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.

我們進入英吉利海峽后，船主遵守了他對我的諾言，給了我一個機會，在信袋中找州長的信，但是我沒有找到一封委托給我保管的信。我挑出了六七封信，根據筆跡，我猜想可能是那些約定的信，特別是因為其中有一封是寫給巴斯吉的，他是皇家印刷廠的，另一封是給一個文具商的。

我們于1724年12月24日到達倫敦。我去拜訪那個文具商，他離我最近。我給了他那封信，說是基夫州長寫的。“我不認識這樣一個人，”他說，但是他拆開了信，“哦！這是李德斯田的信。近來我發現他完全是個騙子，我將與他斷絕來往，也不接受他的任何來信。”于是，他把信塞進我手里，轉身離去，把我晾在一邊，接待另一位顧客去了。

我很驚奇地發現，這些信并不是州長的；經過回憶和比較各種事實，我開始懷疑他的誠意了。我找到了我的朋友丹尼先生，將整個事情都告訴了他。他告訴了我基夫的性格，說他絕不可能替我寫任何信，任何一個了解他的人對他都不會有一點兒信賴。當他聽說州長將給我信用證時，就笑了起來，因為據說他根本就沒有信用證。當我表示出對我今后該怎么辦的擔心時，他建議我設法在我的本行中找一份工作。

“在這里的印刷廠工作，”他說，“你可以提高你自己。當你回到美洲時，你將會有更好的條件開業了。”

我們兩人碰巧知道——就像那個文具商人知道的一樣——那位李德斯田律師是一個完完全全的無賴。他勸李德小姐的父親和他簽訂了師徒合同，使李德先生幾乎破產。從這封信來看，好像有人正在醞釀一個不利于漢彌爾頓的陰謀（他們假設漢彌爾頓是跟我們一起來英國的），而且還牽涉到了基夫和李德斯田。丹尼是漢彌爾頓的朋友，認為應當讓漢彌爾頓知道這封信的內容。這樣，當漢彌爾頓不久之后到達英國時，一方面為了發泄我對基夫和李德斯田的憤怒和憎恨，另一方面為了表示對他的好感，我去拜訪了他，并把這封信給了他。他誠懇地謝過我，因為這個消息對他來說非常重要。從那以后，他成了我的朋友；后來，這種友誼有許多次都對我極其有利。

但是，我們又該如何理解一個州長竟然玩這種卑鄙的把戲，這么下流地耍弄一個可憐而無辜的孩子呢！原來，這已經成了他的一個習慣，他想討好大家，但是又給不了別人什么東西，所以他就給人希望。除此以外，他倒是一個聰明而懂事的人，寫得一手好文章，對老百姓來說是一個好州長，雖然對他的選民（有產業的業主）來講他并不是如此，因為他有時候會對他們的訓令置之不理。我們有一些最好法律就是由他制定，并且在他的任期內獲得通過的。

拉爾夫和我是不可分離的伙伴。我們以每周3先令6便士的租金，一同寄宿在小不列顛——這是我們當時所能支付的最高租金了。拉爾夫找到了一些親戚，但是他們很窮，幫不了他的忙。這時，他把留在倫敦的想法告訴了我，而且說他從來就沒有回費城的打算。他沒有帶什么錢，他所能籌措的全部款項，都用來支付他的路費了。我身邊有15塊西班牙幣，所以他在找工作的時候，偶爾向我借一點錢，以維持生活。

他起初力圖進戲院，因為他相信他自己適合當演員。但是威爾克——拉爾夫曾向他申請演員工作——坦率地勸他不要再想這種工作了，因為他在這方面不可能取得成就。

然后，他向圣父街的一個出版商羅伯茨提議，為對方編寫一份像《旁觀者》那樣的周報，他提出了一定的條件，但是羅伯茨沒有答應。后來，他又努力尋找作家助手的工作，替出版商和法學院的律師們抄寫資料，但也找不到空缺。

我很快就在帕爾默的印刷廠找到了工作，當時它是巴士羅米巷一家著名的印刷廠，在這里我繼續工作了將近一年。我工作非常勤快，但是我工資的很大一部分被花在了和拉爾夫一同去劇院及其他娛樂場所。我們一起花光了我所有的錢，現在我們只能勉強糊口了。他好像完全忘了他的妻子和孩子，而我也逐漸忘了和李德小姐的約定，只給她寫過一封信，我在信中告訴她，我大概不會很快回來。這是我一生中另一個重大的錯誤，如果我能重演這一生的話，我愿意糾正這個錯誤。事實上，由于我們的開支，我一直沒有錢支付我的旅費。

在帕爾默的印刷廠，我被指定為胡拉斯頓的《自然的宗教》第二版排字。由于他的理論，在我看來，有些地方沒有充分的根據，所以我寫了一篇短篇哲學論文來批評這些理論，題目叫《論自由與必然，快樂與痛苦》。我把它獻給我的朋友拉爾夫，并且印刷了一些。這使得帕爾默對我更加重視，認為我是一個有些才能的年輕人，盡管這本小冊子所包含的那些理論——他嚴肅地告誡我說——在他看來是十分討厭的。我印行這個小冊子，是又一個錯誤。

當我住在小不列顛時，認識了一個叫威爾考克斯的書商，他的書店就在隔壁。他有許多舊書。由于當時還沒有流通圖書館，所以我們達成了協議，我出一筆合理的費用，數目我現在已經記不清了，我可以借閱他的任何書，完了之后還給他。我把這看作一種極大的便利，就盡我所能地利用它。

不知是通過哪種方式，我的小冊子到了一個叫萊昂斯的外科醫生手里，他是《人類判斷的不謬性》這本書的作者，因此我們就相識了。他很重視我，常常來看我，和我探討這類問題，還帶我去一家叫荷恩斯的淡啤酒店——它位于吉卜賽的某條小巷，把我介紹給了《蜜蜂的童話》的作者曼德維博士，他在那家酒店里成立了一個俱樂部，因為他是一個十分幽默風趣的伙伴，所以他成了這個俱樂部的核心人物。萊昂斯還把我介紹給了在巴特森咖啡館的賓柏頓博士，他答應替我找一個機會，去拜見愛瑟·牛頓爵士——對于這一點我極其渴望，但是從沒有實現。

我帶來了幾件珍品，其中最主要的一件是用石棉制成的荷包，它要用火洗滌。漢斯·司隆爵士聽到之后，就來看我，請我到他位于布魯姆斯保利廣場的家中，在那里給我看了他搜集的全部奇珍異寶，并勸我把荷包轉讓給他珍藏，他愿意為此慷慨地付給我一筆費用。

在我們寄宿的地方，有一個年輕的女帽商人，我想她在修道院大街有一家店鋪。她接受過貴族教育，明理而活躍，談吐非常風趣。當拉爾夫在晚上讀劇本給她聽時，他們逐漸變得親昵起來。她搬到了另外一個地方寄宿，拉爾夫也跟了去。他們同居了一段時間；但是，由于他仍然沒有工作，而她的收入又不夠維持他們倆以及她的孩子的生活，所以他決定離開倫敦，試著去當一名鄉村教師，他認為自己很有資格當教師，因為他寫得一手好字，又擅長算術和簿記。然而，他又認為這是一種比他的地位低的職業，而且深信他將來會發跡，到那時他可不愿意人家知道他過去曾干過如此卑賤的工作，所以他改了他的姓。為了表示對我的尊敬，他冒稱了我的姓，因為我不久就接到他的信，告訴我他住在一個小村莊里（我想它是柏克夏，他在那里教十一二個男孩子讀書和算術，每周的薪金是6便士），要求我照顧T夫人，而且希望我寫信給他，上面要寫清楚是寄給在那個地方的老師富蘭克林先生的。

他堅持不斷地寫信，給我寄來一首很長的詩，這是他當時正在寫的，要求我批評和指正。這些我都不時地照辦了，但是又勸他不要繼續寫下去了。那時，楊的一篇《諷刺詩》剛發表，我抄了一大部分寄給他，它鮮明地指出了那些毫無希望地追逐詩神的人的愚蠢之舉。但是這一切都徒勞無功；詩稿不斷地裝在每個信封里寄來。同時，T夫人——由于他的關系而失去了她的朋友和生意——已經陷入窘境，常常叫我去，向我借我能多余出來的錢，以救她的燃眉之急。

我逐漸地喜歡與她交往了，而且，由于我這時候沒有任何宗教約束，同時利用她對我的依賴，我曾試圖與她發生關系（這是又一個錯誤），但是她拒絕了我，正義地表示了憤怒，并且把我的行為告訴了拉爾夫。這使得我們斷絕了往來；當他再次回到倫敦時，他告訴我說，我過去對他的所有恩惠都一筆勾銷了。

于是，我發現我永遠不能指望他來償還我借給他或替他墊付的錢了。但是，這在當時還無關緊要，因為他完全沒有這個能力；而且沒有了他的友誼，我發現我自己從一個重負中解脫出來了。這時，我開始考慮要提前攢點兒錢了。為了得到更好的工作，我離開了帕爾默，來到林肯協會廣場附近的瓦茨印刷廠工作，這是一家更大的印刷廠。我在這里繼續工作，直到離開倫敦。

我剛到這家印刷廠時，是干印刷工作，因為我覺得我需要以前在美洲習慣的那種體力鍛煉；在美洲，印刷工作與排字工作緊密相關。我只喝水；而其他工人，大約有50人，都是酒鬼。有時候，我能夠兩手各提一版鉛字上下樓梯，而其他工人則需要雙手捧著一版鉛字。從這個事例和其他事例中，他們驚奇地看見這個“喝水的美洲人”——就像他們稱呼我的那樣——竟然比他們這些喝濃啤酒的人還要強壯。

我們有一個啤酒店的小伙計專門替工人們送酒。和我在同一臺印刷機上工作的一個朋友，每天早餐前都要喝一品脫啤酒，吃早餐時就著面包和甜餅喝一品脫，在早餐和午餐之間又喝一品脫，吃中飯時一品脫，下午6點左右又喝一品脫，干完一天的工作時又喝一品脫。我認為這是一種很不好的習慣，但是他認為，為了有力氣工作，他必須喝那么多酒。

我就設法使他相信，啤酒所產生的體力只能與制造啤酒所用的溶解在水中的谷物或面粉成正比，在價值1便士的面包中含有更多的面粉。因此，如果他吃1便士的面包喝一品脫的水，將比喝一夸爾啤酒所得到的力氣還要多。但是，他還是繼續喝酒，每星期六晚上都要為那種泥漿水而從他的工資中掏出四五個先令，而這種費用我卻沒有。這樣，這些可憐的家伙就永遠使他們自己處于社會底層。

幾個星期之后，瓦茨想將我安排到排字房去，所以我離開了那些印刷工人。但是，排字工卻要我重新支付一筆陋規或酒錢，數額是5先令。我認為這是一種敲詐，因為我在下面的印刷房已經支付了。老板也這樣認為，不許我付這筆錢。我堅持了兩三個星期，因此他們認為我是一個被逐出會籍的人，私下里對我做了許多小手腳，假如我稍微出去一小會兒，他們就會弄亂我的鉛字，打亂我的頁碼，打破我的排版，等等，還說這一切都是印刷廠的鬼魂干的。他們還說，那些鬼魂總是會捉弄那些不按規矩支付入會費的人。盡管有老板的保護，但這種惡作劇太多了，我只得付了錢，因為我相信，和經常在一起的人關系鬧僵是愚蠢的。

現在，我和他們相處得很好，不久我就在他們中間獲得了相當的影響力。我提議對他們的教堂（作者原注：工人們總是稱印刷廠為“教堂”）法規做一些合理的修改，并壓倒一切反對通過了這些修改案。從我的實際例子，他們中間的大部分人停止了他們那種將啤酒、面包和甜餅混在一起吃的早餐；因為他們發現，他們和我在一起，可以在一家隔壁飯館買到一大碗熱乎乎的稀粥，上面撒點兒胡椒面，再加上碎面包和一些牛油，但只花一品脫啤酒的價格，即一個半便士。這種早餐既舒服又便宜，而且還可以保持他們的頭腦清醒。

至于那些繼續成天喝啤酒的人，由于經常不付錢，在啤酒店也就沒有了信譽，于是求我借錢給他們去買啤酒；按照他們的說法，他們的光熄滅了。在星期六晚上，我就等著發薪水，收回我借給他們的錢，有時候一星期要借給他們將近30先令。這時，我被公認為是一個相當好的幽默諷刺家，這增加了我在這個隊伍中的威信。我一直出滿勤（我從不會因為星期天玩累了而在星期一續假），使得老板很喜歡我。同時，由于我的排字速度非常快，所以總是被指定做急活，這種工作的報酬通常更高。因此，我這時候過得很舒適。

我在小不列顛的宿舍太遠了，所以我在天主教堂對面的公爵街找到了另外一個地方。那是在一家意大利倉庫三層樓的后樓上。一個寡婦看管這房子，她有一個女兒，一個女傭和一個看守倉庫的職工，但是她卻住在外面。在派人到我以前住的地方調查到我的品德以后，她同意按我原先的房租收留我，就是每周3先令6便士。據她所說，租金之所以這么低，是因為有一個男人住在這里，她認為可以得到一些保護。她是一個寡婦，一個年長的婦人；接受過新教徒教育，因為她是一位牧師的女兒，但是由于她丈夫的緣故，她改信了天主教，提起她的丈夫時她十分尊敬。她過去曾與上層社會往來頻繁，因此知道許許多多上流社會的遺聞逸事，有些事情還遠至查理二世時期。她因為膝部患有痛風癥而成了殘疾，所以很少離開她的臥室，有時會需要人陪伴。對我來講，她的談吐非常風趣，所以每當她需要人陪伴時，我總是會陪她一個晚上。我們的晚餐只是每人半條鯉魚，非常小的一塊面包和牛油，還有半品脫啤酒由兩人分享，但是她的談吐卻令人心神愉悅。我保持良好的作息規律，不給她添任何麻煩，這些都使她不愿意我離開她。所以，當我聽說印刷廠附近有一個宿舍，每周只要兩先令的租金，由于我當時一心想攢點兒錢，所以這一差額也是相當重要的。當我向她說起這事時，她就叫我不要考慮那個地方，因為她愿意以后減去我兩先令；這樣，我在倫敦期間，就一直住在她那里，每周一先令6便士。

在她家的頂樓上，住著一個70歲的老處女，她近乎隱居。關于她，我的房東告訴過我這樣一件事：她是一個天主教徒，年輕時被送到國外去，住在一個修女院中，立志成為一名修女；但是，由于水土不服，她回到了英國，但英國沒有修女院，因此她發誓，在這種情況下盡可能接近地過一名修女的生活。所以，她把她的所有財產都捐贈給了慈善事業，只保留一年12英鎊的生活費用；在這筆款項中，她還拿出一大部分來救濟別人，她自己只喝稀粥，除了煮飯不再用火。她在那個頂樓已經住了許多年，在她下面的歷代天主教房東都允許她免費居住，因為他們認為讓她住在那里是一種賜福。一個神父每天都要去聽她懺悔。

“我曾問她，”我的房東說，“像她那樣生活，怎么會需要請人來聽她的懺悔呢？”

“哦，”她說，“人們不可能沒有無用的思想。”

有一次，她允許我去看她，她快樂而有禮貌，交談時也很愉快。她的房間很整潔，沒有其他的家具，只有一個墊子，一張桌子，上面放著一個十字架和一本書，一張凳子（她讓我坐在上面），和煙囪邊上放著的一幅圣·弗朗尼卡展示手帕的畫，里面畫著基督面孔流血的奇跡。她極其嚴肅地向我解釋了這幅畫。她看上去臉色蒼白，但是從來沒有生過病；我把她當作另一個實例，證明多么微小的收入也可以維持一個人生命和健康。

在瓦茨的印刷廠，我認識了一個叫華蓋特的聰明的小伙子。他有一些很富有的親戚，所以他比大多數印刷工人都更有教養。他的拉丁文還不錯，會說法語，而且喜歡讀書。我教了他和他的一個朋友游泳，只下水游了兩次，不久他們就成為很好的游泳者了。他們把我介紹給了一些鄉村的紳士，他們坐船到夏爾西去參觀學院和沙特羅先生的奇珍異寶。在我們的歸途中，由于華蓋特提起了我的游泳技術，引起了大家的好奇心，因此應大家的要求，我脫去衣服，跳入河中，從夏爾西一直游到勃萊克佛里雅，一路上表演各種水面和水中技巧。由于他們從未見過這些新鮮玩意兒，所以又驚又喜。

我從孩提時代就很喜歡這項運動，研究和練習過所有的特弗諾特姿勢和動作，而且加進了一些我自己的東西，目的是除了有用之外，還要優美簡單。我抓住這個機會，向這些人表演了所有的動作，被他們的敬佩吹捧得有些飄飄然了。華蓋特本來是想成為一名學者的，現在除了我們在學術研究上的共同點之外，由于這件事而使他對我越來越佩服了。最后，他向我提議一同去歐洲各地旅行，用我們的技藝來支撐我們的費用。我曾經想這樣做，就向我的好朋友丹尼先生提到了這件事——只要我有空，就經常和他在一起待上一小時——他阻止了我，勸我只想著回費城，他現在即將去那里。

我必須寫出這個好人性格中的一大特點。他過去曾在不列斯多做生意，但是做賠了，欠了許多人的債而無力償還，賠了一部分之后到了美洲。在那里，他全心全意地做生意，在幾年之內就賺了一大筆錢。和我同船回到英國以后，他請來他的舊債主們，招待他們吃飯。在酒桌上，他感謝他們過去對他的寬大處理；這時，客人們別無期待，以為他只是款待他們一頓。但是，當大家剛一移動碗盤，就發現自己的盤子下放有一張支票，除了沒有付清的全部余款之外，還有利息。

這時候，他告訴我他即將回費城，為了在那里開一家商店，他要帶回去大量的商品。他提議雇我當店員，替他記賬，他會教我簿記，替他抄信和照看店鋪。他補充說，等我一熟悉業務，就會提升我，送給我一船面粉和面包，去西印度群島經商，并讓我從其他方面得到傭金，獲得更加豐厚的利潤；他還說，如果我經營得法，將會發財致富。這件事讓我很高興，因為我對倫敦已經厭倦了，只要愉快地回憶起以前在賓夕法尼亞度過的愉快歲月，我就想故地重游；因此，我立即接受了他的提議，年薪是50鎊賓夕法尼亞幣，這個數目比我當時當排字工的工資的確要少多了，但是比較有前途。

我當時就離開了印刷行業，我還以為是永遠離開了呢！我每天干著新工作，和丹尼先生一同到商家那里去采購各種商品，監督他們包裝，出去辦雜事，催促工匠完工，等等。當所有的東西都送上船以后，我就有幾天的空閑時間。

就在這樣空閑的某一天，我出乎意料地接到了一位顯要人物威廉·溫特摩爵士的召喚，我以前只聞其名，未見其人。我就去拜訪了他。他通過某些渠道，聽說我曾經從夏爾西游到勃萊里佛里雅，以及我曾經在幾小時之內就教會了華蓋特和另一個年輕人游泳。他有兩個兒子，即將出門遠游，他要他們首先學會游泳，就向我提議，如果我愿意教他們，他愿出重金報答我。他的兩個兒子這時不在倫敦，而我還不能肯定能在倫敦待多久，因此我不能答應下來；但是，從這件事我就想到，假如我留在英國辦一所游泳學校，我可能會賺許多錢。這一印象是如此深刻，假如他的提議早幾天的話，我也許不會那么早回美洲的。許多年以后，你和我曾經跟威廉·溫特摩爵士兩個兒子中的一個接洽過某件重大的事情。那時他已經是愛葛雷孟伯爵，我以后還會在適當的地方提到他。

這樣，我在倫敦度過了大約18個月時間。大多數時候，我辛勤地在我的本行工作，除了看戲和買書之外，我非常節儉。我的朋友拉爾夫使我貧窮，他借了我大約27英鎊，現在我再也不可能收回這筆欠款了，這在我微薄的收入中是多大的一筆款項啊！盡管如此，我還是愛他，因為他有許多令人喜歡的地方。雖然我并不能因此而致富，但是我在倫敦結識了一些非常聰明的朋友，和他們交談使我獲益匪淺；同時，我也讀了不少書。