24 RISEN B V PERSE VERATv CE. 



taught through his means ; and, accordingly, when this object 

 was in some sort attained, contrived to pick a quarrel with 

 him, which produced an immediate separation. He then 

 entered into an agreement with one of his fellow-workmen, of 

 the name of Meredith, whose friends were possessed of money, 

 to begin business in Philadelphia in company with him, the 

 understanding being that Franklin's skill should be placed 

 against the capital to be supplied by Meredith. While he and 

 his friend, however, were secretly preparing to put their plan 

 in execution, he was induced to return for a few months to 

 Keimer, on his earnest invitation, to enable him to perform a 

 contract for the printing of some paper-money for the State of 

 New Jersey, which required a variety of cuts and types that 

 nobody else in the place could supply ; and the two having 

 gone together to Burlington to superintend this business, 

 Franklin was fortunate enough, during the three months he 

 remained in that city, to acquire, by his agreeable m.anners 

 and intelligent conversation, the friendship of several of the 

 principal inhabitants, with whom his employment brought him 

 into connection. Among these he mentions particularly 

 Isaac Decow, the surveyor-general. ' He was,' says Franklin, 

 'a shrewd, sagacious old man, who told me that he began 

 for himself, when young, by wheeling clay for the brick- 

 makers, learned to wTite after he was of age, carried the chain 

 for surveyors, who taught him surveying, and he had now by 

 his industry acquired a good estate ; and, said he, I foresee 

 that you will soon work this man (Keimer) out of his 

 business, and make a fortune in it at Philadelphia, He had 

 then not the least intimation of my intention to set up there or 

 anywhere.' 



Soon after he returned to Philadelphia the types that had 



