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approbation of amufing ourselves fometimes with poetry, with a view to improve our style. In confequence of this it was propofed, that at our next meeting, each of us should bring a copy of verfes of his own compofition. Our object in this competition was to benefit each other by our mutual remarks, criticisms, and corrections; and as ftyle and expreffion were all we had in view, we excluded every idea of invention, by agreeing that our task should be a version of the eighteenth pfalm, in which is described the descent of the deity.

The time of our meeting drew near, when Ralph called upon me, and told me his piece was ready. I informed him that I had been idle, and: not much liking the task, had done nothing. He fhowed me his piece, and afked what I thought of it. I expreffed myself in terms of warm approbation; because it really appeared to have confiderable merit. He then faid: Ofborne will never acknowledge the smallest degree of excellence in any production of mine. Envy alone dictates to him a thousand animadverfions. Of you he is not fo jealous; I wish therefore you would take the verses and produce them as your own. I will pretend not to have had leisure to write any thing. We fhall then fee in what manner he will speak of them. I agreed to this little artifice, and immediately tranfcribed the verfes to prevent all fufpicion.

We met. Watfon's performance was the firft that was read. It had fome beauties, but many faults. We next read Ofborne's, which was much better. Ralph did it juftice, remarking a

few imperfe&tions, and applauding fuch parts as were excellent. He had himself nothing to fhow. It was now my turn. I made fome difficulty; feemed as if I wished to be excufed; pretended that I had had no time to make corrections, &c. No excufe, however, was admiffible, and the piece must be produced. It was read and re-read. Watson and Osborne immediately refigned the palm, and united in applauding it. Ralph alone made a few remarks, and proposed some alterations; but I defended my text. Ofborne agreed with me and told Ralph he was no more able to criticise than he was able to write.

When Osborne was alone with me, he expreffed himself still more ftrongly in favour of what he confidered as my performance. He pretended he had put fome restraint on himself before, apprehenfive of my conftruing his commendation into flattery. But who would have fuppofed, faid he, Franklin to be capable of such a compofition? What painting, what energy, what fire! He has furpaffed the original. In his common converfation he appears not to have choice of words; he hesitates, and is at a lofs; and yet, good God, how he writes!

At our next meeting Ralph difcovered the trick we had played Ofborne, who was rallied without mercy.

By this adventure Ralph was fixed in his refolution of becoming a poet. I left nothing unattempted to devert him from his purpose; but he persevered, till at last the reading of Pope* ef

* Probably the Dunciad, where we find him thus immorfalifed by the Author:

Silence ye wolves, while RALPH to Cynthia howls,
And makes night hideous; anfwer him, ye owls!

fected his cure: he became, however, a very tolerable prose writer. I fhall speak more of him hereafter; but as I fhall probably have no further occafion to mention the other two, I ought to obferve here, that Watson died a few years after in my arms. He was greatly regretted; for he was the best of our fociety. Ofborne went to the iflands, where he gained a confiderable reputation as a barrister, and was getting money; but he died young. We had seriously engaged that whoever died firft fhould return, if poffible, and pay a friendly visit to the furvivor, to give him an account of the other world; but he has never fulfilled his engagement.

The Governor appeared to be fond of my company, and frequently invited me to his house. He always fpoke of his intention of fettling me in business, as a point that was decided. I was to take with me letters of recommendation to a number of friends; and particularly a letter of credit, in order to obtain the neceffary fum for the purchase of my prefs, types, and paper. He appointed various times for me to come for these letters, which would certainly be ready; and when I came, always put me off to another day.

These fucceffive delays continued till the veffel, whose departure had been several times deferred, was on the point of fetting fail; when I again went to Sir William's house, to receive my letters and take leave of him. I faw his fecretary, Dr. Bard, who told me that the Governor was extremely bufy writing, but that he would be down at Newcastle before the vessel, and that the letters would be delivered to me there.

Ralph though he was married and had a child, determined to accompany me in this voyage. His object was fupposed to be the establishing a Gorrefpondence with fome mercantile houses, in order to fell goods by commiffion; but I afterwards learned, that, having reafon to be diffatisfied with the parents of his wife, he propofed to himself to leave her on their hands, and never return to America again.

His fecretary receitold me on the part

Having taken leave of my friends, and interchanged promifes of fidelity with Mifs Read, I quitted Philadelphia. At Newcastle the veffel came to an anchor. The Governor was arrived, and I went to his lodgings. ved me with great civility, of the Governor that he could not see me then, as he was engaged in affairs of the utmost importance, but that he would fend the letters on board, and that he wished me, with all his heart, a good voyage and speedy return. I returned, fomewhat aftonished, to the fhip, but ftill without entertaining the flightest suspicion.

Mr. Hamilton; a celebrated barrister of Phila-. delphia, had taken a paffage to England for himfelf and his fon, and, in conjunction with Mr. Denham a quaker, and Meffrs. Oniam and Ruffel, proprietors of a forge in Maryland, had agreed for the whole cabin, fo that Ralph and I were obliged to take up our lodging with the crew. Being unknown to every body in the ship, we were looked upon as the common order of people: but Mr. Hamilton and his fon (it was James, who was afterwards Governor) left us at Newcastle, and returned to Philadelphia, where he was recal

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led, at a very great expence, to plead the cause of a veffel that had been seized; and just as we were about to fail, colonel Finch came on board, and fhewed me many civilities. The passengers upon this paid me more attention, and I was invited, together with my friend Ralph, to occupy the place in the cabin which the return of Mr. Hamilton's had made vacant ; an offer which we very readily accepted.

Having learned that the dispatches of the Governor had been brought on board by colonel Finch, I asked the captain for the letters that were to be intrusted to my care. He told me that they were all put together in the bag, which he could not open at prefent; but before we reached England, he would give me an opportunity of taking them out. I was fatisfied with this anfwer, and we purfued our voyage.

The company in the cabin were all very fociable, and we were perfectly well of as to provifions, as we had the advantage of the whole of Mr. Hamilton's, who had laid in a very plentiful stock. Duringthe paffage Mr. Denham'contracted a friendfhip for me, which ended only with his life: in other respects the voyage was by no means an agreeable one, as we had much bad weather.

When we arrived in the river, the captain was as good as his word, and allowed me to fearch the bag for the Governor's letters. I could not find a fingle one with my name written on it, as committed to my care; but I felected fix or seven, which I judged from the direction to be those that were intended for me; particularly one to Mr. Bafket the King's printer, and another to a sta

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