第4章

When we came into the Channel, the captain kept his word with me, and gave me an opportunity of examining the bag for the governor's letters. I found none upon which my name was put as under my care. I picked out six or seven, that, by the handwriting, I thought might be the promised letters, especially as one of them was directed to Basket, the king's printer, and another to some stationer.

We arriv'd in London the 24th of December, 1724. I waited upon the stationer, who came first in my way, delivering the letter as from Governor Keith. "I don't know such a person, " says he; but, opening the letter, "O! this is from Riddlesden. I have lately found him to be a compleat rascal, and I will have nothing to do with him, nor receive any letters from him." So, putting the letter into my hand, he turn'd on his heel and left me to serve some customer.

I was surprized to find these were not the governor's letters; and, after recollecting and comparing circumstances, I began to doubt his sincerity. I found my friend Denham,and opened the whole affair to him. He let me into Keith's character; told me there was not the least probability that he had written any letters for me; that no one, who knew him, had the smallest dependence on him; and he laught at the notion of the governor's giving me a letter of credit, having, as he said, no credit to give. On my expressing some concern about what I should do, he advised me to endeavor getting some employment in the way of my business.

"Among the printers here, " said he, "you will improve yourself, and when you return to America, you will set up to greater advantage."

We both of us happen'd to know, as well as the stationer, that Riddlesden, the attorney, was a very knave. He had half ruin'd Miss Read's father by persuading him to be bound for him. By this letter it appear'd there was a secret scheme on foot to the prejudice of Hamilton (suppos'd to be then coming over with us);and that Keith was concerned in it with Riddlesden. Denham, who was a friend of Hamilton's thought he ought to be acquainted with it; so, when he arriv'd in England, which was soon after, partly from resentment and ill-will to Keith and Riddlesden,and partly from good-will to him, I waited on him, and gave him the letter. He thank'd me cordially, the information being of importance to him; and from that time he became my friend, greatly to my advantage afterwards on many occasions.

But what shall we think of a governor's playing such pitiful tricks, and imposing so grossly on a poor ignorant boy! It was a habit he had acquired. He wish'd to please everybody; and, having little to give, he gave expectations. He was otherwise an ingenious, sensible man, a pretty good writer, and a good governor for the people, tho’not for his constituents, the proprietaries, whose instructions he sometimes disregarded. Several of our best laws were of his planning and passed during his administration.

Ralph and I were inseparable companions. We took lodgings together in Little Britain at three shillings and sixpence a week-as much as we could then afford. He found some relations, but they were poor, and unable to assist him. He now let me know his intentions of remaining in London, and that he never meant to return to Philadelphia. He had brought no money with him, the whole he could muster having been expended in paying his passage. I had fifteen pistoles; so he borrowed occasionally of me to subsist, while he was looking out for business.

He first endeavored to get into the playhouse, believing himself qualify'd for an actor;but Wilkes, to whom he apply'd, advis'd him candidly not to think of that employment, as it was impossible be should succeed in it.

Then he propos'd to Roberts, a publisher in Paternoster Row, to write for him a weekly paper like the Spectator, on certain conditions, which Roberts did not approve. Then he endeavored to get employment as a hackney writer, to copy for the stationers and lawyers about the Temple, but could find no vacancy.

I immediately got into work at Palmer's, then a famous printing-house in Bartholomew Close, and here I continu'd near a year. I was pretty diligent, but spent with Ralph a good deal of my earnings in going to plays and other places of amusement. We had together consumed all my pistoles, and now just rubbed on from hand to mouth. He seem'd quite to forget his wife and child, and I, by degrees, my engagements with Miss Read, to whom I never wrote more than one letter, and that was to let her know I was not likely soon to return. This was another of the great errata of my life, which I should wish to correct if I were to live it over again. In fact, by our expenses, I was constantly kept unable to pay my passage.

At Palmer's I was employed in composing for the second edition of Wollaston's"Religion of Nature." Some of his reasonings not appearing to me well founded, I wrote a little metaphysical piece in which I made remarks on them. It was entitled "A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain." I inscribed it to my friend Ralph; I printed a small number. It occasion'd my being more consider'd by Mr. Palmer as a young man of some ingenuity, tho’he seriously expostulated with me upon the principles of my pamphlet, which to him appear'd abominable. My printing this pamphlet was another erratum.

While I lodg'd in Little Britain, I made an acquaintance with one Wilcox, a bookseller, whose shop was at the next door. He had an immense collection of second-hand books. Circulating libraries were not then in use; but we agreed that, on certain reasonable terms, which I have now forgotten, I might take, read, and return any of his books. This I esteem'd a great advantage, and I made as much use of it as I could.

My pamphlet by some means falling into the hands of one Lyons, a surgeon, author of a book entitled "The Infallibility of Human Judgment, " it occasioned an acquaintance between us. He took great notice of me, called on me often to converse on those subjects, carried me to the Horns, a pale alehouse in-Lane, Cheapside, and introduced me to Dr. Mandeville, author of the "Fable of the Bees, " who had a club there, of which he was the soul, being a most facetious, entertaining companion. Lyons, too, introduced me to Dr. Pemberton, at Batson's Coffee-house, who promis'd to give me an opportunity, some time or other, of seeing Sir Isaac Newton, of which I was extreamely desirous; but this never happened.

I had brought over a few curiosities, among which the principal was a purse made of the asbestos, which purifies by fire. Sir Hans Sloane heard of it, came to see me, and invited me to his house in Bloomsbury Square, where he show'd me all his curiosities, and persuaded me to let him add that to the number, for which he paid me handsomely.

In our house there lodg'd a young woman, a milliner, who, I think, had a shop in the Cloisters. She had been genteelly bred, was sensible and lively, and of most pleasing conversation. Ralph read plays to her in the evenings, they grew intimate, she took another lodging, and he followed her. They liv'd together some time; but, he being still out of business, and her income not sufficient to maintain them with her child, he took a resolution of going from London, to try for a country school, which he thought himself well qualified to undertake, as he wrote an excellent hand, and was a master of arithmetic and accounts. This, however, he deemed a business below him, and confident of future better fortune, when he should be unwilling to have it known that he once was so meanly employed, he changed his name, and did me the honor to assume mine; for I soon after had a letter from him, acquainting me that he was settled in a small village (in Berkshire, I think it was, where he taught reading and writing to ten or a dozen boys, at sixpence each per week), recommending Mrs. T—to my care, and desiring me to write to him, directing for Mr. Franklin, schoolmaster, at such a place.

He continued to write frequently, sending me large specimens of an epic poem which he was then composing, and desiring my remarks and corrections. These I gave him from time to time, but endeavor'd rather to discourage his proceeding. One of Young's Satires was then just published. I copy'd and sent him a great part of it, which set in a strong light the folly of pursuing the Muses with any hope of advancement by them. All was in vain; sheets of the poem continued to come by every post. In the mean time, Mrs. T—, having on his account lost her friends and business, was often in distresses, and us'd to send for me, and borrow what I could spare to help her out of them.

I grew fond of her company, and, being at that time under no religious restraint, and presuming upon my importance to her, I attempted familiarities (another erratum) which she repuls'd with a proper resentment, and acquainted him with my behaviour. This made a breach between us; and, when he returned again to London, he let me know he thought I had cancell'd all the obligations he had been under to me.

So I found I was never to expect his repaying me what I lent to him, or advanc'd for him. This, however, was not then of much consequence, as he was totally unable; and in the loss of his friendship I found myself relieved from a burthen. I now began to think of getting a little money beforehand, and, expecting better work, I left Palmer's to work at Watts's, near Lincoln's Inn Fields, a still greater printing-house. Here I continued all the rest of my stay in London.

At my first admission into this printing-house I took to working at press, imagining I felt a want of the bodily exercise I had been us'd to in America, where presswork is mix'd with composing. I drank only water; the other workmen, near fifty in number, were great guzzlers of beer. On occasion, I carried up and down stairs a large form of types in each hand, when others carried but one in both hands. They wondered to see, from this and several instances, that the Water-American, as they called me, was stronger than themselves, who drank strong beer!

We had an alehouse boy who attended always in the house to supply the workmen. My companion at the press drank every day a pint before breakfast, a pint at breakfast with his bread and cheese, a pint between breakfast and dinner, a pint at dinner, a pint in the afternoon about six o'clock, and another when he had done his day's work. I thought it a detestable custom; but it was necessary, he suppos'd, to drink strong beer, that he might be strong to labor.

I endeavored to convince him that the bodily strength afforded by beer could only be in proportion to the grain or flour of the barley dissolved in the water of which it was made; that there was more flour in a pennyworth of bread; and therefore, if he would eat that with a pint of water, it would give him more strength than a quart of beer. He drank on, however, and had four or five shillings to pay out of his wages every Saturday night for that muddling liquor; an expense I was free from. And thus these poor devils keep themselves always under.

Watts, after some weeks, desiring to have me in the composing-room, I left the pressmen; a new bien venu or sum for drink, being five shillings, was demanded of me by the compositors. I thought it an imposition, as I had paid below; the master thought so too, and forbad my paying it. I stood out two or three weeks, was accordingly considered as an excommunicate, and bad so many little pieces of private mischief done me, by mixing my sorts, transposing my pages, breaking my matter, etc., etc., if I were ever so little out of the room, and all ascribed to the chappel ghost, which they said ever haunted those not regularly admitted, that, notwithstanding the master's protection, I found myself oblig'd to comply and pay the money, convinc'd of the folly of being on ill terms with those one is to live with continually.

I was now on a fair footing with them, and soon acquir'd considerable influence. I propos'd some reasonable alterations in their chappel laws, and carried them against all opposition. From my example, a great part of them left their muddling breakfast of beer, and bread, and cheese, finding they could with me be suppli'd from a neighboring house with a large porringer of hot water-gruel, sprinkled with pepper, crumbl'd with bread,and a bit of butter in it, for the price of a pint of beer, viz., three half-pence. This was a more comfortable as well as cheaper breakfast, and kept their heads clearer.

Those who continued sotting with beer all day, were often, by not paying, out of credit at the alehouse, and us'd to make interest with me to get beer; their light, as they phrased it, being out. I watch'd the pay-table on Saturday night, and collected what I stood engag'd for them, having to pay sometimes near thirty shillings a week on their account. This, and my being esteem'd a pretty good riggite, that is, a jocular verbal satirist, supported my consequence in the society. My constant attendance (I never making a St. Monday) recommended me to the master; and my uncommon quickness at composing occasioned my being put upon all work of dispatch, which was generally better paid. So I went on now very agreeably.

My lodging in Little Britain being too remote, I found another in Duke-street, opposite to the Romish Chapel. It was two pair of stairs backwards, at an Italian warehouse. A widow lady kept the house; she had a daughter, and a maid servant, and a journeyman who attended the warehouse, but lodg'd abroad. After sending to inquire my character at the house where I last lodg'd she agreed to take me in at the same rate, 3s. 6d. per week; cheaper, as she said, from the protection she expected in having a man lodge in the house. She was a widow, an elderly woman; had been bred a Protestant, being a clergyman's daughter, but was converted to the Catholic religion by her husband, whose memory she much revered; had lived much among people of distinction, and knew a thousand anecdotes of them as far back as the times of Charles the Second. She was lame in her knees with the gout, and, therefore, seldom stirred out of her room, so sometimes wanted company; and hers was so highly amusing to me, that I was sure to spend an evening with her whenever she desired it. Our supper was only half an anchovy each, on a very little strip of bread and butter, and half a pint of ale between us; but the entertainment was in her conversation. My always keeping good hours, and giving little trouble in the family, made her unwilling to part with me; so that, when I talk'd of a lodging I had heard of, nearer my business, for two shillings a week, which, intent as I now was on saving money, made some difference, she bid me not think of it, for she would abate me two shillings a week for the future; so I remained with her at one shilling and sixpence as long as I staid in London.

In a garret of her house there lived a maiden lady of seventy, in the most retired manner, of whom my landlady gave me this account: that she was a Roman Catholic, had been sent abroad when young, and lodg'd in a nunnery with an intent of becoming a nun; but, the country not agreeing with her, she returned to England, where, there being no nunnery, she had vow'd to lead the life of a nun, as near as might be done in those circumstances. Accordingly, she had given all her estate to charitable uses, reserving only twelve pounds a year to live on, and out of this sum she still gave a great deal in charity, living herself on water-gruel only, and using no fire but to boil it. She had lived many years in that garret, being permitted to remain there gratis by successive Catholic tenants of the house below, as they deemed it a blessing to have her there. A priest visited her to confess her every day.

"I have ask'd her, " says my landlady, "how she, as she liv'd, could possibly find so much employment for a confessor? "

"Oh, " said she, "it is impossible to avoid vain thoughts."

I was permitted once to visit her, She was chearful and polite, and convers'd pleasantly. The room was clean, but had no other furniture than a matras, a table with a crucifix and book, a stool which she gave me to sit on, and a picture over the chimney of Saint Veronica displaying her handkerchief, with the miraculous figure of Christ's bleeding face on it, which she explained to me with great seriousness. She look'd pale, but was never sick; and I give it as another instance on how small an income life and health may be supported.

At Watts's printing-house I contracted an acquaintance with an ingenious young man, one Wygate, who, having wealthy relations, had been better educated than most printers;was a tolerable Latinist, spoke French, and lov'd reading. I taught him and a friend of his to swim at twice going into the river, and they soon became good swimmers. They introduc'd me to some gentlemen from the country, who went to Chelsea by water to see the College and Don Saltero's curiosities. In our return, at the request of the company, whose curiosity Wygate had excited, I stripped and leaped into the river, and swam from near Chelsea to Blackfryar's, performing on the way many feats of activity, both upon and under water, that surpris'd and pleas'd those to whom they were novelties.

I had from a child been ever delighted with this exercise, had studied and practis'd all Thevenot's motions and positions, added some of my own, aiming at the graceful and easy as well as the useful. All these I took this occasion of exhibiting to the company, and was much flatter'd by their admiration; and Wygate, who was desirous of becoming a master, grew more and more attach'd to me on that account, as well as from the similarity of our studies. He at length proposed to me travelling all over Europe together, supporting ourselves everywhere by working at our business. I was once inclined to it; but, mentioning it to my good friend Mr. Denham, with whom I often spent an hour when I had leisure, he dissuaded me from it, advising me to think only of returning to Pennsilvania, which he was now about to do.

I must record one trait of this good man's character. He had formerly been in business at Bristol, but failed in debt to a number of people, compounded and went to America. There, by a close application to business as a merchant, he acquir'd a plentiful fortune in a few years. Returning to England in the ship with me, he invited his old creditors to an entertainment, at which he thank'd them for the easy composition they had favored him with, and, when they expected nothing but the treat, every man at the first remove found under his plate an order on a banker for the full amount of the unpaid remainder with interest.

He now told me he was about to return to Philadelphia, and should carry over a great quantity of goods in order to open a store there. He propos'd to take me over as his clerk, to keep his books, in which he would instruct me, copy his letters, and attend the store. He added that, as soon as I should be acquainted with mercantile business, he would promote me by sending me with a cargo of flour and bread, etc., to the West Indies, and procure me commissions from others which would be profitable; and, if I manag'd well, would establish me handsomely. The thing pleas'd me; for I was grown tired of London, remembered with pleasure the happy months I had spent in Pennsylvania, and wish'd again to see it; therefore I immediately agreed on the terms of fifty pounds a year, Pennsylvania money; less, indeed, than my present gettings as a compositor, but affording a better prospect.

I now took leave of printing, as I thought, for ever, and was daily employed in my new business, going about with Mr. Denham among the tradesmen to purchase various articles, and seeing them pack'd up, doing errands, calling upon workmen to dispatch, etc.; and, when all was on board, I had a few days’leisure.

On one of these days, I was, to my surprise, sent for by a great man I knew only by name, a Sir William Wyndham, and I waited upon him. He had heard by some means or other of my swimming from Chelsea to Blackfriar's, and of my teaching Wygate and another young man to swim in a few hours. He 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.

我们进入英吉利海峡后，船主遵守了他对我的诺言，给了我一个机会，在信袋中找州长的信，但是我没有找到一封委托给我保管的信。我挑出了六七封信，根据笔迹，我猜想可能是那些约定的信，特别是因为其中有一封是写给巴斯吉的，他是皇家印刷厂的，另一封是给一个文具商的。

我们于1724年12月24日到达伦敦。我去拜访那个文具商，他离我最近。我给了他那封信，说是基夫州长写的。“我不认识这样一个人，”他说，但是他拆开了信，“哦！这是李德斯田的信。近来我发现他完全是个骗子，我将与他断绝来往，也不接受他的任何来信。”于是，他把信塞进我手里，转身离去，把我晾在一边，接待另一位顾客去了。

我很惊奇地发现，这些信并不是州长的；经过回忆和比较各种事实，我开始怀疑他的诚意了。我找到了我的朋友丹尼先生，将整个事情都告诉了他。他告诉了我基夫的性格，说他绝不可能替我写任何信，任何一个了解他的人对他都不会有一点儿信赖。当他听说州长将给我信用证时，就笑了起来，因为据说他根本就没有信用证。当我表示出对我今后该怎么办的担心时，他建议我设法在我的本行中找一份工作。

“在这里的印刷厂工作，”他说，“你可以提高你自己。当你回到美洲时，你将会有更好的条件开业了。”

我们两人碰巧知道——就像那个文具商人知道的一样——那位李德斯田律师是一个完完全全的无赖。他劝李德小姐的父亲和他签订了师徒合同，使李德先生几乎破产。从这封信来看，好像有人正在酝酿一个不利于汉弥尔顿的阴谋（他们假设汉弥尔顿是跟我们一起来英国的），而且还牵涉到了基夫和李德斯田。丹尼是汉弥尔顿的朋友，认为应当让汉弥尔顿知道这封信的内容。这样，当汉弥尔顿不久之后到达英国时，一方面为了发泄我对基夫和李德斯田的愤怒和憎恨，另一方面为了表示对他的好感，我去拜访了他，并把这封信给了他。他诚恳地谢过我，因为这个消息对他来说非常重要。从那以后，他成了我的朋友；后来，这种友谊有许多次都对我极其有利。

但是，我们又该如何理解一个州长竟然玩这种卑鄙的把戏，这么下流地耍弄一个可怜而无辜的孩子呢！原来，这已经成了他的一个习惯，他想讨好大家，但是又给不了别人什么东西，所以他就给人希望。除此以外，他倒是一个聪明而懂事的人，写得一手好文章，对老百姓来说是一个好州长，虽然对他的选民（有产业的业主）来讲他并不是如此，因为他有时候会对他们的训令置之不理。我们有一些最好法律就是由他制定，并且在他的任期内获得通过的。

拉尔夫和我是不可分离的伙伴。我们以每周3先令6便士的租金，一同寄宿在小不列颠——这是我们当时所能支付的最高租金了。拉尔夫找到了一些亲戚，但是他们很穷，帮不了他的忙。这时，他把留在伦敦的想法告诉了我，而且说他从来就没有回费城的打算。他没有带什么钱，他所能筹措的全部款项，都用来支付他的路费了。我身边有15块西班牙币，所以他在找工作的时候，偶尔向我借一点钱，以维持生活。

他起初力图进戏院，因为他相信他自己适合当演员。但是威尔克——拉尔夫曾向他申请演员工作——坦率地劝他不要再想这种工作了，因为他在这方面不可能取得成就。

然后，他向圣父街的一个出版商罗伯茨提议，为对方编写一份像《旁观者》那样的周报，他提出了一定的条件，但是罗伯茨没有答应。后来，他又努力寻找作家助手的工作，替出版商和法学院的律师们抄写资料，但也找不到空缺。

我很快就在帕尔默的印刷厂找到了工作，当时它是巴士罗米巷一家著名的印刷厂，在这里我继续工作了将近一年。我工作非常勤快，但是我工资的很大一部分被花在了和拉尔夫一同去剧院及其他娱乐场所。我们一起花光了我所有的钱，现在我们只能勉强糊口了。他好像完全忘了他的妻子和孩子，而我也逐渐忘了和李德小姐的约定，只给她写过一封信，我在信中告诉她，我大概不会很快回来。这是我一生中另一个重大的错误，如果我能重演这一生的话，我愿意纠正这个错误。事实上，由于我们的开支，我一直没有钱支付我的旅费。

在帕尔默的印刷厂，我被指定为胡拉斯顿的《自然的宗教》第二版排字。由于他的理论，在我看来，有些地方没有充分的根据，所以我写了一篇短篇哲学论文来批评这些理论，题目叫《论自由与必然，快乐与痛苦》。我把它献给我的朋友拉尔夫，并且印刷了一些。这使得帕尔默对我更加重视，认为我是一个有些才能的年轻人，尽管这本小册子所包含的那些理论——他严肃地告诫我说——在他看来是十分讨厌的。我印行这个小册子，是又一个错误。

当我住在小不列颠时，认识了一个叫威尔考克斯的书商，他的书店就在隔壁。他有许多旧书。由于当时还没有流通图书馆，所以我们达成了协议，我出一笔合理的费用，数目我现在已经记不清了，我可以借阅他的任何书，完了之后还给他。我把这看作一种极大的便利，就尽我所能地利用它。

不知是通过哪种方式，我的小册子到了一个叫莱昂斯的外科医生手里，他是《人类判断的不谬性》这本书的作者，因此我们就相识了。他很重视我，常常来看我，和我探讨这类问题，还带我去一家叫荷恩斯的淡啤酒店——它位于吉卜赛的某条小巷，把我介绍给了《蜜蜂的童话》的作者曼德维博士，他在那家酒店里成立了一个俱乐部，因为他是一个十分幽默风趣的伙伴，所以他成了这个俱乐部的核心人物。莱昂斯还把我介绍给了在巴特森咖啡馆的宾柏顿博士，他答应替我找一个机会，去拜见爱瑟·牛顿爵士——对于这一点我极其渴望，但是从没有实现。

我带来了几件珍品，其中最主要的一件是用石棉制成的荷包，它要用火洗涤。汉斯·司隆爵士听到之后，就来看我，请我到他位于布鲁姆斯保利广场的家中，在那里给我看了他搜集的全部奇珍异宝，并劝我把荷包转让给他珍藏，他愿意为此慷慨地付给我一笔费用。

在我们寄宿的地方，有一个年轻的女帽商人，我想她在修道院大街有一家店铺。她接受过贵族教育，明理而活跃，谈吐非常风趣。当拉尔夫在晚上读剧本给她听时，他们逐渐变得亲昵起来。她搬到了另外一个地方寄宿，拉尔夫也跟了去。他们同居了一段时间；但是，由于他仍然没有工作，而她的收入又不够维持他们俩以及她的孩子的生活，所以他决定离开伦敦，试着去当一名乡村教师，他认为自己很有资格当教师，因为他写得一手好字，又擅长算术和簿记。然而，他又认为这是一种比他的地位低的职业，而且深信他将来会发迹，到那时他可不愿意人家知道他过去曾干过如此卑贱的工作，所以他改了他的姓。为了表示对我的尊敬，他冒称了我的姓，因为我不久就接到他的信，告诉我他住在一个小村庄里（我想它是柏克夏，他在那里教十一二个男孩子读书和算术，每周的薪金是6便士），要求我照顾T夫人，而且希望我写信给他，上面要写清楚是寄给在那个地方的老师富兰克林先生的。

他坚持不断地写信，给我寄来一首很长的诗，这是他当时正在写的，要求我批评和指正。这些我都不时地照办了，但是又劝他不要继续写下去了。那时，杨的一篇《讽刺诗》刚发表，我抄了一大部分寄给他，它鲜明地指出了那些毫无希望地追逐诗神的人的愚蠢之举。但是这一切都徒劳无功；诗稿不断地装在每个信封里寄来。同时，T夫人——由于他的关系而失去了她的朋友和生意——已经陷入窘境，常常叫我去，向我借我能多余出来的钱，以救她的燃眉之急。

我逐渐地喜欢与她交往了，而且，由于我这时候没有任何宗教约束，同时利用她对我的依赖，我曾试图与她发生关系（这是又一个错误），但是她拒绝了我，正义地表示了愤怒，并且把我的行为告诉了拉尔夫。这使得我们断绝了往来；当他再次回到伦敦时，他告诉我说，我过去对他的所有恩惠都一笔勾销了。

于是，我发现我永远不能指望他来偿还我借给他或替他垫付的钱了。但是，这在当时还无关紧要，因为他完全没有这个能力；而且没有了他的友谊，我发现我自己从一个重负中解脱出来了。这时，我开始考虑要提前攒点儿钱了。为了得到更好的工作，我离开了帕尔默，来到林肯协会广场附近的瓦茨印刷厂工作，这是一家更大的印刷厂。我在这里继续工作，直到离开伦敦。

我刚到这家印刷厂时，是干印刷工作，因为我觉得我需要以前在美洲习惯的那种体力锻炼；在美洲，印刷工作与排字工作紧密相关。我只喝水；而其他工人，大约有50人，都是酒鬼。有时候，我能够两手各提一版铅字上下楼梯，而其他工人则需要双手捧着一版铅字。从这个事例和其他事例中，他们惊奇地看见这个“喝水的美洲人”——就像他们称呼我的那样——竟然比他们这些喝浓啤酒的人还要强壮。

我们有一个啤酒店的小伙计专门替工人们送酒。和我在同一台印刷机上工作的一个朋友，每天早餐前都要喝一品脱啤酒，吃早餐时就着面包和甜饼喝一品脱，在早餐和午餐之间又喝一品脱，吃中饭时一品脱，下午6点左右又喝一品脱，干完一天的工作时又喝一品脱。我认为这是一种很不好的习惯，但是他认为，为了有力气工作，他必须喝那么多酒。

我就设法使他相信，啤酒所产生的体力只能与制造啤酒所用的溶解在水中的谷物或面粉成正比，在价值1便士的面包中含有更多的面粉。因此，如果他吃1便士的面包喝一品脱的水，将比喝一夸尔啤酒所得到的力气还要多。但是，他还是继续喝酒，每星期六晚上都要为那种泥浆水而从他的工资中掏出四五个先令，而这种费用我却没有。这样，这些可怜的家伙就永远使他们自己处于社会底层。

几个星期之后，瓦茨想将我安排到排字房去，所以我离开了那些印刷工人。但是，排字工却要我重新支付一笔陋规或酒钱，数额是5先令。我认为这是一种敲诈，因为我在下面的印刷房已经支付了。老板也这样认为，不许我付这笔钱。我坚持了两三个星期，因此他们认为我是一个被逐出会籍的人，私下里对我做了许多小手脚，假如我稍微出去一小会儿，他们就会弄乱我的铅字，打乱我的页码，打破我的排版，等等，还说这一切都是印刷厂的鬼魂干的。他们还说，那些鬼魂总是会捉弄那些不按规矩支付入会费的人。尽管有老板的保护，但这种恶作剧太多了，我只得付了钱，因为我相信，和经常在一起的人关系闹僵是愚蠢的。

现在，我和他们相处得很好，不久我就在他们中间获得了相当的影响力。我提议对他们的教堂（作者原注：工人们总是称印刷厂为“教堂”）法规做一些合理的修改，并压倒一切反对通过了这些修改案。从我的实际例子，他们中间的大部分人停止了他们那种将啤酒、面包和甜饼混在一起吃的早餐；因为他们发现，他们和我在一起，可以在一家隔壁饭馆买到一大碗热乎乎的稀粥，上面撒点儿胡椒面，再加上碎面包和一些牛油，但只花一品脱啤酒的价格，即一个半便士。这种早餐既舒服又便宜，而且还可以保持他们的头脑清醒。

至于那些继续成天喝啤酒的人，由于经常不付钱，在啤酒店也就没有了信誉，于是求我借钱给他们去买啤酒；按照他们的说法，他们的光熄灭了。在星期六晚上，我就等着发薪水，收回我借给他们的钱，有时候一星期要借给他们将近30先令。这时，我被公认为是一个相当好的幽默讽刺家，这增加了我在这个队伍中的威信。我一直出满勤（我从不会因为星期天玩累了而在星期一续假），使得老板很喜欢我。同时，由于我的排字速度非常快，所以总是被指定做急活，这种工作的报酬通常更高。因此，我这时候过得很舒适。

我在小不列颠的宿舍太远了，所以我在天主教堂对面的公爵街找到了另外一个地方。那是在一家意大利仓库三层楼的后楼上。一个寡妇看管这房子，她有一个女儿，一个女佣和一个看守仓库的职工，但是她却住在外面。在派人到我以前住的地方调查到我的品德以后，她同意按我原先的房租收留我，就是每周3先令6便士。据她所说，租金之所以这么低，是因为有一个男人住在这里，她认为可以得到一些保护。她是一个寡妇，一个年长的妇人；接受过新教徒教育，因为她是一位牧师的女儿，但是由于她丈夫的缘故，她改信了天主教，提起她的丈夫时她十分尊敬。她过去曾与上层社会往来频繁，因此知道许许多多上流社会的遗闻逸事，有些事情还远至查理二世时期。她因为膝部患有痛风症而成了残疾，所以很少离开她的卧室，有时会需要人陪伴。对我来讲，她的谈吐非常风趣，所以每当她需要人陪伴时，我总是会陪她一个晚上。我们的晚餐只是每人半条鲤鱼，非常小的一块面包和牛油，还有半品脱啤酒由两人分享，但是她的谈吐却令人心神愉悦。我保持良好的作息规律，不给她添任何麻烦，这些都使她不愿意我离开她。所以，当我听说印刷厂附近有一个宿舍，每周只要两先令的租金，由于我当时一心想攒点儿钱，所以这一差额也是相当重要的。当我向她说起这事时，她就叫我不要考虑那个地方，因为她愿意以后减去我两先令；这样，我在伦敦期间，就一直住在她那里，每周一先令6便士。

在她家的顶楼上，住着一个70岁的老处女，她近乎隐居。关于她，我的房东告诉过我这样一件事：她是一个天主教徒，年轻时被送到国外去，住在一个修女院中，立志成为一名修女；但是，由于水土不服，她回到了英国，但英国没有修女院，因此她发誓，在这种情况下尽可能接近地过一名修女的生活。所以，她把她的所有财产都捐赠给了慈善事业，只保留一年12英镑的生活费用；在这笔款项中，她还拿出一大部分来救济别人，她自己只喝稀粥，除了煮饭不再用火。她在那个顶楼已经住了许多年，在她下面的历代天主教房东都允许她免费居住，因为他们认为让她住在那里是一种赐福。一个神父每天都要去听她忏悔。

“我曾问她，”我的房东说，“像她那样生活，怎么会需要请人来听她的忏悔呢？”

“哦，”她说，“人们不可能没有无用的思想。”

有一次，她允许我去看她，她快乐而有礼貌，交谈时也很愉快。她的房间很整洁，没有其他的家具，只有一个垫子，一张桌子，上面放着一个十字架和一本书，一张凳子（她让我坐在上面），和烟囱边上放着的一幅圣·弗朗尼卡展示手帕的画，里面画着基督面孔流血的奇迹。她极其严肃地向我解释了这幅画。她看上去脸色苍白，但是从来没有生过病；我把她当作另一个实例，证明多么微小的收入也可以维持一个人生命和健康。

在瓦茨的印刷厂，我认识了一个叫华盖特的聪明的小伙子。他有一些很富有的亲戚，所以他比大多数印刷工人都更有教养。他的拉丁文还不错，会说法语，而且喜欢读书。我教了他和他的一个朋友游泳，只下水游了两次，不久他们就成为很好的游泳者了。他们把我介绍给了一些乡村的绅士，他们坐船到夏尔西去参观学院和沙特罗先生的奇珍异宝。在我们的归途中，由于华盖特提起了我的游泳技术，引起了大家的好奇心，因此应大家的要求，我脱去衣服，跳入河中，从夏尔西一直游到勃莱克佛里雅，一路上表演各种水面和水中技巧。由于他们从未见过这些新鲜玩意儿，所以又惊又喜。

我从孩提时代就很喜欢这项运动，研究和练习过所有的特弗诺特姿势和动作，而且加进了一些我自己的东西，目的是除了有用之外，还要优美简单。我抓住这个机会，向这些人表演了所有的动作，被他们的敬佩吹捧得有些飘飘然了。华盖特本来是想成为一名学者的，现在除了我们在学术研究上的共同点之外，由于这件事而使他对我越来越佩服了。最后，他向我提议一同去欧洲各地旅行，用我们的技艺来支撑我们的费用。我曾经想这样做，就向我的好朋友丹尼先生提到了这件事——只要我有空，就经常和他在一起待上一小时——他阻止了我，劝我只想着回费城，他现在即将去那里。

我必须写出这个好人性格中的一大特点。他过去曾在不列斯多做生意，但是做赔了，欠了许多人的债而无力偿还，赔了一部分之后到了美洲。在那里，他全心全意地做生意，在几年之内就赚了一大笔钱。和我同船回到英国以后，他请来他的旧债主们，招待他们吃饭。在酒桌上，他感谢他们过去对他的宽大处理；这时，客人们别无期待，以为他只是款待他们一顿。但是，当大家刚一移动碗盘，就发现自己的盘子下放有一张支票，除了没有付清的全部余款之外，还有利息。

这时候，他告诉我他即将回费城，为了在那里开一家商店，他要带回去大量的商品。他提议雇我当店员，替他记账，他会教我簿记，替他抄信和照看店铺。他补充说，等我一熟悉业务，就会提升我，送给我一船面粉和面包，去西印度群岛经商，并让我从其他方面得到佣金，获得更加丰厚的利润；他还说，如果我经营得法，将会发财致富。这件事让我很高兴，因为我对伦敦已经厌倦了，只要愉快地回忆起以前在宾夕法尼亚度过的愉快岁月，我就想故地重游；因此，我立即接受了他的提议，年薪是50镑宾夕法尼亚币，这个数目比我当时当排字工的工资的确要少多了，但是比较有前途。

我当时就离开了印刷行业，我还以为是永远离开了呢！我每天干着新工作，和丹尼先生一同到商家那里去采购各种商品，监督他们包装，出去办杂事，催促工匠完工，等等。当所有的东西都送上船以后，我就有几天的空闲时间。

就在这样空闲的某一天，我出乎意料地接到了一位显要人物威廉·温特摩爵士的召唤，我以前只闻其名，未见其人。我就去拜访了他。他通过某些渠道，听说我曾经从夏尔西游到勃莱里佛里雅，以及我曾经在几小时之内就教会了华盖特和另一个年轻人游泳。他有两个儿子，即将出门远游，他要他们首先学会游泳，就向我提议，如果我愿意教他们，他愿出重金报答我。他的两个儿子这时不在伦敦，而我还不能肯定能在伦敦待多久，因此我不能答应下来；但是，从这件事我就想到，假如我留在英国办一所游泳学校，我可能会赚许多钱。这一印象是如此深刻，假如他的提议早几天的话，我也许不会那么早回美洲的。许多年以后，你和我曾经跟威廉·温特摩爵士两个儿子中的一个接洽过某件重大的事情。那时他已经是爱葛雷孟伯爵，我以后还会在适当的地方提到他。

这样，我在伦敦度过了大约18个月时间。大多数时候，我辛勤地在我的本行工作，除了看戏和买书之外，我非常节俭。我的朋友拉尔夫使我贫穷，他借了我大约27英镑，现在我再也不可能收回这笔欠款了，这在我微薄的收入中是多大的一笔款项啊！尽管如此，我还是爱他，因为他有许多令人喜欢的地方。虽然我并不能因此而致富，但是我在伦敦结识了一些非常聪明的朋友，和他们交谈使我获益匪浅；同时，我也读了不少书。