BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 19 



him with the Governor's letter. For some time his father 

 said little or nothing on the subject, merely remarking, that 

 Sir William must be a person of small discretion, to think of 

 setting a youth up in business who wanted three years to 

 arrive at man's estate. But at last he decidedly refused to 

 have anything to do with the arrangement ; and Franklin 

 returned to his patron to tell him of his bad success, going 

 this time, however, with the consent and blessing of his 

 parents, who, finding how industrious he had been while in 

 Philadelphia, were willing that he should continue there. 

 When Franklin presented himself to Sir William with his 

 father's answer to the letter he had been honoured with from 

 that functionary, the Governor observed that he was too 

 prudent : ' But since he will not set you up,' added he, ' I will 

 do it myself.' It was finally agreed that Franklin should 

 proceed in person to England, to purchase types and other 

 necessary articles, for which the Governor was to give him 

 letters of credit to the extent of one hundred pounds. 



After repeated applications to the Governor for the promised 

 letters of credit, Franklin was at last sent on board the vessel 

 for England, which was just on the point of sailing, with an 

 assurance that Colonel French should be sent to him with 

 the letters immediately. That gentleman soon after made 

 his appearance, bearing a packet of despatches from the 

 Governor : in this packet Franklin was informed his letters 

 were. Accordingly, when they got into the British Channel, 

 the captain having allowed him to search for them among the 

 others, he found several addressed to his care, which he 

 concluded of course to be those he had been promised. 

 Upon presenting one of them, however, to a stationer, to 

 v/hom it was directed, the man, having opened it, merely 



