The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (5 page)

These two printers I found poorly qualified for their business.
Bradford had not been bred to it, and was very illiterate;
and Keimer, tho' something of a scholar, was a mere compositor,
knowing nothing of presswork. He had been one of the French prophets,
and could act their enthusiastic agitations. At this time he did
not profess any particular religion, but something of all on occasion;
was very ignorant of the world, and had, as I afterward found,
a good deal of the knave in his composition. He did not like my
lodging at Bradford's while I work'd with him. He had a house,
indeed, but without furniture, so he could not lodge me; but he got
me a lodging at Mr. Read's, before mentioned, who was the owner
of his house; and, my chest and clothes being come by this time,
I made rather a more respectable appearance in the eyes of Miss Read
than I had done when she first happen'd to see me eating my roll in
the street.

I began now to have some acquaintance among the young people of
the town, that were lovers of reading, with whom I spent my evenings
very pleasantly; and gaining money by my industry and frugality,
I lived very agreeably, forgetting Boston as much as I could,
and not desiring that any there should know where I resided,
except my friend Collins, who was in my secret, and kept it when I
wrote to him. At length, an incident happened that sent me back
again much sooner than I had intended. I had a brother-in-law,
Robert Holmes, master of a sloop that traded between Boston
and Delaware. He being at Newcastle, forty miles below Philadelphia,
heard there of me, and wrote me a letter mentioning the concern
of my friends in Boston at my abrupt departure, assuring me of their
good will to me, and that every thing would be accommodated to my
mind if I would return, to which he exhorted me very earnestly.
I wrote an answer to his letter, thank'd him for his advice,
but stated my reasons for quitting Boston fully and in such a light
as to convince him I was not so wrong as he had apprehended.

Sir William Keith, governor of the province, was then at Newcastle,
and Captain Holmes, happening to be in company with him when my
letter came to hand, spoke to him of me, and show'd him the letter.
The governor read it, and seem'd surpris'd when he was told my age.
He said I appear'd a young man of promising parts, and therefore
should be encouraged; the printers at Philadelphia were wretched ones;
and, if I would set up there, he made no doubt I should succeed;
for his part, he would procure me the public business, and do me
every other service in his power. This my brother-in-law afterwards
told me in Boston, but I knew as yet nothing of it; when, one day,
Keimer and I being at work together near the window, we saw the
governor and another gentleman (which proved to be Colonel French,
of Newcastle), finely dress'd, come directly across the street to
our house, and heard them at the door.

Keimer ran down immediately, thinking it a visit to him;
but the governor inquir'd for me, came up, and with a condescension
of politeness I had been quite unus'd to, made me many compliments,
desired to be acquainted with me, blam'd me kindly for not
having made myself known to him when I first came to the place,
and would have me away with him to the tavern, where he was going
with Colonel French to taste, as he said, some excellent Madeira.
I was not a little surprised, and Keimer star'd like a pig poison'd.
I went, however, with the governor and Colonel French to a tavern,
at the corner of Third-street, and over the Madeira he propos'd my
setting up my business, laid before me the probabilities of success,
and both he and Colonel French assur'd me I should have their interest
and influence in procuring the public business of both governments.
On my doubting whether my father would assist me in it, Sir William
said he would give me a letter to him, in which he would state
the advantages, and he did not doubt of prevailing with him.
So it was concluded I should return to Boston in the first vessel,
with the governor's letter recommending me to my father.
In the mean time the intention was to be kept a secret, and I
went on working with Keimer as usual, the governor sending for me
now and then to dine with him, a very great honor I thought it,
and conversing with me in the most affable, familiar, and friendly
manner imaginable.

About the end of April, 1724, a little vessel offer'd for Boston.
I took leave of Keimer as going to see my friends. The governor gave
me an ample letter, saying many flattering things of me to my father,
and strongly recommending the project of my setting up at Philadelphia
as a thing that must make my fortune. We struck on a shoal in going
down the bay, and sprung a leak; we had a blustering time at sea,
and were oblig'd to pump almost continually, at which I took my turn.
We arriv'd safe, however, at Boston in about a fortnight. I had
been absent seven months, and my friends had heard nothing of me;
for my br. Holmes was not yet return'd, and had not written about me.
My unexpected appearance surpriz'd the family; all were, however,
very glad to see me, and made me welcome, except my brother.
I went to see him at his printing-house. I was better dress'd than ever
while in his service, having a genteel new suit from head to foot,
a watch, and my pockets lin'd with near five pounds sterling in silver.
He receiv'd me not very frankly, look'd me all over, and turn'd to his
work again.

The journeymen were inquisitive where I had been, what sort of a
country it was, and how I lik'd it. I prais'd it much, the happy
life I led in it, expressing strongly my intention of returning
to it; and, one of them asking what kind of money we had there,
I produc'd a handful of silver, and spread it before them,
which was a kind of raree-show they had not been us'd to, paper being
the money of Boston. Then I took an opportunity of letting them see
my watch; and, lastly (my brother still grum and sullen), I gave them
a piece of eight to drink, and took my leave. This visit of mine
offended him extreamly; for, when my mother some time after spoke
to him of a reconciliation, and of her wishes to see us on good
terms together, and that we might live for the future as brothers,
he said I had insulted him in such a manner before his people that
he could never forget or forgive it. In this, however, he was mistaken.

My father received the governor's letter with some apparent surprise,
but said little of it to me for some days, when Capt. Holmes returning
he showed it to him, ask'd him if he knew Keith, and what kind of
man he was; adding his opinion that he must be of small discretion
to think of setting a boy up in business who wanted yet three years
of being at man's estate. Holmes said what he could in favor
of the project, but my father was clear in the impropriety of it,
and at last gave a flat denial to it. Then he wrote a civil letter
to Sir William, thanking him for the patronage he had so kindly
offered me, but declining to assist me as yet in setting up, I being,
in his opinion, too young to be trusted with the management of a
business so important, and for which the preparation must be so expensive.

My friend and companion Collins, who was a clerk in the post-office,
pleas'd with the account I gave him of my new country, determined to
go thither also; and, while I waited for my father's determination,
he set out before me by land to Rhode Island, leaving his books,
which were a pretty collection of mathematicks and natural philosophy,
to come with mine and me to New York, where he propos'd to wait
for me.

My father, tho' he did not approve Sir William's proposition,
was yet pleas'd that I had been able to obtain so advantageous a
character from a person of such note where I had resided, and that I
had been so industrious and careful as to equip myself so handsomely
in so short a time; therefore, seeing no prospect of an accommodation
between my brother and me, he gave his consent to my returning again
to Philadelphia, advis'd me to behave respectfully to the people there,
endeavor to obtain the general esteem, and avoid lampooning
and libeling, to which he thought I had too much inclination;
telling me, that by steady industry and a prudent parsimony I might
save enough by the time I was one-and-twenty to set me up; and that,
if I came near the matter, he would help me out with the rest.
This was all I could obtain, except some small gifts as tokens
of his and my mother's love, when I embark'd again for New York,
now with their approbation and their blessing.

The sloop putting in at Newport, Rhode Island, I visited my brother John,
who had been married and settled there some years. He received
me very affectionately, for he always lov'd me. A friend of his,
one Vernon, having some money due to him in Pensilvania, about thirty-five
pounds currency, desired I would receive it for him, and keep it
till I had his directions what to remit it in. Accordingly, he gave
me an order. This afterwards occasion'd me a good deal of uneasiness.

At Newport we took in a number of passengers for New York,
among which were two young women, companions, and a grave, sensible,
matron-like Quaker woman, with her attendants. I had shown an obliging
readiness to do her some little services, which impress'd her I
suppose with a degree of good will toward me; therefore, when she
saw a daily growing familiarity between me and the two young women,
which they appear'd to encourage, she took me aside, and said:
"Young man, I am concern'd for thee, as thou has no friend with thee,
and seems not to know much of the world, or of the snares youth
is expos'd to; depend upon it, those are very bad women; I can
see it in all their actions; and if thee art not upon thy guard,
they will draw thee into some danger; they are strangers to thee,
and I advise thee, in a friendly concern for thy welfare, to have no
acquaintance with them." As I seem'd at first not to think so ill
of them as she did, she mentioned some things she had observ'd and
heard that had escap'd my notice, but now convinc'd me she was right.
I thank'd her for her kind advice, and promis'd to follow it.
When we arriv'd at New York, they told me where they liv'd, and invited
me to come and see them; but I avoided it, and it was well I did;
for the next day the captain miss'd a silver spoon and some other things,
that had been taken out of his cabbin, and, knowing that these were
a couple of strumpets, he got a warrant to search their lodgings,
found the stolen goods, and had the thieves punish'd. So, tho'
we had escap'd a sunken rock, which we scrap'd upon in the passage,
I thought this escape of rather more importance to me.

At New York I found my friend Collins, who had arriv'd there some time
before me. We had been intimate from children, and had read the same
books together; but he had the advantage of more time for reading
and studying, and a wonderful genius for mathematical learning,
in which he far outstript me. While I liv'd in Boston most of my hours
of leisure for conversation were spent with him, and he continu'd
a sober as well as an industrious lad; was much respected for his
learning by several of the clergy and other gentlemen, and seemed
to promise making a good figure in life. But, during my absence,
he had acquir'd a habit of sotting with brandy; and I found by his
own account, and what I heard from others, that he had been drunk
every day since his arrival at New York, and behav'd very oddly.
He had gam'd, too, and lost his money, so that I was oblig'd to
discharge his lodgings, and defray his expenses to and at Philadelphia,
which prov'd extremely inconvenient to me.

The then governor of New York, Burnet (son of Bishop Burnet),
hearing from the captain that a young man, one of his passengers,
had a great many books, desir'd he would bring me to see him.
I waited upon him accordingly, and should have taken Collins
with me but that he was not sober. The gov'r. treated me with
great civility, show'd me his library, which was a very large one,
and we had a good deal of conversation about books and authors.
This was the second governor who had done me the honor to take notice
of me; which, to a poor boy like me, was very pleasing.

We proceeded to Philadelphia. I received on the way Vernon's money,
without which we could hardly have finish'd our journey. Collins wished
to be employ'd in some counting-house, but, whether they discover'd
his dramming by his breath, or by his behaviour, tho' he had
some recommendations, he met with no success in any application,
and continu'd lodging and boarding at the same house with me,
and at my expense. Knowing I had that money of Vernon's, he was
continually borrowing of me, still promising repayment as soon
as he should be in business. At length he had got so much of it
that I was distress'd to think what I should do in case of being
call'd on to remit it.

His drinking continu'd, about which we sometimes quarrell'd;, for,
when a little intoxicated, he was very fractious. Once, in a boat
on the Delaware with some other young men, he refused to row
in his turn. "I will be row'd home," says he. "We will not
row you," says I. "You must, or stay all night on the water,"
says he, "just as you please." The others said, "Let us row;
what signifies it?" But, my mind being soured with his other conduct,
I continu'd to refuse. So he swore he would make me row,
or throw me overboard; and coming along, stepping on the thwarts,
toward me, when he came up and struck at me, I clapped my hand under
his crutch, and, rising, pitched him head-foremost into the river.
I knew he was a good swimmer, and so was under little concern
about him; but before he could get round to lay hold of the boat,
we had with a few strokes pull'd her out of his reach; and ever when he
drew near the boat, we ask'd if he would row, striking a few strokes
to slide her away from him. He was ready to die with vexation,
and obstinately would not promise to row. However, seeing him at last
beginning to tire, we lifted him in and brought him home dripping
wet in the evening. We hardly exchang'd a civil word afterwards,
and a West India captain, who had a commission to procure a tutor
for the sons of a gentleman at Barbadoes, happening to meet with him,
agreed to carry him thither. He left me then, promising to remit me
the first money he should receive in order to discharge the debt;
but I never heard of him after.