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extremely hungry, and all my money confifted of a Dutch dollar, and about a fhilling's worth of coppers which I gave to the boatmen for my paffage. As I had affifted them in rowing, they refused it at firft; but I infifted on their taking it. A man is fometimes more generous when he has little than when he has much money; probably because in the firft cafe, he is defirous of concealing his poverty.

I walked towards the top of the street, looking eagerly on both fides, till I came to market-ftreet, where I met a child with a loaf of bread. Often had I made my dinner on dry bread. I enquired where he had bought it, and went ftraight to the baker's fhop which he pointed out to me. I afked for fonie bifcuits, expecting to find fuch as we had at Boston; but they made it feems, none of that fort at Philadelphia. I then afked for a three-penny loaf. They made no loaves of that price. Finding myfelt ignorant of the prices, as well as of the different kinds of bread, I defired him to let me have three penny-worth of bread of fome kind er other. He gave me three large tolls. I was furprifed at receiving fo much: I took them however, and having no room in my pockets, I walked on with a roll under each armi, eating the third. In this manner I went through Market-ftreet to Fourth ftreet, and paffed the houfe of Mr. Read, the father of my future wife. She was ftanding at the door, obferved me, and thought with reafon that I made a very fingular and grotefque appearance. 1 then turned the corner, and went through Chefnut-street, eating my roll all the way; and having made this round, I found myfelf again on Market Atreet wharf, near the boat in which I had

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arrived. Iftepped into it to take a draught of the siver water; and finding myfelf fatisfied with my firft roll, I gave the other 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 dreffed people, all going the fame way. I joined them, and was thus led to a large Quakers' meeting-house near the market place. I fat down with the reft, and after looking around me for fome time hearing nothing said, and being drowfy from my last night's labour and want of reft, I fell into a found fleep. In this state I continued till the affembly difperfed, when one of the congregation had the goodness to wake me. This was confequently the first house I entered, or in which I flept at Philadelphia.

I began again to walk along the street by the river fide; and looking attentively at the face of every one I met, I at length perceived a young I accoftquaker whofe countenance pleased me. ed him, and begged him to inform me where a stranger might find a lodging. We were then near the fign of the Three Mariners. They receive travellers here, faid he, but it is not a houfe that bears a good character; if you will go with me, I will He conducted me to the fhew you a better one. Crooked Billet in Water-ftreet. There I ordered fomething for dinner, and during my meal a number of curious queftions were put to me; my youth and appearance exciting the fufpicion of my being a Junaway. After dinner my drowsiness returned, and I threw myself upon a bed without taking off my clothes, and flept till fix o'clock in the evening, when I was called to fupper. I afterwards

went to bed at a very early hour, and did not awake till the next morning.

As foon as I got up I put myself in as decent a trim as I could, and went to the houfe of Andrew Bradford the printer. I found his father in the fhop, whom I had feen at New-York: Having travelled on horfeback, he had arrived at Philadelphia before me. He introduced me to his fon, who received me with civility, and gave me fome breakfaft; but told me he had no occafion for a journeyman, having lately procured one. He added, that there was another printer newly fettled in the town,. of the name of Keimer, who might perhaps employme; and that in cafe of a refufal, I fhould be welcome to lodge at his houfe, and he would give me a little work. now and then, till fomething better fhould offer:

The old man offered to introduce me to the new printer. When we were at his houfe;" Neigh bour," faid he, bring you a young man in the printing bufinefs; perhaps you may have need of his fervices."

me.

Keimer afked me fome queftions, put a compofing fick in my hand to fee how I could work, and then faid, that at prefent he had nothing for me to do, but that he fhould foon be able to employ At the fame time taking old Bradford for an inhabitant of the town well-difpofediowards him, be communicate his project to him, and the prof pect he had of fuccefs. Bradford was careful not to difcover that he was the father of the other printer; and from what Keimer had faid, that he hoped thortly to e in pulkeflion of the greater part of the bufinefs of the town, led him by artful quef tions and by farting Fome difficulties, to difclofe

all his views, what his hopes were founded upon, and how he intended to proceed. I was prefent, and heard it all. I inftantly faw that one of the two was a cunning old fox, and the other a perfe& novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, who was ftrangely furprized when I informed him who the old man was.

I found Keimer's printing materials to confist of an old damaged prefs, and a fmall caft of worn out English letters with which he was himself at work upon an elegy on. Aquilla Rofe, whom I have mentioned above, an ingenious young man, and ofian excellent character, highly esteemed in the town, decretary to the affembly, and a very tolerable poet. Keimer also made verfes, but they were indifferent ones. He could not be faid to write in verse, for his method was to fet the lines as they flowed from is mufe; and as he worked without copy, hadbut one fet of letter cafes, and the elegy would proba bly occupy all his type, it was impoffible for any one to affift him. I endeavoured to put his prefs in order, which he had not yet used, and of which indeed he understood nothing and having promifed to come and work off his elegy as foon as it should be ready, I returned to the houfe of Bradford, who gave me fome trifle to do for the prefent, for which I had my board and lodging.in

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In a few days. Keimer fent for me to print off his elegy. He had now procured another fet of letter-cafes, and had a pamphlet to reprint, upon which he fet me to work.

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The two Philadelphia printers appeared deftituteof every qualification neceffary to their profeffion. Bradford had not been brought up to it, and was

very illiterate. Keimer though he understood a little of the bufinefs, was merely a compofitor, and wholly incapable of working at the prefs. He had been one of the French prophets, and knew how to imitate their fupernatural agitations. At the time of our first acquaintance he profeffed no particular religion, but a little of all upon eccafion. He was totally ignorant of the world, and a great knave at heart, as I had afterwards an opportunity of experiencing.

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Keimer could not endure that, working with him, I fhould lodge at Bradford's. He had indeed athoufe, but it was unfurnished fo that he could not take me in. He procured me a lodging at Mr. Read's, his landlord, whom I have already mentioned. My trunk and effects being now arrived, I thought of making, in the eyes of Mifs Read, a more refpectable appearance than when chance exhibited me to her view, eating my roll, and wandering in the streets.

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From this period I began to contract acquaintance with fuch young people of the town as were fond of reading, and spent my evenings with them. agreeably, while at the fame time I gained money by my industry, and, thanks to my frugality, lived contented. I thus forgot Bofton as much as poffiP ble, and wished every one to be ignorant of the place of my refidence, except my friend Collins, to whom I wrote, and who kept my fecret.

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An incident however arrived which fent me home much fooner than I had propofed. I had a brother-in-law, of the name of Robert Holmes, mafter of a trading floop from Boston to Delaware. Being at Newcastle, forty miles below Philatel

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