pounds fterling in money. He gave me no very civil reception; and having eyed me from head to foot, refumed his work.

The workmen afked me with eagerness where I had been, what fort of a country it was, and how I liked it. I spoke in the higheft terms of Philadelphia, the happy life we led there, and expreffed my intention of going back again. One of them afking what fort of money we had, I difplayed before them a handful of filver, which I drew from my pocket. This was a curiofity to which they were not accustomed, paper being the current money at Bofton. I failed not after this to let them fee my watch; and at laft, my brother continuing fullen and out of humour, I gave them a fhilling to drink, and took my leave. This vifit ftung my brother to the foul; for when, fhortly after, my mother fpoke to him of a reconciliation, and a defire to fee us upon good terms, he told her that I had fo infulted him before his men, that he would never forget or forgive it; in this, however, he was miftaken.

The governor's letter appeared to excite in my father fome furprise; but he faid little. After fome days, captain Holmes being returned, he fhowed it him, afking him if he knew Keith, and what fort of a man he was: adding, that, in his opinion, it proved very little difcernment to think of fetting up a boy in bufinefs, who for three years to come would not be of an age to be ranked in the clafs of men. Holmes faid every thing he could in favour of the fcheme; but my father firmly maintained its abfurdity, and at laft gave a pofitive refufal. He wrote, however, a civil letter to Sir William, thanking him for the protection he had fo obligingly offered me, but refufing to aflift me for the prefent, because he thought me too young to be entrusted with the

conduct

conduct of fo important an enterprife, and which would require fo confiderable a fum of money.

My old comrade Collins, who was a clerk in the poft-office, charmed with the account I gave of my new refidence, expreffed a defire of going thither; and while I waited my father's determination, he fet off before me, by land, for Rhode Island, leaving his books, which formed a handsome collection in mathematics and natural philofophy, to be conveyed with mine to NewYork, where he purposed to wait for me.

My father, though he could not approve Sir William's propofal, was yet pleafed that I had obtained fo advantageous a recommendation as that of a person of his rank, and that my induftry and œconomy had enabled me to equip myfelf fo handfomely in fo fhort a period. Seeing no appearance of accommodating matters between my brother and me, he confented to my return to Philadelphia, advised me to be civil to every body, to endeavour to obtain general esteem, and avoid fatire and farcafm, to which he thought I was too much inclined; adding, that, with perfeverance and prudent economy, I might, by. the time I became of age, fave enough to establish myself in business; and that if a fmall fum fhould then be wanting, he would undertake to fupply it.

This was all I could obtain from him, except fome trifling presents, in token of friendship from him and my mother. I embarked once more for New-York, furnished at this time with their approbation and bleffing. The floop having touched at Newport in Rhode Island, I paid a vifit to my brother John, who had for fome years been fettled there, and was married. He had always been attached to me, and he received me with great affection. One of his friends, whose

name

name was Vernon, having a debt of about thirtyfix pounds due to him in Penfylvania, begged me to receive it for him, and to keep the money till I should hear from: accordingly he gave me an order for that purpose. This affair occafioned me, in the fequel, much uneasiness.

At Newport we took on board a number of paffengers; among whom were two young women, and a grave and fenfible quaker lady with her fervants. I had shown an obliging forwardnefs in rendering the quaker fome trifling fervices, which led her, probably, to feel an interest in my welfare; for when the faw a familiarity take place, and every day increase, between the two young women and me, fhe took me afide and faid: "Young man, I am in pain for thee. Thou haft no parent to watch over thy conduct, and thou feemeft to be ignorant of the world, and the fnares to which youth is expofed. Rely upon what I tell thee: thofe are women of bad characters; I perceive it in all their actions. If thou doft not take care, they will lead thee into danger. They are ftrangers to thee, and I advise thee, by the friendly intereft I take in thy prefervation, to form no connection with them." As I appeared at firft not to think quite fo ill of them as fhe did, fhe related many things the had feen and heard, which had escaped my attention, but which convinced me that fhe was in the right. I thanked her for her obliging advice, and promifed to follow it.

When we arrived at New-York, they informed me where they lodged, and invited me to come and fee them. I did not however go, and it was well I did not; for the next day, the captain, miffing a filver fpoon and fome other things which had been taken from the cabin, and knowing these women to be proftitutes, procured a

fearch

fearch warrant, found the ftolen goods upon them, and had them punished. And thus, after having been faved from one rock concealed under water, upon which the veffel ftruck during our paffage, I efcaped another of a ftill more dangerous nature.

At New-York I found my friend Collins, who had arrived fome time before. We had been intimate from our infancy, and had read the fame books together; but he had the advantage of be ing able to devote more time to reading and ftudy, and an aftonishing difpofition for mathematics, in which he left me far behind him. When at Bofton, I had been accustomed to pass with him almost all my leisure hours. He was then a fober and induftrious lad; his knowledge had gained him a very general esteem, and he feemed to promise to make an advantageous figure in fociety. But, during my abfence, he had unfortunately addicted himself to brandy, and I learned, as well from himself as from the report of others, that every day fince his arrival at NewYork he had been intoxicated, and had acted in a very extravagant manner. He had also played and loft all his money; fo that I was obliged to pay his expences at the inn, and to maintain him during the reft of his journey; a burthen that was very inconvenient to me.

The governor of New-York, whofe name was Burnet, hearing the captain fay that a young man who was a paffenger in his fhip had a great number of books, begged him to bring me to his houfe. I accordingly went, and fhould have taken Collins with me, had he been fober. The governor treated me with great civility, fhewed me his library, which was a very confiderable one, and we talked fome time upon books and authors. This was the fecond governor who had honour

ed

ed me with his attention; and to a poor boy, as I was then, these little adventures did not fail to be pleasing.

We arrived at Philadelphia. On the way I received Vernon's money, without which we fhould have been unable to finish our journey.

Collins wifhed to get employment as a merchant's clerk; but either his breath or his countenance betrayed his bad habit; for, though he had recommendations, he met with no fuccefs, and continued to lodge and eat with me, and at my expence. Knowing that I had Vernon's money, he was continually afking me to lend him fome of it; promifing to repay me as foon as he hould get employment. At last he had drawn fo much of this money, that I was extremely alarmed at what might become of me, fhould he fail to make good the deficiency. His habit of drinking did not at all diminish, and was a frequent fource of difcord between us; for when he had drank a little too much, he was very. headstrong.

Being one day in a boat together, on the Delaware, with fome other young perfons, he refufed to take his turn in rowing. You fhall row for me, faid he, till we get home.-No, I replied, we will not row for you. You shall, said he, or remain upon the water all night.-As you please.-Let us row, faid the reft of the company; what fignifies whether he affifts or not? But, already angry with him for his conduct in other refpects, I perfifted in my refufal. He then fwore that he would make me row, or would throw me out of the boat; and he made up to me. As foon as he was within my reach I took him by the collar, gave him a violent thrust, and threw him head foremost into the river. I knew that he was a good swimmer, and was therefore

under