enquired where he had bought it, and went ftraight to the baker's fhop which he pointed out to me. I asked for fome bifcuits, expecting to find fuch as we had at Bofton; but they made, it feems, none of that fort at Philadelphia. I then asked for a three penny loaf. They made no loaves of that price. Finding myself ignorant of the prices, as well as of the different kinds of bread, I defired him to let me have three pennyworth of bread of fome kind or other. He gave me three large rolls. I was furprized at receiving fo much I took them, however, and having no room in my pockets, I walked on with a roll under each arm, eating the third. In this manner I went through Market-ftreet to Fourthftreet, and paffed the house of Mr. Read, the father of my future wife. She was standing at the door, obferved me, and thought, with reason, that I made a very fingular and grotefque appear

ance.

I then turned the corner, and went through Chefnut-ftreet, eating my roll all the way; and having made this round, I found myself again on Market-ftreet wharf, near the boat in which 1 had arrived. I ftepped into it to take a draught of the river water; and finding myself satisfied with my firft roll, I gave the other two to a woman and her child, who had come down the river with us in the boat, and was waiting to continue her journey. Thus refreshed, I regained the ftreet, which was now full of well dreffed people, all going the fame way. I joined them, and was thus led to a large Quaker's meetinghoufe near the Market-place. I fat down with the reft, and after looking round me for fome time, hearing nothing faid, and being drowsy from my last night's labour and want of reft, I fell into a found fleep. In this fstate I continued

till the affembly dispersed, when one of the congregation had the goodness to wake me. This was confequently the first house I entered or in which I flept at Philadelphia.

་

I began again to walk along the street by the river fide; and looking attentively in the face of every one I met, I at length perceived a young quaker whofe countenance pleased me. I accofted him, and begged him to inform me where a ftranger might find a lodging. We were then near the fign of the Three Mariners. They receive travellers here, faid he, but it is not a house that bears a good character; if you will go with me, I will fhew you a better one. He conducted me to the Crooked Billet, in Water-street. There I ordered fomething for dinner, and during my meal a number of curious questions were put to me; my youth and appearance exciting the fufpicion of my being a runaway. After dinner my drowfinefs returned, and I threw myfelf upon a bed without taking off my clothes, and flept till fix o'clock in the evening, when I was called to fupper. I afterwards went to bed at a very early hour, and did not awake till the next morning.

As foon as I got up I put myself in as decent a trim as I could, and went to the houfe of Andrew Bradford the printer. I found his father in the fhop, whom I had feen at New-York. Having travelled on horfeback, he had arrived at Philadelphia before me. He introduced me to his fon, who received me with civility, and gave me fome breakfast; but told me he had no occafion at prefent for a journeyman, having lately procured one. He added, that there was another printer newly fettled in the town, of the name of Keimer, who might perhaps employ me; and that in cafe of refufal, I fhould be welcome to

lodge at his houfe, and he would give me a lit tle work now and then, till fomething better fhould offer.

The old man offered to introduce me to the new printer. When we were at his house: "Neighbour," faid he, "I bring you a young man in the printing business; perhaps you may

liave need of his fervices."

Keimer afked me fome questions, put a compofing ftick in my hand to fee how I could work, and then faid, that at prefent he had nothing for me to do, but that he fhould foon be able to employ me. At the fame time taking old Bradford for an inhabitant of the town well-difpofed towards him, he communicated his project to him, and the profpect he had of fuccefs. Bradford was careful not to discover that he was the father of the other printer; and from what Keimer had faid, that he hoped fhortly to be in poffeffion of the greater part of the bufinefs of the town, led him by artful queftions, and by ftarting fome difficulties, to difclofe all his views, what his hopes were founded upon, and how he intended to proceed. I was prefent, and heard it all. I inftantly faw that one of the two was a cunning old fox, and the other a perfect novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, who was ftrangely furprized when I informed him who the old man was.

I found Keimer's printing materials to confift of an old damaged prefs, and a fmall caft of wornout English letters, with which he was himself at work upon an elegy on Aquila Rofe, whom I have mentioned above, an ingenious young man, and of an excellent character, highly efteemed in the town, fecretary to the affembly, and a very tolerable poet. Keimer alfo made verfes, but they were indifferent ones. He could not be faid to write in verfe, for his method was to set the

lines as they flowed from his mufe; and as he worked without copy, had but one fet of lettercafes, and the elegy would probably occupy all his type, it was impoffible for any one to affift him. I endeavoured to put his prefs in order, which he had not yet ufed, and of which indeed he understood nothing: and having promifed to come and work off his elegy as foon as it fhould be ready, I returned to the houfe of Bradford, who gave me fome trifle to do for the prefent, for which I had my board and lodging.

In a few days Keimer fent for me to print off his elegy. He had now procured another set of letter-cafes, and had a pamphlet to reprint, upon which he fet me to work.

The two Philadelphia printers appeared deftitute of every qualification neceffary in their profeffion. Bradford had not been brought up to it, and was very iliterate. Keimer, though he understood a little of the bufinefs, was merely a compofitor, and wholly incapable of working at the prefs. He had been one of the French prophets, and knew how to imitate their fupernatural agitations. At the time of our firft acquaintance he profeffed no particular religion, but a little of all upon occafion. He was totally ignorant of the world, and a great knave at heart, as I had afterwards an opportunity of experiencing.

Keimer could not endure that, working with him, I fhould lodge at Bradford's. He had indeed a houfe, but it was unfurnished; fo that he could not take me in. He procured me a lodging at Mr. Read's, his landlord, whom I have already mentioned. My trunk and effects being now arrived, I thought of making, in the eyes of Mifs Read, a more refpectable appearance

D 2

than

him. It was thus concluded that I fhould return to Boston by the firft veffel, with the letter of recommendation from the governor to my father. Meanwhile the project was to be kept fecret, and I continued to work for Keimer as before.

The governor fent every now and then to invite me to dine with him. I confidered this as a very great honour; and I was the more fenfible of it, as he converfed with me in the moft affable, familiar, and friendly manner imaginable.

Towards the end of April 1724, a small veffel was ready to fail for Bofton. I took leave of Keimer, upon the pretext of going to fee my parents. The governor gave me a long letter, in which he said many flattering things of me to my father; and ftrongly recommended the project of my fettling at Philadelphia, as a thing which could not fail to make my fortune.

Going down the bay we ftruck on a flat, and fprung a leak. The weather was very tempeftuous, and we were obliged to pump without intermiffion; I took my turn. We arrived however fafe and found at Bofton, after about a fortnight's paffage.

I had been abfent feven complete months, and my relations, during that interval, had received no intelligence of me; for my brother-in-law, Holmes, was not yet returned, and had not written about me. My unexpected appearance furprized the family; but they were all delighted at feeing me again, and, except my brother, welcomed me home. I went to him at the printing-house. I was bettter dreffed than 1 had ever been while in his fervice: I had a complete fuit of clothes, new and neat, a watch in my pocket, and my purfe was furnished with nearly five

pounds