by making bequests that do not appear to have any immediate relation to their advantage.

I was born in Boston, New England, and owe my firft inftructions in literature to the free grammar-schools established there. I have therefore confidered thofe fchools in my will.

But I am under obligations to the ftate of Maffachusetts, for having, unafked, appointed me formerly their agent, with a handicme falary, which continued fome years and although I

accidentally loft in their fervice, by tranfmitting governor Hutchinson's letters, much more than the amount of what they gave me, I do not think that ought in the leaft to diminish my gratitude. I have confidered that, among artifans, good apprentices are most likely to make good citizens; nd having myself been bred to a manual art, printng, in my native town, and afterwards affifted to fet up my bufinefs in Philadelphia by kind loans of money from two friends there, which was the foundation of my fortune, and of all the utility in life that may be ascribed to me-I wish to be useful even after my death, if poffible, in forming and advancing other young men, that may be ferviceable to their country in both thefe towns.

To this end I devote two thousand pounds fterling, which I give, one thousand thereof to the inhabitants of the town of Boston, in Maffichu. fetts, and the other thousand to the inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia, in truft, to and for the ufes, intents, and purn fes, herein after mentioned and declared.

The faid fum of c accepted by the inh. hall be managed u

pounds fterling, if e town of Bolton, Aion of the felect

men, united with the minifters of the oldeft epif copalian, congregational, and prefbyterian churches, in that town, who are to let out the fame upon intereft at five per cent. per annum, to fuch young maried artificers, under the age of twenty-five years, as have ferved an apprenticeship in the faid town, and faithfully fulfilled the duties required in their indentures, fo as to obtain a good moral character, from at least two refpectable citizens, who are willing to become fureties in a bond, with the applicants, for the repayment of the money fo lent, with intereft, according to the terms herein after prefcribed; all which bonds are to be taken for Spanish milled dollars, or the value thereof in current gold coin; and the managers fhall keep a bound bock, or books, wherein shall be entered the names of thofe who fhall apply for, and receive the benefit of this inftitution, and of their furetics, together with the fums lent, the dates, and other neceffary and proper records refpecting the bufines and concerns of this inflitution: and as thefe loars are intended to aflift young married artificers in fetting up their bufinefs, they are to be proporti oned by the difcretion of the managers, to as not to exceed fixty pounds fterling to one perfon, no to be less than fifteen pounds.

And if the number of appliers fo entitled fhoul be fo large as that the fum will not fuffer to afford to each as much as might otherwife not be impro per, the proportion to each fhall be diminished, as to afford to every one fome affiftance. Thele aids may therefore be small at firft, but as the ca pital increases by the accumulated intereft, the will be more ample. And in order to ferve as ma ny as poffible in their tnrn, as well as to mak

the repayment of the principal borrowed more eafy, each borrower fhall be obliged to pay with the yearly intereft one tenth part of the principal; which fums principal and interest so paid in, fhall be again let out to fresh borrowers. And it is presumed, that there will be always found in Bofton virtuous and benevolent citizens, willing to bestow a part of their time in doing good to the rifing generation, by fuperintending and managing this inftitution gratis ; it is hoped that no part of the money will at any time lie dead, or be divert ed to other purposes, but be continually augmenting by the intereft, in which cafe there may in time be more than the occafion in Bofton fhall require; and then fome may be spared to the neighbouring pr other towns in the faid ftate of Maffachusetts, which may defire to have it, fuch towns engaging to pay punctually the intereft, and fuch proportions of the principal annually to the inhabitants of the own of Boften, if this plan is executed, and fucceeds, as projected, without interruption, for one undred years, the fum will be then one hundred and thirty-one thousand pounds; of I which would ave the managers of the donation to the town of Bolton then lay out, at their difcretion, one hundred thousand pounds in public works, which may be judged of moft general utility to the inhabitints; fuch as fortifications, bridges, acqueducts, public buildings, baths, pavements, or whatever nay make living in the town more convenient to is people, and render it more agreeable to ftrangers reforting thither for health, or a temporary efidence. The remaining thirty-one thoufand unds I would have continued to be let out to ntereft, in the manner above directed, for one VOL. I. P

hundred years; as I hope it will have been found that the inftitution has had a good effect on the conduct of youth, and been of fervice to many worthy characters and ufeful citizens. At the end of this fecond term, if no unfortunate accident has prevented the operation, the fum will be four millions and fixty-one thoufand pounds fterling; of which I leave one million and fixty-one thoufand pounds to the difpofition and management of the inhabitants of the town of Bofton, and the three millions to the difpofition of the government of the ftate; not prefuming to carry my views any farther.

All the directions herein given refpecting the difpofition and management of the donation to the inhabitants of Boston, I would have obferved respecting that to the inhabitants of Philadelphia; only, as Philadelphia is incorporated, I requeft the corporation of that city to undertake the manage ment, agreeable to the faid directions: and I do hereby veft them with full and ample powers for that purpose. And having confidered that the cover ́ing its ground-plat with buildings and pavements, which carry off moft rain, and prevent its foaking into the earth, and renewing and purifying the fprings, whence the water of the wells muft gradually grow worfe, and in time be unfit for ufe, as I find has happened in all old cities; I recommend, that, at the end of the first hundred years, if not done before, the corporation of the city employ a part of the hundred thousand pounds in bringing by pipes the water of Wiffahickon-creek into the town, fo as to fupply the inhabitants, which I apprehend may be done without great difficulty, the level of that cieck being much above

that of the city, and may be made higher by a dam. I also recommend making the Schuylkill completely navigable. At the end of the fecond hundred years, I would have the difpofition of the four millions and fixty-one thousand pounds divided between the inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia and the government of Pennfylvania, in the fame manner as herein directed with refpect to that of the inhabitants of Bofton and the government of Maffachusetts. It is my defire that this inftitution should take place, and begin to operate within one year after my deceafe; for which purpofe due notice fhould be publicly given, previous to the expiration of that year, that for those whofe benefit this establishment is intended may make their respective applications; and I hereby direct my executors, the furvivors and furvivor of them, within fix months after my decease, to pay over the faid fum of two thoufand pounds fterling to fuch perfons as fhall be duly appointed by the felect men of Bofton, and the corporation of Philadelphia, to receive and take charge of their refpective fums of one thousand pounds each for the purposes aforefaid. Confidering the accidents to which all human affairs and projects are fubject in such a length of time, I have perhaps too much flattered myfelt with a vain fancy, that these difpofitions, if carried into execution, will be continued without interruption, and have the effects propofed; I hope however, that, if the inhabitants of the two cities fhould not think fit to undertake the execution, they will at leaft accept the offer of thefe donations, as a mark of my good will, token of my gratitude, and teftimony of my defire to be useful to them even after my departure. I with, indeed, that they