Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
[46] The story is that she met Christ on His way to
crucifixion and offered Him her handkerchief to wipe the
blood from His face, after which the handkerchief always
bore the image of Christ's bleeding face.
[47] James Salter, a former servant of Hans Sloane, lived
in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. "His house, a barber-shop, was
known as 'Don Saltero's Coffee-House.' The curiosities
were in glass cases and constituted an amazing and
motley collection--a petrified crab from China, a
'lignified hog,' Job's tears, Madagascar lances, William
the Conqueror's flaming sword, and Henry the Eighth's
coat of mail."--Smyth.
[48] About three miles.
I had from a child been ever delighted with this exercise, had studied
and practis'd all Thevenot's motions and positions, added some of my
own, aiming at the graceful and easy as well as the useful. All these
I took this occasion of exhibiting to the company, and was much
flatter'd by their admiration; and Wygate, who was desirous of
becoming a master, grew more and more attach'd to me on that account,
as well as from the similarity of our studies. He at length proposed
to me traveling all over Europe together, supporting ourselves
everywhere by working at our business. I was once inclined to it; but,
mentioning it to my good friend Mr. Denham, with whom I often spent an
hour when I had leisure, he dissuaded me from it, advising me to think
only of returning to Pennsylvania, which he was now about to do.
I must record one trait of this good man's character. He had formerly
been in business at Bristol, but failed in debt to a number of people,
compounded and went to America. There, by a close application to
business as a merchant, he acquired a plentiful fortune in a few
years. Returning to England in the ship with me, he invited his old
creditors to an entertainment, at which he thank'd them for the easy
composition they had favoured him with, and, when they expected
nothing but the treat, every man at the first remove found under his
plate an order on a banker for the full amount of the unpaid
remainder with interest.
He now told me he was about to return to Philadelphia, and should
carry over a great quantity of goods in order to open a store there.
He propos'd to take me over as his clerk, to keep his books, in which
he would instruct me, copy his letters, and attend the store. He
added, that, as soon as I should be acquainted with mercantile
business, he would promote me by sending me with a cargo of flour and
bread, etc., to the West Indies, and procure me commissions from
others which would be profitable; and, if I manag'd well, would
establish me handsomely. The thing pleas'd me; for I was grown tired
of London, remembered with pleasure the happy months I had spent in
Pennsylvania, and wish'd again to see it; therefore I immediately
agreed on the terms of fifty pounds a year,[49] Pennsylvania money;
less, indeed, than my present gettings as a compositor, but affording
a better prospect.
[49] About $167.
I now took leave of printing, as I thought, forever, and was daily
employed in my new business, going about with Mr. Denham among the
tradesmen to purchase various articles, and seeing them pack'd up,
doing errands, calling upon workmen to dispatch, etc.; and, when all
was on board, I had a few days' leisure. On one of these days, I was,
to my surprise, sent for by a great man I knew only by name, a Sir
William Wyndham, and I waited upon him. He had heard by some means or
other of my swimming from Chelsea to Blackfriars, and of my teaching
Wygate and another young man to swim in a few hours. He had two sons,
about to set out on their travels; he wish'd to have them first taught
swimming, and proposed to gratify me handsomely if I would teach them.
They were not yet come to town, and my stay was uncertain, so I could
not undertake it; but, from this incident, I thought it likely that,
if I were to remain in England and open a swimming-school, I might get
a good deal of money; and it struck me so strongly, that, had the
overture been sooner made me, probably I should not so soon have
returned to America. After many years, you and I had something of more
importance to do with one of these sons of Sir William Wyndham,
become Earl of Egremont, which I shall mention in its place.
Thus I spent about eighteen months in London; most part of the time I
work'd hard at my business, and spent but little upon myself except in
seeing plays and in books. My friend Ralph had kept me poor; he owed
me about twenty-seven pounds, which I was now never likely to receive;
a great sum out of my small earnings! I lov'd him, notwithstanding,
for he had many amiable qualities. I had by no means improv'd my
fortune; but I had picked up some very ingenious acquaintance, whose
conversation was of great advantage to me; and I had read
considerably.
VII
BEGINNING BUSINESS IN
PHILADELPHIA
We sail'd from Gravesend on the 23rd of July, 1726. For the incidents
of the voyage, I refer you to my Journal, where you will find them all
minutely related. Perhaps the most important part of that journal is
the _plan_[50] to be found in it, which I formed at sea, for
regulating my future conduct in life. It is the more remarkable, as
being formed when I was so young, and yet being pretty faithfully
adhered to quite thro' to old age.
[50] "Not found in the manuscript journal, which was left
among Franklin's papers."--Bigelow.
We landed in Philadelphia on the 11th of October, where I found sundry
alterations. Keith was no longer governor, being superseded by Major
Gordon. I met him walking the streets as a common citizen. He seem'd a
little asham'd at seeing me, but pass'd without saying anything. I
should have been as much asham'd at seeing Miss Read, had not her
friends, despairing with reason of my return after the receipt of my
letter, persuaded her to marry another, one Rogers, a potter, which
was done in my absence. With him, however, she was never happy, and
soon parted from him, refusing to cohabit with him or bear his name,
it being now said that he had another wife. He was a worthless fellow,
tho' an excellent workman, which was the temptation to her friends. He
got into debt, ran away in 1727 or 1728, went to the West Indies, and
died there. Keimer had got a better house, a shop well supply'd with
stationery, plenty of new types, a number of hands, tho' none good,
and seem'd to have a great deal of business.
Mr. Denham took a store in Water-street, where we open'd our goods; I
attended the business diligently, studied accounts, and grew, in a
little time, expert at selling. We lodg'd and boarded together; he
counsell'd me as a father, having a sincere regard for me. I respected
and loved him, and we might have gone on together very happy; but, in
the beginning of February, 1726/7, when I had just pass'd my
twenty-first year, we both were taken ill. My distemper was a
pleurisy, which very nearly carried me off. I suffered a good deal,
gave up the point in my own mind, and was rather disappointed when I
found myself recovering, regretting, in some degree, that I must now,
some time or other, have all that disagreeable work to do over again.
I forget what his distemper was; it held him a long time, and at
length carried him off. He left me a small legacy in a nuncupative
will, as a token of his kindness for me, and he left me once more to
the wide world; for the store was taken into the care of his
executors, and my employment under him ended.
My brother-in-law, Holmes, being now at Philadelphia, advised my
return to my business; and Keimer tempted me, with an offer of large
wages by the year, to come and take the management of his
printing-house, that he might better attend his stationer's shop. I
had heard a bad character of him in London from his wife and her
friends, and was not fond of having any more to do with him. I tri'd
for farther employment as a merchant's clerk; but, not readily meeting
with any, I clos'd again with Keimer. I found in his house these
hands: Hugh Meredith, a Welsh Pennsylvanian, thirty years of age, bred
to country work; honest, sensible, had a great deal of solid
observation, was something of a reader, but given to drink. Stephen
Potts, a young countryman of full age, bred to the same, of uncommon
natural parts, and great wit and humor, but a little idle. These he
had agreed with at extream low wages per week to be rais'd a shilling
every three months, as they would deserve by improving in their
business; and the expectation of these high wages, to come on
hereafter, was what he had drawn them in with. Meredith was to work at
press, Potts at book-binding, which he, by agreement, was to teach
them, though he knew neither one nor t'other. John----, a wild
Irishman, brought up to no business, whose service, for four
years, Keimer had purchased from the captain of a ship; he, too, was
to be made a pressman. George Webb, an Oxford scholar, whose time for
four years he had likewise bought, intending him for a compositor, of
whom more presently; and David Harry, a country boy, whom he had taken
apprentice.
I soon perceiv'd that the intention of engaging me at wages so much
higher than he had been us'd to give, was, to have these raw, cheap
hands form'd thro' me; and, as soon as I had instructed them, then
they being all articled to him, he should be able to do without me. I
went on, however, very chearfully, put his printing-house in order,
which had been in great confusion, and brought his hands by degrees to
mind their business and to do it better.
It was an odd thing to find an Oxford scholar in the situation of a
bought servant. He was not more than eighteen years of age, and gave
me this account of himself; that he was born in Gloucester, educated
at a grammar-school there, had been distinguish'd among the scholars
for some apparent superiority in performing his part, when they
exhibited plays; belong'd to the Witty Club there, and had written
some pieces in prose and verse, which were printed in the Gloucester
newspapers; thence he was sent to Oxford; where he continued about a
year, but not well satisfi'd, wishing of all things to see London, and
become a player. At length, receiving his quarterly allowance of
fifteen guineas, instead of discharging his debts he walk'd out of
town, hid his gown in a furze bush, and footed it to London, where,
having no friend to advise him, he fell into bad company, soon spent
his guineas, found no means of being introduc'd among the players,
grew necessitous, pawn'd his cloaths, and wanted bread. Walking the
street very hungry, and not knowing what to do with himself, a crimp's
bill[51] was put into his hand, offering immediate entertainment and
encouragement to such as would bind themselves to serve in America. He
went directly, sign'd the indentures, was put into the ship, and came
over, never writing a line to acquaint his friends what was become of
him. He was lively, witty, good-natur'd, and a pleasant companion, but
idle, thoughtless, and imprudent to the last degree.
[51] A crimp was the agent of a shipping company. Crimps
were sometimes employed to decoy men into such service
as is here mentioned.
John, the Irishman, soon ran away; with the rest I began to live very
agreeably, for they all respected me the more, as they found Keimer
incapable of instructing them, and that from me they learned something
daily. We never worked on Saturday, that being Keimer's Sabbath, so I
had two days for reading. My acquaintance with ingenious people in the
town increased. Keimer himself treated me with great civility and