whenever he touched the boat, we asked him if he would row, striking his hands at the same time with the oars to make him let go his hold. He was nearly suffocated with rage, but obstinately refused making any promise to row. Perceiving, at length, that his strength began to be exhausted, we took him into the boat, and conveyed him home in the evening, completely drenched. The utmost coldness subsisted between us after this adventure. At last the captain of a West-india ship, who was commissioned to procure a tutor for the children of a gentleman at Barbadoes, meeting with Collins, offered him the place. He accepted it, and took his leave of me, promising to discharge the debt he owed me with the first money he should receive; but I have heard nothing of him since."

Sir William Keith, on reading the letter which Franklin brought from his father, pronounced his decision "too prudent," re-asserting his own strong opinion of our hero's merit, and his determination instantly to do for him what the father refused. He was resolved to have a good printer in Philadelphia, he said; Franklin was the man he wanted; he would procure the necessary types from England, for which he should repay him when able. What young man could have believed him insincere? "I naturally thought him," says Franklin," one of the best men in the world."

It was now arranged that he was to prepare an inventory of types and presses; which having produced, and brought within 100l. sterling, the Governor suggested that he had better proceed by the annual ship from Philadelphia to London, to select his own types, and to open a correspondence with the English booksellers. Some months having first to expire, Frank'in resumed his engagement with Keimer.

This singular old tradesman was evidently Franklin's butt. The latter, from the good company he kept, and the constant improvement of his own powers, felt it no great presumption to assume equality

with his employer, who had once been a disciple of the celebrated French prophets. Franklin describes him as retaining much of his enthusiasm and superstitious particularities to old age. Upon him he exercised his power of argument freely, puzzled him with his Socratic method,' and drew him into endless difficulties and contradictions, until he would rarely answer him a question without inquiring what was to be Franklin's inference. They entered, at length, into a sort of joint agreement to erect a new sect! Keimer was to be the prophet, and Franklin the champion of the scheme against all comers:' but a practical test of the master's constancy was first to be made. He was to relinquish animal food, and enjoin entire abstinence from it. The weak old man appears to have persevered for some time, during which he seems to have been the dupe of Franklin's love of humour, but finally gave in, and re-commenced animal food, by devouring a whole pig at a single sitting.

Franklin, at this time, contracted a more honourable engagement with Miss Read, his landlord's daughter. Neither of the parties had reached their nineteenth year; but she was very sensible and prudent, in Franklin's esteem, and her friends seem to have possessed as much caution as Franklin's. The marriage was prevented by her mother, on account of their youth; but no objection was taken to a gay young man of such respectable prospects.

He has left a character of his three principal literary associates at this time, which throws considerable light on his own. Two of them were articled clerks to a solicitor, the other a merchant's clerk; one a religious, intelligent, and very worthy youth, according to Franklin's own description, named Watson; the other two, Ralph and Osborne, unsettled in their religious principles, chiefly by his own arguments. The whole party were, of course, professed critics, and Ralph and Osborne poetical enthusiasts. The poets, like some greater ones, could never agree; but Franklin ordinarily confined himself to reading and

criticising poets for amusement, or with a view to increase his stock of words, and improve his taste.

An agreement being, on one occasion, entered into for each of the party to produce a metrical version of the eighteenth psalm, Ralph called on Franklin a few days before the time appointed, and produced what the latter thought a piece of some merit. Franklin had been, in the interim, much engaged, and was not ready. Finding this, Ralph importuned him to play off a literary experiment on the others, and particularly on his opponents. "Osborne," said he, "never will allow the least merit to a poem of mine." (He was perpetually advising him to stick to his counter, where he would find diligence and punctuality his best recommendations.) "He is not so jealous of you; take this, and produce it as yours; I will pretend to have had no time to produce any thing."

The friends assembled; Watson first produced a tolerable performance: Osborne a much better one; Ralph's was now called for, but he declared he had nothing to bring forward. The party then looked to Franklin, who, with great unwillingness, and several apologies for his want of time for full correction, brought out Ralph's psalm. It was no sooner read, than admired rapturously. Ralph alone proposed some emendations, for which Osborne was bitterly severe upon him. "But who could have imagined that Franklin was capable of such a performance!" said he. "Such poetry, such force, such fire! He has even improved on the original. In common conversation he seems to have no choice of words; he hesitates and blunders; and yet how he writes!" This affair confirmed Ralph's resolution to devote himself to poetry, in which, as we shall presently see, he earned himself a place in Pope's Dunciad, although possessed of considerable powers of mind and abilities in another line of composition.

As the period for Franklin's proposed voyage to England approached, he applied frequently at the govern

ment-house for his letters of credit and recommendation; but a future day was always appointed. The sailing of the ship was postponed more than once; but the governor still was not ready. At last, when the vessel was about to sail, and Franklin called to receive his letters and take leave of sir William, the colonial secretary told him that the governor was much engaged with official papers, but would be down at Newcastle before the ship.

Franklin embarked, and dropped down to that port: Ralph also, deserting a wife and child, sailed with him. Here was surely another erratum in Franklin's history: such a companion for his chosen friend! But Ralph's plan of finally abandoning his family does not appear to have been fully disclosed at this time.

Arriving at Newcastle, Franklin found that the governor was certainly there; but the secretary received him with apologies, and assured him that it was with the greatest regret sir William Keith could not see him; but he would not fail to send the promised letters on board, and wished him heartily a successful voyage and speedy return. Franklin was disconcerted at this conduct, so contrary, apparently, to his first cordial professions and general treatment of him; but he was not yet suspicious. He therefore finally arranged his birth, stores, &c. When the governor's despatches for England were brought on board by colonel French, and Franklin inquired for his letters, he was informed by the captain that they were all deposited in one bag, which he could not then have disturbed, but that he would give him an opportunity for inspecting it during the voyage.

Our young philosopher now felt satisfied he was on the high road to fame and fortune, mingled freely with the most respectable passengers in the vessel, and obtained, with Ralph, the birth origi nally designed for a legal gentleman (Mr Hamilton) and his son, who were recalled to Philadelphia just as the vessel was about to sail. A quaker merchant

Mr Denham, was on board, and sailed with him, with whom Franklin contracted a lasting friendship.

In the British channel Franklin was permitted, as agreed, to look for his letters, and finding six or seven with his name on them, as committed to his care, had no doubt all was right. He landed in England, in December 1724, and reached London on the 24th of that month.

One of his letters was addressed to the king's printer; another to a stationer in the city, whose shop happening to be first in his way, he determined to go thither immediately. He delivered his packet to the master himself with no small confidence, as from governor Keith. "I do not know such a person," was the stationer's reply: but opening the letter, he exclaimed, “Oh! this is from Riddlesden; I have just found him out to be a complete rascal, and will receive nothing further from him." So delivering the letter again to Franklin, he turned on his heel toward another person. Our adventurer was now staggered; and revolving the strange delays, and the altered conduct of the governor towards him, with other circumstances, in his mind, he began to suspect himself duped. In this emergency, he happily found his Quaker friend, who assured him that Keith, far from being able to give him letters of credit on London, had no credit anywhere where he was known: that none who were acquainted with him depended on his promises; and that therefore his letters were not better than blank paper for Franklin. Riddlesden's character (the writer of the refused letter) Franklin and his friend both knew to be indifferent; he had nearly ruined the father of Miss Read: but the letter itself was evidence of his intriguing disposition. It appeared to allude to some secret plan, disconcerting Mr Hamilton's designs in coming to England; and being handed to that gentleman, on his arrival soon after, furnished that important information for which he ever acknowledged himself obliged to Franklin.