But Sir William, on reading his letter, said he was
too prudent. There was great difference in persons; and discretion
did not always accompany years, nor was youth always without it.
"And since he will not set you up," says he, "I will do it myself.
Give me an inventory of the things necessary to be had from England,
and I will send for them. You shall repay me when you are able;
I am resolv'd to have a good printer here, and I am sure you
must succeed." This was spoken with such an appearance of cordiality,
that I had not the least doubt of his meaning what he said.
I had hitherto kept the proposition of my setting up, a secret
in Philadelphia, and I still kept it. Had it been known that I
depended on the governor, probably some friend, that knew him better,
would have advis'd me not to rely on him, as I afterwards heard it
as his known character to be liberal of promises which he never meant
to keep. Yet, unsolicited as he was by me, how could I think his
generous offers insincere? I believ'd him one of the best men in
the world.
I presented him an inventory of a little print'g-house, amounting
by my computation to about one hundred pounds sterling. He lik'd it,
but ask'd me if my being on the spot in England to chuse the types,
and see that every thing was good of the kind, might not be of
some advantage. "Then," says he, "when there, you may make acquaintances,
and establish correspondences in the bookselling and stationery way."
I agreed that this might be advantageous.
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