under no apprehenfions for his life. Before he could turn himself, we were able, by a few ftrokes of our oars, to place ourselves out of his reach; and whenever he touched the boat, we afked him if he would row, ftriking his hands at the fame time with the oars to make him let go his hold. He was nearly fuffocated with rage, but obftinately refused making any promife to row. Perceiving at length that his ftrength began to be exhaufted, we took him into the boat, and conveyed him home in the evening completely drenched. The utmost coldness fubfifted between us after this adventure. At laft the At laft the captain of a Weft-India fhip, who was commiffioned to procure a tutor for the children of a gentleman at Barbadocs, meeting with Collins offered him the place. He accepted it, and took his leave of me, promifing to discharge the debt he owed me with the first money he fhould receive; but I have heard nothing of him fince.

The violation of the truft repofed in me by Vernon, was one of the firft great errors of my life; and it proves that my father was not miftaken when he fuppofed me too young to be intrufted with the management of important affairs. But Sir William, upon reading his letter, thought him too prudent. There was a difference, he faid, between individuals: years of maturity were not always accompanied with difcretion, neither was youth in every inftance devoid of it. Since your father, added he, will not fet you up in business, I will do it myself. Make out a list of what will be wanted from England, and I will fend for the articles. You fhall repay me when you can. I am determined to have a good printer here, and I am fure you will fucceed. This was faid with fo much feeming cordiality, that I fufpected not for an inftant the fincerity of the offer.

offer. I had hitherto kept the project, with which Sir William had infpired me, of fettling in bufinefs, a fecret at Philadelphia, and I still continued to do fo. Had my reliance on the governor been known, fome friend, better acquainted with his character than myfelf, would doubtlefs have advised me not to truft him; for I afterwards learned that he was univerfally known to be liberal of promises, which he had no intention to perform. But having never folicited him, how could I fuppofe his offers to be deceitful? On the contrary, I believed him to be the best man in the world.

I gave him an inventory of a fmall printingoffice; the expence of which I had calculated at about a hundred pounds fterling. He expreffed his approbation; but afked, if my prefence in England, that I might choose the characters myfelf, and fee that every article was good in its kind, would not be an advantage? You will alfo be able, faid he, to form fome acquaintance there, and establish a correfpondence with ftationers and bookfellers. This I acknowledged was defirable. That being the cafe, added he, hold yourself in readiness to go with the Annis. This was the annual veffel, and the only one, at that time, which made regular voyages between the ports of London and Philadelphia. But the Annis was not to fail for fome months. I therefore continued to work with Keimer, unhappy refpecting the fum 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 feveral years after.

In the account of my firft voyage from Bofton to Philadelphia, I omitted I believe a trifling circumftance, which will not perhaps be out of place here. During a calm which ftopped us above

Block

Block-Island, the crew employed themselves in fifhing for cod, of which they caught a great number. I had hitherto adhered to my refolution of not eating any thing that had poffeffed life; and I confidered on this occafion, agreeably to the maxims of my mafter Tryon, the capture of every fish as a fort of murder, committed without provocation, fince thefe animals had neither done, nor were capable of doing, the fmalleft injury to any one that fhould juftify the measure. This mode of reafoning I conceived to be unanfwerable. Meanwhile I had formerly been extremely fond of fifh; and when one of thefe cod was taken out of the frying pan, I thought its flavour delicious. I hefitated fome time between principle and inclination, till at laft recollecting, that when the cod had been opened fome fmall fish were found in its belly, I faid to myself, If you eat one another, I fee no reason why we may not eat you. I accordingly dined on the cod with no small degree of pleasure, and have fince continued to eat like the reft of mankind, returning only occafionally to my vegetable plan. How convenient does it prove to be a rational animal, that knows how to find or invent a plaufible pretext for whatever it has an inclination to do!

I continued to live upon good terms with Keimer, who had not the fmalleft fufpicion of my projected establishment. He ftill retained a por tion of his former enthufiafm; and being fond of argument, we frequently difputed together. I was fo much in the habit of ufing my Socratic method, and had fo frequently puzzled him by my queitions, 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 ex

tricate

tricate himself, that he became at laft ridiculously cautious, and would fcarcely anfwer the most plain and familiar queftion without previously afking me-What would you infer from that? Hence he formed fo high an opinion of my talents for refutation, that he seriously propofed to me to become his colleague in the eftablifhment of a new religious fect. He was to propagate the doctrine by preaching, and I to refute every opponent.

When he explained to me his tenets, I found many abfurdities which I refused to admit, unlefs he would agree in turn to adopt fome of my opinions. Keimer wore his beard long, becaufe Mofes had fomewhere faid, Thou shalt not mar the corners of thy beard. He likewise observed the Sabbath; and these were with him two very effential points. I difliked them both; but I confented to adopt them, provided he would agree to abftain from animal food. I doubt, faid he, whether my conftitution will be able to fupport it. I affured him, on the contrary, that he would find himself the better for it. He was naturally a glutton, and I wifhed to amufe myfelf by ftarving him. He confented 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 lift of forty dishes; in the compofition of which there entered neither flefh nor fish. This fancy was the more agreeable to me, as it turned to good account; for the whole expence of our living did not exceed for each eighteen-pence a week.

I have fince that period obferved feveral Lents with the greateft ftrictnefs, and have fuddenly returned again to my ordinary diet, without experiencing the fmalleft inconvenience; which has

led

led me to regard as of no importance the advice commonly given, of introducing gradually fuch alterations of regimen.

I continued it cheerfully; but poor Keimer fuffered terribly. Tired of the project, he fighed for the flesh-pots of Egypt. At length he ordered a roaft pig, and invited me and two of our female acquaintance to dine with him; but the pig being ready a little too foon, he could not refift the temptation, and eat it all up before we arrived.

During the circumftances I have related, I had paid fome attentions to Mifs Read. I entertained for her the utmost esteem and affection; and I had reafon to believe that these fentiments were mutual. But we were both young, fcarcely 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 prefent, judging that, if marriage was our object, there would be more propriety in it after my return, when, as at leaft I expected, I fhould be established in my bufinefs. Perhaps alfo fhe thought that my expectations were not fo well founded as I imagined.

Wat

My moft intimate acquaintance at this time were Charles Ofborne, Jofeph Watfon, and James Ralph; young men who were all fond of reading. The two firft were clerks to Mr. Charles Brockdon, one of the principal attornies in the town, and the other clerk to a merchant. fon was an upright, pious and fenfible young man: the others were fomewhat 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 fuffer a very adequate punishment. Osborne was

fenfible,