Page:Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin (1793).djvu/75

65 Thevenot; and I added to them ſome of my own invention, in which I endeavoured to unite gracefulneſs and utility. I took a pleaſure in displaying them all on this occaſion, and was highly flattered with the admiration they excited.

Wygate, beſides his being deſirous of perfecting himſelf in this art, was the more attached to me from there being, in other reſpects, a conformity in our taſtes and ſtudies. He at length propoſed to me to make the tour of Europe with him, maintaining ourſelves at the ſame time by working at our profeſſion. I was on the point of conſenting, when I mentioned it to my friend Mr. Denham, with whom I was glad to paſs an hour whenever I had leiſure. He diſſuaded me from the project, and adviſed me to think of returning to Philadelphia, which he was about to do himſelf. I muſt relate in this place a trait of this worthy man's character.

He had formerly been in buſineſs at Briſtol, but failing, he compounded with his creditors, and departed for America, where, by aſſiduous application as a merchant, he acquired in a few years a very conſiderable fortune. Returning to England in the ſame veſſel with myſelf, as I have related above, he invited all his old creditors to a feaſt. When aſſembled, he thanked them for the readineſs with which they had received his ſmall competition; and, while they expected nothing more than a ſimple entertainment, each found under his plate, when it came to be removed, a draft upon a banker for the reſidue of his debt, with intereſt. He told me that it was his intention to carry back with him to Philadelphia a great quantity of goods, in order to open a ſtore; and he offered to take me with him in the capacity of