AUTOBIOGRAPHY

OF

BENJAMIN

FRANKLIN

WITHILLUSTRATIONSby

E.BOYDSMITH,

EDITEDby

FRANKWOODWORTHPINE

PrintersMark

NewYorkHENRYHOLTANDCOMPANY

1916

COPYRIGHT,1916,BY

HENRYHOLTANDCOMPANYJune,1922

THEQUINN&BODENCO.PRESSRAHWAY,N.J.

CONTENTS

PAGEINTRODUCTION vii

THEAUTOBIOGRAPHY 1

I. AncestryandEarlyLifeinBoston 3

II. BeginningLifeasaPrinter 21

III. ArrivalinPhiladelphia 41

IV. FirstVisittoBoston 55

V. EarlyFriendsinPhiladelphia 69

VI. FirstVisittoLondon 77

VII. BeginningBusinessinPhiladelphia 99

VIII. BusinessSuccessandFirstPublicService 126

IX. PlanforAttainingMoralPerfection 146

X. PoorRichard'sAlmanacandOtherActivities 169

XI. InterestinPublicAffairs 188

XII. DefenseoftheProvince 201

XIII. PublicServicesandDuties 217

XIV. AlbanyPlanofUnion 241

XV. QuarrelswiththeProprietaryGovernors 246

XVI. Braddock'sExpedition 253

XVII. Franklin'sDefenseoftheFrontier 274

XVIII. ScientificExperiments 289

XIX. AgentofPennsylvaniainLondon 296

APPENDIX

ElectricalKite 327

TheWaytoWealth 331

TheWhistle 336

ALettertoSamuelMather 340

BIBLIOGRAPHY 343

ILLUSTRATIONS

FRANKLINATTHECOURTOFLOUISXVI Frontispiece

"Hewastherefore,feastedandinvitedtoallthecourtparties.Atthesehesometimesmet the oldDuchess of Bourbon,who, being a chess player ofabouthis force, theyverygenerallyplayed together.Happeningonce toputherkingintoprize, theDoctor tookit. 'Ah,'saysshe, 'wedonot takekingsso.''WedoinAmerica,'saidtheDoctor."—THOMASJEFFERSON

PAGE

PortraitofFranklin vii

Pages 1 and 4 ofThePennsylvaniaGazette, NumberXL, thefirstnumberafterFranklintookcontrol xxi

First page of The New England Courant of December 4-11,1721 33

"I was employed to carry the papers thro' the streets to thecustomers" 36

"She, standing at the door, sawme, and thought Imade, as Icertainlydid,amostawkward,ridiculousappearance" 48

"Itooktoworkingatpress" 88

"IseehimstillatworkwhenIgohomefromclub" 120

TwopagesfromPoorRichard'sAlmanacfor1736 171

"Iregularlytookmyturnofdutythereasacommonsoldier" 204

"In the evening, hearing a great noise among them, thecommissionerswalk'douttoseewhatwasthematter" 224

"Ouraxes...wereimmediatelysettoworktocutdowntrees" 278

"Wenowappearedverywide,andsofarfromeachotherinouropinionsastodiscourageallhopeofagreement" 318

"You will find it stream out plentifully from the key on theapproachofyourknuckle" 328

FatherAbrahaminhisstudy 330

The end papers show, at the front, the Franklin arms and theFranklin seal; at the back, the medal given by the BostonpublicschoolsfromthefundleftbyFranklinforthatpurposeasprovidedinthefollowingextractfromhiswill:

"IwasborninBoston,NewEngland,andowemyfirstinstructionsinliteraturetothe freegrammar-schools established there. I thereforegiveonehundredpoundssterlingtomyexecutors,tobebythem...paidovertothemanagersordirectorsofthefreeschoolsinmynativetownofBoston,tobebythem...putouttointerest,and so continued at interest forever,which interest annually shall be laid out in

silvermedals,andgivenashonoraryrewardsannuallybythedirectorsofthesaidfreeschoolsbelongingtothesaidtown,insuchmannerastothediscretionoftheselectmenofthesaidtownshallseemmeet."

B.FRANKLIN

B.Franklin'ssignatureFromanengravingbyJ.ThomsonfromtheoriginalpicturebyJ.A.Duplessis.

INTRODUCTION

block-WEAmericansdevoureagerlyanypieceofwritingthatpurportstotellusthesecretofsuccessinlife;yethowoftenwearedisappointedtofindnothingbutcommonplacestatements,orreceiptsthatweknowbyheartbutneverfollow.Mostofthelifestoriesofourfamousandsuccessfulmenfailtoinspirebecausethey lack the human element that makes the record real and brings the storywithinourgrasp.WhilewearesearchingfarandnearforsomeAladdin'sLamptogivecovetedfortune,thereisreadyatourhandifwewillonlyreachoutandtakeit,likethecharminMilton'sComus,

"Unknown,andlikeesteemed,andthedullswainTreadsonitdailywithhiscloutedshoon;"

the interesting, human, and vividly told story of one of the wisest and mostuseful lives in our own history, and perhaps in any history. In Franklin'sAutobiographyisofferednotsomuchaready-madeformulaforsuccess,asthecompanionshipofarealfleshandbloodmanofextraordinarymindandquality,whose daily walk and conversation will help us tomeet our own difficulties,muchasdoestheexampleofawiseandstrongfriend.Whilewearefascinatedby the story, we absorb the human experience through which a strong andhelpfulcharacterisbuilding.

The thing thatmakes Franklin'sAutobiography different from every other lifestory of a great and successfulman is just this human aspect of the account.Franklin told the story of his life, as he himself says, for the benefit of hisposterity.Hewantedtohelpthembytherelationofhisownrisefromobscurityandpovertytoeminenceandwealth.Heisnotunmindfuloftheimportanceofhispublicservicesandtheirrecognition,yethisaccountsoftheseachievements

aregivenonlyasapartofthestory,andthevanitydisplayedisincidentalandinkeepingwiththehonestyoftherecital.ThereisnothingoftheimpossibleinthemethodandpracticeofFranklinashesetsthemforth.Theyouthwhoreadsthefascinatingstory isastonishedtofind thatFranklin inhisearlyyearsstruggledwiththesameeverydaypassionsanddifficultiesthathehimselfexperiences,andhe loses thesenseofdiscouragement thatcomes froma realizationofhisownshortcomingsandinabilitytoattain.

ThereareotherreasonswhytheAutobiographyshouldbeanintimatefriendofAmericanyoungpeople.Here theymayestablishacloserelationshipwithoneoftheforemostAmericansaswellasoneofthewisestmenofhisage.

The life of Benjamin Franklin is of importance to every American primarilybecauseofthepartheplayedinsecuringtheindependenceoftheUnitedStatesandinestablishingitasanation.FranklinshareswithWashingtonthehonorsoftheRevolution,andof theeventsleadingtothebirthof thenewnation.WhileWashingtonwastheanimatingspiritofthestruggleinthecolonies,Franklinwasitsablestchampionabroad.ToFranklin'scogent reasoningandkeensatire,weowe the clear and forcible presentation of the American case in England andFrance;while tohispersonalityanddiplomacyaswellas tohisfacilepen,weareindebtedfor theforeignallianceandthefundswithoutwhichWashington'sworkmust have failed.His patience, fortitude, and practicalwisdom, coupledwith self-sacrificing devotion to the cause of his country, are hardly lessnoticeablethansimilarqualitiesdisplayedbyWashington.Infact,FranklinasapublicmanwasmuchlikeWashington,especiallyintheentiredisinterestednessofhispublicservice.

Franklin isalso interesting tousbecausebyhis lifeand teachingshehasdonemore than any other American to advance the material prosperity of hiscountrymen. It is said that his widely and faithfully read maxims madePhiladelphia and Pennsylvania wealthy, while Poor Richard's pithy sayings,translatedintomanylanguages,havehadaworld-wideinfluence.

FranklinisagoodtypeofourAmericanmanhood.Althoughnotthewealthiestor the most powerful, he is undoubtedly, in the versatility of his genius andachievements,thegreatestofourself-mademen.ThesimpleyetgraphicstoryintheAutobiographyofhissteadyrisefromhumbleboyhoodinatallow-chandlershop,byindustry,economy,andperseveranceinself-improvement,toeminence,isthemostremarkableofalltheremarkablehistoriesofourself-mademen.Itisinitselfawonderfulillustrationoftheresultspossibletobeattainedinalandof

unequaledopportunitybyfollowingFranklin'smaxims.

Franklin's fame, however, was not confined to his own country. Although helived in a century notable for the rapid evolution of scientific and politicalthought and activity, yet no less akeen judge and critic thanLord Jeffrey, thefamouseditoroftheEdinburghReview,acenturyagosaidthat"inonepointofviewthenameofFranklinmustbeconsideredasstandinghigherthananyoftheotherswhichillustratedtheeighteenthcentury.Distinguishedasastatesman,hewas equally great as a philosopher, thus uniting in himself a rare degree ofexcellence in both these pursuits, to excel in either of which is deemed thehighestpraise."

Franklinhasindeedbeenaptlycalled"many-sided."Hewaseminentinscienceandpublicservice,indiplomacyandinliterature.HewastheEdisonofhisday,turninghisscientificdiscoveriestothebenefitofhisfellow-men.Heperceivedtheidentityoflightningandelectricityandsetupthelightningrod.Heinventedthe Franklin stove, still widely used, and refused to patent it. He possessed amasterly shrewdness in business and practical affairs. Carlyle called him thefather of all the Yankees. He founded a fire company, assisted in founding ahospital, and improved the cleaning and lighting of streets. He developedjournalism,establishedtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety,thepubliclibraryinPhiladelphia,andtheUniversityofPennsylvania.Heorganizedapostalsystemfor thecolonies,whichwas thebasisof thepresentUnitedStatesPostOffice.Bancroft, the eminent historian, called him "the greatest diplomatist of hiscentury."HeperfectedtheAlbanyPlanofUnionforthecolonies.Heistheonlystatesmanwhosigned theDeclarationof Independence, theTreatyofAlliancewithFrance,theTreatyofPeacewithEngland,andtheConstitution.Asawriter,he has produced, in his Autobiography and in Poor Richard's Almanac, twoworks that arenot surpassedby similarwriting.He receivedhonorarydegreesfromHarvardandYale,fromOxfordandSt.Andrews,andwasmadeafellowofthe Royal Society, which awarded him the Copley gold medal for improvingnatural knowledge. He was one of the eight foreign associates of the FrenchAcademyofScience.

ThecarefulstudyoftheAutobiography isalsovaluablebecauseof thestyle inwhich it is written. If Robert Louis Stevenson is right in believing that hisremarkablestylewasacquiredbyimitationthentheyouthwhowouldgainthepower to express his ideas clearly, forcibly, and interestingly cannot do betterthantostudyFranklin'smethod.Franklin'sfameinthescientificworldwasduealmost as much to his modest, simple, and sincere manner of presenting his

discoveriesandtotheprecisionandclearnessofthestyleinwhichhedescribedhisexperiments,astotheresultshewasabletoannounce.SirHumphryDavy,thecelebratedEnglishchemist, himself anexcellent literarycritic aswell as agreatscientist,said:"AsingularfelicityguidedallFranklin'sresearches,andbyverysmallmeansheestablishedverygrandtruths.Thestyleandmannerofhispublicationonelectricity are almost asworthyof admirationas thedoctrine itcontains."

Franklin'splaceinliteratureishardtodeterminebecausehewasnotprimarilyaliteraryman.Hisaiminhiswritingsasinhislifeworkwastobehelpfultohisfellow-men.Forhimwritingwasneveranendinitself,butalwaysameanstoanend. Yet his success as a scientist, a statesman, and a diplomat, as well associally,wasinnolittlepartduetohisabilityasawriter."Hisletterscharmedall,andmadehiscorrespondenceeagerlysought.Hispoliticalargumentswerethe joy of his party and the dread of his opponents.His scientific discoverieswere explained in language at once so simple and so clear that plow-boy andexquisitecouldfollowhisthoughtorhisexperimenttoitsconclusion."[1]

As far as American literature is concerned, Franklin has no contemporaries.Before the Autobiography only one literary work of importance had beenproduced in thiscountry—CottonMather'sMagnalia,achurchhistoryofNewEngland in a ponderous, stiff style. Franklinwas the firstAmerican author togain a wide and permanent reputation in Europe. The Autobiography, PoorRichard,FatherAbraham'sSpeechorTheWaytoWealth,aswellassomeoftheBagatelles, are as widely known abroad as any American writings. FranklinmustalsobeclassedasthefirstAmericanhumorist.

English literature of the eighteenth century was characterized by thedevelopment of prose. Periodical literature reached its perfection early in thecentury inThe Tatler andThe Spectator ofAddison and Steele. Pamphleteersflourished throughout the period. The homelier prose of Bunyan and Defoegradually gave place to the more elegant and artificial language of SamuelJohnson,whosetthestandardforprosewritingfrom1745onward.Thiscenturysawthebeginningsof themodernnovel, inFielding'sTomJones,Richardson'sClarissaHarlowe,Sterne'sTristramShandy,andGoldsmith'sVicarofWakefield.GibbonwroteTheDeclineandFalloftheRomanEmpire,HumehisHistoryofEngland,andAdamSmiththeWealthofNations.

InthesimplicityandvigorofhisstyleFranklinmorenearlyresemblestheearliergroupofwriters.InhisfirstessayshewasnotaninferiorimitatorofAddison.In

his numerous parables, moral allegories, and apologues he showed Bunyan'sinfluence.ButFranklinwasessentiallyajournalist.Inhisswift,tersestyle,heismost likeDefoe, whowas the first great English journalist andmaster of thenewspaper narrative. The style of bothwriters ismarked by homely, vigorousexpression,satire,burlesque,repartee.Herethecomparisonmustend.Defoeandhis contemporarieswere authors.Theirvocationwaswriting and their successrestsontheimaginativeorcreativepowertheydisplayed.ToauthorshipFranklinlaid no claim. He wrote no work of the imagination. He developed onlyincidentally a style in many respects as remarkable as that of his Englishcontemporaries.Hewrote thebestautobiography inexistence,oneof themostwidelyknowncollectionsofmaxims,andanunsurpassedseriesofpoliticalandsocialsatires,becausehewasamanofunusualscopeofpowerandusefulness,who knew how to tell his fellow-men the secrets of that power and thatusefulness.

THESTORYOFTHEAUTOBIOGRAPHY

The account of how Franklin'sAutobiography came to be written and of theadventures of the original manuscript forms in itself an interesting story. TheAutobiographyisFranklin'slongestwork,andyetitisonlyafragment.Thefirstpart, written as a letter to his son, William Franklin, was not intended forpublication; and the composition is more informal and the narrative morepersonalthaninthesecondpart,from1730on,whichwaswrittenwithaviewtopublication.Theentiremanuscriptshowslittleevidenceofrevision.Infact,theexpressionissohomelyandnaturalthathisgrandson,WilliamTempleFranklin,in editing the work changed some of the phrases because he thought theminelegantandvulgar.

Franklinbeganthestoryofhislifewhileonavisittohisfriend,BishopShipley,atTwyford, inHampshire,southernEngland, in1771.Hetookthemanuscript,completed to1731,withhimwhenhereturned toPhiladelphia in1775. ItwaslefttherewithhisotherpaperswhenhewenttoFranceinthefollowingyear,anddisappearedduringtheconfusionincidenttotheRevolution.Twenty-threepagesofcloselywrittenmanuscript fell into thehandsofAbel James, anold friend,who sent a copy to Franklin at Passy, near Paris, urging him to complete thestory. Franklin took up the work at Passy in 1784 and carried the narrativeforwardafewmonths.Hechangedtheplantomeethisnewpurposeofwritingtobenefittheyoungreader.Hisworkwassooninterruptedandwasnotresumeduntil1788,whenhewasathomeinPhiladelphia.Hewasnowold,infirm,and

suffering, and was still engaged in public service. Under these discouragingconditions the work progressed slowly. It finally stopped when the narrativereachedtheyear1757.CopiesofthemanuscriptweresenttofriendsofFranklininEnglandandFrance,amongotherstoMonsieurLeVeillardatParis.

ThefirsteditionoftheAutobiographywaspublishedinFrenchatParisin1791.It was clumsily and carelessly translated, and was imperfect and unfinished.Where the translator got themanuscript is not known. LeVeillard disclaimedanyknowledgeofthepublication.FromthisfaultyFrencheditionmanyotherswereprinted,someinGermany,twoinEngland,andanotherinFrance,sogreatwasthedemandforthework.

In themeantimetheoriginalmanuscriptof theAutobiographyhadstartedonavariedandadventurouscareer.ItwasleftbyFranklinwithhisotherworkstohisgrandson,William Temple Franklin, whom Franklin designated as his literaryexecutor. When Temple Franklin came to publish his grandfather's works in1817,hesenttheoriginalmanuscriptoftheAutobiographytothedaughterofLeVeillard in exchange for her father's copy, probably thinking the clearertranscriptwouldmakebetterprinter'scopy.TheoriginalmanuscriptthusfounditswaytotheLeVeillardfamilyandconnections,whereitremaineduntilsoldin1867toMr.JohnBigelow,UnitedStatesMinistertoFrance.Byhimitwaslatersold toMr. E. Dwight Church of NewYork, and passedwith the rest ofMr.Church's library into the possessionofMr.HenryE.Huntington.Theoriginalmanuscript of Franklin's Autobiography now rests in the vault in Mr.Huntington'sresidenceatFifthAvenueandFifty-seventhStreet,NewYorkCity.

WhenMr.Bigelowcametoexaminehispurchase,hewasastonishedtofindthatwhat people had been reading for years as the authentic Life of BenjaminFranklin by Himself, was only a garbled and incomplete version of the realAutobiography. Temple Franklin had taken unwarranted liberties with theoriginal.Mr.Bigelowsayshe foundmore than twelvehundredchanges in thetext.In1868,therefore,Mr.BigelowpublishedthestandardeditionofFranklin'sAutobiography. It corrected errors in the previous editions and was the firstEnglisheditiontocontaintheshortfourthpart,comprisingthelastfewpagesofthe manuscript, written during the last year of Franklin's life. Mr. Bigelowrepublished the Autobiography, with additional interesting matter, in threevolumes in1875, in1905, and in1910.The text in thisvolume is thatofMr.Bigelow'seditions.[2]

TheAutobiographyhasbeenreprintedintheUnitedStatesmanyscoresoftimes

and translated intoall the languagesofEurope. Ithasnever lost itspopularityand is still in constant demand at circulating libraries. The reason for thispopularity is not far to seek. For in this work Franklin told in a remarkablemanner thestoryofa remarkable life.Hedisplayedhardcommonsenseandapracticalknowledgeof theartof living.Heselectedandarrangedhismaterial,perhaps unconsciously,with the unerring instinct of the journalist for the besteffects.His success is not a little due tohis plain, clear, vigorousEnglish.Heused short sentences and words, homely expressions, apt illustrations, andpointedallusions.Franklinhadamost interesting,varied,andunusual life.Hewasoneofthegreatestconversationalistsofhistime.

His book is the record of that unusual life told in Franklin's own unexcelledconversationalstyle.ItissaidthatthebestpartsofBoswell'sfamousbiographyof Samuel Johnson are those parts where Boswell permits Johnson to tell hisown story. In the Autobiography a no less remarkable man and talker thanSamuelJohnsonistellinghisownstorythroughout.

F.W.P.

THEGILMANCOUNTRYSCHOOL,Baltimore,September,1916.

ThePennsylvaniaGAZETTEPage1

ThePennsylvaniaGAZETTEPage4

Pages1and4ofThePennsylvaniaGazette, thefirstnumberafterFranklin tookcontrol.Reducednearlyone-half.ReproducedfromacopyattheNewYorkPublicLibrary.

[1]TheMany-SidedFranklin.PaulL.Ford.

[2]Forthedivisionintochaptersandthechaptertitles,however,thepresenteditorisresponsible.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

OF

BENJAMINFRANKLIN

I

ANCESTRYANDEARLYYOUTHINBOSTON

TWYFORD,[3]attheBishopofSt.Asaph's,1771.

block-dEARSON:Ihaveeverhadpleasureinobtaininganylittleanecdotesofmyancestors.YoumayremembertheinquiriesImadeamongtheremainsofmyrelationswhenyouwerewithme inEngland, and the journey Iundertook forthat purpose. Imagining it may be equally agreeable to you to know thecircumstances ofmy life,many of which you are yet unacquaintedwith, andexpectingtheenjoymentofaweek'suninterruptedleisureinmypresentcountryretirement,Isitdowntowritethemforyou.TowhichIhavebesidessomeotherinducements.Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity inwhich Iwasbornandbred,toastateofaffluenceandsomedegreeofreputationintheworld,and having gone so far through life with a considerable share of felicity, theconducing means I made use of, which with the blessing of God so wellsucceeded, my posterity may like to know, as they may find some of themsuitabletotheirownsituations,andthereforefittobeimitated.

Thatfelicity,whenIreflectedonit,hasinducedmesometimestosay,thatwereitofferedtomychoice,Ishouldhavenoobjectiontoarepetitionofthesamelifefromitsbeginning,onlyaskingtheadvantagesauthorshaveinasecondeditionto correct some faults of the first. So I might, besides correcting the faults,changesomesinisteraccidentsandeventsofitforothersmorefavourable.Butthoughthisweredenied,Ishouldstillaccepttheoffer.Sincesucharepetitionisnottobeexpected,thenextthingmostlikelivingone'slifeoveragainseemstobearecollectionofthatlife,andtomakethatrecollectionasdurableaspossiblebyputtingitdowninwriting.

Hereby,too,Ishallindulgetheinclinationsonaturalinoldmen,tobetalkingofthemselves and their own past actions; and I shall indulge it without beingtiresome to others, who, through respect to age, might conceive themselvesobliged togivemeahearing,since thismaybereadornotasanyonepleases.And, lastly(Imayaswellconfess it,sincemydenialof itwillbebelievedby

nobody),perhapsIshallagooddealgratifymyownvanity.[4] Indeed, Iscarceeverheardorsawtheintroductorywords,"WithoutvanityImaysay,"etc.,butsome vain thing immediately followed. Most people dislike vanity in others,whatevershare theyhaveof it themselves;but Igive it fairquarterwhereverImeetwithit,beingpersuadedthatitisoftenproductiveofgoodtothepossessor,andtoothersthatarewithinhissphereofaction;andtherefore,inmanycases,itwouldnotbealtogetherabsurdifamanweretothankGodforhisvanityamongtheothercomfortsoflife.

Gibbon and Hume, the great British historians, who were contemporaries ofFranklin,expressintheirautobiographiesthesamefeelingabouttheproprietyofjustself-praise.

AndnowIspeakofthankingGod,IdesirewithallhumilitytoacknowledgethatI owe thementioned happiness ofmypast life toHis kind providence,whichleadmetothemeansIusedandgavethemsuccess.Mybeliefofthisinducesmeto hope, though I must not presume, that the same goodness will still beexercisedtowardme,incontinuingthathappiness,orenablingmetobearafatalreverse, which I may experience as others have done; the complexion of myfuturefortunebeingknowntoHimonlyinwhosepoweritistoblesstousevenourafflictions.

Thenotesoneofmyuncles (whohad the samekindof curiosity incollectingfamilyanecdotes)onceputintomyhands,furnishedmewithseveralparticularsrelatingtoourancestors.FromthesenotesIlearnedthatthefamilyhadlivedinthe same village, Ecton, in Northamptonshire,[5] for three hundred years, andhow much longer he knew not (perhaps from the time when the name ofFranklin, that before was the name of an order of people,[6] was assumed bythem as a surname when others took surnames all over the kingdom), on afreeholdofaboutthirtyacres,aidedbythesmith'sbusiness,whichhadcontinuedin the family tillhis time, theeldest sonbeingalwaysbred to thatbusiness; acustomwhichheandmyfatherfollowedastotheireldestsons.WhenIsearchedtheregistersatEcton, I foundanaccountof theirbirths,marriagesandburialsfromtheyear1555only,therebeingnoregisterskeptinthatparishatanytimepreceding. By that register I perceived that I was the youngest son of theyoungestsonforfivegenerationsback.MygrandfatherThomas,whowasbornin1598, livedatEctontillhegrewtooold tofollowbusiness longer,whenhewenttolivewithhissonJohn,adyeratBanbury,inOxfordshire,withwhommyfatherservedanapprenticeship.Theremygrandfatherdiedandliesburied.We

sawhisgravestonein1758.HiseldestsonThomaslivedinthehouseatEcton,andleftitwiththelandtohisonlychild,adaughter,who,withherhusband,oneFisher,ofWellingborough,soldittoMr.Isted,nowlordofthemanorthere.Mygrandfather had four sons that grew up, viz.: Thomas, John, Benjamin andJosiah. I will give you what account I can of them at this distance frommypapers,andifthesearenotlostinmyabsence,youwillamongthemfindmanymoreparticulars.

Thomaswasbredasmithunderhisfather;but,beingingenious,andencouragedin learning (as allmybrotherswere) by anEsquirePalmer, then the principalgentleman 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 ownvillage,ofwhichmanyinstanceswererelatedofhim;andmuchtakennoticeofandpatronizedbythethenLordHalifax.Hediedin1702,January6,oldstyle,[7]just fouryears toadaybeforeIwasborn.Theaccountwereceivedofhis lifeand character from some old people at Ecton, I remember, struck you assomethingextraordinary,fromitssimilaritytowhatyouknewofmine."Hadhediedonthesameday,"yousaid,"onemighthavesupposedatransmigration."

John was bred a dyer, I believe of woollens, Benjamin was bred a silk dyer,servinganapprenticeshipatLondon.Hewasaningeniousman.Irememberhimwell,forwhenIwasaboyhecameovertomyfatherinBoston,andlivedinthehouse with us some years. He lived to a great age. His grandson, SamuelFranklin,nowlivesinBoston.Heleftbehindhimtwoquartovolumes,MS.,ofhisownpoetry,consistingoflittleoccasionalpiecesaddressedtohisfriendsandrelations,ofwhichthefollowing,senttome,isaspecimen.[8]Hehadformedashort-handofhisown,whichhetaughtme,but,neverpractisingit,Ihavenowforgotit.Iwasnamedafterthisuncle,therebeingaparticularaffectionbetweenhimandmyfather.Hewasverypious,agreatattenderofsermonsof thebestpreachers, which he took down in his short-hand, and had with him manyvolumesofthem.Hewasalsomuchofapolitician;toomuch,perhaps,forhisstation.Therefelllatelyintomyhands,inLondon,acollectionhehadmadeofalltheprincipalpamphletsrelatingtopublicaffairs,from1641to1717;manyofthe volumes are wanting as appears by the numbering, but there still remaineightvolumesinfolio,andtwenty-fourinquartoandinoctavo.Adealerinoldbooks met with them, and knowing me by my sometimes buying of him, hebroughtthemtome.ItseemsmyunclemusthaveleftthemherewhenhewenttoAmerica,whichwasaboutfiftyyearssince.Therearemanyofhisnotesinthe

margins.

This obscure family of ours was early in the Reformation, and continuedProtestants through the reign of Queen Mary, when they were sometimes indanger of trouble on account of their zeal against popery. They had got anEnglish Bible, and to conceal and secure it, it was fastened open with tapesunder and within the cover of a joint-stool.Whenmy great-great-grandfatherreadittohisfamily,heturnedupthejoint-stooluponhisknees,turningovertheleavesthenunderthetapes.Oneofthechildrenstoodatthedoortogivenoticeifhesawtheapparitorcoming,whowasanofficerofthespiritualcourt.Inthatcase the stoolwas turned down again upon its feet,when theBible remainedconcealedunderitasbefore.ThisanecdoteIhadfrommyuncleBenjamin.ThefamilycontinuedalloftheChurchofEnglandtillabouttheendofCharlestheSecond's reign, when some of the ministers that had been outed for non-conformity, holding conventicles[9] inNorthamptonshire, Benjamin and Josiahadheredtothem,andsocontinuedalltheirlives:therestofthefamilyremainedwiththeEpiscopalChurch.

BirthplaceofFranklin.MilkStreet,BostonBirthplaceofFranklin.MilkStreet,Boston.

Josiah,my father,marriedyoung,andcarriedhiswifewith threechildren intoNewEngland,about1682.Theconventicleshavingbeenforbiddenbylaw,andfrequently disturbed, induced some considerable men of his acquaintance toremove to that country, andhewasprevailedwith to accompany them thither,wheretheyexpectedtoenjoytheirmodeofreligionwithfreedom.Bythesamewifehehadfourchildrenmorebornthere,andbyasecondwifetenmore,inallseventeen;ofwhichIrememberthirteensittingatonetimeathistable,whoallgrewup tobemenandwomen, andmarried; Iwas theyoungest son, and theyoungestchildbuttwo,andwasborninBoston,NewEngland.[10]Mymother,the secondwife, wasAbiah Folger, daughter of Peter Folger, one of the firstsettlersofNewEngland,ofwhomhonorablementionismadebyCottonMather,[11]inhischurchhistoryofthatcountry,entitledMagnaliaChristiAmericana,as"a godly, learnedEnglishman," if I remember thewords rightly. I have heardthathewrotesundrysmalloccasionalpieces,butonlyoneofthemwasprinted,which I sawnowmanyyears since. Itwaswritten in 1675, in the home-spunverse of that time and people, and addressed to those then concerned in thegovernmentthere.Itwasinfavouroflibertyofconscience,andinbehalfoftheBaptists,Quakers,andothersectariesthathadbeenunderpersecution,ascribingthe Indian wars, and other distresses that had befallen the country, to thatpersecution,assomanyjudgmentsofGodtopunishsoheinousanoffense,andexhorting a repeal of those uncharitable laws. The whole appeared to me aswritten with a good deal of decent plainness and manly freedom. The sixconcludinglinesIremember,thoughIhaveforgottenthetwofirstofthestanza;but thepurportof themwas, thathis censuresproceeded fromgood-will, and,therefore,hewouldbeknowntobetheauthor.

"Becausetobealibeller(sayshe)Ihateitwithmyheart;

FromSherburnetown,[12]wherenowIdwellMynameIdoputhere;

Withoutoffenseyourrealfriend,ItisPeterFolgier."

Myelderbrotherswereallputapprentices todifferent trades. Iwasput to thegrammar-schoolateightyearsofage,myfatherintendingtodevoteme,asthetithe[13]ofhissons,totheserviceoftheChurch.Myearlyreadinessinlearning

toread(whichmusthavebeenveryearly,asIdonotrememberwhenIcouldnotread), and the opinion of all his friends, that I should certainly make a goodscholar, encouraged him in this purpose of his. My uncle Benjamin, too,approvedofit,andproposedtogivemeallhisshort-handvolumesofsermons,Isupposeasastocktosetupwith,ifIwouldlearnhischaracter.[14]Icontinued,however, at the grammar-school not quite one year, though in that time I hadrisengraduallyfromthemiddleoftheclassofthatyeartobetheheadofit,andfartherwasremovedintothenextclassaboveit,inordertogowiththatintothethirdattheendoftheyear.Butmyfather,inthemeantime,fromaviewoftheexpenseofacollegeeducation,whichhavingsolargeafamilyhecouldnotwellafford,andthemeanlivingmanysoeducatedwereafterwardsabletoobtain—reasonsthathegavetohisfriendsinmyhearing—alteredhisfirstintention,tookmefromthegrammar-school,andsentmetoaschoolforwritingandarithmetic,kept by a then famous man, Mr. George Brownell, very successful in hisprofession generally, and that by mild, encouraging methods. Under him Iacquired fair writing pretty soon, but I failed in the arithmetic, and made noprogress in it. At ten years old I was taken home to assist my father in hisbusiness,whichwasthatofatallow-chandlerandsope-boiler;abusinesshewasnotbredto,buthadassumedonhisarrivalinNewEngland,andonfindinghisdyeingtradewouldnotmaintainhisfamily,beinginlittlerequest.Accordingly,Iwasemployedincuttingwickforthecandles,fillingthedippingmouldandthemouldsforcastcandles,attendingtheshop,goingoferrands,etc.

I disliked the trade, and had a strong inclination for the sea, but my fatherdeclaredagainstit;however, livingnearthewater,Iwasmuchinandaboutit,learntearlytoswimwell,andtomanageboats;andwheninaboatorcanoewithother boys, I was commonly allowed to govern, especially in any case ofdifficulty; and uponother occasions Iwas generally a leader among the boys,andsometimesledthemintoscrapes,ofwhichIwillmentiononeinstance,asitshowsanearlyprojectingpublicspirit,tho'notthenjustlyconducted.

Therewasasalt-marshthatboundedpartofthemill-pond,ontheedgeofwhich,athighwater,weusedtostandtofishforminnows.Bymuchtrampling,wehadmade itamerequagmire.Myproposalwas tobuildawharf there fit forus tostand upon, and I showed my comrades a large heap of stones, which wereintended for anewhousenear themarsh, andwhichwouldverywell suitourpurpose. Accordingly, in the evening, when the workmen were gone, Iassembledanumberofmyplayfellows,andworkingwiththemdiligentlylikesomanyemmets,sometimestwoorthreetoastone,webroughtthemallawayand

builtourlittlewharf.Thenextmorningtheworkmenweresurprisedatmissingthestones,whichwerefoundinourwharf.Inquirywasmadeaftertheremovers;we were discovered and complained of; several of us were corrected by ourfathers; and, though I pleaded theusefulness of thework,mine convincedmethatnothingwasusefulwhichwasnothonest.

Ithinkyoumayliketoknowsomethingofhispersonandcharacter.Hehadanexcellent constitution of body, was of middle stature, but well set, and verystrong;hewasingenious,coulddrawprettily,wasskilledalittle inmusic,andhadaclear,pleasingvoice,sothatwhenheplayedpsalmtunesonhisviolinandsungwithal,ashesometimesdidinaneveningafterthebusinessofthedaywasover, itwasextremelyagreeable tohear.Hehadamechanicalgenius too,and,onoccasion,wasveryhandyintheuseofothertradesmen'stools;buthisgreatexcellence lay in a sound understanding and solid judgment in prudentialmatters, both inprivate andpublick affairs. In the latter, indeed,hewasneveremployed, the numerous family he had to educate and the straitness of hiscircumstances keeping him close to his trade; but I remember well his beingfrequentlyvisitedbyleadingpeople,whoconsultedhimforhisopinioninaffairsofthetownorofthechurchhebelongedto,andshowedagooddealofrespectfor his judgment and advice: he was also much consulted by private personsabout their affairs when any difficulty occurred, and frequently chosen anarbitratorbetweencontendingparties.Athis tablehelikedtohave,asoftenashe could, some sensible friend or neighbor to conversewith, and always tookcare tostart some ingeniousoruseful topic fordiscourse,whichmight tend toimprovethemindsofhischildren.Bythismeansheturnedourattentiontowhatwasgood,just,andprudentintheconductoflife;andlittleornonoticewasevertaken of what related to the victuals on the table, whether it was well or illdressed,inoroutofseason,ofgoodorbadflavor,preferableorinferiortothisorthatotherthingofthekind,sothatIwasbro'tupinsuchaperfectinattentiontothosemattersastobequiteindifferentwhatkindoffoodwassetbeforeme,and sounobservantof it, that to thisday if I amasked I can scarce tell a fewhours after dinner what I dined upon. This has been a convenience to me intraveling,wheremycompanionshavebeensometimesveryunhappyforwantofa suitable gratification of theirmore delicate, because better instructed, tastesandappetites.

My mother had likewise an excellent constitution: she suckled all her tenchildren.Ineverkneweithermyfatherormothertohaveanysicknessbutthatofwhichtheydy'd,heat89,andsheat85yearsofage.Theylieburiedtogether

atBoston,where I someyears sinceplacedamarbleover theirgrave,[15]withthisinscription:

JOSIAHFRANKLIN,and

ABIAHhiswife,liehereinterred.

Theylivedlovinglytogetherinwedlockfifty-fiveyears.

Withoutanestate,oranygainfulemployment,Byconstantlaborandindustry,

withGod'sblessing,Theymaintainedalargefamily

comfortably,andbroughtupthirteenchildren

andsevengrandchildrenreputably.

Fromthisinstance,reader,Beencouragedtodiligenceinthycalling,

AnddistrustnotProvidence.Hewasapiousandprudentman;

She,adiscreetandvirtuouswoman.Theiryoungestson,

Infilialregardtotheirmemory,Placesthisstone.

J.F.born1655,died1744,Ætat89.A.F.born1667,died1752,——85.

Bymyramblingdigressions Iperceivemyself tobegrownold. Ius'd towritemoremethodically.Butonedoesnotdressforprivatecompanyasforapublickball.'Tisperhapsonlynegligence.

Toreturn:Icontinuedthusemployedinmyfather'sbusinessfortwoyears,thatis, till I was twelve years old; and my brother John, who was bred to thatbusiness,havingleftmyfather,married,andsetupforhimselfatRhodeIsland,therewasallappearancethatIwasdestinedtosupplyhisplace,andbecomeatallow-chandler. But my dislike to the trade continuing, my father was underapprehensionsthatifhedidnotfindoneformemoreagreeable,Ishouldbreakaway and get to sea, as his son Josiah had done, to his great vexation. Hetherefore sometimes took me to walk with him, and see joiners, bricklayers,turners,braziers, etc., at theirwork, thathemightobservemy inclination, andendeavor to fix it on some trade or other on land. It has ever since been apleasuretometoseegoodworkmenhandletheirtools;andithasbeenusefultome,havinglearntsomuchbyitastobeabletodolittlejobsmyselfinmyhousewhenaworkmancouldnot readilybegot, and toconstruct littlemachines formy experiments, while the intention ofmaking the experiment was fresh and

warminmymind.Myfatheratlastfixeduponthecutler'strade,andmyuncleBenjamin'ssonSamuel,whowasbredto thatbusiness inLondon,beingaboutthattimeestablishedinBoston,Iwassenttobewithhimsometimeonliking.Buthisexpectationsofafeewithmedispleasingmyfather, Iwas takenhomeagain.

[3]A small village not far fromWinchester inHampshire, southern England.Herewas the country seat of the Bishop of St. Asaph, Dr. Jonathan Shipley, the "goodBishop," as Dr. Franklin used to style him. Their relations were intimate andconfidential.Inhispulpit,andintheHouseofLords,aswellasinsociety,thebishopalwaysopposedtheharshmeasuresoftheCrowntowardtheColonies.—Bigelow.

[4] In thisconnectionWoodrowWilsonsays,"Andyet thesurprisinganddelightfulthingaboutthisbook(theAutobiography)isthat,takeitallinall,ithasnotthelowtoneofconceit,butisastaunchman'ssoberandunaffectedassessmentofhimselfandthecircumstancesofhiscareer."

[5]SeeIntroduction.

[6]Asmalllandowner.

[7] January 17, new style. This change in the calendarwasmade in 1582 by PopeGregory XIII, and adopted in England in 1752. Every year whose number in thecommon reckoning since Christ is not divisible by 4, aswell as every yearwhosenumber isdivisibleby100butnotby400, shallhave365days,andallotheryearsshallhave366days.Intheeighteenthcenturytherewasadifferenceofelevendaysbetween the old and the new style of reckoning, which the English Parliamentcanceledbymakingthe3rdofSeptember,1752,the14th.TheJuliancalendar,or"oldstyle," is still retained inRussia andGreece,whose dates consequently are now13daysbehindthoseofotherChristiancountries.

[8]ThespecimenisnotinthemanuscriptoftheAutobiography.

[9]SecretgatheringsofdissentersfromtheestablishedChurch.

[10] Franklinwas born on Sunday, January 6, old style, 1706, in a house onMilkStreet,oppositetheOldSouthMeetingHouse,wherehewasbaptizedonthedayofhisbirth,duringasnowstorm.Thehousewherehewasbornwasburnedin1810.—Griffin.

[11]CottonMather(1663-1728),clergyman,author,andscholar.PastoroftheNorthChurch,Boston.Hetookanactivepartinthepersecutionofwitchcraft.

[12]Nantucket.

[13]Tenth.

[14]Systemofshort-hand.

[15]Thismarblehavingdecayed,thecitizensofBostonin1827erectedinitsplaceagranite obelisk, twenty-one feet high, bearing the original inscription quoted in thetextandanotherexplainingtheerectionofthemonument.

II

BEGINNINGLIFEASAPRINTER

block-FROMachildIwasfondofreading,andallthelittlemoneythatcameintomyhandswaseverlaidoutinbooks.PleasedwiththePilgrim'sProgress,my first collection was of John Bunyan's works in separate little volumes. IafterwardsoldthemtoenablemetobuyR.Burton'sHistoricalCollections;theywere small chapmen's books, [16] and cheap, 40 or 50 in all.My father's littlelibraryconsistedchieflyofbooksinpolemicdivinity,mostofwhichIread,andhavesinceoftenregrettedthat,atatimewhenIhadsuchathirstforknowledge,moreproperbookshadnotfalleninmyway,sinceitwasnowresolvedIshouldnotbeaclergyman.Plutarch'sLivestherewasinwhichIreadabundantly,andIstillthinkthattimespenttogreatadvantage.TherewasalsoabookofDeFoe's,called anEssay on Projects, and another ofDr.Mather's, calledEssays to doGood,whichperhapsgavemeaturnofthinkingthathadaninfluenceonsomeoftheprincipalfutureeventsofmylife.

Thisbookish inclination at lengthdeterminedmy father tomakemeaprinter,thoughhehadalreadyoneson (James)of thatprofession. In1717mybrotherJames returned fromEnglandwithapressand letters to setuphisbusiness inBoston.Ilikeditmuchbetterthanthatofmyfather,butstillhadahankeringforthesea.Topreventtheapprehendedeffectofsuchaninclination,myfatherwasimpatienttohavemeboundtomybrother.Istoodoutsometime,butatlastwaspersuaded,andsignedtheindentureswhenIwasyetbuttwelveyearsold.Iwasto serve as an apprentice till Iwas twenty-one years of age, only Iwas to beallowed journeyman'swages during the last year. In a little time Imade greatproficiencyinthebusiness,andbecameausefulhandtomybrother.Inowhadaccess to better books. An acquaintance with the apprentices of booksellersenabledmesometimestoborrowasmallone,whichIwascarefultoreturnsoonandclean.OftenIsatupinmyroomreadingthegreatestpartofthenight,whenthebookwasborrowedintheeveningandtobereturnedearlyinthemorning,lestitshouldbemissedorwanted.

Andaftersome timean ingenious tradesman,Mr.MatthewAdams,whohadaprettycollectionofbooks,andwhofrequentedourprinting-house,tooknoticeofme,invitedmetohislibrary,andverykindlylentmesuchbooksasIchosetoread. I now took a fancy to poetry, andmade some little pieces; my brother,thinking it might turn to account, encouraged me, and put me on composing

occasional ballads.Onewas calledTheLighthouseTragedy, and contained anaccountofthedrowningofCaptainWorthilake,withhistwodaughters:theotherwasasailor'ssong,onthetakingofTeach(orBlackbeard)thepirate.Theywerewretchedstuff,intheGrub-street-balladstyle;[17]andwhentheywereprintedhesentmeaboutthetowntosellthem.Thefirstsoldwonderfully,theeventbeingrecent, having made a great noise. This flattered my vanity; but my fatherdiscouraged me by ridiculing my performances, and telling me verse-makerswere generally beggars. So I escaped being a poet,most probably a very badone;butasprosewritinghasbeenofgreatuse tomein thecourseofmylife,andwasaprincipalmeansofmyadvancement, I shall tellyouhow, insuchasituation,IacquiredwhatlittleabilityIhaveinthatway.

Therewasanotherbookishladinthetown,JohnCollinsbyname,withwhomIwas intimately acquainted.We sometimesdisputed, andvery fondwewereofargument,andverydesirousofconfutingoneanother,whichdisputatious turn,by theway, isapt tobecomeaverybadhabit,makingpeopleoftenextremelydisagreeable in companyby the contradiction that is necessary to bring it intopractice;andthence,besidessouringandspoilingtheconversation,isproductiveofdisgustsand,perhapsenmitieswhereyoumayhaveoccasionforfriendship.Ihadcaughtitbyreadingmyfather'sbooksofdisputeaboutreligion.Personsofgoodsense,Ihavesinceobserved,seldomfallintoit,exceptlawyers,universitymen,andmenofallsortsthathavebeenbredatEdinborough.

Aquestionwasonce,somehoworother,startedbetweenCollinsandme,oftheproprietyofeducatingthefemalesexinlearning,andtheirabilitiesforstudy.Hewasofopinionthatitwasimproper,andthattheywerenaturallyunequaltoit.Itookthecontraryside,perhapsalittlefordispute'ssake.Hewasnaturallymoreeloquent, had a ready plenty ofwords, and sometimes, as I thought, boremedownmore by his fluency than by the strength of his reasons. As we partedwithoutsettlingthepoint,andwerenottoseeoneanotheragainforsometime,Isatdowntoputmyargumentsinwriting,whichIcopiedfairandsenttohim.Heanswered, and I replied. Three or four letters of a side had passed, whenmyfather happened to find my papers and read them. Without entering into thediscussion, he took occasion to talk to me about the manner of my writing;observed that, though Ihad theadvantageofmyantagonist incorrect spellingandpointing(whichIow'dtotheprinting-house),Ifellfarshortineleganceofexpression,inmethodandinperspicuity,ofwhichheconvincedmebyseveralinstances.Isawthejusticeofhisremarks,andthencegrewmoreattentivetothemannerinwriting,anddeterminedtoendeavoratimprovement.

AboutthistimeImetwithanoddvolumeoftheSpectator.[18]Itwasthethird.Ihadneverbeforeseenanyof them.Ibought it, read itoverandover,andwasmuchdelightedwithit.Ithoughtthewritingexcellent,andwished,ifpossible,toimitateit.WiththisviewItooksomeofthepapers,and,makingshorthintsofthe sentiment in each sentence, laid them by a few days, and then, withoutlooking at the book, try'd to compleat the papers again, by expressing eachhintedsentimentat length,andasfullyasithadbeenexpressedbefore, inanysuitablewords that should come tohand.Then I comparedmySpectatorwiththe original, discovered some ofmy faults, and corrected them.But I found Iwantedastockofwords,orareadinessinrecollectingandusingthem,whichIthoughtIshouldhaveacquiredbeforethattimeifIhadgoneonmakingverses;since the continual occasion for words of the same import, but of differentlength,tosuitthemeasure,orofdifferentsoundfortherhyme,wouldhavelaidmeunderaconstantnecessityofsearchingforvariety,andalsohavetendedtofixthatvarietyinmymind,andmakememasterofit.ThereforeItooksomeofthe tales and turned them intoverse; and, after a time,when Ihadprettywellforgotten the prose, turned them back again. I also sometimes jumbled mycollectionsofhintsintoconfusion,andaftersomeweeksendeavoredtoreducethemintothebestorder,beforeIbegantoformthefullsentencesandcompleatthe paper. This was to teach me method in the arrangement of thoughts. Bycomparingmyworkafterwardswiththeoriginal,Idiscoveredmanyfaultsandamended them; but I sometimes had the pleasure of fancying that, in certainparticularsofsmallimport,Ihadbeenluckyenoughtoimprovethemethodofthelanguage,andthisencouragedmetothinkImightpossiblyintimecometobeatolerableEnglishwriter,ofwhichIwasextremelyambitious.Mytimefortheseexercisesandforreadingwasatnight,afterworkorbeforeitbeganinthemorning, or on Sundays, when I contrived to be in the printing-house alone,evadingasmuchasIcouldthecommonattendanceonpublicworshipwhichmyfatherused toexactofmewhenIwasunderhiscare,andwhich indeedIstillthoughtaduty,thoughtIcouldnot,asitseemedtome,affordtimetopractiseit.

When about 16 years of age I happened tomeetwith a book,written by oneTryon, recommendingavegetablediet. Idetermined togo into it.Mybrother,beingyetunmarried,didnotkeephouse,butboardedhimselfandhisapprenticesinanother family.Myrefusing toeat fleshoccasionedan inconveniency,andIwas frequentlychid formysingularity. ImademyselfacquaintedwithTryon'smannerofpreparingsomeofhisdishes,suchasboilingpotatoesorrice,makinghasty pudding, and a few others, and then proposed tomy brother, that if hewould giveme,weekly, half themoney he paid formy board, Iwould board

myself.He instantly agreed to it, and I presently found that I could save halfwhat he paid me. This was an additional fund for buying books. But I hadanotheradvantageinit.Mybrotherandtherestgoingfromtheprinting-housetotheirmeals, I remained therealone,and,dispatchingpresentlymy light repast,whichoftenwasnomorethanabisketorasliceofbread,ahandfulofraisinsora tart from thepastry-cook's, andaglassofwater,had the restof the time tilltheir return for study, inwhich Imade the greater progress, from that greaterclearnessofheadandquickerapprehensionwhichusuallyattendtemperanceineatinganddrinking.

Andnowitwasthat,beingonsomeoccasionmadeasham'dofmyignoranceinfigures, which I had twice failed in learning when at school, I took Cocker'sbookofArithmetick,andwent through thewholebymyselfwithgreatease. Ialso read Seller's and Shermy's books of Navigation, and became acquaintedwith the little geometry they contain; but never proceeded far in that science.AndIreadaboutthistimeLockeOnHumanUnderstanding,[19]and theArtofThinking,byMessrs.duPortRoyal.[20]

WhileIwasintentonimprovingmylanguage,ImetwithanEnglishgrammar(IthinkitwasGreenwood's),attheendofwhichthereweretwolittlesketchesoftheartsofrhetoricandlogic,thelatterfinishingwithaspecimenofadisputeintheSocratic[21]method;andsoonafterIprocur'dXenophon'sMemorableThingsofSocrates,whereintherearemanyinstancesofthesamemethod.Iwascharm'dwith it, adopted it, droptmy abrupt contradiction and positive argumentation,and put on the humble inquirer and doubter. And being then, from readingShaftesburyandCollins,becomearealdoubterinmanypointsofourreligiousdoctrine, I found thismethodsafest formyselfandveryembarrassing to thoseagainstwhomIused it; therefore I tookadelight in it,practis'd it continually,andgrewveryartfulandexpertindrawingpeople,evenofsuperiorknowledge,into concessions, the consequences of which they did not foresee, entanglingthem in difficulties out of which they could not extricate themselves, and soobtainingvictoriesthatneithermyselfnormycausealwaysdeserved.Icontinu'dthis method some few years, but gradually left it, retaining only the habit ofexpressingmyselfintermsofmodestdiffidence;neverusing,whenIadvancedanythingthatmaypossiblybedisputed,thewordscertainly,undoubtedly,oranyothersthatgivetheairofpositivenesstoanopinion;butrathersay,Iconceiveorapprehendathingtobesoandso;itappearstome,orIshouldthinkitsoorso,for such and such reasons; or I imagine it to be so; or it is so, if I am notmistaken.Thishabit,Ibelieve,hasbeenofgreatadvantagetomewhenIhave

hadoccasion to inculcatemyopinions, andpersuademen intomeasures that Ihave been from time to time engaged in promoting; and, as the chief ends ofconversationare to inform or to be informed, toplease or topersuade, Iwishwell-meaning, sensiblemenwould not lessen their power of doing good by apositive, assuming manner, that seldom fails to disgust, tends to createopposition,andtodefeateveryoneofthosepurposesforwhichspeechwasgivento us, to wit, giving or receiving information or pleasure. For, if you wouldinform, a positive and dogmatical manner in advancing your sentiments mayprovoke contradiction and prevent a candid attention. If youwish informationand improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same timeexpressyourselfasfirmlyfix'dinyourpresentopinions,modest,sensiblemen,who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in thepossession of your error. And by such a manner, you can seldom hope torecommend yourself in pleasing your hearers, or to persuade those whoseconcurrenceyoudesire.Pope[22]says,judiciously:

"Menshouldbetaughtasifyoutaughtthemnot,Andthingsunknownpropos'dasthingsforgot;"

fartherrecommendingtous

"Tospeak,tho'sure,withseemingdiffidence."

And he might have coupled with this line that which he has coupled withanother,Ithink,lessproperly,

"Forwantofmodestyiswantofsense."

Ifyouask,Whylessproperly?Imustrepeatthelines,

"Immodestwordsadmitofnodefense,Forwantofmodestyiswantofsense."

Now, isnotwantofsense (where aman is sounfortunate as towant it) someapologyforhiswantofmodesty?andwouldnotthelinesstandmorejustlythus?

"Immodestwordsadmitbutthisdefense,Thatwantofmodestyiswantofsense."

This,however,Ishouldsubmittobetterjudgments.

Mybrotherhad,in1720or1721,beguntoprintanewspaper.ItwasthesecondthatappearedinAmerica,[23]andwascalledtheNewEnglandCourant.Theonly

onebefore itwas theBostonNews-Letter. I rememberhisbeingdissuadedbysome of his friends from the undertaking, as not likely to succeed, onenewspaper being, in their judgment, enough forAmerica.At this time (1771)there are not less than five-and-twenty. He went on, however, with theundertaking,andafterhavingworkedincomposingthetypesandprintingoffthesheets,Iwasemployedtocarrythepapersthro'thestreetstothecustomers.

FirstpageofTheNewEnglandCourantofDec.4-11,1721.

FirstpageofTheNewEnglandCourantofDec.4-11,1721.Reducedaboutone-third.FromacopyintheLibraryoftheMassachusettsHistoricalSociety

He had some ingenious men among his friends, who amus'd themselves bywriting little pieces for this paper,which gain'd it credit andmade itmore indemand,andthesegentlemenoftenvisitedus.Hearingtheirconversations,andtheiraccountsoftheapprobationtheirpaperswerereceivedwith,Iwasexcitedto try my hand among them; but, being still a boy, and suspecting that mybrotherwouldobjecttoprintinganythingofmineinhispaperifheknewittobemine,Icontrivedtodisguisemyhand,and,writingananonymouspaper,Iputitinatnightunderthedooroftheprinting-house.Itwasfoundinthemorning,andcommunicatedtohiswritingfriendswhentheycall'd inasusual.Theyreadit,commentedonitinmyhearing,andIhadtheexquisitepleasureoffindingitmetwith their approbation, and that, in their different guesses at the author, nonewerenamedbutmenofsomecharacteramongusfor learningand ingenuity. Isupposenowthat Iwas rather lucky inmy judges,and thatperhaps theywerenotreallysoverygoodonesasIthenesteem'dthem.

Encourag'd,however,bythis,Iwroteandconveyedinthesamewaytothepressseveralmorepaperswhichwereequallyapprov'd;andIkeptmysecret tillmysmallfundofsenseforsuchperformanceswasprettywellexhausted,andthenIdiscovered[24] it,when I began to be considered a littlemore bymy brother'sacquaintance, and in a manner that did not quite please him, as he thought,probably with reason, that it tended tomakeme too vain. And, perhaps, thismightbeoneoccasionofthedifferencesthatwebegantohaveaboutthistime.Thoughabrother,heconsideredhimselfasmymaster,andmeashisapprentice,and,accordingly,expectedthesameservicesfrommeashewouldfromanother,whileIthoughthedemean'dmetoomuchinsomeherequir'dofme,whofromabrotherexpectedmore indulgence.Ourdisputeswereoftenbroughtbeforeour

father, and I fancy Iwas either generally in the right, or else a better pleader,becausethejudgmentwasgenerallyinmyfavor.Butmybrotherwaspassionate,and had often beaten me, which I took extreamly amiss; and, thinking myapprenticeshipverytedious,Iwascontinuallywishingforsomeopportunityofshorteningit,whichatlengthofferedinamannerunexpected.

Iwasemployedtocarrythepapersthro'thestreetstothecustomers"Iwasemployedtocarrythepapersthro'thestreetstothecustomers"

Oneof thepieces inournewspaperonsomepoliticalpoint,whichIhavenowforgotten, gave offense to the Assembly. He was taken up, censur'd, andimprison'd foramonth,by thespeaker'swarrant, I suppose,becausehewouldnotdiscoverhisauthor.Itoowastakenupandexamin'dbeforethecouncil;but,tho' I did not give them any satisfaction, they contented themselves withadmonishingme,anddismissedme,consideringme,perhaps,asanapprentice,whowasboundtokeephismaster'ssecrets.

Duringmybrother'sconfinement,whichIresentedagooddeal,notwithstandingourprivatedifferences,Ihadthemanagementofthepaper;andImadeboldtogiveourrulerssomerubsinit,whichmybrothertookverykindly,whileothersbegantoconsidermeinanunfavorablelight,asayounggeniusthathadaturnforlibelingandsatyr.Mybrother'sdischargewasaccompany'dwithanorderoftheHouse (a very odd one), that "James Franklin should no longer print thepapercalledtheNewEnglandCourant."

Therewasaconsultationheldinourprinting-houseamonghisfriends,whatheshoulddointhiscase.Someproposedtoevadetheorderbychangingthenameof the paper; but my brother, seeing inconveniences in that, it was finallyconcludedonasabetterway,toletitbeprintedforthefutureunderthenameofBENJAMINFRANKLIN;andtoavoidthecensureoftheAssembly,thatmightfallonhim as still printing it by his apprentice, the contrivance was that my oldindentureshouldbereturn'dtome,withafulldischargeonthebackofit,tobeshownonoccasion,buttosecuretohimthebenefitofmyservice,Iwastosignnewindenturesfortheremainderoftheterm,whichweretobekeptprivate.Averyflimsyschemeitwas;however,itwasimmediatelyexecuted,andthepaperwentonaccordingly,undermynameforseveralmonths.

Atlength,afreshdifferencearisingbetweenmybrotherandme,Itookuponmetoassertmyfreedom,presumingthathewouldnotventuretoproducethenewindentures. It was not fair in me to take this advantage, and this I therefore

reckononeof the first errataofmy life;but theunfairnessof itweighed littlewithme,whenundertheimpressionsofresentmentfortheblowshispassiontoooftenurgedhimtobestowuponme,thoughhewasotherwisenotanill-natur'dman:perhapsIwastoosaucyandprovoking.

When he found I would leave him, he took care to prevent my gettingemployment in any other printing-house of the town, by going round andspeaking to every master, who accordingly refus'd to give me work. I thenthoughtofgoing toNewYork,as thenearestplacewhere therewasaprinter;andIwasratherinclin'dtoleaveBostonwhenIreflectedthatIhadalreadymademyself a little obnoxious to the governing party, and, from the arbitraryproceedings of the Assembly in my brother's case, it was likely I might, if Istay'd, soon bring myself into scrapes; and farther, that my indiscreetdisputations about religion began tomakeme pointed atwith horror by goodpeople as an infidel or atheist. I determin'd on the point, but my father nowsidingwithmybrother, Iwassensible that, if Iattempted togoopenly,meanswouldbeusedtopreventme.MyfriendCollins,therefore,undertooktomanagealittleforme.HeagreedwiththecaptainofaNewYorksloopformypassage,underthenotionofmybeingayoungacquaintanceofhis.SoIsoldsomeofmybookstoraisealittlemoney,wastakenonboardprivately,andaswehadafairwind, inthreedaysIfoundmyself inNewYork,near300milesfromhome,aboyofbut17,withouttheleastrecommendationto,orknowledgeof,anypersonintheplace,andwithverylittlemoneyinmypocket.

[16]Smallbooks,soldbychapmenorpeddlers.

[17]Grub-street:famousinEnglishliteratureasthehomeofpoorwriters.

[18]AdailyLondonjournal,comprisingsatiricalessaysonsocialsubjects,publishedbyAddison and Steele in 1711-1712. TheSpectator and its predecessor, theTatler(1709),markedthebeginningofperiodicalliterature.

[19] John Locke (1632-1704), a celebrated English philosopher, founder of the so-called "common-sense" school of philosophers. He drew up a constitution for thecolonistsofCarolina.

[20]AnotedsocietyofscholarlyanddevoutmenoccupyingtheabbeyofPortRoyalnearParis,whopublishedlearnedworks,amongthemtheoneherereferredto,betterknownasthePortRoyalLogic.

[21] Socrates confuted his opponents in argument by asking questions so skillfullydevisedthattheanswerswouldconfirmthequestioner'spositionorshowtheerroroftheopponent.

[22]Alexander Pope (1688-1744), the greatest English poet of the first half of theeighteenthcentury.

[23]Franklin'smemorydoesnotservehimcorrectlyhere.TheCourantwasreallythefifthnewspaperestablishedinAmerica,althoughgenerallycalledthefourth,becausethefirst,PublicOccurrences,published inBoston in1690,wassuppressedafter thefirst issue. Following is the order in which the other four papers were published:BostonNewsLetter,1704;BostonGazette,December21,1719;TheAmericanWeeklyMercury,Philadelphia,December22,1719;TheNewEnglandCourant,1721.

[24]Disclosed.

Sailboat

III

ARRIVALINPHILADELPHIA

block-MYinclinationsfortheseawerebythistimeworneout,orImightnowhave gratify'd them. But, having a trade, and supposingmyself a pretty goodworkman, I offer'd my service to the printer in the place, old Mr. WilliamBradford, who had been the first printer in Pennsylvania, but removed fromthence upon the quarrel of George Keith. He could giveme no employment,having little to do, and help enough already; but says he, "My son atPhiladelphiahaslatelylosthisprincipalhand,AquillaRose,bydeath;ifyougothither,Ibelievehemayemployyou."Philadelphiawasahundredmilesfurther;Isetout,however,inaboatforAmboy,leavingmychestandthingstofollowmeroundbysea.

In crossing the bay, wemet with a squall that tore our rotten sails to pieces,prevented our getting into theKill,[25] and drove us uponLong Island. In ourway, a drunkenDutchman,whowas a passenger too, fell overboard;whenhewassinking,Ireachedthroughthewatertohisshockpate,anddrewhimup,sothatwegothiminagain.Hisduckingsoberedhimalittle,andhewenttosleep,taking first out of his pocket a book,whichhedesir'd Iwoulddry for him. Itproved to be my old favorite author, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, in Dutch,finelyprintedongoodpaper,withcoppercuts,adressbetterthanIhadeverseenitwear in itsown language. Ihavesince found that ithasbeen translated intomostof the languagesofEurope,andsuppose ithasbeenmoregenerally readthananyotherbook,exceptperhapstheBible.HonestJohnwasthefirst thatIknowofwhomix'dnarrationanddialogue;amethodofwritingveryengagingtothe reader,who in themost interestingparts findshimself, as itwere, brought

into the company and present at the discourse.DeFoe in hisCruso, hisMollFlanders,ReligiousCourtship,FamilyInstructor,andotherpieces,hasimitateditwithsuccess;andRichardson[26]hasdonethesameinhisPamela,etc.

Whenwedrewneartheisland,wefounditwasataplacewheretherecouldbenolanding,therebeingagreatsurffonthestonybeach.Sowedroptanchor,andswungroundtowardstheshore.Somepeoplecamedowntothewateredgeandhallow'd to us, aswedid to them; but thewindwas so high, and the surff soloud,thatwecouldnothearsoastounderstandeachother.Therewerecanoesontheshore,andwemadesigns,andhallow'dthattheyshouldfetchus;buttheyeitherdidnotunderstandus,orthoughtitimpracticable,sotheywentaway,andnightcomingon,wehadnoremedybuttowaittillthewindshouldabate;and,in the meantime, the boatman and I concluded to sleep, if we could; and socrowded into the scuttle,with theDutchman,whowas stillwet, and the spraybeatingovertheheadofourboat,leak'dthro'tous,sothatweweresoonalmostaswetashe.Inthismannerwelayallnight,withverylittlerest;but,thewindabatingthenextday,wemadeashifttoreachAmboybeforenight,havingbeenthirtyhoursonthewater,withoutvictuals,oranydrinkbutabottleoffilthyrum,andthewaterwesail'donbeingsalt.

IntheeveningIfoundmyselfveryfeverish,andwentintobed;but,havingreadsomewherethatcoldwaterdrankplentifullywasgoodforafever,Ifollow'dtheprescription, sweat plentifullymost of the night,my fever leftme, and in themorning, crossing the ferry, I proceeded on my journey on foot, having fiftymilestoBurlington,whereIwastoldIshouldfindboatsthatwouldcarrymetherestofthewaytoPhiladelphia.

Itrainedveryhardalltheday

Itrainedveryhardalltheday;Iwasthoroughlysoak'd,andbynoonagooddealtired;soIstoptatapoorinn,whereIstaidallnight,beginningnowtowishthatIhad never left home. I cut so miserable a figure, too, that I found, by thequestionsask'dme,Iwassuspectedtobesomerunawayservant,andindangerofbeingtakenuponthatsuspicion.However,Iproceededthenextday,andgotintheeveningtoaninn,withineightortenmilesofBurlington,keptbyoneDr.Brown.He entered into conversationwithmewhile I took some refreshment,and, finding I had read a little, became very sociable and friendly. Ouracquaintancecontinu'daslongasheliv'd.Hehadbeen,I imagine,anitinerantdoctor, for therewas no town in England, or country in Europe, ofwhich hecouldnotgiveaveryparticularaccount.Hehadsomeletters,andwasingenious,butmuchofanunbeliever,andwickedlyundertook,someyearsafter,totravestytheBibleindoggrelverse,asCottonhaddoneVirgil.Bythismeanshesetmanyof the facts in a very ridiculous light, andmight have hurtweakminds if hisworkhadbeenpublished;butitneverwas.

AthishouseIlaythatnight,andthenextmorningreach'dBurlington,buthadthe mortification to find that the regular boats were gone a little before mycoming, 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 boughtgingerbreadtoeatonthewater,andask'dheradvice.Sheinvitedmetolodgeather house till a passage by water should offer; and being tired with my foottraveling, I accepted the invitation. She understanding I was a printer, wouldhave hadme stay at that town and followmy business, being ignorant of thestocknecessarytobeginwith.Shewasveryhospitable,gavemeadinnerofox-cheekwithgreatgoodwill,acceptingonlyofapotofaleinreturn;andIthoughtmyselffixedtillTuesdayshouldcome.However,walkingintheeveningbythesideoftheriver,aboatcameby,whichIfoundwasgoingtowardsPhiladelphia,withseveralpeopleinher.Theytookmein,and,astherewasnowind,werow'dall the way; and about midnight, not having yet seen the city, some of thecompanywereconfidentwemusthavepassedit,andwouldrownofarther;theothersknewnotwherewewere; soweput toward theshore,got intoacreek,landednearanoldfence,withtherailsofwhichwemadeafire,thenightbeingcold,inOctober,andthereweremainedtilldaylight.ThenoneofthecompanyknewtheplacetobeCooper'sCreek,alittleabovePhiladelphia,whichwesawassoonaswegotoutofthecreek,andarriv'dthereabouteightornineo'clockontheSundaymorning,andlandedattheMarket-streetwharf.

Ihavebeenthemoreparticularinthisdescriptionofmyjourney,andshallbesoofmyfirstentryintothatcity,thatyoumayinyourmindcomparesuchunlikelybeginningswiththefigureIhavesincemadethere.Iwasinmyworkingdress,mybestclothesbeingtocomeroundbysea.Iwasdirtyfrommyjourney;mypocketswerestuff'doutwithshirtsandstockings,andIknewnosoulnorwheretolookforlodging.Iwasfatiguedwithtraveling,rowing,andwantofrest,Iwasveryhungry;andmywholestockofcashconsistedofaDutchdollar,andaboutashillingincopper.ThelatterIgavethepeopleoftheboatformypassage,whoat first refus'd it,onaccountofmy rowing;but I insistedon their taking it.Amanbeingsometimesmoregenerouswhenhehasbutalittlemoneythanwhenhehasplenty,perhapsthro'fearofbeingthoughttohavebutlittle.

ThenIwalkedupthestreet,gazingabouttillnearthemarket-houseImetaboywithbread.Ihadmademanyamealonbread,and,inquiringwherehegotit,Iwentimmediatelytothebaker'shedirectedmeto,inSecond-street,andask'dforbisket,intendingsuchaswehadinBoston;butthey,itseems,werenotmadeinPhiladelphia.Then I asked fora three-penny loaf, andwas told theyhadnonesuch. So not considering or knowing the difference ofmoney, and the greatercheapnessnorthenamesofhisbread,Ibadehimgivemethree-pennyworthofanysort.Hegaveme,accordingly,threegreatpuffyrolls.Iwassurpris'datthequantity,buttookit,and,havingnoroominmypockets,walk'doffwitharollunder each arm, and eating the other. Thus I went upMarket-street as far asFourth-street, passing by the door ofMr.Read,my futurewife's father;whenshe,standingatthedoor,sawme,andthoughtImade,asIcertainlydid,amostawkward, ridiculousappearance.Then I turnedandwentdownChestnut-streetandpartofWalnut-street,eatingmyrollalltheway,and,cominground,foundmyselfagainatMarket-streetwharf,neartheboatIcamein,towhichIwentforadraughtoftheriverwater;and,beingfilledwithoneofmyrolls,gavetheothertwotoawomanandherchildthatcamedowntheriverintheboatwithus,andwerewaitingtogofarther.

She,standingatthedoor,sawme,andthoughtImade,asIcertainlydid,amostawkward,ridiculousappearance

"She,standingatthedoor,sawme,andthoughtImade,asIcertainlydid,amostawkward,ridiculousappearance"

Thusrefreshed,Iwalkedagainupthestreet,whichbythistimehadmanyclean-dressed people in it, whowere all walking the sameway. I joined them, andtherebywasledintothegreatmeeting-houseoftheQuakersnearthemarket.Isatdownamongthem,and,afterlookingroundawhileandhearingnothingsaid,

beingverydrowsy thro' labourandwantof rest theprecedingnight, I fell fastasleep,andcontinu'dsotillthemeetingbrokeup,whenonewaskindenoughtorouse me. This was, therefore, the first house I was in, or slept in, inPhiladelphia.

Walkingdownagaintowardtheriver,and,lookinginthefacesofpeople,ImetayoungQuakerman,whosecountenanceIlik'd,and,accostinghim,requestedhewouldtellmewhereastrangercouldgetlodging.WewerethennearthesignoftheThreeMariners."Here,"sayshe,"isoneplacethatentertainsstrangers,butitisnotareputablehouse; if theewiltwalkwithme,I'llshowtheeabetter."HebroughtmetotheCrookedBilletinWater-street.HereIgotadinner;and,whileIwaseatingit,severalslyquestionswereaskedme,asitseemedtobesuspectedfrommyyouthandappearance,thatImightbesomerunaway.

After dinner, my sleepiness return'd, and being shown to a bed, I lay downwithoutundressing,andslepttillsixintheevening,wascall'dtosupper,wenttobedagainveryearly,andsleptsoundlytillnextmorning.ThenImademyselfastidyasIcould,andwenttoAndrewBradfordtheprinter's.Ifoundintheshopthe oldmanhis father,whom I had seen atNewYork, andwho, traveling onhorseback,hadgottoPhiladelphiabeforeme.Heintroduc'dmetohisson,whoreceiv'dmecivilly,gavemeabreakfast,buttoldmehedidnotatpresentwantahand,beinglatelysuppli'dwithone;buttherewasanotherprinterintown,latelysetup,oneKeimer,who,perhaps,mightemployme;ifnot,Ishouldbewelcometolodgeathishouse,andhewouldgivemealittleworktodonowandthentillfullerbusinessshouldoffer.

Theoldgentlemansaidhewouldgowithmetothenewprinter;andwhenwefoundhim,"Neighbour,"saysBradford,"Ihavebroughttoseeyouayoungmanof your business; perhaps you may want such a one." He ask'd me a fewquestions,putacomposingstickinmyhandtoseehowIwork'd,andthensaidhewouldemploymesoon, thoughhehadjust thennothingformetodo;and,taking oldBradford,whomhe had never seen before, to be one of the town'speople thathadagoodwill forhim,enter'd intoaconversationonhispresentundertakingandprospects;whileBradford,notdiscoveringthathewastheotherprinter'sfather,onKeimer'ssayingheexpectedsoontoget thegreatestpartofthebusiness intohisownhands,drewhimonbyartfulquestions,andstartinglittle doubts, to explain all his views, what interest he reli'd on, and in whatmannerheintendedtoproceed.I,whostoodbyandheardall,sawimmediatelythat one of them was a crafty old sophister, and the other a mere novice.Bradford leftmewithKeimer,whowasgreatlysurpris'dwhenI toldhimwho

theoldmanwas.

Keimer's printing-house, I found, consisted of an old shatter'd press, and onesmall,worn-outfontofEnglish,whichhewasthenusinghimself,composinganElegyonAquillaRose,beforementioned,aningeniousyoungman,ofexcellentcharacter,muchrespectedinthetown,clerkoftheAssembly,andaprettypoet.Keimermade verses too, but very indifferently.He could not be said towritethem,forhismannerwastocomposetheminthetypesdirectlyoutofhishead.Sotherebeingnocopy,[27]butonepairofcases,andtheElegylikelytorequirealltheletter,noonecouldhelphim.Iendeavour'dtoputhispress(whichhehadnot yet us'd, and ofwhich he understood nothing) into order fit to bework'dwith;and,promisingtocomeandprintoffhisElegyassoonasheshouldhavegot it ready, I return'd to Bradford's, who gave me a little job to do for thepresent,andthereIlodgedanddieted.Afewdaysafter,KeimersentformetoprintofftheElegy.Andnowhehadgotanotherpairofcases,[28]andapamphlettoreprint,onwhichhesetmetowork.

ThesetwoprintersIfoundpoorlyqualifiedfortheirbusiness.Bradfordhadnotbeenbredtoit,andwasveryilliterate;andKeimer,tho'somethingofascholar,wasamerecompositor,knowingnothingofpresswork.HehadbeenoneoftheFrenchprophets,[29] and could act their enthusiastic agitations.At this timehedid not profess any particular religion, but something of all on occasion;wasvery ignorant of theworld, and had, as I afterward found, a good deal of theknave in his composition. He did not like my lodging at Bradford's while Iwork'dwithhim.Hehadahouse,indeed,butwithoutfurniture,sohecouldnotlodgeme;buthegotmealodgingatMr.Read'sbeforementioned,whowastheownerofhishouse;and,mychestandclothesbeingcomebythistime,ImaderatheramorerespectableappearanceintheeyesofMissReadthanIhaddonewhenshefirsthappen'dtoseemeeatingmyrollinthestreet.

Ibegannow tohavesomeacquaintanceamong theyoungpeopleof the town,thatwereloversofreading,withwhomIspentmyeveningsverypleasantly;andgainingmoneybymy industry and frugality, I livedveryagreeably, forgettingBostonasmuchasIcould,andnotdesiringthatanythereshouldknowwhereIresided, except my friend Collins, whowas inmy secret, and kept it when Iwrote to him.At length, an incident happened that sentme back againmuchsooner thanIhadintended.Ihadabrother-in-law,RobertHolmes,masterofasloop that tradedbetweenBoston andDelaware.Hebeing atNewcastle, fortymilesbelowPhiladelphia,heardthereofme,andwrotemea lettermentioning

theconcernofmyfriendsinBostonatmyabruptdeparture,assuringmeoftheirgoodwill tome,and thateverythingwouldbeaccommodated tomymind if Iwouldreturn,towhichheexhortedmeveryearnestly.Iwroteananswertohisletter,thank'dhimforhisadvice,butstatedmyreasonsforquittingBostonfullyand in such a light as to convince him I was not so wrong as he hadapprehended.

[25]KillvanKull,thechannelseparatingStatenIslandfromNewJerseyonthenorth.

[26] Samuel Richardson, the father of the English novel, wrote Pamela,ClarissaHarlowe,andtheHistoryofSirCharlesGrandison,novelspublishedintheformofletters.

[27]Manuscript.

[28]The frames forholding typeare in twosections, theupper forcapitalsand thelowerforsmallletters.

[29]ProtestantsoftheSouthofFrance,whobecamefanaticalunderthepersecutionsofLouisXIV,and thought theyhad thegiftofprophecy.Theyhadasmottoes "NoTaxes"and"LibertyofConscience."

IV

FIRSTVISITTOBOSTON

block-SIRWILLIAMKEITH,governoroftheprovince,wasthenatNewcastle,andCaptainHolmes,happeningtobeincompanywithhimwhenmylettercametohand,spoketohimofme,andshow'dhimtheletter.Thegovernorreadit,andseem'dsurpris'dwhenhewas toldmyage.HesaidIappear'dayoungmanofpromisingparts,andthereforeshouldbeencouraged;theprintersatPhiladelphiawerewretched ones; and, if Iwould set up there, hemade no doubt I shouldsucceed;forhispart,hewouldprocuremethepublicbusiness,anddomeeveryotherserviceinhispower.Thismybrother-in-lawafterwardstoldmeinBoston,but I knew as yet nothing of it; when, one day, Keimer and I being at worktogethernear thewindow,wesaw thegovernorandanothergentleman(whichprovedtobeColonelFrench,ofNewcastle),finelydress'd,comedirectlyacrossthestreettoourhouse,andheardthematthedoor.

Keimer ran down immediately, thinking it a visit to him; but the governorinquir'd forme, cameup, andwith a condescensionandpoliteness I hadbeen

quiteunus'dto,madememanycompliments,desiredtobeacquaintedwithme,blam'dmekindlyfornothavingmademyselfknowntohimwhenIfirstcametotheplace,andwouldhavemeawaywithhimtothetavern,wherehewasgoingwithColonel French to taste, as he said, some excellentMadeira. Iwas not alittlesurprised,andKeimerstar'd likeapigpoison'd.[30] Iwent,however,withthegovernorandColonelFrench toa tavern,at thecornerofThird-street,andover theMadeira he propos'd my setting upmy business, laid before me theprobabilities of success, and both he and Colonel French assur'dme I shouldhave their interest and influence in procuring the public business of bothgovernments.[31]Onmydoubtingwhethermy fatherwouldassistme in it,SirWilliam said he would give me a letter to him, in which he would state theadvantages,andhedidnotdoubtofprevailingwithhim.SoitwasconcludedIshould return to Boston in the first vessel, with the governor's letterrecommendingmetomyfather.Inthemeantimetheintentionwastobekeptasecret,andIwentonworkingwithKeimerasusual,thegovernorsendingformenowandthentodinewithhim,averygreathonourIthoughtit,andconversingwithmeinthemostaffable,familiar,andfriendlymannerimaginable.

About theendofApril,1724,a littlevesseloffer'd forBoston. I took leaveofKeimerasgoingtoseemyfriends.Thegovernorgavemeanampleletter,sayingmany flattering things of me to my father, and strongly recommending theprojectofmysettingupatPhiladelphiaasa thing thatmustmakemyfortune.We struck on a shoal in going down the bay, and sprung a leak; we had ablusteringtimeatsea,andwereoblig'd topumpalmostcontinually,atwhichItookmyturn.Wearriv'dsafe,however,atBostoninaboutafortnight.Ihadbeenabsent 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 unexpectedappearance surpris'd the family; all were, however, very glad to see me, andmademewelcome,exceptmybrother.Iwenttoseehimathisprinting-house.Iwasbetterdress'dthaneverwhileinhisservice,havingagenteelnewsuitfromhead to foot, awatch, andmy pockets lin'dwith near five pounds sterling insilver.Hereceiv'dmenotveryfrankly,look'dmeallover,andturn'dtohisworkagain.

Thejourneymenwereinquisitive

ThejourneymenwereinquisitivewhereIhadbeen,whatsortofacountryitwas,and how I lik'd it. I prais'd itmuch, and the happy life I led in it, expressingstronglymy intentionof returning to it; and,oneof themaskingwhatkindofmoneywehad there, Iproduc'dahandfulofsilver,andspread itbefore them,

whichwasakindof raree-show[32] theyhadnot beenus'd to, paperbeing themoneyofBoston.[33]ThenItookanopportunityoflettingthemseemywatch;and,lastly(mybrotherstillgrumandsullen),Igavethemapieceofeight[34]todrink,andtookmyleave.Thisvisitofmineoffendedhimextreamly;for,whenmymothersometimeafterspoketohimofareconciliation,andofherwishestoseeusongoodtermstogether,andthatwemightliveforthefutureasbrothers,hesaidIhadinsultedhiminsuchamannerbeforehispeoplethathecouldneverforgetorforgiveit.Inthis,however,hewasmistaken.

My father received the governor's letterwith some apparent surprise, but saidlittle of it tome for somedays,whenCapt.Holmes returning he show'd it tohim, asked him if he knewKeith, and what kind of man he was; adding hisopinion that he must be of small discretion to think of setting a boy up inbusinesswhowantedyetthreeyearsofbeingatman'sestate.Holmessaidwhathecouldinfavouroftheproject,butmyfatherwasclearintheimproprietyofit,andat last,gavea flatdenial to it.Thenhewroteacivil letter toSirWilliam,thanking him for the patronage he had so kindly offeredme, but declining toassistmeasyetinsettingup,Ibeing,inhisopinion,tooyoungtobetrustedwiththemanagementofabusinesssoimportant,andforwhichthepreparationmustbesoexpensive.

My friend and companionCollins,whowas a clerk in the post-office, pleas'dwiththeaccountIgavehimofmynewcountry,determinedtogothitheralso;and,whileIwaitedformyfather'sdetermination,hesetoutbeforemebylandtoRhodeIsland,leavinghisbooks,whichwereaprettycollectionofmathematicksand natural philosophy, to come with mine and me to New York, where hepropos'dtowaitforme.

Myfather,tho'hedidnotapproveSirWilliam'sproposition,wasyetpleas'dthatIhadbeenabletoobtainsoadvantageousacharacterfromapersonofsuchnotewhereIhadresided,andthatIhadbeensoindustriousandcarefulas toequipmyself so handsomely in so short a time; therefore, seeing no prospect of anaccommodation between my brother and me, he gave his consent to myreturningagaintoPhiladelphia,advis'dmetobehaverespectfullytothepeoplethere, endeavour to obtain the general esteem, and avoid lampooning andlibeling, to which he thought I had too much inclination; telling me, that bysteadyindustryandaprudentparsimonyImightsaveenoughbythetimeIwasone-and-twentytosetmeup;andthat,ifIcamenearthematter,hewouldhelpme out with the rest. This was all I could obtain, except some small gifts as

tokensofhisandmymother'slove,whenIembark'dagainforNewYork,nowwiththeirapprobationandtheirblessing.

ThesloopputtinginatNewport,RhodeIsland,IvisitedmybrotherJohn,whohad been married and settled there some years. He received me veryaffectionately,forhealwayslov'dme.Afriendofhis,oneVernon,havingsomemoneyduetohiminPennsylvania,aboutthirty-fivepoundscurrency,desiredIwouldreceiveitforhim,andkeepittillIhadhisdirectionswhattoremititin.Accordingly,hegavemeanorder.Thisafterwardsoccasion'dmeagooddealofuneasiness.

AtNewportwe took in a number of passengers forNewYork, amongwhichweretwoyoungwomen,companions,andagrave,sensible,matronlikeQuakerwoman,withherattendants.Ihadshownanobligingreadinesstodohersomelittleservices,whichimpress'dherIsupposewithadegreeofgoodwilltowardme;therefore,whenshesawadailygrowingfamiliaritybetweenmeandthetwoyoungwomen,which theyappear'd toencourage,she tookmeaside,andsaid,"Youngman,Iamconcern'dforthee,asthouhastnofriendwiththee,andseemsnottoknowmuchoftheworld,orofthesnaresyouthisexpos'dto;dependuponit,thoseareverybadwomen;Icanseeitinalltheiractions;andiftheeartnotuponthyguard,theywilldrawtheeintosomedanger;theyarestrangerstothee,andIadvisethee,inafriendlyconcernforthywelfare,tohavenoacquaintancewith them." As I seem'd at first not to think so ill of them as she did, shementionedsomethingsshehadobserv'dandheardthathadescap'dmynotice,but now convinc'd me she was right. I thank'd her for her kind advice, andpromis'd to follow it.Whenwe arriv'd atNewYork, they toldmewhere theyliv'd,and invitedme tocomeandsee them;but Iavoided it,and itwaswell Idid;forthenextdaythecaptainmiss'dasilverspoonandsomeotherthings,thathad been taken out of his cabin, and, knowing that these were a couple ofstrumpets,hegotawarranttosearchtheirlodgings,foundthestolengoods,andhad the thieves punish'd. So, tho' we had escap'd a sunken rock, which wescrap'duponinthepassage,I thoughtthisescapeofrathermoreimportancetome.

AtNewYorkIfoundmyfriendCollins,whohadarriv'dtheresometimebeforeme.Wehadbeenintimatefromchildren,andhadreadthesamebookstogether;buthehadtheadvantageofmoretimeforreadingandstudying,andawonderfulgeniusformathematical learning, inwhichhefaroutstriptme.WhileI liv'd inBoston,mostofmyhoursofleisureforconversationwerespentwithhim,andhecontinu'da soberaswell as an industrious lad;wasmuch respected forhis

learningby several of the clergy andother gentlemen, and seemed to promisemakingagoodfigureinlife.But,duringmyabsence,hehadacquir'dahabitofsottingwith brandy; and I found by his own account, andwhat I heard fromothers, that he had been drunk every day since his arrival at New York, andbehav'dveryoddly.Hehadgam'd,too,andlosthismoney,sothatIwasoblig'dtodischargehislodgings,anddefrayhisexpensestoandatPhiladelphia,whichprov'dextremelyinconvenienttome.

The thengovernorofNewYork,Burnet (sonofBishopBurnet),hearing fromthe captain that ayoungman,oneofhispassengers, had agreatmanybooks,desir'dhewouldbringmetoseehim.Iwaiteduponhimaccordingly,andshouldhavetakenCollinswithmebutthathewasnotsober.Thegov'r.treatedmewithgreatcivility,show'dmehislibrary,whichwasaverylargeone,andwehadagood deal of conversation about books and authors. This was the secondgovernorwhohaddonemethehonourtotakenoticeofme;which,toapoorboylikeme,wasverypleasing.

Weproceeded toPhiladelphia. I receivedon thewayVernon'smoney,withoutwhichwecouldhardlyhavefinish'dourjourney.Collinswishedtobeemploy'din some counting-house; but, whether they discover'd his dramming by hisbreath,orbyhisbehaviour,tho'hehadsomerecommendations,hemetwithnosuccessinanyapplication,andcontinu'dlodgingandboardingatthesamehousewithme, and atmy expense.Knowing I had thatmoney ofVernon's, hewascontinuallyborrowingofme,stillpromisingrepaymentassoonasheshouldbeinbusiness.AtlengthhehadgotsomuchofitthatIwasdistress'dtothinkwhatIshoulddoincaseofbeingcall'dontoremitit.

Hisdrinkingcontinu'd, aboutwhichwe sometimesquarrel'd; for,whena littleintoxicated,hewasveryfractious.Once, inaboaton theDelawarewithsomeotheryoungmen,herefusedtorowinhisturn."Iwillberow'dhome,"sayshe."Wewillnotrowyou,"saysI."Youmust,orstayallnightonthewater,"sayshe,"justasyouplease."Theotherssaid,"Letusrow;whatsignifiesit?"But,mymindbeingsouredwithhisotherconduct,Icontinu'dtorefuse.Sohesworehewouldmakemerow,orthrowmeoverboard;andcomingalong,steppingonthethwarts,towardme,whenhecameupandstruckatme,Iclappedmyhandunderhiscrutch,and,rising,pitchedhimhead-foremostintotheriver.Iknewhewasagoodswimmer,andsowasunderlittleconcernabouthim;butbeforehecouldgetroundtolayholdoftheboat,wehadwithafewstrokespull'dheroutofhisreach;andeverwhenhedrewneartheboat,weask'difhewouldrow,strikingafewstrokestoslideherawayfromhim.Hewasreadytodiewithvexation,and

obstinatelywouldnotpromisetorow.However,seeinghimatlastbeginningtotire,we lifted him in and brought himhome drippingwet in the evening.Wehardlyexchang'dacivilwordafterwards,andaWestIndiacaptain,whohadacommission to procure a tutor for the sons of a gentleman at Barbados,happening to meet with him, agreed to carry him thither. He left me then,promisingtoremitmethefirstmoneyheshouldreceiveinordertodischargethedebt;butIneverheardofhimafter.

ThebreakingintothismoneyofVernon'swasoneofthefirstgreaterrataofmylife; and this affair show'd that my father was not much out in his judgmentwhen he suppos'd me too young to manage business of importance. But SirWilliam, on reading his letter, said he was too prudent. There was greatdifference inpersons;anddiscretiondidnotalwaysaccompanyyears,norwasyouthalwayswithoutit."Andsincehewillnotsetyouup,"sayshe,"Iwilldoitmyself.Givemean inventoryof the thingsnecessary tobehadfromEngland,andIwillsendforthem.Youshallrepaymewhenyouareable;Iamresolv'dtohave a good printer here, and I am sure youmust succeed."Thiswas spokenwith such an appearance of cordiality, that I had not the least doubt of hismeaningwhat he said. I had hitherto kept the proposition ofmy setting up, asecretinPhiladelphia,andIstillkeptit.HaditbeenknownthatIdependedonthegovernor,probablysomefriend,thatknewhimbetter,wouldhaveadvis'dmenottorelyonhim,asIafterwardshearditashisknowncharactertobeliberalofpromiseswhichhenevermeanttokeep.Yet,unsolicitedashewasbyme,howcouldIthinkhisgenerousoffersinsincere?Ibeliev'dhimoneofthebestmenintheworld.

I presented him an inventory of a little print'-house, amounting by mycomputationtoaboutonehundredpoundssterling.Helik'dit,butask'dmeifmybeing on the spot in England to chuse the types, and see that everythingwasgoodofthekind,mightnotbeofsomeadvantage."Then,"sayshe,"whenthere,youmaymakeacquaintances,andestablishcorrespondencesinthebooksellingandstationeryway."Iagreedthatthismightbeadvantageous."Then,"sayshe,"getyourselfreadytogowithAnnis;"whichwastheannualship,andtheonlyoneatthattimeusuallypassingbetweenLondonandPhiladelphia.Butitwouldbe some months before Annis sail'd, so I continued working with Keimer,frettingaboutthemoneyCollinshadgotfromme,andindailyapprehensionsofbeing call'd upon byVernon,which, however, did not happen for some yearsafter.

IbelieveIhaveomittedmentioningthat,inmyfirstvoyagefromBoston,being

becalm'doffBlock Island,ourpeople set aboutcatchingcod,andhauledupagreatmany.HithertoIhadstucktomyresolutionofnoteatinganimalfood,andonthisoccasionIconsider'd,withmymasterTryon, the takingeveryfishasakind of unprovokedmurder, since none of themhad, or ever could do us anyinjurythatmightjustifytheslaughter.Allthisseemedveryreasonable.ButIhadformerlybeenagreat loverof fish,and,whenthiscamehotoutof thefrying-pan, it smelt admirably well. I balanc'd some time between principle andinclination,tillIrecollectedthat,whenthefishwereopened,Isawsmallerfishtakenoutoftheirstomachs;thenthoughtI,"Ifyoueatoneanother,Idon'tseewhywemayn'teatyou."SoIdin'duponcodveryheartily,andcontinuedtoeatwithotherpeople,returningonlynowandthenoccasionallytoavegetablediet.Soconvenienta thing is it tobeareasonablecreature, since it enablesone tofindormakeareasonforeverythingonehasamindtodo.

[30]TempleFranklinconsideredthisspecificfigurevulgarandchangeditto"staredwithastonishment."

[31]PennsylvaniaandDelaware.

[32]Apeep-showinabox.

[33]Therewerenomintsinthecolonies,sothemetalmoneywasofforeigncoinageandnotnearlysocommonaspapermoney,whichwasprinted in largequantities inAmerica,eveninsmalldenominations.

[34]Spanishdollaraboutequivalenttoourdollar.

V

EARLYFRIENDSINPHILADELPHIA

block-K EIMER and I liv'd on a pretty good familiar footing, and agreedtolerablywell, for he suspected nothing ofmy setting up.He retained a greatdeal of his old enthusiasms and lov'd argumentation.We therefore had manydisputations.IusedtoworkhimsowithmySocraticmethod,andhadtrepann'dhimsooftenbyquestionsapparentlysodistantfromanypointwehadinhand,and yet by degrees led to the point, and brought him into difficulties andcontradictions, that at last he grew ridiculously cautious, and would hardlyanswermethemostcommonquestion,withoutaskingfirst,"Whatdoyouintendtoinferfromthat?"However,itgavehimsohighanopinionofmyabilitiesin

theconfutingway,thatheseriouslyproposedmybeinghiscolleagueinaprojecthehadof settingupanewsect.Hewas topreach thedoctrines, and Iwas toconfoundallopponents.Whenhecametoexplainwithmeuponthedoctrines,Ifound several conundrumswhich Iobjected to,unless Imighthavemywayalittletoo,andintroducesomeofmine.

Keimerworehisbeardatfulllength,becausesomewhereintheMosaiclawitissaid, "Thou shalt not mar the corners of thy beard." He likewise kept theSeventhday,Sabbath;andthesetwopointswereessentialswithhim.Idislik'dboth; but agreed to admit themupon conditionof his adopting thedoctrineofusingnoanimalfood."Idoubt,"saidhe,"myconstitutionwillnotbearthat."Iassur'd him itwould, and that hewould be the better for it.Hewas usually agreat glutton, and I promisedmyself some diversion in half starving him.Heagreedtotrythepractice,ifIwouldkeephimcompany.Ididso,andwehelditforthreemonths.Wehadourvictualsdress'd,andbroughttousregularlybyawoman in the neighborhood, who had from me a list of forty dishes, to beprepar'dforusatdifferent times, inallwhichtherewasneitherfish,flesh,norfowl,andthewhimsuitedmethebetteratthistimefromthecheapnessofit,notcostingusaboveeighteenpencesterlingeachperweek.IhavesincekeptseveralLentsmoststrictly,leavingthecommondietforthat,andthatforthecommon,abruptly, without the least inconvenience, so that I think there is little in theadvice ofmaking those changes by easy gradations. Iwent on pleasantly, butpoorKeimersufferedgrievously,tiredoftheproject,long'dfortheflesh-potsofEgypt, and order'd a roast pig.He invitedme and twowomen friends to dinewith him; but, it being brought too soon upon table, he could not resist thetemptation,andatethewholebeforewecame.

IhadmadesomecourtshipduringthistimetoMissRead.Ihadagreatrespectandaffectionforher,andhadsomereasontobelieveshehadthesameforme;but,asIwasabouttotakealongvoyage,andwewerebothveryyoung,onlyalittleaboveeighteen,itwasthoughtmostprudentbyhermothertopreventourgoing too far atpresent, as amarriage, if itwas to takeplace,wouldbemoreconvenient after my return, when I should be, as I expected, set up in mybusiness. Perhaps, too, she thoughtmy expectations not sowell founded as Iimaginedthemtobe.

MychiefacquaintancesatthistimewereCharlesOsborne,JosephWatson,andJames Ralph, all lovers of reading. The two first were clerks to an eminentscrivenerorconveyancerinthetown,CharlesBrockden;theotherwasclerktoamerchant.Watsonwasapious,sensibleyoungman,ofgreatintegrity;theothers

rathermorelaxintheirprinciplesofreligion,particularlyRalph,who,aswellasCollins,hadbeenunsettledbyme,forwhichtheybothmademesuffer.Osbornewassensible,candid,frank;sincereandaffectionatetohisfriends;but,inliterarymatters,toofondofcriticizing.Ralphwasingenious,genteelinhismanners,andextremely eloquent; I think I never knew a prettier talker. Both of themweregreat admirers of poetry, and began to try their hands in little pieces. ManypleasantwalkswefourhadtogetheronSundaysintothewoods,nearSchuylkill,wherewereadtooneanother,andconferr'donwhatweread.

Manypleasantwalkswefourhadtogether

Ralph was inclin'd to pursue the study of poetry, not doubting but he mightbecome eminent in it, andmake his fortune by it, alleging that the best poetsmust,when they first began towrite,make asmany faults ashedid.Osbornedissuadedhim,assur'dhimhehadnogeniusforpoetry,andadvis'dhimtothinkofnothingbeyondthebusinesshewasbredto;that,inthemercantileway,tho'hehadnostock,hemight,byhisdiligenceandpunctuality,recommendhimselftoemploymentasa factor, and in timeacquirewherewith to tradeonhisownaccount.Iapprov'dtheamusingone'sselfwithpoetrynowandthen,sofarastoimproveone'slanguage,butnofarther.

Onthisitwaspropos'dthatweshouldeachofus,atournextmeeting,produceapieceofourowncomposing, inorder to improvebyourmutualobservations,criticisms, and corrections. As language and expressionwere what we had inview, we excluded all considerations of invention by agreeing that the taskshouldbe a versionof the eighteenthPsalm,whichdescribes the descent of aDeity.Whenthetimeofourmeetingdrewnigh,Ralphcalledonmefirst,andletme know his piece was ready. I told him I had been busy, and, having littleinclination,haddonenothing.Hethenshow'dmehispieceformyopinion,andImuch approv'd it, as it appear'd to me to have great merit. "Now," says he,"Osborneneverwillallowtheleastmerit inanythingofmine,butmakes1000criticismsoutofmereenvy.Heisnotsojealousofyou;Iwish, therefore,youwould take this piece, and produce it as yours; Iwill pretend not to have hadtime,andsoproducenothing.Weshall thenseewhathewillsaytoit."Itwasagreed,andIimmediatelytranscrib'dit,thatitmightappearinmyownhand.

Wemet;Watson's performance was read; there were some beauties in it, butmany defects. Osborne's was read; it was much better; Ralph did it justice;remarked some faults, but applauded the beauties. He himself had nothing toproduce. I was backward; seemed desirous of being excused; had not had

sufficienttimetocorrect,etc.;butnoexcusecouldbeadmitted;produceImust.Itwasreadandrepeated;WatsonandOsbornegaveupthecontest,andjoin'dinapplauding it. Ralph only made some criticisms, and propos'd someamendments;butIdefendedmytext.OsbornewasagainstRalph,andtoldhimhewasnobetteracriticthanpoet,sohedropttheargument.Astheytwowenthometogether,Osborneexpressedhimselfstillmorestronglyinfavorofwhathethoughtmyproduction;havingrestrain'dhimselfbefore,ashesaid,lestIshouldthinkitflattery."Butwhowouldhaveimagin'd,"saidhe,"thatFranklinhadbeencapableofsuchaperformance;suchpainting,suchforce,suchfire!Hehasevenimprov'dtheoriginal.Inhiscommonconversationheseemstohavenochoiceofwords;hehesitatesandblunders;andyet,goodGod!howhewrites!"Whenwenextmet,Ralphdiscoveredthetrickwehadplaidhim,andOsbornewasalittlelaughedat.

This transaction fixed Ralph in his resolution of becoming a poet. I did all Icouldtodissuadehimfromit,buthecontinuedscribblingversestillPopecuredhim.[35]Hebecame,however,aprettygoodprosewriter.Moreofhimhereafter.But, as I may not have occasion again to mention the other two, I shall justremark here, thatWatson died inmy arms a few years after,much lamented,beingthebestofourset.OsbornewenttotheWestIndies,wherehebecameaneminentlawyerandmademoney,butdiedyoung.HeandIhadmadeaseriousagreement, that the one who happen'd first to die should, if possible, make afriendlyvisittotheother,andacquainthimhowhefoundthingsinthatseparatestate.Butheneverfulfill'dhispromise.

[35]"InoneofthelatereditionsoftheDunciadoccurthefollowinglines:

'Silence,yewolves!whileRalphtoCynthiahowls,Andmakesnighthideous—answerhim,yeowls.'

Tothisthepoetaddsthefollowingnote:

'James Ralph, a name inserted after the first editions, not known till he writ aswearing-piececalledSawney,veryabusiveofDr.Swift,Mr.Gay,andmyself.'"

VI

FIRSTVISITTOLONDON

block-THE governor, seeming to like my company, had me frequently to hishouse,andhissettingmeupwasalwaysmention'dasafixedthing.Iwastotakewithmelettersrecommendatorytoanumberofhisfriends,besidestheletterofcredit to furnish me with the necessary money for purchasing the press andtypes,paper,etc.FortheselettersIwasappointedtocallatdifferenttimes,whentheyweretobeready;butafuturetimewasstillnamed.Thushewentontilltheship,whosedeparturetoohadbeenseveraltimespostponed,wasonthepointofsailing.Then,whenIcall'dtotakemyleaveandreceivetheletters,hissecretary,Dr.Bard,cameouttomeandsaidthegovernorwasextremelybusyinwriting,butwouldbedownatNewcastle,beforetheship,andtheretheletterswouldbedeliveredtome.

Ralph,thoughmarried,andhavingonechild,haddeterminedtoaccompanymein this voyage. It was thought he intended to establish a correspondence, andobtain goods to sell on commission; but I found afterwards, that, thro' somediscontentwithhiswife'srelations,hepurposedtoleaveherontheirhands,andnever return again. Having taken leave of my friends, and interchang'd somepromises with Miss Read, I left Philadelphia in the ship, which anchor'd atNewcastle.Thegovernorwasthere;butwhenIwenttohislodging,thesecretarycametomefromhimwiththecivillestmessageintheworld,thathecouldnotthen seeme, being engaged in business of the utmost importance, but shouldsendtheletterstomeonboard,wishedmeheartilyagoodvoyageandaspeedyreturn,etc.Ireturnedonboardalittlepuzzled,butstillnotdoubting.

Mr.AndrewHamilton, a famous lawyer ofPhiladelphia, had takenpassage inthesameship forhimselfandson,andwithMr.Denham,aQuakermerchant,and Messrs. Onion and Russel, masters of an iron work in Maryland, hadengagedthegreatcabin;sothatRalphandIwereforcedtotakeupwithaberthin the steerage, and none on board knowing us, were considered as ordinarypersons.ButMr.Hamiltonandhis son (itwas James, sincegovernor) return'dfromNewcastletoPhiladelphia,thefatherbeingrecall'dbyagreatfeetopleadfor a seized ship; and, justbeforewe sail'd,ColonelFrenchcomingonboard,andshowingmegreatrespect,Iwasmoretakennoticeof,and,withmyfriendRalph, invitedby theothergentlemen tocomeinto thecabin, therebeingnowroom.Accordingly,weremov'dthither.

Understanding that Colonel French had brought on board the governor'sdespatches,Iask'dthecaptainforthoselettersthatweretobeundermycare.Hesaidallwereputintothebagtogetherandhecouldnotthencomeatthem;but,beforewelandedinEngland,Ishouldhaveanopportunityofpickingthemout;

so Iwas satisfied for thepresent, andweproceededonourvoyage.Wehadasociablecompanyinthecabin,andliveduncommonlywell,havingtheadditionof 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. Thevoyagewasotherwisenotapleasantone,aswehadagreatdealofbadweather.

Whenwecameinto theChannel, thecaptainkepthiswordwithme,andgavemeanopportunityofexaminingthebagforthegovernor'sletters.Ifoundnoneuponwhichmynamewasputasundermycare.Ipickedoutsixorseven,that,bythehandwriting,Ithoughtmightbethepromisedletters,especiallyasoneofthemwasdirectedtoBasket,theking'sprinter,andanothertosomestationer.Wearriv'dinLondonthe24thofDecember,1724.Iwaiteduponthestationer,whocamefirstinmyway,deliveringtheletterasfromGovernorKeith."Idon'tknowsuchaperson," sayshe;but,opening the letter, "O! this is fromRiddlesden. Ihavelatelyfoundhimtobeacompleatrascal,andIwillhavenothingtodowithhim,nor receiveany letters fromhim."So,putting the letter intomyhand,heturn'donhisheel and leftme to serve somecustomer. Iwas surprised to findthese were not the governor's letters; and, after recollecting and comparingcircumstances, I began to doubt his sincerity. I foundmy friendDenham, andopenedthewholeaffair tohim.HeletmeintoKeith'scharacter; toldmetherewasnottheleastprobabilitythathehadwrittenanylettersforme;thatnoone,whoknewhim,hadthesmallestdependenceonhim;andhelaughtatthenotionofthegovernor'sgivingmealetterofcredit,having,ashesaid,nocredittogive.On my expressing some concern about what I should do, he advised me toendeavour getting some employment in theway ofmy business. "Among theprinters here," said he, "you will improve yourself, and when you return toAmerica,youwillsetuptogreateradvantage."

So,puttingtheletterintomyhand

Webothofushappen'd toknow, aswell as the stationer, thatRiddlesden, theattorney,wasaveryknave.Hehadhalfruin'dMissRead'sfatherbypersuadinghimtobeboundforhim.Bythisletteritappear'dtherewasasecretschemeonfoottotheprejudiceofHamilton(suppos'dtobethencomingoverwithus);andthatKeithwasconcerned in itwithRiddlesden.Denham,whowasa friendofHamilton's, thought he ought to be acquainted with it; so, when he arriv'd inEngland,whichwassoonafter,partlyfromresentmentandill-willtoKeithandRiddlesden,andpartlyfromgood-willtohim,Iwaitedonhim,andgavehimtheletter.Hethank'dmecordially,theinformationbeingofimportancetohim;andfrom that time he became my friend, greatly to my advantage afterwards on

manyoccasions.

Butwhatshallwethinkofagovernor'splayingsuchpitifultricks,andimposingsogrosslyonapoorignorantboy!Itwasahabithehadacquired.Hewish'dtoplease everybody; and, having little to give, he gave expectations. He wasotherwiseaningenious,sensibleman,aprettygoodwriter,andagoodgovernorforthepeople,tho'notforhisconstituents,theproprietaries,whoseinstructionshe sometimes disregarded. Several of our best lawswere of his planning andpassedduringhisadministration.

Ralphand Iwere inseparablecompanions.We took lodgings together inLittleBritain[36] at three shillings and sixpence aweek—asmuch aswe could thenafford.Hefoundsomerelations,buttheywerepoor,andunabletoassisthim.HenowletmeknowhisintentionsofremaininginLondon,andthathenevermeantto return to Philadelphia. He had brought no money with him, the whole hecouldmusterhavingbeenexpendedinpayinghispassage.Ihadfifteenpistoles;[37]soheborrowedoccasionallyofmetosubsist,whilehewaslookingoutforbusiness. He first endeavoured to get into the play-house, believing himselfqualify'dforanactor;butWilkes,[38]towhomheapply'd,advis'dhimcandidlynot to thinkof that employment, as itwas impossiblehe should succeed in it.Thenhepropos'dtoRoberts,apublisherinPaternosterRow,[39]towriteforhimaweeklypaperliketheSpectator,oncertainconditions,whichRobertsdidnotapprove.Thenheendeavouredtogetemploymentasahackneywriter, tocopyforthestationersandlawyersabouttheTemple,[40]butcouldfindnovacancy.

I immediately got into work at Palmer's, then a famous printing-house inBartholomewClose,andhereIcontinu'dnearayear.Iwasprettydiligent,butspentwithRalphagooddealofmyearningsingoingtoplaysandotherplacesofamusement.Wehadtogetherconsumedallmypistoles,andnowjustrubbedonfromhandtomouth.Heseem'dquitetoforgethiswifeandchild,andI,bydegrees,myengagementswithMissRead,towhomIneverwrotemorethanoneletter, and thatwas to let her know Iwas not likely soon to return. Thiswasanotherofthegreaterrataofmylife,whichIshouldwishtocorrectifIweretoliveitoveragain.Infact,byourexpenses,Iwasconstantlykeptunabletopaymypassage.

AtPalmer'sIwasemployedincomposingforthesecondeditionofWollaston's"ReligionofNature."Someofhisreasoningsnotappearingtomewellfounded,I wrote a little metaphysical piece in which I made remarks on them. It wasentitled"ADissertationonLibertyandNecessity,PleasureandPain."Iinscribed

it tomy friendRalph; I printed a small number. It occasion'dmy beingmoreconsider'dbyMr.Palmeras ayoungmanof some ingenuity, tho'he seriouslyexpostulatedwithmeupontheprinciplesofmypamphlet,whichtohimappear'dabominable.Myprintingthispamphletwasanothererratum.

While I lodg'd in Little Britain, I made an acquaintance with one Wilcox, abookseller,whoseshopwasat thenextdoor.Hehadan immensecollectionofsecond-hand books. Circulating libraries were not then in use; but we agreedthat,oncertainreasonableterms,whichIhavenowforgotten,Imighttake,read,and returnanyofhisbooks.This I esteem'dagreat advantage, and ImadeasmuchuseofitasIcould.

My pamphlet by somemeans falling into the hands of one Lyons, a surgeon,authorofabookentitled"TheInfallibilityofHumanJudgment," itoccasionedanacquaintancebetweenus.Hetookgreatnoticeofme,calledonmeoftentoconverse on those subjects, carried me to the Horns, a pale alehouse in——Lane,Cheapside,andintroducedmetoDr.Mandeville,authorofthe"Fableofthe Bees," who had a club there, of which he was the soul, being a mostfacetious,entertainingcompanion.Lyons,too,introducedmetoDr.Pemberton,atBatson'sCoffee-house,whopromis'dtogivemeanopportunity,sometimeorother,of seeingSir IsaacNewton,ofwhich Iwasextreamlydesirous;but thisneverhappened.

I had brought over a few curiosities, among which the principal was a pursemadeoftheasbestos,whichpurifiesbyfire.SirHansSloaneheardofit,cametoseeme,andinvitedmetohishouseinBloomsburySquare,whereheshow'dmeallhiscuriosities,andpersuadedmetolethimaddthattothenumber,forwhichhepaidmehandsomely.

Inourhousetherelodg'dayoungwoman,amilliner,who,Ithink,hadashopintheCloisters.Shehadbeengenteellybred,wassensibleandlively,andofmostpleasing conversation. Ralph read plays to her in the evenings, they grewintimate, she took another lodging, and he followed her. They liv'd togethersome time;but,hebeingstilloutofbusiness,andher incomenotsufficient tomaintainthemwithherchild,hetookaresolutionofgoingfromLondon,totryforacountryschool,whichhethoughthimselfwellqualifiedtoundertake,ashewrote an excellent hand, and was a master of arithmetic and accounts. This,however, he deemed a business below him, and confident of future betterfortune, when he should be unwilling to have it known that he once was someanlyemployed,hechangedhisname,anddidmethehonourtoassumemine;

for I soonafterhada letter fromhim,acquaintingme thathewas settled inasmallvillage(inBerkshire,Ithinkitwas,wherehetaughtreadingandwritingtotenoradozenboys,atsixpenceeachperweek),recommendingMrs.T——tomy care, and desiring me to write to him, directing for Mr. Franklin,schoolmaster,atsuchaplace.

Hecontinuedtowritefrequently,sendingmelargespecimensofanepicpoemwhichhewasthencomposing,anddesiringmyremarksandcorrections.TheseIgavehimfromtimetotime,butendeavour'drathertodiscouragehisproceeding.OneofYoung'sSatires[41]wasthenjustpublished.Icopy'dandsenthimagreatpartof it,whichset ina strong light the follyofpursuing theMuseswithanyhopeofadvancementbythem.Allwasinvain;sheetsofthepoemcontinuedtocomebyeverypost.Inthemeantime,Mrs.T——,havingonhisaccountlostherfriendsandbusiness,wasoftenindistresses,andus'dtosendformeandborrowwhat I could spare tohelpheroutof them. Igrew fondofher company, and,being at that time under no religious restraint, and presuming upon myimportancetoher,Iattemptedfamiliarities(anothererratum)whichsherepuls'dwithaproperresentment,andacquaintedhimwithmybehaviour.Thismadeabreachbetweenus;and,whenhereturnedagaintoLondon,heletmeknowhethoughtIhadcancell'dalltheobligationshehadbeenundertome.SoIfoundIwasnevertoexpecthisrepayingmewhatIlenttohimoradvanc'dforhim.This,however,wasnotthenofmuchconsequence,ashewastotallyunable;andintheloss of his friendship I foundmyself relieved from a burthen. I nowbegan tothink of getting a little money beforehand, and, expecting better work, I leftPalmer's towork atWatts's, near Lincoln's Inn Fields, a still greater printing-house.[42]HereIcontinuedalltherestofmystayinLondon.

At my first admission into this printing-house I took to working at press,imagining I felt awant of the bodily exercise I had been us'd to inAmerica,where presswork is mix'd with composing. I drank only water; the otherworkmen, near fifty in number, were great guzzlers of beer. On occasion, Icarried up and down stairs a large form of types in each hand, when otherscarried but one in both hands. They wondered to see, from this and severalinstances, that the Water-American, as they called me, was stronger thanthemselves, who drank strong beer! We had an alehouse boy who attendedalways in thehouse tosupply theworkmen.Mycompanionat thepressdrankeverydayapintbeforebreakfast,apintatbreakfastwithhisbreadandcheese,apintbetweenbreakfastanddinner,apintatdinner,apintintheafternoonaboutsix o'clock, and another when he had done his day's work. I thought it a

detestablecustom;butitwasnecessary,hesuppos'd,todrinkstrongbeer,thathemightbestrongtolabour.Iendeavouredtoconvincehimthatthebodilystrengthaffordedbybeercouldonlybeinproportiontothegrainorflourofthebarleydissolved in the water of which it was made; that there was more flour in apennyworthofbread;andtherefore,ifhewouldeatthatwithapintofwater,itwouldgivehimmorestrengththanaquartofbeer.Hedrankon,however,andhadfourorfiveshillingstopayoutofhiswageseverySaturdaynightfor thatmuddling liquor;anexpense Iwas free from.And thus thesepoordevilskeepthemselvesalwaysunder.

Itooktoworkingatpress"Itooktoworkingatpress"

Watts,aftersomeweeks,desiring tohaveme in thecomposing-room,[43] I leftthe pressmen; a new bien venu or sum for drink, being five shillings, wasdemandedofmeby the compositors. I thought it an imposition, as I hadpaidbelow;themasterthoughtsotoo,andforbademypayingit.Istoodouttwoorthreeweeks,wasaccordinglyconsideredasanexcommunicate,andhadsomanylittle pieces of privatemischief doneme, bymixingmy sorts, transposingmypages,breakingmymatter,etc.,etc.,ifIwereeversolittleoutoftheroom,andall ascribed to the chappel ghost, which they said ever haunted those notregularlyadmitted,that,notwithstandingthemaster'sprotection,Ifoundmyselfoblig'dtocomplyandpaythemoney,convinc'dofthefollyofbeingonilltermswiththoseoneistolivewithcontinually.

Iwasnowonafairfootingwiththem,andsoonacquir'dconsiderableinfluence.Ipropos'dsomereasonablealterationsintheirchappellaws,[44]andcarriedthemagainstallopposition.Frommyexample,agreatpartofthemlefttheirmuddlingbreakfastofbeer,andbread,andcheese,findingtheycouldwithmebesupply'dfromaneighbouringhousewitha largeporringerofhotwater-gruel, sprinkledwithpepper,crumb'dwithbread,andabitofbutterinit,forthepriceofapintofbeer, viz., three half-pence. This was a more comfortable as well as cheaperbreakfast,andkeep theirheadsclearer.Thosewhocontinuedsottingwithbeerallday,wereoften,bynotpaying,outofcreditatthealehouse,andus'dtomakeinterestwithmetogetbeer; their light,astheyphrasedit,beingout. Iwatch'dthe pay-table on Saturday night, and collectedwhat I stood engag'd for them,havingtopaysometimesnearthirtyshillingsaweekontheiraccounts.This,andmy being esteem'd a pretty good riggite, that is, a jocular verbal satirist,supported my consequence in the society. My constant attendance (I nevermakingaSt.Monday)[45] recommendedme to themaster; andmyuncommonquickness at composing occasioned my being put upon all work of dispatch,whichwasgenerallybetterpaid.SoIwentonnowveryagreeably.

My lodging inLittleBritainbeing too remote, I foundanother inDuke-street,oppositetotheRomishChapel.Itwastwopairofstairsbackwards,atanItalianwarehouse. A widow lady kept the house; she had a daughter, and a maidservant,andajourneymanwhoattendedthewarehouse,butlodg'dabroad.Aftersending to inquiremycharacter at thehousewhere I last lodg'd sheagreed totakeme in at the same rate, 3s. 6d. per week; cheaper, as she said, from the

protectionsheexpectedinhavingamanlodgeinthehouse.Shewasawidow,anelderlywoman;hadbeenbredaProtestant,beingaclergyman'sdaughter,butwasconvertedtotheCatholicreligionbyherhusband,whosememoryshemuchrevered; had lived much among people of distinction, and knew a thousandanecdotesofthemasfarbackasthetimesofCharlestheSecond.Shewaslamein her kneeswith the gout, and, therefore, seldom stirred out of her room, sosometimeswantedcompany;andherswassohighlyamusingtome,thatIwassuretospendaneveningwithherwhenevershedesiredit.Oursupperwasonlyhalfananchovyeach,onaverylittlestripofbreadandbutter,andhalfapintofale between us; but the entertainment was in her conversation. My alwayskeepinggoodhours,andgivinglittletroubleinthefamily,madeherunwillingtopart with me, so that, when I talk'd of a lodging I had heard of, nearer mybusiness,fortwoshillingsaweek,which,intentasInowwasonsavingmoney,madesomedifference,shebidmenot thinkof it, forshewouldabateme twoshillings a week for the future; so I remained with her at one shilling andsixpenceaslongasIstaidinLondon.

Inagarretofherhousetherelivedamaidenladyofseventy,inthemostretiredmanner, of whommy landlady gave me this account: that she was a RomanCatholic, had been sent abroadwhen young, and lodg'd in a nunnerywith anintentofbecominganun;but,thecountrynotagreeingwithher,shereturnedtoEngland,where,therebeingnonunnery,shehadvow'dtoleadthelifeofanun,asnearasmightbedoneinthosecircumstances.Accordingly,shehadgivenallherestatetocharitableuses,reservingonlytwelvepoundsayeartoliveon,andoutofthissumshestillgaveagreatdealincharity,livingherselfonwater-gruelonly, andusingno firebut toboil it.Shehad livedmanyyears in that garret,being permitted to remain there gratis by successive Catholic tenants of thehousebelow,astheydeemeditablessingtohaveherthere.Apriestvisitedhertoconfesshereveryday."Ihaveask'dher,"saysmylandlady,"howshe,assheliv'd,couldpossiblyfindsomuchemploymentforaconfessor?""Oh,"saidshe,"itisimpossibletoavoidvainthoughts."Iwaspermittedoncetovisither.Shewascheerfulandpolite,andconvers'dpleasantly.Theroomwasclean,buthadnootherfurniturethanamatras,atablewithacrucifixandbook,astoolwhichshe gave me to sit on, and a picture over the chimney of Saint Veronicadisplayingherhandkerchief,withthemiraculousfigureofChrist'sbleedingfaceonit,[46]whichsheexplainedtomewithgreatseriousness.Shelook'dpale,butwasneversick;and Igive itasanother instanceonhowsmallan income, lifeandhealthmaybesupported.

AtWatts'sprinting-houseIcontractedanacquaintancewithaningeniousyoungman,oneWygate,who,havingwealthyrelations,hadbeenbettereducatedthanmostprinters;wasatolerableLatinist,spokeFrench,andlov'dreading.Itaughthim and a friend of his to swim at twice going into the river, and they soonbecame good swimmers. They introduc'd me to some gentlemen from thecountry, who went to Chelsea by water to see the College and Don Saltero'scuriosities.[47] In our return, at the request of the company, whose curiosityWygate had excited, I stripped and leaped into the river, and swam fromnearChelsea toBlackfriar's,[48] performingon thewaymany feats of activity, bothupon and under water, that surpris'd and pleas'd those to whom they werenovelties.

I had from a child been ever delighted with this exercise, had studied andpractis'dallThevenot'smotionsandpositions,addedsomeofmyown,aimingatthe graceful and easy as well as the useful. All these I took this occasion ofexhibiting to the company, and was much flatter'd by their admiration; andWygate,whowasdesirousofbecomingamaster,grewmoreandmoreattach'dtomeonthataccount,aswellasfromthesimilarityofourstudies.Heatlengthproposed to me traveling all over Europe together, supporting ourselveseverywhere by working at our business. I was once inclined to it; but,mentioningittomygoodfriendMr.Denham,withwhomIoftenspentanhourwhen I had leisure, he dissuaded me from it, advising me to think only ofreturningtoPennsylvania,whichhewasnowabouttodo.

Imust record one trait of this goodman's character.He had formerly been inbusinessatBristol,but failed indebt toanumberofpeople, compoundedandwent toAmerica. There, by a close application to business as amerchant, heacquiredaplentifulfortuneinafewyears.ReturningtoEnglandintheshipwithme,heinvitedhisoldcreditorstoanentertainment,atwhichhethank'dthemforthe easy composition they had favoured him with, and, when they expectednothing but the treat, everyman at the first remove found under his plate anorderonabankerforthefullamountoftheunpaidremainderwithinterest.

HenowtoldmehewasabouttoreturntoPhiladelphia,andshouldcarryoveragreatquantityofgoods inorder toopena store there.Hepropos'd to takemeover as his clerk, to keep his books, inwhich hewould instructme, copy hisletters, andattend the store.Headded, that, as soonas I shouldbeacquaintedwithmercantilebusiness,hewouldpromotemebysendingmewithacargoofflour and bread, etc., to the West Indies, and procure me commissions fromotherswhichwould be profitable; and, if Imanag'dwell, would establishme

handsomely.Thethingpleas'dme;forIwasgrowntiredofLondon,rememberedwithpleasurethehappymonthsIhadspentinPennsylvania,andwish'dagaintosee it; therefore I immediately agreed on the terms of fifty pounds a year,[49]Pennsylvaniamoney;less,indeed,thanmypresentgettingsasacompositor,butaffordingabetterprospect.

Inowtookleaveofprinting,asIthought,forever,andwasdailyemployedinmynewbusiness,goingaboutwithMr.Denhamamongthetradesmentopurchasevarious articles, and seeing them pack'd up, doing errands, calling uponworkmentodispatch,etc.;and,whenallwasonboard,Ihadafewdays'leisure.Ononeofthesedays,Iwas,tomysurprise,sentforbyagreatmanIknewonlyby name, a SirWilliamWyndham, and I waited upon him. He had heard bysomemeansorotherofmyswimmingfromChelseatoBlackfriars,andofmyteachingWygate andanotheryoungman to swim in a fewhours.Hehad twosons, about to set out on their travels; he wish'd to have them first taughtswimming,andproposedtogratifymehandsomelyifIwouldteachthem.Theywerenotyetcometotown,andmystaywasuncertain,soIcouldnotundertakeit;but,fromthisincident,Ithoughtitlikelythat,ifIweretoremaininEnglandandopenaswimming-school,Imightgetagooddealofmoney;anditstruckmesostrongly,that,hadtheoverturebeensoonermademe,probablyIshouldnotsosoonhavereturnedtoAmerica.Aftermanyyears,youandIhadsomethingofmoreimportancetodowithoneofthesesonsofSirWilliamWyndham,becomeEarlofEgremont,whichIshallmentioninitsplace.

ThusIspentabouteighteenmonths inLondon;mostpartof the timeIwork'dhardatmybusiness,andspentbutlittleuponmyselfexceptinseeingplaysandinbooks.MyfriendRalphhadkeptmepoor;heowedmeabout twenty-sevenpounds,whichIwasnownever likely toreceive;agreatsumoutofmysmallearnings!Ilov'dhim,notwithstanding,forhehadmanyamiablequalities.Ihadby nomeans improv'dmy fortune; but I had picked up some very ingeniousacquaintance,whoseconversationwasofgreatadvantagetome;andIhadreadconsiderably.

[36]Oneof the oldest parts ofLondon, north ofSt. Paul'sCathedral, called "LittleBritain"becausetheDukesofBrittanyusedtolivethere.Seetheessayentitled"LittleBritain"inWashingtonIrving'sSketchBook.

[37]Agoldcoinworthaboutfourdollarsinourmoney.

[38]Apopularcomedian,managerofDruryLaneTheater.

[39]StreetnorthofSt.Paul's,occupiedbypublishinghouses.

[40] Law schools and lawyers' residences situated southwest of St. Paul's, betweenFleetStreetandtheThames.

[41]EdwardYoung (1681-1765),anEnglishpoet.Seehis satires,Vol. III,Epist. ii,page70.

[42]TheprintingpressatwhichFranklinworkedispreservedinthePatentOfficeatWashington.

[43]Franklinnowlefttheworkofoperatingtheprintingpresses,whichwaslargelyamatter of manual labor, and began setting type, which required more skill andintelligence.

[44]AprintinghouseiscalledachapelbecauseCaxton,thefirstEnglishprinter,didhisprintinginachapelconnectedwithWestminsterAbbey.

[45]AholidaytakentoprolongthedissipationofSaturday'swages.

[46]Thestoryis thatshemetChristonHiswaytocrucifixionandofferedHimherhandkerchief towipe theblood fromHis face, afterwhich thehandkerchief alwaysboretheimageofChrist'sbleedingface.

[47]JamesSalter,a formerservantofHansSloane, lived inCheyneWalk,Chelsea."Hishouse,abarber-shop,wasknownas'DonSaltero'sCoffee-House.'Thecuriositieswere in glass cases and constituted an amazing and motley collection—a petrifiedcrab from China, a 'lignified hog,' Job's tears, Madagascar lances, William theConqueror'sflamingsword,andHenrytheEighth'scoatofmail."—Smyth.

[48]Aboutthreemiles.

[49]About$167.

VII

BEGINNINGBUSINESSINPHILADELPHIA

block-WEsail'dfromGravesendonthe23rdofJuly,1726.Fortheincidentsofthe voyage, I refer you tomy Journal,where youwill find them allminutelyrelated.Perhapsthemostimportantpartofthatjournalistheplan[50]tobefoundin it,which I formed at sea, for regulatingmy future conduct in life. It is themore remarkable, as being formedwhen Iwas soyoung, andyet beingprettyfaithfullyadheredtoquitethro'tooldage.

We landed in Philadelphia on the 11th of October, where I found sundryalterations.Keithwasnolongergovernor,beingsupersededbyMajorGordon.Imethimwalkingthestreetsasacommoncitizen.Heseem'dalittleasham'dat

seeing me, but pass'd without saying anything. I should have been as muchasham'datseeingMissRead,hadnotherfriends,despairingwithreasonofmyreturnafterthereceiptofmyletter,persuadedhertomarryanother,oneRogers,a potter, which was done in my absence.With him, however, she was neverhappy,andsoonpartedfromhim,refusingtocohabitwithhimorbearhisname,itbeingnowsaid thathehadanotherwife.Hewasaworthless fellow, tho'anexcellentworkman,whichwas the temptation toher friends.Hegot intodebt,ranawayin1727or1728,wenttotheWestIndies,anddiedthere.Keimerhadgotabetterhouse,ashopwellsupply'dwithstationery,plentyofnewtypes,anumberofhands,tho'nonegood,andseem'dtohaveagreatdealofbusiness.

Mr.DenhamtookastoreinWater-street,whereweopen'dourgoods;Iattendedthe business diligently, studied accounts, and grew, in a little time, expert atselling.Welodg'dandboardedtogether;hecounsell'dmeasafather,havingasincere regard forme. I respectedand lovedhim,andwemighthavegoneontogetherveryhappy;but,inthebeginningofFebruary,1726/7,whenIhadjustpass'dmytwenty-firstyear,webothweretakenill.Mydistemperwasapleurisy,whichverynearlycarriedmeoff.Isufferedagooddeal,gaveupthepointinmyown mind, and was rather disappointed when I found myself recovering,regretting, in some degree, that Imust now, some time or other, have all thatdisagreeableworktodooveragain.Iforgetwhathisdistemperwas;itheldhima long time, and at length carried him off. He left me a small legacy in anuncupativewill,asatokenofhiskindnessforme,andheleftmeoncemoretothewideworld; for the storewas taken into thecareofhisexecutors, andmyemploymentunderhimended.

Mr.DenhamtookastoreinWater-street

Mybrother-in-law,Holmes,beingnowatPhiladelphia,advisedmyreturntomybusiness;andKeimer temptedme,withanofferof largewagesbytheyear, tocomeandtakethemanagementofhisprinting-house,thathemightbetterattendhisstationer'sshop.IhadheardabadcharacterofhiminLondonfromhiswifeandherfriends,andwasnotfondofhavinganymoretodowithhim.Itri'dforfarther employment as amerchant's clerk; but, not readilymeetingwith any, Iclos'd againwithKeimer. I found inhis house thesehands:HughMeredith, aWelshPennsylvanian,thirtyyearsofage,bredtocountrywork;honest,sensible,had a great deal of solid observation,was somethingof a reader, but given todrink. Stephen Potts, a young countryman of full age, bred to the same, ofuncommonnaturalparts,andgreatwitandhumor,butalittleidle.Thesehehadagreedwith at extream lowwagesperweek tobe rais'd a shilling every three

months, as they would deserve by improving in their business; and theexpectationofthesehighwages,tocomeonhereafter,waswhathehaddrawntheminwith.Meredithwastoworkatpress,Pottsatbook-binding,whichhe,byagreement,wastoteachthem,thoughheknewneitheronenort'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 bemade apressman.GeorgeWebb, anOxford scholar,whose time for fouryearshehadlikewisebought, intendinghimforacompositor,ofwhommorepresently;andDavidHarry,acountryboy,whomhehadtakenapprentice.

Isoonperceiv'dthattheintentionofengagingmeatwagessomuchhigherthanhehadbeenus'dtogive,was, tohavetheseraw,cheaphandsform'dthro'me;and, as soon as I had instructed them, then they being all articled to him, heshouldbe able to dowithoutme. Iwent on, however, very chearfully, put hisprinting-house in order, which had been in great confusion, and brought hishandsbydegreestomindtheirbusinessandtodoitbetter.

ItwasanoddthingtofindanOxfordscholarinthesituationofaboughtservant.He was not more than eighteen years of age, and gave me this account ofhimself;thathewasborninGloucester,educatedatagrammar-schoolthere,hadbeen distinguish'd among the scholars for some apparent superiority inperforminghispart,whentheyexhibitedplays;belong'dtotheWittyClubthere,and had written some pieces in prose and verse, which were printed in theGloucesternewspapers;thencehewassenttoOxford;wherehecontinuedaboutayear,butnotwellsatisfi'd,wishingofallthingstoseeLondon,andbecomeaplayer.Atlength,receivinghisquarterlyallowanceoffifteenguineas,insteadofdischarginghisdebtshewalk'doutof town,hidhisgowninafurzebush,andfooted it to London, where, having no friend to advise him, he fell into badcompany,soonspenthisguineas,foundnomeansofbeingintroduc'damongtheplayers, grew necessitous, pawn'd his cloaths, andwanted bread.Walking thestreetveryhungry,andnotknowingwhat todowithhimself,acrimp'sbill[51]wasput intohishand,offering immediateentertainmentandencouragement tosuchaswouldbindthemselvestoserveinAmerica.Hewentdirectly,sign'dtheindentures,wasputintotheship,andcameover,neverwritingalinetoacquainthis friendswhatwasbecomeofhim.Hewas lively,witty,good-natur'd,andapleasantcompanion,butidle,thoughtless,andimprudenttothelastdegree.

John,theIrishman,soonranaway;withtherestIbegantoliveveryagreeably,fortheyallrespectedmethemore,astheyfoundKeimerincapableofinstructingthem, 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. Myacquaintance with ingenious people in the town increased. Keimer himselftreatedmewith great civility and apparent regard, and nothing nowmademeuneasybutmydebttoVernon,whichIwasyetunabletopay,beinghithertobutapooræconomist.He,however,kindlymadenodemandofit.

Our printing-house often wanted sorts, and there was no letter-founder inAmerica;IhadseentypescastatJames'sinLondon,butwithoutmuchattentiontothemanner;however,Inowcontrivedamould,madeuseoftheletterswehadaspuncheons,struckthemattricesinlead,andthussupply'dinaprettytolerablewayalldeficiencies.Ialsoengrav'dseveralthingsonoccasion;Imadetheink;Iwaswarehouseman,andeverything,and,inshort,quiteafac-totum.

But,howeverserviceableImightbe,Ifoundthatmyservicesbecameeverydayof less importance, as the other hands improv'd in the business; and, whenKeimerpaidmysecondquarter'swages,he letmeknow thathe felt them tooheavy,andthoughtIshouldmakeanabatement.Hegrewbydegreeslesscivil,put on more of the master, frequently found fault, was captious, and seem'dreadyforanoutbreaking.Iwenton,nevertheless,withagooddealofpatience,thinking that his encumber'd circumstanceswere partly the cause.At length atriflesnaptourconnections;for,agreatnoisehappeningnearthecourt-house,Iputmyheadoutofthewindowtoseewhatwasthematter.Keimer,beinginthestreet,look'dupandsawme,call'douttomeinaloudvoiceandangrytonetomindmybusiness,addingsomereproachfulwords,thatnettledmethemorefortheir publicity, all theneighbourswhowere lookingouton the sameoccasionbeingwitnesseshowIwas treated.Hecameup immediately into theprinting-house, continu'd the quarrel, highwords pass'd on both sides, he gaveme thequarter's warning we had stipulated, expressing a wish that he had not beenoblig'd toso longawarning. I toldhimhiswishwasunnecessary, for Iwouldleave him that instant; and so, taking my hat, walk'd out of doors, desiringMeredith,whomIsawbelow,totakecareofsomethingsIleft,andbringthemtomylodgings.

Meredithcameaccordingly in theevening,whenwe talkedmyaffairover.Hehadconceiv'dagreatregardforme,andwasveryunwillingthatIshouldleavethehousewhileheremain'dinit.Hedissuadedmefromreturningtomynativecountry,whichIbegantothinkof;heremindedmethatKeimerwasindebtforall he possess'd; that his creditors began to be uneasy; that he kept his shopmiserably,soldoftenwithoutprofit forreadymoney,andoften trustedwithoutkeeping accounts; that hemust therefore fail, whichwouldmake a vacancy I

might profit of. I objectedmywant ofmoney. He then letme know that hisfather had a high opinion of me, and, from some discourse that had pass'dbetweenthem,hewassurewouldadvancemoneytosetusup,ifIwouldenterintopartnershipwithhim."Mytime,"sayshe,"willbeoutwithKeimerinthespring; by that timewemay have our press and types in fromLondon. I amsensibleIamnoworkman;ifyoulikeit,yourskill inthebusinessshallbesetagainstthestockIfurnish,andwewillsharetheprofitsequally."

The proposal was agreeable, and I consented; his father was in town andapprov'd of it; the more as he saw I had great influence with his son, hadprevailedonhimtoabstainlongfromdram-drinking,andhehop'dmightbreakhimofthatwretchedhabitentirely,whenwecametobesocloselyconnected.Igaveaninventorytothefather,whocarry'dittoamerchant;thethingsweresentfor,thesecretwastobekepttilltheyshouldarrive,andinthemeantimeIwastogetwork, if Icould,at theotherprinting-house.ButI foundnovacancy there,andsoremainedidleafewdays,whenKeimer,onaprospectofbeingemploy'dtoprintsomepapermoneyinNewJersey,whichwouldrequirecutsandvarioustypesthatIonlycouldsupply,andapprehendingBradfordmightengagemeandgetthejobbfromhim,sentmeaverycivilmessage,thatoldfriendsshouldnotpart for a fewwords, the effect of sudden passion, andwishingme to return.Meredith persuadedme to comply, as it would givemore opportunity for hisimprovement undermydaily instructions; so I return'd, andwewent onmoresmoothly than for some time before. The New Jersey jobb was obtained, Icontriv'dacopperplatepressforit,thefirstthathadbeenseeninthecountry;Icutseveralornamentsandchecksforthebills.WewenttogethertoBurlington,whereIexecutedthewholetosatisfaction;andhereceivedsolargeasumfortheworkastobeenabledtherebytokeephisheadmuchlongerabovewater.

At Burlington I made an acquaintance with many principal people of theprovince.SeveralofthemhadbeenappointedbytheAssemblyacommitteetoattend the press, and take care that no more bills were printed than the lawdirected.Theyweretherefore,byturns,constantlywithus,andgenerallyhewhoattended,broughtwithhimafriendortwoforcompany.Mymindhavingbeenmuchmoreimprov'dbyreadingthanKeimer's,Isupposeitwasforthatreasonmy conversation seem'd to be more valu'd. They had me to their houses,introducedmeto theirfriends,andshow'dmemuchcivility;whilehe, tho' themaster,wasalittleneglected.Intruth,hewasanoddfish;ignorantofcommonlife, fond of rudely opposing receiv'd opinions, slovenly to extream dirtiness,enthusiasticinsomepointsofreligion,andalittleknavishwithal.

Wecontinu'dtherenearthreemonths;andbythattimeIcouldreckonamongmyacquired friends, Judge Allen, Samuel Bustill, the secretary of the Province,IsaacPearson,JosephCooper,andseveraloftheSmiths,membersofAssembly,andIsaacDecow, thesurveyor-general.The latterwasashrewd,sagaciousoldman,whotoldmethathebeganforhimself,whenyoung,bywheelingclayforbrick-makers, learned to write after he was of age, carri'd the chain forsurveyors,whotaughthimsurveying,andhehadnowbyhisindustry,acquir'dagoodestate;andsayshe,"Iforeseethatyouwillsoonworkthismanoutofhisbusiness, andmake a fortune in it at Philadelphia."He had not then the leastintimation of my intention to set up there or anywhere. These friends wereafterwardsofgreatusetome,asIoccasionallywastosomeof them.Theyallcontinuedtheirregardformeaslongastheylived.

BeforeIenteruponmypublicappearanceinbusiness,itmaybewelltoletyouknow the then stateofmymindwith regard tomyprinciplesandmorals, thatyoumayseehowfar those influenc'd the futureeventsofmy life.Myparentshadearlygivenmereligiousimpressions,andbroughtmethroughmychildhoodpiouslyintheDissentingway.ButIwasscarcefifteen,when,afterdoubtingbyturnsofseveralpoints,asIfoundthemdisputedinthedifferentbooksIread,IbegantodoubtofRevelationitself.SomebooksagainstDeism[52] fell intomyhands; they were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle'sLectures.Ithappenedthattheywroughtaneffectonmequitecontrarytowhatwasintendedbythem;fortheargumentsoftheDeists,whichwerequotedtoberefuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soonbecame a thorough Deist. My arguments perverted some others, particularlyCollins and Ralph; but, each of them having afterwards wrong'd me greatlywithout the least compunction, and recollecting Keith's conduct towards me(whowas another free-thinker), andmy own towardsVernon andMiss Read,whichattimesgavemegreattrouble,Ibegantosuspectthatthisdoctrine,tho'itmight be true, was not very useful. My London pamphlet, which had for itsmottotheselinesofDryden:[53]

"Whateveris,isright.ThoughpurblindmanSeesbutaparto'thechain,thenearestlink:Hiseyesnotcarryingtotheequalbeam,Thatpoisesallabove;"

and from the attributes of God, his infinite wisdom, goodness and power,concludedthatnothingcouldpossiblybewrongintheworld,andthatviceandvirtue were empty distinctions, no such things existing, appear'd now not so

cleveraperformanceasIoncethoughtit;andIdoubtedwhethersomeerrorhadnot insinuated itself unperceiv'd into my argument, so as to infect all thatfollow'd,asiscommoninmetaphysicalreasonings.

Igrewconvinc'dthattruth,sincerityandintegrityindealingsbetweenmanandmanwereof theutmost importance to the felicityof life; and I form'dwrittenresolutions,whichstillremaininmyjournalbook,topracticethemeverwhileIlived. Revelation had indeed noweightwithme, as such; but I entertain'd anopinion that, though certain actions might not be bad because they wereforbiddenbyit,orgoodbecauseitcommandedthem,yetprobablytheseactionsmightbeforbiddenbecause theywerebadforus,orcommandedbecausetheywere beneficial to us, in their own natures, all the circumstances of thingsconsidered. And this persuasion, with the kind hand of Providence, or someguardian angel, or accidental favourable circumstances and situations, or alltogether, preservedme, thro' this dangerous time of youth, and the hazardoussituationsIwassometimesinamongstrangers,remotefromtheeyeandadviceofmyfather,withoutanywillfulgrossimmoralityorinjustice,thatmighthavebeenexpected frommywantof religion. I saywillful,because the instances Ihave mentioned had something of necessity in them, from my youth,inexperience,andtheknaveryofothers.Ihadthereforeatolerablecharactertobegintheworldwith;Ivalueditproperly,anddetermin'dtopreserveit.

Wehadnotbeenlongreturn'dtoPhiladelphiabeforethenewtypesarriv'dfromLondon.WesettledwithKeimer,andlefthimbyhisconsentbeforeheheardofit.We found a house to hire near themarket, and took it. To lessen the rent,whichwasthenbuttwenty-fourpoundsayear,tho'Ihavesinceknownittoletforseventy,wetookinThomasGodfrey,aglazier,andhisfamily,whoweretopayaconsiderablepartof it tous,andwe toboardwith them.Wehadscarceopened our letters and put our press in order, before George House, anacquaintance of mine, brought a countryman to us, whom he had met in thestreet inquiring for aprinter.Allour cashwasnowexpended in thevarietyofparticularswehadbeenobligedtoprocure,andthiscountryman'sfiveshillings,beingourfirst-fruits,andcomingsoseasonably,gavememorepleasurethananycrownIhavesinceearned;and thegratitudeI felt towardHousehasmademeoften more ready than perhaps I should otherwise have been to assist youngbeginners.

There are croakers in every country, always boding its ruin. Such a one thenlivedinPhiladelphia;apersonofnote,anelderlyman,withawiselookandaverygravemannerofspeaking;hisnamewasSamuelMickle.Thisgentleman,a

strangertome,stoptonedayatmydoor,andaskedmeifIwastheyoungmanwhohadlatelyopenedanewprinting-house.Beingansweredintheaffirmative,hesaidhewassorryforme,because itwasanexpensiveundertaking,and theexpensewouldbelost;forPhiladelphiawasasinkingplace,thepeoplealreadyhalf-bankrupts, or near being so; all appearances to the contrary, such as newbuildingsandtheriseofrents,beingtohiscertainknowledgefallacious;fortheywere,infact,amongthethingsthatwouldsoonruinus.Andhegavemesuchadetailofmisfortunesnowexisting,orthatweresoontoexist,thatheleftmehalfmelancholy. Had I known him before I engaged in this business, probably Inevershouldhavedoneit.Thismancontinuedtoliveinthisdecayingplace,andto declaim in the same strain, refusing for many years to buy a house there,becauseallwasgoingtodestruction;andatlastIhadthepleasureofseeinghimgive five times asmuch for one as hemight have bought it forwhen he firstbeganhiscroaking.

Ishouldhavementionedbefore,that,intheautumnoftheprecedingyear,Ihadform'dmostofmyingeniousacquaintance intoaclubofmutual improvement,whichwascalledtheJUNTO;[54]wemetonFridayevenings.TherulesthatIdrewuprequiredthateverymember,inhisturn,shouldproduceoneormorequeriesonanypointofMorals,Politics, orNaturalPhilosophy, tobediscuss'dby thecompany; and once in three months produce and read an essay of his ownwriting,onanysubjecthepleased.Ourdebatesweretobeunderthedirectionofa president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth,without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory; and, to preventwarmth, allexpressionsofpositivenessinopinions,ordirectcontradiction,wereaftersometimemadecontraband,andprohibitedundersmallpecuniarypenalties.

ThefirstmemberswereJosephBreintnal,acopyerofdeedsforthescriveners,agood-natur'd, friendlymiddle-ag'dman, a great lover of poetry, reading all hecouldmeetwith, andwriting some thatwas tolerable;very ingenious inmanylittleNicknackeries,andofsensibleconversation.

ThomasGodfrey, a self-taughtmathematician, great in hisway, and afterwardinventorofwhatisnowcalledHadley'sQuadrant.Butheknewlittleoutofhisway, andwas not a pleasing companion; as, likemost greatmathematicians Ihavemetwith,heexpecteduniversalprecisionineverythingsaid,orwasforeverdenyingordistinguishingupontrifles,tothedisturbanceofallconversation.Hesoonleftus.

Nicholas Scull, a surveyor, afterwards surveyor-general,who lov'd books, and

sometimesmadeafewverses.

William Parsons, bred a shoemaker, but, loving reading, had acquir'd aconsiderable share of mathematics, which he first studied with a view toastrology,thatheafterwardslaughtatit.Healsobecamesurveyor-general.

WilliamMaugridge, a joiner, amost exquisitemechanic, and a solid, sensibleman.

HughMeredith,StephenPotts,andGeorgeWebbIhavecharacteriz'dbefore.

RobertGrace,ayounggentlemanofsomefortune,generous,lively,andwitty;aloverofpunningandofhisfriends.

And William Coleman, then a merchant's clerk, about my age, who had thecoolest,clearesthead,thebestheart,andtheexactestmoralsofalmostanymanIevermetwith.Hebecameafterwardsamerchantofgreatnote,andoneofourprovincial judges. Our friendship continued without interruption to his death,upwardsoffortyyears;andtheclubcontinuedalmostaslong,andwasthebestschoolofphilosophy,morality,andpoliticsthatthenexistedintheprovince;forourqueries,whichwereread theweekpreceding theirdiscussion,putusuponreadingwithattentionupontheseveralsubjects,thatwemightspeakmoretothepurpose; and here, too, we acquired better habits of conversation, everythingbeingstudiedinourruleswhichmightpreventourdisgustingeachother.Fromhencethelongcontinuanceoftheclub,whichIshallhavefrequentoccasiontospeakfurtherofhereafter.

ButmygivingthisaccountofithereistoshowsomethingoftheinterestIhad,everyone of these exerting themselves in recommending business to us.Breintnalparticularlyprocur'dus fromtheQuakers theprintingfortysheetsoftheir history, the rest being to be done by Keimer; and upon this we work'dexceedinglyhard,for thepricewaslow.Itwasafolio,propatriasize, inpica,withlongprimernotes.[55]Icompos'dofitasheetaday,andMeredithworkeditoff at press; it was often eleven at night, and sometimes later, before I hadfinishedmydistributionforthenextday'swork,forthelittlejobbssentinbyourother friends now and then put us back. But so determin'd I was to continuedoing a sheet a day of the folio, that one night,when, having impos'd[56]myforms,Ithoughtmyday'sworkover,oneofthembyaccidentwasbroken,andtwopagesreducedtopi,[57]Iimmediatelydistribut'dandcomposeditoveragainbeforeIwenttobed;andthisindustry,visibletoourneighbors,begantogiveus

characterandcredit;particularly,Iwastold,thatmentionbeingmadeofthenewprinting-officeatthemerchants'Every-nightclub,thegeneralopinionwasthatitmustfail,therebeingalreadytwoprintersintheplace,KeimerandBradford;butDr. 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 thatFranklin,"sayshe,"issuperiortoanythingIeversawofthekind;IseehimstillatworkwhenIgohomefromclub,andheisatworkagainbeforehisneighborsareoutofbed."Thisstruck therest,andwesoonafterhadoffers fromoneofthemtosupplyuswithstationery;butasyetwedidnotchusetoengageinshopbusiness.

Imentionthisindustrythemoreparticularlyandthemorefreely,tho'itseemstobetalkinginmyownpraise, that thoseofmyposterity,whoshallreadit,mayknow theuseof thatvirtue,when theysee itseffects inmyfavour throughoutthisrelation.

George Webb, who had found a female friend that lent him wherewith topurchasehistimeofKeimer,nowcametoofferhimselfasajourneymantous.Wecouldnot thenemployhim;but I foolishly lethimknowasa secret that Isoon intended to begin a newspaper, andmight then have work for him.Myhopes of success, as I told him, were founded on this, that the then onlynewspaper,printedbyBradford,wasapaltrything,wretchedlymanag'd,nowayentertaining, and yet was profitable to him; I therefore thought a good paperwouldscarcelyfailofgoodencouragement.IrequestedWebbnottomentionit;buthetoldittoKeimer,whoimmediately,tobebeforehandwithme,publishedproposals for printing one himself, on which Webb was to be employ'd. Iresentedthis;and,tocounteractthem,asIcouldnotyetbeginourpaper,IwroteseveralpiecesofentertainmentforBradford'spaper,underthetitleoftheBUSY

BODY,whichBreintnal continu'd somemonths.By thismeans the attention ofthe publick was fixed on that paper, and Keimer's proposals, which weburlesqu'd and ridicul'd,were disregarded.He began his paper, however, and,aftercarryingitonthreequartersofayear,withatmostonlyninetysubscribers,heofferedittomeforatrifle;andI,havingbeenreadysometimetogoonwithit, took it inhanddirectly;and itprov'd ina fewyearsextremelyprofitable tome.

IperceivethatIamapttospeakinthesingularnumber,thoughourpartnershipstill continu'd; the reasonmay be that, in fact, the whole management of thebusiness lay upon me. Meredith was no compositor, a poor pressman, andseldomsober.Myfriendslamentedmyconnectionwithhim,butIwastomake

thebestofit.

IseehimstillatworkwhenIgohomefromclub"IseehimstillatworkwhenIgohomefromclub"

Our first papers made a quite different appearance from any before in theprovince; a better type, and better printed; but some spirited remarks of mywriting, on the dispute then going on between Governor Burnet and theMassachusettsAssembly,strucktheprincipalpeople,occasionedthepaperandthemanagerofittobemuchtalk'dof,andinafewweeksbroughtthemalltobeoursubscribers.

Their example was follow'd by many, and our number went on growingcontinually.Thiswasoneofthefirstgoodeffectsofmyhavinglearntalittletoscribble;anotherwas,thattheleadingmen,seeinganewspapernowinthehandsof one who could also handle a pen, thought it convenient to oblige andencourage me. Bradford still printed the votes, and laws, and other publickbusiness.Hehadprintedanaddressof theHouse to thegovernor, inacoarse,blunderingmanner;wereprinteditelegantlyandcorrectly,andsentonetoeverymember.Theyweresensibleofthedifference:itstrengthenedthehandsofourfriendsintheHouse,andtheyvotedustheirprintersfortheyearensuing.

Among my friends in the House I must not forget Mr. Hamilton, beforementioned, who was then returned from England, and had a seat in it. Heinterested himself for me strongly in that instance, as he did in many othersafterward,continuinghispatronagetillhisdeath.[58]

Mr.Vernon,aboutthistime,putmeinmindofthedebtIow'dhim,butdidnotpress me. I wrote him an ingenuous letter of acknowledgment, crav'd hisforbearancealittlelonger,whichheallow'dme,andassoonasIwasable,Ipaidtheprincipalwithinterest,andmanythanks;sothaterratumwasinsomedegreecorrected.

ButnowanotherdifficultycameuponmewhichIhadnevertheleastreasontoexpect. Mr. Meredith's father, who was to have paid for our printing-house,accordingto theexpectationsgivenme,wasable toadvanceonlyonehundredpounds currency, which had been paid; and a hundred more was due to themerchant,whogrewimpatient,andsu'dusall.Wegavebail,butsawthat,ifthemoneycouldnotbe rais'd in time, thesuitmustsooncome toa judgmentandexecution,andourhopefulprospectsmust,withus,beruined,asthepressand

lettersmustbesoldforpayment,perhapsathalfprice.

Inthisdistresstwotruefriends,whosekindnessIhaveneverforgotten,norevershallforgetwhileIcanrememberanything,cametomeseparately,unknowntoeach other, and, without any application from me, offering each of them toadvanceme all themoney that should be necessary to enableme to take thewholebusinessuponmyself,ifthatshouldbepracticable;buttheydidnotlikemycontinuingthepartnershipwithMeredith,who,astheysaid,wasoftenseendrunk in the streets, and playing at low games in alehouses, much to ourdiscredit. These two friends wereWilliam Coleman and Robert Grace. I toldthem I could not propose a separation while any prospect remain'd of theMeredith'sfulfillingtheirpartofouragreement,becauseIthoughtmyselfundergreatobligations to themforwhat theyhaddone,andwoulddo if theycould;but, if they finally fail'd in their performance, and our partnership must bedissolv'd, I should then thinkmyself at liberty to accept the assistance ofmyfriends.

Thusthematterrestedforsometime,whenIsaidtomypartner,"Perhapsyourfatherisdissatisfiedatthepartyouhaveundertakeninthisaffairofours,andisunwillingtoadvanceforyouandmewhathewouldforyoualone.Ifthatisthecase, tellme, and Iwill resign thewhole to you, and go aboutmy business.""No,"saidhe,"myfatherhasreallybeendisappointed,andisreallyunable;andIamunwillingtodistresshimfarther.IseethisisabusinessIamnotfitfor.Iwasbredafarmer,anditwasafollyinmetocometotown,andputmyself,atthirtyyearsofage,anapprenticetolearnanewtrade.ManyofourWelshpeoplearegoing to settle inNorthCarolina,where land is cheap. I am inclin'd togowiththem,andfollowmyoldemployment.Youmayfindfriendstoassistyou.Ifyou will take the debts of the company upon you; return to my father thehundred pounds he has advanced; pay my little personal debts, and give methirtypoundsandanewsaddle,Iwill relinquishthepartnership,andleavethewhole in your hands." I agreed to this proposal: it was drawn up in writing,sign'd,andseal'dimmediately.Igavehimwhathedemanded,andhewentsoonaftertoCarolina,fromwhencehesentmenextyeartwolongletters,containingthe best account that had been given of that country, the climate, the soil,husbandry,etc.,forinthosemattershewasveryjudicious.Iprintedtheminthepapers,andtheygavegreatsatisfactiontothepublick.

Assoonashewasgone,Irecurr'dtomytwofriends;andbecauseIwouldnotgiveanunkindpreference toeither, I tookhalfofwhateachhadofferedandIwantedofone,andhalfoftheother;paidoffthecompany'sdebts,andwenton

with the business in my own name, advertising that the partnership wasdissolved.Ithinkthiswasinorabouttheyear1729.

[50] "Not found in the manuscript journal, which was left among Franklin'spapers."—Bigelow.

[51]Acrimpwastheagentofashippingcompany.Crimpsweresometimesemployedtodecoymenintosuchserviceasisherementioned.

[52] The creed of an eighteenth century theological sect which, while believing inGod,refusedtocredit thepossibilityofmiraclesandtoacknowledgethevalidityofrevelation.

[53]AgreatEnglishpoet,dramatist,andcritic(1631-1700).ThelinesareinaccuratelyquotedfromDryden'sŒdipus,ActIII,SceneI,line293.

[54] A Spanish term meaning a combination for political intrigue; here a club orsociety.

[55]Asheet8-1/2by13-1/2inches,havingthewordspropatriaintranslucentlettersin the body of the paper. Pica—a size of type; as,ABCD: Long Primer—asmallersizeoftype;as,ABCD.[56]To arrange and lock up pages or columns of type in a rectangular iron frame,readyforprinting.

[57]Reducedtocompletedisorder.

[58]Igothissononce£500.—Marg.note.

VIII

BUSINESSSUCCESSANDFIRSTPUBLICSERVICE

block-aBOUTthistimetherewasacryamongthepeopleformorepapermoney,only fifteen thousandpoundsbeingextant in theprovince,and that soon tobesunk.[59]Thewealthy inhabitantsoppos'danyaddition,beingagainst allpapercurrency,fromanapprehensionthatitwoulddepreciate,asithaddoneinNewEngland, to the prejudice of all creditors. We had discuss'd this point in ourJunto,whereIwasonthesideofanaddition,beingpersuadedthatthefirstsmallsumstruck in1723haddonemuchgoodbyincreasing the trade,employment,andnumberof inhabitants in theprovince, since Inowsawall theoldhousesinhabited,andmanynewonesbuilding:whereasIrememberedwell,thatwhenIfirstwalk'dabout thestreetsofPhiladelphia,eatingmyroll, I sawmostof thehousesinWalnutStreet,betweenSecondandFrontstreets,[60]withbillsontheirdoors,"Tobelet";andmanylikewiseinChestnut-streetandotherstreets,which

mademethenthinktheinhabitantsofthecityweredesertingitoneafteranother.

Our debates possess'dme so fully of the subject, that I wrote and printed ananonymous pamphlet on it, entitled "The Nature and Necessity of a PaperCurrency." Itwaswell receiv'dby thecommonpeople ingeneral;but the richmendislik'dit,foritincreas'dandstrengthen'dtheclamorformoremoney,andtheyhappeningtohavenowritersamongthemthatwereabletoanswerit,theiroppositionslacken'd,andthepointwascarriedbyamajorityintheHouse.Myfriendsthere,whoconceiv'dIhadbeenofsomeservice,thoughtfittorewardmebyemployingmeinprintingthemoney;averyprofitablejobbandagreathelptome.Thiswasanotheradvantagegain'dbymybeingabletowrite.

Theutilityofthiscurrencybecamebytimeandexperiencesoevidentasneverafterwards to be much disputed; so that it grew soon to fifty-five thousandpounds,andin1739toeightythousandpounds,sincewhichitaroseduringwarto upwards of three hundred and fifty thousand pounds, trade, building, andinhabitants all the while increasing, tho' I now think there are limits beyondwhichthequantitymaybehurtful.[61]

I soon after obtain'd, thro' my friendHamilton, the printing of theNewcastlepapermoney,anotherprofitablejobbasIthenthoughtit;smallthingsappearinggreat to those in small circumstances; and these, to me, were really greatadvantages, as theyweregreat encouragements.Heprocured forme, also, theprintingofthelawsandvotesofthatgovernment,whichcontinu'dinmyhandsaslongasIfollow'dthebusiness.

Inowopen'dalittlestationer'sshop.Ihadinitblanksofallsorts,thecorrectestthateverappear'damongus,beingassistedinthatbymyfriendBreintnal.Ihadalso paper, parchment, chapmen's books, etc.OneWhitemash, a compositor IhadknowninLondon,anexcellentworkman,nowcametome,andwork'dwithmeconstantlyanddiligently;andItookanapprentice,thesonofAquillaRose.

Iwasunderfortheprinting-house.Inordertosecuremycreditandcharacterasa tradesman,I tookcarenotonly tobe inreality industriousandfrugal,but toavoidallappearancestothecontrary.Idrestplainly;Iwasseenatnoplacesofidlediversion.Ineverwentoutafishingorshooting;abook,indeed,sometimesdebauch'dmefrommywork,but thatwasseldom,snug,andgavenoscandal;and, toshowthatIwasnotabovemybusiness,Isometimesbroughthomethepaper I purchas'd at the stores thro' the streets on awheelbarrow. Thus beingesteem'danindustrious,thrivingyoungman,andpayingdulyforwhatIbought,

the merchants who imported stationery solicited my custom; others proposedsupplyingmewithbooks,andIwentonswimmingly.Inthemeantime,Keimer'screditandbusinessdecliningdaily,hewasatlastforc'dtosellhisprinting-housetosatisfyhiscreditors.HewenttoBarbadoes,andtherelivedsomeyearsinverypoorcircumstances.

IsometimesbroughthomethepaperIpurchas'datthestoresthro'thestreetsonawheelbarrow

Hisapprentice,DavidHarry,whomIhadinstructedwhileIwork'dwithhim,setup in his place at Philadelphia, having bought his materials. I was at firstapprehensiveofapowerfulrivalinHarry,ashisfriendswereveryable,andhada good deal of interest. I therefore propos'd a partnership to him, which he,fortunately for me, rejected with scorn. He was very proud, dress'd like agentleman, liv'd expensively, tookmuch diversion and pleasure abroad, ran indebt,andneglectedhisbusiness;uponwhich,allbusinesslefthim;and,findingnothingtodo,hefollowedKeimertoBarbadoes,takingtheprinting-housewithhim. There this apprentice employ'd his formermaster as a journeyman; theyquarrell'doften;Harrywentcontinuallybehindhand,andatlengthwasforc'dtosell his types and return tohis countrywork inPennsylvania.Theperson thatboughtthememploy'dKeimertousethem,butinafewyearshedied.

There remained now no competitor with me at Philadelphia but the old one,Bradford;whowasrichandeasy,didalittleprintingnowandthenbystragglinghands, butwas not very anxious about the business.However, as he kept thepost-office, itwas imaginedhehadbetteropportunitiesofobtainingnews;hispaperwasthoughtabetterdistributerofadvertisementsthanmine,andthereforehadmanymore,whichwasaprofitablethingtohim,andadisadvantagetome;for,tho'Ididindeedreceiveandsendpapersbythepost,yetthepublickopinionwas otherwise, forwhat I did sendwas by bribing the riders,who took themprivately, Bradford being unkind enough to forbid it, which occasion'd someresentment on my part; and I thought so meanly of him for it, that, when Iafterwardcameintohissituation,Itookcarenevertoimitateit.

Ihadhithertocontinu'd toboardwithGodfrey,who lived inpartofmyhousewith his wife and children, and had one side of the shop for his glazier'sbusiness,tho'heworkedlittle,beingalwaysabsorbedinhismathematics.Mrs.Godfreyprojectedamatchformewitharelation'sdaughter,tookopportunitiesofbringingusoftentogether,tillaseriouscourtshiponmypartensu'd,thegirlbeing 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 toexplain.Mrs.Godfreymanag'dourlittletreaty.IletherknowthatIexpectedasmuchmoneywith their daughter aswould pay offmy remaining debt for theprinting-house, which I believe was not then above a hundred pounds. Shebroughtmeword they had no such sum to spare; I said theymightmortgagetheirhouseintheloan-office.Theanswertothis,aftersomedays,was,thattheydidnotapprovethematch;that,oninquiryofBradford,theyhadbeeninformedtheprintingbusinesswasnotaprofitableone;thetypeswouldsoonbewornout,andmorewanted;thatS.KeimerandD.Harryhadfailedoneaftertheother,andIshouldprobablysoonfollowthem;and,therefore,Iwasforbiddenthehouse,andthedaughtershutup.

Whetherthiswasarealchangeofsentimentoronlyartifice,onasuppositionofour being too far engaged in affection to retract, and therefore thatwe shouldsteal amarriage,whichwould leave them at liberty to give orwithholdwhattheypleas'd,Iknownot;butIsuspectedthelatter,resentedit,andwentnomore.Mrs. Godfrey brought me afterward some more favorable accounts of theirdisposition, andwouldhavedrawnmeonagain; but I declared absolutelymyresolutiontohavenothingmoretodowiththatfamily.ThiswasresentedbytheGodfreys;we differed, and they removed, leavingme thewhole house, and Iresolvedtotakenomoreinmates.

But this affair having turnedmy thoughts tomarriage, I look'd roundme andmadeoverturesofacquaintanceinotherplaces;butsoonfoundthat,thebusinessofaprinterbeinggenerallythoughtapoorone,Iwasnottoexpectmoneywithawife,unlesswithsuchaoneasIshouldnototherwisethinkagreeable.AfriendlycorrespondenceasneighboursandoldacquaintanceshadcontinuedbetweenmeandMrs.Read's family,whoallhadaregardformefromthe timeofmyfirstlodging in their house. Iwasoften invited there and consulted in their affairs,wherein I sometimes was of service. I piti'd poor Miss Read's unfortunatesituation,whowasgenerallydejected,seldomchearful,andavoidedcompany.IconsideredmygiddinessandinconstancywheninLondonas inagreatdegreethecauseofherunhappiness,tho'themotherwasgoodenoughtothinkthefaultmore her own than mine, as she had prevented our marrying before I wentthither,andpersuadedtheothermatchinmyabsence.Ourmutualaffectionwasrevived,buttherewerenowgreatobjectionstoourunion.Thematchwasindeedlookeduponasinvalid,aprecedingwifebeingsaidtobelivinginEngland;butthis could not easily be prov'd, because of the distance; and, tho' therewas areportofhisdeath, itwasnot certain.Then, tho' it shouldbe true,hehad left

many debts, which his successor might be call'd upon to pay. We ventured,however,overallthesedifficulties,andItookhertowife,September1st,1730.None of the inconveniences happened thatwe had apprehended; she proved agood and faithful helpmate,[62] assisted me much by attending the shop; wethrovetogether,andhaveevermutuallyendeavour'dtomakeeachotherhappy.ThusIcorrectedthatgreaterratumaswellasIcould.

About this time, our clubmeeting, not at a tavern, but in a little roomofMr.Grace's,setapartforthatpurpose,apropositionwasmadebyme,that,sinceourbookswere often referr'd to in our disquisitions upon the queries, itmight beconvenienttoustohavethemaltogetherwherewemet,thatuponoccasiontheymight be consulted; and by thus clubbing our books to a common library,weshould,whilewelik'dtokeepthemtogether,haveeachofustheadvantageofusingthebooksofalltheothermembers,whichwouldbenearlyasbeneficialasifeachownedthewhole.Itwaslik'dandagreedto,andwefill'doneendoftheroomwithsuchbooksaswecouldbestspare.Thenumberwasnotsogreataswe expected; and tho' they had been of great use, yet some inconveniencesoccurring forwantofduecareof them, thecollection, after about ayear,wasseparated,andeachtookhisbookshomeagain.

AndnowIsetonfootmyfirstprojectofapublicnature,thatforasubscriptionlibrary.Idrewuptheproposals,got themput intoformbyourgreatscrivener,Brockden,and,bythehelpofmyfriendsintheJunto,procuredfiftysubscribersoffortyshillingseachtobeginwith,andtenshillingsayearforfiftyyears,theterm our company was to continue. We afterwards obtain'd a charter, thecompanybeing increased toonehundred: thiswas themotherofall theNorthAmerican subscription libraries, now so numerous. It is become a great thingitself, and continually increasing. These libraries have improved the generalconversation of the Americans, made the common tradesmen and farmers asintelligentasmostgentlemenfromothercountries,andperhapshavecontributedinsomedegreetothestandsogenerallymadethroughoutthecoloniesindefenseoftheirprivileges.[63]

Mem°. Thus farwaswrittenwith the intention express'd in the beginning andtherefore contains several little family anecdotes of no importance to others.What follows was written many years after in compliance with the advicecontain'dintheseletters,andaccordinglyintendedforthepublic.TheaffairsoftheRevolutionoccasion'dtheinterruption.[64]

[ContinuationoftheAccountofmyLife,begunatPassy,nearParis,1784.]

It is some time since I receiv'd theabove letters,but Ihavebeen toobusy tillnowtothinkofcomplyingwiththerequesttheycontain.Itmight,too,bemuchbetterdoneifIwereathomeamongmypapers,whichwouldaidmymemory,andhelptoascertaindates;butmyreturnbeinguncertain,andhavingjustnowalittle leisure, Iwillendeavour to recollectandwritewhat Ican; if I live togethome,itmaytherebecorrectedandimprov'd.

Not having any copy here of what is alreadywritten, I know not whether anaccountisgivenofthemeansIusedtoestablishthePhiladelphiapubliclibrary,which, from a small beginning, is now become so considerable, though Iremembertohavecomedowntonearthetimeofthattransaction(1730).Iwillthereforebeginherewithanaccountofit,whichmaybestruckoutiffoundtohavebeenalreadygiven.

At the time I establish'd myself in Pennsylvania, there was not a goodbookseller'sshopinanyofthecoloniestothesouthwardofBoston.InNewYorkand Philad'a the printers were indeed stationers; they sold only paper, etc.,almanacs, ballads, and a few common school-books.Thosewho lov'd readingwere obliged to send for their books fromEngland; themembers of the Juntohadeachafew.Wehadleftthealehouse,wherewefirstmet,andhiredaroomtoholdourclubin.Ipropos'dthatweshouldallofusbringourbookstothatroom,wheretheywouldnotonlybereadytoconsultinourconferences,butbecomeacommonbenefit,eachofusbeingatlibertytoborrowsuchashewish'dtoreadathome.Thiswasaccordinglydone,andforsometimecontentedus.

Finding the advantage of this little collection, I propos'd to render the benefitfrombooksmorecommon,bycommencingapublicsubscriptionlibrary.Idrewa sketch of the plan and rules that would be necessary, and got a skilfulconveyancer, Mr. Charles Brockden, to put the whole in form of articles ofagreement tobesubscribed,bywhicheachsubscriberengag'd topayacertainsum down for the first purchase of books, and an annual contribution forincreasing them.So fewwere the readers at that time inPhiladelphia, and themajorityofussopoor,thatIwasnotable,withgreatindustry,tofindmorethanfifty persons, mostly young tradesmen, willing to pay down for this purposefortyshillingseach,and tenshillingsperannum.On this little fundwebegan.The books were imported; the library was opened one day in the week forlendingtothesubscribers,ontheirpromissorynotestopaydoublethevalueifnot duly returned. The institution soonmanifested its utility, was imitated byothertowns,andinotherprovinces.Thelibrarieswereaugmentedbydonations;readingbecamefashionable;andourpeople,havingnopublickamusementsto

diverttheirattentionfromstudy,becamebetteracquaintedwithbooks,andinafewyearswereobserv'dbystrangerstobebetterinstructedandmoreintelligentthanpeopleofthesamerankgenerallyareinothercountries.

Whenwewere about to sign the abovementioned articles, whichwere to bebindingonus,ourheirs,etc.,forfiftyyears,Mr.Brockden,thescrivener,saidtous,"Youareyoungmen,butitisscarcelyprobablethatanyofyouwilllivetoseetheexpirationofthetermfix'dintheinstrument."Anumberofus,however,areyetliving;buttheinstrumentwasafterafewyearsrenderednullbyacharterthatincorporatedandgaveperpetuitytothecompany.

Theobjectionsandreluctances Imetwith insoliciting thesubscriptions,mademe soon feel the impropriety of presenting one's self as the proposer of anyuseful project, thatmight be suppos'd to raise one's reputation in the smallestdegreeabovethatofone'sneighbours,whenonehasneedoftheirassistancetoaccomplishthatproject.I thereforeputmyselfasmuchasIcouldoutofsight,andstated itasa schemeofanumberof friends,whohad requestedme togoaboutandpropose it tosuchas theythought loversofreading.In thiswaymyaffairwentonmoresmoothly,andIeverafterpractis'ditonsuchoccasions;and,from my frequent successes, can heartily recommend it. The present littlesacrifice of your vanitywill afterwards be amply repaid. If it remains awhileuncertaintowhomthemeritbelongs,someonemorevainthanyourselfwillbeencouragedtoclaimit,andthenevenenvywillbedisposedtodoyoujusticebypluckingthoseassumedfeathers,andrestoringthemtotheirrightowner.

Thislibraryaffordedmethemeansofimprovementbyconstantstudy,forwhichIsetapartanhourortwoeachday,andthusrepair'dinsomedegreethelossofthe learned educationmy father once intended forme. Reading was the onlyamusementIallow'dmyself.Ispentnotimeintaverns,games,orfrolicksofanykind; and my industry in my business continu'd as indefatigable as it wasnecessary. Iwas indebtedformyprinting-house; Ihadayoungfamilycomingontobeeducated,andIhadtocontendwithforbusinesstwoprinters,whowereestablished in the place before me. My circumstances, however, grew dailyeasier.Myoriginalhabitsoffrugalitycontinuing,andmyfatherhaving,amonghis instructions tomewhen a boy, frequently repeated a proverb of Solomon,"Seestthouamandiligentinhiscalling,heshallstandbeforekings,heshallnotstand before mean men," I from thence considered industry as a means ofobtainingwealthanddistinction,whichencourag'dme,tho'IdidnotthinkthatIshouldeverliterallystandbeforekings,which,however,hassincehappened;forIhavestoodbefore five,andevenhad thehonorofsittingdownwithone, the

KingofDenmark,todinner.

WehaveanEnglishproverbthatsays,"Hethatwouldthrive,mustaskhiswife."ItwasluckyformethatIhadoneasmuchdispos'dtoindustryandfrugalityasmyself. She assisted me chearfully in my business, folding and stitchingpamphlets, tending shop, purchasing old linen rags for the paper-makers, etc.,etc.Wekeptnoidleservants,ourtablewasplainandsimple,ourfurnitureofthecheapest.For instance,mybreakfastwas a long timebreakandmilk (no tea),andIateitoutofatwopennyearthenporringer,withapewterspoon.Butmarkhowluxurywillenterfamilies,andmakeaprogress,inspiteofprinciple:beingcall'd one morning to breakfast, I found it in a China bowl, with a spoon ofsilver!Theyhadbeenbought formewithoutmyknowledgebymywife, andhadcosthertheenormoussumofthree-and-twentyshillings,forwhichshehadnootherexcuseorapologytomake,butthatshethoughtherhusbanddeserv'dasilverspoonandChinabowlaswellasanyofhisneighbors.Thiswasthefirstappearance of plate and China in our house, which afterward, in a course ofyears,asourwealthincreas'd,augmentedgraduallytoseveralhundredpoundsinvalue.

I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and though some of thedogmas of that persuasion, such as the eternal decrees of God, election,reprobation, etc., appeared to me unintelligible, others doubtful, and I earlyabsented myself from the public assemblies of the sect, Sunday being mystudyingday,Ineverwaswithoutsomereligiousprinciples.Ineverdoubted,forinstance,theexistenceoftheDeity;thathemadetheworld,andgovern'ditbyhisProvidence; that themostacceptableserviceofGodwasthedoinggoodtoman;thatoursoulsareimmortal;andthatallcrimewillbepunished,andvirtuerewarded, either here or hereafter. These I esteem'd the essentials of everyreligion; and, being to be found in all the religions we had in our country, Irespectedthemall,tho'withdifferentdegreesofrespect,asIfoundthemmoreor less mix'd with other articles, which, without any tendency to inspire,promote, or confirm morality, serv'd principally to divide us, and make usunfriendlytooneanother.Thisrespecttoall,withanopinionthattheworsthadsomegoodeffects,induc'dmetoavoidalldiscoursethatmighttendtolessenthegood opinion another might have of his own religion; and as our provinceincreas'd in people, and new places of worship were continually wanted, andgenerallyerectedbyvoluntarycontribution,mymiteforsuchpurpose,whatevermightbethesect,wasneverrefused.

Tho'Iseldomattendedanypublicworship,Ihadstillanopinionofitspropriety,

and of its utility when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid my annualsubscriptionforthesupportoftheonlyPresbyterianministerormeetingwehadinPhiladelphia.Heus'dtovisitmesometimesasafriend,andadmonishedmetoattendhisadministrations,andIwasnowandthenprevail'dontodoso,onceforfiveSundayssuccessively.Hadhebeeninmyopinionagoodpreacher,perhapsImighthavecontinued,[65]notwithstandingtheoccasionIhadfortheSunday'sleisure in my course of study; but his discourses were chiefly either polemicarguments,orexplicationsofthepeculiardoctrinesofoursect,andwereall tome very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying, since not a singlemoral principlewas inculcated or enforc'd, their aim seeming to be rather to make usPresbyteriansthangoodcitizens.

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 ofgoodreport,iftherebeanyvirtue,oranypraise,thinkonthesethings."AndIimagin'd,inasermononsuchatext,wecouldnotmissofhavingsomemorality.But he confin'd himself to five points only, as meant by the apostle, viz.: 1.KeepingholytheSabbathday.2.BeingdiligentinreadingtheholyScriptures.3.Attendingdulythepublickworship.4.PartakingoftheSacrament.5.Payinga due respect toGod'sministers.Thesemight be all good things; but, as theywerenot thekindofgood things that I expected from that text, Idespairedofever meeting with them from any other, was disgusted, and attended hispreachingnomore.Ihadsomeyearsbeforecompos'dalittleLiturgy,orformofprayer, formy own private use (viz., in 1728), entitled,Articles ofBelief andActs ofReligion. I return'd to the use of this, andwent nomore to the publicassemblies.Myconductmightbeblameable,but I leave it,withoutattemptingfurther toexcuse it;mypresentpurposebeing to relate facts, andnot tomakeapologiesforthem.

[59]Recalledtoberedeemed.

[60]ThispartofPhiladelphiaisnowthecenterofthewholesalebusinessdistrict.

[61]Papermoneyisapromisetopayitsfacevalueingoldorsilver.Whenastateornationissuesmoresuchpromisesthanthereisalikelihoodofitsbeingabletoredeem,the paper representing the promises depreciates in value. Before the success of theColonies in the Revolution was assured, it took hundreds of dollars of their papermoneytobuyapairofboots.

[62]Mrs.Franklinsurvivedhermarriageoverfortyyears.Franklin'scorrespondenceaboundswithevidencethattheirunionwasahappyone."Wearegrownoldtogether,and if she has any faults, I am so used to them that I don't perceive them." ThefollowingisastanzafromoneofFranklin'sownsongswrittenfortheJunto:

"OftheirChloesandPhyllisespoetsmayprate,IsingmyplaincountryJoan,

Thesetwelveyearsmywife,stillthejoyofmylife,BlestdaythatImadehermyown."

[63]HerethefirstpartoftheAutobiography,writtenatTwyfordin1771,ends.Thesecondpart,whichfollows,waswrittenatPassyin1784.

[64]Afterthismemorandum,FranklininsertedlettersfromAbelJamesandBenjaminVaughan,urginghimtocontinuehisAutobiography.

[65]Franklinexpressedadifferentviewaboutthedutyofattendingchurchlater.

IX

PLANFORATTAININGMORALPERFECTION

block-ITwasaboutthistimeIconceivedtheboldandarduousprojectofarrivingatmoralperfection.Iwish'dtolivewithoutcommittinganyfaultatanytime;Iwouldconquerallthateithernaturalinclination,custom,orcompanymightleadmeinto.AsIknew,orthoughtIknew,whatwasrightandwrong,IdidnotseewhyImightnotalwaysdotheoneandavoidtheother.ButIsoonfoundIhadundertakenataskofmoredifficultythanIhadimagined.[66]Whilemycarewasemploy'd inguardingagainstone fault, Iwasoftensurprisedbyanother;habittook the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong forreason. I concluded, at length, that themere speculativeconviction that itwasourinteresttobecompletelyvirtuous,wasnotsufficienttopreventourslipping;and that the contrary habits must be broken, and good ones acquired andestablished,beforewecanhaveanydependenceonasteady,uniformrectitudeofconduct.ForthispurposeIthereforecontrivedthefollowingmethod.

InthevariousenumerationsofthemoralvirtuesIhadmetwithinmyreading,Ifoundthecataloguemoreorlessnumerous,asdifferentwritersincludedmoreorfewer ideas under the same name. Temperance, for example, was by someconfined to eating and drinking,while by others itwas extended tomean themoderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily ormental,even toouravariceandambition. Ipropos'd tomyself, for thesakeofclearness,touserathermorenames,withfewerideasannex'dtoeach,thanafewnameswithmoreideas;andIincludedunderthirteennamesofvirtuesallthatat

that timeoccurr'dtomeasnecessaryordesirable,andannexedtoeachashortprecept,whichfullyexpress'dtheextentIgavetoitsmeaning.

Thesenamesofvirtues,withtheirprecepts,were:

1.TEMPERANCE

Eatnottodullness;drinknottoelevation.

2.SILENCE.

Speaknotbutwhatmaybenefitothersoryourself;avoidtriflingconversation.

3.ORDER.

Letallyourthingshavetheirplaces;leteachpartofyourbusinesshaveitstime.

4.RESOLUTION.

Resolvetoperformwhatyouought;performwithoutfailwhatyouresolve.

5.FRUGALITY.

Makenoexpensebuttodogoodtoothersoryourself;i.e.,wastenothing.

6.INDUSTRY.

Loseno time;bealwaysemploy'd insomethinguseful;cutoffallunnecessaryactions.

7.SINCERITY.

Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speakaccordingly.

8.JUSTICE.

Wrongnonebydoinginjuries,oromittingthebenefitsthatareyourduty.

9.MODERATION.

Avoidextreams;forbearresentinginjuriessomuchasyouthinktheydeserve.

10.CLEANLINESS.

Toleratenouncleanlinessinbody,cloaths,orhabitation.

11.TRANQUILLITY.

Benotdisturbedattrifles,orataccidentscommonorunavoidable.

12.CHASTITY.

13.HUMILITY.

ImitateJesusandSocrates.

Myintentionbeingtoacquirethehabitudeofallthesevirtues,Ijudg'ditwouldbewellnottodistractmyattentionbyattemptingthewholeatonce,buttofixitononeofthematatime;and,whenIshouldbemasterofthat,thentoproceedtoanother,andsoon,tillIshouldhavegonethro'thethirteen;and,asthepreviousacquisitionofsomemight facilitate theacquisitionofcertainothers, Iarrang'dthemwiththatview,astheystandabove.Temperancefirst,asittendstoprocurethat coolness and clearness of head, which is so necessary where constantvigilance was to be kept up, and guard maintained against the unremittingattractionof ancient habits, and the force of perpetual temptations.This beingacquir'd and establish'd, Silencewould bemore easy; andmy desire being togainknowledgeatthesametimethatIimprov'dinvirtue,andconsideringthatinconversationitwasobtain'dratherbytheuseoftheearsthanofthetongue,and thereforewishing tobreakahabit Iwasgetting intoofprattling,punning,andjoking,whichonlymademeacceptabletotriflingcompany,IgaveSilencethe second place. This and the next,Order, I expectedwould allowmemoretime for attending to my project and my studies. Resolution, once becomehabitual, would keep me firm in my endeavours to obtain all the subsequentvirtues; Frugality and Industry freeing me from my remaining debt, andproducing affluence and independence,wouldmakemore easy the practice ofSincerityandJustice,etc.,etc.Conceivingthen,that,agreeablytotheadviceofPythagoras[67] in his Golden Verses, daily examination would be necessary, Icontrivedthefollowingmethodforconductingthatexamination.

Imadealittlebook,inwhichIallottedapageforeachofthevirtues.[68]Irul'deachpagewith red ink, so as tohave seven columns, one for eachdayof theweek,marking each columnwith a letter for the day. I cross'd these columnswiththirteenredlines,markingthebeginningofeachlinewiththefirstletterofoneofthevirtues,onwhichline,andinitspropercolumn,Imightmark,byalittleblackspot,everyfaultIfounduponexaminationtohavebeencommittedrespectingthatvirtueuponthatday.

Formofthepages.TEMPERANCE.

EATNOTTODULLNESSDRINKNOTTOELEVATION.

S. M. T. W. T. F. S.T. S. * * * * O. ** * * * * *R. * * F. * * I. * S. J. M. C. T. C. H. J.

Ideterminedtogiveaweek'sstrictattentiontoeachofthevirtuessuccessively.Thus, in the first week, my great guard was to avoid every the least offenseagainst Temperance, leaving the other virtues to their ordinary chance, onlymarkingeveryevening the faultsof theday.Thus, if in the firstweek I couldkeepmyfirstline,markedT,clearofspots,Isuppos'dthehabitofthatvirtuesomuchstrengthen'd,anditsoppositeweaken'd,thatImightventureextendingmyattentiontoincludethenext,andforthefollowingweekkeepbothlinesclearofspots.Proceedingthustothelast,Icouldgothro'acoursecompleatinthirteenweeks,andfourcoursesinayear.Andlikehimwho,havingagardentoweed,doesnotattempttoeradicateallthebadherbsatonce,whichwouldexceedhisreach and his strength, but works on one of the beds at a time, and, havingaccomplish'd the first, proceeds to a second, so I should have, I hoped, theencouragingpleasureof seeingonmypages theprogress Imade invirtue, byclearing successively my lines of their spots, till in the end, by a number ofcourses,Ishouldbehappyinviewingacleanbook,afterathirteenweeks'daily

examination.

ThismylittlebookhadforitsmottotheselinesfromAddison'sCato:

"HerewillIhold.Ifthere'sapoweraboveus(Andthatthereis,allnaturecriesaloudThro'allherworks),Hemustdelightinvirtue;Andthatwhichhedelightsinmustbehappy."

AnotherfromCicero,

"OvitæPhilosophiadux!Ovirtutumindagatrixexpultrixquevitiorum!Unusdies,beneet expræceptis tuis actus,peccanti immortalitati est anteponendus."[69]

AnotherfromtheProverbsofSolomon,speakingofwisdomorvirtue:

"Lengthofdays is inherrighthand,andinher lefthandrichesandhonour.Herwaysarewaysofpleasantness,andallherpathsarepeace."iii.16,17.

And conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdom, I thought it right andnecessary to solicit his assistance for obtaining it; to this end I formed thefollowinglittleprayer,whichwasprefix'dtomytablesofexamination,fordailyuse.

"OpowerfulGoodness!bountifulFather!mercifulGuide!Increaseinmethatwisdomwhichdiscoversmytruestinterest.Strengthenmyresolutionstoperformwhat thatwisdomdictates.Acceptmy kindoffices to thyother childrenas theonlyreturninmypowerforthycontinualfavourstome."

IusedalsosometimesalittleprayerwhichItookfromThomson'sPoems,viz.:

"Fatheroflightandlife,thouGoodSupreme!Oteachmewhatisgood;teachmeThyself!Savemefromfolly,vanity,andvice,Fromeverylowpursuit;andfillmysoulWithknowledge,consciouspeace,andvirtuepure;Sacred,substantial,never-fadingbliss!"

ThepreceptofOrder requiring that every part ofmybusiness should have itsallotted time, one page in my little book contain'd the following scheme ofemploymentforthetwenty-fourhoursofanaturalday.

THEMORNING.QuestionWhatgoodshallIdo

thisday?para

5

para

Rise,wash,andaddressPowerfullGoodness!Contriveday'sbusiness,andtaketheresolutionoftheday:prosecutethepresentstudy,andbreakfast.

67

8

para Work.91011

NOON. para12

para Read,oroverlookmyaccounts,anddine.1

2

para Work.345

EVENINGQuestion.WhatgoodhaveI

doneto-day?para

6

para

Putthingsintheirplaces.Supper.Musicordiversion,orconversation.Examinationoftheday.

789

NIGHT para

10

para Sleep.

11121234

I enter'd upon the execution of this plan for self-examination, and continu'd itwith occasional intermissions for some time. Iwas surpris'd to findmyself somuch fuller of faults than I had imagined; but I had the satisfaction of seeingthemdiminish.Toavoid the troubleof renewingnowand thenmy littlebook,which,by scrapingout themarkson thepaperofold faults tomake roomfor

new ones in a new course, became full of holes, I transferr'd my tables andprecepts to the ivory leaves of amemorandumbook, onwhich the linesweredrawnwith red ink, thatmadeadurablestain,andon those lines Imark'dmyfaultswithablack-leadpencil,whichmarksIcouldeasilywipeoutwithawetsponge.AfterawhileIwentthro'onecourseonlyinayear,andafterwardonlyone in several years, till at length I omitted them entirely, being employ'd invoyagesandbusinessabroad,withamultiplicityofaffairsthatinterfered;butIalwayscarriedmylittlebookwithme.

MyschemeofORDERgavemethemosttrouble;[70]andIfoundthat,tho'itmightbepracticablewhereaman'sbusinesswassuchastoleavehimthedispositionofhis time, that of a journeyman printer, for instance, it was not possible to beexactlyobservedbyamaster,whomustmixwith theworld,andoftenreceivepeople of business at their own hours.Order, too, with regard to places forthings,papers,etc., I foundextreamlydifficult toacquire. Ihadnotbeenearlyaccustomedtoit,and,havinganexceedinggoodmemory,Iwasnotsosensibleoftheinconvenienceattendingwantofmethod.Thisarticle, therefore,costmesomuchpainfulattention,andmyfaultsinitvexedmesomuch,andImadesolittleprogressinamendment,andhadsuchfrequentrelapses,thatIwasalmostreadytogiveuptheattempt,andcontentmyselfwithafaultycharacterinthatrespect,likethemanwho,inbuyinganaxofasmith,myneighbour,desiredtohavethewholeofitssurfaceasbrightastheedge.Thesmithconsentedtogrinditbrightforhimifhewouldturnthewheel;heturn'd,whilethesmithpress'dthebroadfaceoftheaxhardandheavilyonthestone,whichmadetheturningofitveryfatiguing.Themancameeverynowandthenfromthewheeltoseehowtheworkwenton,andatlengthwouldtakehisaxasitwas,withoutfarthergrinding."No,"saidthesmith,"turnon,turnon;weshallhaveitbrightby-and-by;asyet,itisonlyspeckled.""Yes,"saystheman,"butIthinkIlikeaspeckledaxbest."AndIbelievethismayhavebeenthecasewithmany,who,having,forwantofsome such means as I employ'd, found the difficulty of obtaining good andbreakingbadhabitsinotherpointsofviceandvirtue,havegivenupthestruggle,andconcludedthat"aspeckledaxwasbest";forsomething,thatpretendedtobereason,waseverynowandthensuggestingtomethatsuchextreamnicetyasIexactedofmyselfmightbeakindoffopperyinmorals,which,ifitwereknown,wouldmakeme ridiculous; thataperfectcharactermightbeattendedwith theinconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man shouldallowafewfaultsinhimself,tokeephisfriendsincountenance.

Thesmithconsentedtogrinditbrightforhimifhewouldturnthewheel

Intruth,IfoundmyselfincorrigiblewithrespecttoOrder;andnowIamgrownold,andmymemorybad,Ifeelverysensiblythewantofit.But,onthewhole,tho' Ineverarrivedat theperfection Ihadbeensoambitiousofobtaining,butfellfarshortofit,yetIwas,bytheendeavour,abetterandahappiermanthanIotherwiseshouldhavebeenifIhadnotattemptedit;asthosewhoaimatperfectwriting by imitating the engraved copies, tho' they never reach thewish'd-forexcellence of those copies, their hand is mended by the endeavour, and istolerablewhileitcontinuesfairandlegible.

Itmaybewellmyposterityshouldbeinformedthattothislittleartifice,withtheblessingofGod,theirancestorow'dtheconstantfelicityofhislife,downtohis79thyear,inwhichthisiswritten.Whatreversesmayattendtheremainderisinthe hand of Providence; but, if they arrive, the reflection on past happinessenjoy'doughttohelphisbearingthemwithmoreresignation.ToTemperanceheascribes his long-continued health, and what is still left to him of a goodconstitution; to Industry and Frugality, the early easiness of his circumstancesandacquisitionofhisfortune,withallthatknowledgethatenabledhimtobeauseful citizen, and obtained for him some degree of reputation among thelearned; to Sincerity and Justice, the confidence of his country, and thehonorableemploysitconferreduponhim;andtothejointinfluenceofthewholemassofthevirtues,[71]evenintheimperfectstatehewasabletoacquirethem,allthatevennessoftemper,andthatcheerfulnessinconversation,whichmakeshiscompanystillsoughtfor,andagreeableeventohisyoungeracquaintance.Ihope,therefore,thatsomeofmydescendantsmayfollowtheexampleandreapthebenefit.

Itwillberemark'dthat, tho'myschemewasnotwhollywithoutreligion,therewasinitnomarkofanyofthedistinguishingtenetsofanyparticularsect.Ihadpurposelyavoidedthem;for,beingfullypersuadedoftheutilityandexcellencyofmymethod, and that itmight be serviceable to people in all religions, andintendingsometimeorother topublishit, Iwouldnothaveanythinginit thatshould prejudice anyone, of any sect, against it. I purposed writing a littlecomment on each virtue, in which I would have shown the advantages ofpossessing it, and themischiefs attending its opposite vice; and I should havecalledmybookTHEARTOFVIRTUE,[72]becauseitwouldhaveshownthemeansand manner of obtaining virtue, which would have distinguished it from themereexhortationtobegood,thatdoesnotinstructandindicatethemeans,butisliketheapostle'smanofverbalcharity,whoonlywithoutshowingtothenaked

andhungryhoworwheretheymightgetclothesorvictuals,exhortedthemtobefedandclothed.—Jamesii.15,16.

Butitsohappenedthatmyintentionofwritingandpublishingthiscommentwasnever fulfilled. I did, indeed, from time to time, put down short hints of thesentiments,reasonings,etc.,tobemadeuseofinit,someofwhichIhavestillbyme;butthenecessarycloseattentiontoprivatebusinessintheearlierpartofmylife,andpublicbusinesssince,haveoccasionedmypostponing it; for, itbeingconnectedinmymindwithagreatandextensiveproject,thatrequiredthewholemantoexecute,andwhichanunforeseensuccessionofemployspreventedmyattendingto,ithashithertoremain'dunfinish'd.

Inthispieceitwasmydesigntoexplainandenforcethisdoctrine,thatviciousactions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but forbiddenbecause theyarehurtful,thenatureofmanaloneconsidered;thatitwas,therefore,everyone'sinteresttobevirtuouswhowish'dtobehappyeveninthisworld;andIshould,from this circumstance (there being always in the world a number of richmerchants,nobility,states,andprinces,whohaveneedofhonestinstrumentsforthemanagementof their affairs, and suchbeing so rare),haveendeavoured toconvinceyoungpersons thatnoqualitieswere so likely tomakeapoorman'sfortuneasthoseofprobityandintegrity.

Mylistofvirtuescontain'datfirstbuttwelve;butaQuakerfriendhavingkindlyinformed me that I was generally thought proud; that my pride show'd itselffrequently inconversation; that Iwasnotcontentwithbeing in therightwhendiscussing any point, but was overbearing, and rather insolent, of which heconvinc'd me by mentioning several instances; I determined endeavouring tocuremyself,ifIcould,ofthisviceorfollyamongtherest,andIaddedHumilitytomylist,givinganextensivemeaningtotheword.

Icannotboastofmuchsuccessinacquiringtherealityofthisvirtue,butIhadagood dealwith regard to the appearance of it. Imade it a rule to forbear alldirectcontradictiontothesentimentsofothers,andallpositiveassertionofmyown. I even forbidmyself, agreeably to the old laws of our Junto, the use ofeverywordorexpressioninthelanguagethatimportedafix'dopinion,suchascertainly, undoubtedly, etc., and I adopted, instead of them, I conceive, Iapprehend,orIimagineathingtobesoorso;oritsoappearstomeatpresent.When another asserted something that I thought an error, I deny'dmyself thepleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of showing immediately someabsurdity in his proposition; and in answering I began by observing that in

certaincasesorcircumstanceshisopinionwouldberight,butinthepresentcasethereappear'dorseem'dtomesomedifference,etc.Isoonfoundtheadvantageof this change in my manner; the conversations I engag'd in went on morepleasantly. Themodestway inwhich I propos'dmy opinions procur'd them areadier reception and less contradiction; I had less mortification when I wasfoundtobeinthewrong,andImoreeasilyprevail'dwithotherstogiveuptheirmistakesandjoinwithmewhenIhappenedtobeintheright.

Andthismode,whichIatfirstputonwithsomeviolencetonaturalinclination,becameatlengthsoeasy,andsohabitualtome,thatperhapsforthesefiftyyearspastnoonehaseverheardadogmaticalexpressionescapeme.Andtothishabit(aftermycharacterof integrity) I think itprincipallyowing that Ihadearlysomuch weight with my fellow-citizens when I proposed new institutions, oralterationsintheold,andsomuchinfluenceinpubliccouncilswhenIbecameamember;forIwasbutabadspeaker,nevereloquent,subjecttomuchhesitationinmychoiceofwords,hardlycorrectinlanguage,andyetIgenerallycarriedmypoints.

Inreality,thereis,perhaps,nooneofournaturalpassionssohardtosubdueaspride.Disguiseit,strugglewithit,beat itdown,stifle it,mortifyitasmuchasone pleases, it is still alive, andwill every now and then peep out and showitself;youwillseeit,perhaps,ofteninthishistory;for,evenifIcouldconceivethatIhadcompleatlyovercomeit,Ishouldprobablybeproudofmyhumility.

[ThusfarwrittenatPassy,1784.]

["I am now about to write at home, August, 1788, but cannot have the helpexpectedfrommypapers,manyof thembeinglost inthewar.Ihave,however,foundthefollowing."][73]

HAVINGmentionedagreatandextensiveprojectwhichIhadconceiv'd,itseemsproperthatsomeaccountshouldbeheregivenofthatprojectanditsobject.Itsfirstriseinmymindappearsinthefollowinglittlepaper,accidentallypreserv'd,viz.:

Observationsonmyreadinghistory,inLibrary,May19th,1731.

"Thatthegreataffairsoftheworld,thewars,revolutions,etc.,arecarriedonandeffectedbyparties.

"Thattheviewofthesepartiesistheirpresentgeneralinterest,orwhattheytake

tobesuch.

"Thatthedifferentviewsofthesedifferentpartiesoccasionallconfusion.

"Thatwhileapartyiscarryingonageneraldesign,eachmanhashisparticularprivateinterestinview.

"That as soon as a party has gain'd its general point, each member becomesintentuponhisparticularinterest;which,thwartingothers,breaksthatpartyintodivisions,andoccasionsmoreconfusion.

"That few inpublic affairs act fromamereviewof thegoodof their country,whatever they may pretend; and, tho' their actings bring real good to theircountry,yetmenprimarilyconsideredthattheirownandtheircountry'sinterestwasunited,anddidnotactfromaprincipleofbenevolence.

"Thatfewerstill,inpublicaffairs,actwithaviewtothegoodofmankind.

"ThereseemstomeatpresenttobegreatoccasionforraisingaUnitedPartyforVirtue,byformingthevirtuousandgoodmenofallnationsintoaregularbody,tobegovern'dbysuitablegoodandwiserules,whichgoodandwisemenmayprobablybemoreunanimousintheirobedienceto,thancommonpeoplearetocommonlaws.

"Iatpresentthinkthatwhoeverattemptsthisaright,andiswellqualified,cannotfailofpleasingGod,andofmeetingwithsuccess.

B.F."

Revolving this project in my mind, as to be undertaken hereafter, when mycircumstancesshouldaffordmethenecessary leisure, Iputdownfromtimetotime,onpiecesofpaper,suchthoughtsasoccurr'dtomerespectingit.Mostofthesearelost;butIfindonepurportingtobethesubstanceofanintendedcreed,containing,asIthought,theessentialsofeveryknownreligion,andbeingfreeofeverythingthatmightshocktheprofessorsofanyreligion.Itisexpress'dinthesewords,viz.:

"ThatthereisoneGod,whomadeallthings.

"Thathegovernstheworldbyhisprovidence.

"Thatheoughttobeworshipedbyadoration,prayer,andthanksgiving.

"ButthatthemostacceptableserviceofGodisdoinggoodtoman.

"Thatthesoulisimmortal.

"And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here orhereafter."

My ideas at that timewere, that the sect should be begun and spread at firstamongyoungandsinglemenonly; that eachperson tobe initiated shouldnotonlydeclarehisassenttosuchcreed,butshouldhaveexercisedhimselfwiththethirteenweeks'examinationandpracticeofthevirtues,asinthebeforemention'dmodel; that the existence of such a society should be kept a secret, till itwasbecome considerable, to prevent solicitations for the admission of improperpersons, but that the members should each of them search among hisacquaintance for ingenuous, well-disposed youths, to whom, with prudentcaution, the scheme should be gradually communicated; that the membersshould engage to afford their advice, assistance, and support to each other inpromoting one another's interests, business, and advancement in life; that, fordistinction,weshouldbecall'dTheSocietyoftheFreeandEasy:free,asbeing,bythegeneralpracticeandhabitofthevirtues,freefromthedominionofvice;andparticularlybythepracticeofindustryandfrugality,freefromdebt,whichexposesamantoconfinement,andaspeciesofslaverytohiscreditors.

ThisisasmuchasIcannowrecollectoftheproject,exceptthatIcommunicateditinparttotwoyoungmen,whoadopteditwithsomeenthusiasm;butmythennarrow circumstances, and the necessity I was under of sticking close to mybusiness, occasionedmy postponing the further prosecution of it at that time;and my multifarious occupations, public and private, induc'd me to continuepostponing,sothatithasbeenomittedtillIhavenolongerstrengthoractivityleft sufficient for suchanenterprise; though I amstillofopinion that itwasapracticablescheme,andmighthavebeenveryuseful,byformingagreatnumberof good citizens; and I was not discourag'd by the seemingmagnitude of theundertaking, as I have always thought that oneman of tolerable abilitiesmaywork great changes, and accomplish great affairs among mankind, if he firstformsagoodplan, and, cuttingoff all amusementsorother employments thatwoulddiverthisattention,makestheexecutionofthatsameplanhissolestudyandbusiness.

[66]ComparePhilippiansiv,8.

[67]AfamousGreekphilosopher,wholivedabout582-500B.C.TheGoldenVerseshereascribedtohimareprobablyoflaterorigin."Thetimewhichherecommendsfor

thisworkisaboutevenorbed-time,thatwemayconcludetheactionofthedaywiththejudgmentofconscience,makingtheexaminationofourconversationaneveningsongtoGod."

[68]This"littlebook"isdatedJuly1,1733.—W.T.F.

[69]"Ophilosophy,guideoflife!Osearcheroutofvirtueandexterminatorofvice!Oneday spentwell and inaccordancewith thyprecepts isworthan immortalityofsin."—TusculanInquiries,BookV.

[70]ProfessorMcMastertellsusthatwhenFranklinwasAmericanAgentinFrance,his lackofbusinessorderwas a sourceof annoyance tohis colleagues and friends."Strangers who came to see him were amazed to behold papers of the greatestimportancescatteredinthemostcarelesswayoverthetableandfloor."

[71]WhiletherecanbenoquestionthatFranklin'smoralimprovementandhappinesswereduetothepracticeofthesevirtues,yetmostpeoplewillagreethatweshallhaveto go back of his plan for the impelling motive to a virtuous life. Franklin's ownsuggestionthattheschemesmacksof"fopperyinmorals"seemsjustified.WoodrowWilson well puts it: "Men do not take fire from such thoughts, unless somethingdeeper, which ismissing here, shine through them.Whatmay have seemed to theeighteenthcenturyasystemofmoralsseemstousnothingmorevitalthanacollectionofthepreceptsofgoodsenseandsoundconduct.Whatredeemsitfrompettiness inthisbookisthescopeofpowerandofusefulnesstobeseeninFranklinhimself,whosetthesestandardsupinallseriousnessandcandorforhisownlife."SeeGalatians,chapterV,fortheChristianplanofmoralperfection.

[72]Nothingsolikelytomakeaman'sfortuneasvirtue.—Marg.note.

[73]Thisisamarginalmemorandum.—B.

X

POORRICHARD'SALMANACANDOTHERACTIVITIES

block-IN 1732 I first publish'd my Almanack, under the name of RichardSaunders;itwascontinu'dbymeabouttwenty-fiveyears,commonlycall'dPoorRichard'sAlmanac.[74]Iendeavour'dtomakeitbothentertaininganduseful,anditaccordinglycametobeinsuchdemand,thatIreap'dconsiderableprofitfromit,vendingannuallyneartenthousand.Andobservingthatitwasgenerallyread,scarce any neighborhood in the province beingwithout it, I consider'd it as apropervehicleforconveyinginstructionamongthecommonpeople,whoboughtscarcely any other books; I therefore filled all the little spaces that occurr'dbetweentheremarkabledays in thecalendarwithproverbialsentences,chieflysuchasinculcatedindustryandfrugality,asthemeansofprocuringwealth,and

therebysecuringvirtue;itbeingmoredifficultforamaninwant,toactalwayshonestly,as, tousehereoneof thoseproverbs, it ishard foranemptysack tostandupright.

These proverbs, which contained the wisdom of many ages and nations, Iassembled and form'd into a connected discourse prefix'd to theAlmanack of1757,astheharangueofawiseoldmantothepeopleattendinganauction.Thebringing all these scatter'd councils thus into a focus enabled them to makegreaterimpression.Thepiece,beinguniversallyapproved,wascopiedinallthenewspapersoftheContinent;reprintedinBritainonabroadside,tobestuckupinhouses;twotranslationsweremadeofitinFrench,andgreatnumbersboughtbytheclergyandgentry, todistributegratisamongtheirpoorparishionersandtenants. In Pennsylvania, as it discouraged useless expense in foreignsuperfluities, some thought it had its share of influence in producing thatgrowing plenty of money which was observable for several years after itspublication.

TwopagesfromPoorRichard'sAlmanacfor1736.Sizeoforiginal.ReproducedfromacopyattheNewYorkPublicLibrary.

JunepagefromPoorRichard'sAlmanacfor1736

JulypagefromPoorRichard'sAlmanacfor1736

I considered my newspaper, also, as another means of communicatinginstruction,andinthatviewfrequentlyreprintedinitextractsfromtheSpectator,andothermoralwriters;andsometimespublish'dlittlepiecesofmyown,whichhad been first composed for reading in our Junto. Of these are a Socraticdialogue, tending to prove that, whatever might be his parts and abilities, aviciousmancouldnotproperlybecalledamanofsense;andadiscourseonself-denial,showingthatvirtuewasnotsecuretillitspracticebecameahabitude,andwasfreefromtheoppositionofcontraryinclinations.Thesemaybefoundinthepapersaboutthebeginningof1735.[75]

In theconductofmynewspaper, Icarefullyexcludedall libelingandpersonalabuse,whichisoflateyearsbecomesodisgracefultoourcountry.WheneverIwas solicited to insert anything of that kind, and the writers pleaded, as theygenerally did, the liberty of the press, and that a newspaperwas like a stage-coach,inwhichanyonewhowouldpayhadarighttoaplace,myanswerwas,that Iwouldprint thepieceseparately ifdesired,and theauthormighthaveasmanycopiesashepleasedtodistributehimself,butthatIwouldnottakeupon

metospreadhisdetraction;andthat,havingcontractedwithmysubscriberstofurnish themwithwhatmight be either useful or entertaining, I could not filltheir papers with private altercation, in which they had no concern, withoutdoing themmanifest injustice.Now,many of our printersmake no scruple ofgratifyingthemaliceofindividualsbyfalseaccusationsofthefairestcharactersamongourselves,augmentinganimosityeventotheproducingofduels;andare,moreover, so indiscreet as to print scurrilous reflections on the government ofneighboring states, and even on the conduct of our best national allies,whichmaybeattendedwiththemostperniciousconsequences.ThesethingsImentionasacaution toyoungprinters,and that theymaybeencouragednot topollutetheirpressesanddisgracetheirprofessionbysuchinfamouspractices,butrefusesteadily,astheymayseebymyexamplethatsuchacourseofconductwillnot,onthewhole,beinjurioustotheirinterests.

In 1733 I sent one ofmy journeymen toCharleston, SouthCarolina,where aprinterwaswanting.Ifurnish'dhimwithapressandletters,onanagreementofpartnership,bywhich Iwas to receiveone-thirdof theprofitsof thebusiness,paying one-third of the expense. He was a man of learning, and honest butignorant inmattersofaccount;and, tho'hesometimesmademeremittances, Icould get no account from him, nor any satisfactory state of our partnershipwhilehelived.Onhisdecease,thebusinesswascontinuedbyhiswidow,who,beingbornandbredinHolland,where,asIhavebeeninform'd,theknowledgeofaccountsmakesapartof femaleeducation, shenotonly sentmeasclearastateasshecouldfindofthetransactionspast,butcontinuedtoaccountwiththegreatest regularity and exactness every quarter afterwards, and managed thebusinesswithsuchsuccess, thatshenotonlybroughtupreputablya familyofchildren, but, at the expiration of the term, was able to purchase of me theprinting-house,andestablishhersoninit.

I mention this affair chiefly for the sake of recommending that branch ofeducationforouryoungfemales,as likely tobeofmoreuse to themandtheirchildren, in case of widowhood, than either music or dancing, by preservingthem from lossesby impositionof craftymen, andenabling them tocontinue,perhaps,aprofitablemercantilehouse,withestablish'dcorrespondence,tillasonis grown up fit to undertake and go on with it, to the lasting advantage andenrichingofthefamily.

Abouttheyear1734therearrivedamongusfromIrelandayoungPresbyterianpreacher, named Hemphill, who delivered with a good voice, and apparentlyextempore, most excellent discourses, which drew together considerable

numbersofdifferentpersuasions,whojoin'dinadmiringthem.Amongtherest,Ibecameoneofhisconstanthearers,hissermonspleasingme,astheyhadlittleofthedogmaticalkind,butinculcatedstronglythepracticeofvirtue,orwhatinthereligiousstilearecalledgoodworks.Those,however,ofourcongregation,whoconsidered themselvesasorthodoxPresbyterians,disapprov'dhisdoctrine,andwere join'dbymostof theoldclergy,whoarraign'dhimofheterodoxybeforethe synod, in order to have him silenc'd. I became his zealous partisan, andcontributedall Icould to raiseaparty inhis favour,andwecombatedforhimawhile with some hopes of success. There was much scribbling pro and conupontheoccasion;andfindingthat,tho'anelegantpreacher,hewasbutapoorwriter, I lent himmypen andwrote for him two or three pamphlets, and onepiece in theGazette ofApril, 1735.Thosepamphlets, as is generally the casewithcontroversialwritings,tho'eagerlyreadatthetime,weresoonoutofvogue,andIquestionwhetherasinglecopyofthemnowexists.[76]

Duringthecontestanunluckyoccurrencehurthiscauseexceedingly.Oneofouradversarieshavingheardhimpreachasermonthatwasmuchadmired,thoughthehadsomewherereadthesermonbefore,oratleastapartofit.Onsearch,hefoundthatpartquotedatlength,inoneoftheBritishReviews,fromadiscourseof Dr. Foster's.[77] This detection gave many of our party disgust, whoaccordinglyabandonedhiscause,andoccasion'dourmorespeedydiscomfiturein the synod. I stuckbyhim,however, as I ratherapprov'dhisgivingusgoodsermons composed by others, than bad ones of his ownmanufacture, tho' thelatterwas thepracticeofourcommon teachers.Heafterwardacknowledg'd tome thatnoneof thosehepreach'dwerehisown;adding, thathismemorywassuchasenabledhimtoretainandrepeatanysermonafteronereadingonly.Onour defeat, he left us in search elsewhere of better fortune, and I quitted thecongregation,neverjoiningitafter,tho'Icontinu'dmanyyearsmysubscriptionforthesupportofitsministers.

Ihadbegunin1733tostudylanguages;IsoonmademyselfsomuchamasteroftheFrenchastobeabletoreadthebookswithease.IthenundertooktheItalian.Anacquaintance,whowasalsolearningit,us'doftentotemptmetoplaychesswithhim.FindingthistookuptoomuchofthetimeIhadtospareforstudy,Iatlengthrefus'dtoplayanymore,unlessonthiscondition,thatthevictorineverygameshouldhavearighttoimposeatask,eitherinpartsofthegrammartobegotbyheart,orintranslations,etc.,whichtasksthevanquish'dwastoperformuponhonour,beforeournextmeeting.Asweplay'dprettyequally,wethusbeatoneanotherintothatlanguage.Iafterwardswithalittlepainstaking,acquir'das

muchoftheSpanishastoreadtheirbooksalso.

Ihavealreadymention'dthatIhadonlyoneyear'sinstructioninaLatinschool,and thatwhenveryyoung,afterwhich Ineglected that languageentirely.But,whenIhadattainedanacquaintancewiththeFrench,Italian,andSpanish,Iwassurpris'dtofind,onlookingoveraLatinTestament,thatIunderstoodsomuchmore of that language than I had imagined, which encouraged me to applymyselfagaintothestudyofit,andImetwithmoresuccess,asthoseprecedinglanguageshadgreatlysmooth'dmyway.

Fromthesecircumstances,Ihavethoughtthatthereissomeinconsistencyinourcommonmodeofteachinglanguages.Wearetoldthatitispropertobeginfirstwith the Latin, and, having acquir'd that, it will bemore easy to attain thosemodern languageswhicharederiv'd fromit;andyetwedonotbeginwith theGreek, in order more easily to acquire the Latin. It is true that, if you canclamberandgettothetopofastaircasewithoutusingthesteps,youwillmoreeasilygain themindescending;butcertainly, ifyoubeginwith the lowestyouwill with more ease ascend to the top; and I would therefore offer it to theconsideration of those who superintend the education of our youth, whether,sincemanyofthosewhobeginwiththeLatinquitthesameafterspendingsomeyears without having made any great proficiency, and what they have learntbecomesalmostuseless,sothattheirtimehasbeenlost,itwouldnothavebeenbetter to have begunwith the French, proceeding to the Italian, etc.; for, tho',afterspendingthesametime,theyshouldquitthestudyoflanguagesandneverarriveat theLatin, theywould,however,haveacquiredanother tongueor two,that,beinginmodernuse,mightbeserviceabletothemincommonlife.[78]

After ten years' absence from Boston, and having become easy in mycircumstances,Imadeajourneythithertovisitmyrelations,whichIcouldnotsooner well afford. In returning, I call'd at Newport to see my brother, thensettledtherewithhisprinting-house.Ourformerdifferenceswereforgotten,andour meeting was very cordial and affectionate. He was fast declining in hishealth,andrequestedofmethat,incaseofhisdeath,whichheapprehendednotfardistant,Iwouldtakehomehisson,thenbuttenyearsofage,andbringhimup to the printing business. This I accordingly perform'd, sending him a fewyears to school before I took him into the office. His mother carried on thebusiness tillhewasgrownup,whenIassistedhimwithanassortmentofnewtypes,thoseofhisfatherbeinginamannerwornout.ThusitwasthatImademybrotherampleamends for the service Ihaddepriv'dhimofby leavinghimsoearly.

Ourformerdifferenceswereforgotten,andourmeetingwasverycordialandaffectionate

In1736 I lostoneofmysons, a fineboyof fouryearsold,by the small-pox,takeninthecommonway.Ilongregrettedbitterly,andstillregretthatIhadnotgivenittohimbyinoculation.ThisImentionforthesakeofparentswhoomitthatoperation,onthesuppositionthattheyshouldneverforgivethemselvesifachilddiedunderit;myexampleshowingthattheregretmaybethesameeitherway,andthat,therefore,thesafershouldbechosen.

Ourclub, theJunto,was foundsouseful,andaffordedsuchsatisfaction to themembers, that severalwere desirous of introducing their friends,which couldnotwellbedonewithoutexceedingwhatwehadsettledasaconvenientnumber,viz.,twelve.Wehadfromthebeginningmadeitaruletokeepourinstitutionasecret,whichwasprettywellobserv'd;theintentionwastoavoidapplicationsofimproper persons for admittance, some of whom, perhaps, we might find itdifficult to refuse. I was one of those who were against any addition to ournumber, but, instead of it, made in writing a proposal, that every memberseparately should endeavour to form a subordinate club, with the same rulesrespectingqueries,etc.,andwithoutinformingthemoftheconnectionwiththeJunto.Theadvantagesproposedwere,theimprovementofsomanymoreyoungcitizensby theuseofour institutions;ourbetteracquaintancewith thegeneralsentiments of the inhabitants on any occasion, as the Junto member mightpropose what queries we should desire, and was to report to the Junto whatpass'dinhisseparateclub;thepromotionofourparticularinterestsinbusinessbymoreextensiverecommendation,andtheincreaseofourinfluenceinpublicaffairs, and our power of doing good by spreading thro' the several clubs thesentimentsoftheJunto.

The projectwas approv'd, and everymember undertook to form his club, buttheydidnotallsucceed.Fiveorsixonlywerecompleated,whichwerecalledbydifferent names, as the Vine, the Union, the Band, etc. They were useful tothemselves, and afforded us a good deal of amusement, information, andinstruction, besides answering, in some considerable degree, our views ofinfluencing the public opinion on particular occasions, of which I shall givesomeinstancesincourseoftimeastheyhappened.

My first promotion was my being chosen, in 1736, clerk of the GeneralAssembly. The choice was made that year without opposition; but the yearfollowing, when I was again propos'd (the choice, like that of the members,

beingannual),anewmembermadealongspeechagainstme,inordertofavoursomeothercandidate.Iwas,however,chosen,whichwasthemoreagreeabletome,as,besidesthepayfortheimmediateserviceasclerk,theplacegavemeabetteropportunityofkeepingupaninterestamongthemembers,whichsecur'dtomethebusinessofprintingthevotes,laws,papermoney,andotheroccasionaljobbsforthepublic,that,onthewhole,wereveryprofitable.

Ithereforedidnotliketheoppositionofthisnewmember,whowasagentlemanoffortuneandeducation,withtalentsthatwerelikelytogivehim,intime,greatinfluenceintheHouse,which,indeed,afterwardshappened.Ididnot,however,aimatgaininghisfavourbypayinganyservilerespect tohim,but,aftersometime, took thisothermethod.Havingheard thathehad inhis libraryacertainvery scarce and curious book, Iwrote a note to him, expressingmy desire ofperusingthatbook,andrequestinghewoulddomethefavouroflendingittomefor a fewdays.He sent it immediately, and I return'd it in about aweekwithanothernote,expressingstronglymysenseofthefavour.WhenwenextmetintheHouse, he spoke tome (which he had never done before), andwith greatcivility;andheeveraftermanifestedareadinesstoservemeonalloccasions,sothatwebecamegreatfriends,andourfriendshipcontinuedtohisdeath.ThisisanotherinstanceofthetruthofanoldmaximIhadlearned,whichsays,"Hethathas once done you a kindness will bemore ready to do you another, than hewhomyouyourselfhaveobliged."Anditshowshowmuchmoreprofitableitisprudentlytoremove,thantoresent,return,andcontinueinimicalproceedings.

In 1737, Colonel Spotswood, late governor of Virginia, and then postmaster-general, being dissatisfied with the conduct of his deputy at Philadelphia,respectingsomenegligenceinrendering,andinexactitudeofhisaccounts,tookfromhimthecommissionandofferedittome.Iaccepteditreadily,andfounditof great advantage; for, tho' the salary was small, it facilitated thecorrespondencethatimprov'dmynewspaper,increas'dthenumberdemanded,aswell as the advertisements to be inserted, so that it came to afford me aconsiderable income.My old competitor's newspaper declin'd proportionately,andIwassatisfy'dwithoutretaliatinghisrefusal,whilepostmaster,topermitmypapersbeingcarriedby the riders.Thushesuffer'dgreatly fromhisneglect indueaccounting; and Imention it as a lesson to thoseyoungmenwhomaybeemploy'd in managing affairs for others, that they should always renderaccounts, and make remittances, with great clearness and punctuality. Thecharacter of observing such a conduct is the most powerful of allrecommendationstonewemploymentsandincreaseofbusiness.

[74]Thealmanacat that timewasakindofperiodicalaswellasaguide tonaturalphenomena and the weather. Franklin took his title from Poor Robin, a famousEnglish almanac, and fromRichardSaunders, awell-knownalmanacpublisher.ForthemaximsofPoorRichard,seepages331-335.

[75]June23andJuly7,1730.—Smyth.

[76] See "A List of Books written by, or relating to Benjamin Franklin," by PaulLeicesterFord.1889.p.15.—Smyth.

[77]Dr.JamesFoster(1697-1753):—

"LetmodestFoster,ifhewillexcelTenmetropolitansinpreachingwell."

—Pope(EpiloguetotheSatires,I,132).

"Those who had not heard Farinelli sing and Foster preach were not qualified toappearingenteelcompany,"Hawkins."HistoryofMusic."—Smyth.

[78]"TheauthorityofFranklin,themosteminentlypracticalmanofhisage,infavorof reserving the study of the dead languages until the mind has reached a certainmaturity, isconfirmedbytheconfessionofoneof themosteminentscholarsofanyage.

"'Ourseminariesoflearning,'saysGibbon,'donotexactlycorrespondwiththepreceptofaSpartanking,thatthechildshouldbeinstructedintheartswhichwillbeusefultotheman;sinceafinishedscholarmayemergefromtheheadofWestminsterorEton,intotalignoranceofthebusinessandconversationofEnglishgentlemeninthelatterendoftheeighteenthcentury.Buttheseschoolsmayassumethemeritofteachingallthattheypretendtoteach,theLatinandGreeklanguages.'"—Bigelow.

XI

INTERESTINPUBLICAFFAIRS

block-IBEGAN now to turn my thoughts a little to public affairs, beginning,however,with smallmatters.The citywatchwas one of the first things that Iconceiv'dtowantregulation.Itwasmanagedbytheconstablesoftherespectivewardsinturn;theconstablewarnedanumberofhousekeeperstoattendhimforthenight.Thosewhochosenevertoattend,paidhimsixshillingsayear tobeexcus'd,whichwassuppos'dtobeforhiringsubstitutes,butwas,inreality,muchmorethanwasnecessaryforthatpurpose,andmadetheconstableshipaplaceofprofit;andtheconstable,foralittledrink,oftengotsuchragamuffinsabouthimasawatch, that respectablehousekeepersdidnotchoose tomixwith.Walking

therounds,too,wasoftenneglected,andmostofthenightsspentintippling.IthereuponwroteapapertobereadinJunto,representingtheseirregularities,butinsisting more particularly on the inequality of this six-shilling tax of theconstables, respecting the circumstances of those who paid it, since a poorwidow housekeeper, all whose property to be guarded by the watch did notperhaps exceed the value of fifty pounds, paid as much as the wealthiestmerchant,whohadthousandsofpounds'worthofgoodsinhisstores.

Onthewhole,Iproposedasamoreeffectualwatch,thehiringofpropermentoserveconstantlyinthatbusiness;andasamoreequitablewayofsupportingthecharge, thelevyingataxthatshouldbeproportion'dtotheproperty.Thisidea,beingapprov'dbytheJunto,wascommunicatedtotheotherclubs,butasarisingineachofthem;andthoughtheplanwasnotimmediatelycarriedintoexecution,yet,bypreparing themindsofpeople for thechange, itpaved theway for thelawobtainedafewyearsafter,whenthemembersofourclubsweregrownintomoreinfluence.

About this time Iwroteapaper (first tobe read inJunto,but itwasafterwardpublish'd)onthedifferentaccidentsandcarelessnessesbywhichhousesweresetonfire,withcautionsagainstthem,andmeansproposedofavoidingthem.Thiswasmuch spokenof as a useful piece, andgave rise to a project,which soonfollowedit,offormingacompanyforthemorereadyextinguishingoffires,andmutualassistanceinremovingandsecuringofgoodswhenindanger.Associatesin this scheme were presently found, amounting to thirty. Our articles ofagreementoblig'deverymembertokeepalwaysingoodorder,andfitforuse,acertainnumberofleatherbuckets,withstrongbagsandbaskets(forpackingandtransportingofgoods),whichweretobebroughttoeveryfire;andweagreedtomeet once a month and spend a social evening together, in discoursing andcommunicatingsuchideasasoccurredtousuponthesubjectsoffires,asmightbeusefulinourconductonsuchoccasions.

The utility of this institution soon appeared, and many more desiring to beadmitted than we thought convenient for one company, they were advised toformanother,whichwasaccordinglydone;andthiswenton,onenewcompanybeingformedafteranother,tilltheybecamesonumerousastoincludemostofthe inhabitantswhoweremenofproperty;andnow,at the timeofmywritingthis,tho'upwardoffiftyyearssinceitsestablishment,thatwhichIfirstformed,called the Union Fire Company, still subsists and flourishes, tho' the firstmembersarealldeceas'dbutmyselfandone,whoisolderbyayearthanIam.The small fines that have been paid by members for absence at the monthly

meetingshavebeenapply'dtothepurchaseoffire-engines,ladders,fire-hooks,andotherusefulimplementsforeachcompany,sothatIquestionwhetherthereis a city in the world better provided with the means of putting a stop tobeginningconflagrations;and,infact,sincetheseinstitutions,thecityhasneverlostby firemore thanoneor twohouses at a time, and the flameshaveoftenbeen extinguished before the house in which they began has been halfconsumed.

theflameshaveoftenbeenextinguished

In1739arrivedamongusfromIrelandtheReverendMr.Whitefield,[79]whohadmadehimselfremarkablethereasanitinerantpreacher.Hewasatfirstpermittedtopreachinsomeofourchurches;buttheclergy,takingadisliketohim,soonrefus'd him their pulpits, and he was oblig'd to preach in the fields. Themultitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons wereenormous,anditwasmatterofspeculationtome,whowasoneofthenumber,toobservetheextraordinaryinfluenceofhisoratoryonhishearers,andhowmuchtheyadmir'dandrespectedhim,notwithstandinghiscommonabuseofthem,byassuringthemtheywerenaturallyhalfbeastsandhalfdevils.Itwaswonderfulto see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From beingthoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seem'd as if all the world weregrowing religious, so that one could not walk thro' the town in an eveningwithouthearingpsalmssungindifferentfamiliesofeverystreet.

And it being found inconvenient to assemble in the open air, subject to itsinclemencies, the building of a house tomeet inwas no sooner propos'd, andpersons appointed to receive contributions, but sufficient sums were soonreceiv'd to procure the ground and erect the building,whichwas one hundredfeetlongandseventybroad,aboutthesizeofWestminsterHall;[80]andtheworkwas carried onwith such spirit as to be finished in amuch shorter time thancould have been expected. Both house and ground were vested in trustees,expressly for the use of any preacher of any religious persuasion who mightdesiretosaysomethingtothepeopleatPhiladelphia;thedesigninbuildingnotbeingtoaccommodateanyparticularsect,buttheinhabitantsingeneral;sothateven if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preachMohammedanismtous,hewouldfindapulpitathisservice.

Mr.Whitefield, in leavingus,wentpreachingall theway thro' the colonies toGeorgia.Thesettlementof thatprovincehadlatelybeenbegun,but, insteadofbeingmadewithhardy,industrioushusbandmen,accustomedtolabour,theonly

peoplefitforsuchanenterprise,itwaswithfamiliesofbrokenshop-keepersandotherinsolventdebtors,manyofindolentandidlehabits,takenoutofthejails,who,beingsetdowninthewoods,unqualifiedforclearingland,andunabletoendure the hardships of a new settlement, perished in numbers, leavingmanyhelplesschildrenunprovided for.Thesightof theirmiserable situation inspir'dthe benevolent heart of Mr. Whitefield with the idea of building an OrphanHouse there, in which they might be supported and educated. Returningnorthward, he preach'd up this charity, and made large collections, for hiseloquencehadawonderfulpowerover theheartsandpursesofhishearers,ofwhichImyselfwasaninstance.

Ididnotdisapproveofthedesign,but,asGeorgiawasthendestituteofmaterialsandworkmen, and itwas proposed to send them fromPhiladelphia at a greatexpense, I thought itwouldhavebeenbetter tohavebuilt thehousehere, andbroughtthechildrentoit.ThisIadvis'd;buthewasresoluteinhisfirstproject,rejectedmycounsel,andIthereforerefus'dtocontribute.Ihappenedsoonaftertoattendoneofhissermons,inthecourseofwhichIperceivedheintendedtofinishwithacollection,andIsilentlyresolvedheshouldgetnothingfromme.Ihad inmypocket ahandfulof coppermoney, threeor four silverdollars, andfivepistolesingold.AsheproceededIbegantosoften,andconcludedtogivethe coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me asham'd of that, anddetermin'dmetogivethesilver;andhefinish'dsoadmirably,thatIempty'dmypocketwholly into the collector's dish, gold and all.At this sermon therewasalso one of our club, who, being ofmy sentiments respecting the building inGeorgia, and suspecting a collection might be intended, had, by precaution,emptiedhispocketsbeforehecamefromhome.Towardstheconclusionofthediscourse,however, he felt a strongdesire togive, andapply'd to aneighbourwho stood near him, to borrow somemoney for the purpose. The applicationwasunfortunately[made]toperhapstheonlymaninthecompanywhohadthefirmnessnottobeaffectedbythepreacher.Hisanswerwas,"Atanyothertime,FriendHopkinson,Iwouldlendtotheefreely;butnotnow,fortheeseemstobeoutofthyrightsenses."

SomeofMr.Whitefield'senemiesaffectedtosupposethathewouldapplythesecollectionstohisownprivateemolument;butI,whowasintimatelyacquaintedwithhim(beingemployedinprintinghisSermonsandJournals,etc.),neverhadtheleastsuspicionofhisintegrity,butamtothisdaydecidedlyofopinionthathewasinallhisconductaperfectlyhonestman;andmethinksmytestimonyinhisfavouroughttohavethemoreweight,aswehadnoreligiousconnection.He

us'd,indeed,sometimestoprayformyconversion,butneverhadthesatisfactionof believing that his prayers were heard. Ours was a mere civil friendship,sincereonbothsides,andlastedtohisdeath.

The following instancewill show something of the terms onwhichwe stood.UpononeofhisarrivalsfromEnglandatBoston,hewrotetomethatheshouldcomesoontoPhiladelphia,butknewnotwherehecouldlodgewhenthere,asheunderstoodhisold friendandhost,Mr.Benezetwas removed toGermantown.My answerwas, "You knowmy house; if you canmake shiftwith its scantyaccommodations,youwillbemostheartilywelcome."Hereply'd,thatifImadethatkindofferforChrist'ssake,Ishouldnotmissofareward.AndIreturned,"Don'tletmebemistaken;itwasnotforChrist'ssake,butforyoursake."Oneof our common acquaintance jocosely remark'd, that, knowing it to be thecustomof thesaints,whentheyreceivedanyfavour, toshift theburdenof theobligationfromofftheirownshoulders,andplaceitinheaven,Ihadcontriv'dtofixitonearth.

ThelasttimeIsawMr.WhitefieldwasinLondon,whenheconsultedmeabouthis Orphan House concern, and his purpose of appropriating it to theestablishmentofacollege.

He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his words and sentences soperfectly,thathemightbeheardandunderstoodatagreatdistance,especiallyashisauditories,howevernumerous,observ'dthemostexactsilence.Hepreach'done evening from the topof theCourthouse steps,which are in themiddle ofMarket-street, and on thewest side of Second-street,which crosses it at rightangles.Bothstreetswerefill'dwithhishearerstoaconsiderabledistance.Beingamong the hindmost inMarket-street, I had the curiosity to learn how far hecouldbeheard,by retiringbackwardsdown the street towards the river; and Ifound his voice distinct till I came near Front-street,when some noise in thatstreetobscur'd it. Imaginingthenasemicircle,ofwhichmydistanceshouldbethe radius,and that itwere fill'dwithauditors, toeachofwhomIallow'd twosquare feet, I computed that he might well be heard by more than thirtythousand.Thisreconcil'dmetothenewspaperaccountsofhishavingpreach'dtotwenty-fivethousandpeopleinthefields,andtotheancienthistoriesofgeneralsharanguingwholearmies,ofwhichIhadsometimesdoubted.

By hearing him often, I came to distinguish easily between sermons newlycompos'd,andthosewhichhehadoftenpreach'dinthecourseofhistravels.Hisdeliveryofthelatterwassoimprov'dbyfrequentrepetitionsthateveryaccent,

everyemphasis,everymodulationofvoice,wassoperfectlywellturn'dandwellplac'd, that, without being interested in the subject, one could not help beingpleas'dwiththediscourse;apleasureofmuchthesamekindwiththatreceiv'dfromanexcellentpieceofmusick.Thisisanadvantageitinerantpreachershaveoverthosewhoarestationary,asthelattercannotwellimprovetheirdeliveryofasermonbysomanyrehearsals.

Hiswritingandprintingfromtimetotimegavegreatadvantagetohisenemies;unguarded expressions, and even erroneous opinions, delivered in preaching,mighthavebeenafterwardsexplain'dorqualifi'dbysupposingothersthatmighthave accompani'd them, or they might have been deny'd; but litera scriptamanet.Critics attack'd hiswritings violently, andwith somuch appearance ofreasonas todiminish thenumberofhisvotariesandprevent their increase; sothatIamofopinionifhehadneverwrittenanything,hewouldhaveleftbehindhimamuchmorenumerousandimportantsect,andhisreputationmightinthatcasehavebeenstillgrowing,evenafterhisdeath,astherebeingnothingofhiswriting on which to found a censure and give him a lower character, hisproselytes would be left at liberty to feign for him as great a variety ofexcellencesastheirenthusiasticadmirationmightwishhimtohavepossessed.

Mybusinesswasnowcontinuallyaugmenting,andmycircumstancesgrowingdailyeasier,mynewspaperhavingbecomeveryprofitable,asbeingfora timealmost theonlyonein thisandtheneighbouringprovinces.Iexperienced, too,thetruthoftheobservation,"thataftergettingthefirsthundredpound,itismoreeasytogetthesecond,"moneyitselfbeingofaprolificnature.

The partnership at Carolina having succeeded, I was encourag'd to engage inothers, and to promote several of my workmen, who had behaved well, byestablishingthemwithprinting-houses indifferentcolonies,on thesametermswith that inCarolina.Most of themdidwell, being enabled at the end of ourterm,sixyears,topurchasethetypesofmeandgoonworkingforthemselves,by which means several families were raised. Partnerships often finish inquarrels; but I was happy in this, that mine were all carried on and endedamicably,owing,Ithink,agooddealtotheprecautionofhavingveryexplicitlysettled,inourarticles,everythingtobedonebyorexpectedfromeachpartner,so that there was nothing to dispute, which precaution I would thereforerecommendtoallwhoenterintopartnerships;for,whateveresteempartnersmayhavefor,andconfidenceineachotheratthetimeofthecontract,littlejealousiesand disgustsmay arise,with ideas of inequality in the care and burden of thebusiness, etc., which are attended often with breach of friendship and of the

connection,perhapswithlawsuitsandotherdisagreeableconsequences.

[79] George Whitefield, pronounced Hwit'field (1714-1770), a celebrated Englishclergymanandpulpitorator,oneofthefoundersofMethodism.

[80]ApartofthepalaceofWestminster,nowformingthevestibuletotheHousesofParliamentinLondon.

XII

DEFENSEOFTHEPROVINCE

block-IHAD, on the whole, abundant reason to be satisfied with my beingestablished inPennsylvania.Therewere, however, two, things that I regretted,therebeingnoprovisionfordefense,norforacompleateducationofyouth;nomilitia,noranycollege.Itherefore,in1743,drewupaproposalforestablishinganacademy;andatthattime,thinkingtheReverendMr.Peters,whowasoutofemploy, a fit person to superintend such an institution, I communicated theproject to him; but he, having more profitable views in the service of theproprietaries, which succeeded, declin'd the undertaking; and, not knowinganotheratthattimesuitableforsuchatrust,Ilettheschemelieawhiledormant.I succeeded better the next year, 1744, in proposing and establishing aPhilosophicalSociety.ThepaperIwrotefor thatpurposewillbefoundamongmywritings,whencollected.

With respect to defense,Spainhavingbeen several years atwar againstGreatBritain,andbeingatlengthjoin'dbyFrance,whichbroughtusintogreatdanger;and the laboured and long-continued endeavour of our governor, Thomas, toprevail with our Quaker Assembly to pass a militia law, and make otherprovisionsforthesecurityoftheprovince,havingprovedabortive,Ideterminedtotrywhatmightbedonebyavoluntaryassociationofthepeople.Topromotethis, I first wrote and published a pamphlet, entitled PLAIN TRUTH, in which Istatedourdefencelesssituationinstronglights,withthenecessityofunionanddisciplineforourdefense,andpromis'dtoproposeinafewdaysanassociation,to be generally signed for that purpose. The pamphlet had a sudden andsurprisingeffect.Iwascall'duponfortheinstrumentofassociation,andhavingsettledthedraftofitwithafewfriends,Iappointedameetingofthecitizensinthelargebuildingbeforementioned.Thehousewasprettyfull;Ihadpreparedanumberofprintedcopies,andprovidedpensandinkdispers'dallovertheroom.

Iharanguedthemalittleonthesubject,readthepaper,andexplainedit,andthendistributedthecopies,whichwereeagerlysigned,nottheleastobjectionbeingmade.

When the company separated, and the paperswere collected,we found abovetwelve hundred hands; and, other copies being dispersed in the country, thesubscribersamountedat length toupwardof ten thousand.Theseall furnishedthemselvesassoonastheycouldwitharms,formedthemselvesintocompaniesandregiments,chosetheirownofficers,andmeteveryweektobeinstructedinthe manual exercise, and other parts of military discipline. The women, bysubscriptionsamongthemselves,providedsilkcolours,whichtheypresentedtothecompanies,paintedwithdifferentdevicesandmottos,whichIsupplied.

OneoftheflagsofthePennsylvaniaAssociation,1747.DesignedbyFranklinandmadebythewomenofPhiladelphia.

OneoftheflagsofthePennsylvaniaAssociation,1747.DesignedbyFranklinandmadebythewomenofPhiladelphia.

TheofficersofthecompaniescomposingthePhiladelphiaregiment,beingmet,chosemefor theircolonel;but,conceivingmyselfunfit, Ideclin'd thatstation,andrecommendedMr.Lawrence,afineperson,andmanofinfluence,whowasaccordinglyappointed.Ithenpropos'dalotterytodefraytheexpenseofbuildingabatterybelowthetown,andfurnishingitwithcannon.Itfilledexpeditiously,andthebatterywassoonerected,themerlonsbeingfram'doflogsandfill'dwithearth.WeboughtsomeoldcannonfromBoston,but,thesenotbeingsufficient,wewrotetoEnglandformore,soliciting,atthesametime,ourproprietariesforsomeassistance,tho'withoutmuchexpectationofobtainingit.

Meanwhile,ColonelLawrence,WilliamAllen,AbramTaylor,Esqr.,andmyselfweresenttoNewYorkbytheassociators,commission'dtoborrowsomecannonofGovernorClinton.Heat first refus'dusperemptorily;butatdinnerwithhiscouncil,wheretherewasgreatdrinkingofMadeirawine,asthecustomofthatplace thenwas,hesoftenedbydegrees,andsaidhewouldlendussix.Afterafew more bumpers he advanc'd to ten; and at length he very good-naturedlyconceded eighteen. They were fine cannon, eighteen-pounders, with theircarriages, which we soon transported and mounted on our battery, where theassociators kept a nightly guard while the war lasted, and among the rest Iregularlytookmyturnofdutythereasacommonsoldier.

Iregularlytookmyturnofdutythereasacommonsoldier

"Iregularlytookmyturnofdutythereasacommonsoldier"

Myactivityintheseoperationswasagreeabletothegovernorandcouncil;theytookmeintoconfidence,andIwasconsultedbythemineverymeasurewhereintheir concurrence was thought useful to the association. Calling in the aid ofreligion,Ipropos'dtothemtheproclaimingafast,topromotereformation,andimploretheblessingofHeavenonourundertaking.Theyembrac'dthemotion;but,asitwasthefirstfasteverthoughtofintheprovince,thesecretaryhadnoprecedentfromwhichtodrawtheproclamation.MyeducationinNewEngland,whereafastisproclaimedeveryyear,washereofsomeadvantage:Idrewitinthe accustomed stile, it was translated into German,[81] printed in bothlanguages,anddivulg'dthro'theprovince.Thisgavetheclergyofthedifferentsectsanopportunityofinfluencingtheircongregationstojoinintheassociation,anditwouldprobablyhavebeengeneralamongallbutQuakersifthepeacehadnotsooninterven'd.

It was thought by some of my friends that, by my activity in these affairs, Ishould offend that sect, and thereby lose my interest in the Assembly of theprovince, where they formed a great majority. A young gentleman who hadlikewise some friends in theHouse, andwished to succeedme as their clerk,acquaintedme that itwasdecided todisplacemeat thenext election; andhe,therefore,ingoodwill,advis'dmetoresign,asmoreconsistentwithmyhonourthanbeingturn'dout.Myanswertohimwas,thatIhadreadorheardofsomepublicmanwhomadeitarulenevertoaskforanoffice,andnevertorefuseonewhenoffer'dtohim."Iapprove,"saysI,"ofhisrule,andwillpracticeitwithasmalladdition;Ishallneverask,neverrefuse,noreverresignanoffice.If theywillhavemyofficeofclerktodisposeoftoanother,theyshalltakeitfromme.Iwillnot,bygivingitup,losemyrightofsometimeorothermakingreprisalsonmy adversaries." I heard, however, no more of this; I was chosen againunanimously as usual at the next election. Possibly, as they dislik'd my lateintimacywith themembersofcouncil,whohad join'd thegovernors inall thedisputes about military preparations, with which the House had long beenharass'd,theymighthavebeenpleas'difIwouldvoluntarilyhaveleftthem;butthey did not care to displace me on account merely of my zeal for theassociation,andtheycouldnotwellgiveanotherreason.

Indeed I had some cause to believe that the defense of the country was notdisagreeabletoanyofthem,providedtheywerenotrequir'dtoassistinit.AndIfound that a much greater number of them than I could have imagined, tho'againstoffensivewar,wereclearlyfor thedefensive.Manypamphletsproand

con were publish'd on the subject, and some by good Quakers, in favour ofdefense,whichIbelieveconvinc'dmostoftheiryoungerpeople.

A transaction in our fire company gaveme some insight into their prevailingsentiments. It had been propos'd that we should encourage the scheme forbuilding a battery by layingout the present stock, then about sixty pounds, inticketsof the lottery.Byour rules,nomoneycouldbedispos'dof till thenextmeetingaftertheproposal.Thecompanyconsistedofthirtymembers,ofwhichtwenty-two were Quakers, and eight only of other persuasions. We eightpunctuallyattendedthemeeting;but,tho'wethoughtthatsomeoftheQuakerswouldjoinus,wewerebynomeanssureofamajority.OnlyoneQuaker,Mr.JamesMorris,appear'dtoopposethemeasure.Heexpressedmuchsorrowthatithadeverbeenpropos'd,ashesaidFriendswereallagainstit,anditwouldcreatesuchdiscordasmightbreakupthecompany.Wetoldhimthatwesawnoreasonfor that; wewere theminority, and ifFriends were against the measure, andoutvotedus,wemustandshould,agreeablytotheusageofallsocieties,submit.Whenthehourforbusinessarriv'ditwasmov'dtoputthevote;heallow'dwemight then do it by the rules, but, as he could assure us that a number ofmembersintendedtobepresentforthepurposeofopposingit, itwouldbebutcandidtoallowalittletimefortheirappearing.

Whilewewere disputing this, awaiter came to tellme two gentlemen belowdesir'dtospeakwithme.Iwentdown,andfoundtheyweretwoofourQuakermembers.Theytoldmetherewereeightofthemassembledatatavernjustby;thattheyweredetermin'dtocomeandvotewithusifthereshouldbeoccasion,whichtheyhop'dwouldnotbethecase,anddesir'dwewouldnotcallfortheirassistance ifwe could dowithout it, as their voting for such ameasuremightembroil themwith their elders and friends.Being thus secure of amajority, Iwentup,andafteralittleseeminghesitation,agreedtoadelayofanotherhour.ThisMr.Morris allow'd to be extreamly fair.Not one of his opposing friendsappear'd,atwhichheexpress'dgreatsurprize;and,attheexpirationofthehour,wecarri'dtheresolutioneighttoone;andas,ofthetwenty-twoQuakers,eightwerereadytovotewithus,andthirteen,bytheirabsence,manifestedthattheywerenotinclin'dtoopposethemeasure,IafterwardestimatedtheproportionofQuakerssincerelyagainstdefenseasonetotwenty-oneonly;forthesewereallregularmembers of that society, and in good reputation among them, andhadduenoticeofwhatwaspropos'datthatmeeting.

Thehonorable and learnedMr.Logan,whohadalwaysbeenof that sect,wasonewhowroteanaddresstothem,declaringhisapprobationofdefensivewar,

and supporting his opinion bymany strong arguments.He put intomy handssixty pounds to be laid out in lottery tickets for the battery,with directions toapply what prizes might be drawn wholly to that service. He told me thefollowing anecdote of his old master, William Penn, respecting defense. Hecameover fromEngland,whenayoungman,with thatproprietary,andashissecretary. 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 toldWilliamPenn,andhiscompanyofQuakers, thathedidnotexpect theirassistance,andtheymight retire into the cabin,which they did, except JamesLogan,[82] whochosetostayupondeck,andwasquarter'dtoagun.Thesuppos'denemyprov'da friend, so there was no fighting; but when the secretary went down tocommunicate the intelligence,William Penn rebuk'd him severely for stayingupon deck, and undertaking to assist in defending the vessel, contrary to theprinciplesofFriends,especiallyasithadnotbeenrequiredbythecaptain.Thisreproof, being before all the company, piqu'd the secretary, who answer'd, "Ibeing thy servant, why did thee not order me to come down? But thee waswillingenough that I should stayandhelp to fight the shipwhen thee thoughttherewasdanger."

Mybeingmanyyears in theAssembly, themajorityofwhichwereconstantlyQuakers, gave me frequent opportunities of seeing the embarrassment giventhembytheirprincipleagainstwar,wheneverapplicationwasmadetothem,byorderofthecrown,tograntaidsformilitarypurposes.Theywereunwillingtooffendgovernment,on theonehand,byadirect refusal; and their friends, thebody of theQuakers, on the other, by compliance contrary to their principles;hence a variety of evasions to avoid complying, andmodes of disguising thecompliance when it became unavoidable. The common mode at last was, togrant money under the phrase of its being "for the king's use," and never toinquirehowitwasapplied.

But,ifthedemandwasnotdirectlyfromthecrown,thatphrasewasfoundnotsoproper, and some otherwas to be invented.As,when powderwaswanting (IthinkitwasforthegarrisonatLouisburg),andthegovernmentofNewEnglandsolicited a grant of some from Pennsylvania, which was much urg'd on theHouse by Governor Thomas, they could not grant money to buy powder,becausethatwasaningredientofwar;buttheyvotedanaidtoNewEnglandofthreethousandpounds,tobeputintothehandsofthegovernor,andappropriateditforthepurchasingofbread,flour,wheatorothergrain.Someofthecouncil,desirous of giving theHouse still further embarrassment, advis'd the governor

nottoacceptprovision,asnotbeingthethinghehaddemanded;butherepli'd,"Ishall take themoney, for I understand verywell theirmeaning; other grain isgunpowder,"whichheaccordinglybought,andtheyneverobjectedtoit.[83]

It was in allusion to this fact that, when in our fire company we feared thesuccessofourproposalinfavourofthelottery,andIhadsaidtomyfriendMr.Syng,oneofourmembers,"Ifwefail,letusmovethepurchaseofafire-enginewith the money; the Quakers can have no objection to that; and then, if younominatemeandIyouasacommitteeforthatpurpose,wewillbuyagreatgun,whichiscertainlyafire-engine.""Isee,"sayshe,"youhaveimprov'dbybeingsolongintheAssembly;yourequivocalprojectwouldbejustamatchfortheirwheatorothergrain."

These embarrassments that the Quakers suffer'd from having establish'd andpublisheditasoneoftheirprinciplesthatnokindofwarwaslawful,andwhich,being once published, they could not afterwards, however they might changetheirminds,easilygetridof,remindsmeofwhatIthinkamoreprudentconductinanothersectamongus,thatoftheDunkers.Iwasacquaintedwithoneofitsfounders,MichaelWelfare,soonafteritappear'd.Hecomplain'dtomethattheywere grievously calumniated by the zealots of other persuasions, and charg'dwith abominable principles and practices towhich theywere utter strangers. Itoldhimthishadalwaysbeenthecasewithnewsects,andthat,toputastoptosuchabuse,Iimagin'ditmightbewelltopublishthearticlesoftheirbelief,andtherulesoftheirdiscipline.Hesaidthatithadbeenpropos'damongthem,butnotagreedto,forthisreason:"Whenwewerefirstdrawntogetherasasociety,"sayshe,"ithadpleasedGod toenlightenourmindsso faras tosee thatsomedoctrines,whichweonceesteemedtruths,wereerrors;andthatothers,whichwehadesteemederrors,wererealtruths.>FromtimetotimeHehasbeenpleasedtoaffordus farther light, andourprincipleshavebeen improving, andour errorsdiminishing. Now we are not sure that we are arrived at the end of thisprogression,andattheperfectionofspiritualortheologicalknowledge;andwefear that, if we should once print our confession of faith, we should feelourselves as if bound and confin'd by it, and perhaps be unwilling to receivefurther improvement, andour successors stillmore so, as conceivingwhatwetheireldersandfoundershaddone,tobesomethingsacred,nevertobedepartedfrom."

Thismodestyinasectisperhapsasingularinstanceinthehistoryofmankind,everyother sect supposing itself inpossessionof all truth, and that thosewhodiffer are so far in thewrong; like aman traveling in foggyweather, those at

somedistancebeforehimontheroadheseeswrappedupinthefog,aswellasthosebehindhim,andalsothepeopleinthefieldsoneachside,butnearhimallappearsclear,tho'intruthheisasmuchinthefogasanyofthem.Toavoidthiskindofembarrassment,theQuakershaveoflateyearsbeengraduallydecliningthepublicserviceintheAssemblyandinthemagistracy,choosingrathertoquittheirpowerthantheirprinciple.

Inorderoftime,Ishouldhavementionedbefore,thathaving,in1742,inventedanopenstove[84]forthebetterwarmingofrooms,andatthesametimesavingfuel,as thefreshairadmittedwaswarmedinentering,Imadeapresentof themodel to Mr. Robert Grace, one of my early friends, who, having an iron-furnace,[85]foundthecastingoftheplatesforthesestovesaprofitablething,astheyweregrowingindemand.Topromotethatdemand,Iwroteandpublishedapamphlet, entitled "An Account of the new-invented Pennsylvania Fireplaces;whereintheirConstructionandMannerofOperationisparticularlyexplained;theirAdvantages above every otherMethodofwarmingRoomsdemonstrated;andallObjectionsthathavebeenraisedagainsttheUseofthemansweredandobviated,"etc.Thispamphlethadagoodeffect.Gov'r.Thomaswassopleas'dwiththeconstructionofthisstove,asdescribedinit,thatheofferedtogivemeapatentforthesolevendingofthemforatermofyears;butIdeclin'ditfromaprinciplewhichhaseverweighedwithmeonsuchoccasions,viz.,That,asweenjoygreatadvantages from the inventionsofothers,weshouldbegladofanopportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should dofreelyandgenerously.

AnironmongerinLondonhowever,assumingagooddealofmypamphlet,andworking it up into his own, andmaking some small changes in themachine,whichratherhurtitsoperation,gotapatentforitthere,andmade,asIwastold,alittlefortunebyit.Andthisisnottheonlyinstanceofpatentstakenoutformyinventions by others, tho' not always with the same success, which I nevercontested, as having no desire of profiting by patents myself, and hatingdisputes.Theuseof thesefireplaces inverymanyhouses,bothof thisand theneighbouring colonies, has been, and is, a great saving of wood to theinhabitants.

[81]Wm. Penn's agents sought recruits for the colony of Pennsylvania in the lowcountries of Germany, and there are still in eastern Pennsylvania many Germans,inaccuratelycalledPennsylvaniaDutch.ManyofthemuseaGermanizedEnglish.

[82]JamesLogan(1674-1751)cametoAmericawithWilliamPennin1699,andwasthebusinessagentforthePennfamily.Hebequeathedhisvaluablelibrary,preservedathiscountryseat,"Senton,"tothecityofPhiladelphia.—Smyth.

[83]Seethevotes.—Marg.note.

[84]TheFranklinstoveisstillinuse.

[85] Warwick Furnace, Chester County, Pennsylvania, across the Schuylkill RiverfromPottstown.

XIII

PUBLICSERVICESANDDUTIES(1749-1753)

block-PEACEbeingconcluded,andtheassociationbusinessthereforeatanend,Iturn'dmythoughtsagaintotheaffairofestablishinganacademy.ThefirststepI tookwas to associate in thedesignanumberof active friends,ofwhom theJunto furnished a good part; the next was to write and publish a pamphlet,entitledProposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania. This Idistributedamongtheprincipalinhabitantsgratis;andassoonasIcouldsupposetheirmindsalittlepreparedbytheperusalofit,Isetonfootasubscriptionforopeningandsupportinganacademy;itwastobepaidinquotasyearlyforfiveyears;bysodividingit,Ijudg'dthesubscriptionmightbelarger,andIbelieveitwasso,amountingtonoless,ifIrememberright,thanfivethousandpounds.

Intheintroductiontotheseproposals,Istatedtheirpublication,notasanactofmine, but of some publick-spirited gentlemen, avoiding as much as I could,accordingtomyusualrule,thepresentingmyselftothepublickastheauthorofanyschemefortheirbenefit.

Thesubscribers,tocarrytheprojectintoimmediateexecution,choseoutoftheirnumber twenty-four trustees, and appointed Mr. Francis,[86] then attorney-general,andmyselftodrawupconstitutionsforthegovernmentoftheacademy;which being done and signed, a house was hired, masters engag'd, and theschoolsopened,Ithink,inthesameyear,1749.

Thescholarsincreasingfast,thehousewassoonfoundtoosmall,andwewerelooking out for a piece of ground, properly situated, with intention to build,whenProvidencethrewintoourwayalargehousereadybuilt,which,withafewalterations, might well serve our purpose. This was the building beforementioned,erectedbythehearersofMr.Whitefield,andwasobtainedforusin

thefollowingmanner.

Itistobenotedthatthecontributionstothisbuildingbeingmadebypeopleofdifferent sects, care was taken in the nomination of trustees, in whom thebuildingandgroundwastobevested,thatapredominancyshouldnotbegiventoanysect,lestintimethatpredominancymightbeameansofappropriatingthewholetotheuseofsuchsect,contrarytotheoriginalintention.Itwasthereforethat one of each sect was appointed, viz., one Church-of-England man, onePresbyterian,oneBaptist,oneMoravian,etc.,those,incaseofvacancybydeath,weretofillitbyelectionfromamongthecontributors.TheMoravianhappen'dnottopleasehiscolleagues,andonhisdeaththeyresolvedtohavenootherofthatsect.Thedifficultythenwas,howtoavoidhavingtwoofsomeothersect,bymeansofthenewchoice.

Several personswere named, and for that reason not agreed to.At length onemention'dme,withtheobservationthatIwasmerelyanhonestman,andofnosect at all, which prevailed with them to chuse me. The enthusiasm whichexistedwhenthehousewasbuilthadlongsinceabat'd,anditstrusteeshadnotbeen able to procure fresh contributions for paying the ground-rent, anddischarging some other debts the building had occasion'd, which embarrass'dthemgreatly.Beingnowamemberofbothsetsoftrustees,thatforthebuildingandthatfortheacademy,Ihadagoodopportunityofnegotiatingwithboth,andbroughtthemfinallytoanagreement,bywhichthetrusteesforthebuildingweretocedeittothoseoftheacademy,thelatterundertakingtodischargethedebt,tokeepforeveropeninthebuildingalargehallforoccasionalpreachers,accordingto theoriginal intention, andmaintaina free-school for the instructionofpoorchildren.Writingswereaccordinglydrawn,andonpayingthedebtsthetrusteesoftheacademywereputinpossessionofthepremises;andbydividingthegreatandloftyhall intostories,anddifferentroomsaboveandbelowfortheseveralschools, andpurchasing someadditionalground, thewholewas soonmade fitforourpurpose,andthescholarsremov'dintothebuilding.Thecareandtroubleof agreeing with the workmen, purchasing materials, and superintending thework, fell uponme; and Iwent thro' it themore cheerfully, as it did not theninterfere with my private business, having the year before taken a very able,industrious,andhonestpartner,Mr.DavidHall,withwhosecharacterIwaswellacquainted,ashehadwork'dformefouryears.Hetookoffmyhandsallcareofthe printing-office, paying me punctually my share of the profits. Thepartnershipcontinuedeighteenyears,successfullyforusboth.

Thetrusteesoftheacademy,afterawhile,wereincorporatedbyacharterfrom

thegovernor;theirfundswereincreas'dbycontributionsinBritainandgrantsoflandfromtheproprietaries,towhichtheAssemblyhassincemadeconsiderableaddition; and thuswas established the presentUniversity of Philadelphia.[87] Ihavebeencontinuedoneofitstrusteesfromthebeginning,nownearfortyyears,andhavehadtheverygreatpleasureofseeinganumberoftheyouthwhohavereceiv'dtheireducationinit,distinguish'dbytheirimprov'dabilities,serviceableinpublicstations,andornamentstotheircountry.

WhenIdisengagedmyself,asabovementioned,fromprivatebusiness,Iflatter'dmyselfthat,bythesufficienttho'moderatefortuneIhadacquir'd,Ihadsecuredleisure during the rest ofmy life for philosophical studies and amusements. Ipurchased all Dr. Spence's apparatus, who had come from England to lecturehere, and I proceeded inmyelectrical experimentswithgreat alacrity; but thepublick, now considering me as a man of leisure, laid hold of me for theirpurposes, every part of our civil government, and almost at the same time,imposingsomedutyuponme.Thegovernorputmeintothecommissionofthepeace; the corporation of the city chosemeof the common council, and soonafteranalderman;andthecitizensatlargechosemeaburgesstorepresenttheminAssembly.Thislatterstationwasthemoreagreeabletome,asIwasatlengthtiredwithsittingtheretoheardebates, inwhich,asclerk,Icouldtakenopart,andwhichwereoftensounentertainingthatIwasinduc'dtoamusemyselfwithmakingmagicsquaresorcircles,oranythingtoavoidweariness;andIconceiv'dmybecomingamemberwouldenlargemypowerofdoinggood. Iwouldnot,however,insinuatethatmyambitionwasnotflatter'dbyallthesepromotions;itcertainlywas;for,consideringmylowbeginning,theyweregreatthingstome;andtheywerestillmorepleasing,asbeingsomanyspontaneoustestimoniesofthepublicgoodopinion,andbymeentirelyunsolicited.

TheofficeofjusticeofthepeaceI try'dalittle,byattendingafewcourts,andsitting on the bench to hear causes; but finding that more knowledge of thecommonlawthanIpossess'dwasnecessary toact in thatstationwithcredit, Igraduallywithdrewfromit,excusingmyselfbymybeingoblig'd toattend thehigher duties of a legislator in the Assembly. My election to this trust wasrepeated every year for ten years, withoutmy ever asking any elector for hisvote,orsignifying,eitherdirectlyorindirectly,anydesireofbeingchosen.OntakingmyseatintheHouse,mysonwasappointedtheirclerk.

The year following, a treaty being to be heldwith the Indians atCarlisle, thegovernor sent a message to the House, proposing that they should nominatesome of their members, to be join'd with some members of council, as

commissionersforthatpurpose.[88]TheHousenamed thespeaker (Mr.Norris)andmyself;and,beingcommission'd,wewenttoCarlisle,andmettheIndiansaccordingly.

As those people are extreamly apt to get drunk, and, when so, are veryquarrelsomeanddisorderly,westrictlyforbadthesellinganyliquortothem;andwhen they complain'd of this restriction, we told them that if they wouldcontinue sober during the treaty, we would give them plenty of rum whenbusinesswasover.Theypromis'dthis,andtheykepttheirpromise,becausetheycouldgetnoliquor,andthetreatywasconductedveryorderly,andconcludedtomutual satisfaction. They then claim'd and received the rum; this was in theafternoon: they were near one hundred men, women, and children, and werelodg'dintemporarycabins,builtintheformofasquare,justwithoutthetown.Intheevening,hearingagreatnoiseamongthem,thecommissionerswalk'doutto see what was the matter. We found they had made a great bonfire in themiddle of the square; they were all drunk, men and women, quarreling andfighting.Theirdark-colour'dbodies,halfnaked,seenonlybythegloomylightofthebonfire,runningafterandbeatingoneanotherwithfirebrands,accompaniedbytheirhorridyellings,form'dascenethemostresemblingourideasofhellthatcouldwellbeimagin'd;therewasnoappeasingthetumult,andweretiredtoourlodging.Atmidnightanumberofthemcamethunderingatourdoor,demandingmorerum,ofwhichwetooknonotice.

Thenextday, sensible theyhadmisbehav'd ingivingus thatdisturbance, theysentthreeoftheiroldcounselorstomaketheirapology.Theoratoracknowledg'dthefault,but laid itupontherum;andthenendeavouredtoexcuse therumbysaying,"TheGreatSpirit,whomadeall things,madeeverything forsomeuse,andwhateverusehedesign'danythingfor, thatuseitshouldalwaysbeput to.Now,whenhemaderum,hesaid,'LetthisbefortheIndianstogetdrunkwith,'and itmust be so."And, indeed, if it be thedesignofProvidence to extirpatethese savages in order tomake room for cultivators of the earth, it seems notimprobablethatrummaybetheappointedmeans.Ithasalreadyannihilatedallthetribeswhoformerlyinhabitedthesea-coast.

Intheevening,hearingagreatnoiseamongthem,thecommissionerswalk'douttoseewhatwasthematter

"Intheevening,hearingagreatnoiseamongthem,thecommissionerswalk'douttoseewhatwasthematter"

In 1751,Dr.ThomasBond, a particular friend ofmine, conceived the idea of

establishingahospitalinPhiladelphia(averybeneficentdesign,whichhasbeenascrib'd tome,butwasoriginallyhis), for the receptionandcureofpoor sickpersons,whether inhabitants of the province or strangers.Hewas zealous andactive inendeavouring toprocuresubscriptionsfor it,but theproposalbeinganovelty in America, and at first not well understood, he met but with smallsuccess.

Atlengthhecametomewiththecomplimentthathefoundtherewasnosuchthingascarryingapublic-spiritedprojectthroughwithoutmybeingconcern'dinit. "For," says he, "I am often ask'd by those towhom I propose subscribing,HaveyouconsultedFranklinuponthisbusiness?Andwhatdoeshethinkofit?AndwhenItellthemthatIhavenot(supposingitratheroutofyourline),theydonotsubscribe,butsaytheywillconsiderofit."Ienquiredintothenatureandprobable utility of his scheme, and receiving from him a very satisfactoryexplanation,Inotonlysubscrib'dtoitmyself,butengag'dheartilyinthedesignofprocuringsubscriptionsfromothers.Previously,however,tothesolicitation,Iendeavouredtopreparethemindsofthepeoplebywritingonthesubjectinthenewspapers, which was my usual custom in such cases, but which he hadomitted.

The subscriptions afterwards were more free and generous; but, beginning toflag, I saw they would be insufficient without some assistance from theAssembly,andthereforepropos'dtopetitionforit,whichwasdone.Thecountrymembers did not at first relish the project; they objected that it could only beserviceabletothecity,andthereforethecitizensaloneshouldbeattheexpenseofit;andtheydoubtedwhetherthecitizensthemselvesgenerallyapprov'dofit.Myallegationonthecontrary, that itmetwithsuchapprobationastoleavenodoubt of our being able to raise two thousandpoundsbyvoluntarydonations,theyconsideredasamostextravagantsupposition,andutterlyimpossible.

OnthisI form'dmyplan;and,askingleavetobringinabill for incorporatingthe contributors according to the prayer of their petition, and granting them ablanksumofmoney,whichleavewasobtainedchieflyontheconsiderationthattheHousecouldthrowthebilloutiftheydidnotlikeit,Idrewitsoastomaketheimportantclauseaconditionalone,viz.,"Andbeitenacted,bytheauthorityaforesaid, that when the said contributors shall have met and chosen theirmanagers and treasurer,and shall have raised by their contributions a capitalstock of——value (the yearly interest of which is to be applied to theaccommodating 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

satisfactionof thespeakerof theAssemblyforthetimebeing,thatthen it shallandmay be lawful for the said speaker, and he is hereby required, to sign anorderontheprovincialtreasurerforthepaymentoftwothousandpounds,intwoyearly payments, to the treasurer of the said hospital, to be applied to thefounding,building,andfinishingofthesame."

This condition carried thebill through; for themembers,whohadoppos'd thegrant,andnowconceiv'dtheymighthavethecreditofbeingcharitablewithoutthe expense, agreed to its passage; and then, in soliciting subscriptions amongthepeople,weurg'dtheconditionalpromiseofthelawasanadditionalmotiveto give, since everyman's donationwould be doubled; thus the clausework'dbothways.Thesubscriptionsaccordinglysoonexceededtherequisitesum,andweclaim'dandreceiv'dthepublicgift,whichenabledustocarrythedesignintoexecution.Aconvenientandhandsomebuildingwassoonerected;theinstitutionhasbyconstantexperiencebeenfounduseful,andflourishes to thisday;andIdonotrememberanyofmypoliticalmanoeuvers,thesuccessofwhichgavemeatthetimemorepleasure,orwherein,afterthinkingofit,Imoreeasilyexcus'dmyselfforhavingmadesomeuseofcunning.

Itwasaboutthistimethatanotherprojector,theRev.GilbertTennent[89],cameto me with a request that I would assist him in procuring a subscription forerectinganewmeeting-house.Itwastobefortheuseofacongregationhehadgathered among the Presbyterians, who were originally disciples of Mr.Whitefield.Unwillingtomakemyselfdisagreeabletomyfellow-citizensbytoofrequently soliciting their contributions, I absolutely refus'd.He then desired IwouldfurnishhimwithalistofthenamesofpersonsIknewbyexperiencetobegenerousandpublic-spirited.Ithoughtitwouldbeunbecominginme,aftertheirkindcompliancewithmysolicitations,tomarkthemouttobeworriedbyotherbeggars,andthereforerefus'dalsotogivesuchalist.Hethendesir'dIwouldatleastgivehimmyadvice."ThatIwillreadilydo,"saidI;"and,inthefirstplace,Iadviseyoutoapplytoallthosewhomyouknowwillgivesomething;next,tothosewhomyouareuncertainwhethertheywillgiveanythingornot,andshowthemthelistofthosewhohavegiven;and,lastly,donotneglectthosewhoyouare sure will give nothing, for in some of them you may be mistaken." Helaugh'd and thank'dme, and said hewould takemy advice.He did so, for heask'dofeverybody, andheobtain'd amuch larger sum thanhe expected,withwhich he erected the capacious and very elegantmeeting-house that stands inArch-street.

Ourcity, tho' laidoutwithabeautifulregularity, thestreets large,straight,and

crossingeachotheratrightangles,hadthedisgraceofsufferingthosestreetstoremainlongunpav'd,andinwetweatherthewheelsofheavycarriagesplough'dthemintoaquagmire,sothatitwasdifficulttocrossthem;andindryweatherthedustwasoffensive. Ihad liv'dnearwhatwascall'd theJerseyMarket,andsawwithpaintheinhabitantswadinginmudwhilepurchasingtheirprovisions.Astripofgrounddownthemiddleofthatmarketwasatlengthpav'dwithbrick,so that, being once in themarket, they had firm footing, butwere often overshoesindirttogetthere.Bytalkingandwritingonthesubject,Iwasatlengthinstrumental in getting the street pav'dwith stone between themarket and thebrick'd foot-pavement, that was on each side next the houses. This, for sometime,gaveaneasyaccesstothemarketdry-shod;but, therestofthestreetnotbeing pav'd,whenever a carriage came out of themud upon this pavement, itshookoffandleftitsdirtuponit,anditwassooncover'dwithmire,whichwasnotremov'd,thecityasyethavingnoscavengers.

After some inquiry, I found a poor, industrious man, who was willing toundertakekeepingthepavementclean,bysweepingittwiceaweek,carryingoffthedirtfrombeforealltheneighbours'doors,forthesumofsixpencepermonth,to be paid by each house. I then wrote and printed a paper setting forth theadvantages to theneighbourhood thatmightbeobtain'dby this smallexpense;thegreatereaseinkeepingourhousesclean,somuchdirtnotbeingbroughtinbypeople's feet; thebenefit to the shopsbymorecustom, etc., etc., asbuyerscouldmore easily get at them; and by not having, inwindyweather, the dustblowninupontheirgoods,etc.,etc.Isentoneofthesepaperstoeachhouse,andin a day or twowent round to seewhowould subscribe an agreement to paythesesixpences;itwasunanimouslysign'd,andforatimewellexecuted.Alltheinhabitantsofthecityweredelightedwiththecleanlinessofthepavementthatsurrounded themarket, it being a convenience to all, and this rais'd a generaldesiretohaveallthestreetspaved,andmadethepeoplemorewillingtosubmittoataxforthatpurpose.

After some time I drew a bill for paving the city, and brought it into theAssembly.ItwasjustbeforeIwenttoEngland,in1757,anddidnotpasstillIwas gone,[90] and thenwith an alteration in themode of assessment, which Ithoughtnotforthebetter,butwithanadditionalprovisionforlightingaswellaspavingthestreets,whichwasagreat improvement.Itwasbyaprivateperson,thelateMr.JohnClifton,hisgivingasampleoftheutilityoflamps,byplacingoneathisdoor,thatthepeoplewerefirstimpress'dwiththeideaofenlightingallthe city.Thehonour of this public benefit has also been ascrib'd tome, but it

belongs truly to that gentleman. I did but follow his example, and have onlysomemerittoclaimrespectingtheformofourlamps,asdifferingfromtheglobelampswewereatfirstsupply'dwithfromLondon.Thosewefoundinconvenientin these respects: they admitted no air below; the smoke, therefore, did notreadilygooutabove,butcirculatedintheglobe, lodg'donits inside,andsoonobstructed the light they were intended to afford; giving, besides, the dailytrouble ofwiping them clean; and an accidental stroke on one of themwoulddemolish it, and render it totally useless. I therefore suggested the composingthem of four flat panes,with a long funnel above to draw up the smoke, andcrevicesadmittingairbelow,tofacilitatetheascentofthesmoke;bythismeanstheywerekeptclean,anddidnotgrowdarkinafewhours,astheLondonlampsdo,but continu'dbright tillmorning, andanaccidental strokewouldgenerallybreakbutasinglepane,easilyrepair'd.

Ihavesometimeswonder'dthattheLondonersdidnot,fromtheeffectholesinthebottomof theglobelampsus'datVauxhall[91]have inkeeping themclean,learn tohavesuchholes in their street lamps.But, theseholesbeingmade foranother purpose, viz., to communicate flamemore suddenly to thewick by alittleflaxhangingdownthro'them,theotheruse,oflettinginair,seemsnottohavebeenthoughtof;andtherefore,after thelampshavebeenlitafewhours,thestreetsofLondonareverypoorlyilluminated.

ThementionoftheseimprovementsputsmeinmindofoneIpropos'd,wheninLondon, toDr. Fothergill,whowas among the bestmen I have known, and agreatpromoterofusefulprojects.Ihadobserv'dthatthestreets,whendry,wereneverswept,andthelightdustcarriedaway;butitwassuffer'dtoaccumulatetillwetweather reduc'd it tomud,and then,after lyingsomedayssodeepon thepavementthattherewasnocrossingbutinpathskeptcleanbypoorpeoplewithbrooms, itwaswith great labour rak'd together and thrownup into carts openabove, the sides of which suffered some of the slush at every jolt on thepavementtoshakeoutandfall,sometimestotheannoyanceoffoot-passengers.Thereasongivenfornotsweepingthedustystreetswasthatthedustwouldflyintothewindowsofshopsandhouses.

apoorwomansweepingmypavementwithabirchbroom

Anaccidentaloccurrencehadinstructedmehowmuchsweepingmightbedonein a little time. I found at my door in Craven-street,[92] one morning, a poorwomansweepingmypavementwithabirchbroom;sheappearedverypaleandfeeble,asjustcomeoutofafitofsickness.Iask'dwhoemploy'dhertosweep

there;shesaid,"Nobody,butIamverypoorandindistress,andIsweepsbeforegentle-folksesdoors,andhopes theywillgivemesomething." Ibidhersweepthewholestreetclean,andIwouldgiveherashilling;thiswasatnineo'clock;at12shecamefortheshilling.FromtheslownessIsawatfirstinherworking,Icould scarce believe that theworkwas done so soon, and sentmy servant toexamineit,whoreportedthatthewholestreetwassweptperfectlyclean,andallthedustplac'dinthegutter,whichwasinthemiddle;andthenextrainwash'ditquiteaway,sothatthepavementandeventhekennelwereperfectlyclean.

Ithenjudg'dthat,ifthatfeeblewomancouldsweepsuchastreetinthreehours,astrong,activemanmighthavedoneitinhalfthetime.Andhereletmeremarktheconvenienceofhavingbutonegutterinsuchanarrowstreet,runningdownitsmiddle,insteadoftwo,oneoneachside,nearthefootway;forwherealltherain thatfallsonastreetrunsfromthesidesandmeets in themiddle, it formsthereacurrentstrongenoughtowashawayallthemuditmeetswith;butwhendividedintotwochannels,itisoftentooweaktocleanseeither,andonlymakesthemud it findsmore fluid, so that thewheels of carriages and feet of horsesthrowanddash itupon the foot-pavement,which is thereby rendered foulandslippery, and sometimes splash it upon those who are walking.My proposal,communicatedtothegooddoctor,wasasfollows:

"For themore effectual cleaning and keeping clean the streets ofLondon andWestminster,itisproposedthattheseveralwatchmenbecontractedwithtohavethedustsweptupindryseasons,andthemudrak'dupatothertimes,eachintheseveral streets and lanes of his round; that they be furnish'dwith brooms andotherproperinstrumentsforthesepurposes,tobekeptattheirrespectivestands,readytofurnishthepoorpeopletheymayemployintheservice.

"That in thedry summermonths thedustbeall sweptup intoheapsatproperdistances,beforetheshopsandwindowsofhousesareusuallyopened,whenthescavengers,withclose-coveredcarts,shallalsocarryitallaway.

"Thatthemud,whenrak'dup,benotleftinheapstobespreadabroadagainbythe wheels of carriages and trampling of horses, but that the scavengers beprovidedwithbodiesofcarts,notplac'dhighuponwheels,butlowuponsliders,withlatticebottoms,which,beingcover'dwithstraw,willretainthemudthrownintothem,andpermitthewatertodrainfromit,wherebyitwillbecomemuchlighter,watermakingthegreatestpartofitsweight; thesebodiesofcartstobeplac'd at convenient distances, and themudbrought to them inwheelbarrows;theyremainingwhereplac'd till themud isdrain'd,and thenhorsesbrought to

drawthemaway."

Ihavesincehaddoubtsofthepracticabilityofthelatterpartofthisproposal,onaccount of the narrowness of some streets, and the difficulty of placing thedraining-sleds so as not to encumber toomuch the passage; but I am still ofopinion that the former, requiring the dust to be swept up and carry'd awaybeforetheshopsareopen,isverypracticableinthesummer,whenthedaysarelong; for, in walking thro' the Strand and Fleet-street one morning at seveno'clock,Iobserv'dtherewasnotoneshopopen,tho'ithadbeendaylightandthesunupabovethreehours;theinhabitantsofLondonchusingvoluntarilytolivemuch by candle-light, and sleep by sunshine, and yet often complain, a littleabsurdly,ofthedutyoncandles,andthehighpriceoftallow.

Somemaythinkthesetriflingmattersnotworthmindingorrelating;butwhenthey consider that tho' dust blown into the eyes of a single person, or into asingleshoponawindyday,isbutofsmallimportance,yetthegreatnumberofthe instances inapopulouscity,and its frequent repetitionsgive itweightandconsequence, perhaps they will not censure very severely those who bestowsome attention to affairs of this seemingly low nature. Human felicity isproducednotsomuchbygreatpiecesofgoodfortunethatseldomhappen,asbylittleadvantages thatoccureveryday.Thus, ifyou teachapooryoungman toshave himself, and keep his razor in order, you may contribute more to thehappinessofhislifethaningivinghimathousandguineas.Themoneymaybesoonspent,theregretonlyremainingofhavingfoolishlyconsumedit;butintheothercase,heescapesthefrequentvexationofwaitingforbarbers,andoftheirsometimesdirtyfingers,offensivebreaths,anddullrazors;heshaveswhenmostconvenient tohim,andenjoysdailythepleasureof itsbeingdonewithagoodinstrument. With these sentiments I have hazarded the few preceding pages,hopingtheymayaffordhintswhichsometimeorothermaybeusefultoacityIlove, having livedmany years in it very happily, and perhaps to some of ourtownsinAmerica.

Havingbeenforsometimeemployedbythepostmaster-generalofAmericaashiscomptrollerinregulatingseveraloffices,andbringingtheofficerstoaccount,Iwas, upon his death in 1753, appointed, jointlywithMr.WilliamHunter, tosucceed him, by a commission from the postmaster-general in England. TheAmericanofficeneverhadhithertopaidanythingtothatofBritain.Weweretohavesixhundredpoundsayearbetweenus, ifwecouldmake thatsumoutoftheprofitsof theoffice.Todothis,avarietyofimprovementswerenecessary;someofthesewereinevitablyatfirstexpensive,sothatinthefirstfouryearsthe

officebecameaboveninehundredpoundsindebttous.Butitsoonafterbeganto repayus; andbefore Iwasdisplac'dbya freakof theministers,ofwhich Ishall speak hereafter, we had brought it to yield three times as much clearrevenue to the crown as the post-office of Ireland. Since that imprudenttransaction,theyhavereceiv'dfromit—notonefarthing!

Thebusinessofthepost-officeoccasion'dmytakingajourneythisyeartoNewEngland,where theCollegeofCambridge, of their ownmotion, presentedmewiththedegreeofMasterofArts.YaleCollege,inConnecticut,hadbeforemademe a similar compliment. Thus, without studying in any college, I came topartake of their honours. They were conferr'd in consideration of myimprovementsanddiscoveriesintheelectricbranchofnaturalphilosophy.

[86]TenchFrancis,uncleofSirPhilipFrancis,emigratedfromEnglandtoMaryland,and became attorney for Lord Baltimore. He removed to Philadelphia and wasattorney-generalofPennsylvaniafrom1741to1755.HediedinPhiladelphiaAugust16,1758.—Smyth.

[87]LatercalledtheUniversityofPennsylvania.

[88]Seethevotestohavethismorecorrectly.—Marg.note.

[89] Gilbert Tennent (1703-1764) came to America with his father, Rev. WilliamTennent,andtaughtforatimeinthe"LogCollege,"fromwhichsprangtheCollegeofNewJersey.—Smyth.

[90]Seevotes.

[91]VauxhallGardens,onceapopularandfashionableLondonresort,situatedontheThamesaboveLambeth.TheGardenswereclosed in1859,but theywillalwaysberemembered because of SirRoger deCoverley's visit to them in theSpectator andfromthedescriptionsinSmollett'sHumphryClinkerandThackeray'sVanityFair.

[92]AshortstreetnearCharingCross,London.

XIV

ALBANYPLANOFUNION

block-IN 1754, war with France being again apprehended, a congress ofcommissioners from the different colonies was, by an order of the Lords ofTrade, to be assembled at Albany, there to confer with the chiefs of the SixNations concerning the means of defending both their country and ours.Governor Hamilton, having receiv'd this order, acquainted the House with it,requestingtheywouldfurnishproperpresentsfortheIndians,tobegivenonthisoccasion;andnaming thespeaker (Mr.Norris)andmyself to joinMr.ThomasPenn andMr. Secretary Peters as commissioners to act for Pennsylvania. TheHouseapprov'dthenomination,andprovidedthegoodsforthepresent,andtho'they did not much like treating out of the provinces; and we met the othercommissionersatAlbanyaboutthemiddleofJune.

Inourwaythither,Iprojectedanddrewaplanfortheunionofallthecoloniesunder one government, so far as might be necessary for defense, and otherimportantgeneralpurposes.Aswepass'dthro'NewYork,Ihadthereshownmyproject to Mr. James Alexander and Mr. Kennedy, two gentlemen of greatknowledgeinpublicaffairs,and,beingfortifiedbytheirapprobation,Iventur'd

tolayitbeforetheCongress.Itthenappearedthatseveralofthecommissionershadform'dplansofthesamekind.Apreviousquestionwasfirsttaken,whetheraunion shouldbe established,whichpass'd in the affirmativeunanimously.Acommitteewas thenappointed,onemember fromeachcolony, toconsider theseveral plans and report. Mine happen'd to be preferr'd, and, with a fewamendments,wasaccordinglyreported.

JOINorDIE.

By this plan the general government was to be administered by a president-general,appointedandsupportedby thecrown,andagrandcouncilwas tobechosenbytherepresentativesofthepeopleoftheseveralcolonies,metintheirrespectiveassemblies.Thedebatesupon it inCongresswentondaily,hand inhandwiththeIndianbusiness.Manyobjectionsanddifficultieswerestarted,butatlengththeywereallovercome,andtheplanwasunanimouslyagreedto,andcopiesorderedtobetransmittedtotheBoardofTradeandtotheassembliesofthe severalprovinces. Its fatewas singular; theassembliesdidnot adopt it, asthey all thought there was toomuch prerogative in it, and in England it wasjudg'dtohavetoomuchofthedemocratic.TheBoardofTradethereforedidnotapproveofit,norrecommenditfortheapprobationofhismajesty;butanotherschemewas form'd, supposed to answer the samepurpose better,whereby thegovernors of the provinces, with some members of their respective councils,weretomeetandordertheraisingoftroops,buildingofforts,etc.,andtodrawon the treasury of Great Britain for the expense, which was afterwards to berefunded by an act of Parliament laying a tax onAmerica.My plan,withmyreasons in support of it, is to be found among my political papers that areprinted.

Being thewinter following inBoston, IhadmuchconversationwithGovernorShirleyuponboththeplans.Partofwhatpassedbetweenusontheoccasionmayalsobeseenamongthosepapers.Thedifferentandcontraryreasonsofdisliketomyplanmakesmesuspectthatitwasreallythetruemedium;andIamstillofopinionitwouldhavebeenhappyforbothsidesthewaterifithadbeenadopted.Thecolonies, sounited,wouldhavebeen sufficiently strong tohavedefendedthemselves; there would then have been no need of troops from England; ofcourse, the subsequent pretence for taxingAmerica, and the bloody contest itoccasioned,wouldhavebeenavoided.Butsuchmistakesarenotnew;historyisfulloftheerrorsofstatesandprinces.

"Lookroundthehabitableworld,howfew

Knowtheirowngood,or,knowingit,pursue!"

Thosewhogovern,havingmuchbusinessontheirhands,donotgenerallyliketotake the trouble of considering and carrying into execution new projects. Thebest publicmeasures are therefore seldomadopted from previouswisdom, butforc'dbytheoccasion.

TheGovernorofPennsylvania, insending itdown to theAssembly,expressedhis approbation of the plan, "as appearing to him to be drawn up with greatclearness and strength of judgment, and therefore recommended it as wellworthyoftheirclosestandmostseriousattention."TheHouse,however,bythemanagementofacertainmember,tookitupwhenIhappen'dtobeabsent,whichIthoughtnotveryfair,andreprobateditwithoutpayinganyattentiontoitatall,tomynosmallmortification.

XV

QUARRELSWITHTHEPROPRIETARYGOVERNORS

block-IN my journey to Boston this year, I met at New York with our newgovernor,Mr.Morris, just arriv'd there fromEngland,withwhom I had beenbefore intimately acquainted. He brought a commission to supersede Mr.Hamilton,who,tir'dwiththedisputeshisproprietaryinstructionssubjectedhimto, had resign'd. Mr. Morris ask'd me if I thought he must expect asuncomfortableanadministration.Isaid,"No;youmay,onthecontrary,haveavery comfortable one, if youwill only take care not to enter into any disputewiththeAssembly.""Mydearfriend,"sayshe,pleasantly,"howcanyouadvisemy avoiding disputes? You know I love disputing; it is one of my greatestpleasures;however,toshowtheregardIhaveforyourcounsel,IpromiseyouIwill, ifpossible,avoidthem."Hehadsomereasonfor lovingtodispute,beingeloquent, an acute sophister, and, therefore, generally successful inargumentativeconversation.Hehadbeenbroughtuptoitfromaboy,hisfather,as I have heard, accustoming his children to disputewith one another for hisdiversion, while sitting at table after dinner; but I think the practice was notwise; for, in the course ofmy observation, these disputing, contradicting, andconfuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory

sometimes,buttheynevergetgoodwill,whichwouldbeofmoreusetothem.Weparted,hegoingtoPhiladelphia,andItoBoston.

In returning, Imet atNewYorkwith the votes of theAssembly, bywhich itappear'dthat,notwithstandinghispromisetome,heandtheHousewerealreadyin high contention; and it was a continual battle between them as long as heretain'd thegovernment. Ihadmyshareof it; for,assoonas Igotback tomyseatintheAssembly,Iwasputoneverycommitteeforansweringhisspeechesandmessages, and by the committees always desired tomake the drafts. Ouranswers, as well as his messages, were often tart, and sometimes indecentlyabusive; and, as he knew Iwrote for theAssembly, onemight have imaginedthat,whenwemet,wecouldhardlyavoidcuttingthroats;buthewassogood-natur'damanthatnopersonaldifferencebetweenhimandmewasoccasion'dbythecontest,andweoftendin'dtogether.

Oneafternoon,intheheightofthispublicquarrel,wemetinthestreet

One afternoon, in the height of this public quarrel, we met in the street."Franklin,"sayshe,"youmustgohomewithmeandspendtheevening;Iamtohavesomecompanythatyouwilllike;"and,takingmebythearm,heledmetohishouse.Ingayconversationoverourwine,aftersupper,hetoldus,jokingly,thathemuchadmir'dtheideaofSanchoPanza,[93]who,whenitwasproposedtogivehimagovernment,requesteditmightbeagovernmentofblacks,asthen,ifhecouldnotagreewithhispeople,hemightsellthem.Oneofhisfriends,whosatnexttome,says,"Franklin,whydoyoucontinuetosidewiththesedamn'dQuakers?Hadnotyoubettersell them?Theproprietorwouldgiveyouagoodprice.""Thegovernor,"saysI,"hasnotyetblacked themenough."He,indeed,had labouredhard toblackentheAssembly inallhismessages,but theywip'doffhiscolouringasfastashelaiditon,andplac'd it, inreturn, thickuponhisownface;so that, findinghewas likely tobenegrofiedhimself,he,aswellasMr.Hamilton,grewtir'dofthecontest,andquittedthegovernment.

These public quarrels[94] were all at bottom owing to the proprietaries, ourhereditarygovernors,who,whenanyexpensewastobeincurredforthedefenseof theirprovince,with incrediblemeanness instructed theirdeputies topassnoactforlevyingthenecessarytaxes,unlesstheirvastestateswereinthesameactexpresslyexcused;andtheyhadeventakenbondsofthesedeputiestoobservesuchinstructions.TheAssembliesforthreeyearsheldoutagainstthisinjustice,tho' constrained to bend at last.At lengthCaptainDenny,whowasGovernorMorris'ssuccessor,venturedtodisobeythoseinstructions;howthatwasbrought

aboutIshallshowhereafter.

ButIamgotforwardtoofastwithmystory:therearestillsometransactionstobemention'dthathappenedduringtheadministrationofGovernorMorris.

War being in a manner commenced with France, the government ofMassachusetts Bay projected an attack upon Crown Point,[95] and sent Mr.QuincytoPennsylvania,andMr.Pownall,afterwardGovernorPownall,toNewYork,tosolicitassistance.AsIwasintheAssembly,knewitstemper,andwasMr.Quincy's countryman, he appli'd tome formy influence and assistance. Idictatedhisaddresstothem,whichwaswellreceived.Theyvotedanaidoftenthousand pounds, to be laid out in provisions. But the governor refusing hisassenttotheirbill(whichincludedthiswithothersumsgrantedfortheuseofthecrown), unless a clause were inserted exempting the proprietary estate frombearing any part of the tax that would be necessary, the Assembly, tho' verydesirousofmakingtheirgranttoNewEnglandeffectual,wereatalosshowtoaccomplish it.Mr.Quincy laboredhardwith thegovernor toobtainhisassent,buthewasobstinate.

Ithensuggestedamethodofdoingthebusinesswithoutthegovernor,byordersonthetrusteesoftheLoanoffice,which,bylaw,theAssemblyhadtherightofdrawing. Therewas, indeed, little or nomoney at that time in the office, andthereforeIpropos'd that theordersshouldbepayable inayear,andtobearaninterestoffivepercent.WiththeseordersIsuppos'dtheprovisionsmighteasilybe purchas'd. The Assembly, with very little hesitation, adopted the proposal.Theorderswereimmediatelyprinted,andIwasoneofthecommitteedirectedtosignanddisposeof them.Thefundforpaying themwas the interestofall thepapercurrencythenextantintheprovinceuponloan,togetherwiththerevenuearising from the excise, which being known to be more than sufficient, theyobtain'dinstantcredit,andwerenotonlyreceiv'dinpaymentfortheprovisions,butmanymoney'dpeople,whohadcashlyingbythem,vesteditinthoseorders,which they found advantageous, as they bore interest while upon hand, andmightonanyoccasionbeusedasmoney;so that theywereeagerlyallboughtup,andinafewweeksnoneofthemweretobeseen.Thusthisimportantaffairwasbymymeanscompleted.Mr.Quincyreturn'dthankstotheAssemblyinahandsomememorial,wenthomehighlypleas'dwiththissuccessofhisembassy,andeverafterboreformethemostcordialandaffectionatefriendship.

[93] The "round, selfish, and self-important" squire of Don Quixote in Cervantes'romanceofthatname.

[94]MyactsinMorris'stime,military,etc.—Marg.note.

[95]OnLakeChamplain,ninetymilesnorthofAlbany.ItwascapturedbytheFrenchin1731,attackedbytheEnglishin1755and1756,andabandonedbytheFrenchin1759.ItwasfinallycapturedfromtheEnglishbytheAmericansin1775.

XVI

BRADDOCK'SEXPEDITION

block-THEBritishgovernment,notchusingtopermittheunionofthecoloniesaspropos'datAlbany,andtotrustthatunionwiththeirdefense,lesttheyshouldtherebygrowtoomilitary,andfeeltheirownstrength,suspicionsandjealousiesat this time being entertain'd of them, sent over General Braddock with tworegimentsofregularEnglishtroopsforthatpurpose.HelandedatAlexandria,inVirginia,andthencemarch'dtoFrederictown,inMaryland,wherehehaltedforcarriages. Our Assembly apprehending, from some information, that he hadconceivedviolentprejudicesagainstthem,asaversetotheservice,wish'dmetowaituponhim,notasfromthem,butaspostmaster-general,undertheguiseofproposing to settle with him the mode of conducting with most celerity andcertaintythedespatchesbetweenhimandthegovernorsoftheseveralprovinces,withwhom hemust necessarily have continual correspondence, and ofwhichtheypropos'dtopaytheexpense.Mysonaccompaniedmeonthisjourney.

WefoundthegeneralatFrederictown,waitingimpatientlyforthereturnofthosehehadsentthro'thebackpartsofMarylandandVirginiatocollectwaggons.Istayedwithhimseveraldays,din'dwithhimdaily,andhadfullopportunityofremovingallhisprejudices,bytheinformationofwhattheAssemblyhadbeforehisarrivalactuallydone,andwerestillwillingtodo,tofacilitatehisoperations.WhenIwasabouttodepart,thereturnsofwaggonstobeobtainedwerebroughtin,bywhich itappear'd that theyamountedonly to twenty-five,andnotallofthose were in serviceable condition. The general and all the officers weresurpris'd, declar'd the expedition was then at an end, being impossible, andexclaim'dagainsttheministersforignorantlylandingtheminacountrydestituteofthemeansofconveyingtheirstores,baggage,etc.,notlessthanonehundredandfiftywaggonsbeingnecessary.

I happen'd to say I thought it was pity they had not been landed rather in

Pennsylvania, as in that country almost every farmer had his waggon. Thegeneraleagerlylaidholdofmywords,andsaid,"Thenyou,sir,whoareamanofinterestthere,canprobablyprocurethemforus;andIbegyouwillundertakeit."Iask'dwhattermsweretobeoffer'dtheownersofthewaggons,andIwasdesir'dtoputonpaperthetermsthatappearedtomenecessary.ThisIdid,andthey were agreed to, and a commission and instructions accordingly prepar'dimmediately.WhatthosetermswerewillappearintheadvertisementIpublish'dassoonasIarriv'datLancaster,whichbeing,fromthegreatandsuddeneffectitproduc'd,apieceofsomecuriosity,Ishallinsertitatlength,asfollows:

"ADVERTISEMENT.

"LANCASTER,April26,1755.

"Whereas,onehundredandfiftywaggons,withfourhorsestoeachwaggon,andfifteenhundredsaddleorpackhorses,arewantedfortheserviceofhismajesty'sforces now about to rendezvous at Will's Creek, and his excellency GeneralBraddock having been pleased to empowerme to contract for the hire of thesame,IherebygivenoticethatIshallattendforthatpurposeatLancasterfromthisday tonextWednesdayevening,andatYorkfromnextThursdaymorningtillFridayevening,where I shallbe ready toagree forwaggonsand teams,orsinglehorses,on thefollowing terms,viz.:1.That thereshallbepaidforeachwaggon,withfourgoodhorsesandadriver,fifteenshillingsperdiem;andforeachablehorsewithapack-saddle,orothersaddleandfurniture, twoshillingsperdiem;andforeachablehorsewithoutasaddle,eighteenpenceperdiem.2.ThatthepaycommencefromthetimeoftheirjoiningtheforcesatWill'sCreek,which must be on or before the 20th of May ensuing, and that a reasonableallowancebepaidoverandabovefor the timenecessaryfor their travelling toWill'sCreekandhomeagainaftertheirdischarge.3.Eachwaggonandteam,andevery saddle or pack horse, is to be valued by indifferent persons chosenbetweenmeandtheowner;andincaseofthelossofanywaggon,team,orotherhorseintheservice, thepriceaccordingtosuchvaluationis tobeallowedandpaid.4.Sevendays'payistobeadvancedandpaidinhandbymetotheownerofeachwaggonandteam,orhorse,at the timeofcontracting, if required,andtheremaindertobepaidbyGeneralBraddock,orbythepaymasterofthearmy,atthetimeoftheirdischarge,orfromtimetotime,asitshallbedemanded.5.Nodriversofwaggons, or persons taking careof thehiredhorses, areon anyaccounttobecalledupontodothedutyofsoldiers,orbeotherwiseemployedthaninconductingortakingcareoftheircarriagesorhorses.6.Alloats,Indiancorn, or other forage thatwaggons or horses bring to the camp,more than is

necessaryforthesubsistenceofthehorses,istobetakenfortheuseofthearmy,andareasonablepricepaidforthesame.

"Note.—My son,William Franklin, is empowered to enter into like contractswithanypersoninCumberlandcounty.

"B.FRANKLIN."

"TotheinhabitantsoftheCountiesofLancaster,York,andCumberland.

"FriendsandCountrymen,

"Being occasionally[96] at the camp at Frederic a few days since, I found thegeneral and officers extremely exasperated on account of their not beingsuppliedwithhorsesandcarriages,whichhadbeenexpectedfromthisprovince,asmostabletofurnishthem;but,throughthedissensionsbetweenourgovernorand Assembly, money had not been provided, nor any steps taken for thatpurpose.

"It was proposed to send an armed force immediately into these counties, toseizeasmanyofthebestcarriagesandhorsesasshouldbewanted,andcompelasmanypersonsintotheserviceaswouldbenecessarytodriveandtakecareofthem.

"I apprehended that the progress ofBritish soldiers through these counties onsuch an occasion, especially considering the temper they are in, and theirresentmentagainstus,wouldbeattendedwithmanyandgreatinconveniencestotheinhabitants,andthereforemorewillinglytookthetroubleoftryingfirstwhatmightbedoneby fairandequitablemeans.Thepeopleof thesebackcountieshavelatelycomplainedtotheAssemblythatasufficientcurrencywaswanting;you have an opportunity of receiving and dividing among you a veryconsiderablesum;for, if theserviceof thisexpeditionshouldcontinue,as it ismore thanprobable itwill, foronehundredand twentydays, thehireof thesewaggons and horseswill amount to upward of thirty thousand pounds,whichwillbepaidyouinsilverandgoldoftheking'smoney.

"Theservicewillbelightandeasy,forthearmywillscarcemarchabovetwelvemilesperday,andthewaggonsandbaggage-horses,as theycarrythosethingsthat are absolutely necessary to thewelfare of the army,mustmarchwith thearmy,andnofaster;andare,forthearmy'ssake,alwaysplacedwheretheycanbemostsecure,whetherinamarchorinacamp.

"Ifyouare really,as Ibelieveyouare,goodand loyalsubjects tohismajesty,youmaynowdoamostacceptableservice,andmakeiteasytoyourselves;forthree or four of such as cannot separately spare from the business of theirplantations a waggon and four horses and a driver, may do it together, onefurnishing thewaggon, anotheroneor twohorses, andanother thedriver, anddividethepayproportionatelybetweenyou;butifyoudonotthisservicetoyourking and country voluntarily, when such good pay and reasonable terms areofferedtoyou,yourloyaltywillbestronglysuspected.Theking'sbusinessmustbedone;somanybravetroops,comesofarforyourdefense,mustnotstandidlethroughyourbackwardness todowhatmaybe reasonablyexpected fromyou;waggonsandhorsesmustbehad;violentmeasureswillprobablybeused,andyouwillbelefttoseekforarecompensewhereyoucanfindit,andyourcase,perhaps,belittlepitiedorregarded.

"I have no particular interest in this affair, as, except the satisfaction ofendeavouring to do good, I shall have only my labour for my pains. If thismethod of obtaining the waggons and horses is not likely to succeed, I amobligedtosendwordtothegeneralinfourteendays;andIsupposeSirJohnSt.Clair,thehussar,withabodyofsoldiers,willimmediatelyentertheprovinceforthepurpose,whichIshallbesorrytohear,becauseIamverysincerelyandtrulyyourfriendandwell-wisher,

"B.FRANKLIN."

I received of the general about eight hundred pounds, to be disbursed inadvance-money to thewaggon owners, etc.; but that sum being insufficient, Iadvanc'd upward of two hundred pounds more, and in two weeks the onehundred and fifty waggons, with two hundred and fifty-nine carrying horses,were on their march for the camp. The advertisement promised paymentaccording to the valuation, in case any waggon or horse should be lost. Theowners, however, alleging they did not know General Braddock, or whatdependence might be had on his promise, insisted on my bond for theperformance,whichIaccordinglygavethem.

While I was at the camp, supping one evening with the officers of ColonelDunbar'sregiment,herepresentedtomehisconcernforthesubalterns,who,hesaid,weregenerallynotinaffluence,andcouldillafford,inthisdearcountry,tolayinthestoresthatmightbenecessaryinsolongamarch,thro'awilderness,wherenothingwas tobepurchas'd. Icommiserated theircase,and resolved toendeavour procuring them some relief. I said nothing, however, to himofmy

intention, butwrote the nextmorning to the committee of theAssembly,whohad the disposition of some publicmoney,warmly recommending the case oftheseofficerstotheirconsideration,andproposingthatapresentshouldbesentthemofnecessaries and refreshments.Myson,whohad someexperienceof acamplife,andofitswants,drewupalistforme,whichIenclos'dinmyletter.Thecommitteeapprov'd,andusedsuchdiligencethat,conductedbymyson,thestores arrived at the camp as soon as thewaggons. They consisted of twentyparcels,eachcontaining

6lbs.loafsugar. 1Gloucestercheese.6lbs.goodMuscovadodo. 1keggcontaining20lbs.goodbutter.1lb.goodgreentea. 2doz.oldMadeirawine.1lb.goodboheado. 2gallonsJamaicaspirits.6lbs.goodgroundcoffee. 1bottleflourofmustard.6lbs.chocolate. 2well-cur'dhams.1-2cwt.bestwhitebiscuit. 1-2dozendry'dtongues.1-2lb.pepper. 6lbs.rice.1quartbestwhitewine 6lbs.raisins.1quartbestwhitewinevinegar.

Thesetwentyparcels,wellpack'd,wereplacedonasmanyhorses,eachparcel,with the horse, being intended as a present for one officer. They were verythankfully receiv'd, and the kindness acknowledg'd by letters to me from thecolonels of both regiments, in the most grateful terms. The general, too, washighlysatisfiedwithmyconductinprocuringhimthewaggons,etc.,andreadilypaidmyaccountofdisbursements, thankingme repeatedly,and requestingmyfartherassistanceinsendingprovisionsafterhim.Iundertookthisalso,andwasbusilyemploy'dinittillweheardofhisdefeat,advancingfortheserviceofmyownmoney,upwardsofone thousandpounds sterling,ofwhich I senthimanaccount.Itcametohishands,luckilyforme,afewdaysbeforethebattle,andhereturn'dme immediately an order on the paymaster for the round sum of onethousand pounds, leaving the remainder to the next account. I consider thispaymentasgoodluck,havingneverbeenabletoobtainthatremainder,ofwhichmorehereafter.

Thisgeneralwas,Ithink,abraveman,andmightprobablyhavemadeafigureasagoodofficerinsomeEuropeanwar.Buthehadtoomuchself-confidence,

toohighanopinionofthevalidityofregulartroops,andtoomeanaoneofbothAmericans and Indians.GeorgeCroghan, our Indian interpreter, join'd himonhismarchwithonehundredofthosepeople,whomighthavebeenofgreatusetohisarmyasguides,scouts,etc.,ifhehadtreatedthemkindly;butheslightedandneglectedthem,andtheygraduallylefthim.

In conversation with him one day, he was giving me some account of hisintendedprogress."AftertakingFortDuquesne,"[97]sayshe,"IamtoproceedtoNiagara;and,havingtakenthat, toFrontenac,[98] if theseasonwillallowtime;and I suppose itwill, forDuquesne can hardly detainme above three or fourdays; and then I see nothing that can obstructmymarch toNiagara."Havingbeforerevolv'dinmymindthelonglinehisarmymustmakeintheirmarchbyaverynarrowroad,tobecutforthemthro'thewoodsandbushes,andalsowhatIhadreadofaformerdefeatoffifteenhundredFrench,whoinvadedtheIroquoiscountry, I had conceiv'd some doubts and some fears for the event of thecampaign.ButIventur'donlytosay,"Tobesure,sir, ifyouarrivewellbeforeDuquesne,withthesefinetroops,sowellprovidedwithartillery,thatplacenotyet completely fortified, and as we hear with no very strong garrison, canprobably make but a short resistance. The only danger I apprehend ofobstruction to your march is from ambuscades of Indians, who, by constantpractice,aredexterousinlayingandexecutingthem;andtheslenderline,nearfourmiles long,whichyourarmymustmake,mayexpose it tobeattack'dbysurpriseinitsflanks,andtobecutlikeathreadintoseveralpieces,which,fromtheirdistance,cannotcomeupintimetosupporteachother."

He smil'd at my ignorance, and reply'd, "These savages may, indeed, be aformidableenemytoyourrawAmericanmilitia,butupontheking'sregularanddisciplin'dtroops,sir,itisimpossibletheyshouldmakeanyimpression."Iwasconsciousofan impropriety inmydisputingwithamilitaryman inmattersofhis profession, and said no more. The enemy, however, did not take theadvantageofhisarmywhichIapprehendeditslonglineofmarchexpos'ditto,but let it advancewithout interruption tillwithin ninemiles of the place; andthen,whenmore inabody (for it had justpasseda river,where the fronthadhaltedtillallwerecomeover),andinamoreopenpartofthewoodsthananyithad pass'd, attack'd its advanced guard by heavy fire from behind trees andbushes,whichwasthefirstintelligencethegeneralhadofanenemy'sbeingnearhim. This guard being disordered, the general hurried the troops up to theirassistance, which was done in great confusion, thro' waggons, baggage, andcattle; and presently the fire came upon their flank: the officers, being on

horseback,weremoreeasilydistinguish'd,pick'doutasmarks,andfellveryfast;andthesoldierswerecrowdedtogetherinahuddle,havingorhearingnoorders,and standing to be shot at till two-thirds of themwere killed; and then, beingseiz'dwithapanick,thewholefledwithprecipitation.

TheonlydangerIapprehendofobstructiontoyourmarchisfromambuscadesofIndians

Thewaggonerstookeachahorseoutofhisteamandscamper'd;theirexamplewas immediately followed by others; so that all the waggons, provisions,artillery, and storeswere left to the enemy. The general, beingwounded,wasbroughtoffwithdifficulty;hissecretary,Mr.Shirley,waskilledbyhisside;andoutofeighty-sixofficers,sixty-threewerekilledorwounded,andsevenhundredandfourteenmenkilledoutofelevenhundred.Theseelevenhundredhadbeenpickedmen from thewhole army; the rest had been left behindwithColonelDunbar,whowas to followwith theheavierpartof thestores,provisions,andbaggage.Theflyers,notbeingpursu'd,arriv'datDunbar'scamp,andthepanicktheybroughtwiththeminstantlyseiz'dhimandallhispeople;and,tho'hehadnowaboveonethousandmen,andtheenemywhohadbeatenBraddockdidnotatmostexceedfourhundredIndiansandFrenchtogether,insteadofproceeding,andendeavouringtorecoversomeofthelosthonour,heorderedall thestores,ammunition, etc., tobedestroy'd, thathemighthavemorehorses to assisthisflighttowardsthesettlements,andlesslumbertoremove.Hewastheremetwithrequests from the governors of Virginia,Maryland, and Pennsylvania, that hewould post his troops on the frontier, so as to afford some protection to theinhabitants;buthecontinuedhishastymarchthro'allthecountry,notthinkinghimself safe tillhearrivedatPhiladelphia,where the inhabitantscouldprotecthim. This whole transaction gave us Americans the first suspicion that ourexaltedideasoftheprowessofBritishregularshadnotbeenwellfounded.[99]

Intheirfirstmarch,too,fromtheirlandingtilltheygotbeyondthesettlements,they had plundered and stripped the inhabitants, totally ruining some poorfamilies, besides insulting, abusing, and confining the people if theyremonstrated.Thiswasenoughtoputusoutofconceitofsuchdefenders,ifwehadreallywantedany.HowdifferentwastheconductofourFrenchfriends in1781, who, during amarch thro' themost inhabited part of our country fromRhodeIslandtoVirginia,nearsevenhundredmiles,occasionednotthesmallestcomplaintforthelossofapig,achicken,orevenanapple.

CaptainOrme,whowasoneofthegeneral'saids-de-camp,and,beinggrievously

wounded,wasbroughtoffwithhim,andcontinu'dwithhimtohisdeath,whichhappen'dinafewdays,toldmethathewastotallysilentallthefirstday,andatnight only said, "Who would have thought it?" That he was silent again thefollowingday,sayingonlyatlast,"Weshallbetterknowhowtodealwiththemanothertime";anddy'dinafewminutesafter.

The secretary's papers, with all the general's orders, instructions, andcorrespondence,fallingintotheenemy'shands,theyselectedandtranslatedintoFrench a number of the articles, which they printed, to prove the hostileintentionsoftheBritishcourtbeforethedeclarationofwar.AmongtheseIsawsomelettersofthegeneraltotheministry,speakinghighlyofthegreatserviceIhadrenderedthearmy,andrecommendingmetotheirnotice.DavidHume,[100]too, who was some years after secretary to Lord Hertford, when minister inFrance, andafterward toGeneralConway,whensecretaryof state, toldmehehad seen among the papers in that office, letters from Braddock highlyrecommendingme.But, theexpeditionhavingbeenunfortunate,myservice, itseems,wasnotthoughtofmuchvalue,forthoserecommendationswereneverofanyusetome.

As to rewards from himself, I ask'd only one,whichwas, that hewould giveorderstohisofficersnottoenlistanymoreofourboughtservants,andthathewoulddischargesuchashadbeenalreadyenlisted.Thishereadilygranted,andseveralwere accordingly return'd to theirmasters, onmy application.Dunbar,when the command devolv'd on him, was not so generous. He being atPhiladelphia,onhisretreat,orratherflight,Iapply'dtohimforthedischargeofthe servants of three poor farmers of Lancaster county that he had enlisted,remindinghimofthelategeneral'sordersonthathead.Hepromisedmethat,ifthemasterswouldcometohimatTrenton,whereheshouldbeinafewdaysonhis march to New York, he would there deliver their men to them. Theyaccordinglywereat theexpenseand troubleofgoing toTrenton, and thereherefus'dtoperformhispromise,totheirgreatlossanddisappointment.

As soon as the loss of the waggons and horses was generally known, all theowners cameuponme for thevaluationwhich Ihadgivenbond topay.Theirdemandsgavemeagreatdealof trouble,myacquaintingthemthat themoneywas ready in thepaymaster's hands, but that orders for paying itmust first beobtainedfromGeneralShirley,[101] andmyassuring themthat Ihadapply'd tothatgeneralby letter;but,hebeingatadistance,ananswercouldnotsoonbereceiv'd,and theymusthavepatience,all thiswasnotsufficient tosatisfy,andsomebegantosueme.GeneralShirleyat lengthrelievedmefromthis terrible

situation by appointing commissioners to examine the claims, and orderingpayment.Theyamounted tonear twenty thousandpound,which topaywouldhaveruinedme.

Beforewehadthenewsofthisdefeat,thetwoDoctorsBondcametomewithasubscriptionpaperforraisingmoneytodefraytheexpenseofagrandfirework,which it was intended to exhibit at a rejoicing on receipt of the news of ourtaking Fort Duquesne. I looked grave, and said it would, I thought, be timeenoughtopreparefortherejoicingwhenweknewweshouldhaveoccasiontorejoice. They seem'd surpris'd that I did not immediately comply with theirproposal. "Why thed——l!" saysoneof them, "you surelydon't suppose thatthefortwillnotbetaken?""Idon'tknowthatitwillnotbetaken,butIknowthattheeventsofwararesubjecttogreatuncertainty."Igavethemthereasonsofmydoubting; the subscription was dropt, and the projectors thereby missed themortificationtheywouldhaveundergoneifthefireworkhadbeenprepared.Dr.Bond, on some other occasion afterward, said that he did not like Franklin'sforebodings.

GovernorMorris,whohadcontinuallyworriedtheAssemblywithmessageaftermessagebeforethedefeatofBraddock,tobeatthemintothemakingofactstoraisemoneyfor thedefenseof theprovince,without taxing,amongothers, theproprietary estates, and had rejected all their bills for not having such anexempting clause, now redoubled his attacks with more hope of success, thedanger and necessity being greater. The Assembly, however, continu'd firm,believing they had justice on their side, and that it would be giving up anessentialrightiftheysufferedthegovernortoamendtheirmoney-bills.Inoneofthe last, indeed, which was for granting fifty thousand pounds, his propos'damendmentwasonlyofa singleword.Thebill express'd"thatallestates, realand personal, were to be taxed, those of the proprietaries not excepted." Hisamendment was, for not read only: a small, but very material alteration.However, when the news of this disaster reached England, our friends therewhom we had taken care to furnish with all the Assembly's answers to thegovernor'smessages,rais'daclamoragainsttheproprietariesfortheirmeannessandinjusticeingivingtheirgovernorsuchinstructions;somegoingsofarastosaythat,byobstructingthedefenseoftheirprovince,theyforfeitedtheirrighttoit.Theywereintimidatedbythis,andsentorderstotheirreceiver-generaltoaddfive thousand pounds of theirmoney towhatever summight be given by theAssemblyforsuchpurpose.

This,beingnotifiedtotheHouse,wasacceptedinlieuoftheirshareofageneral

tax, and a new bill was form'd, with an exempting clause, which passedaccordingly.BythisactIwasappointedoneofthecommissionersfordisposingofthemoney,sixtythousandpounds.Ihadbeenactiveinmodellingthebillandprocuring its passage, andhad, at the same time, drawn a bill for establishingand disciplining a voluntary militia, which I carried thro' the House withoutmuchdifficulty,ascarewastakeninit toleavetheQuakersattheirliberty.Topromote the association necessary to form themilitia, I wrote a dialogue,[102]statingandansweringalltheobjectionsIcouldthinkoftosuchamilitia,whichwasprinted,andhad,asIthought,greateffect.

[96]Bychance.

[97]Pittsburg.

[98]Kingston,attheeasternendofLakeOntario.

[99]OtheraccountsofthisexpeditionanddefeatmaybefoundinFiske'sWashingtonandhisCountry,orLodge'sGeorgeWashington,Vol.1.

[100]AfamousScotchphilosopherandhistorian(1711-1776).

[101]GovernorofMassachusettsandcommanderoftheBritishforcesinAmerica.

[102]ThisdialogueandthemilitiaactareintheGentleman'sMagazineforFebruaryandMarch,1756.—Marg.note.

XVII

FRANKLIN'SDEFENSEOFTHEFRONTIER

block-WHILEtheseveralcompaniesinthecityandcountrywereforming,andlearning their exercise, the governor prevail'd with me to take charge of ourNorth-western frontier, whichwas infested by the enemy, and provide for thedefense of the inhabitants by raising troops and building a line of forts. Iundertookthismilitarybusiness,tho'Ididnotconceivemyselfwellqualifiedforit. He gave me a commission with full powers, and a parcel of blankcommissions for officers, to be given to whom I thought fit. I had but littledifficulty in raising men, having soon five hundred and sixty under mycommand.Myson,whohad in theprecedingwarbeenanofficer in thearmyrais'dagainstCanada,wasmyaid-de-camp,andofgreatusetome.TheIndianshadburnedGnadenhut,[103] a village settled by theMoravians, andmassacred

theinhabitants;buttheplacewasthoughtagoodsituationforoneoftheforts.

In order tomarch thither, I assembled the companies at Bethlehem, the chiefestablishmentofthosepeople.Iwassurprisedtofinditinsogoodapostureofdefense; the destruction ofGnadenhut hadmade them apprehend danger. Theprincipalbuildingsweredefendedbyastockade;theyhadpurchasedaquantityofarmsandammunitionfromNewYork,andhadevenplac'dquantitiesofsmallpavingstonesbetweenthewindowsoftheirhighstonehouses,fortheirwomento throwdownupon theheadsofanyIndians thatshouldattempt to force intothem.The armed brethren, too, keptwatch, and reliev'd asmethodically as inany garrison town. In conversationwith the bishop, Spangenberg, Imention'dthismysurprise;for,knowingtheyhadobtainedanactofParliamentexemptingthem from military duties in the colonies, I had suppos'd they wereconscientiouslyscrupulousofbearingarms.Heanswer'dmethatitwasnotoneoftheirestablishedprinciples,butthat,atthetimeoftheirobtainingthatact,itwas 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 theywere either deceiv'd in themselves, or deceiv'd the Parliament; but commonsense, aided by present danger, will sometimes be too strong for whimsicalopinions.

ItwasthebeginningofJanuarywhenwesetoutuponthisbusinessofbuildingforts.IsentonedetachmenttowardtheMinisink,withinstructionstoerectoneforthesecurityofthatupperpartofthecountry,andanothertothelowerpart,withsimilarinstructions;andIconcludedtogomyselfwiththerestofmyforceto Gnadenhut, where a fort was tho't more immediately necessary. TheMoraviansprocur'dmefivewaggonsforourtools,stores,baggage,etc.

JustbeforeweleftBethlehem,elevenfarmers,whohadbeendrivenfromtheirplantationsbytheIndians,cametomerequestingasupplyoffirearms,thattheymightgobackand fetchoff their cattle. I gave themeachagunwith suitableammunition. We had not march'd many miles before it began to rain, and itcontinuedrainingallday;therewerenohabitationsontheroadtoshelterus,tillwearriv'dnearnightatthehouseofaGerman,where,andinhisbarn,wewereall huddled together, aswet aswater couldmakeus. Itwaswellwewere notattack'dinourmarch,forourarmswereofthemostordinarysort,andourmencouldnotkeeptheirgunlocks[104]dry.TheIndiansaredexterousincontrivancesforthatpurpose,whichwehadnot.Theymetthatdaytheelevenpoorfarmersabovementioned,andkilledtenofthem.Theonewhoescap'dinform'dthathisandhiscompanions'gunswouldnotgooff,theprimingbeingwetwiththerain.

Wehadnotmarch'dmanymilesbeforeitbegantorain

The next day being fair, we continu'd ourmarch, and arriv'd at the desolatedGnadenhut.Therewas a saw-mill near, roundwhichwere left several piles ofboards,withwhichwesoonhuttedourselves;anoperationthemorenecessaryatthat inclement season, as we had no tents. Our first work was to bury moreeffectually thedeadwe found there,whohadbeenhalf interr'dby thecountrypeople.

The next morning our fort was plann'd and mark'd out, the circumferencemeasuring four hundred and fifty-five feet, which would require as manypalisades to bemade of trees, onewith another, of a foot diameter each.Ouraxes,ofwhichwehadseventy,wereimmediatelysettoworktocutdowntrees,and, our men being dexterous in the use of them, great despatch was made.Seeing the trees fall so fast, Ihad thecuriosity to lookatmywatchwhen twomenbegan to cut at apine; in sixminutes theyhad it upon theground, and Ifounditoffourteeninchesdiameter.Eachpinemadethreepalisadesofeighteenfeetlong,pointedatoneend.Whilethesewerepreparing,ourothermendugatrenchall round,of three feetdeep, inwhich thepalisadeswere tobeplanted;and, our waggons, the bodys being taken off, and the fore and hind wheelsseparatedbytakingoutthepinwhichunitedthetwopartsoftheperch,[105]wehadtencarriages,withtwohorseseach,tobringthepalisadesfromthewoodstothespot.Whentheyweresetup,ourcarpentersbuiltastageofboardsallroundwithin, about six feet high, for the men to stand on when to fire thro' theloopholes.Wehadoneswivelgun,whichwemountedononeoftheangles,andfir'ditassoonasfix'd,tolettheIndiansknow,ifanywerewithinhearing,thatwehadsuchpieces;andthusourfort,ifsuchamagnificentnamemaybegiventosomiserableastockade,wasfinish'dinaweek,thoughitrain'dsohardeveryotherdaythatthemencouldnotwork.

Ouraxes...wereimmediatelysettoworktocutdowntrees"Ouraxes...wereimmediatelysettoworktocutdowntrees"

Thisgavemeoccasion toobserve, that,whenmenareemploy'd, theyarebestcontent'd;foronthedaystheyworkedtheyweregood-natur'dandcheerful,and,withtheconsciousnessofhavingdoneagoodday'swork,theyspenttheeveningjollily;butonour idledays theyweremutinousandquarrelsome,findingfaultwith their pork, the bread, etc., and in continual ill-humour, which putme inmindofasea-captain,whoseruleitwastokeephismenconstantlyatwork;and,when his mate once told him that they had done everything, and there was

nothing further to employ them about, "Oh," says he, "make them scour theanchor."

Thiskindoffort,howevercontemptible,isasufficientdefenseagainstIndians,whohavenocannon.Findingourselvesnowpostedsecurely,andhavingaplacetoretreattoonoccasion,weventur'doutinpartiestoscourtheadjacentcountry.WemetwithnoIndians,butwefoundtheplacesontheneighbouringhillswheretheyhadlaintowatchourproceedings.Therewasanartintheircontrivanceofthoseplacesthatseemsworthmention.Itbeingwinter,afirewasnecessaryforthem;but acommon fireon the surfaceof thegroundwouldby its lighthavediscover'd their position at a distance. They had therefore dug holes in thegroundaboutthreefeetdiameter,andsomewhatdeeper;wesawwheretheyhadwiththeirhatchetscutoffthecharcoalfromthesidesofburntlogslyinginthewoods.With thesecoals theyhadmadesmall fires in thebottomof theholes,andweobserv'damongtheweedsandgrasstheprintsoftheirbodies,madebytheirlayingallround,withtheirlegshangingdownintheholestokeeptheirfeetwarm, which, with them, is an essential point. This kind of fire, somanag'd,could not discover them, either by its light, flame, sparks, or even smoke: itappear'd that their numberwas not great, and it seems they sawwewere toomanytobeattackedbythemwithprospectofadvantage.

We had for our chaplain a zealous Presbyterian minister, Mr. Beatty, whocomplained to me that the men did not generally attend his prayers andexhortations. When they enlisted, they were promised, besides pay andprovisions,agillofrumaday,whichwaspunctuallyserv'douttothem,halfinthe morning, and the other half in the evening; and I observed they were aspunctual in attending to receive it; upon which I said to Mr. Beatty, "It is,perhaps,belowthedignityofyourprofessiontoactasstewardoftherum,butifyou were to deal it out and only just after prayers, you would have them allaboutyou."Helikedthetho't,undertooktheoffice,and,withthehelpofafewhands to measure out the liquor, executed it to satisfaction, and never wereprayers more generally and more punctually attended; so that I thought thismethod preferable to the punishment inflicted by somemilitary laws for non-attendanceondivineservice.

Ihadhardlyfinish'd thisbusiness,andgotmyfortwellstor'dwithprovisions,whenIreceiv'daletterfromthegovernor,acquaintingmethathehadcall'dtheAssembly, and wished my attendance there, if the posture of affairs on thefrontierswassuchthatmyremainingtherewasnolongernecessary.Myfriends,too, of the Assembly, pressing me by their letters to be, if possible, at the

meeting,andmythreeintendedfortsbeingnowcompleated,andtheinhabitantscontentedtoremainontheirfarmsunderthatprotection,Iresolvedtoreturn;themore willingly, as a New England officer, Colonel Clapham, experienced inIndian war, being on a visit to our establishment, consented to accept thecommand. I gave him a commission, and, parading the garrison, had it readbefore them, and introduc'd him to them as an officer who, from his skill inmilitaryaffairs,wasmuchmorefit tocommandthemthanmyself;and,givingthem a little exhortation, tookmy leave. I was escorted as far as Bethlehem,whereIrestedafewdaystorecoverfromthefatigueIhadundergone.Thefirstnight,beinginagoodbed,Icouldhardlysleep,itwassodifferentfrommyhardlodgingonthefloorofourhutatGnadenwraptonlyinablanketortwo.

WhileatBethlehem,Iinquir'dalittleintothepracticeoftheMoravians:someofthemhadaccompaniedme,andallwereverykindtome.Ifoundtheywork'dforacommonstock,ateatcommontables,andsleptincommondormitories,greatnumbers together. In thedormitories I observed loopholes, at certaindistancesallalongjustundertheceiling,whichIthoughtjudiciouslyplacedforchangeofair. Iwasat theirchurch,whereIwasentertain'dwithgoodmusick, theorganbeingaccompaniedwithviolins,hautboys,flutes,clarinets,etc.Iunderstoodthattheir sermons were not usually preached to mixed congregations of men,women, and children, as is our common practice, but that they assembledsometimesthemarriedmen,atothertimestheirwives,thentheyoungmen,theyoungwomen,andthelittlechildren,eachdivisionbyitself.ThesermonIheardwas to the latter, who came in andwere plac'd in rows on benches; the boysunder the conduct of a young man, their tutor, and the girls conducted by ayoungwoman.Thediscourse seem'dwell adapted to their capacities, andwasdelivered inapleasing, familiarmanner,coaxing them,as itwere, tobegood.They behav'd very orderly, but looked pale and unhealthy, which made mesuspecttheywerekepttoomuchwithindoors,ornotallow'dsufficientexercise.

I inquir'dconcerning theMoravianmarriages,whether the reportwas true thatthey were by lot. I was told that lots were us'd only in particular cases; thatgenerally,whenayoungmanfoundhimselfdispos'd tomarry,he inform'd theelders of his class, who consulted the elder ladies that govern'd the youngwomen. As these elders of the different sexes were well acquainted with thetempersanddispositionsof their respectivepupils, theycouldbest judgewhatmatchesweresuitable,andtheirjudgmentsweregenerallyacquiesc'din;butif,forexample,itshouldhappenthattwoorthreeyoungwomenwerefoundtobeequallyproperfortheyoungman,thelotwasthenrecurredto.Iobjected,ifthe

matches are notmadeby themutual choice of the parties, someof themmaychancetobeveryunhappy."Andsotheymay,"answer'dmyinformer,"ifyouletthepartieschuseforthemselves;"which,indeed,Icouldnotdeny.

BeingreturnedtoPhiladelphia,Ifoundtheassociationwentonswimmingly,theinhabitants thatwerenotQuakershavingprettygenerallycomeinto it, formedthemselves into companies, and chose their captains, lieutenants, and ensigns,accordingtothenewlaw.Dr.B.visitedme,andgavemeanaccountofthepainshehad taken to spreadageneralgood liking to the law,andascribedmuch tothoseendeavours.IhadhadthevanitytoascribealltomyDialogue;however,notknowingbutthathemightbeintheright,Ilethimenjoyhisopinion,whichItaketobegenerallythebestwayinsuchcases.Theofficers,meeting,chosemeto be colonel of the regiment,which I this time accepted. I forget howmanycompanies we had, but we paraded about twelve hundred well-looking men,withacompanyofartillery,whohadbeenfurnishedwithsixbrassfield-pieces,which they had become so expert in the use of as to fire twelve times in aminute. The first time I reviewed my regiment they accompanied me to myhouse, and would salute me with some rounds fired before my door, whichshookdownandbrokeseveralglassesofmyelectricalapparatus.Andmynewhonour proved notmuch less brittle; for all our commissionswere soon afterbrokenbyarepealofthelawinEngland.

Duringthisshorttimeofmycolonelship,beingabouttosetoutonajourneytoVirginia, the officers ofmy regiment took it into their heads that itwould beproperforthemtoescortmeoutoftown,asfarastheLowerFerry.JustasIwasgettingonhorsebacktheycametomydoor,betweenthirtyandforty,mounted,andallintheiruniforms.Ihadnotbeenpreviouslyacquaintedwiththeproject,orIshouldhavepreventedit,beingnaturallyaversetotheassumingofstateonanyoccasion;andIwasagooddealchagrin'dattheirappearance,asIcouldnotavoid their accompanying me.What made it worse was, that, as soon as webegan tomove, theydrew their swordsand rodewith themnakedall theway.Somebody wrote an account of this to the proprietor, and it gave him greatoffense.Nosuchhonourhadbeenpaidhimwhenintheprovince,nortoanyofhisgovernors;andhesaiditwasonlypropertoprincesofthebloodroyal,whichmaybetrueforaughtIknow,whowas,andstillam,ignorantoftheetiquetteinsuchcases.

Thissillyaffair,however,greatly increasedhis rancouragainstme,whichwasbefore not a little, on account of my conduct in the Assembly respecting theexemptionofhisestatefromtaxation,whichIhadalwaysoppos'dverywarmly,

andnotwithoutseverereflectionsonhismeannessandinjusticeofcontendingfor it.Heaccusedme to theministryasbeing thegreatobstacle to theKing'sservice,preventing,bymyinfluence in theHouse, theproperformof thebillsforraisingmoney,andheinstancedthisparadewithmyofficersasaproofofmyhavinganintentiontotakethegovernmentoftheprovinceoutofhishandsbyforce. He also applied to Sir Everard Fawkener, the postmaster-general, todeprive me of my office; but it had no other effect than to procure from SirEverardagentleadmonition.

NotwithstandingthecontinualwranglebetweenthegovernorandtheHouse,inwhichI,asamember,hadsolargeashare,therestillsubsistedacivilintercoursebetweenthatgentlemanandmyself,andweneverhadanypersonaldifference.Ihavesometimessincethoughtthathislittleornoresentmentagainstme,fortheanswers it was known I drew up to his messages, might be the effect ofprofessionalhabit,and that,beingbreda lawyer,hemightconsiderusbothasmerelyadvocatesforcontendingclients inasuit,hefor theproprietariesandIfor the Assembly. He would, therefore, sometimes call in a friendly way toadvise with me on difficult points, and sometimes, tho' not often, take myadvice.

Weactedinconcert tosupplyBraddock'sarmywithprovisions;and,whentheshockingnewsarrivedofhisdefeat,thegovernorsentinhasteforme,toconsultwithhimonmeasuresforpreventingthedesertionofthebackcounties.IforgetnowtheadviceIgave;butIthinkitwas,thatDunbarshouldbewrittento,andprevail'dwith,ifpossible,toposthistroopsonthefrontiersfortheirprotection,till, by reinforcements from the colonies, hemight be able to proceed on theexpedition. And, after my return from the frontier, he would have had meundertake the conduct of such an expedition with provincial troops, for thereductionofFortDuquesne,Dunbarandhismenbeingotherwiseemployed;andheproposedtocommissionmeasgeneral.Ihadnotsogoodanopinionofmymilitaryabilitiesasheprofess'dtohave,andIbelievehisprofessionsmusthaveexceeded his real sentiments; but probably hemight think thatmy popularitywouldfacilitatetheraisingofthemen,andmyinfluenceinAssembly,thegrantofmoneytopay them,and that,perhaps,without taxing theproprietaryestate.Findingmenotsoforwardtoengageasheexpected,theprojectwasdropt,andhesoonafterleftthegovernment,beingsupersededbyCaptainDenny.

[103]PronouncedGna´-den-hoot.

[104]Flint-lockguns,dischargedbymeansofasparkstruckfromflintandsteelintopowder(priming)inanopenpan.

[105]Herethepoleconnectingthefrontandrearwheelsofawagon.

XVIII

SCIENTIFICEXPERIMENTS

block-bEFORE I proceed in relating thepart I had inpublic affairs under thisnewgovernor'sadministration,itmaynotbeamissheretogivesomeaccountoftheriseandprogressofmyphilosophicalreputation.

In1746,beingatBoston,ImettherewithaDr.Spence,whowaslatelyarrivedfromScotland,andshow'dmesomeelectricexperiments.Theywereimperfectlyperform'd,ashewasnotveryexpert;but,beingonasubjectquitenewtome,theyequallysurpris'dandpleasedme.SoonaftermyreturntoPhiladelphia,ourlibrarycompanyreceiv'dfromMr.P.Collinson,FellowoftheRoyalSociety[106]of London, a present of a glass tube, with some account of the use of it inmaking suchexperiments. I eagerly seized theopportunityof repeatingwhat Ihad seen at Boston; and, by much practice, acquired great readiness inperforming those, also, which we had an account of from England, adding anumberofnewones.Isaymuchpractice,formyhousewascontinuallyfull,forsometime,withpeoplewhocametoseethesenewwonders.

To divide a little this incumbrance among my friends, I caused a number ofsimilar tubes to be blown at our glass-house, with which they furnish'dthemselves, so that we had at length several performers. Among these, theprincipal was Mr. Kinnersley, an ingenious neighbour, who, being out ofbusiness, I encouraged to undertake showing the experiments for money, anddrew up for him two lectures, in which the experiments were rang'd in suchorder, and accompanied with such explanations in such method, as that theforegoingshouldassistincomprehendingthefollowing.Heprocur'danelegantapparatus for the purpose, in which all the little machines that I had roughlymade for myself were nicely form'd by instrument-makers. His lectures werewellattended,andgavegreatsatisfaction;andaftersometimehewentthro'thecolonies,exhibiting themineverycapital town,andpick'dupsomemoney. IntheWest India islands, indeed, itwaswithdifficulty the experiments couldbemade,fromthegeneralmoistureoftheair.

Oblig'dasweweretoMr.Collinsonforhispresentofthetube,etc.,Ithoughtitright he should be inform'd of our success in using it, andwrote him severalletters containing accountsofour experiments.Hegot them read in theRoyalSociety, where they were not at first thought worth so much notice as to beprinted in theirTransactions.Onepaper,which Iwrote forMr.Kinnersley,onthe sameness of lightning with electricity,[107] I sent to Dr. Mitchel, anacquaintanceofmine,andoneof themembersalsoof that society,whowroteme word that it had been read, but was laughed at by the connoisseurs. Thepapers, however, being shown toDr. Fothergill, he thought themof toomuchvalue to be stifled, and advis'd the printing of them.Mr. Collinson then gavethemtoCaveforpublicationinhisGentleman'sMagazine;buthechosetoprintthem separately in a pamphlet, and Dr. Fothergill wrote the preface. Cave, itseems, judgedrightlyforhisprofit, forby theadditions thatarrivedafterward,they swell'd to a quarto volume, which has had five editions, and cost himnothingforcopy-money.

Itwas, however, some timebefore thosepapersweremuch takennoticeof inEngland. A copy of them happening to fall into the hands of the Count deBuffon,[108]aphilosopherdeservedlyofgreatreputationinFrance,and,indeed,alloverEurope,heprevailedwithM.Dalibard[109]totranslatethemintoFrench,and they were printed at Paris. The publication offended the Abbé Nollet,preceptor inNaturalPhilosophy to the royal family, andanable experimenter,whohadform'dandpublish'datheoryofelectricity,whichthenhadthegeneralvogue.Hecouldnotat firstbelieve thatsuchaworkcamefromAmerica,andsaid itmusthavebeen fabricatedbyhisenemiesatParis, todecryhis system.Afterwards, having been assur'd that there really existed such a person asFranklin at Philadelphia, which he had doubted, he wrote and published avolumeofLetters,chieflyaddress'dtome,defendinghistheory,anddenyingtheverityofmyexperiments,andofthepositionsdeduc'dfromthem.

I once purpos'd answering the abbé, and actually began the answer; but, onconsideration that my writings contained a description of experiments whichanyonemightrepeatandverify,andifnottobeverifi'd,couldnotbedefended;or of observations offer'd as conjectures, and not delivered dogmatically,thereforenotlayingmeunderanyobligationtodefendthem;andreflectingthata dispute between two persons, writing in different languages, might belengthened greatly by mistranslations, and thence misconceptions of oneanother'smeaning,muchofoneoftheabbé'slettersbeingfoundedonanerrorinthe translation, I concluded to letmy papers shift for themselves, believing it

wasbettertospendwhattimeIcouldsparefrompublicbusinessinmakingnewexperiments, than in disputing about those already made. I therefore neveransweredM.Nollet,and theeventgavemenocause to repentmysilence; formyfriendM.leRoy,oftheRoyalAcademyofSciences,tookupmycauseandrefuted him; my book was translated into the Italian, German, and Latinlanguages;and thedoctrine itcontain'dwasbydegreesuniversallyadoptedbythephilosophersofEurope,inpreferencetothatoftheabbé;sothathelivedtoseehimselfthelastofhissect,exceptMonsieurB——,ofParis,hisélèveandimmediatedisciple.

Whatgavemybookthemoresuddenandgeneralcelebrity,wasthesuccessofoneofitsproposedexperiments,madebyMessrs.DalibardandDeLoratMarly,for drawing lightning from the clouds. This engag'd the public attentioneverywhere.M.deLor,whohadanapparatusforexperimentalphilosophy,andlectur'd in that branch of science, undertook to repeat what he called thePhiladelphiaExperiments; and, after theywereperformedbefore theking andcourt,allthecuriousofParisflockedtoseethem.Iwillnotswellthisnarrativewithanaccountofthatcapitalexperiment,noroftheinfinitepleasureIreceiv'dinthesuccessofasimilaroneImadesoonafterwithakiteatPhiladelphia,asbotharetobefoundinthehistoriesofelectricity.

Dr.Wright,anEnglishphysician,whenatParis,wrotetoafriend,whowasoftheRoyalSociety,anaccountofthehighesteemmyexperimentswereinamongthe learned abroad, and of their wonder that my writings had been so littlenoticedinEngland.Thesociety,onthis,resum'dtheconsiderationofthelettersthathadbeenreadtothem;andthecelebratedDr.Watsondrewupasummaryaccount of them, and of all I had afterwards sent to England on the subject,whichheaccompaniedwithsomepraiseof thewriter.Thissummarywas thenprinted in their Transactions; and some members of the society in London,particularly the very ingeniousMr. Canton, having verified the experiment ofprocuringlightningfromthecloudsbyapointedrod,andacquaintingthemwiththesuccess,theysoonmadememorethanamendsfortheslightwithwhichtheyhadbeforetreatedme.Withoutmyhavingmadeanyapplicationforthathonour,they chose me a member, and voted that I should be excus'd the customarypayments,whichwouldhave amounted to twenty-fiveguineas; andever sincehavegivenme theirTransactionsgratis.Theyalsopresentedmewith thegoldmedalofSirGodfreyCopley[110] for theyear1753, thedeliveryofwhichwasaccompanied by a very handsome speech of the president, LordMacclesfield,whereinIwashighlyhonoured.

[106]TheRoyalSocietyofLondonforImprovingNaturalKnowledgewasfoundedin1660andholds the foremost place amongEnglish societies for the advancementofscience.

[107]Seepage327.

[108]AcelebratedFrenchnaturalist(1707-1788).

[109]Dalibard,whohadtranslatedFranklin'sletterstoCollinsonintoFrench,wasthefirsttodemonstrate,inapracticalapplicationofFranklin'sexperiment,thatlightningandelectricityare thesame."ThiswasMay10th,1752,onemonthbeforeFranklinflewhisfamouskiteatPhiladelphiaandprovedthefacthimself."—McMaster.

[110]AnEnglishbaronet(diedin1709),donatorofafundof£100,"intrustfortheRoyalSocietyofLondonforimprovingnaturalknowledge."

thegoldmedalofSirGodfreyCopley

XIX

AGENTOFPENNSYLVANIAINLONDON

block-OUR new governor, Captain Denny, brought over for me the beforementioned medal from the Royal Society, which he presented to me at anentertainment given him by the city. He accompanied it with very politeexpressionsofhisesteemforme,having,ashesaid,beenlongacquaintedwithmycharacter.After dinner,when the company, aswas customary at that time,wereengag'd indrinking,he tookmeaside intoanother room,andacquaintedme thathehadbeenadvis'dbyhis friends inEngland tocultivatea friendshipwith me, as one who was capable of giving him the best advice, and ofcontributing most effectually to the making his administration easy; that hetherefore desired of all things to have a good understandingwithme, and hebeggedme to be assuredof his readiness on all occasions to renderme everyservicethatmightbeinhispower.Hesaidmuchtome,also,oftheproprietor'sgooddispositiontowardstheprovince,andoftheadvantageitmightbetousall,andtomeinparticular, if theoppositionthathadbeensolongcontinu'dtohismeasures was dropt, and harmony restor'd between him and the people; ineffectingwhich, itwas thoughtnoonecouldbemoreserviceable thanmyself;and Imight dependon adequate acknowledgments and recompenses, etc., etc.The drinkers, finding we did not return immediately to the table, sent us adecanterofMadeira,whichthegovernormadeliberaluseof,andinproportion

becamemoreprofuseofhissolicitationsandpromises.

Myanswerswere to thispurpose: thatmycircumstances, thanks toGod,weresuch as to make proprietary favours unnecessary to me; and that, being amemberoftheAssembly,Icouldnotpossiblyacceptofany;that,however,Ihadnopersonalenmitytotheproprietary,andthat,wheneverthepublicmeasureshepropos'dshouldappeartobeforthegoodofthepeople,nooneshouldespouseandforwardthemmorezealouslythanmyself;mypastoppositionhavingbeenfounded on this, that the measures which had been urged were evidentlyintended to serve the proprietary interest, with great prejudice to that of thepeople; that I wasmuch obliged to him (the governor) for his professions ofregard tome, and that hemight rely on everything inmy power tomake hisadministration as easy as possible, hoping at the same time that he had notbrought with him the same unfortunate instruction his predecessor had beenhamperedwith.

On this he did not then explain himself; but when he afterwards came to dobusinesswiththeAssembly,theyappear'dagain,thedisputeswererenewed,andIwasasactiveaseverintheopposition,beingthepenman,first,oftherequesttohaveacommunicationoftheinstructions,andthenoftheremarksuponthem,whichmay be found in the votes of the time, and in theHistorical Review Iafterwardpublish'd.Butbetweenuspersonallynoenmityarose;wewereoftentogether; hewas aman of letters, had seenmuch of theworld, andwas veryentertainingandpleasinginconversation.Hegavemethefirstinformationthatmy old friend Jas.Ralphwas still alive; that hewas esteem'd one of the bestpolitical writers in England; had been employed in the dispute[111] betweenPrinceFredericandtheking,andhadobtain'dapensionofthreehundredayear;thathisreputationwasindeedsmallasapoet,PopehavingdamnedhispoetryintheDunciad,[112]buthisprosewasthoughtasgoodasanyman's.

TheAssemblyfinallyfindingtheproprietaryobstinatelypersistedinmanaclingtheirdeputieswith instructions inconsistentnotonlywith theprivilegesof thepeople, butwith the serviceof the crown, resolv'd topetition theking againstthem,andappointedmetheiragenttogoovertoEngland,topresentandsupportthepetition.TheHousehadsentupabilltothegovernor,grantingasumofsixtythousandpoundsfortheking'suse(tenthousandpoundsofwhichwassubjectedtotheordersofthethengeneral,LordLoudoun),whichthegovernorabsolutelyrefus'dtopass,incompliancewithhisinstructions.

IhadagreedwithCaptainMorris,of thepacketatNewYork, formypassage,

andmystoreswereputonboard,whenLordLoudounarriv'd atPhiladelphia,expressly,ashetoldme,toendeavouranaccommodationbetweenthegovernorand Assembly, that his majesty's service might not be obstructed by theirdissensions.Accordingly,hedesir'd thegovernorandmyself tomeethim, thathe might hear what was to be said on both sides.Wemet and discussed thebusiness.InbehalfoftheAssembly,Iurgedallthevariousargumentsthatmaybe found in thepublicpapersof that time,whichwereofmywriting, andareprinted with the minutes of the Assembly; and the governor pleaded hisinstructions,thebondhehadgiventoobservethem,andhisruinifhedisobey'd,yet seemed not unwilling to hazard himself if LordLoudounwould advise it.This his lordship did not chuse to do, though I once thought I had nearlyprevail'dwithhimtodoit;butfinallyheratherchosetourgethecomplianceofthe Assembly; and he entreatedme to usemy endeavours with them for thatpurpose,declaringthathewouldsparenoneoftheking'stroopsforthedefenseof our frontiers, and that, if we did not continue to provide for that defenseourselves,theymustremainexpos'dtotheenemy.

IacquaintedtheHousewithwhathadpass'd,and,presentingthemwithasetofresolutionsIhaddrawnup,declaringourrights,andthatwedidnotrelinquishour claim to those rights, but only suspended the exercise of them on thisoccasion thro' force, againstwhichweprotested, theyat lengthagreed todropthatbill,andframeanotherconformabletotheproprietaryinstructions.Thisofcoursethegovernorpass'd,andIwasthenatlibertytoproceedonmyvoyage.But,inthemeantime,thepackethadsailedwithmysea-stores,whichwassomelosstome,andmyonlyrecompensewashislordship'sthanksformyservice,allthecreditofobtainingtheaccommodationfallingtohisshare.

HesetoutforNewYorkbeforeme;and,asthetimefordispatchingthepacket-boatswas at his disposition, and therewere two then remaining there, one ofwhich,hesaid,wastosailverysoon,Irequestedtoknowtheprecisetime,thatImightnotmissherbyanydelayofmine.Hisanswerwas,"IhavegivenoutthatsheistosailonSaturdaynext;butImayletyouknow,entrenous,thatifyouarethere byMondaymorning, youwill be in time, but do not delay longer." Bysomeaccidentalhindranceataferry,itwasMondaynoonbeforeIarrived,andIwasmuch afraid shemight have sailed, as thewindwas fair; but Iwas soonmade easy by the information that shewas still in the harbor, andwould notmovetillthenextday.OnewouldimaginethatIwasnowontheverypointofdepartingforEurope.Ithoughtso;butIwasnotthensowellacquaintedwithhislordship'scharacter,ofwhichindecisionwasoneofthestrongestfeatures.Ishall

give some instances. It was about the beginning ofApril that I came toNewYork,andIthinkitwasneartheendofJunebeforewesail'd.Therewerethentwoofthepacket-boats,whichhadbeenlonginport,butweredetainedforthegeneral's letters, which were always to be ready to-morrow. Another packetarriv'd;shetoowasdetain'd;and,beforewesail'd,afourthwasexpected.Ourswas the first to be dispatch'd, as having been there longest. Passengers wereengaged in all, and some extremely impatient to be gone, and the merchantsuneasyabouttheirletters,andtheorderstheyhadgivenforinsurance(itbeingwar time) for fallgoods;but theiranxietyavail'dnothing;his lordship's letterswerenotready;andyetwhoeverwaitedonhimfoundhimalwaysathisdesk,peninhand,andconcludedhemustneedswriteabundantly.

Goingmyselfonemorningtopaymyrespects,IfoundinhisantechamberoneInnis, amessengerofPhiladelphia,whohadcome from thenceexpresswithapacket fromGovernorDenny for thegeneral.Hedelivered tome some lettersfrommy friends there,which occasion'dmy inquiringwhen hewas to return,andwherehelodg'd,thatImightsendsomelettersbyhim.Hetoldmehewasorder'd to call to-morrowatnine for thegeneral's answer to thegovernor, andshould set off immediately. I put my letters into his hands the same day. Afortnight after Imet him again in the same place. "So, you are soon return'd,Innis?" "Return'd! no, I am not gone yet." "How so?" "I have called here byordereverymorningthesetwoweekspastforhislordship'sletter,andit isnotyetready.""Isitpossible,whenheissogreatawriter?forIseehimconstantlyat his escritoire." "Yes," says Innis, "but he is like St. George on the signs,always on horseback, and never rides on." This observation of themessengerwas,itseems,wellfounded;for,wheninEngland,IunderstoodthatMr.Pitt[113]gaveitasonereasonforremovingthisgeneral,andsendingGeneralsAmherstandWolfe,thattheministerneverheardfromhim,andcouldnotknowwhathewasdoing.

Thisdailyexpectationofsailing,andallthethreepacketsgoingdowntoSandyHook,tojointhefleetthere,thepassengersthoughtitbesttobeonboard,lestbya sudden order the ships should sail, and they be left behind. There, if Irememberright,wewereaboutsixweeks,consumingoursea-stores,andoblig'dtoprocuremore.Atlengththefleetsail'd,thegeneralandallhisarmyonboard,bound to Louisburg, with the intent to besiege and take that fortress; all thepacket-boatsincompanyorderedtoattendthegeneral'sship,readytoreceivehisdispatcheswhen theyshouldbe ready.Wewereout fivedaysbeforewegotaletter with leave to part, and then our ship quitted the fleet and steered for

England. The other two packets he still detained, carried them with him toHalifax,wherehe stayed some time toexercise themen in shamattacksuponshamforts,thenalteredhismindastobesiegingLouisburg,andreturnedtoNewYork,withallhistroops,togetherwiththetwopacketsabovementioned,andalltheir passengers! During his absence the French and savages had taken FortGeorge,onthefrontierofthatprovince,andthesavageshadmassacredmanyofthegarrisonaftercapitulation.

I saw afterwards in London Captain Bonnell, who commanded one of thosepackets.Hetoldmethat,whenhehadbeendetain'damonth,heacquaintedhislordship thathisshipwasgrownfoul, toadegree thatmustnecessarilyhinderher fast sailing, a point of consequence for a packet-boat, and requested anallowanceoftimetoheaveherdownandcleanherbottom.Hewasaskedhowlongtimethatwouldrequire.Heanswered,threedays.Thegeneralreplied,"Ifyoucandoitinoneday,Igiveleave;otherwisenot;foryoumustcertainlysailthedayafterto-morrow."Soheneverobtain'dleave,thoughdetainedafterwardsfromdaytodayduringfullthreemonths.

I sawalso inLondononeofBonnell'spassengers,whowassoenrag'dagainsthis lordship for deceiving and detaining him so long at New York, and thencarrying him to Halifax and back again, that he swore he would sue him fordamages.Whetherhedidornot,Ineverheard;but,asherepresentedtheinjurytohisaffairs,itwasveryconsiderable.

Onthewhole,Iwonder'dmuchhowsuchamancametobeintrusted[114]withsoimportantabusinessastheconductofagreatarmy;but,havingsinceseenmoreof thegreatworld, and themeansofobtaining,andmotives forgivingplaces,mywonderisdiminished.GeneralShirley,onwhomthecommandofthearmydevolved upon the death of Braddock, would, in my opinion, if continued inplace,havemadeamuchbettercampaignthanthatofLoudounin1757,whichwasfrivolous,expensive,anddisgracefultoournationbeyondconception;for,tho'Shirleywasnotabredsoldier,hewassensibleandsagaciousinhimself,andattentive to good advice from others, capable of forming judicious plans, andquickandactiveincarryingthemintoexecution.Loudoun,insteadofdefendingthecolonieswithhisgreatarmy,leftthemtotallyexpos'dwhileheparadedidlyatHalifax,bywhichmeansFortGeorgewas lost, besides, hederang'd all ourmercantile operations, and distress'd our trade, by a long embargo on theexportationofprovisions,onpretenceofkeeping supplies frombeingobtain'dby the enemy, but in reality for beating down their price in favour of thecontractors,inwhoseprofits,itwassaid,perhapsfromsuspiciononly,hehada

share.And,when at length the embargowas taken off, by neglecting to sendnotice of it to Charlestown, theCarolina fleetwas detain'd near threemonthslonger,wherebytheirbottomsweresomuchdamagedbythewormthatagreatpartofthemfounderedintheirpassagehome.

Shirleywas, I believe, sincerely glad of being relieved from so burdensome achargeastheconductofanarmymustbetoamanunacquaintedwithmilitarybusiness. I was at the entertainment given by the city of New York to LordLoudoun,onhistakinguponhimthecommand.Shirley,tho'therebysuperseded,waspresentalso.Therewasagreatcompanyofofficers,citizens,andstrangers,and, some chairs having been borrowed in the neighborhood, there was oneamongthemverylow,whichfelltothelotofMr.Shirley.PerceivingitasIsatbyhim,Isaid,"Theyhavegivenyou,sir,toolowaseat.""Nomatter,"sayshe,"Mr.Franklin,Ifindalowseattheeasiest."

WhileIwas,asaforemention'd,detain'datNewYork,Ireceiv'dalltheaccountsoftheprovisions,etc.,thatIhadfurnish'dtoBraddock,someofwhichaccountscouldnotsoonerbeobtain'dfromthedifferentpersonsIhademploy'dtoassistin the business. I presented them to Lord Loudoun, desiring to be paid thebalance.He caus'd them to be regularly examined by the proper officer,who,aftercomparingeveryarticlewithitsvoucher,certifiedthemtoberight;andthebalance due for which his lordship promis'd to give me an order on thepaymaster.Thiswas,however,putofffromtimetotime;andtho'Icall'doftenforitbyappointment,Ididnotgetit.Atlength,justbeforemydeparture,hetoldmehehad,onbetterconsideration,concludednottomixhisaccountswiththoseofhispredecessors."Andyou,"sayshe,"wheninEngland,haveonlytoexhibityouraccountsatthetreasury,andyouwillbepaidimmediately."

Imention'd,butwithouteffect,thegreatandunexpectedexpenseIhadbeenputto by being detain'd so long at NewYork, as a reason formy desiring to bepresentlypaid;andonmyobservingthatitwasnotrightIshouldbeputtoanyfurthertroubleordelayinobtainingthemoneyIhadadvanc'd,asIchargednocommissionformyservice,"O,Sir,"sayshe,"youmustnotthinkofpersuadingusthatyouarenogainer;weunderstandbetterthoseaffairs,andknowthateveryoneconcernedinsupplyingthearmyfindsmeans,inthedoingit,tofillhisownpockets." I assur'd him that was not my case, and that I had not pocketed afarthing; but he appear'd clearly not to believe me; and, indeed, I have sincelearnt that immense fortunes are oftenmade in such employments. As tomybalance,Iamnotpaidittothisday,ofwhichmorehereafter.

Ourcaptainofthepackethadboastedmuch,beforewesailed,oftheswiftnessofhisship;unfortunately,whenwecametosea,sheprovedthedullestofninety-sixsail,tohisnosmallmortification.Aftermanyconjecturesrespectingthecause,whenwewerenearanothershipalmostasdullasours,which,however,gain'duponus,thecaptainorderedallhandstocomeaft,andstandasneartheensignstaffaspossible.Wewere,passengers included,aboutfortypersons.Whilewestood there, theshipmendedherpace,andsoon leftherneighbour farbehind,whichprov'dclearlywhatourcaptainsuspected,thatshewasloadedtoomuchbythehead.Thecasksofwater,itseems,hadbeenallplac'dforward;thesehetherefore order'd to be mov'd further aft, on which the ship recover'd hercharacter,andprovedthebestsailerinthefleet.

The captain said she had once gone at the rate of thirteen knots, which isaccounted thirteen miles per hour.We had on board, as a passenger, CaptainKennedy,of theNavy,whocontended that itwas impossible,and thatnoshipeversailedsofast,andthat theremusthavebeensomeerror inthedivisionofthelog-line,orsomemistakeinheavingthelog.[115]Awagerensu'dbetweenthetwo captains, to be decided when there should be sufficient wind. Kennedythereupon examin'd rigorously the log-line, and, being satisfi'd with that, hedetermin'dtothrowtheloghimself.Accordinglysomedaysafter,whenthewindblew very fair and fresh, and the captain of the packet, Lutwidge, said hebeliev'd she then went at the rate of thirteen knots, Kennedy made theexperiment,andown'dhiswagerlost.

The above fact I give for the sake of the following observation. It has beenremark'd, as an imperfection in the art of ship-building, that it can never beknown,tillsheistried,whetheranewshipwillorwillnotbeagoodsailer;forthat themodel of a good-sailing ship has been exactly follow'd in a newone,which has prov'd, on the contrary, remarkably dull. I apprehend that thismaypartlybeoccasion'dbythedifferentopinionsofseamenrespectingthemodesoflading,rigging,andsailingofaship;eachhashissystem;andthesamevessel,ladenbythejudgmentandordersofonecaptain,shallsailbetterorworsethanwhen by the orders of another. Besides, it scarce ever happens that a ship isform'd,fittedforthesea,andsail'dbythesameperson.Onemanbuildsthehull,anotherrigsher,athirdladesandsailsher.Nooneofthesehastheadvantageofknowingalltheideasandexperienceoftheothers,and,therefore,cannotdrawjustconclusionsfromacombinationofthewhole.

Even in the simple operation of sailing when at sea, I have often observ'ddifferentjudgmentsintheofficerswhocommandedthesuccessivewatches,the

windbeing the same.Onewouldhave the sails trimm'd sharperor flatter thananother,sothattheyseem'dtohavenocertainruletogovernby.YetIthinkasetofexperimentsmightbe instituted; first, todetermine themostproper formofthehull forswift sailing;next, thebestdimensionsandproperestplace for themasts; then the formandquantityofsails,and theirposition,as thewindmaybe;and,lastly,thedispositionofthelading.Thisisanageofexperiments,andIthinkasetaccuratelymadeandcombin'dwouldbeofgreatuse.Iampersuaded,therefore,thaterelongsomeingeniousphilosopherwillundertakeit,towhomIwishsuccess.

Sailboat

Wewereseveral timeschas'd inourpassage,butout-sail'devery thing,and inthirty days had soundings.Wehad a good observation, and the captain judg'dhimselfsonearourport,Falmouth,that,ifwemadeagoodruninthenight,wemightbeoffthemouthofthatharborinthemorning,andbyrunninginthenightmight escape the notice of the enemy's privateers, who often cruis'd near theentranceofthechannel.Accordingly,allthesailwassetthatwecouldpossiblymake,andthewindbeingveryfreshandfair,wewentrightbeforeit,andmadegreatway.Thecaptain,afterhisobservation,shap'dhiscourse,ashethought,soas to pass wide of the Scilly Isles; but it seems there is sometimes a strongindraught setting upSt.George'sChannel,which deceives seamen and causedthe lossofSirCloudesleyShovel's squadron.This indraughtwasprobably thecauseofwhathappenedtous.

Wehadawatchmanplac'dinthebow,towhomtheyoftencalled,"Lookwelloutbeforethere,"andheasoftenanswered,"Ay,ay";butperhapshadhiseyesshut,and was half asleep at the time, they sometimes answering, as is said,mechanically;forhedidnotseealightjustbeforeus,whichhadbeenhidbythestudding-sailsfromthemanatthehelm,andfromtherestofthewatch,butbyanaccidentalyawof theshipwasdiscover'd,andoccasion'dagreatalarm,webeing very near it, the light appearing to me as big as a cartwheel. It wasmidnight,andourcaptainfastasleep;butCaptainKennedy,jumpingupondeck,and seeing the danger, ordered the ship to wear round, all sails standing; anoperation dangerous to the masts, but it carried us clear, and we escapedshipwreck, forwewere running right upon the rocks onwhich the lighthousewas erected. This deliverance impressed me strongly with the utility oflighthouses, andmademe resolve to encourage the buildingmore of them inAmericaifIshouldlivetoreturnthere.

Inthemorningitwasfoundbythesoundings,etc.,thatwewerenearourport,butathickfoghidthelandfromoursight.Aboutnineo'clockthefogbegantorise,andseem'dtobeliftedupfromthewater likethecurtainataplay-house,discoveringunderneath,thetownofFalmouth,thevesselsinitsharbor,andthefields that surrounded it.Thiswasamostpleasingspectacle to thosewhohadbeen so long without any other prospects than the uniform view of a vacantocean,anditgaveusthemorepleasureaswewerenowfreefromtheanxietieswhichthestateofwaroccasion'd.

Isetoutimmediately,withmyson,forLondon,andweonlystoptalittlebythewaytoviewStonehenge[116]onSalisburyPlain,andLordPembroke'shouseandgardens,withhisverycuriousantiquitiesatWilton.Wearrived inLondon the27thofJuly,1757.[117]

AssoonasIwassettledinalodgingMr.Charleshadprovidedforme,IwenttovisitDr.Fothergill, towhomIwasstrongly recommended,andwhosecounselrespectingmyproceedingsIwasadvis'dtoobtain.Hewasagainstanimmediatecomplainttogovernment,andthoughttheproprietariesshouldfirstbepersonallyappli'dto,whomightpossiblybeinduc'dbytheinterpositionandpersuasionofsomeprivatefriends,toaccommodatemattersamicably.Ithenwaitedonmyoldfriendandcorrespondent,Mr.PeterCollinson,whotoldmethatJohnHanbury,thegreatVirginiamerchant,hadrequestedtobeinformedwhenIshouldarrive,thathemight carryme toLordGranville's,[118]whowas thenPresidentof theCouncilandwishedtoseemeassoonaspossible.Iagreedtogowithhimthenext morning. Accordingly Mr. Hanbury called for me and took me in hiscarriagetothatnobleman's,whoreceiv'dmewithgreatcivility;andaftersomequestions respecting the present state of affairs in America and discoursethereupon, he said tome: "YouAmericans havewrong ideas of the nature ofyour constitution; you contend that theking's instructions tohis governors arenotlaws,andthinkyourselvesatlibertytoregardordisregardthematyourowndiscretion.But thoseinstructionsarenot likethepocket instructionsgiventoaminister going abroad, for regulating his conduct in some trifling point ofceremony.Theyarefirstdrawnupbyjudgeslearnedinthelaws;theyarethenconsidered, debated, and perhaps amended in Council, after which they aresignedby the king.They are then, so far as they relate to you, the lawof theland,forthekingistheLEGISLATOROFTHECOLONIES,"[119]Itoldhislordshipthiswasnewdoctrinetome.IhadalwaysunderstoodfromourchartersthatourlawsweretobemadebyourAssemblies, tobepresentedindeedto thekingforhisroyalassent,but thatbeingoncegiven thekingcouldnotrepealoralter them.

And as theAssemblies could notmakepermanent lawswithout his assent, soneithercouldhemakealawforthemwithouttheirs.Heassur'dmeIwastotallymistaken.Ididnot thinkso,however,andhis lordship'sconversationhavingalittlealarm'dmeastowhatmightbethesentimentsofthecourtconcerningus,Iwrote itdownassoonas I return'd tomy lodgings. I recollected thatabout20years before, a clause in a bill brought into Parliament by the ministry hadpropos'dtomaketheking'sinstructionslawsinthecolonies,buttheclausewasthrown out by the Commons, for which we adored them as our friends andfriendsofliberty,tillbytheirconducttowardsusin1765itseem'dthattheyhadrefus'd thatpointof sovereignty to thekingonly that theymight reserve it forthemselves.

With his keen insight into human nature and his consequent knowledge ofAmericancharacter,he foresaw the inevitable resultof suchanattitudeon thepartofEngland.ThisconversationwithGrenvillemakestheselastpagesoftheAutobiographyoneofitsmostimportantparts.

Aftersomedays,Dr.Fothergillhavingspokentotheproprietaries,theyagreedtoameetingwithmeatMr.T.Penn'shouseinSpringGarden.Theconversationatfirst consisted of mutual declarations of disposition to reasonableaccommodations,butIsupposeeachpartyhaditsownideasofwhatshouldbemeantbyreasonable.We thenwent intoconsiderationofourseveralpointsofcomplaint,whichIenumerated.Theproprietariesjustify'dtheirconductaswellas they could, and I theAssembly's.We now appeared verywide, and so farfrom each other in our opinions as to discourage all hope of agreement.However,itwasconcludedthatIshouldgivethemtheheadsofourcomplaintsinwriting,andtheypromis'dthentoconsiderthem.Ididsosoonafter,buttheyput the paper into the hands of their solicitor, Ferdinand John Paris, whomanagedforthemalltheirlawbusinessintheirgreatsuitwiththeneighbouringproprietary of Maryland, Lord Baltimore, which had subsisted 70 years, andwroteforthemalltheirpapersandmessagesintheirdisputewiththeAssembly.Hewas a proud, angryman, and as I had occasionally in the answers of theAssemblytreatedhispaperswithsomeseverity,theybeingreallyweakinpointofargumentandhaughtyinexpression,hehadconceivedamortalenmitytome,whichdiscovering itselfwheneverwemet, Ideclin'd theproprietary'sproposalthatheandIshoulddiscusstheheadsofcomplaintbetweenourtwoselves,andrefus'dtreatingwithanyonebutthem.Theythenbyhisadviceputthepaperintothe hands of theAttorney and Solicitor-General for their opinion and counseluponit,whereitlayunansweredayearwantingeightdays,duringwhichtimeI

made frequent demands of an answer from the proprietaries, but withoutobtaining any other than that they had not yet received the opinion of theAttorney and Solicitor-General.What it waswhen they did receive it I neverlearnt, for they did not communicate it tome, but sent a longmessage to theAssemblydrawnandsignedbyParis,recitingmypaper,complainingofitswantofformality,asarudenessonmypart,andgivingaflimsyjustificationoftheirconduct, adding that they should be willing to accommodate matters if theAssemblywould sendout some person of candour to treatwith them for thatpurpose,intimatingtherebythatIwasnotsuch.

Wenowappearedverywide,andsofarfromeachotherinouropinionsastodiscourageallhopeofagreement

"Wenowappearedverywide,andsofarfromeachotherinouropinionsastodiscourageallhopeofagreement"

Thewantof formalityor rudenesswas,probably,mynothavingaddress'd thepapertothemwiththeirassum'dtitlesofTrueandAbsoluteProprietariesoftheProvince of Pennsylvania, which I omitted as not thinking it necessary in apaper,theintentionofwhichwasonlytoreducetoacertaintybywriting,whatinconversationIhaddeliveredvivavoce.

Butduringthisdelay,theAssemblyhavingprevailedwithGov'rDennytopassan act taxing the proprietary estate in commonwith the estates of the people,whichwasthegrandpointindispute,theyomittedansweringthemessage.

When this act however came over, the proprietaries, counselled by Paris,determinedtoopposeitsreceivingtheroyalassent.Accordinglytheypetitionedthe king inCouncil, and a hearingwas appointed inwhich two lawyerswereemploy'dbythemagainsttheact,andtwobymeinsupportofit.Theyalledg'dthattheactwasintendedtoloadtheproprietaryestateinordertosparethoseofthepeople,andthatifitweresuffer'dtocontinueinforce,andtheproprietaries,who were in odium with the people, left to their mercy in proportioning thetaxes, they would inevitably be ruined. We reply'd that the act had no suchintention, andwould have no such effect. That the assessorswere honest anddiscreetmenunderanoathtoassessfairlyandequitably,andthatanyadvantageeachof themmightexpect in lesseninghisown taxbyaugmenting thatof theproprietarieswas too trifling to induce them toperjure themselves.This is thepurport of what I remember as urged by both sides, except that we insistedstronglyonthemischievousconsequencesthatmustattendarepeal,forthatthemoney, £100,000, being printed and given to the king's use, expended in hisservice, and now spread among the people, the repealwould strike it dead intheirhands to the ruinofmany, and the total discouragementof futuregrants,and the selfishness of the proprietors in soliciting such a general catastrophe,merelyfromagroundlessfearoftheirestatebeingtaxedtoohighly,wasinsistedoninthestrongestterms.Onthis,LordMansfield,oneofthecounsel,rose,andbeckoning me took me into the clerk's chamber, while the lawyers werepleading,andaskedmeifIwasreallyofopinionthatnoinjurywouldbedonetheproprietaryestateintheexecutionoftheact.Isaidcertainly."Then,"sayshe,"youcanhavelittleobjectiontoenterintoanengagementtoassurethatpoint."Ianswer'd, "None at all."He then call'd in Paris, and after some discourse, his

lordship's propositionwas accepted on both sides; a paper to the purposewasdrawnupbytheClerkoftheCouncil,whichIsign'dwithMr.Charles,whowasalso anAgent of theProvince for their ordinary affairs,whenLordMansfieldreturned to the Council Chamber, where finally the lawwas allowed to pass.Somechangeswerehoweverrecommendedandwealsoengagedtheyshouldbemadebyasubsequentlaw,buttheAssemblydidnotthinkthemnecessary;foroneyear'staxhavingbeenleviedbytheactbeforetheorderofCouncilarrived,theyappointedacommitteetoexaminetheproceedingsoftheassessors,andonthiscommitteetheyputseveralparticularfriendsoftheproprietaries.Afterafullenquiry, they unanimously sign'd a report that they found the tax had beenassess'dwithperfectequity.

TheAssemblylookedintomyenteringintothefirstpartoftheengagement,asan essential service to the Province, since it secured the credit of the papermoneythenspreadoverallthecountry.TheygavemetheirthanksinformwhenI return'd. But the proprietaries were enraged at Governor Denny for havingpass'd the act, and turn'd him out with threats of suing him for breach ofinstructionswhichhehadgivenbondtoobserve.He,however,havingdoneitatthe instance of the General, and for His Majesty's service, and having somepowerful interest at court, despis'd the threats and they were never put inexecution....[unfinished]

[111]QuarrelbetweenGeorge II andhis son,Frederick,PrinceofWales,whodiedbeforehisfather.

[112] A satirical poem by Alexander Pope directed against various contemporarywriters.

[113]WilliamPitt,firstEarlofChatham(1708-1778),agreatEnglishstatesmanandorator.Under his able administration,EnglandwonCanada fromFrance.Hewas afriendofAmericaatthetimeofourRevolution.

[114]This relation illustrates thecorruption thatcharacterizedEnglishpublic life intheeighteenthcentury.(Seepage308).Itwasgraduallyovercomeintheearlypartofthenextcentury.

[115]Apieceofwoodshapedandweightedsoastokeepitstablewheninthewater.Tothisisattachedalineknottedatregulardistances.Bythesedevicesitispossibletotellthespeedofaship.

[116]Acelebratedprehistoric ruin,probablyof a templebuilt by the earlyBritons,near Salisbury, England. It consists of inner and outer circles of enormous stones,someofwhichareconnectedbystoneslabs.

[117]"HereterminatestheAutobiography,aspublishedbyWm.TempleFranklinandhissuccessors.WhatfollowswaswritteninthelastyearofDr.Franklin'slife,andwasneverbeforeprintedinEnglish."—Mr.Bigelow'snoteinhiseditionof1868.

[118]GeorgeGranvilleorGrenville (1712-1770).AsEnglishpremier from1763 to1765,heintroducedthedirecttaxationoftheAmericanColoniesandhassometimesbeencalledtheimmediatecauseoftheRevolution.

[119] This whole passage shows how hopelessly divergent were the English andAmerican views on the relations between the mother country and her colonies.Grenville heremade clear that theAmericanswere to have no voice inmaking oramending their laws.Parliamentand thekingwere tohaveabsolutepowerover thecolonies.NowonderFranklinwasalarmedbythisnewdoctrine.

Medalwithinscription:BENJ.FRANLINNATUSBOSTONXVII,JAN.MDCCVI.

APPENDIX

ELECTRICALKITE

TOPETERCOLLINSON

[Philadelphia],Oct.19,1752.

SIR,

AsfrequentmentionismadeinpublicpapersfromEuropeofthesuccessofthePhiladelphiaexperiment fordrawing theelectric fire fromcloudsbymeansofpointedrodsof ironerectedonhighbuildings,&c., itmaybeagreeable to thecurioustobeinformed,thatthesameexperimenthassucceededinPhiladelphia,thoughmadeinadifferentandmoreeasymanner,whichisasfollows:

Makeasmallcrossoftwolightstripsofcedar,thearmssolongastoreachtothefourcornersofalarge,thinsilkhandkerchiefwhenextended;tiethecornersof the handkerchief to the extremities of the cross, so youhave the bodyof akite;whichbeingproperlyaccommodatedwithatail,loop,andstring,willriseintheair,likethosemadeofpaper;butthisbeingofsilk,isfittertobearthewetandwindofathunder-gustwithouttearing.Tothetopoftheuprightstickofthecross is tobe fixedavery sharp-pointedwire, risinga footormoreabove thewood.To the end of the twine, next the hand, is to be tied a silk ribbon, and

where thesilkand twine join,akeymaybe fastened.Thiskite is tobe raisedwhen a thunder-gust appears to be coming on, and the personwho holds thestringmuststandwithinadoororwindow,orundersomecover,sothatthesilkribbonmaynotbewet;andcaremustbetakenthatthetwinedoesnottouchtheframeof thedoororwindow.Assoonasanyof thethundercloudscomeoverthekite,thepointedwirewilldrawtheelectricfirefromthem,andthekite,withall the twinewillbeelectrified,andtheloosefilamentsof the twinewillstandouteverywayandbeattractedbyanapproachingfinger.Andwhentherainhaswetthekiteandtwine,sothatitcanconducttheelectricfirefreely,youwillfinditstreamoutplentifullyfromthekeyontheapproachofyourknuckle.At thiskeythephialmaybecharged;andfromelectricfirethusobtained,spiritsmaybekindled,andall theelectricexperimentsbeperformed,whichareusuallydoneby the help of a rubbed glass globe or tube, and thereby the sameness of theelectricmatterwiththatoflightningcompletelydemonstrated.

B.FRANKLIN.

Youwillfinditstreamoutplentifullyfromthekeyontheapproachofyourknuckle

"Youwillfinditstreamoutplentifullyfromthekeyontheapproachofyourknuckle"

FatherAbrahaminhisStudyFatherAbrahaminhisSTUDY.

From "FatherAbraham's Speech," 1760.Reproduced from a copy at theNewYorkPublicLibrary.

THEWAYTOWEALTH

(From "Father Abraham's Speech," forming the preface to Poor Richard'sAlmanacfor1758.)

ItwouldbethoughtahardGovernmentthatshouldtaxitsPeopleone-tenthPartoftheirTime,tobeemployedinitsService.ButIdlenesstaxesmanyofusmuchmore,ifwereckonallthatisspentinabsoluteSloth,ordoingofnothing,withthatwhichisspentinidleEmploymentsorAmusements,thatamounttonothing.Sloth, by bringing on Diseases, absolutely shortens Life. Sloth, like Rust,

consumesfasterthanLaborwears;whiletheusedkeyisalwaysbright,asPoorRichardsays.ButdostthouloveLife,thendonotsquanderTime,forthat'sthestuffLifeismadeof,asPoorRichardsays.Howmuchmorethanisnecessarydowespendinsleep,forgettingthatThesleepingFoxcatchesnoPoultry,andthatTherewillbesleepingenoughintheGrave,asPoorRichardsays.

If Time be of all Things the most precious, wasting Time must be, as PoorRichardsays,thegreatestProdigality;since,asheelsewheretellsus,LostTimeis never found again; and what we call Time enough, always proves littleenough:Letusthenupandbedoing,anddoingtothePurpose;sobyDiligenceshall we do more with less Perplexity. Sloth makes all Things difficult, butIndustryalleasy,asPoorRichardsays;andHethatrisethlatemusttrotallDay,andshallscarceovertakehisBusinessatNight;whileLazinesstravelssoslowly,thatPovertysoonovertakeshim,aswereadinPoorRichard,whoadds,DrivethyBusiness,letnotthatdrivethee;andEarlytoBed,andearlytorise,makesaManhealthy,wealthy,andwise.

Industryneednotwish,andhethatlivesuponHopewilldiefasting.

TherearenoGainswithoutPains.

HethathathaTradehathanEstate;andhethathathaCalling,hathanOfficeofProfitandHonor;butthentheTrademustbeworkedat,andtheCallingwellfollowed,orneithertheEstatenortheOfficewillenableustopayourTaxes.

What thoughyouhavefoundnoTreasure,norhasanyrichRelationleftyouaLegacy,Diligence is theMotherofGood-luck,asPoorRichard says,andGodgivesallThingstoIndustry.

OneTo-dayisworthtwoTo-morrows,andfarther,HaveyousomewhattodoTo-morrow,doitTo-day.

If youwere a Servant,would you not be ashamed that a goodMaster shouldcatch you idle?Are you then your ownMaster,be ashamed to catch yourselfidle.

Sticktoitsteadily;andyouwillseegreatEffects,forConstantDroppingwearsawayStones,andbyDiligenceandPatiencetheMouseateintwotheCable;andLittleStrokesfellgreatOaks.

MethinksIhearsomeofyousay,MustaManaffordhimselfnoLeisure?Iwilltell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says, Employ thy Time well, if thou

meanest to gain Leisure; and, since thou art not sure of aMinute, throw notaway anHour. Leisure, is Time for doing something useful; this Leisure thediligentManwillobtain,butthelazyMannever;sothat,asPoorRichardsays,ALifeofLeisureandaLifeofLazinessaretwothings.

KeepthyShop,andthyShopwillkeepthee;andagain,Ifyouwouldhaveyourbusinessdone,go;ifnot,send.

IfyouwouldhaveafaithfulServant,andonethatyoulike,serveyourself.

A littleNeglectmaybreedgreatMischief:adding, forwantofaNail theShoewas lost; forwantofaShoe theHorsewas lost;and forwantofaHorse theRiderwaslost,beingovertakenandslainbytheEnemy;allforthewantofCareaboutaHorse-shoeNail.

SomuchforIndustry,myFriends,andAttentiontoone'sownBusiness;buttothesewemustaddFrugality.

WhatmaintainsoneVice,wouldbringuptwoChildren.Youmaythinkperhaps,thatalittleTea,oralittlePunchnowandthen,Dietalittlemorecostly,Clothesalittlefiner,andalittleEntertainmentnowandthen,canbenogreatMatter;butrememberwhatPoorRichardsays,ManyaLittlemakesaMickle.

Bewareof littleexpenses;AsmallLeakwillsinkagreatShip;andagain,WhoDaintieslove,shallBeggarsprove;andmoreover,FoolsmakeFeasts,andwiseMeneatthem.

BuywhatthouhastnoNeedof,anderelongthoushaltsellthyNecessaries.

IfyouwouldknowtheValueofMoney,goandtrytoborrowsome;for,hethatgoesaborrowinggoesasorrowing.

ThesecondViceisLying,thefirstisrunninginDebt.

LyingridesuponDebt'sBack.

PovertyoftendeprivesaManofallSpiritandVirtue:'TishardforanemptyBagtostandupright.

Andnowtoconclude,ExperiencekeepsadearSchool,butFoolswill learninnoother,andscarce in that; for it is true,wemaygiveAdvice, butwe cannotgiveConduct,asPoorRichard says:However, remember this,They thatwon'tbecounseled,can'tbehelped,asPoorRichardsays:andfarther,Thatifyouwill

nothearReason,she'llsurelyrapyourKnuckles.

THEWHISTLE

TOMADAMEBRILLON

PASSY,November10,1779.

I am charmedwith your description of Paradise, andwith your plan of livingthere;andIapprovemuchofyourconclusion,that,inthemeantime,weshoulddraw all the goodwe can from thisworld. Inmy opinion,wemight all drawmoregoodfromitthanwedo,andsufferlessevil,ifwewouldtakecarenottogivetoomuchforwhistles.Fortomeitseems,thatmostoftheunhappypeoplewemeetwith,arebecomesobyneglectofthatcaution.

You ask what I mean? You love stories, and will excuse my telling one ofmyself.

WhenIwasachildofsevenyearold,myfriends,onaholiday,filledmypocketwith coppers. Iwent directly to a shopwhere they sold toys for children; andbeingcharmedwiththesoundofawhistle,thatImetbythewayinthehandsofanotherboy, Ivoluntarilyofferedandgaveallmymoneyforone. I thencamehome,andwentwhistlingalloverthehouse,muchpleasedwithmywhistle,butdisturbing all the family.My brothers, and sisters, and cousins, understandingthebargainIhadmade,toldmeIhadgivenfourtimesasmuchforitasitwasworth;putmeinmindwhatgoodthingsImighthaveboughtwiththerestofthemoney;andlaughedatmesomuchformyfolly,thatIcriedwithvexation;andthereflectiongavememorechagrinthanthewhistlegavemepleasure.

This, however,was afterwardsofuse tome, the impression continuingonmymind;sothatoften,whenIwastemptedtobuysomeunnecessarything,Isaidtomyself,Don'tgivetoomuchforthewhistle;andIsavedmymoney.

AsIgrewup,cameintotheworld,andobservedtheactionsofmen,IthoughtImetwithmany,verymany,whogavetoomuchforthewhistle.

WhenIsawonetooambitiousofcourtfavor,sacrificinghistimeinattendanceonlevees,hisrepose,hisliberty,hisvirtue,andperhapshisfriends,toattainit,I

havesaidtomyself,Thismangivestoomuchforhiswhistle.

WhenIsawanotherfondofpopularity,constantlyemployinghimselfinpoliticalbustles,neglectinghisownaffairs,andruiningthembyneglect,Hepays,indeed,saidI,toomuchforhiswhistle.

IfIknewamiserwhogaveupeverykindofcomfortableliving,allthepleasureof doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow citizens, and the joys ofbenevolent friendship, for the sake of accumulatingwealth,Poorman, said I,youpaytoomuchforyourwhistle.

WhenImetwithamanofpleasure,sacrificingeverylaudableimprovementofthemind,orofhisfortune,tomerecorporealsensations,andruininghishealthin their pursuit, Mistaken man, said I, you are providing pain for yourself,insteadofpleasure;yougivetoomuchforyourwhistle.

IfIseeonefondofappearance,orfineclothes,finehouses,finefurniture,fineequipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends hiscareerinaprison,Alas!sayI,hehaspaiddear,verydear,forhiswhistle.

WhenIseeabeautiful,sweet-temperedgirlmarriedtoanill-naturedbruteofahusband,Whatapity,sayI,thatsheshouldpaysomuchforawhistle!

Inshort,Iconceivethatgreatpartofthemiseriesofmankindarebroughtuponthembythefalseestimatestheyhavemadeofthevalueofthings,andbytheirgivingtoomuchfortheirwhistles.

YetIoughttohavecharityfortheseunhappypeople,whenIconsider,that,withallthiswisdomofwhichIamboasting,therearecertainthingsintheworldsotempting, for example, the apples of King John, which happily are not to bebought;foriftheywereputtosalebyauction,Imightveryeasilybeledtoruinmyself in thepurchase, and find that I hadoncemoregiven toomuch for thewhistle.

Adieu, my dear friend, and believe me ever yours very sincerely and withunalterableaffection,

B.FRANKLIN.

ALETTERTOSAMUELMATHER

PASSY,May12,1784.

REVDSIR,

Itisnowmorethan60yearssinceIleftBoston,butIrememberwellbothyourfatherandgrandfather,havingheard themboth in thepulpit,andseen themintheirhouses.ThelasttimeIsawyourfatherwasinthebeginningof1724,whenIvisitedhimaftermyfirst trip toPennsylvania.Hereceivedme inhis library,and onmy taking leave showedme a shorterway out of the house through anarrowpassage,whichwascrossedbyabeamoverhead.WewerestilltalkingasIwithdrew,heaccompanyingmebehind,andIturningpartlytowardshim,whenhesaidhastily,"Stoop,stoop!" Ididnotunderstandhim, till I feltmyheadhitagainst the beam. He was a man that never missed any occasion of givinginstruction, and upon this he said tome, "You are young, and have theworldbeforeyou;stoopasyougo through it,andyouwillmissmanyhard thumps."This advice, thus beat intomy head, has frequently been of use tome; and Ioften think of it, when I see pride mortified, and misfortunes brought uponpeoplebytheircarryingtheirheadstoohigh.

B.FRANKLIN.

THEEND

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The last and most complete edition of Franklin's works is that by the lateProfessor Albert H. Smyth, published in ten volumes by the MacmillanCompany,NewYork, under the title,TheWritings of BenjaminFranklin.TheotherstandardeditionistheWorksofBenjaminFranklinbyJohnBigelow(NewYork,1887).Mr.Bigelow'sfirsteditionoftheAutobiographyinonevolumewaspublishedbytheJ.B.LippincottCompanyofPhiladelphiain1868.ThelifeofFranklin as a writer is well treated by J. B. McMaster in a volume of TheAmericanMenofLettersSeries; his life as a statesmananddiplomat, by J.T.Morse,American Statesmen Series, one volume; Houghton,Mifflin Companypublishbothbooks.AmoreexhaustiveaccountofthelifeandtimesofFranklin

maybefound inJamesParton'sLifeandTimesofBenjaminFranklin (2 vols.,New York, 1864). Paul Leicester Ford's The Many-Sided Franklin is a mostchatty and readable book, replete with anecdotes and excellently and fullyillustrated.AnexcellentcriticismbyWoodrowWilsonintroducesaneditionofthe Autobiography in The Century Classics (Century Co., New York, 1901).InterestingmagazinearticlesarethoseofE.E.Hale,ChristianExaminer, lxxi,447; W. P. Trent, McClure's Magazine, viii, 273; John Hay, The CenturyMagazine,lxxi,447.

See also the histories ofAmerican literature byC. F.Richardson,MosesCoitTyler, Brander Matthews, John Nichol, and Barrett Wendell, as well as thevarious encyclopedias. An excellent bibliography of Franklin is that of PaulLeicester Ford, entitled A List of Books Written by, or Relating to BenjaminFranklin(NewYork,1889).

ThefollowinglistofFranklin'sworkscontainsthemoreinterestingpublications,togetherwiththedatesoffirstissue.

1722. DogoodPapers.LettersinthestyleofAddison'sSpectator,contributedtoJamesFranklin'snewspaperandsigned"SilenceDogood."

1729. TheBusybody.AseriesofessayspublishedinBradford'sPhiladelphiaWeeklyMercury,sixofwhichonlyareascribedtoFranklin.Theyareessaysonmorality,philosophyandpolitics,similartotheDogoodPapers.

1729. AModestEnquiryintotheNatureandNecessityofaPaperCurrency.1732.to1757.

PrefacestoPoorRichard'sAlmanac.AmongtheseareHintsforthosethatwouldbeRich,1737;andPlanforsavingonehundredthousandpoundstoNewJersey,1756.

1743. A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge Among the BritishPlantationsinAmerica."Thispaperappearstocontainthefirstsuggestion,inanypublicform,foranAmericanPhilosophicalSociety."Sparks.

1744. AnAccountoftheNewInventedPennsylvaniaFire-Places.1749. ProposalsRelatingtotheEducationofYouthinPennsylvania.

ContainstheplanfortheschoolwhichlaterbecametheUniversityofPennsylvania.

1752. ElectricalKite.Adescriptionofthefamouskiteexperiment,firstwritteninalettertoPeterCollinson,datedOct.19,1752,whichwaspublishedlaterinthesameyearinTheGentleman'sMagazine

1754. PlanofUnion.AplanfortheunionofthecoloniespresentedtothecolonialconventionatAlbany.

1755. ADialogueBetweenX,YandZ.AnappealtoenlistintheprovincialarmyforthedefenseofPennsylvania.

1758. FatherAbraham'sSpeech.PublishedasaprefacetoPoorRichard'sAlmanacandgatheringintoonewritingthemaximsofPoorRichard,whichhadalreadyappearedinpreviousnumbersoftheAlmanac.TheSpeechwasafterwardspublishedinpamphletformastheWaytoWealth.

1760. OftheMeansofdisposingtheenemytoPeace.AsatiricalpleaforprocecutionofthewaragainstFrance,

1760. TheInterestofGreatBritainConsidered,withregardtoherColonies,andtheAcquisitionsofCanadaandGuadaloupe.

1764. CoolThoughtsonthePresentSituationofourPublicAffairs.ApamphletfavoringaRoyalGovernmentforPennsylvaniainexchangeforthatoftheProprietors.

1766. The Examination of Doctor Benjamin Franklin, etc., in The BritishHouseofCommons,RelativetoTheRepealofTheAmericanStampAct.

1766. RulesbywhichAGreatEmpireMayBeReducedtoaSmallOne.SometwentysatiricalrulesembodyingthelineofconductEnglandwaspursuingwithAmerica.

1773. AnEdictofTheKingofPrussia.AsatireinwhichtheKingofPrussiawasmadetotreatEnglandasEnglandwastreatingAmericabecauseEnglandwasoriginallysettledbyGermans.

1777. Comparison of Great Britain and theUnited States in Regard to theBasisofCreditinTheTwoCountries.Oneofseveralsimilarpamphletswrittentoeffectloansforthe

Americancause.1782. OntheTheoryoftheEarth.

ThebestofFranklin'spapersongeology.1782. Letter purporting to emanate from a petty German Prince and to be

addressedtohisofficerinCommandinAmerica.1785. OntheCausesandCureofSmokyChimneys.1786. RetortCourteous.

SendingFelonstoAmerica.AnswerstotheBritishclamorforthepaymentofAmericandebts.

1789. Address to the Public from the Pennsylvania Society for PromotingAbolitionofSlavery.

1789. AnAccountoftheSupremestCourtofJudicatureinPennsylvania,viz.TheCourtofthePress.

1790. Martin'sAccountofhisConsulship.Aparodyofapro-slaveryspeechinCongress.

1791. Autobiography.Thefirstedition.

1818. Bagatelles.TheBagatelleswerefirstpublishedin1818inWilliamTempleFranklin'seditionofhisgrandfather'sworks.Thefollowingarethemostfamousoftheseessaysandthedateswhentheywerewritten:1774? AParableAgainstPersecution.

FranklincalledthistheLIChapterofGenesis.1774? AParableonBrotherlyLove.1778 TheEphemera,anEmblemofHumanLife.

AnewrenditionofanearlieressayonHumanVanity.1779 TheStoryoftheWhistle.1779? TheLevee.1779? ProposedNewVersionoftheBible.

PartofthefirstchapterofJobmodernized.(1779 Published)TheMoralsofChess.1780? TheHandsomeandDeformedLeg.1780 DialoguebetweenFranklinandtheGout.

(Publishedin1802.)