sly to reflect upon my desolate situation, and plan in my
mind ways to mend it. The childish wishes we had often formed of being
rich, and the happy dreams of what we would do if we were so, rose with
tenfold force into my memory, and I resolved to be rich; but how to
attain my aim was the rub. Wishing, I knew well, brought no gain. It
must be toiled for, and steadily pursued. A tradesman I could not hope
to be. No one would receive me for my labour during my apprenticeship,
and clothe and feed me; and I was too young and weak for labouring work
in town or country. There was one way alone open to me--to commence
merchant. You may smile at the word; but you shall see. It was not my
choice; but what have the poor to do with choice? My object now was to
obtain a capital to commence business upon. I was far from fortunate. It
was nearly a month before I had accumulated a groat; yet my labour and
anxiety were intense. No gentleman appeared on horseback in the city,
whom I did not follow, in anxious hopes to get, by holding his horse, a
penny, to increase my capital. In messages I was more indefatigable than
usual. No length of space or weight of load daunted me, if a penny was
to be earned; but it appeared to my eager mind that the gentlemen, at
this time, required less service than usual, and those that employed me
were more liberal of their food than halfpence. Still I steadily held on
unflinching, adding halfpenny to halfpenny, my mind a prey to a new
fear, that of losing my treasure. But I had joys mixed with my fears;
for, when I retired to a quiet corner, and counted again and again my
increasing store, what a pleasure I felt in adding a halfpenny to it,
and carefully wrapping up the paper! When I had reached my eightpence, I
could delay my undertaking no longer. I felt I had attained my first
step; and, with a feeling of importance to be envied, proceeded to a
bookseller's shop, and purchased ballads, of which I got, for my groat,
one dozen and three, with a piece of paper to wrap them in, and left the
shop, exulting that I was now a merchant, and had goods to dispose of.

"As it was not my intention to sing them on the streets--for from this
my pride revolted--I set off in the direction of Lasswade, calling at
every door to offer my wares. In two days I had sold off my whole stock,
and returned to town for more ballads. After a time, I added other small
books, and my trade prospered amazingly. My living cost me nothing