The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin/Section Fourteen

Section Fourteen
Walking again down towards the River, & looking in the Faces of People, I met a young Quaker Man whose Countenance I lik’d, and accosting him requested he would tell me where a Stranger could get Lodging. We were then near the Sign of the Three Mariners. Here, says he, is one Place that entertains Strangers, but it is not a reputable House; if thee wilt walk with me, I’ll show thee a better. He brought me to the Crooked Billet in Water-Street. Here I got a Dinner. And while I was eating it, several sly Questions were ask’d me, as it seem’d to be suspected from my youth & Appearance, that I might be some Runaway. After Dinner my Sleepiness return’d: and being shown to a Bed, I lay down without undressing, and slept till Six in the Evening; was call’d to Supper; went to Bed again very early and slept soundly till the next Morning. Then I made myself as tidy as I could, and went to Andrew Bradford the Printer’s. I found in the Shop the old Man his Father, whom I had seen at New York, and who travelling on horseback had got to Philadelphia before me. He introduc’d me to his Son, who receiv’d me civilly, gave me a Breakfast, but told me he did not at present want a Hand, being lately supply’d with one. But there was another Printer in town lately set up, one Keimer, who perhaps might employ me; if not, I should be welcome to lodge at his House, & he would give me a little Work to do now & then till fuller Business should offer.

The old Gentleman said, he would go with me to the new Printer: And when we found him, Neighbor, says Bradford, I have brought to see you a young Man of your Business, perhaps you may want such a One. He ask’d me a few Questions, put a Composing Stick in my Hand to see how I work’d, and then said he would employ me soon, tho’ he had just then nothing for me to do. And taking old Bradford whom he had never seen before, to be one of the Towns People that had a Good Will for him, enter’d into a Conversation on his present Undertaking & Prospects; while Bradford not discovering that he was the other Printer’s Father, on Keimer’s saying he expected soon to get the greatest Part of the Business into his own Hands, drew him on by artful Questions and starting little Doubts, to explain all his Views, what Interest he rely’d on, & in what manner he intended to proceed. I who stood by & heard all, saw immediately that one of them was a crafty old Sophister, and the other a mere Novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, who was greatly surpris’d when I told him who the old Man was.

Keimer’s Printinghouse I found, consisted of an old shatter’d Press, and one small worn-out Fount of English, which he was then using himself, composing in it an Elegy on Aquila Rose before-mentioned, an ingenious young Man of excellent Character much respected in the Town, Clerk of the Assembly, & a pretty Poet. Keimer made Verses, too, but very indifferently. He could not be said to write them, for his Manner was to compose them in the Types directly out of his Head; so there being no Copy, but one Pair of Cases, and the Elegy likely to require all the Letter, no one could help him. I endeavor’d to put his Press (which he had not yet us’d, & of which he understood nothing) into Order fit to be work’d with; & promising to come & print off his Elegy as soon as he should have got it ready, I return’d to Bradford’s who gave me a little Job to do for the present, & there I lodged & dieted. A few Days after Keimer sent for me to print off the Elegy. And now he had got another Pair of Cases, and Pamphlet to reprint, on which he set me to work.

These two Printers I found poorly Qualified for their Business. Bradford had not been bred to it, & was very illiterate; and Keimer tho’ something of a Scholar, was a mere Compositor, knowing nothing of Presswork. He had been one of the French Prophets and could act their enthusiastic Agitations. At this time he did not profess any particular Religion, but something of all on occasion; was very ignorant of the World, & had, as I afterwards found, a good deal of the Knave in his Composition. He did not like my Lodging at Bradford’s while I work’d with him. He had a House indeed, but without Furniture, so he could not lodge me: But he got me a Lodging at Mr Read’s before-mentioned, who was the Owner of his House. And my Chest & Clothes being come by this time, I made rather a more respectable Appearance in the Eyes of Miss Read than I had done when she first happen’d to see me eating my Roll in the Street.