 not to ha9e ha8 time,

an8 3o pro8u7e nothing6 'e 3hall then 3ee 2hat he 2ill 3ay to it6

It 2a3 agree8, an8 I imme8iately tran37rib>8 it, that it might appearin my o2n han86

'e met 'at3on>3 performan7e 2a3 rea8 there 2ere 3ome beautie3

in it, but many 8efe7t36 O3borne>3 2a3 rea8 it 2a3 mu7h better

Ralph 8i8 it ju3ti7e remarke8 3ome fault3, but applau8e8

the beautie36 He him3elf ha8 nothing to pro8u7e6 I 2a3 ba7k2ar8

3eeme8 8e3irou3 of being e7u3e8 ha8 not ha8 3uffi7ient time

to 7orre7t, et76 but no e7u3e 7oul8 be a8mitte8 pro8u7e I mu3t6

It 2a3 rea8 an8 repeate8 'at3on an8 O3borne ga9e up the 7onte3t,

an8 join>8 in applau8ing it6 Ralph only ma8e 3ome 7riti7i3m3,

an8 propo3>8 3ome amen8ment3 but I 8efen8e8 my tet6 O3borne 2a3

again3t Ralph, an8 tol8 him he 2a3 no better a 7riti7 than poet,

3o he 8ropt the argument6 A3 they t2o 2ent home together,

O3borne epre33e8 him3elf 3till more 3trongly in fa9or of 2hat he

thought my pro8u7tion ha9ing re3train>8 him3elf before, a3 he 3ai8,

le3t I 3houl8 think it flattery6 But 2ho 2oul8 ha9e imagin>8,

3ai8 he, that Franklin ha8 been 7apable of 3u7h a performan7e

3u7h painting, 3u7h for7e, 3u7h fireL He ha3 e9en impro9>8 the original6

In hi3 7ommon 7on9er3ation he 3eem3 to ha9e no 7hoi7e of 2or83

he he3itate3 an8 blun8er3 an8 yet, goo8 Go8L ho2 he 2rite3L

'hen 2e net met, Ralph 8i37o9ere8 the tri7k 2e ha8 plai8 him,

an8 O3borne 2a3 a little laught at6

Thi3 tran3a7tion fie8 Ralph in hi3 re3olution of be7oming a poet6

I 8i8 all I 7oul8 to 8i33ua8e him from it, but he 7ontinue8

37ribbling 9er3e3 till ope 7ure8 him6 He be7ame, ho2e9er, a pretty

goo8 pro3e 2riter6 $ore of him hereafter6 But, a3 I may not ha9e

o77a3ion again to mention the other t2o, I 3hall ju3t remark here,

that 'at3on 8ie8 in my arm3 a fe2 year3 after, mu7h lamente8,


32/148

being the be3t of our 3et6 O3borne 2ent to the 'e3t In8ie3,

2here he be7ame an eminent la2yer an8 ma8e money, but 8ie8 young6

He an8 I ha8 ma8e a 3eriou3 agreement, that the one 2ho happen>8

fir3t to 8ie 3houl8, if po33ible, make a frien8ly 9i3it to the other,

an8 a7;uaint him ho2 he foun8 thing3 in that 3eparate 3tate6 But he

ne9er fulfill>8 hi3 promi3e6

The go9ernor, 3eeming to like my 7ompany, ha8 me fre;uently to hi3 hou3e,

an8 hi3 3etting me up 2a3 al2ay3 mention>8 a3 a fie8 thing6

I 2a3 to take 2ith me letter3 re7ommen8atory to a number of

hi3 frien83, be3i8e3 the letter of 7re8it to furni3h me 2ith the

ne7e33ary money for pur7ha3ing the pre33 an8 type3, paper, et76

For the3e letter3 I 2a3 appointe8 to 7all at 8ifferent time3,

2hen they 2ere to be rea8y, but a future time 2a3 3till name86

Thu3 he 2ent on till the 3hip, 2ho3e 8eparture too ha8 been 3e9eral

time3 po3tpone8, 2a3 on the point of 3ailing6 Then, 2hen I 7all>8

to take my lea9e an8 re7ei9e the letter3, hi3 3e7retary, (r6 Bar8,7ame out to me an8 3ai8 the go9ernor 2a3 etremely bu3y in 2riting,

but 2oul8 be 8o2n at "e27a3tle before the 3hip, an8 there the letter3

2oul8 be 8eli9ere8 to me6

Ralph, though marrie8, an8 ha9ing one 7hil8, ha8 8etermine8 to

a77ompany me in thi3 9oyage6 It 2a3 thought he inten8e8 to e3tabli3h

a 7orre3pon8en7e, an8 obtain goo83 to 3ell on 7ommi33ion but I

foun8 after2ar83, that, thro> 3ome 8i37ontent 2ith hi3 2ife>3 relation3,

he purpo3e8 to lea9e her on their han83, an8 ne9er return again6

Ha9ing taken lea9e of my frien83, an8 inter7hang>8 3ome promi3e3

2ith $i33 Rea8, I left hila8elphia in the 3hip, 2hi7h an7hor>8

at "e27a3tle6 The go9ernor 2a3 there but 2hen I 2ent to hi3 lo8ging,

the 3e7retary 7ame to me from him 2ith the 7i9ille3t me33age in

the 2orl8, that he 7oul8 not then 3ee me, being engage8 in bu3ine33

of the utmo3t importan7e, but 3houl8 3en8 the letter3 to me on boar8,

2i3h>8 me heartily a goo8 9oyage an8 a 3pee8y return, et76

I returne8 on boar8 a little pu??le8, but 3till not 8oubting6

$r6 An8re2 Hamilton, a famou3 la2yer of hila8elphia, ha8 taken

pa33age in the 3ame 3hip for him3elf an8 3on, an8 2ith $r6 (enham,

a uaker mer7hant, an8 $e33r36 Onion an8 Ru33el, ma3ter3 of an

iron 2ork in $arylan8, ha8 engag>8 the great 7abin 3o that Ralph

an8 I 2ere for7e8 to take up 2ith a berth in the 3teerage,

an8 none on boar8 kno2ing u3, 2ere 7on3i8ere8 a3 or8inary per3on36

But $r6 Hamilton an8 hi3 3on -it 2a3 #ame3, 3in7e go9ernor1

return>8 from "e27a3tle to hila8elphia, the father being re7all>8

by a great fee to plea8 for a 3ei?e8 3hip an8, ju3t before 2e

3ail>8, )olonel Fren7h 7oming on boar8, an8 3ho2ing me great re3pe7t,

I 2a3 more taken noti7e of, an8, 2ith my frien8 Ralph, in9ite8 by


33/148

the other gentlemen to 7ome into the 7abin, there being no2 room6

A77or8ingly, 2e remo9>8 thither6

Un8er3tan8ing that )olonel Fren7h ha8 brought on boar8 the

go9ernor>3 8e3pat7he3, I a3k>8 the 7aptain for tho3e letter3

that 2ere to be un8er my 7are6 He 3ai8 all 2ere put into the bagtogether an8 he 7oul8 not then 7ome at them but, before 2e lan8e8

in Englan8, I 3houl8 ha9e an opportunity of pi7king them out

3o I 2a3 3ati3fie8 for the pre3ent, an8 2e pro7ee8e8 on our 9oyage6

'e ha8 a 3o7iable 7ompany in the 7abin, an8 li9e8 un7ommonly 2ell,

ha9ing the a88ition of all $r6 Hamilton>3 3tore3, 2ho ha8 lai8

in plentifully6 In thi3 pa33age $r6 (enham 7ontra7te8 a frien83hip

for me that 7ontinue8 8uring hi3 life6 The 9oyage 2a3 other2i3e

not a plea3ant one, a3 2e ha8 a great 8eal of ba8 2eather6

'hen 2e 7ame into the )hannel, the 7aptain kept hi3 2or8 2ith me, an8 ga9e

me an opportunity of eamining the bag for the go9ernor>3 letter36I foun8 none upon 2hi7h my name 2a3 put a3 un8er my 7are6 I pi7ke8

out 3i or 3e9en, that, by the han82riting, I thought might be the

promi3e8 letter3, e3pe7ially a3 one of them 2a3 8ire7te8 to Ba3ket,

the king>3 printer, an8 another to 3ome 3tationer6 'e arri9>8

in &on8on the 8 on hi3

heel an8 left me to 3er9e 3ome 7u3tomer6 I 2a3 3urpri?e8 to fin8

the3e 2ere not the go9ernor>3 letter3 an8, after re7olle7ting

an8 7omparing 7ir7um3tan7e3, I began to 8oubt hi3 3in7erity6

I foun8 my frien8 (enham, an8 opene8 the 2hole affair to him6

He let me into %eith>3 7hara7ter tol8 me there 2a3 not the lea3t

probability that he ha8 2ritten any letter3 for me that no one,

2ho kne2 him, ha8 the 3malle3t 8epen8en7e on him an8 he laught at

the notion of the go9ernor>3 gi9ing me a letter of 7re8it, ha9ing,

a3 he 3ai8, no 7re8it to gi9e6 On my epre33ing 3ome 7on7ern

about 2hat I 3houl8 8o, he a89i3e8 me to en8ea9or getting 3ome

employment in the 2ay of my bu3ine336 Among the printer3 here,

3ai8 he, you 2ill impro9e your3elf, an8 2hen you return to Ameri7a,

you 2ill 3et up to greater a89antage6

'e both of u3 happen>8 to kno2, a3 2ell a3 the 3tationer,

that Ri88le38en, the attorney, 2a3 a 9ery kna9e6 He ha8 half

ruin>8 $i33 Rea8>3 father by per3ua8ing him to be boun8 for him6

By thi3 letter it appear>8 there 2a3 a 3e7ret 37heme on foot to

the preju8i7e of Hamilton -3uppo3>8 to be then 7oming o9er 2ith u31


34/148

an8 that %eith 2a3 7on7erne8 in it 2ith Ri88le38en6 (enham, 2ho 2a3

a frien8 of Hamilton>3 thought he ought to be a7;uainte8 2ith it

3o, 2hen he arri9>8 in Englan8, 2hi7h 2a3 3oon after, partly from

re3entment an8 illC2ill to %eith an8 Ri88le38en, an8 partly from

goo8C2ill to him, I 2aite8 on him, an8 ga9e him the letter6

He thank>8 me 7or8ially, the information being of importan7e to himan8 from that time he be7ame my frien8, greatly to my a89antage

after2ar83 on many o77a3ion36

But 2hat 3hall 2e think of a go9ernor>3 playing 3u7h pitiful tri7k3,

an8 impo3ing 3o gro33ly on a poor ignorant boyL It 2a3 a habit he

ha8 a7;uire86 He 2i3h>8 to plea3e e9erybo8y an8, ha9ing little

to gi9e, he ga9e epe7tation36 He 2a3 other2i3e an ingeniou3,

3en3ible man, a pretty goo8 2riter, an8 a goo8 go9ernor for

the people, tho> not for hi3 7on3tituent3, the proprietarie3,

2ho3e in3tru7tion3 he 3ometime3 8i3regar8e86 *e9eral of our be3t

la23 2ere of hi3 planning an8 pa33e8 8uring hi3 a8mini3tration6

Ralph an8 I 2ere in3eparable 7ompanion36 'e took lo8ging3

together in &ittle Britain at three 3hilling3 an8 3ipen7e a 2eekCC

a3 mu7h a3 2e 7oul8 then affor86 He foun8 3ome relation3,

but they 2ere poor, an8 unable to a33i3t him6 He no2 let me kno2

hi3 intention3 of remaining in &on8on, an8 that he ne9er meant

to return to hila8elphia6 He ha8 brought no money 2ith him,

the 2hole he 7oul8 mu3ter ha9ing been epen8e8 in paying hi3 pa33age6

I ha8 fifteen pi3tole3 3o he borro2e8 o77a3ionally of me to 3ub3i3t,

2hile he 2a3 looking out for bu3ine336 He fir3t en8ea9ore8 to get

into the playhou3e, belie9ing him3elf ;ualify>8 for an a7tor

but 'ilke3, to 2hom he apply>8, a89i3>8 him 7an8i8ly not to think

of that employment, a3 it 2a3 impo33ible be 3houl8 3u77ee8 in it6

Then he propo3>8 to Robert3, a publi3her in aterno3ter Ro2, to 2rite

for him a 2eekly paper like the *pe7tator, on 7ertain 7on8ition3,

2hi7h Robert3 8i8 not appro9e6 Then he en8ea9ore8 to get employment

a3 a ha7kney 2riter, to 7opy for the 3tationer3 an8 la2yer3 about

the Temple, but 7oul8 fin8 no 9a7an7y6

I imme8iately got into 2ork at almer>3, then a famou3 printingChou3e

in Bartholome2 )lo3e, an8 here I 7ontinu>8 near a year6 I 2a3

pretty 8iligent, but 3pent 2ith Ralph a goo8 8eal of my earning3

in going to play3 an8 other pla7e3 of amu3ement6 'e ha8 together

7on3ume8 all my pi3tole3, an8 no2 ju3t rubbe8 on from han8 to mouth6

He 3eem>8 ;uite to forget hi3 2ife an8 7hil8, an8 I, by 8egree3,

my engagement3 2ith $i33 Rea8, to 2hom I ne9er 2rote more than

one letter, an8 that 2a3 to let her kno2 I 2a3 not likely 3oon

to return6 Thi3 2a3 another of the great errata of my life,

2hi7h I 3houl8 2i3h to 7orre7t if I 2ere to li9e it o9er again6


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In fa7t, by our epen3e3, I 2a3 7on3tantly kept unable to pay

my pa33age6

At almer>3 I 2a3 employe8 in 7ompo3ing for the 3e7on8 e8ition

of 'olla3ton>3 Religion of "ature6 *ome of hi3 rea3oning3

not appearing to me 2ell foun8e8, I 2rote a little metaphy3i7alpie7e in 2hi7h I ma8e remark3 on them6 It 2a3 entitle8 A

(i33ertation on &iberty an8 "e7e33ity, lea3ure an8 ain6

I in37ribe8 it to my frien8 Ralph I printe8 a 3mall number6

It o77a3ion>8 my being more 7on3i8er>8 by $r6 almer a3 a young

man of 3ome ingenuity, tho> he 3eriou3ly epo3tulate8 2ith me upon

the prin7iple3 of my pamphlet, 2hi7h to him appear>8 abominable6

$y printing thi3 pamphlet 2a3 another erratum6 'hile I lo8g>8 in

&ittle Britain, I ma8e an a7;uaintan7e 2ith one 'il7o, a book3eller,

2ho3e 3hop 2a3 at the net 8oor6 He ha8 an immen3e 7olle7tion

of 3e7on8Chan8 book36 )ir7ulating librarie3 2ere not then in u3e

but 2e agree8 that, on 7ertain rea3onable term3, 2hi7h I ha9eno2 forgotten, I might take, rea8, an8 return any of hi3 book36

Thi3 I e3teem>8 a great a89antage, an8 I ma8e a3 mu7h u3e of it a3

I 7oul86

$y pamphlet by 3ome mean3 falling into the han83 of one &yon3, a 3urgeon,

author of a book entitle8 The Infallibility of Human #u8gment,

it o77a3ione8 an a7;uaintan7e bet2een u36 He took great noti7e

of me, 7alle8 on me often to 7on9er3e on tho3e 3ubje7t3, 7arrie8 me

to the Horn3, a pale alehou3e in CCCC &ane, )heap3i8e, an8 intro8u7e8

me to (r6 $an8e9ille, author of the Fable of the Bee3, 2ho ha8

a 7lub there, of 2hi7h he 2a3 the 3oul, being a mo3t fa7etiou3,

entertaining 7ompanion6 &yon3, too, intro8u7e8 me to (r6 emberton,

at Bat3on>3 )offeeChou3e, 2ho promi3>8 to gi9e me an opportunity,

3ome time or other, of 3eeing *ir I3aa7 "e2ton, of 2hi7h I 2a3

etreamely 8e3irou3 but thi3 ne9er happene86

I ha8 brought o9er a fe2 7urio3itie3, among 2hi7h the prin7ipal

2a3 a pur3e ma8e of the a3be3to3, 2hi7h purifie3 by fire6

*ir Han3 *loane hear8 of it, 7ame to 3ee me, an8 in9ite8 me to hi3

hou3e in Bloom3bury *;uare, 2here he 3ho2>8 me all hi3 7urio3itie3,

an8 per3ua8e8 me to let him a88 that to the number, for 2hi7h he

pai8 me han83omely6

In our hou3e there lo8g>8 a young 2oman, a milliner, 2ho, I think,

ha8 a 3hop in the )loi3ter36 *he ha8 been genteelly bre8, 2a3 3en3ible

an8 li9ely, an8 of mo3t plea3ing 7on9er3ation6 Ralph rea8 play3

to her in the e9ening3, they gre2 intimate, 3he took another lo8ging,

an8 he follo2e8 her6 They li9>8 together 3ome time but, he being

3till out of bu3ine33, an8 her in7ome not 3uffi7ient to maintain


36/148

them 2ith her 7hil8, he took a re3olution of going from &on8on,

to try for a 7ountry 37hool, 2hi7h he thought him3elf 2ell ;ualifie8

to un8ertake, a3 he 2rote an e7ellent han8, an8 2a3 a ma3ter

of arithmeti7 an8 a77ount36 Thi3, ho2e9er, he 8eeme8 a bu3ine33

belo2 him, an8 7onfi8ent of future better fortune, 2hen he 3houl8

be un2illing to ha9e it kno2n that he on7e 2a3 3o meanly employe8,he 7hange8 hi3 name, an8 8i8 me the honor to a33ume mine for I 3oon

after ha8 a letter from him, a7;uainting me that he 2a3 3ettle8

in a 3mall 9illage -in Berk3hire, I think it 2a3, 2here he taught

rea8ing an8 2riting to ten or a 8o?en boy3, at 3ipen7e ea7h per

2eek1, re7ommen8ing $r36 TCCCC to my 7are, an8 8e3iring me to 2rite

to him, 8ire7ting for $r6 Franklin, 37hoolma3ter, at 3u7h a pla7e6

He 7ontinue8 to 2rite fre;uently, 3en8ing me large 3pe7imen3

of an epi7 poem 2hi7h he 2a3 then 7ompo3ing, an8 8e3iring my

remark3 an8 7orre7tion36 The3e I ga9e him from time to time,

but en8ea9or>8 rather to 8i37ourage hi3 pro7ee8ing6 One of !oung>3*atire3 2a3 then ju3t publi3he86 I 7opy>8 an8 3ent him a great

part of it, 2hi7h 3et in a 3trong light the folly of pur3uing

the $u3e3 2ith any hope of a89an7ement by them6 All 2a3 in 9ain

3heet3 of the poem 7ontinue8 to 7ome by e9ery po3t6 In the mean time,

$r36 TCCCC, ha9ing on hi3 a77ount lo3t her frien83 an8 bu3ine33,

2a3 often in 8i3tre33e3, an8 u3>8 to 3en8 for me, an8 borro2

2hat I 7oul8 3pare to help her out of them6 I gre2 fon8 of

her 7ompany, an8, being at that time un8er no religiou3 re3traint,

an8 pre3uming upon my importan7e to her, I attempte8 familiaritie3

-another erratum1 2hi7h 3he repul3>8 2ith a proper re3entment,

an8 a7;uainte8 him 2ith my beha9iour6 Thi3 ma8e a brea7h bet2een u3

an8, 2hen he returne8 again to &on8on, he let me kno2 he thought

I ha8 7an7ell>8 all the obligation3 he ha8 been un8er to me6

*o I foun8 I 2a3 ne9er to epe7t hi3 repaying me 2hat I lent to him,

or a89an7>8 for him6 Thi3, ho2e9er, 2a3 not then of mu7h 7on3e;uen7e,

a3 he 2a3 totally unable an8 in the lo33 of hi3 frien83hip I foun8

my3elf relie9e8 from a burthen6 I no2 began to think of getting

a little money beforehan8, an8, epe7ting better 2ork, I left almer>3

to 2ork at 'att3>3, near &in7oln>3 Inn Fiel83, a 3till greater

printingChou3e6 Here I 7ontinue8 all the re3t of my 3tay in &on8on6

At my fir3t a8mi33ion into thi3 printingChou3e I took to 2orking

at pre33, imagining I felt a 2ant of the bo8ily eer7i3e I ha8 been

u3>8 to in Ameri7a, 2here pre332ork i3 mi>8 2ith 7ompo3ing6

I 8rank only 2ater the other 2orkmen, near fifty in number,

2ere great gu??ler3 of beer6 On o77a3ion, I 7arrie8 up an8 8o2n

Bengamin Franklin

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