stationers and booksellers." This I acknowledged was desirable. "That being the case," added he, "hold yourself in readiness to go with the Annis." This was the annual vessel, and the only one, at that tine, which made regular vo, ages between the ports of London and Philadelphia. "But the Annis was not to sail for some n:onths. I therefore continued to work with Keimer, unhappy respecting the sum which Collins had drawn from me, and almost in continual agony at the thoughts of Vernon, who fortunately made no demand of his money till several years after. In the account of my first voyage from Boston to Philadelphia, I omitted, I believe, a trifling circui stance, which will not, perhaps, be out of place here During a calm, which stopped us above Block Island, the crew employed themselves in fishing for cod, t which they caught a great number. I had hitherto adhered to my resolution of not eating any thing tha had possessed life; and I considered, on this occasion agreeably to the maxims of my master Tyron, the cap ture of every fish as a sort of murder, committed with out provocation, since these animals had neither done, nor were capable of doing, the smallest injury to any one that should justify the measure. This mode of reasoning I conceived to be unanswerable. Mea white, i had formerly been extremely fond of fish; and, wheu one of these cods was taken on of the fry ing-pan, I thought its flavour delicious. I hesitate son.e time hetween principle and inclination, till at last recollecting, that when the cod had been open | some small fish were found in its belly, I said to my self, if you eat one another, I see no reason why w may not eat you. I accordingly dined on the cod wit no small degree of pleasure, and have since cortimus I to eat like the rest of mankind, returning only occa sionally to my vegetable plan. How convenient d94 it prove to be a rational animal, that knows how to find or invent a plausible pretext for whatever it hidə an inclination to do. I continued to live upon good terms with Keimer, who had not the smallest suspicion of my projected on. He sul retained a portion of his form. d, being fond of argunent, we fie quently disputed together. I was so much in the habit of using my Socratic method, and so frequently puz zled him by my questions, which appeared at first very distant from the point in debate, yet, nevertheless, led to it by degrees, involving him in difficulties and contradictions from which he was unable to extricate himself, that he became at last ridiculously cautious, and would scarcely answer the most plain and fa miliar question without previously asking me-What would you infer from that? Hence he formed so high an opinion of my talents for refutation, that he seri Dusly proposed to me to become his colleague in the establishment of a new religious sect. He was to propagate the doctrine by preaching, and I to refute every opponent. When he explained to me his tenets, I found many absurdities which I refused to admit, unless he would agree in turn to adopt some of my opinions. Keimer wore his beard long, because Moses had somewhere said, "Thou shalt not mar the corners of thy beard." He likewise observed the Sabbath; and these were with him two very essential points. I disliked them both; but I consented to adopt them, provided he would agree to abstain from animal 100d. "I doubt," said he," whether my constitution will be able to sup port it." I assured him on the contrary, that he would find himself the better for it. He was naturally a glut ton, and I wished to amuse myself by starving him. He consented to make trial of this regimen, if I would bear him company; and, in reality, we continued it for three months. A woman in the neighbourhood prepared and brought us our victuals, to whom I gave a list of forty dishes; in the composition of which there entered neither desh nor fish. This fancy was the more agreeable to me, as it turned to good account for the whole expense of our living did not exceed for each, eighteen-pence a week. I have since that period observed several lents with the greatest strictness, and have suddenly returned again to my ordmary diet, without experiencing the smallest inconvenience; which has led me to regaid as of no importance the advice commonly given, of introducing gradually such alterations of reginen. * I continued it cheerfully; but poor Keimer suffered terribly. Tired of the project, he sighed for the fleshpots of Egypt. At length he ordered a roast pig, and invited me and two of our female acquaintance to dine with him; but the pig being ready a little too soon, he could not resist the temptation, and eat it all up before we arrived. During the circumstances I have related, I had paid sone attentions to Miss Read. I entertained for her the utmost esteem and affection; and I had reason to believe that these sentiments were mutual. But we were both young, scarcely more than eighteen years of age; and, as I was on the point of undertaking a long voyage, her mother thought it prudent to prevent matters being carried too far for the present, judging that, if marriage was our object, there would be more propriety in it after my return, when, as at least I expected, I should be established in my business. Perhaps also she thought that my expectations were not so well founded as I imagined. My most intimate acquaintances at this time were Charles Osborne, Joseph Watson, and James Ralph; young men who were all fond of reading. The two first were clerks to Mr. Charles Brockdon, one of the principal attorneys in the town, and the other, clerk to a mer chant. Watson was an upright, pious, and sensible young man: the others were somewhat more loose in their principles of religion, particularly Ralph, whose faith, as well as that of Collins, I had contributed to shake, each of whom made me suffer a very adeqone punishment. Osborne was sensible, and sincere and affectionate in his friendships, but touch inclined to the critic in matters of literature Ralph was in genious and shrewd, genteel in his address, and extremely eloquent. I do not remember to have met with a more agreeable speaker. They were both enamoured of the muses, and had already evinced their passion by some small poetical productions. It was the custom with us to take a charming walk on Sundays, in the woods that border the Skuylkill. Here we read together, and afterwards conversed on what we read. Ralph was disposed to give himself up entirely to poetry. He flattered himself that Jo should arrive at great eminence in the art, and even acquire a fortune. The sublimest poets, he pretended, when they first began to write, committed as many faul's as himself. Osborne endeavoured to dissuade him, by assuring him that he had no genius for poetry, and advised him to stick to the trade in which he had been brought up. "In the road of commerce," said he," you will be sure, by diligence and assiduity, though you have no capital, of so far succeeding as to be employed as a factor; and may thus, in time, ac quire the means of setting up for yourself." I concurred in these sentiments, but at the same time ex pressed my approbation of amusing ourselves sometime with poetry, with a view to in.prove our style. In consequence of this it was proposed, that, at our next meeting, each of us should bring a copy of versus of his own composition. Our object m this competi tion was to benefit each other by our mutual remarks, criticisms, and corrections; and as style and expres sion were all we had in view, we excluded every idea of invention, by agreeing that our task should be a version of the eighteenth psalm, in which is described the descent of the Deity. The time of our meeting drew near, when Ralph called upon me, and told me that his performance was ready. I informed him that I had been idle, and, not much liking the task, had done nothing. He show ed me his piece, and asked me what I thought of it. I expressed myself in terms of warm approbation: because it really appeared to have considerable merit. He then said, "Osbome will never acknowledge the smallest degree of excellence in any production of mine. Envy alone dictates to him a thousand animadversions. Of you, he is not so jealous: I wish, herefore, you would take the verses, and produce them as your own. I will pretend not to have had leisure to write any thing. We shall then see in what manner ne will speak of them. I agreed to this little artifice, and immediately transcribed the verses to prevent all suspicion. We met. Watson's performance was the first that was read. I had some beauties, but many faults. We next read Oshorne's, which was much better. He Ralph did it justice, remarking a few imperfections, and applauding such parts as were excellent. had himself nothing to show. It was now my turn. I made some difficulty; seemed as if I wished to be excused; pretended that I had no time to make corrections, &c. No excuse, however, was admissible, the piece must be produced. It was read and re-read. Watson and Osborne immediately resigned the pairo and united in applauding it. Ralph alone made a few remarks, and proposed some alterations; but I de fended my text. Osborne agreed with me, and told Ralph that he was no more able to criticise than he was able to write. When Osborne was alone with me, he expressed himself still more strongly in favour of what he con sidered as my performance. He pretended that he had put some restraint on himself before, apprehensive of my construing his commendations into flattery. "But who would have supposed," said he, “Franklin to be capable of such a composition? What painting, what energy, what fire! He has surpassed the original. In his common conversation he appears not to have a choice of words; he hesitates, and is at a loss and yet, good God, how he writes." At our next meeting, Ralph discovered the trick we had played Osborne, who was rallied without mercy. By this adventure Ralph was fixed in his resolution of becoming a poet. I left nothing unattempted to divert him from his purpose; but he persevered, till at last the reading of Pope* effected his cure: he be came, however, a very tolerable prose writer. I shall speak more of him hereafter, but as I shall probably have no farther occasion to mention the other two, I ought to observe here, that Watsor died a few years after in my arms. He was greatly regretted for he was the best of our society. Osborne went to the is lands where he gained considerable reputation as a barrister, and was getting money; but he died young. Probably the Dunciad, where we find him thus immor talized by the author: Silence ye wolves, while Ralph to Cynthia howls |