rality, politics, or philosophy, which were to be discussed by the society; and to read, once in three months, an essay of his own composition, on whatever subject he pleased. Our debates were under the direction of a president, and were to be dictated only by a sincere desire of truth; the pleasure of disputing, and the vanity of triumph, having no share in the business; and in order to prevent undue warmth every expression which implied obstinate adherence o an opinion, and all direct contradiction, were pro hibited, under small pecuniary penalties.

The first members of our club were Joseph Breint nal, whose occupation was that of a scrivener. He was a middle-aged man, of a good natural disposi tion, strongly auacned to his friends, a great lover of poetry, reading every thing that came in his way, and writing tolerably well, ingenious in many little trifles, and of an agreeable conversation.

Thomas Godfrey, a skilful, though self-taught ma thematician, and who was afterwards the inventor of what now goes by the name of Hadley's dial; but he nad little knowledge out of his own line, and was ir supportable in company, always requiring, like the majority of mathematicians that have fallen in my way, an unusual precision in every thing that is said, continually contradicting, or making trifling distinctions; a sure way of defeating all the ends of conversation. He very soon left us.

Nicholas Scull, a surveyor, and who became, afterwards, surveyor-general. He was fond of books, and

wrote verses.

William Parsons, brought up to the trade of a shoemaker, but who, having a taste for reading, had arquired a profound knowledge of mathematics. Ho first studied them with a view to astrology, and was afterwards the first to laugh at his folly. He also be came surveyor-general.

William Mawgride, a joiner, and very excellent nechanic; and in other respects a man of solid un erstanding.

Hugh Meredith, Stephen Potts, and George Web, of whom I have already spoken.

Robert Grace, a young man of fortune; generos,

animated, and witty; fond of epigrams, but more fond of his friends.

And, lastly, William Coleman, at that time a merchant's clerk, and nearly of my own age. He had a cooler and clearer head, a better heart, and more scrupulous morals, than almost any other person I have ever met with. He became a very respectable merchant, and one of our provincial judges. Ou friendship subsisted, without interruption, for more han forty years, till the period of his death; and the lub continued to exist almost as long.

'This was the best school for politics and philosophy that then existed in the province; for our questions, which were read once a week previous to their discussion, induced us to peruse attentively, such books as were written upon the subjects proposed, that we might be able to speak upon them more pertinently. We thus acquired the habit of conversing more agreeably; every object being discussed conformably to our regulations, and in a manner to prevent mutual dis gust. To this circumstance may be attributed the long duration of the club; which I shall have frequent occasion to mention as I proceed.

I have introduced it here, as being one of the means on which I had to count for success in my business, every member exerting himself to procure work for us. Breintnal, among others, obtained for us, on the part of the quakers, the printing of forty sheets of their history; of which the rest was to be done by Keimer. Our execution of this work was, by no means, masterly; as the price was very low. It was in folio, upon pro patria paper, and in the pica letter, with heavy notes, in the smallest type. I composed sheet a-day, and Meredith put it to the press. It vas frequently eleven o'clock at night, sometimes ater, oefore I had finished my distribution for the next day's task; for the little things which our friends Occasionally sent us, kept us back in this work: but I was so determined to compose a sheet a-day, that one evening, when my form was imposed, and my day's work, as I thought, at an end, an accident having broken this form, and deranged two complete folio pages, I inmediately distributed, and composed them wew before I went to bed.

This unwearied industry, which was perceived by bur neighbours, began to acquire us reputation and credit. I learned, among other things, that our new printing-house, being the subject of conversation at a club of merchants, who met every evening, it was the general opinion that it would fail; there being already two printing-houses in the town, Keimer's and Bradford's. But Dr. Bard, whom you and I had ccasion to see, many years after, at liis native town f St. Andrew's, in Scotland, was of a different opin on. "The industry of this Franklin (said he superior to any thing of the kind I have ever witnessed. I see him still at work when I return from the club at night, and he is at it again in the .norning before his neighbours are out of bed." This account struck the rest of the assembly, and, shortly after, one of its neinbers came to our house, and offered to supply us with articles of stationary; but we wished not, as yet, to embarrass ourselves with keeping a shop. It is not for the sake of applause that I ev er so freely into the particulars of my industry, but that such of my descendants as shall read these memoirs may know the use of this virtue, by seeing, in the recital of my life, the effects it operated in my favour.

George Webb, having found a friend who lent him the necessary sum to buy out his time of Keimer, came one day to offer himself to us as a journeyman. We could not employ him inmediately; but I 1001ishly told him, under the rose, that I intended shortly to publish a new periodical paper, and that we should then have work for him. My hopes of success, which I imparted to him, were founded on the circumstance, that the only paper we had in Philadelphia, at that time, and which Bradford printed, was a paltry thing, miserably conducted, in no respect amusing, and which yet was profitable. I consequently supposed that a good work of this kind could not fail of success. Webb betrayed my secret to Keimer, who, to prevent me, immediately published the prospectus o a paper that he intended to institute himself, and in which Webb was to be engaged.

I was exasperated at this proceeding, and, with a view to counteract them bein able at present to

institute my own paper, I wrote some humorous pieces in Bradford's, under the title of the Busy Body, and which was continued for several months by Breintral. I hereby fixed the attention of the public upon Bradford's paper, aid the prospectus of Keimer, which we turned into ridicule, was treated with contempt. He began, notwithstanding, his paper; and, after continuing it for nine months, having, at most, not more than ninety subscribers, he offered it to me for a mere trifle. I had for some time heen ready for such an engagement; therefore instantly took it upon myself, and in a few years it proved extremely profitable to me.

I per cive that I am apt to speak in the first person, though our partnership still continued. li is, perhaps, because, in fact, the whole business devolved upon me. Meredith was no compositor, and but an Kidifferent pressinau; and it was rarely that he aòstained from hard drinking. My friends were sorry to see me connected with him; but I contrived to derive from, it the utmost advantage the case admitted.

Our first number produced no other effect than any other paper which had appeared in the province, as to type and printing; but some remarks, in my pecuHar style of writing, upon the dispute which then prevailed between Governor Burnet and the Massahusetts Assembly, struck some persons as above me. thrity, caused the paper and its editors to be talked of, and, in a few weeks, induced them to become our subscribers. Many others followed their example; and our subscription continued to increase. was one of the first good effects of the pains I had aken to learn to put my ideas on paper. I derived his farther advantage from it, that the leading men f the place, seeing in the author of this publication man so well able to use his pen, thought it right to patronise and encourage me.

This

The votes, laws, and other public pieces, were printed by Bradford. An address of the House of

A manuscript note in the file of the American Mercury, eserved in the Philadelphia library, says, that Frankiia rate the five first numbers and part of the eighth,

Assenibly to the Governor, had been executed by him in a very coarse and incorrect manner. We reprinted it with accuracy and neatness, and sent a copy to every member. They perceived the difference; and it so strengthened the influence of our friends in the Assembly, that we were nominated its printer for the following year.

Among these friends, I ought not to forget one meinber in particular, Mr. Hamilton, whom I have mentioned in a former pan of my narrative, and who was now returned from England. He wannly interested himself for me on this occasion, as he did likewise on many others afterwards; having continued his kindness to me till his death.

About this period Mr. Vernon reminded me of the debt I owed him, but without pressing me for pay ment. I wrote a handsome letter on the occasion, begging hi:n to wait a little longer, to which he consented; and as soon as I was able, I paid him prin cipal and interest, with many expressions of gratitude; so that this error of my life was, in a manner, atoned for.

But another trouble now happened to me, which I had not the smallest reason to expect. Meredith's father, who, according to our agreement, was to defray the whole expense of our printing materials, had only paid a hundred pounds. Another hundred was still due, and the merchant being tired of waiting, commenced a suit against us.” We bailed the action, but with the melancholy prospect, that, if the money was not forthcoming at the time fixed, the affair would come to issue, judgment be put in execution, our delightful hopes be annihilated, and ourselves entirely uin as the type and press must be soid, perhaps at half their value, to pay the debt.

hing

In this distress, two rea! friends, whose generous conduct I have never forgotten, and ever shail forget, while retain the remembrance of a came to me separately without the knowledge each other, and without my having applied to eithe of them. Each fered whatever nioney might b necessary to take the busness mto my own hands, if the thing was practicable, as they did not like i