phia, he heard of me, and wrote to inform me of the chagrin which my fudden departure from Bof ton had occafioned my parents, and of the affection which they ftill entertained for me, affuring me that, if I would return, every thing fhould be adjusted to my fatisfaction; and he was very pref fing in his entreaties. Ianfwered his letter, thanked him for his advice, and explained the reafons which had induced me to quit Bofton with fuch force and clearnefs, that he was convinced I had been lefs to blame than he had imagined.

Sir William Keith, governor of the province was at Newcastle at the time. Captain Holmes, being by chance in his company when he received my Jetter, took occafion to fpeak of me, and fhewed it him. The governor read it and appeared furprifed when he learned my age. He thought me, he said, a young man of very promifing talents, and that of confequence, ought to be encouraged; that there were at Philadelphia none but very ignorant printers, and that if I were to fet up for myself, he had no doubt of my fuccefs; that, for his own part, he would procure me all the public bufiness, and would render me every other fervice in his power. My brother-in-law related all this to me afterwards at Boftan :: but I knew nothing. of it at the time when one day Keimer and I being at work together near the window, we faw the governor and another gentleman, colonel French of Newcastle, handfomely dreffed, crofs the fireet and make directly for our houfe.. We heard them. at the door, and Keimer, believing it to be a vifit. to himself, went immediately downs but the gowernor enquired for me,came up fairs, and, with a. condefcenfion and politeness to which I had not:

at all been accustomed, paid me many compliments, defired to be acquainted with me, obligingly reproached me for not having made myself known to him on my arrival in the town, and wifhed me to accompany him to a tavern, where he and colonel French were going to tafte fome excellent Madeira wine.

I was, I confefs fomewhat furprised, and Keimer I went however with appeared thunderstruck. the governor and the colonel to a tavern at the corner of Third ftreet, where, while we were drinking the Madeira, he propofed to me to establish a printing-houfe. He fet forth the probabilities of fuccefs, and himself and colonel French affured me that I fhould have their protection and influence in obtaining the printing of the public papers of both governments; and as I appeared to doubt whether my father would affift me in this enterprife, Sir William faid that he would give me a letter to him, in which he would reprefent the advantages of the fcheme, in a light which he had no doubt would determine him. It was thus concluded that I fhould return to Bofton by the firft veffel, with the letter of recommendation from the governor Meanwhile the project was to be to my father. kept fecret, and I continued to work for Keimer as before.

The governor fent every now and then to invite me to dine with him. I confidered this as a very great honor; and i was the more fenfible of it, as he converfed with me in the most affable, familiar, and friendly manner. imaginable.

: Towards the end of April 1724, a fmall veffel was ready to fail for Bofton. I took leave of Kei, mer, upon the pretext of going to fee my parents.

The governor gave me a long letter, in which he faid many flattering things of me to my father; and strongly recommended the project of my fettling at Philadelphia, as a thing which could not fail to make my fortune.

Going down the bay we ftruck on a flat, and fprung a leak. The weather was very tempeftuous, and we were obliged to pump without intermiflion; I took my turn. We arrived however fafe and found at Bofton, after about a fortnight's paffage.

I had been abfent feven complete months, and my relations during that interval, had received no intelligence of me; for my brother-in-law, Holmes, was not yet returned, and had not written about me. My unexpected appearance furprised the family; but they were all delighted at feeing me a gain, and, except my brother, welcomed me home. I went to him at the printing-office. I was better dreffed than I had ever been while in his fervice: I had a complete fuit of clothes, new and neat, a watch in my pocket, and my purfe was furnished with nearly five pounds fterling in money. He gave me no very civil réception, and having eyed me from head to foot, refumed his work.

The workmen afked me with eagerness where I had been, what fort of a country it was, and how I liked it. I fpoke in the highest terms of Philadelphia, the happy life we led there, and expreffed my intention of going back again. One of them alking what fort of money we had, I difplayed be fore them a handful of filver, which I drew from my pocket. This was a curiofity to which they were not accustomed, paper being the current mo

ney at Bofton. I failed not after this to let them fee my watch; and at laft, my brother continuing fullen and out of humour, I gave them a fhilling to drink, and took my leave. This vifit ftung my brother to the foul; for when, fhortly after, my mother fpoke to him of a reconciliation, and a defire to fee us upon good terms, he told her that I had fo infuited him before his men, that he would never forget or forgive it in this, however, he was mistaken.:

The governor's letter appeared to excite in my father fome furprife; but he faid little. After. fome days, Capt. Holmes being returned, he fhowedit him, afking him if he knew Keith, and what fort of a man he was adding, that, in his opinion, it proved very little difcernment to think of fetting up a boy in bufinefs, who for three years to come would not be of an age to be ranked in the clafs of men. Holmes faid every thing he could in favour of the fcheme; but my father firmly maintained its abfurdity, and at laft gave: a pofitive refufal. He wrote, however a civil letter to Sir William, thanking him for the protection: he had fo obligingly offered me, but refusing to affift me for the prefent, because he thought me. too young to be entrusted with the conduct of fo. important an enterprife, and which would require fo confiderable a fum of money..

My old comrade Collins, who was a clerk in the poft-office, charmed with the account I gave of my new refidence, expreffed a defire of going thither; and while I waited my father's determination, he let off before me, by land, for Rhode-Ifland, leaving his books, which formed a handfome collection in mathematics and natural philofophy, to

be conveyed with mine to New-York, where he purposed to wait for me.

My father, though he could not approve Sir William's propofal, was yet pleased that I had obtained fo advantageous a recommendation as that of a perfon of his rank, and that my induftry and ceconomy had enabled me to equip myself so handfomely in fo fhort a period. Seeing no appearance of accommodating matters between my brother and me, he confented to my return to Philadelphia, advised me to be civil to every body, to endeavour to obtain general esteem, and avoid fatire and farcasm, to which he though I was too much inclined; adding, that, with perfeverance and prudent œconomy, I might by the time I became of age, fave enough to establish myself in bu finefs; and that if a fmall fum fhould then be wanting, he would undertake to fupply it.

This was all I could obtain from him, except fome trifling prefents, in token of friendship from him and my mother. I embarked once more for New-York, furnished at this time with their approbation and bleffing. The floop having touched at Newport in Rhode-Island, I paid a vifit to my brother John, who had for fome years been fettled there, and was married. He had always been attached to me, and received me with great affection. One of his friends, whofe name was Vernon, having a debt of about thirty-fix pounds due to him in Pennfylvania, begged me to receive it for him, and keep the money till I fhould heare from him: accordingly he gave me an order for that purpose. This affair occafioned me, in the tequel, much uncafinefs.

At Newport we took on board a number of