Benjamin Franklin : $b Representative selections, with introduction, bibliograpy, and notesFranklin, Benjamin
General
Benjamin Franklin : $b Representative selections, with introduction, bibliograpy, and notes
Franklin, Benjamin
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
privately: Bradford being unkind enough to forbid it: which occasion'd
some Resentment on my Part; and I thought so meanly of him for it, that
when I afterwards came into his Situation, I took care never to imitate
it.
I had hitherto continu'd to board with Godfrey who lived in Part of my
House with his Wife and Children, and had one Side of the Shop for his
Glazier's Business, tho' he work'd little, being always absorb'd in his
Mathematics.--Mrs. Godfrey projected a Match for me with a Relation's
Daughter, took Opportunities of bringing us often together, till a
serious Courtship on my Part ensu'd, the Girl being in herself very
deserving. The old Folks encourag'd me by continual Invitations to
Supper, and by leaving us together, till at length it was time to
explain. Mrs. Godfrey manag'd our little Treaty. I let her know that I
expected as much Money with their Daughter as would pay off my Remaining
Debt for the Printinghouse, which I believe was not then above a Hundred
Pounds. She brought me Word they had no such Sum to spare. I said they
might mortgage their House in the Loan Office.--The Answer to this after
some Days was, that they did not approve the Match; that on Enquiry of
Bradford they had been inform'd the Printing Business was not a
profitable one, the Types would soon be worn out and more wanted, that
S. Keimer and D. Harry had fail'd one after the other, and I should
probably soon follow them; and therefore I was forbidden the House, and
the Daughter shut up.--Whether this was a real Change of Sentiment, or
only Artifice, on a Supposition of our being too far engag'd in
Affection to retract, and therefore that we should steal a Marriage,
which would leave them at Liberty to give or with[h]old what they
pleas'd, I know not: But I suspected the latter, resented it, and went
no more. Mrs. Godfrey brought me afterwards some more favourable
Accounts of their Disposition, and would have drawn me on again: But I
declared absolutely my Resolution to have nothing more to do with that
Family. This was resented by the Godfreys, we differ'd, and they
removed, leaving me the whole House, and I resolved to take no more
Inmates. But this Affair having turn'd my Thoughts to Marriage, I look'd
round me, and made Overtures of Acquaintance in other Places; but soon
found that the Business of a Printer being generally thought a poor one,
I was not to expect Money with a Wife unless with such a one, as I
should not otherwise think agreable.--In the mean time, that
hard-to-be-govern'd Passion of Youth, had hurried me frequently into
Intrigues with low Women that fell in my Way, which were attended with
some Expence and great Inconvenience, besides a continual Risque to my
Health by a Distemper which of all Things I dreaded, tho' by great good
Luck I escaped it.--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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