IV. EXTRACTS FROM "JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE FROM LONDON TO PHILADELPHIA'

Written in 1726

COMMENT. It was evidently Franklin's intention that the Journal written on the return voyage should form a part of the narrative of his life; or, if he should live to revise and conclude the Autobiography with the aid of his papers, should serve as material for some paragraphs to be inserted in this place. The Journal was printed by the grandson of the writer, W. T. Franklin, from a copy made in 1787, before Franklin's death. In itself, this piece of writing is possibly more remarkable than the Autobiography, for an old man invariably remembers his youth in the light of later experience, but these pages come to us as they were written by Franklin in his twentieth year. This is important, for they contain evidence of habits of observation and study far beyond any to be inferred from the incidents narrated in the Autobiography. The lad had already begun to compare the statements read in books with facts as he observed them, and manifested the same lively interest in the phenomena of nature which led him in the end to a position of honor among the foremost scientists of

his age.

This Journal also shows that he had already formed a habit of reflecting upon the conduct of his companions and of drawing conclusions from these observations, which for him took the place of moral precepts. This habit was characteristic of the man in later years, and to it may be traced his shrewd understanding of human nature, and his wisdom in the conduct of his own relations with men, in times that especially tried the judgment.

But if there were no other reason for including parts of this

Journal in the Autobiography the excellence of the composition and the style in which it is written would be sufficient. It would be hard, indeed, even in this age of schools and libraries, when books and instruction may be had for the seeking, to find any lad of twenty who had already, for ten years, earned his own livelihood, able and inclined to compose for pleasure, or improvement, an equal number of pages; it would be even more remarkable to find them readable and full of interest. This Journal should be read as a measure of the boy of twenty; it should be estimated by his power of description, his skill in making a pleasing narrative out of the incidents of his life, and also by the accuracy and fulness of detail in the information he gives, or the observations made. Especially, indirect testimony should be taken from it of the nature of Franklin's mind, and of his character, at twenty.

D.

Journal of occurrences in my Voyage to Philadelphia on board the Berkshire, Henry Clark, Master, from London.1

Friday, July 22d, 1726. Yesterday in the afternoon we left London, and came to an anchor off Gravesend about eleven at night. I lay ashore all night, and this morning took a walk up to Windmill Hill, from whence I had an agreeable prospect of the country for above twenty miles round, and two or three reaches of the river, with ships and boats sailing both up and down, and Tilbury Fort on the other side, which commands. the river and passage to London. This Gravesend is a cursed biting place; the chief dependence of the people being the advantage they make by imposing upon strangers. If you buy anything of them, and give half

1 There is a transcript of this Journal in the Library of Congress. The spelling, use of capitals, etc., is Franklin's, and in accordance with common use at the time the Journal was written.

what they ask, you pay twice as much as the thing is worth. Thank God, we shall leave it to-morrow.

Sunday, July 24th. This morning we weighed anchor, and coming to the Downs, we set our pilot ashore at Deal, and passed through. And now, whilst I write this, sitting upon the quarterdeck, I have methinks one of the pleasantest scenes in the world before me. 'Tis a fine, clear day, and we are going away before the wind with an easy, pleasant gale. We have near fifteen sail of ships in sight, and I may say in company. On the left hand appears the coast of France at a distance, and on the right is the town and castle of Dover, with the green hills and chalky cliffs of England, to which we must now bid farewell. Albion, farewell!

Wednesday, July 27.-This morning, the wind blowing very hard at West, we stood in for the land, in order to make some harbour. About noon we took on board a pilot out of a fishing shallop, who brought the ship into Spithead, off Portsmouth. The captain, Mr. Denham, and myself went on shore, and, during the little time we stayed, I made some observations on the place.

Portsmouth has a fine harbour. The entrance is so narrow, that you can throw a stone from Fort to Fort; yet it is near ten fathom deep, and bold close to; but within there is room enough for five hundred, or, for aught I know, a thousand sail of ships. The town is strongly fortified, being encompassed with a high wall and a deep and broad ditch, and two gates, that are entered over drawbridges; besides several forts, batteries of large cannon, and other outworks, the names of which I know not, nor had I time to take so strict a view as to be able

to describe them. In war time, the town has a garrison of 10,000 men; but at present 't is only manned by about 100 Invalids. Notwithstanding the English have so many fleets of men-of-war at sea at this time, I counted in this harbour above thirty sail of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Rates, that lay by unrigged, but easily fitted out upon occasion, all their masts and rigging marked and numbered in storehouses at hand. The King's yards and docks employ abundance of men, who, even in peace time, are constantly building and refitting men-of-war for the King's service.

Gosport lies opposite to Portsmouth, and is near as big, if not bigger; but, except the fort at the mouth of the harbour, and a small outwork before the main street of the town, it is only defended by a mud wall, which surrounds it, and a trench or dry ditch of about ten feet depth and breadth. Portsmouth is a place of very little trade in peace time; it depending chiefly on fitting out men-of-war. Spithead is the place where the fleet commonly anchor, and is a very good riding-place. The people of Portsmouth tell strange stories of the severity of one Gibson, who was governor of this place in the Queen's time, to his soldiers, and show you a miserable dungeon by the town gate, which they call Johnny Gibson's Hole, where, for trifling misdemeanors, he used to confine his soldiers till they were almost starved to death. It is a common maxim, that, without severe discipline, 'tis impossible to govern the licentious rabble of the soldiery. I own, indeed, that if a commander finds he has not those qualities in him that will make him beloved by his people, he ought, by all means, to make

use of such methods as will make them fear him, since one or the other (or both) is absolutely necessary; but Alexander and Cæsar, those renowned generals, received more faithful service, and performed greater actions, by means of the love their soldiers bore them, than they could possibly have done, if, instead of being loved and respected, they had been hated and feared by those they commanded.

Thursday, July 28. This morning we came on board, having lain on shore all night. We weighed anchor and with a moderate gale, stood in for Cowes, in the Isle of Wight, and came to an anchor before the town about eleven o'clock. Six of the passengers went on shore, and diverted themselves till about 12 at night; and then got a boat, and came on board again, expecting to sail early in the morning.

Friday, July 29. But the wind continuing adverse still, we went ashore again this morning, and took a walk to Newport, which is about four miles distant from Cowes, and is the metropolis of the island. Thence we walked to Carisbrooke, about a mile further, out of curiosity to see that castle, which King Charles the First was confined in; and so returned to Cowes in the afternoon, and went on board in expectation of sailing.

Cowes is but a small town, and lies close to the seaside, pretty near opposite to Southampton on the main shore of England. It is divided into two parts by a small river that runs up within a quarter of a mile of Newport, and is distinguished by East and West Cowes. There is a fort built in an oval form, on which there are eight or ten guns mounted for the defence of the road. They have a