town, approved of it. He knew that I had some ascendency over his fon, as I had been able to prevail on him to abftain a long time from drinking brandy; and he hoped that, when more clofely connected with him, I fhould cure him entirely of this unfortunate habit.

I gave the father a lift of what it would be necessary to import from London. He took it to a merchant, and the order was given. We agreed to keep the fecret till the arrival of the materials, and I was in the mean time to procure work, if poffible, in another printinghouse; but there was no place vacant, and I remained idle. After fome days, Keimer having the expectation of being employed to print fome New-Jersey money-bills, that would require types and engravings which I only could furnifh, and fearful that Bradford, by engaging me, might deprive him of this undertaking, fent me a very civil mes

fage,

fage, telling me that old friends ought not to be difunited on account of a few words, which were the effect only of a momentary paffion, and inviting me to return to him. Meredith perfuaded me to comply with the invitation, particularly as it would afford him more opportunities of improving himself in the bufinefs by means of my inftructions. I did fo; and we lived upon better terms than before our feparation.

He obtained the New-Jerfey bufinefs; and, in order to execute it, I constructed a copper-plate printing-prefs; the first that had been seen in the country. I engraved various ornaments and vignettes for the bills; and we repaired to Burlington together, where I executed the whole to the general fatisfaction; and he received a fum of money for this work, which enabled him to keep his head above water for a confiderable time longer.

L 3

At

At Burlington I formed acquaintance with the principal perfonages of the province; many of whom were commif fioned by the affembly to fuperintend the press, and to fee that no more bills were printed than the law had prescribed. Accordingly they were conftantly with us, each in his turn; and he that came commonly brought with him a friend or two to bear him company. My mind was more cultivated by reading than Keimer's; and it was for this reason, probably, that they fet more value on my converfation. They took me to their houfes, introduced me to their friends, and treated me with the greatest civility; while Keimer, though master; faw himself a little neglected. He was, in fact, a strange animal, ignorant of the common modes of life, apt to oppose with rudeness generally received opinions, an enthusiast in certain points of religion,

religion, difguftingly unclean in his fon, and a little knavish withal.

per

We remained there nearly three months; and at the expiration of this period I could include in the list of my friends, Judge Allen, Samuel Buftil, fecretary of the province, Ifaac Pearson, Jofeph Cooper, feveral of the Smiths, all members of the affembly, and Ifaac Decon, infpector-general. The laft was a fhrewd and fubtle old man. He told me, that, when a boy, his firft employment had been that of carrying clay to brickmakers; that he did not learn to write till he was fomewhat advanced in life; that he was afterwards employed as an underling to a furveyor, who taught him his trade, and that by induftry he had at laft acquired a competent fortune. "I foresee," faid he one day to me, you will foon fupplant this man," fpeaking of Keimer," and get a fortune in the bufinefs at Philadelphia." He was wholly igno

L 4

"that,

rant

rant at the time of my intention of eftablishing myself there, or any where else. These friends were very ferviceable to me in the end, as was I alfo, upon occa fion, to fome of them; and they have continued ever fince their esteem for me.

Before I relate the particulars of my entrance into bufinefs, it may be proper to inform you what was at that time the state of my mind as to moral principles, that you may see the degree of influ ence they had upon the fubfequent events of my life,

My parents had given me betimes religious impreffions; and I received from my infancy a pious education in the prin-. ciples of Calvinifm. But fcarcely was Į arrived at fifteen years of age, when, after having doubted in turn of different tenets, according as I found them combated in the different books that I read,

I began