Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
assuring me of their good will to me, and that everything would be
accommodated to my mind if I would return, to which he exhorted me
very earnestly. I wrote an answer to his letter, thank'd him for his
advice, but stated my reasons for quitting Boston fully and in such a
light as to convince him I was not so wrong as he had apprehended.
IV
FIRST VISIT TO BOSTON
Sir William Keith, governor of the province, was then at Newcastle,
and Captain Holmes, happening to be in company with him when my letter
came to hand, spoke to him of me, and show'd him the letter. The
governor read it, and seem'd surpris'd when he was told my age. He
said I appear'd a young man of promising parts, and therefore should
be encouraged; the printers at Philadelphia were wretched ones; and,
if I would set up there, he made no doubt I should succeed; for his
part, he would procure me the public business, and do me every other
service in his power. This my brother-in-law afterwards told me in
Boston, but I knew as yet nothing of it; when, one day, Keimer and I
being at work together near the window, we saw the governor and
another gentleman (which proved to be Colonel French, of Newcastle),
finely dress'd, come directly across the street to our house, and
heard them at the door.
Keimer ran down immediately, thinking it a visit to him; but the
governor inquir'd for me, came up, and with a condescension and
politeness I had been quite unus'd to, made me many compliments,
desired to be acquainted with me, blam'd me kindly for not having made
myself known to him when I first came to the place, and would have me
away with him to the tavern, where he was going with Colonel French to
taste, as he said, some excellent Madeira. I was not a little
surprised, and Keimer star'd like a pig poison'd.[30] I went, however,
with the governor and Colonel French to a tavern, at the corner of
Third-street, and over the Madeira he propos'd my setting up my
business, laid before me the probabilities of success, and both he and
Colonel French assur'd me I should have their interest and influence
in procuring the public business of both governments.[31] On my
doubting whether my father would assist me in it, Sir William said he
would give me a letter to him, in which he would state the advantages,
and he did not doubt of prevailing with him. So it was concluded I
should return to Boston in the first vessel, with the governor's
letter recommending me to my father. In the meantime the intention was
to be kept a secret, and I went on working with Keimer as usual, the
governor sending for me now and then to dine with him, a very great
honour I thought it, and conversing with me in the most affable,
familiar, and friendly manner imaginable.
[30] Temple Franklin considered this specific figure
vulgar and changed it to "stared with astonishment."
[31] Pennsylvania and Delaware.
About the end of April, 1724, a little vessel offer'd for Boston. I
took leave of Keimer as going to see my friends. The governor gave me
an ample letter, saying many flattering things of me to my father, and
strongly recommending the project of my setting up at Philadelphia as
a thing that must make my fortune. We struck on a shoal in going down
the bay, and sprung a leak; we had a blustering time at sea, and were
oblig'd to pump almost continually, at which I took my turn. We
arriv'd safe, however, at Boston in about a fortnight. I had been
absent seven months, and my friends had heard nothing of me; for my
br. Holmes was not yet return'd, and had not written about me. My
unexpected appearance surpris'd the family; all were, however, very
glad to see me, and made me welcome, except my brother. I went to see
him at his printing-house. I was better dress'd than ever while in his
service, having a genteel new suit from head to foot, a watch, and my
pockets lin'd with near five pounds sterling in silver. He receiv'd me
not very frankly, look'd me all over, and turn'd to his work again.
The journeymen were inquisitive where I had been, what sort of a
country it was, and how I lik'd it. I prais'd it much, and the happy
life I led in it, expressing strongly my intention of returning to it;
and, one of them asking what kind of money we had there, I produc'd a
handful of silver, and spread it before them, which was a kind of
raree-show[32] they had not been us'd to, paper being the money of
Boston.[33] Then I took an opportunity of letting them see my watch;
and, lastly (my brother still grum and sullen), I gave them a piece
of eight[34] to drink, and took my leave. This visit of mine offended
him extreamly; for, when my mother some time after spoke to him of a
reconciliation, and of her wishes to see us on good terms together,
and that we might live for the future as brothers, he said I had
insulted him in such a manner before his people that he could never
forget or forgive it. In this, however, he was mistaken.
[32] A peep-show in a box.
[33] There were no mints in the colonies, so the metal
money was of foreign coinage and not nearly so common as
paper money, which was printed in large quantities in
America, even in small denominations.
[34] Spanish dollar about equivalent to our dollar.
My father received the governor's letter with some apparent surprise,
but said little of it to me for some days, when Capt. Holmes returning
he show'd it to him, asked him if he knew Keith, and what kind of man
he was; adding his opinion that he must be of small discretion to
think of setting a boy up in business who wanted yet three years of
being at man's estate. Holmes said what he could in favour of the
project, but my father was clear in the impropriety of it, and at
last, gave a flat denial to it. Then he wrote a civil letter to Sir
William, thanking him for the patronage he had so kindly offered me,
but declining to assist me as yet in setting up, I being, in his
opinion, too young to be trusted with the management of a business so
important, and for which the preparation must be so expensive.
My friend and companion Collins, who was a clerk in the post-office,
pleas'd with the account I gave him of my new country, determined to
go thither also; and, while I waited for my father's determination, he
set out before me by land to Rhode Island, leaving his books, which
were a pretty collection of mathematicks and natural philosophy, to
come with mine and me to New York, where he propos'd to wait for me.
My father, tho' he did not approve Sir William's proposition, was yet
pleas'd that I had been able to obtain so advantageous a character
from a person of such note where I had resided, and that I had been so
industrious and careful as to equip myself so handsomely in so short a
time; therefore, seeing no prospect of an accommodation between my
brother and me, he gave his consent to my returning again to
Philadelphia, advis'd me to behave respectfully to the people there,
endeavour to obtain the general esteem, and avoid lampooning and
libeling, to which he thought I had too much inclination; telling me,
that by steady industry and a prudent parsimony I might save enough by
the time I was one-and-twenty to set me up; and that, if I came near
the matter, he would help me out with the rest. This was all I could
obtain, except some small gifts as tokens of his and my mother's love,
when I embark'd again for New York, now with their approbation and
their blessing.
The sloop putting in at Newport, Rhode Island, I visited my brother
John, who had been married and settled there some years. He received
me very affectionately, for he always lov'd me. A friend of his, one
Vernon, having some money due to him in Pennsylvania, about
thirty-five pounds currency, desired I would receive it for him, and
keep it till I had his directions what to remit it in. Accordingly, he
gave me an order. This afterwards occasion'd me a good deal of
uneasiness.
At Newport we took in a number of passengers for New York, among
which were two young women, companions, and a grave, sensible,
matronlike Quaker woman, with her attendants. I had shown an obliging
readiness to do her some little services, which impress'd her I
suppose with a degree of good will toward me; therefore, when she saw
a daily growing familiarity between me and the two young women, which
they appear'd to encourage, she took me aside, and said, "Young man, I
am concern'd for thee, as thou hast no friend with thee, and seems not
to know much of the world, or of the snares youth is expos'd to;
depend upon it, those are very bad women; I can see it in all their
actions; and if thee art not upon thy guard, they will draw thee into
some danger; they are strangers to thee, and I advise thee, in a
friendly concern for thy welfare, to have no acquaintance with them."
As I seem'd at first not to think so ill of them as she did, she
mentioned some things she had observ'd and heard that had escap'd my
notice, but now convinc'd me she was right. I thank'd her for her kind
advice, and promis'd to follow it. When we arriv'd at New York, they
told me where they liv'd, and invited me to come and see them; but I
avoided it, and it was well I did; for the next day the captain miss'd
a silver spoon and some other things, that had been taken out of his
cabin, and, knowing that these were a couple of strumpets, he got a
warrant to search their lodgings, found the stolen goods, and had the
thieves punish'd. So, tho' we had escap'd a sunken rock, which we
scrap'd upon in the passage, I thought this escape of rather more
importance to me.
At New York I found my friend Collins, who had arriv'd there some time
before me. We had been intimate from children, and had read the same
books together; but he had the advantage of more time for reading and
studying, and a wonderful genius for mathematical learning, in which
he far outstript me. While I liv'd in Boston, most of my hours of
leisure for conversation were spent with him, and he continu'd a sober
as well as an industrious lad; was much respected for his learning by
several of the clergy and other gentlemen, and seemed to promise
making a good figure in life. But, during my absence, he had acquir'd
a habit of sotting with brandy; and I found by his own account, and
what I heard from others, that he had been drunk every day since his
arrival at New York, and behav'd very oddly. He had gam'd, too, and
lost his money, so that I was oblig'd to discharge his lodgings, and
defray his expenses to and at Philadelphia, which prov'd extremely
inconvenient to me.
The then governor of New York, Burnet (son of Bishop Burnet), hearing
from the captain that a young man, one of his passengers, had a great
many books, desir'd he would bring me to see him. I waited upon him
accordingly, and should have taken Collins with me but that he was not
sober. The gov'r. treated me with great civility, show'd me his
library, which was a very large one, and we had a good deal of
conversation about books and authors. This was the second governor who
had done me the honour to take notice of me; which, to a poor boy like
me, was very pleasing.
We proceeded to Philadelphia. I received on the way Vernon's money,
without which we could hardly have finish'd our journey. Collins
wished to be employ'd in some counting-house; but, whether they
discover'd his dramming by his breath, or by his behaviour, tho' he
had some recommendations, he met with no success in any application,
and continu'd lodging and boarding at the same house with me, and at
my expense. Knowing I had that money of Vernon's, he was continually
borrowing of me, still promising repayment as soon as he should be in