MEMOIR. XI 



the place, I betook myself seriously to 

 study, and in the course of three years ac- 

 quired, perhaps, more knowledge, though 

 unassisted, than in any three subsequent 

 years of my life. When I had resided 

 with him somewhat more than three years, 

 the American rebellion first broke out in 

 New England. 



My father, whose conduct as the printer 

 of a newspaper had become extremely 

 offensive to the people of Carolina from 

 his constantly maintaining the cause of 

 royalty, found it prudent to leave that 

 country and to return to Great Britain. 

 Soon after he went away, public matters 

 became worse, and I was desired with 

 others to sign a kind of state paper there, 

 " the association/' which as it appeared 

 to me to be an open act of rebellion, I 

 positively refused to do. I therefore de- 

 termined to leave the country also, but 

 my services were now of considerable 

 importance to my master, who was at the 



