that her fhop would not conveniently contain. The fervant went as he was directed, and took a candle in his hand without a cand eftick. In

a fhort time he returned to his mistress; but both his hands being full, had let the candie b: hind him. Alarmed at this circumstance, fle afked him where he had put it? He replied, he had fuck it into a barrel of feeds in the chamber.

Thus did this woman, by her ad. mirable prefence of mind, prevent the most unhappy confequences; for, hd the not caufed fo fpeedy a removal of the candle, the destruction of her own house, together with a great part of the neighbourhood, must have been almofl inevitable.

LIFE
OF

DOCTOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,

(Written by Himself.)

(Continued from p. 467.)

ARLY in February 1727, when

EA

After a few moments recollection, to her inexpreffible terror and aftonishment, the found he had unfortunately mistaken gunpowder for feeds, and had placed the lighted candle in the midst of it. The emotions of her foul, at this inftant, are ifs eafy to be defcribed than conceived: but though he was fo much inwardly agitated, yet, inflead of venting her griet in loud exclamations, the calmly ordered him to fetch the I entered into my twenty-les candle immediately, without dif cond year, we were bo h taken ill. covering the leaft perturbation in I was attacked with a pleurity, which her countenance, being firmly per- had nearly carr ed me off; I fuffered fuaded, that if the made known her terribly, and confidered it as all over dreadful fituation, neither the man with me. I felt indeed, a fort of himself, nor any other person, would difappointment when I found myfelf have engaged in fo hazardous ankely to recover, and regretted that undertaking; and at the fam time, I had fill to experience, fooner or conuidering with herself, that in lat r, the fame difagreeable fcene cafe of an explofion, he was the only again. perfon who ought to fall a victim to his own indiferetion.

As fon as he left the room to execute his mittrefs's commands, the, with all the rest of her family, instantly quitted the houfe, expecting, every moment of their flay in it, to be buried in its ruins. However, it providentially happened that the man took away the condle before it had communicated itself to the gunpowder; and the family, after being fully convinced that the danger was ever, returned home: but the fervant, on becoming acquainted with the imminent danger he had b en expoled to, fainted away, and remained in a fate of infenfibility till brought to life by the fuccesful endeavours of the pe ple about him.

I have forgotten what was Mr. Denham's diforder; but it was a tedious one, and he at last funk under it. He left me a final legacy in his will, as a teflimony of his friendship; and I was once more abandoned to my felf in the wide world, the warehouse being confided to the care of the testa mentary executor, who difiniffed me.

My brother-in-law, Holmes, who happened to be at Phi adelphi, adviled me to return to my former profeffion; and Keimer offered me a very confiderable falary it I would undertake the management of his printing-office, that he might devote himself entirely to the fuperintendance of his fhop. His wife and relations in London had given me a

bad

Life of Dr. Franklin.

bad character of him; and I was loath, for the prefent, to have any concern with him. I endeavoured to get employment as clerk to a merchant; but not readily finding a fitution, I was induced to accept Keimer's propofal.

The following were the perfons I found in his printing-house.

Hugh Meredith, a Pennfylvanian, about thirty-five years of age. He had been brought up to hutbandry, was honelt, fentible, had fome experience, and was fond of reading; but too much addicted to drinking. Stephen Potts, a young rustic, jult broke from 1chool, and of rustic education, with endowments rather above the common order, and a competent portion of undertanding and gaiety; but a little jule. Keimer had engaged these two at very low wages, which he had promifed to raile every three months a fhilling a week, provided their improve ment in the typographic art thould merit it. This tuture increase of wages was the bait he had made uf of to enfna,e them. Meredith Was to work at the prefs, and Potts to bind books, which he had engaged to teach them, though he underflood neither himfelt.

John Savage, an Irishnen, who had been brought up to no trade, and whofe fervice, for a period of four years, Keimer had purchafed of the captain of a fhip. He was alto to be a preilman.

517

would, as foon as they should be fufficiently inftructed, enable him to do without me. I nevertheless ad hered to my agreement; I put the office in order, which was in the ut. 'most confufion, and brought his people, by degrees, to pay at ention to their work, and to execute it in a more matterly style.

It was fingular to fee an Oxford fcholar in the condition of a purch fed fervant. He was not more than eighteen years of age; and the following are the particulars he gave me of himself. Born at Gloucester, he had been educated at a grammarfchool, and had diftinguithed him→ felf among the f holars by his fuperior ty e of acting, when they reprefented dramatic performances. He was member of a literary club in the town; and tome pieces of his compolition, in profe as well as in verfe, had been inferted in the Gloucester papers.

From hence he was sent to Oxford, where he remained about a year; but he was not con ented, and withed above all things to fee Lon don, and become an actor. At length, having received fifteen guineas to pay his quarter's board, he deca uped with the money from Oxford, hid his gown in a hedge, and travelled to London. There, having no triend to direct him, he fell into bad company, foon fquandered his fifteen guineas, could find no way of being introduced to the actors, became contemptible, pawned his clothes,

George Webb, an Oxford fcho-an was in want of bread. As he lar, whofe time he had in like manner bought for four years, intending him for a compofitor. I fhall fpeak more of him prefently.

Lastly, David Harry, a country lad, who was apprenticed to him.

was walking along the streets, almost famished with hunger, and not knowig what to do, a recruiting bill was put into his hand, which offered an immediate treat and bounty-money to whoever was difpofed to ferve 1 foon perceived that Keimer's in- in America. He initantly repaired tention, in engaging me at a price foto the houfe of rendezvous, inlisted much above what he was accustomed himself, was put on board a ship, and to give, was, that I might form all conveyed to America, without ever theic raw journeymen and appren-writing a line to inform his parents tices, who fcarcely coft him any what was become of him. His menthing, and who, being indentured, tal vivacity, and good natural dispo

fiion made him an excellent compa-ault, was difficult to please, and nion; but he was indolent, thought-feemed always on the point of comlefs, and to the laft degree impruing to an open quarrel with me.

dent.

John the Irishman foon ran away; I began to live very agreeably with the rest. They refpected me, and the more fo as they found Keimer incapable of inftructing them, and as they learned fomething from me every day. We never worked on a Saturday, it being Keimer's fabbath; fo that I had two days a week for reading.

I continued, however, to bear it patiently, conceiving that his illumour was partly occafioned by the derangement and embarraflment of his affairs At laft à flight inci dent broke our connection. Hear ing a noife in the neighbourhood, I put my head out at the window to fce what was the matter. Keimer being in the street, obferved me, and in a loud and angry tone told me to mind my work; adding fome re

the more as they were uttered in the feet; and the neighbours, whom the fame noife had attracted to the windows, were witneffes of the manner in which I was treated. He im

I increafed my acquaintance with perfons of knowledge and informa-proachful words, which piqued me tion in the town. Keimer himself treated me with great civility and apparent efteem; and I had nothing to give me uneasiness but my debt to Vernon, which I was unable to pay, my favings as yet being very little.mediately came up to the printing He had the goodness, however, not to afk me for the money.

room, and continued to exclaim against me. The quarrel became Our prefs was frequently in want warm on both fides, and he gave of the neceffary quantity of Jetter; me notice to quit him at the expira and there was no fuch trade as that tion of three months, as had been of letter-founder in America. I had agreed between us; regretting that feen the practice of this art at the he was obliged to give me fo long houfe of James, in London; but a term. I told him that his regret had at the time paid it very little at- was fuperfluous, as I was ready to tention. I however contrives to fa-quit him inftantly; and I took my bricate a mould. I made ufe of hat and came out of the house, begfuch letters as we had for punches, ging Meredith to take care of some founded new letters of lead in mat-things which I left, and bring them trices of clay, and thus fupplied, in to my lodgings. a tolerable manner the wants that were most preffing.

1 alfo, upon occafion, engraved various ornaments, made ink, gave an eye to the fhop; in fhort, I was in every respect the factotum. But ufeful as I made myself, I perceived, that my fervices became every day ot lefs importance, in proportion as the other men improved; and when Keimer paid me my fecond quarter's wages, he gave me to underfland that they were too heavy, and that he thought I ought to make an abatement. He became by degrees lefs civil, and affumed more the tone of mafter. He frequently found

Meredith can e to me in the even ing. We talked for fome time upon the quarrel that had taken place. He had conceived a great venera tion for me, and was forry I should quit the houfe while he remained in it. He diffuaded me from returning to my native country, as I began to think of doing. He reminded me that Keimer owed more than he po fefled; that his creditors began be alarmed; that he kept his flop in a wretched ftate, often ieling thing at prime colt for the fake of read money, and continually giving c dit without keeping any accounts that of confequence he muit ven