trade as that of letter-founder in America. Į had feen the practice of this art at the house of James in London: but had at the fame time paid it very little attention. I however contrived to fabricate a mould. I made use of such letters as we had for punches, founded new letters of lead in matrices of clay, and thus fupplied, in a tolerable manner, the wants that were moft preffing.

I alfo, upon occafion, engraved various ornaments, made ink, gave an eye to the fhop; in fhort, I was in every refpect the factotum. But useful as I made myself, I perceived that my fervices became every day of lefs importance, in proportion as the other men improved; and when Keimer paid me my fecond quarter's wa ges he gave me to understand that they were too heavy, and that he thought I ought to make an abatement. He became by degrees lefs civil, and affumed more the tone of mafter. He frequently found falt, was difficult to pleafe, and deemed always on the point of coming to an open quarrel with me.

I continued, however, to bear it patiently, conceiving that his ill-humour was partly occafioned by the derangement and embarraffment of his affairs. At laft a flight incident broke our connection. Hearing a noise in the neighbourhood, I put my head out of the window to fee what was the matter. Keimer being in the freet, obferved me, and in a loud and angry tone told me to mind my work; adding fome eproachful words, which piqued me the more as they were uttered in the ftreet; and the

neighbours, whom the fame noife had attracted to the windows, were witnesses of the manner in which I was treated. He immediately came up to the printing-room, and continued to exclaim against me. The quarrel became warm on both fides, and he gave me notice to quit him at the expiration of three months, as had been agreed between us; regretting that he was obliged to give me fo long a term. I told him that his regret was fuperfluous, as I was ready to quit him inftantly; and I took my hat and came out of the house, begging Meredith to take care of fome things which I left, and bring them to my lodgings.

Meredith came to me in the evening. We talked for fome time upon the quarrel that had taken place. He had conceived a great veneration for me, and was forry I fhould quit the house while he remained in it. He diffuaded me from returning to my native country, as I began to think of doing. He reminded me that Keimer owed more than he poffeffed; that his creditors began to be alarmed; that he kept his fhop in a wretched ftate, often felling things at prime coft for the fake of ready money, and continually giving credit without keeping any accounts; that of confequence he must very foon fail, which would occafion a vacancy from which I might derive advantage. I objected my want of money. Upon which he informed me that his father had a very high opinion of me, and from a conversation that had paffed between them, he was fure that he would advance whatever might be neceffary to establish us, if I was wil

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ling to enter into partnership with him. My time with Keimer," added he, "will be at an end next spring. In the mean time we may fend to London for our prefs and types. I know that I am no workman; but if you agree to the proposal, your skill in the business will be balanced by the capital I will furnish, and we will fhare the profits equally." His propofal was reafonable, and I fell in with it. His father, who was then in the town, approved of it. He knew that I had some afcendency over his fon, as I had been able to prevail on him to abstain a long time from drinking brandy; and he hoped that, when more closely connected with him, I fhould cure him entirely of this unfortunate habit.

I gave the father a lift of what it would be neceffary to import from London. He took it to a merchant, and the order was given. We agreed to keep the fecret till the arrival of the materials, and I was in the mean time to procure work, if poffible, in another printing-house; but there was no place vacant, and I remained idle. After fome days, Keimer having the expectation of being employed to print fome New-Jersey money-bills, that would require types and engravings which I only could furnish, and fearful that Bradford, by engaging me, might deprive him of the undertaking, fent me a very civil meffage, telling me that old friends ought not to be difunited on account of a few words, which were the effects only of a momentary paffion, and inviting me to return to him. Meredith perfuaded me to comply with the invitation, particularly as it would afford him more opportunities of im

proving himself in the business by means of my inftructions. I did fo, and we lived upon better terms than before our feparation.

He obtained the New-Jersey business; and in order to execute it, I conftructed a copper-plate printing-prefs; the firft that had been seen in the country. I engraved various ornaments and vignettes for the bills; and we repaired to Burlington together, where I executed the whole' to the general fatisfaction; and he received a fum of money for his work, which enabled him to keep this head above water for a confiderable time longer.

At Burlington I formed acquaintance with the principal perfonages of the province; many of whom were commiffioned by the affembly to fuperintend the prefs, and to fee that no more bills were printed than the law had prescribed. Accordingly they were conftantly with us, each in his turn; and he that came commonly brought with him a friend or two to bear him company. My mind was more cultivated by reading than Keimer's; and it was for this reason, probably, that they fet more value on my conversation. They took me to their houses, introduced me to their friends, and treated me with the greatest civility; while Keimer, though mafter, faw himfelf a little neglected. He was, in fact, a strange animal, ignorant of the common modes of life, apt to oppofe with rudeness generally received opinions, an enthusiast in certain points of religion, difguftingly unclean in his person, and a little knavifh withal,

We remained there nearly three months; and at the expiration of this period I could include in the lift of my friends, Judge Allen, Samuel Buftil, fecretary of the province, Ifaac Pearfon, Jofeph Cooper, several of the Smiths, all members of the affembly, and Ifaac Deacon, infpector general. The laft was a fhrewd and fubtle old man. He told me, that, when a boy, his first employment had been that of carrying clay to brick-makers; that he did not learn to write till he was fomewhat advanced in life; that he was afterwards employed as an underling to a furveyor, who taught him his trade, and that by induftry he had at laft acquired a competent fortune, "I foresee," faid he one day to me, "that you will foon fupplant this man" fpeaking of Keimer, "and get a fortune in the bufinefs at Philadelphia." He was totally igno rant at the time of my intention of establishing myself there, or any where else. Thefe friends were very serviceable to me in the end, as was I also, upon occasion, to some of them; and they have continued ever fince their efteem for me.

Before I relate the particulars of my entrance into business, it may be proper to inform you what was at that time the ftate of my mind as to moral principles, that you may fee the degree of influence they had upon the subsequent events of my life.

My parents had given me betimes religious impreffions; and I received from my infancy a pious education in the principles of Calvinifm. But scarcely was I arrived at fifteen, years of when, after having doubted in turn of different

age