Part 23 (1/2)

While he lodged in Little Britain, he made the acquaintance of a bookseller, by the nae collection of secondhand books Benjaain access to them, but he could not command the means to purchase; so he hit upon this plan: he proposed to Wilcox to pay hiht choose to take out, read, and return, and Wilcox accepted his offer In this transaction was involved the principle of thelibrary It was the first instance of lending books on record, and for that reason beco fact It was another of the influences that served to send him forward in a career of honour and fa-house in London, he did press-work

There were fifty workreat beer-drinkers; yet he could lift ue, than any of them His companion at the press was a notorious drinker, and consumed daily ”a pint of beer before breakfast, a pint at breakfast with his food, a pint between breakfast and dinner, a pint at dinner, a pint in the afternoon about six o'clock, and another when he had done his day's work,”--in all six pints per day They had an alehouse boy always in attendance upon the workmen

”A detestable habit,” said Benjamin to his fellow-pressman, ”and a very expensive one, too”

”I couldn't endure the wear and tear of this hard ithout it,”

replied the toper

”You could acco but cold water,” rejoined Benja and healthy”

”Fudge! It lishmen would become as weak as babes without it”

”That is false,” said Benja_ beer in this establishment, you are the weakest set of work away to carry a single form of type up and down stairs, when I always carry two Your beer _, but it makes you _weak_”

”You Aer; ”and you stick to your opinions like a tick”

”But look here, ood fellow,” continued Benjath afforded by beer can be only in proportion to the grain or flour of the barley dissolved in the water of which it is made? There must be more flour in a pennyworth of bread than there is in a whole quart of beer; therefore, if you eat that with a pint of water, it will give you th than two or three pints of beer

Is it not so?”

The e that it appeared to be so

Benjae porringer of hot water-gruel, sprinkled with pepper, crumbled with bread, and a bit of butter in it, for just the price of a pint of beer, three-halfpence Now, honestly, is not this much better for me, and for you, than the same amount of beer?”

Thus Benjaainst the prevailing habit of beer-drinking Gradually he acquired an influence over many of them, by precept and example, and finally they abandoned their old habit, and followed his better way of living He wrought a thorough refor-office; and the fact shohat one young ood cause, if he will but set his face resolutely in that direction Benjae to carry out his principles,--just the thing which e lack, and consequently make shi+pwreck of their hopes

The only amusement which Benjamin seems to have enjoyed asFro wonderful feats, and trying his skill in various ways At one ti in his hand, lay upon his back on the top of the water, when the kite drew hireeableupon his back and slept for an hour by the watch The skill which he had thus acquired in the art of swiland On several occasions he exhibited his remarkable attainments of this kind, and the result was that he was applied to by Sir William Wyndham to teach his two sons to swi-school, and make it his profession; but he very wisely concluded to leave the water to the fish, and confine himself to the land

Benjahteen months, when Mr Denham, the merchant of e have spoken, proposed to him to return to Philadelphia, and act in the capacity of bookkeeper for him, and offered him fifty pounds a year, with the promise to promote hih respect for Mr Denha, so that he accepted the proposition with little hesitation, andfor ever, as he thought, the art of printing, which he had thoroughly learned

Forty years after Benjaland in the service of his country, widely known as a sagacious statesman and profound philosopher He took occasion to visit the old office where he once laboured with the beer-drinkers, and, stepping up to the press on which he worked month after ether It is now forty years since I worked, like you, at this press, as a journeyallon of porter, and they drank together according to the custom of the times That press, on which he worked in London, is now in the Patent-office at Washi+ngton

CHAPTER XXII

FAREWELL TO ENGLAND

On the 23rd day of July, 1726, Benjamin sailed for Philadelphia, in company with Mr Denhae of nearly three months, they reached Philadelphia, much to the satisfaction of Benjamin, who always enjoyed his stay there He was noenty years of age

”Ah! is it you, Benjaain,” said Keimer, as his old journeyman made his appearance; and he shook his hand as if his heart was in it ”I began to think you had forsaken us”

”Not yet,” replied Benjamin ”I think too much of Philadelphia to forsake it yet”