had two sons, about to set out on their travels; he wish’d to have them first taught swimming, and proposed to gratify me handsomely if I would teach them.  They were not yet come to town, and my stay was uncertain, so I could not undertake it; but, from this incident, I thought it likely that, if I were to remain in England and open a swimming-school, I might get a good deal of money; and it struck me so strongly, that, had the overture been sooner made me, probably I should not so soon have returned to America.  After many years, you and I had something of more importance to do with one of these sons of Sir William Wyndham, become Earl of Egremont, which I shall mention in its place.

Thus I spent about eighteen months in London; most part of the time I work’d hard at my business, and spent but little upon myself except in seeing plays and in books.  My friend Ralph had kept me poor; he owed me about twenty-seven pounds, which I was now never likely to receive; a great sum out of my small earnings!  I lov’d him, notwithstanding, for he had many amiable qualities.  I had by no means improv’d my fortune; but I had picked up some very ingenious acquaintance, whose conversation was of great advantage to me; and I had read considerably.

We sail’d from Gravesend on the 23d of July, 1726.  For the incidents of the voyage, I refer you to my journal, where you will find them all minutely related.  Perhaps the most important part of that journal is the plan<5> to be found in it, which I formed at sea, for regulating my future conduct in life.  It is the more remarkable, as being formed when I was so young, and yet being pretty faithfully adhered to quite thro’ to old age.

<5> The “Journal” was printed by Sparks, from a copy made
at Reading in 1787.  But it does not contain the Plan. 
—­Ed.

We landed in Philadelphia on the 11th of October, where I found sundry alterations.  Keith was no longer governor, being superseded by Major Gordon.  I met him walking the streets as a common citizen.  He seem’d a little asham’d at seeing me, but pass’d without saying anything.  I should have been as much asham’d at seeing Miss Read, had not her friends, despairing with reason of my return after the receipt of my letter, persuaded her to marry another, one Rogers, a potter, which was done in my absence.  With him, however, she was never happy, and soon parted from him, refusing to cohabit with him or bear his name, it being now said that he bad another wife.  He was a worthless fellow, tho’ an excellent workman, which was the temptation to her friends.  He got into debt, ran away in 1727 or 1728, went to the West Indies, and died there.  Keimer had got a better house, a shop well supply’d with stationery, plenty of new types, a number of hands, tho’ none good, and seem’d to have a great deal of business.