XXXV. PHILOSOPHER AND STATESMAN. - - Entering into Partnership with Hall - His Large Income - Time 484 BOYHOOD TO MANHOOD. I. FROM OLD ENGLAND TO NEW ENGLAND. AM tired of so much persecution undef the reign of our corrupt king," said a neighbor to Josiah Franklin, one day in the year 1685, in the usually quiet village of Banbury, England, "and I believe that I shall puli up stakes and emigrate to Boston. That is the most thriving port in America." "Well, I am not quite prepared for that yet," replied Franklin. "Our king is bad enough and tyrannical enough to make us all sick of our native land. But it is a great step to leave it forever, to live among strangers; and I could not decide to do it without a good deal of reflection." "Nor I; but I have reflected upon it for a whole your now, and the more I reflect the more I am inclined to emigrate. When I can't worship God here as my conscience dictates, I will go where I can. Besides, I think the new country promises much more to the common people than the old in the way of a livelihood." "Perhaps so; I have not given the subject much. attention. Dissenters have a hard time here under Charles II, and we all have to work hard enough for a livelihood. I don't think you can have a harder time in Boston." Josiah Franklin was not disposed to emigrate when his neighbor first opened the subject. He was an intelligent, enterprising, Christian man, a dyer by trade, was born in Ecton, Leicestershire, in 1655, but removed to Banbury in his boyhood, to learn the business of a dyer of his brother John. He was married in Banbury at twenty-two years of age, his wife being an excellent companion for him, whether in prosperity or adversity, at home among kith and kin, or with strangers in New England. "You better consider this matter seriously," continued the neighbor, “for several families will go, I think, if one goes. A little colony of us will make it comparatively easy to leave home for a new country." "Very true; that would be quite an inducement to exchange countries, several families going together," responded Franklin. "I should enjoy escaping from the oppression of the Established Church as much as you; but it is a too important step for me to take without much consideration. It appears to me that my business could not be as good in a new country as it is in this old country." "I do not see why, exactly. People in a new country must have dyeing done, perhaps not so much of it as the people of an old country; but the popu lation of a new place like Boston increases faster than the older places of our country, and this fact would offset the objection you name." "In part, perhaps. If Benjamin could go, I should almost feel that I must go; but I suppose it is entirely out of the question for him to go." Benjamin was an older brother of Josiah, who went to learn the trade of a dyer of his brother John before Josiah did. The Benjamin Franklin of this volume, our young hero, was named for him. He was a very pious man, who rendered unto God the things that are God's with full as much care as he rendered unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's. He was a very intelligent, bright man, also quite a poet for that day, and he invented a style of short-hand writing that he used in taking down sermons to which he listened. In this way he accumulated several volumes of sermons, which he held as treasures. "I have not spoken with your brother about the matter," replied the neighbor. "I think it would be more difficult for him to arrange to go than for most of us, at least for the present. I intend to speak with him about it." "He will not want me to go if he can not," added Josiah, "and I shall think about it a good while before I should conclude to go without him. We have been together most of our lives, and to separate now, probably never to meet again, would be too great a trial." "You will experience greater trials than that if you live long, no doubt," said the neighbor, "but I want you should think the matter over, and see if it |