firft cafe, he is defirous of concealing his poverty.

I walked towards the top of the street, looking eagerly on both fides, till I came to Marketftreet, where I met a child with a loaf of bread. Often had I made my dinner on dry bread. I enquired where he had bought it, and went ftraight to the baker's fhop which he pointed out to me. I asked for fome bifcuits, expecting to find fuch as we had at Boston; but they made, it seems, none of that fort at Philadelphia. I then afked for a three-penny loaf. They made no loaves of that price. Finding myself ignorant of the prices, as well as of the different kinds of bread, I defired him to let me have three-penny-worth of bread of fome kind or He gave me three large rolls. I was furprized at receiving fo much: I took them, however, and having no room in my pockets, I walked on with a roll under each arm, eating the third. In this manner I went through Market-street to Fourth-ftreet, and paffed the houfe of Mr. Read, the father of my future wife. She was standing at the door, observed me, and thought, with reafon, that I made a very fingular and grotesque appearance.

other.

I then turned the corner, and went through Chefnut-ftreet, eating my roll all the way; and having made this round, I found myself again on Market-street wharf, near the boat in which I had arrived, I stepped into it to take a draught of the river water; and finding myself fatisfied with my first roll, I gave the other two to a woman and her child, who had come down the

river with us in the boat, and was waiting to continue her journey. Thus refreshed, I regained the street, which was now full of well dreffed people, all going the fame way. I joined them, and was thus led to a large Quakers' meeting house near the market-place. I fat down with the rest, and after looking round me for fome time, hearing nothing faid, and being drowsy from my laft night's labour and want.of rest, I fell into a found fleep. In this ftate I continued till the affembly difperfed, when one of the congregation had the goodness to wake me. This was confequently the firft houfe I entered, or in which I flept at Philadelphia.

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He conducted me

There

I began again to walk along the street by the river fide; and looking attentively in the face of every one I met, I at length perceived a young quaker whofe countenance pleafed me. I accofted him, and begged him to inform me where a Atranger might find a lodging. We were then near the fign of the Three Mariners. They receive travellers here, said he, but it is not a house that bears a good character; if will go with me, I will fhew you a better one. to the Crooked Billet, in Water-ftreet. I ordered fomething for dinner, and during my meal a number of curious queftions were put to me; my youth and appearance exciting the fufpicion of my being a runaway. After dinner my drowsiness returned, and I threw myfelf upon a bed without taking off my clothes, and flept till fix o'clock in the evening, when I was called to fupper. I afterwards went to bed at a very early hour, and did not awake till the next morning.

As foon as I got up I put myself in as decent a trim as I could, and went to the house of Andrew Bradford, the printer. I found his father in the fhop, whom I had seen at New-York. Having travelled on horseback, he had arrived at Philadelphia before me. He introduced me to

his fon, who received me with civility, and gave me fome breakfaft; but told me he had no occafion for a journeyman, having lately procured

one.

He added, that there was another printer newly fettled in the town, of the name of Keimer, who might perhaps employ me; and that in case of a refufal, I should be welcome to lodge at his house, and he would give me a little work now and then, till fömething better fhould offer. The old man offered to introduce me to the new printer. When we were at his house: "Neighbour," faid he, "I bring you a young man in the printing bufinefs; perhaps you may have need of his fervices."

· Keimer asked me fome queftions, put a compofing stick in my hand to fee how I could work, and then faid, that at prefent he had nothing for me to do, but that he should foon be able to employ me. At the fame time taking old Bradford for an inhabitant of the town well-difpofed towards him, he communicated his project to him, and the profpect he had of fuccefs. Bradford was careful not to discover that he was the father of the other printer: and from what Keimer had faid, that he hoped fhortly to be in poffeffion of the greater part of the business of the town, led him by artful queftions, and by starting fome difficulties, to difclofe all his views, what his

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hopes were founded upon, and how he intended to proceed. I was prefent, and I heard it all. I inftantly faw that one of the two was a cunning old fox, and the other a perfect novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, who was ftrangely furprifed when I informed him who the old man

was.

I found Keimer's printing materials to confist of an old damaged prefs, and a small cast of wornout English letters, with which he was himself at work upon an elegy on Aquilla Rofe, whom I have mentioned above, an ingenious young man, and of an excellent character, highly efteemed in the town, fecretary to the affembly, and a very tolerable poet. Keimer allo made verfes, but they were indifferent ones. He could not be faid to write in verfe, for his method was to fet the lines as they flowed from his mule; and as he worked without copy, had but one set of letter-cafes, and the elegy would probably occupy all his type, it was impoffible for any one to affist him. I endeavoured to put his preis in order, which he had not yet uled, and of which indeed he understood nothing: and having promised to come and work off his elegy as foon as it fhould be ready, I returned to the house of Bradford, who gave me fome trifle to do for the present, for which I had my board and lodging.

In a few days Keimer fent for me to print off his elegy. He had now procured another fet of letter-cales, and had a pamphlet to reprint, upon which he fet me to work.

The two Philadelphia printers appeared deftitute of every qualification neceflary in their

profeffion. Bradford had not been brought up to it and was very illiterate. Keimer, though he understood a little of the business, was merely a compofitor and wholly incapable of working at the prefs. He had been one of the French prophets, and knew how to imitate their fupernatural agitations. At the time of our firft acquaintance he profeffed no particular religion, but a little of all upon occafion. He was totally ignorant of the world, and a great knave at heart, as I had afterwards an opportunity of experiencing.

Keimer could not endure that, working with him I fhould lodge at Bradford's. He had indeed a house, but it was unfurnished; fo that he could not take me in. He procured me a lodging at Mr. Read's, his landlord, whom I have already mentioned. My trunk and effects being now arrived, I thought of making, in the eyes of Mils Read, a more refpectable appearance than when chance exhibited me to her view, eating my roll, and wandering in the streets."

From this period I began to contract acquaintance with fuch young people of the town as were fond of reading, and ípent my evenings with them agreeably, while at the fame time I gained money by my industry, and, thanks to my frugality, lived contented. I thus forgot Boston as much as poffible, and wifhed every one to be ignorant of the place of my refidence, except my friend Collins, to whom I wrote, and who kept my fecret.

An incident however arrived, which fent me home much fooner than I had propofed. I had a brother-in-law, of the name of Robert Holmes,