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master of a trading floop from Bofton to Delaware. Being at Newcaftlo, forty miles below Philadelphia, he heard of me, and wrote to inform me of the chagrin which my fudden departure from Bofton had occafioned my parents, and of the affection with which they still entertained for me, alluring me that, if I would return, every thing fhould be adjusted to my fatisfaction; and he was very preffing in his entreaties. I anfwered his letter, thanked him for his advice, and explained the reafons which had induced me to quit Bofton with fuch force and clearness, that he was convinced I had been lefs to blame than he had imagined.

Sir William Keith, Governor of the province, was at Newcastle at the time. Captain Holmes, being by chance in his company when he received my letter, took occafion to speak of me, and fhewed it him. The Governor read it, and appeared furprised when he learned my age. He thought me, he faid, a young man of very promising talents, and that, of consequence, I ought to be encouraged; that there were at Philadelphia none but very ignorant printers, and that if I were to fet up for myself, he had no doubt of my fuccefs; that, for his own part, he would procure me all the public bufinels, and would ender me all the other fervice in his power. My brother-in-law related all this to me afterwards at Boston; but I knew nothing of it at the time; when one day Keimer and I being at work together near the window, we jaw the Governor and another gentleman, colonel French of Newcastle, handfomely dreffed,

grofs the street, and make directly for our house. We heard them at the door, and Keime, believing it to be a visit to himself, went immediately down; but the Governor enquired for me, came up ftairs, and, with a condefcenfion and politeness to which I had not at all been accustomed, paid me many compliments, defired to be acquainted with me, obligingly reproached me for not having made myself known to him on my arrival in the town, and wished me to accompany him to a tavern, where he and colonel French were going to tafte fome excellent Madeira wine,

I was, I confefs, fomewhat furprised, and Keimer appeared thunderstruck. I went however with the Governor and the colonel to a tavern at the corner of Third-street, where, while we were drinking the Maderia, he proposed to me to establish a printing-houfe, He fet forth the probabilities of fuccefs, and himfelf and colonel French affured me that I fhould have their protection and influence in obtaining the printing of the public papers of both governments; and as I appeared to doubt whether my father would affift me in this enterprife, Sir William faid that he would give me a letter to him, in which he would reprefent the advantages of the scheme, in a light which he had no doubt would determine him. It was thus concluded that I fhould return to Boston by the first vessel, with the letter of recommendation from the governor to my father. Meanwhile the project. was to be kept fecret, and I continued to work for Keimer as before.

The Governor fent every now and then to invite me to dine with him. I confidered this as a very great honour; and I was the more fenfible of it, as he conversed with me in the most affable, familiar, and friendly manner imaginable.

Towards the end of April 1724, a small vessel was ready to fail for Boston. I took leave of Keimer, upon the pretext of going to see my parents. The governor gave me a long letter, in which he said many flattering things of me to my father; and ftrongly recommended the project of my fettling at Philadelphia, as a thing which could not fail to make my fortune.

Going down the bay we ftruck on a flat, and, fprung a leak. The weather was very tempestuous, and we were obliged to pump without intermiffion; I took my turn. We arrived however fafe and found at Bofton, after about a fortnight's paffage.

I had been abfent feven complete months, and my relations, during that interval, had received no intelligence of me; for my brother-inlaw, Holmes, was not yet returned, and had not written about me. My unexpected appearance furprised the family; but they were all delighted at feeing me again, and, except my brother, welcomed me home. I went to him at the printingoffice. I was better dreffed than I had ever been while in his fervice: I had a complete fuit of clothes, new and neat, a watch in my pocket, and my puríe was furnished with nearly five. pounds fterling in money. He gave me no very

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civil reception; and having eyed me from head to foot, refumed his work.

The workmen asked me with eagerness where I had been, what fort of a country it was, and how I liked it. I spoke in the highest terms of Philadelphia, the happy life we led there, and expreffed my intention of going back again. One of them asked what fort of money we had, I difplayed before them a handful of filver, which I drew from my pocket. This was a curiofity. to which they were not accustomed, paper being the current money at Boston. I failed not after this to let them fee my watch; and at laft, my brother continuing fullen and out of humour, I gave them a fhilling to drink, and took my leave. This vifit ftung my brother to the foul; for when fhortly after, my mother spoke to him of a reconciliation, and a defire to fee us upon good terms,

he told her that I had fo infulted him before his men, that he would never forget or forgive it: in this, however, he was miftaken.

The governor's letter appeared to excite in my father fome surprise; but he said little. After fome days, Capt. Holmes being returned, he fhowed it him, afked him if he knew Keith, and what fort of a man he was: adding, that, in his opinion, it proved very little difcernment to think of fetting up a boy in bufinefs, who for three years to come would not be of an age to be ranked in the clafs of men. Holmes faid every thing he could in favour of the fcheme; but my father firmly maintained its abfurdity, and at last gave a positive refufal. He wrote, however, a civil letter to Sir William, thanking

him for the protection he had so obligingly offered me, but refusing to affist me for the prefent, because he thought me too young to be entrusted with the conduct of fo important an enterprise, and which would require fo confiderable a fum of money.

My old comrade Collins, who was a clerk in the poft-office, charmed with the account I gave of my new refidence, expressed a defire of going ⚫ thither; and while I waited my father's determination, he fet off before me, by land, for Rhode-Ifland, leaving his books which formed a handfome collection in mathematics and natural philofophy, to be conveyed with mine to NewYork, where he purposed to wait for me.

My father, though he could not approve Sir William's propofal, was yet pleafed that I had obtained fo advantageous a recommendation as that of a perfon of his rank, and that my induftry and œconomy had enabled me to equip myself fo handsomely in fo fhort a period. Seeing no appearance of accommodating matters between my brother and me, he confented to my return to Philadelphia, advised me to be civil to every body, to endeavour to obtain general esteem, and avoid fatire and farcafm, to which he thought I was too much inclined: adding, that, with perfeverance and prudent economy, I might, by the time I became of age, fave enough to establish myself in business; and that if a fmall fum fhould then be wanting he would undertake to fupply it.

This was all I could obtain from him, except fome trifling presents, in token of friendship from him and my mother. I embarked once

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