Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume 2 (of 2): A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own WritingsBruce, Wiliam Cabell
History
Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume 2 (of 2): A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own Writings
Bruce, Wiliam Cabell
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
When Benjamin arrived at Philadelphia, and communicated Josiah's decision
to Keith, the Governor was not in the least disconcerted. There was a great
difference in persons he was so kind as to declare. Discretion did not
always accompany years, nor was youth always without it. "And since he will
not set you up," he said to Benjamin, "I will do it myself. Give me an
inventory of the things necessary to be had from England, and I will send
for them. You shall repay me when you are able; I am resolv'd to have a
good printer here, and I am sure you must succeed." This, the
_Autobiography_ tells us, was uttered with such apparently heartfelt
cordiality that Benjamin did not entertain the slightest doubt of Keith's
sincerity, and, as he had kept, and was still keeping, his plans entirely
secret, there was no one more familiar with Keith's character than himself
to warn him that the actual value of Keith's promises was a very different
thing from their face value. Believing the Governor to be one of the best
men in the world to have thus unsolicited made such a generous offer to
him, Benjamin drew up an inventory calling for a small printing outfit of
the value of about one hundred pounds sterling, and handed it to him. It
met with his approval, but led him to ask whether it might not be of some
advantage for Benjamin to be on the spot in England to choose the type, and
to see that everything was good of its kind. Moreover, he suggested that,
when Benjamin was there, he might make some useful acquaintance, and
establish a profitable correspondence with book-sellers and stationers. To
the advantage of all this Benjamin could not but assent. "Then," said
Keith, "get yourself ready to go with Annis"; meaning the master of the
_London Hope_, the annual ship, which was the only one at that time plying
regularly between London and Philadelphia.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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