Volume I Part 3 (1/2)

I began now gradually to pay off the debt I was under for the printing-house In order to secure my credit and character as a tradesman, I took care not only to be in _reality_ industrious and frugal, but to avoid the appearances to the contrary I dressed plain, and was seen at no places of idle diversion: I never went out a fishi+ng or shooting: a book, indeed, sometimes debauched ave no scandal: and to show that I was not above ht hoh the streets on a wheelbarrow Thus, being estee duly for what I bought, the merchants who imported stationary solicitedme with books, and I went on prosperously In thedaily, he was at last forced to sell his printing-house to satisfy his creditors He went to Barbadoes, and there lived some years in very poor circumstances

His apprentice, David Harry, whom I had instructed while I worked with hiht his materials I was at first apprehensive of a powerful rival in Harry, as his friends were very able, and had a good deal of interest: I therefore proposed a partnershi+p to him, which he, fortunately for me, rejected with scorn

He was very proud, dressed like a gentleman, lived expensively, took lected his business; upon which, all business left hi to do, he followed Kei-house with him

There this apprentice employed his former master as a journeyman; they quarrelled often, and Harry went continually behindhand, and at length was obliged to sell his types and return to country-work in Pennsylvania The person who bought them employed Keimer to use them, but a few years after he died

There remained now no other printer in Philadelphia but the old Bradford; but he was rich and easy, did a little in the business by straggling hands, but was not anxious about it: however, as he held the postoffice, it was i news, his paper was thought a better distributor of advertisements than mine, and therefore hadto hih I did indeed receive and send papers by the post, yet the public opinion was otherwise; for what I did send was by bribing the riders, who took theh to forbid it, which occasioned soht so meanly of the practice, that, when I afterward came into his situation, I took care never to imitate it

I had hitherto continued to board with Godfrey, who lived in part of my house with his wife and children, and had one side of the shop for his glazier's business, though he worked little, being always absorbed in his mathematics Mrs Godfrey projected a hter, took opportunities of bringing us often together, till a serious courtshi+p onThe old folks encouraged ether, till at length it was tied our little treaty I let her know that I expected asdebt for the printing-house; which I believe was not then above a hundred pounds She brought age their house in the loan office The answer to this after some days was, that they did not approve the match; that, on inquiry of Bradford, they had been infor business was not a profitable one; the types would soon be worn out, and more wanted; that Keimer and David Harry had failed one after the other, and I should probably soon follow thehter shut up Whether this was a real change of senti too far engaged in affection to retract, and therefore that we should steal a ive or withhold what they pleased, I know not But I suspected the motive, resented it, and went no ht me afterward some more favourable accounts of their disposition, and would have drawn ain; but I declared absolutelymore to do with that family This was resented by the Godfreys; we differed, and they re me the whole house, and I resolved to take no hts to e, I looked round me and made overtures of acquaintance in other places; but soon found that the business of a printer being generally thought a poor one, I was not to expect money with a wife, unless with such a one as I should not otherwise think agreeable

A friendly correspondence, as neighbours, had continued between ard forin their house I was often invited there, and consulted in their affairs, wherein I sometimes was of service I pitied poor Miss Read's unfortunate situation, as generally dejected, seldoiddiness and inconstancy when in London, as in a great degree the cause of her unhappiness, though the h to think the faultbefore I went thither, and persuaded the other match in my absence Our reat objections to our union; thatwife being said to be living in England; but this could not easily be proved, because of the distance, &c, and though there was a report of his death, it was not certain Then, though it should be true, he had left ht be called upon to pay: we ventured, however, over all these difficulties, and I took her to wife, Sept 1, 1730 None of the inconveniences happened that we had apprehended; she proved a good and faithful help to the shop; we throve together, and ever mutually endeavoured to reat _erratu, not at a tavern, but in a little room of Mr Grace's set apart for that purpose, a proposition was made by me, that, since our books were often referred to in our disquisitions upon the queries, it ether e ht be consulted; and by thus clubbing our books to a coether, have each of us the advantage of using the books of all the other members, which would be nearly as beneficial as if each owned the whole It was liked and agreed to, and we filled one end of the room with such books as we could best spare The nuh they had been of great use, yet so for want of due care of them, the collection, after about a year, was separated, and each took his books hoain

And now I set on foot my first project of a public nature, that for a subscription library; I drew up the proposals, got thereat scrivener, Brockden, and, by the help of my friends in the junto, procured fifty subscribers of forty shi+llings each to begin with, and ten shi+llings a year for fifty years, the term our company was to continue We afterward obtained a charter, the co increased to one hundred; this was the mother of all the North American subscription libraries, now so nuoes on increasing: these libraries have ieneral conversation of the Aent as entlemen froree to the stand so generally es

[Thus far ritten with the intention expressed in the beginning; and, getting abroad, it excited great interest on account of its simplicity and candour; and induced many applications for a continuance

What folloritten many years after, in compliance with the advice contained in the letters that follow, and has, therefore, less of a family picture and more of a public character The American revolution occasioned the interruption]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Dr shi+pley

[2] Perhaps from the time when the name of FRANKLIN, which before was the name of an order of people, was assumed by thedom

As a proof that Franklin was anciently the coe Fortescue, _De laudibus Leguliae_, written about the year 1412, in which is the following passage, to show that good juries io etiam illa, ita respersa refertaque est _possessoribus terrarurorum, quod in ea, villula taer_, vel pater-fanis ditatus possessionibus, nec non libere tenentes et alii _valecti_ plurimi, suis patrimoniis sufficientes, ad faciendum juratam, in forma praenotata

”Moreover, the same country is so filled and replenished with landed menne, that therein so sht, an esquire, or such a householder as is there coreat possessions; and also other freeholders and many yeomen, able for their livelihoodes to make a jury in form aforementioned”--_Old Translation_

Chaucer, too, calls his country-gentle, thus characterizes him:

”This worthy Franklin bore a purse of silk Fix'd to his girdle, white as ht of the shi+re, first justice at th' assize, To help the poor, the doubtful to advise

In all eenerous, just he proved, Renown'd for courtesy, by all beloved”

[3] _Copy of an original letter, found a Dr Franklin's papers, from Josiah to B Franklin_

Boston, May 26, 1739

LOVING SON,--As to the original of our name there is various opinions; some say that it caht when here, gives a lively account Some think we are of a French extract, which was formerly called Franks; soe which was co red legs Your uncle Benjamin made inquiry of one skilled in heraldry, who told hi to the Franklins of the north, and one to the Franklins of the west However, our circumstances have been such as that it hath hardly been worth while to concern ourselves s, any farther than to tickle the fancy a little

The first that I can give account of isyoung oe to seek their fortune, and in his travels he went upon liking to a taylor; but he kept such a stingy house, that he left him and travelled farther, and ca in popish ti the servant was called up at five in the ood beer, and he found good housekeeping there; he served and learned the trade of a srandmother by father's side, informed my father that they kept their Bible fastened under the top of a joint-stool that they ht turn up the book and read in the Bible; that, when anybody came to the dore, they turned up the stool for fear of the apparitor; for if it was discovered they would be in hazard of their lives My grandfather was a smith also, and settled at Ecton, in Northamptonshi+re, and he was i the author of soreat randfather's name was Henry, my father's name was Thomas, my mother's name was Jane My father was born at Ecton or Eton, Northamptonshi+re, on the 18th of October, 1598; married to Miss Jane White, niece to Coll White, of Banbury, and died in the 84th year of his age There was nine children of us ere happy in our parents, who took great care by their instructions and pious exaious way My eldest brother had but one child, which was h, in Northamptonshi+re