Page:Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin (1793).djvu/77

67 was uncertain; I could not therefore accept his propoſal. I was led however to ſuppoſe from this incident, that if I had wiſhed to remain in London, and open a ſwimming ſchool, I ſhould perhaps have gained a great deal of money. This idea ſtruck me ſo forcibly, that, had the offer been made ſooner, I ſhould have diſmiſſed the thought of returning as yet to America. Some years after, you and I had a more important buſineſs to ſettle with one of the ſons of Sir William Wyndham, then Lord Egremont. But let us not anticipate events.

I thus paſſed about eighteen months in London, working almoſt without intermiſſion at my trade, avoiding all expence on my own account, except going now and then to the play, and purchaſing a few books. But my friend Ralph kept me poor. He owed me about twenty-ſeven pounds, which was ſo much money loſt; and when conſidered as taken from my little ſavings, was a very great ſum. I had, notwithſtanding this, a regard for him, as he poſſeſſed many amiable qualities. But tho’ I had done nothing for myſelf in point of fortune, I had increaſed my ſtock of knowledge, either by the many excellent books I had read, or the converſation of learned and literary perſons with whom I was acquainted.

We ſailed from Graveſend the 23d of July 1726. For the incidents of my voyage I refer you to my Journal, where you will find all its circumſtances minutely related. We landed at Philadelphia on the 11th of the following October.

Keith had been deprived of his office of governor, and was ſucceeded by Major Gordon. I met him walking in the ſtreets as a private individual. He appeared a little aſhamed at ſeeing me, but paſſed on without ſaying any thing.