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town, who had soid me some gingerbread to eat on my passage, and I asked her advice. She invited me to take up my abode with her till an opportunity offered for ine to embark. Fatigued with having travelled so far on foot, I accepted her invitation. When she understood that I was a printer, she would have persuaded me to stay at Burlington, and set up my trade; but she was little aware of the capital that would be necessary for such a purpose! was treated while at her house with true hospitality. She gave me, with the utmost good-will, a dinner of beef-steaks, and would accept of nothing in return but a pint of ale.

Here I imagined myscif to be fixed til! the Tuesday in the ensuing week; but, walking out in the evening by the river side, I saw a boat with a number of persons in it approach. It was going to Philadelphia, and the company took me in. As there was no wind, we could only make way with our oars. About midnight, not perceiving the town, some of the company were of opinion that we must have passed it, and were unwilling to row any farther; the rest not knowing where we were, it was resolved that we should stop. We drew towards the shore, entered a creek, and landed near some old palisades, which served us for firewood, it being a cold night in October. Here we staid till day, when one of the company found the place in which we were to be Cooper's Creek, a little above Philadelphia; which, in reality we perceived the moment we were out of the creek. We arrived on Sunday about eight or nine o'clock in the morning, and landed on Market-street wharf.

1 have entered into the particulars of my voyage, and shall, in like manner, describe my first entrance into this city, that you may compare beginnings so little auspicious, with the figure I have since made.

On my arrival at Philadelphia I was in my working dress, my best clothes being to come by sea. I was covered with dirt; my pockets were filled with shirts and stockings; I was unacquainted with a single soul in the place, and knew not where to look for a lodg ing. Fatigued with walking, rowing, and having passed the night without sleep, I was extremely hungry, and all my money consisted of a Dutch dolar, a

about a shilling's worth of coppers, which I gave to the boatmer for my passage. As I had assisted them in rowing, they refused it at first; but I insisted on their taking it. A man is sometimes more generous when he has little, than when he has much money; probably because, in the first case, he is desirous of concealing his poverty.

I walked towards the top of the street, looking eagerly on both sides, till I came to Market-street, where met with a child with a loaf of bread. Often had I made my dinner on dry bread. I inquired where he had bought it, and went straight to the baker's shop which he pointed out to me. I asked for some Liscuits, expecting to find such as we had at Boston; but they made, it seems, none of that sort at Phila delphia. I then asked for a three-penny loaf. They made no loaves of that price. Finding myself igno rant of the prices, as well as of the different kind, of bread, I desired him to let me have three-pennyworth of bread of some kind or other. He gave me three large rolls. I was surprised at receiving so 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 Mar. ket-street to Fourth-street, and passed the house of Mr. Read, the father of my future wife. She was standing at the door, observed me, and thought with reason, that I made a very singular and grotesque appearance.

I then turned the corr.er, and went through ChestBut-street, eating my roll all the way; and having made this round, I found myself again on Marketstreet warf, near the boat in which I arrived. I stepped into it to take a draught of the river water; and, inding myself satisfied with the first roll, I gave the ether 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 street, which was now full of well-dressed people, all going the same way. I joined them, and was thus led to a large Quaker meeting-house near the market-place. I sat down with the rest, and, after looking round me for some time, hearing nothing said.

and being drowsy from my last night's labour and want of rest, I fell into a sound sleep. In this state I continued till the assembly dispersed, when one of the congregation had the goodness to wake ine. This was consequently the first house I entered, or in which I slept in Philadelphia.

I began again to walk along the street by the river. sde; and, looking attentively in the face of every one I met with, I at length perceived a young quaker

hose countenance pleased me. I accosted him, aut begged him to rfarin me where a stranger mignt find a lodging. We were then near the sign of the Three Mariners. They receive travellers here, said he, but it is not a house that bears a good character; if you will go with me, I will show you a better one. He conducted me to the Crooked Billet, in Water-street. There I ordered something for dinner, and, during my meal, a number of curious questions were put to me; my youth and appearance exciting the suspicion of nay being a runaway. After dinner my drowsiness returned, and I threw inyself upon a bed without tak ing off my clothes, and slept till six o'clock in the evening, when I was called to supper. I afterwards went to bed at a very early hour, and did not awake till the next morning.

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As soon as I got up I put myself in as decent a trim as I could, and went to the house of Andrew Bradford, the printer. I found his father in the shop, whom I had seen at New-York. Having travelled on horseback, he had arrived at Philadelphia before me. introduced me to his son, who received me with civility, and gave me some breakfast; but told me he had no occasion at present for a journeyman, having lately procured one. He added, that there was another printer newly settled in the town, of the name of Kei mer, who might perhaps employ me; and that in cas of refusal, I should be welcome to lodge at his house, and he would give ine a little work now and then, till Something better should offer.

The old man offered to introduce me to the new printer. When we were at his house, “Neighbour," said he, "I bring you a young man in the printing hit siness; perhaps you may have need of his services."

Keimer asked me some questions, put a composing. stick in my hand, to see how I could work, and then said, that at present he had nothing for me to do, but that he should soon be able to employ me. At the same time, taking old Bradford for an inhabitant of the town well-disposed towards him, he communicated his project to him, and the prospect he had of success. Bradford was careful not to discover that he was father of the other printer; and from what Kei mer had said, that he hoped shortly to be in posses sion of the greater part of the business of the town, led him, by artful questions, and by starting some difficulties, to disclose all his views, what his hopes were founded upon, and how he intended to proceed. was preseit, and heard it all. I instantly saw that one of the two was a cuaning old fox, and the other s perfect novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, wh was strangely surprised when I informed him whe the old man was.

I found Keimer's printing materials to consist of ar old damaged press, and a small fount of worn out English letters, with which he himself was at work upon an elegy cn Aquila Rose, whom I have mentioned above, an ingenious young man, and of an excellent charac ter, highly esteemed in the town, secretary to the assembly, and a very tolerable poet. Keimer also made verses, but they were indifferent ones. He could not be said to write in verse, for his method was to set the lines as they flowed from his muse; and as he worked without copy, had but one set of letter-cases, and the elegy would probably occupy all his types, it was impossible for any one to assist him. I endeavoured to put his press in order, which he had not yet used, and of which indeed he understood nothing: and, having pro mised to come and work off his elegy as soon as it should be ready, I returned to the house of Bradford, who gave me some trifle to do for the present, for which I had my board and lodging.

In a few days Keimer sent for me to print off his elegy. He had now procured another set of lettercases, and had a pamphlet to re-print, upon which he set me to work.

The two Philadelphia urinters appeared destitute

of every qualification necessary in their profession. Bradford had not been brought up to it, and was very illiterate. Keimer, though he understood a little of the business, was merely a compositor, and wholly incapable of working at press. He had been one of the French prophets, and knew how to imitate their su pernatural agitations. At the time of our first acquaintance he professed no particular religion, but a little of all upon occasion. 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 should lodge at Bradford's. He had indeed a house, but it was unfurnished; so that he could not take me in. He procured me a lodging at Mr. Reed's, his landlord, whom I have already mentioned. My trunk and effects being now arrived, I thought of making, in the eyes of Miss Reed, a more respectable appearance than when chance exhibited me to her view, eating my roll, and wandering in the streets.

From this period I began to contract acquaintance with such young people as were fond of reading, and spent my evenings with them agreeably, while at the same time, I gained money by my industry, and, thanks to my frugality, lived contented. I thus forgot Boston as much as possible, and wished every one to be ignorant of the place of my residence, except my friend Collins; to whom I wrote, and who kept my

secret.

An incident however arrived, which sent me home much sooner than I had proposed. I had a brother-inlaw, by the name of Robert Holmes, master of a trad ing sloop from Boston to Delaware. Being at New castle, forty miles below Philadelphia, he heard of me, and wrote to inform me of the chagrin which my sudden departure from Boston had occasioned my parents, and of the affections which they still entertained for me, assuring me that, if I would return, every thing should be adjusted to my satisfaction; and he was very pressing in his entreaties; I answered his lotter, thanked him for his advice, and explained the reasons which had induced me to quit Boston, with

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