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We met Watfon's performance was the firft that was read, It had fome beauties, but many faults. We next read Ofborne's, which was much better. Ralph did it juftice, remarking a few inperfections, and applauding fuch parts as were excellent. He had himself nothing to show. It was now, my turn. I made fome difficulty; feemed as if I wifhed to be excufed; pretended that I had had no time to make corrections, &c. No excufe, however, was admiffible, and the piece must be produced. It was read and re-read. Watfon and Osborne immediately refigned the palm, and united in applauding it. Ralph alone made a few remarks, and propofed fome alterations; but I defended my text. Ofborne agreed with me, and told Ralph he was no more able to criticise than he was able to write.

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When Ofborne was alone with me, he expreffed himself ftill more ftrongly in favour of what he confidered as my performance. He pretended that he had put fome reftraint on himfelf before, apprehenfive of my conftruing his commendation into flattery. But who would have fuppofed, faid he, Franklin to be capable of fuch a compofition? What painting, what energy, what fire! He has furpaffed the original. In his common converfa- : tion he appears not to have choice of words; he hefitates, and is at a lofs; and yet, good God how he writes!

At our next mecting Ralph difcovered the trick we had played Ofborne, who was rallied without

mercy.

By this adventure Ralph was fixed in his refoJution of becoming a poet. I left nothing unat Hempted to divert him from his purpose ; but he

perfevered, till at laft the reading of Pope* effected his cure: he became, however a very tolerable profe writer. I fhall fpeak more of him hereafter; but as I shall probably have no farther occafion to mention the other two, I ought to obferve here, that Watfon died a few years after in my arms. He was greatly regretted; for he was the beft of our fociety. Ofborne went to the islands, where he gained confiderable reputation as a barrifter, and was getting money; but he died young. We had ferioufly engaged, that whoever died first fhould return if poilible, and pay a friendly vific to the furvivor, to give him an account of the other world; but he has never fulfilled his engagement.

The governor appeared to be fond of my company, and frequently invited me to his houfe. He always ipoke of his intention of fettling me in bufinefs, as a point that was decided. I was to take with me letters of recommendation to a number of friends; and particularly a letter of credit, in order to obtain the neceffary fum for the purchase of my prefs, types and paper. He appointed various times for me to come for thefe letters, which would certainly be ready; and when I came, always put me off to another day.

Thefe fucceffive delays continued till the veffel, whofe departure had been feveral times deferred, was on the point of fetting fail: when I again went to Sir William's houfe, to receive my letters, and take leave of him. I faw his fecretary, Dr. Bard, who told me that the governor was extremely bu

*Probably the Dunciad, where we find him thus immortalized by the author:

Silence, ye wolves, while RALPH to Cynthia howls,
And makes night hideous; anfwer him, ye owls!

fy writing, but that he would be down at Newcaftle before the veffel, and that the letters would be delivered to me there.

Ralph, though he was married and had a child, determined to accompany me in this voyage. His object was fupposed to be the establishing a correfpondence with fome mercantile houfes, in order to fell goods by commiffion; but I afterwards. learned, that, having reafon to be diffatisfied with the parents of his wife, he propofed to himfelf to leave her on their hands, and never return to America again.

Having taken leave of my friends, and interchanged promifes of fidelity with Mifs Read, I quitted Philadelphia. At Newcastle the vcffel came to anchor. The governor was arrived, and I went to his lodgings. His fecretary received me with great civility, told me on the part of the governor, that he could not fee me then, as he was engaged in affairs of the utmost importance, but that he would fend the letters on board, and that he, wished me with all his heart, a good voyage and speedy return. I returned fomewhat aftenithed to the hip, but fill without entertaining the fighteft fufpicion.

Mr. Hamilton, a celebrated barifter of Philadelphia, had taken a paffage to England for himflf and his fon, and, in conjunction with Mr Denham a quaker, and Meffes. Oniam and Ruffel, proprietors of a forge in Maryland, had agreed for the whole cabin, fo that Ralph and I were obliged to take up our lodging with the crew. unknown to every body in the fhip, we were looked upon as the common order of people: but Ms. Hamilton and his fon (it was James, who was VOL: I.

F

Being

afterwards governor) left us at Newcastle, and returned to Philadelphia, where he was recalled, at a very great expence, to plead the cause of a veffel that had been fcized; and juft as we were about to fail, colonel French came on board, and fhewed me many civilities, The paffengers upon this paid me more attention, and I was invited, together with my friend Ralph, to occupy the place in the cabin which the return of the Mr. Han.iltons had made vacant; an offer which we very readily accepted.

Having learned that the difpatches of the gover nor had been brought on board by colonel French, I asked the captain for the letters that were to be intrufted to my care. He told me that they were all put together in the bag, which he could not open at prefent; but before we reached England, he would give me an opportunity of taking them -out. I was fatisfied with this anfwer, and we purfued our voyage.

The company in the cabin were all very focia ble, and we were perfectly well off as to provifions. as we had the advantage of the whole of Mr. Ha miltons, who had laid in a very plentiful ftock. During the paffage Mr. Denham contracted a friend thip for me, which ended only with his life in other refpects the voyage was by no means an a greeable one, as we had much bad weather.

When we arrived in the river, the captain was as good as his word, and allowed me to fearch the bag for the governors letters. I could not find a fingle one with my name written on it, as commit ted to my care; but I felected fix or feven, which I judged from the direction to be thofe that were intended for me; particularly one to Mr. Baik

the king's printer, and another to a stationer, who was the first perfon I called upon. I delivered him the letter as coming from governor Keith." I "have no acquaintance (faid he) with any fuch perfon;" and opening the letter, "Oh, it is from "Riddlefden "he exclaimed. I have lately difco"vered him to be a very arrant knave, and I with "to have nothing to do either with him or his "letters." He inftantly put the letter in my hand, turned upon his heel, and left me to ferve fome cuftomers.

I was aftonished at finding thefe letters were not from the governor. Reflecting, and putting circumftances together, I then began to doubt his fincerity. I rejoined my friend Denham, and related the whole affair to him. He let me at once into Keith's character, told me there was not the leaft probability of his having written a fingle letter; that no one who new him ever placed any reliance on him, and laughed at my credulity in fuppofing that the governor would give me a letter of credit, when he had no credit for himfelf. As

1 fhewed fome uneafinefs refpe&ting what fep I fhould take, he advised me to try to get employment in the house of fome printer. You may there, faid he, improve ynurfelf in bufinefs, and you will be able to fettle yourfelf the more advantageoufly when you return to America.

We knew already, as well as the ftationer, attorney Riddlefden to be a knave. He had nearly ruined the father of Mrs Read, by drawing him in to be his fecurity We learned from his letter, that he was fecretly carrying on an intrigue, in concert with the governor, to the prejudice of MrHamilton, who it was fuppofed would by this time

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