Ben listened happily as Governor Keith discussed his plans for the new printing business.
“Give me a list of the things you need from England,” Keith said, “and I will send for them. You shall repay me when you are able. I am resolved to have a good printer here in Philadelphia, and I am sure you must succeed.”
Ben thought hard. He would need a wooden printing press, of course. Two composing sticks, eight cases, six galleys (metal frames to hold type), and various other pieces of equipment. And, most important, 1,200 pounds of metal type, in eight sizes.
Altogether, the equipment would cost £100 sterling, a good deal of money in those days.
No problem, Governor Keith said. Perhaps Ben would like to go to England himself? That way he could choose his own type and make the business contacts he would need in London.
England? Ben would love to go!
In 1724, many colonists dreamed of visiting the mother country. But pirates and the constant wars in Europe made the voyage so dangerous that only one ship traveled between Philadelphia and London in a whole year. Ben would have many months to wait until the next ship set sail.
In the meantime, he continued to work for Samuel Keimer. The older man was strange, no doubt about it. But Ben found it amusing to debate him, especially about religion. Keimer belonged to an unusual religious group that worshipped on Saturday, instead of Sunday. Men wore their beards long and untrimmed. He proposed that Ben, too, join his group and grow a beard. Ben agreed, on condition that Keimer become a vegetarian. After his fish feast on shipboard, Ben had stopped being a full-time vegetarian. Yet he still returned to a meatless diet now and then to save money.
Now he and Keimer agreed not to eat fish, meat, or fowl for three months. Ben was proud of all the money he saved on his diet. But Keimer, a “great glutton,” was going crazy. They agreed to break their fast with a big dinner. But when the roast pig was delivered, Keimer ate it all himself before the other guests arrived!
Ben wasn’t getting along with his friend James Collins, the young man who had traveled with him from Boston, at all. They had been friends since childhood, and read many books together. But now Ben discovered to his dismay that Collins had become a drunkard. Because of his drinking, he couldn’t hold down a job in Philadelphia. Instead, he kept borrowing money from his friend. Ben became more and more angry, until finally his fury erupted.
One day, while they were boating on the Delaware River with some other friends, Collins refused to take his turn at the oars. “I will be rowed home,” he declared grandly.
“We will not row you,” Ben snapped.
“You must,” Collins said, “or you must stay all night on the water.”
The other passengers, fearing a fight, said they would row instead. But Ben was too annoyed to let Collins have his way. Swearing that he would make Ben row in his place, Collins stood up in the rocking boat. Ben’s patience snapped. He lifted Collins up into the air—and pitched him headfirst into the river!
Every time Collins swam near, the rowers pulled the boat out of his reach. Still, he would not give in. Finally, when Ben saw that Collins was getting tired, they let him back on board. But the friendship was over. A few months later, Collins left to become a tutor in the West Indies. Collins never paid back the money he owed Ben, and Ben never heard from his childhood friend again.
Franklin had other friends, “lovers of reading” with whom he wrote and recited poetry. The best of the poets, James Ralph, decided to go to London with Ben. Ben thought it was for business reasons. Only later did he discover that Ralph wanted to escape his wife’s relatives—and his wife.
By now Ben was involved in his own romance. He and Deborah Read had grown quite fond of each other and wanted to get married. But they were both still very young, only eighteen. Deborah’s mother thought they should wait until Ben got back from London. So Deborah and Ben exchanged many promises, and agreed to wait.
Finally the great day arrived. Ben was eager to set off for London. All he needed were the letters of introduction and credit from Governor Keith. Before his departure, Ben called at the governor’s house to pick up the letters. They were not ready. But the governor’s secretary promised they would be delivered at New Castle before the ship sailed. At New Castle, however, Ben was told that the letters would be sent on board in a general mailbag. Ben boarded the ship, a little puzzled.
Why had Governor Keith not prepared the letters?
The voyage was uneventful. Ben and James Ralph made several new acquaintances, including an extremely pleasant Quaker merchant named Mr. Denham.
Finally, as the ship neared London, the ship’s captain let Ben examine the bag of letters. Strangely, he found none with his name on it. Where were the letters the governor had promised him?
Worried, Ben told Mr. Denham about his dilemma. The merchant looked grave. Everyone knows Governor Keith is an undependable man, he said. He has a very a bad habit of making promises he can never keep.
There is no doubt about it, said Mr. Denham. You will not get letters of recommendation, money, or anything else from such a man.
Ben had been fooled!
The ship arrived in London on Christmas Eve, 1724. Ben looked around him in awe. London was the largest city in Europe, home to nearly 700,000 people.
What was he going to do? He was alone in the largest city in the world, with no money, no work—and no way to get home!