FRANKLIN
FRANKLIN
to become a printer, and when twelve years old
signed indeiitiu'es to James to serve until be was
twent}" j'ears old and to receive journeyman's
wages the last year. He had at this time ad-
vanced in reading, his books including " Pil-
grim's Progress, " Plutarch's Lives," Burton's
"Historical Collection," DeFoe's "Essays on
Projects " and Mather's " Essaj's To Do Good.
He made rapid progress in the printing office and
increased the scope of his reading, having access
to the library of Matthew Adams. He improved
liis literary style from reading and practising,
his main help being the third volume of " The
Spectator," which he owTied. He adopted a
vegetable diet when sixteen years old which de-
creased his living expenses, and these savings
were expended for books including "Locke on
the Human Understanding," " Art of Thinking
('Port-Royal Logic ' ), an arithmetic, an English
grammar .and a geometry. He soon gave up his
vegetable diet, and in 1731, when James Franklin
began to print the Xew England Coiirirr, the third
newspaper in Boston and the fourth in America,
Benjamin found agreeable out-door work in
carrying the papers to customers. He became a
frequent although anonymous contributor to its
columns and the approval with which his arti-
cles were met caused an unpleasant misunder-
standing between the brothers. James began to
exact unreasonable tasks from Benjamin whose
refusals to obey were punished by severe beat-
ings. The colonial assembly about this time pro-
hibited James Franklin from publishing the
paper, by reason of an offensive article, the au-
thor of which the editor refused, after a month's
imprisonment, to disclose. Benjamin's indent-
ure of apprenticeship was then cancelled and he
became the editor and publisher. After a few
months the brothers again disagi'eed and Benja-
min left the office. Not being able to obtain
work in Boston on account of the hostility of his
brother, he sold some of his books and with the
funds so obtained took passage in a sloop for New
York, which port he reached in three days. He
applied for work to William Bradford, the only
printer in that city, and was directed by liim to
his son's office in Philadelphia. Pa. He took a
.sloop to Perth Amboy, walked to Burlington,
N.J., where he took another boat which he
helped to row to Philadelphia, arriving at the
foot of Market street early on Sunday morning.
He attended a Quaker meeting after regaling
himself with three rolls, spent the night on the
boat, and on Monday morning presented himself
to Mr. Bradford, who gave him partial
employment. He made many friends in Philadelphia,
including Sir William Keith, the provincial
governor, who proposed to aid him in establishing a
printing office of his own. He was eighteen
years old at this time, and made the journey to
Boston to get some financial aid from his father.
This was withheld, with the advice that he
should wait until he reached his majority when
his savings might enable him better to help
himself. He returned to Philadelphia, and the
governor agreed to furnish the money for him to go
to London and purchase an outfit. He sailed on
the ship Annis and reached London where he
expected to find his letters of credit in the mail
bags. After vainly waiting months for an
explanation from the governor, he secured work with
Palmer, a famous printer, with whom he
remained a year, and then worked for six months
with Watts, who conducted a larger office.
While in London he led a rather gay life, spent
all his earnings, and made the acquaintance of
some celebrated authors. He then engaged as a
clerk to Thomas Denham, a Quaker niercliant of
Philadelphia, for £50 per year, and set sail with
him for home. They arrived in Philadelphia,
Oct. 11, 1726, and soon after both fell ill. Mr.
Denham died, and his store was taken by execu-
tors which left Franklin free to return to his
trade. He worked for a time for an old em-
ployer. Mr. Keimer, and then formed a partner-
ship with Meredith, whom he subsequently
bought out, and with money furnished by William
Coleman and
Robert Grace,
began business
for himself.
This new ven-
ture was made
a secret part
nership which
was dissolved
July 14, 1730.
and first made
known May 11, 1732, after Franklin had paid
his debt to the other partners in full. He was
married, Sept. 1, 1730, to Deborah Read, at
whose father's house he had found lodgings on
first arriving in Philadelphia. During Franklin's
absence in London, she had been married to a
worthless fellow, who after deserting her had
died in the West Indies about 1728. The jear
previous to his marriage he had secured the
ownership of the Pcnnsnlrania Gazette which his
original style of editing made at once popular
and it became a valuable property. He was a
founder and an original member of the Junta club,
organized for mutual improvement. Eacli mem-
ber was to propose in turn queries on points in
morals, philosophy or politics to be discussed by
all, and once in three months each was to read
an essay of "his own %vriting on any subject
he pleased. Thomas Godfrey, mathematician;
Nicholas Scull, surveyor; William Mangridge,
