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Bradford, whom he had never seen before, to be one of the town's people that had a good will for him, entered into a conversation on his present undertaking and 5 prospects; while Bradford, not discovering that he was the other printer's father, on Keimer's saying he expected soon to get the greatest part of the business into his own hands, drew him on by artful

the same way. I joined them, and thereby
was led into the great meeting-house of
the Quakers, near the market. I sat
down among them, and, after looking
round a while and hearing nothing said,
being very drowsy through labor and want
of rest the preceding night, I fell fast
asleep, and continued so till the meeting
broke up, when one was kind enough to
rouse me. This was, therefore, the first 10 questions, and starting little doubts, to ex-

house I was in, or slept in, in Philadelphia.
Walking down again toward the river,
and looking in the faces of people, I met
a young Quaker man, whose countenance
I liked, and, accosting him, requested he 15
would tell me where a stranger could get
lodging. We were then near the sign of
the Three Mariners. Here,' says he,
is one place that entertains strangers,
but it is not a reputable house; if thee 20
wilt walk with me, I'll show thee a better.'
He brought me to the Crooked Billet in
Water Street. Here I got a dinner; and
while I was eating it, several sly questions
were asked me, as it seemed to be sus- 25
pected from my youth and appearance that
I might be some runaway.

After dinner, my sleepiness returned, and being shown to a bed, I lay down without undressing and slept till six in 30 the evening, was called to supper, went to bed again very early, and slept soundly till next morning. Then I made myself as tidy as I could, and went to Andrew Bradford the printer's. I found in the 35 shop the old man his father, whom I had seen at New York, and who, traveling on horseback, had got to Philadelphia before me. He introduced me to his son, who received me civilly, gave me a breakfast, 40 but told me he did not at present want a hand, being lately supplied with one; but there was another printer in town, lately set up, one Keimer, who, perhaps, might employ me; if not, I should be welcome 45 to lodge at his house and he would give me a little work to do now and then till fuller business should offer.

The old gentleman said he would go with me to the new printer; and when we 50 found him, Neighbor,' says Bradford, 'I have brought to see you a young man of your business; perhaps you may want such a one.' He asked me a few questions, put a composing stick in my hand to 55 see how I worked, and then said he would employ me soon, though he had just then nothing for me to do; and taking old

plain all his views, what interests he relied on, and in what manner he intended to proceed. I, who stood by and heard all, saw immediately that one of them was a crafty old sophister, and the other a mere novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, who was greatly surprised when I told him who the old man was.

Keimer's printing-house, I found, consisted of an old shattered press, and one small, worn-out font of English, which he was then using himself, composing an Elegy on Aquilla Rose, before mentioned, an ingenious young man of excellent character, much respected in the town, clerk of the Assembly, and a pretty poet. Keimer made verses too, but very indifferently. He could not be said to write them, for his manner was to compose them in the types directly out of his head. So there being no copy, but one pair of cases, and the Elegy likely to require all the letter, no one could help him. I endeavored to put his press (which he had not yet used, and of which he understood nothing) into order fit to be worked with: and promising to come and print off his Elegy as soon as he should have got it ready, I returned to Bradford's, who gave me a little job to do for the present, and there I lodged and dieted. A few days after, Keimer sent for me to print off the Elegy. And now he had got another pair of cases, and a pamphlet to reprint, on which he set me to work.

These two printers I found poorly qualified for their business. Bradford had not been bred to it, and was very illiterate; and Keimer, though something of a scholar, was a mere compositor knowing nothing of presswork. He had been one of the French prophets, and could act. their enthusiastic agitations. At this time he did not profess any particular religion, but something of all on occasion; was very ignortant of the world, and had, as I afterward found, a good deal of the knave in his composition. He did not

like my lodging at Bradford's while I worked with him. He had a house indeed, but without furniture, so he could not lodge me; but he got me a lodging at Mr. Read's before mentioned, who was the 5 owner of his house; and my chest and clothes being come by this time, I made rather a more respectable appearance in the eyes of Miss Read than I had done when she first happened to see me eating to my roll in the street.

gentleman (which proved to be Colonel French of Newcastle), finely dressed, come directly across the street to our house, and heard them at the door.

Keimer ran down immediately, thinking it a visit to him; but the governor inquired for me, came up, and with a condescension and politeness I had been quite unused to made me many compliments, desired to be acquainted with me, blamed me kindly for not having made myself known to him when I first came to the place, and would have me away with him to the tavern, where he was going with 15 Colonel French to taste, as he said, some excellent Madeira. I was not a little surprised, and Keimer stared like a pig poisoned. I went, however, with the governor and Colonel French to a tavern, at the corner of Third Street, and over the Madeira he proposed my setting up my business, laid before me the probabilities of success, and both he and Colonel French assured me I should have their interest and influence in procuring the public business of both governments. On my doubting whether my father would assist me in it, Sir William said he would give me a letter to him, in which he would state the advantages, and he did not doubt of prevailing with him. So it was concluded I should return to Boston in the first vessel, with the governor's letter recommending me to my father. In the meantime the intention was to be kept a secret, and I went on working with Keimer as usual, the governor sending for me now and then to dine with him, a very great honor I thought it, and conversing with me in the most affable, familiar, and friendly manner imaginable.

I began now to have some acquaintance among the young people of the town that were lovers of reading, with whom I spent my evenings very pleasantly; and gaining money by my industry and frugality, I lived very agreeably, forgetting Boston as much as I could, and not desiring that any there should know where I resided except my friend Collins, who was in my 20 secret, and kept it when I wrote to him. At length, an incident happened that sent me back again much sooner than I had intended. I had a brother-in-law, Robert Holmes, master of a sloop that traded be- 25 tween Boston and Delaware. He being at Newcastle, forty miles below Philadelphia, heard there of me, and wrote me a letter mentioning the concern of my friends in Boston at my abrupt departure, 30 assuring me of their good-will to me, and that everything would be accommodated to my mind if I would return, to which he exhorted me very earnestly. I wrote an answer to his letter, thanked him for his 35 advice, but stated my reasons for quitting Boston fully and in such a light as to convince him I was not so wrong as he had apprehended.

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Sir William Keith, governor of the province, was then at Newcastle, and Captain Holmes, happening to be in company with him when my letter came to hand, spoke to him of me, and showed him the letter. The governor read it, and seemed 45 surprised when he was told my age. He said I appeared a young man of promising parts, and therefore should be encouraged; the printers of Philadelphia were wretched ones; and, if I would set up there, he made 50 no doubt I should succeed; for his part, he would procure me the public business, and do me every other service in his power. This my brother-in-law afterwards told me in Boston, but I knew as 55 ton in about a fortnight. I had been ab

yet nothing of it; when, one day, Keimer and I being at work together near the window, we saw the governor and another

About the end of April, 1724, a little vessel offered for Boston. I took leave of Keimer as going to see my friends. The governor gave me an ample letter, saying many flattering things of me to my father, and strongly recommending the project of my setting up at Philadelphia as a thing that must make my fortune. We struck on a shoal in going down the bay, and sprung a leak; we had a blustering time at sea, and were obliged to pump almost continually, at which I took my turn. We arrived safe, however, at Bos

sent seven months, and my friends had heard nothing of me; for my brother Holmes was not yet returned and had not

written about me. My unexpected appearance surprised the family; all were, however, very glad to see me, and made me welcome, except my brother. I went to see him at his printing-house. I was better dressed than ever while in his service, having a genteel new suit from head to foot, a watch, and my pockets lined with near five pounds sterling in silver. He received me not very frankly, looked 10 me all over, and turned to his work again.

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The journeymen were inquisitive where I had been, what sort of a country it was, and how I liked it. I praised it much, and the happy life I led in it; expressing strongly my intention of returning to it; and one of them asking what kind of money we had there, I produced a handful of silver, and spread it before them, which was a kind of rare show they had not been 20 used to, paper being the money of Boston. Then I took an opportunity of letting them see my watch; and, lastly (my brother still grum and sullen), I gave them a piece of eight to drink, and took my leave. 25 This visit of mine offended him extremely; for, when my mother some time after spoke to him of a reconciliation, and of her wishes to see us on good terms together and that we might live for the fu- 30 ture as brothers, he said I had insulted him in such a manner before his people that he could never forget or forgive it. In this, however, he was mistaken.

My father received the governor's letter 35 with some apparent surprise, but said little of it to me for some days, when Captain Holmes returning he showed it to him, asked him if he knew Keith, and what kind of man he was; adding his opinion 40 that he must be of small discretion to think of setting a boy up in business who wanted yet three years of being at man's estate. Holmes said what he could in favor of the project, but my father was 45 clear in the impropriety of it, and at last gave a flat denial to it. Then he wrote a civil letter to Sir William, thanking him for the patronage he had so kindly offered me, but declining to assist me as 50 yet in setting up, I being, in his opinion, too young to be trusted with the management of a business so important, and for which the preparation must be so expensive.

My friend and companion Collins, who was a clerk in the post-office, pleased with the account I gave him of my new coun

try, determined to go thither also; and, while I waited for my father's determination, he set out before me by land to Rhode Island, leaving his books, which were a pretty collection of mathematics and natural philosophy, to come with mine and me to New York, where he proposed to wait for me.

My father, though he did not approve Sir William's proposition, was yet pleased that I had been able to obtain so advantageous a character from a person of such note where I had resided, and that I had been so industrious and careful as to equip myself so handsomely in so short a time; therefore, seeing no prospect of an accommodation between my brother and me, he gave his consent to my returning again to Philadelphia, advised me to behave respectfully to the people there, endeavor to obtain the general esteem, and avoid lampooning and libelling, to which he thought I had too much inclination; telling me, that by steady industry and a prudent parsimony I might save enough by the time I was one-and-twenty to set me up; and that, if I came near the matter, he would help me out with the rest. This was all I could obtain, except some small gifts as tokens of his and my mother's love, when I embarked again for New York, now with their approbation and their blessing. (1771) (1868)

THE WAY TO WEALTH

Courteous Reader: I have heard that nothing gives an author so great pleasure as to find his works respectfully quoted by other learned authors. This pleasure I have seldom enjoyed, for, though I have been, if I may say it without vanity, an eminent author (of almanacs) annually now a full quarter of a century, my brother authors in the same way, for what reason I know not, have ever been very sparing in their applauses and no other author has taken the least notice of me: so that, did not my writings produce me some solid pudding, the great deficiency of praise would have quite discouraged

me.

I concluded at length that the people 55 were the best judges of my merit, for they buy my works; and, besides, in my rambles where I am not personally known, I have frequently heard one or other of

my adages repeated with As Poor Richard says' at the end on 't; this gave me some satisfaction, as it showed not only that my instructions were regarded, but discovered likewise some respect for my authority; and I own that, to encourage the practice of remembering and repeating those wise sentences, I have sometimes quoted myself with great gravity.

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Judge then how much I must have been 10 gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. I stopped my horse lately where a great number of people were collected at a vendue of merchant goods. The hour of sale not being come, they 15 were conversing on the badness of the times, and one of the company called to a plain, clean old man with white locks, Pray, Father Abraham, what think you of the times? Won't these heavy taxes 20 quite ruin the country? How shall we be ever able to pay them? What would you advise us to do?' Father Abraham stood up and replied, 'If you'd have my advice, I'll give it to you in short; for A word to 25 the wise is enough, and Many words won't fill a bushel, as Poor Richard says.' They joined in desiring him to speak his mind, and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows:

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'Friends,' says he, and neighbors, the taxes are indeed very heavy, and if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them; but we have many others, 35 and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from these taxes the commissioners can- 40 not ease or deliver us by allowing an abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and something may be done for us; God helps them that help themselves, as Poor Richard says in his al- 45 manac of 1733.

'It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one tenth part of their time, to be employed in its service; but idleness taxes many of us much 50 more if we reckon all that is spent in absolute sloth, or doing of nothing, with that which is spent in idle employments or amusements, that amount to nothing. Sloth, by bringing on diseases, absolutely 55 shortens life. Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears, while the used key is always bright, as Poor Richard

says. But dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of, as Poor Richard says. How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep, forgetting that The sleeping fox catches no poultry, and that There will be sleeping enough in the grave, as Poor Richard says. If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be, as Poor Richard says, the greatest prodigality; since, as he elsewhere tells us, Lost time is never found again, and what we call time enough always proves little enough. Let us, then, up and be doing, and doing to the purpose; so by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity. Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry, all things easy, as poor Richard says; and, He that riseth late must trot all day and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while Laziness travels so slowly that Poverty soon overtakes him, as we read in Poor Richard, who adds, Drive thy business, let not that drive thee; and, Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

'So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make these times better if we bestir ourselves. Industry need not wish, as Poor Richard says, and he that lives upon hope will die fasting. There are no gains without pains; then help, hands, for I have no lands; or if I have, they are smartly taxed. And as Poor Richard likewise observes, He that hath a trade hath an estate; and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honor; but then the trade must be worked at and the calling well followed, or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious, we shall never starve; for, as Poor Richard says, At the workingman's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter. Nor will the bailiff or the constable enter; for Industry pays debts, while despair increaseth them, says Poor Richard. - What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy; Diligence is the mother of good luck, as Poor Richard says, and God gives all things to Industry. Then plow deep while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep, says Poor Dick. Work while it is called to-day, or you know not how much you may be hindered tomorrow, which makes Poor Richard say, One to-day is worth two to-morrows; and

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farther, Have you somewhat to do to-morrow, do it to-day. If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle? Are you, then, your own master? Be ashamed to catch yourself idle, as Poor Dick says. When there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your gracious King be up by peep of day. Let not the sun look down and say, In- 10 glorious here he lies. Handle your tools without mittens; remember that The cat in gloves catches no mice, as Poor Richard says. 'Tis true there is much to be done, and perhaps you are weak-handed; but 15 stick to it steadily, and you will be great effects; for, Constant dropping wears away stones; and, By diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable; and Little strokes fell great oaks, as Poor Richard says in his almanac, the year I cannot just now remember.

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'Methinks I hear some of you say, Must a man afford himself no leisure? I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Rich- 25 ard says: Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure; and since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man 30 will obtain, but the lazy man never; so that, as Poor Richard says, A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. Do you imagine that sloth will afford you more comfort than labor? No, for as 35 Poor Richard says, Trouble springs from idleness, and grievous toil from needless ease, Many, without labor, would live by their wits only, but they break for want of stock. Whereas industry gives comfort 40 and plenty and respect. Fly pleasures and they'll follow you. The diligent spinner has a large shift; and now I have a sheep and a cow everybody bids me good morrow. All which is well said by Poor Rich- 45 ard.

* But with our industry we must likewise be steady, settled, and careful, and oversee our own affairs with our own eyes, and not trust too much to others; for, as 50 Poor Richard says:

I never saw an oft-removed tree,
Nor yet an oft-removed family,

That throve so well as those that settled be.

And again, Three removes is as bad as a fire; and again, Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee; and again, If you

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would have your business done, go; if not, send. And again,

He that by the plow would thrive,
Himself must either hold or drive.

And again, The eye of a master will do more work than both his hands; and again, Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge; and again, Not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open. Trusting too much to others' care is the ruin of many; for, as the Almanac says, In the affairs of this world men are saved, not by faith, but by the want of it. But a man's own care is profitable; for saith Poor Dick, Learning is to the studious, and riches to the careful, as well as power to the bold, and heaven to the virtuous. And, farther, If you would have a faithful servant and one that you like, serve yourself. And again, he adviseth to circumspection and care, even in the smallest matters, because sometimes, A little neglect may breed great mischief; adding, For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, and for want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy; all for want of care about a horseshoe nail.

So much for industry, my friends, and attention to one's own business; but to these we must add frugality, if we would make our industry more certainly successful. A man may, if he knows not how to save as he gets, keep his nose all his life to the grindstone, and die not worth a groat at last. A fat kitchen makes a lean will, as Poor Richard says; and

Many estates are spent in the getting, Since women for tea forsook spinning and knitting,

And men for punch forsook hewing and splitting.

If you would be wealthy, says he, in ancther Almanac, Think of saving as well as of getting. The Indies have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are greater than her incomes.

Away, then, with your expensive follies, and you will not then have so much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families; for, as Poor Dick says,

Women and wine, game and deceit,
Make the wealth small, and the wants great.

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